Separate repo for examples

[NiKiZe]

As mentioned in #1606 and some other places.
Should we try to create a separate repo with only examples, and maybe even move some of the existing ones into that repo?

If we do so, one question is, how and where do we make that repo known?

[crankyoldgit]

For the record, the main reasons for not extending the selection of examples are (but not limited to):

• The time it takes for the Continuous Integration (CI) to complete due to the sheer weight of code & combinations to be compiled.
  This costs CPU time & Wall time. The examples seldom change and are the largest CPU and time sink. e.g. The examples take approx 30+ mins to compile. If we ever get charged for CPU time, like we were with Travis at the end, this quickly eats it up. e.g. Every little commit is uses about 40 mins of instance" running time. One of the hidden issues of this is developer frustration at the time they need to wait before reviewing code, creating a PR, or waiting before they can merge etc. The latency significantly reduces productivity. Speeding this up is a priority.
• More example code means more things we have to maintain.
  This uses up the equally precious developer time if & when changes are needed to keep things up to date. The less examples, the less for us to maintain. This includes bugs etc etc.
• With more examples, comes more requests for additional examples.
  We have seen a number of times people requesting an specific example for this own circumstances. e.g. "Please give me an example for controlling my device. You've got one for XYZ device, why not just one more." Doing that just doesn't scale. It also multiplies the previous points.
• User contributed example code is often of questionable quality.
  This leads to us having to support it, as it is in the library, having to understand it when someone has an issue, needing to fix/improve it. That's in addition to all the previously raised points. It often also produces instant legacy code, as typically the contributor is not around to maintain it.

and the points for more examples (but not limited to these):

• Makes it easier for users of the library.
  Can save users considerable effort, especially if their skill level is low. This can potentially reduce some future support issues.
• Some A/C protocols are trickier than others to handle.
  There is not a lot of similarity between A/C Class names, their method calls, or sometimes how they operate. Examples for some of the trickier ones will save us time explaining and reduce user frustration.
• Low core developer effort
  User contributed examples are good in some ways as the main developers don't have to write it in the first place.
  Limiting the library to core-developer generated "examples" only limits creativity, innovation, and generation of "novice" level code, which may be potentially easier to explain how to use the library, which is part of the examples directory's purpose.
• Can point out when we've changed the library too much or broken something.
  Potentially more features of the library will be in use with in the library builds and can point out early if we make a breaking change we hadn't thought about.

Off the top of my head here are the obvious (to me) solutions. Not a complete list, and in no particular order. They are not ranked, as I don't want to bias or stifle ideas etc.:

1. Just keep adding more to the library as is.
2. Never or rarely add more examples. i.e. Maintain the Status Quo.
3. Reduce the number & complexity of examples, and/or what we test in them. e.g. Multiple languages.
4. Move the examples to other repos.
5. Only compile/check examples at the new release stage/process.
6. Create & promote a link farm to user generated examples on GitHub etc.
7. Combinations of any/all of the above.

I'm not listing the pros & cons of the solutions as that might bias them too. I welcome all reasonable ideas, solutions, & preferences.

Discuss!

[NiKiZe]

Adding to that, separate Core examples and contributed examples,
Adding readmes and maybe a dummy example with links to contributed example - for ease of finding when installing the library

[NiKiZe]

Prtially already mentioned in the "quality" by having examples, we also become responsible for any security issues that might be in them.