Just kinda wondering where some folks are

[Chris60601]

Well, here we are. more than 1/2 way though the year and there have been only 3 additions to the Layouts page. It appears that both Mark and Miro are AWOL.

Is this a normal cyclical trend or is something else going on?

Cheers
Chris

[Freppo]

I guess it's just life, other things come in the way and you loose interest for a while.

Mark and Miro both seem like kinda obessive compulsive guys (like myself.. no offence to anyone) and personally I must be 110% invested in this hobby or something else gets my attention. I have fallen out of interest before, not building anything for months.. I keep it interesting by pushing myself further, learning more ect. But I also think that it's good to take a break for a while now and then.

Also, this site has become kinda self-going, especially with the contribution section in this forum. I think it's great! We don't need to worry about not getting layouts for new traces.. I guess that also takes away the need for new layouts in a way...

[Frank_NH]

I appreciate everything IvIark and Mirosol have done here.  I still have many projects in the pipeline from the existing layouts!

Having said that, I would be in favor of taking some of the verified layouts in the Contributions section and having them displayed on the main site.  There have been many incredible layouts (e.g. the ROG Thunderbird), it's a shame they don't get wider exposure.  

[Silver Blues]

I agree, there are lots of layouts in Contributions that deserve to be on the main page. It's also more fuel for the blog as a whole; I imagine people that come here (us not included) will pay more attention to the main page than the forum. Of course any layout that gets put up should be subject to their approval, but it would be really nice to get some up there.

[tabbycat]

i remember mark saying in one of his last layouts that he had painful back problems so that could be ongoing? (i hope you're ok mark).

could be family committments? summer has hit the uk now and kids start whining about wanting to do 'activities' that invariably demand parents' time and energy (and credit cards).

could be they are involved in education. the slog from new year to exams can be unrelenting.

or they could just fancy a break after putting in so much for so long. which would be well deserved.

as freppo said, the layout side of things has become self-perpetuating here. it's the 'give a man a fish... give a man a rod... ' thing. we have a place and we have a collective of sorts. enthusiasm and good will supplies the rest, which there is a lot of here, i must say. as well as expertise.

not sure about AWOL. they don't need to apply to anyone for leave, it's theirs for the taking. am just glad the site hasn't done a beavis while they are taking time out to do whatever they want to do. for us to look after while they are away.

"You should get some sun on your face
You've been sitting like a lord in the bath for days..."

[rocket88]

Correct. I spoke to mark not that log ago and I know the pinched nerve is still an issue. I think that when you look at the history there have been times where there have been very little done on the main page. But, I think also the fact that now more then ever there are more of us that are able to make layouts, and layouts that are clean/clear that it takes some pressure of mark and miro to get to all the requests. I wouldn't worry too much, just give it time and I'm sure we'll see more stuff going on on the blog.

I think it's really a testimate to this community coming together to be honest, and you don't see stuff like this happen that often. Some may make it to the main page, but due to what happened with johnk I'm not sure we would see some of the contributions on the main site. It would be nice if there was a way to sort them for easy searching.

Trust me mark and miro haven't forgot nor have they disappeared. Our commander and chief is still here.

[Chris60601]

tabbycat wrote

not sure about AWOL. they don't need to apply to anyone for leave, it's theirs for the taking. am just glad the site hasn't done a beavis while they are taking time out to do whatever they want to do. for us to look after while they are away.

Not insinuating they needed our permission. Admittedly, a poor choice of words. Perhaps MIA would be more appropriate

And indeed, that was the original intent on the post - not wanting to see this place go Beavis

But it could also just be cyclical as this seemed to be the same on 2011 (based on the layouts presented).

[Frank_NH]

"...not wanting to see this place go Beavis..."

Noooo!  

(Actually, I've been saving both schematics and vero layouts on a thumb drive, just in case... )

[Chris60601]

Frank_NH wrote

"...not wanting to see this place go Beavis..."

Noooo!  

(Actually, I've been saving both schematics and vero layouts on a thumb drive, just in case... )

LOL - same here, Frank. Well - best I can at least. Mirroring all but the forum is easy.
The forums on the other-hand....
I really don't know of an efficient way to do that.

[Luke51411]

I know IvIark is around as I've seen him comment on a few things recently. I'm not sure about miro. There are so many layouts already on the main page. Should be enough fuel to keep this page going for a long time. I'm always seeing new diyers post stuff from here on Madbean and DIYSB for troubleshooting or build reports, etc.

[IvIark]

Hi guys.

Yes I had a problem with a trapped nerve in my back towards the end of last year and although I'm not in real pain with it anymore, I do believe the nerve is still trapped or I have at least done some damage which needs more time to heal because I am still feeling some numbness and slight pain in my right hand.  When I was in constant pain with it I simply couldn't concentrate for very long without it becoming a chore and so I decided it would be a good time to take a break from it all.  Both myself and Miro had gone mad with the layouts for a couple of years before hand so I figured there would still be plenty for people to build from the older layouts, and as has been said, we have a brilliant community here who are now churning out layouts every bit as good as I can do, so didn't feel I would be greatly missed from a layout perspective if I had some time off.

