Collaborative design website?
Instructables is mostly for publishing instructions about how to build something, but the design for the thing being built already exists.
Is there a site for collaborative design of the thing being built?
For instance, I want to propose an idea, describe what I've thought of so far, and then get help designing the parts I don't know enough about. I'm good with electronics, for instance, but bad with mechanical engineering, so I'd write up what I could about my idea, including electronics, and then request help from a mechanical expert on the rest. Others could propose different ways of doing the same thing, etc. Just posting in a forum or something isn't really good enough.
Does anyone know of a site like this?
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. After several hours of scouring the Intertubes, I think I've found just the place.
. Many ppl use the Forums to ask for help and suggestions. What do you need to do that Ibles can't handle?
. Many ppl use the Forums to ask for help and suggestions. What do you need to do that Ibles can't handle?
Oct 31, 2008. 11:10 AMendolith (author)
says:
Many ppl use the Forums to ask for help and suggestions. What do you need to do that Ibles can't handle?
Did you read my question? "Just posting in a forum or something isn't really good enough."
Did you read my question? "Just posting in a forum or something isn't really good enough."
. Yes, I did read your question, but you didn't provide many details. Reasonably well written, but devoid of any explanation as to why Ibles will not fit your needs.
. If you tell us why it "isn't really good enough," then maybe we can tell you how to use Ibles to workaround it (there are many undocumented features that you may not know about) or suggest a site/program that will do what you want.
. Without some idea of what you want to do and why you think Ibles can't do it, we're as clueless as you are.
. If you tell us why it "isn't really good enough," then maybe we can tell you how to use Ibles to workaround it (there are many undocumented features that you may not know about) or suggest a site/program that will do what you want.
. Without some idea of what you want to do and why you think Ibles can't do it, we're as clueless as you are.
You could write your key ideas in the Instructables format and use a forum post to link to it without publishing the instructable, if you prefer that way of displaying the info. Just copy the link of a saved but not published link to your idea into the forum topic with some more brief ideas about what you're aiming for.
What Nacho is subtly pointing out is something you have already tried, but did not take to its ultimate end - the collaboration.
Many of the projects on this site did not exist before the project was undertaken. Design is part of the Instructable process, but the ultimate goal is Making.
If you have an idea you cannot implement wholly yourself, you invite others to collaborate with you before you publish it. You may want to start a forum thread first, to bat ideas around, and find out who would be most interested in joining in the actual Instructable.
Together you and your invited co-designers collaboratively design the object.
That is what you are asking about, but you just didn't take the final step - you didn't build your pigeon machine.
Once you have have produced the design, you need to make it - either you, your existing collaborators, or new collaborators you invite specifically for their skill at Making.
At all stages, all the collaborators can edit the Instructable, and can add (or remove) images - sketches, designs, photographs - but only the person who starts the collaboration can actually publish it.
So, in summary, what you are looking for already exists. You just haven't used it properly. If you want to stop at the idea stage (like your pigeon litter-picking project), then really what you need is the Halfbakery website, or just stick to the forums. If you want to take things to their proper end, then you start a collaboration, come up with an actual design, and then Make it.
Many of the projects on this site did not exist before the project was undertaken. Design is part of the Instructable process, but the ultimate goal is Making.
If you have an idea you cannot implement wholly yourself, you invite others to collaborate with you before you publish it. You may want to start a forum thread first, to bat ideas around, and find out who would be most interested in joining in the actual Instructable.
Together you and your invited co-designers collaboratively design the object.
That is what you are asking about, but you just didn't take the final step - you didn't build your pigeon machine.
Once you have have produced the design, you need to make it - either you, your existing collaborators, or new collaborators you invite specifically for their skill at Making.
At all stages, all the collaborators can edit the Instructable, and can add (or remove) images - sketches, designs, photographs - but only the person who starts the collaboration can actually publish it.
So, in summary, what you are looking for already exists. You just haven't used it properly. If you want to stop at the idea stage (like your pigeon litter-picking project), then really what you need is the Halfbakery website, or just stick to the forums. If you want to take things to their proper end, then you start a collaboration, come up with an actual design, and then Make it.
Oct 31, 2008. 11:15 AMendolith (author)
says:
If you have an idea you cannot implement wholly yourself, you invite others to collaborate with you before you publish it.
No. It should be something where the unfinished ideas are published publicly for others to find and improve on. They probably wouldn't ever be considered "finished". Like the way open source software or a wiki is written collaboratively. Posting in a forum to ask a few people for help would never work.
That is what you are asking about, but you just didn't take the final step - you didn't build your pigeon machine.
The design doesn't exist yet, so there's nothing to build.
So, in summary, what you are looking for already exists. You just haven't used it properly.
It doesn't exist on Instructables. I've done what you said and had the ideas removed for not using Instructables properly. It would need to be an external site.
No. It should be something where the unfinished ideas are published publicly for others to find and improve on. They probably wouldn't ever be considered "finished". Like the way open source software or a wiki is written collaboratively. Posting in a forum to ask a few people for help would never work.
That is what you are asking about, but you just didn't take the final step - you didn't build your pigeon machine.
The design doesn't exist yet, so there's nothing to build.
So, in summary, what you are looking for already exists. You just haven't used it properly.
It doesn't exist on Instructables. I've done what you said and had the ideas removed for not using Instructables properly. It would need to be an external site.
> I've done what you said and had the ideas removed for not using Instructables properly
. That is probably because you tried to publish an incomplete iBle.
. You can start an iBle (but not publish it) and pass the URL around to ppl from who you want to get help. (see whatsisface's Oct 31 - 11:15AM comment)
. That is probably because you tried to publish an incomplete iBle.
. You can start an iBle (but not publish it) and pass the URL around to ppl from who you want to get help. (see whatsisface's Oct 31 - 11:15AM comment)
Oct 31, 2008. 12:11 PMendolith (author)
says:
You can start an iBle (but not publish it) and pass the URL around to ppl from who you want to get help.
Yes, I know. That's not what I'm asking for.
Yes, I know. That's not what I'm asking for.
It should be something where the unfinished ideas are published publicly for others to find and improve on.
That's the Halfbakery site, like I said.
You seem to be overlooking the point of this site. As the tagline used to say; Show what you did, and how you did it.
If you want more than the Halfbakery provides, but don't want to meet the requirements here, then you are, of course, free to start your own website.
That's the Halfbakery site, like I said.
You seem to be overlooking the point of this site. As the tagline used to say; Show what you did, and how you did it.
If you want more than the Halfbakery provides, but don't want to meet the requirements here, then you are, of course, free to start your own website.
Oct 31, 2008. 12:12 PMendolith (author)
says:
That's the Halfbakery site, like I said.
No. I already use that. It's a site for halfbaked ideas, not finished designs.
If you want more than the Halfbakery provides, but don't want to meet the requirements here, then you are, of course, free to start your own website.
Or find an external site that does what I want.
No. I already use that. It's a site for halfbaked ideas, not finished designs.
If you want more than the Halfbakery provides, but don't want to meet the requirements here, then you are, of course, free to start your own website.
Or find an external site that does what I want.
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