Restating Godwin's Law

[CWuestefeld]

You may have heard of Godwin's Law http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law

As a Usenet discussion grows longer,
the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.

Lately on DC I'm thinking that we should reformulate that:

As a DC discussion grows longer,
the probability of a suggestion involving SQL Notes approaches one.

I'm sure it's a great program. And for questions where it may actually be a good application, then by all means make the recommendation. But please, let's avoid hijacking the real discussion into a list of the merits of SQL Notes itself, or worse, into a how-to of finding and installing that software.

There is already an miles-long discussion about SQLNotes. Is there any reason that interested people can't be directed to that thread, or to a particular post therein?

(Not that this is my forum, or that I have any decision-making authority about what goes on here. But I personally think that the trend is interfering with the broader course of discussion on DC)

[jgpaiva]

While i'm not a user nor supporter of SQLNotes, from what i've noticed, it has come in good faith as a solution for people's problems in other threads.

There are quite a few fans of SQLNotes around here, so i suppose it's normal for it to come up everytime q request/thread fits its use.

While i haven't found it to be anoying, you are probably right about the how-to part.

[mwb1100]

Unfortunately, I'm having trouble figuring out how SQLNotes can be used to solve this problem...

Maybe someone can chime in with some ideas?

[Lashiec]

I guess SQL Notes always comes into play just because people like the program. After all, its development killed the other monster thread that (ironically) superboyac started, so it must be THE notetaker.

And look, sooner or later most members chime in with their favourite application into a thread (like I usually do with Opera or foobar2000 or...), and a little threadjacking is expected. As long as the thread doesn't evolve into a spinoff of the main SQL Notes thread (AFAIK that only happened once recently), I don't see a problem. Besides, the level of topic derailment in this forum is lower that in other sites :P

[PPLandry]

The threadjacking referred here is probably the one relating to evernote 2.2:
http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=10191.msg106253#msg106253

... which is a september thread, actually "hijacked" by EverNote 3 beta users dissatisfied with the major shift in version 3 from a local app to a web app. As SN can do some of what EN can, some enthousiast users pointed to it as an alternative to those totally against a web app.

Perhaps, discussion lasted a bit too long, but I only responded when many users mentioned that they could not figure out how it works. Hopefully this will not happen again.

[cranioscopical]

Unfortunately, I'm having trouble figuring out how SQLNotes can be used to solve this problem...

Maybe someone can chime in with some ideas?

Grid, I meant Grin

[Armando]

EDIT : ok others posted as I was writing this.

Thanks CWuestefeld, I understand your point. Especially the "how-to" part, as jgpaiva noted. I most often enjoy your clever and knowledgeable interventions. But, How many threads or discussions have been disrupted or completely hijacked because of some exaggerated SQLNotes enthusiasm? I think that almost every time SQLNotes has been suggested, it was directly related to the discussion, with maybe a short "threadjacking" as Lashiec said (Like for the EverNote thread -- that I started, BTW). Now, I (and other SQLnotes enthusiasts) can certainly make a personal effort to avoid turning threads into "SQLNotes how-to", but I also don't feel like censuring myself in fear of provoking impatient or intolerant reactions if I can offer help that involves a bit of SQLNotes talking.

[CWuestefeld]

Hopefully I didn't present my view too strongly (that's a trait of mine  ).

First, it's not like every thread has been intentionally subverted. It's only in the last few days that I've noticed this.

Second, don't change your habits based solely on my views. I'll never claim that I am representative of a normal human. But maybe other people share this peeve.

Third, if SQLNotes is as powerful and flexible as many of you believe, then certainly a mention of it where it could be useful is appropriate.

My personal view is that when such things enter the discussion, the poster ought to keep in mind how it relates to the thread itself. Of course, I've certainly been guilty of thread hijacking in the past. And really, these discussions would probably be much less interesting if we were regimented about thread topicality. So it's really just a loose rule of thumb, I guess.

[housetier]

It's hard to be considerate of everyone and still get things done. For some these "hints" might be helpful, while others are very much annoyed by them. Maybe if the suggestions weren't only suggesting sqlnote but alternatives also, it would feel more balanced.

[tomos]

Fair point I think (I'm another guilty of "how-to" posts re SQLNotes in that evernote thread)

[tomos]

Ironically I've been thinking of posting about SQLNotes in the "Favourite File Manager" thread and probably will cause I use it as such now in conjunction with Dopus. But at least that's on topic then...

[jgpaiva]

Ironically I've been thinking of posting about SQLNotes in the "Favourite File Manager" thread and probably will cause I use it as such now in conjunction with Dopus. But at least that's on topic then...

offtopic: Now you've got me curious.. I never though it'd be possible to use a note-taking app for file managing.. i'll read that post

[Renegade]

I've avoided the SQL Notes post because it's just tooooooo long. I suppose I should have a read now though.

[PPLandry]

I've avoided the SQL Notes post because it's just tooooooo long. I suppose I should have a read now though.

Yes it is discouragingly loooong.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I'll summarize the major posts and publish it on the wikispace with the rest of the documentation

[Darwin]

Unfortunately, I'm having trouble figuring out how SQLNotes can be used to solve this problem...

Maybe someone can chime in with some ideas?

Cheeky!

[tomos]

I kindof started it off again with post #10 there, swear I didnt mean to.... just thinking out loud sortof

[app103]

We may have to sooner or later acknowledge that most of life's problems can be solved with FARR, AHK, or...SQLNotes. 

[mouser]

We may have to sooner or later acknowledge that most of life's problems can be solved with FARR, AHK, or...SQLNotes.

       

[Curt]

http://www.sqlnotes.net/

This program has been mentioned in a couple of threads.  I checked it out and tried it out.  What is this for? ...

Well, I didn't read that thread, so I still don't know what it is. 

But here is a story on (end of) Life's Poblems (assumedly without Hitler):

There was a long, long line of spirits at the gate waiting to get into heaven. Not all these spirits could fit into heaven, so the ones who died the worst death would be allowed in.

The first man in line started telling his story, "Well, Peter, you see, I knew that my wife was cheating on me so I decided to come home early from work one day to catch them in action. I got home and searched all over but I couldn''t find him. Then when I walked out onto the balcony, there he was dangling off the darn thing by his fingertips. So I ran and got a hammer then started beating him with it and he fell. Well, the fall didn't kill him, because he landed in a bush so I picked up the refrigerator and threw it on him. Although that killed him, the strain gave me a heart attack, and here I am."

The next man came up and started his story. "St. Peter, I always work out on my balcony on the 14th floor of my apartment building. I was on my bike one day and I fell off when it flipped. I sailed over the rail and I thought ''Please God spare my life'' and he did. I caught on to a balcony below me. I was even happier when a man discovered me hanging there. But all of a sudden he started beating my hands with a hammer so I fell again. But the dear Lord saved me again when I landed in a bush. But I''m here now because the guy threw his refrigerator on top of me."

It was now the third guy's turn to start his story. "Well, Peter, just picture this. I'm hiding butt naked in this married chick''s refrigerator ..."

Sorry, CWuestefeld    I just don't know what to think about SQLNotes...