Better File Sharing System

[Tezza2010]

Can we discuss with this community and PTC splitting up the areas where you can upload and download your files for sharing split from the areas with discussions and requests for help.

The file sharing would be easier as you could contribute and find useful files faster not cluttered with page after page of discussion.

Discussions would be easier without clutter from shared files.

These really are two separate activities.

Regards

Tezza

[RichardJ]

You can post a document. Documents can be posted either under one of the Mathcad forums, or in your own private area.

Sometimes that is the best way to post something, but, IMHO, the best place for a document that is specifically related to a discussion is in the discussion thread. In such a context the documents are not "clutter", they are an integral part of the discussion. They contain information that cannot be written into a simple text post.

It would also be a lot easier to find things if the originator of the discussion / document / video set appropriate tags. The search on PlanetPTC relies heavily on such tags.

[Ninetrees]

I agree with the idea of keeping relevant files with posts, but I also see the file sharing POV. They are two different concepts to me. I definitely agree with keeping relevant files with posts, but prefer that folks who contribute to threads, either to help or look for help, keep the content in the files to the point so that we don't have to wade through pages of material just to illustrate a point. Of course, I can see some instances where more content is necessary.

We had the thought of making a sharing repositiry, I think? And wrt such a repository, I'd like to see better file names (perhaps some guidelines?), a place for a brief description, tags if appropriate, and review by peers, with the final copy going to the repository and the earlier revs deleted (maybe). Sort of an informal Knovel. Why? Because I see many times the same issues addressed in the fora, and I think that perhaps such a repository might be a good adjunct to Mathcad Help. Sometimes folks - especially beginners and students - just need to see examples of how to use Mathcad - more examples than are in Help, and maybe more than can reasonably be put into Help. Then, too, such a repository might be easier to keep current than Help (which I have recommended in the past.)

So consider this a vote for thread integrity AND a vote for a file sharing repository, with brief descriptions and peer review.

~R~