New Tech Press, an American publisher, has launched www.componentsengineering.com, a community specifically for people working in the components engineering field. It combines reference material with a forum and listings of components engineering consultants.
The site is very new, and there are gaps where content hasn’t yet been populated. However, by focussing on a specific niche, and developing content that addresses the needs of components engineers, I think this could become a valuable resource for components engineers. I think that the creation of specialised sites that target specific niches within engineering is a great way for publishers to build a relevant site that will get visitors to return again and again. Of course the trick is to find a niche that is large enough to drive the traffic that will make the site profitable. Components engineers is likely to be one of the groups that can do this.