Around two years ago I wrote a post rhapsodising on the benefits of Stack Exchange, about how it was the best thing in the world and why Civil Engineers should totally have a presence there. It finished with a link to the petition, which needed X amount of signatures to get it off the ground.

It turns out, however, that civils weren’t the only engineering discipline attempting to float this idea. Those few of us who had seen our hopes and dreams of a better future for our metaphorical children banded together on an island of “Engineering”; and like a phoenix from the flames the stack grew to the point where it will now be given a chance…

But we’re not safe yet: Before Engineering is granted space on the Stack Exchange, we need to prove that there really is a big enough community out there.

For those of you who aren’t long term readers or are particularly adverse to following links to previous posts- a Stack Exchange is a Question and Answer site. In fact, for a few disciplines (and software engineering comes to mind here) it is the Question and Answer site.

And why would it be the best thing since sliced bread for Engineers to get their own Stack Exchange?

Well, apart from the amazing potential for knowledge sharing and the growth of a community of people willing to chip-in and answer all those difficult questions- it is also brilliant promotion. It’s hard to imagine anything more accessible than a public site where engineers meet to ask and answer real questions from the profession for those who are curious.

But we’re not safe yet: Before Engineering is granted space on the Stack Exchange, we need to prove that there really is a big enough community out there to kick-off by asking and answering questions and maintain activity during the crucial early stages of the site’s life.

And that’s where you can help. I’m not asking you to devote your life to engineering (especially because you probably already have), but to register your commitment to actually use the site when it enters the beta stage. Let’s face it- who wouldn’t want to?

It’s really easy, just click this button: