[Poll] New "Android only" forum?

[Bavilo]

These past weeks I've noticed an increase of irrelevant threads and clutter being made in regards to Android development in the HTC Dream forum and every other Android development forum on xda. A lot of Android devices out on the market now are not made by HTC. This of course is causing a problem since this forum is for HTC devices only.

Maybe it would be a good idea if a new forum was created that accounts for all native Android devices (Motorola Droid/Milestone, Motorola Cliq/Dext, Samsung Galaxy, etc...). That way, a lot of the clutter would surely be resolved and a considerate load would be taken off of this server (Gotta hate the horrible load on xda these days...).

I'm sure there are quiet a few people on here that have an HTC device and are fully satisfied with it (Me included!). That doesn't mean that everyone else has to feel the same way. People that choose to go with Samsung, Motorola, etc. for their next Android device should not be left out. That's why I believe there should definitely be a forum that serves everyone.

To put up a new forum specifically for this matter takes no time at all, but it does take participation. So if you feel like this is something you would like to see, please feel free to leave a comment.
What are you're opinions on this matter? Agree? Disagree?

Discuss.

If there's enough people interested in this project, would there be anyone willing to help getting things started in terms of hosting space or something similar?

[DaveTheTytnIIGuy]

Sorry, I misunderstood "a new forum was created that accounts for all native Android devices" to mean that a new subforum on XDA should be made, so I voted no. Upon reading it again, I realized you meant to create an independant Android specific site, which I would actually be in favor of. So while I can't change my vote officially, you should know that one of the "No" votes should actually be considered a "Yes" vote.

[Bavilo]

Yea, sorry. I meant that there should be a completly new forum for all android devices (not a subforum on xda). Thanks for your vote!

Like I mentioned before, there are definitely more people who agree than those who disagree. Only problem will be to spread the word I guess.

[maati]

I think XDA-Developers needs to be divided into a Windows Mobile and an Android section and those need to be further divided into HTC and non-HTC ones.

With more and more Android devices, and rising competition for HTC from Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson etc., XDA-Developers cannot stay WM-focused and HTC-only without becoming irrelevant and losing its no.1 status for everything concerning WM and Android development.

EDIT: OR make independent, but linked together, sites for WM and Android and for different manufacturers.

[Bavilo]

Originally Posted by maati EDIT: OR make independent, but linked together, sites for WM and Android and for different manufacturers.

That's what I'm thinking as well.

[HTC Touch Freak]

I forsee good things to come from this. Or the thread just being closed.

There needs to be a WinMo forum and Android Forum that are both linked from the home page.

[craiger22]

I would be all for this, and would be more than happy to fund the project. Hosting, domain fees, coding ect..

[quicksite]

I agree completely. It's also annoying to see various large Android Community sites popping up, which deal with everything android, including all models, which includes HTC models... because they are invading the "mindshare", if you will, of "where does one go to get best development and mod info for android OS phones?" ... When the first Android devices were only HTC, this was not an issue, as HTC was correctly housed here and had Android devices forums added.

But yes, the whole touchscreen marketplace has erupted and fractured in the last 6 months, and it would be a bad thing, in my view, if XDA were to become relegated to a "boutique" site, that was great with SOME andorid devices, but AWOL on others.. And as the original poster notes, there is only bound to be more and more cross-device discussion and innovation developments for the whole android platform.

my 3 cents...

Originally Posted by maati I think XDA-Developers needs to be divided into a Windows Mobile and an Android section and those need to be further divided into HTC and non-HTC ones. With more and more Android devices, and rising competition for HTC from Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson etc., XDA-Developers cannot stay WM-focused and HTC-only without becoming irrelevant and losing its no.1 status for everything concerning WM and Android development. EDIT: OR make independent, but linked together, sites for WM and Android and for different manufacturers.

[Bavilo]

So are most of you in favor that an independent site for Android-only devices should be made (WinMo-only devices could also be added later on to another section).

Or do you think that xda should try to change their forum around so that it will fulfill our needs?

[quicksite]

Originally Posted by Bavilo So are most of you in favor that an independent site for Android-only devices should be made (WinMo-only devices could also be added later on to another section). Or do you think that xda should try to change their forum around so that it will fulfill our needs?

I'm totally new to Android; have not even purchased my HERO yet. So take this with a grain of salt... but to me, I think the train already left the station... In the past three weeks as I have investigated HTC Hero, I have encountered 4 or 5 rather substantial communities already built around Android.... I will just list a few of them. Being truthful, there have been very few poll participants here... and it may well be the case that what you are envisioning as a resource already exists -- it's just not here.

So, to me, you either have to (A) turn the whole mothership around (XDA-devs) and try to make a case for why non-HTC devices should fit in more officially here (they are already accomodated "unofficially" and have been for quite some time on the WinMo side -- with tons of questions asked in many a forum about "What about the Omnia? can you release that for Omnia?" and same for Sony Xperia, as just two examples....

or (B) bridge-out to one or more of the communities already developed around modding Android phones... (but again, I am prob the wrong person to comment since I am brand new to Android... )

http://androidforums.com/
http://androidcommunity.com/forums/index.php
http://forum.androidcentral.com/
http://modmygphone.com/forums/