That was compounded with a really busy period at work, which has ended up with my accepting a new job offer.  I started this new job on June 1st and since I will no longer be working every day from home with a laptop on my knee, I have had to adjust my body clock to suit, and so fewer late nights and more early mornings.

Ultimately I hope this move will actually give me more time to get back into the hobby when I get into my new routine because I could work very unsociable hours in my last role and was always thinking about work even when I wasn't doing it.  Now work is something that stops at 5pm and doesn't exist at weekends

I have been thinking for a while about bringing onboard another couple of moderators, to allow more of other peoples contributions to be shared on the main blog if that is what their authors want.  I speak to Miro every so often and so will speak to him about it first and then see what everyone thinks on here.  Miro too is fine by the way, he too has just been very busy with work.  In the past we have been lucky because when I was having a bit of a break Miro turned into a layout machine, and vice versa, but this time our timing has been a bit off!

One other issue we have definitely had is that we really don't have a huge number of schematics left that we want to do layouts for.  Of course we haven't done everything but we both think we have pretty much cleared our to do list for schemes that we felt were vero friendly and that we felt we should do.  Of course plenty will have slipped through the net, but not many that have grabbed my attention as a "must do".  

With the amount of layouts we did there was always going to come a time when we very much turned into a reactive blog that did layouts for new pedals as they are traced, and I think that may be the case with the exception of the odd oldie that we have missed or that is requested.  But then we also seem to have developed quite a community, and there seems to be quite a few people on here who can come up with their own designs which are every bit as good or better than many of the boutique pedal builders.  So hopefully those sort of developments and collaborations will be a big part of the blog and this forums future.

In other news I've got a new motorbike to recapture my youth which is also taking up some of my time.  Vince thinks I'm having a mid life crisis

[Synsound]

Good to here things are on the upswing for you. You have been missed but I agree with the others and you. This is an amazing community. I still lack a lot of knowledge in this field but with the help I've recieved here I've built roughly 80 working corcuits. As you mentioned there would come a point that things would become reactive, my building needs have done the same. I constantly check for new layouts on the main page ms forum but this slow down has inspired me to look further into learning to create layouts and understand schematics, which is good.
Thanks Mark and everyone else who keeps the blood pumping through this great resource.

[Chris60601]

This is damned good news to hear! I am a greedy SOB so I was mostly thinking of, Oh hell, what am I gonna do now that this site did *insert whatever*.

I kid, I kid. Not greedy at all - but in all seriousness Mark and Miro - if something were to happen where you just couldn't or didn't want any part of this site and community you both created, please (and I think I can speak for many here) don't hesitate to ask for help. While you have supported us, I'm pretty certain many of us would gladly return the favor.

From a personal point, please don't feel that this thread was intended to get an explanation from you and/or Miro. It was intended as a question posed since I have been here about a year and I though I was merely seeing a trend based on the past as a cyclical trend.

Again, thank you and Miro for all you have done. and lastly, this addiction is all YOUR fault!

[iggy]

IvIark!  

 you're alive.  I was concerned for you. Last I saw you were having some issues. Glad to hear you are getting better. You started something really good here. I think the others are all happy to contribute as well. Great community you have here. I think we all have learned an amazing amount from your work. Thank you.

Enjoy your break and your life. We'll be here when you get bit with the bug again.

Congrats on the new job & bike.

[ξεναγος νεκροπολης]

i blame Miro for one more thing except from this addiction...!!!

i was cooking early morning in my restaurant and i put on badcamp the "d-beatles"...
in the last song,lap-top shuts down...dead...!!!
so until he uploads a laptop veroboard i'll be mad at him...!!!

Mark i imagine you as an "on-off motorbike" guy.
are you?

[IvIark]

Hee hee, I have no idea, what's an on-off motorbike guy?

[ξεναγος νεκροπολης]

on-off are the tall ones like v-strom,BMW GS, varadero, transalp
i've got a honda transalp
that's an on-off.
this meens on road+off road ccapabilities

but from that smile i think you do know and you're joking..
are you a street guy?

[IvIark]

Ahh right.  No, I was a sports bike kind of guy a few years ago, but couldn't do more than 50 miles without having to get off for a bit of a walk around because they crush your balls   So now I'm more of a sports tourer kind of guy.  Unless it's raining or snowing, then I'm more of a car kind of guy.  Yes I am a fair weather rider!

This is it



Added bonus, Sandy is in the pic too!

[Frank_NH]

Hey, it's great to hear from you IvIark.   Given the way the economy is these days, being busy because you have job (and a new job at that) is a GOOD thing!  

I think there are several people here who could be vero contributors to the main blog.  I made the comment previously that you could take many of the existing contributions and post them to the main blog at the rate of one or two a month and have plenty of material for the rest of the year and beyond.  I also don't mind contributing advice and help with debugging questions for circuits I've built (and maybe some I haven't), and many others here I'm sure would pitch in too.  That way we could field a lot of the questions from new builders as we do here in forum.  If there are helpful comments (or mods) here in the forum for a given circuit, you could provide links to those discussions.

Have fun with that motorbike!  Does that make you a Mod or a Rocker???

[IvIark]

Rocker, every time!