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Subject: Re: ML spring 09 contest is bothersome and offensive
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 2009 16:05:03 +0000 (UTC)
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"Duane Hanselman" <masteringmatlab@yahoo.spam.com> wrote in message <grd6u9$k1h$1@fred.mathworks.com>...
> > > 
> > > I concur completely. John speaks with wisdom.
> > > 
> > > Can someone set up a simple moderated FEX somewhere? Preferably one that only lets the moderators comment on the code. Allowing public comments always brings out the lowest common denominator. I will gladly contribute my time as a moderator.
> > > 
> > > The site need only have a few categories and allow some searching. The presented description of each submission could/should be the help text at the top of the submission, i.e., >>help filename output. In that way good help text conforming to MATLAB formatting would be required and would be consistent across all submissions.
> > > 
> > > This site would not have thousands of submissions, but rather no more than a couple hundred of the most useful. We don't need a dozen submissions that perform Gaussian elimination with or without pivoting.
> > > 
> > > Duane
> > 
> > Duane,
> > 
> > Sounds a good idea. If such a site can be set up and run, I wish to join. I am fed up with the downloading and rating wars in the FEX.
> > 
> > Yi
> 
> I have free webspace available, but I do not have the software to manage the site. If someone had the capability to do that, we would be all set.
> 
> Duane

I am a relatively new Matlab user and have found the FEX to be an invaluable tool in analyzing existing data and learning to develop code. I can understand why the experienced users of the board (people I am indebted to) have become frustrated with some of the unnecessary and distracting posts that have become more prevalent (over the last months, it seems). But my request would be that you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. There are many newbies who find the FEX helpful and many of those will go on to become the next senior contributors - closing the door to comments or code from those people will be counter-productive. 

As for the contest, surely the Matlab team could find a separate but visible portal for it, so that people who are interested can look, and those that aren't can ignore. Also, my opinion would be that if you feel that something/someone is simply trying to attract attention, then your best tactic is to deny it/them the attention they desire - continual scoring or comments simply launches the post onto the front page of Matlab Central.

With best intentions,

Mike