People are often asking questions regarding of specific part… knob, button, LCD…
Why not add new category, or sticky inside “Parts Questions” where people can (must) insert image and part noumber and URL of online shop or distributor. How many times people asked about Waldorf knob…? ;D
If all popular components are on one place it would be easy to browse the list of attached images, see part noumber and URL of supplier. Let`s make this place even better. 
People are often asking questions regarding of specific part… knob, button, LCD…
Why not add new category, or sticky inside “Parts Questions” where people can (must) insert image and part noumber and URL of online shop or distributor. How many times people asked about Waldorf knob…? ;D
If all popular components are on one place it would be easy to browse the list of attached images, see part noumber and URL of supplier. Let`s make this place even better.
I know what ya mean mate. Here’s my knee-jerk-not-thought-through-properly response:
Well as for the Waldorf knob… To be brutally honest… The reason people keep asking about them is because they aren’t using the darn search engine first :
Actually if I’m gonna be brutally honest… The same goes for pretty much everything that is a ‘popular’ part, like tact switches and pots and motorfaders.
The problem with a list like that is that it quickly becomes so long that it isn’t useful any more, it just causes confusion and more questions (which one of these is better?) 
Then you get things like you buy from the documented retailer only to find out that since it was posted there has been a price change and you could have got it from a cheaper source, you get parts that get discontinued which lead to more questions (Where did this part go?) etc etc etc…
All that whining done, if people want to make that post up, if it becomes popular and is useful and gets lots of reads, and if TK has no objection, I will be happy to sticky it for ya, and edit it so that stuff that is added over time by different people can be grouped together. I am here to serve
I think a wiki page is more appropriate for a compilation like that though…
The problem with a list like that is that it quickly becomes so long that it isn’t useful any more, it just causes confusion and more questions (which one of these is better?)
I dont know abot that... you might be right, but I thought people wouldnt post every button they find, just cool ones they really liked.
Then you get things like you buy from the documented retailer only to find out that since it was posted there has been a price change and you could have got it from a cheaper source, you get parts that get discontinued which lead to more questions (Where did this part go?) etc etc etc…
Maybe the answer is to restrict posting to adding parts without discussion about other peoples selection. Personally, after years long part hunting, I dont have much parts I would put in, which is kinda sad. Stryd, how many cool ones would you recommend? Also, we shouldn`t add electronic components, just “cosmetics” that needs to house the project. I think building nice looking box is the biggest problem to people. I see great projects here that looks pretty…well, ugly probably because people bought what they can find locally. People (here in Serbia) very often ask me “where did you get those…”
I think a wiki page is more appropriate for a compilation like that though…
You probably right, but I tried to create some pages in wiki and I really didnt like the way they needs to be edited. I never edit wiki only because I dont find it convenient enough. :-\
I don
t know abot that... you might be right, but I thought people wouldnt post every button they find, just cool ones they really liked.
Yeh, but what is perfect for one person may be useless for another, in which case having the list is not so helpful for newbies… Like if they need to find something in particular, there’s always the search engine, and google…
Maybe the answer is to restrict posting to adding parts without discussion about other people`s selection.
Certainly. I think you’re right, it should just be a list without too much chatter, to be useful… But then, if there is too much of a lack of info, again it raises more questions.
Personally, after years long part hunting, I don`t have much parts I would put in, which is kinda sad. Stryd, how many cool ones would you recommend?
Exactly… I mean, I have seen 1000’s of switches, and none of them are what I want so far… but many of them would be good for others…
Also, we shouldn`t add electronic components, just “cosmetics” that needs to house the project. I think building nice looking box is the biggest problem to people. I see great projects here that looks pretty…well, ugly probably because people bought what they can find locally. People (here in Serbia) very often ask me “where did you get those…”
I definitely agree with the last part, altough of course some people don’t care for cosmetics (not us heheh)… The first part though, I disagree with, because I think that in many cases, the electronics you use can effect the cosmetics.
You probably right, but I tried to create some pages in wiki and I really didn
t like the way they needs to be edited. I never edit wiki only because I dont find it convenient enough. :-\
If you like, you can edit pages in Word or OpenOffice and convert them to wiki format… Although I think it’s pretty much the same as editing forum posts? What part is it that you don’t like?
OK, maybe this parts catalog thing is not a good idea at the end. : The word that`s in my mind now is avalanche…
If you like, you can edit pages in Word or OpenOffice and convert them to wiki format… Although I think it’s pretty much the same as editing forum posts? What part is it that you don’t like?
I must check wiki again, I forgot what exactly was bothering me.
OK, maybe this parts catalog thing is not a good idea at the end. :
I do find that a good idea! Really! I didn’t bother too much (i hope) the forum people because i used the search engine. But i had really a lot of difficulties to find the buttons i needed (and i’m still not so happy because of their price).
I think Wiki is the right place for this, because it can be organized (and reorganized easily as much parts are listed).
I would like to have such a catalog at hand, at least to give me tracks to find more!
Here is how i would see it:
Hierarchy
Cosmetic Parts
Buttons
Encoders
Sliders
Caps
Buttons
Encoders
D-shaft
…
…
…
Component Parts
…
And for each type of part, a table:
picture
name
manufacturer (with link if available)
manufacturer’s product reference (with link if available)
links to specifications when they exists
links to known distributors (with link to catalog page if available)
companion documents if available (like symbols and footprints for gEDA and friends…)
I think that, this way, people would not do twice the same searches/things.
And we could also add links to forum articles. And we could add a “Search for more such part in the forum…” with an href like:
which search for “illuminated push button” in the “Part Archive” and “Part Questions” boards.
My 2 cents. Regards, Didier.
Well Sasha I think you have found a valid problem, the solution just needs some tweaking You have a good creative mind don’t give up
Thanks for nice words stryd
Don’t thank me, you did it hehehe