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I saw this question about a "low part count" charging circuit and on every post (the question and answers), a helpful little warning was added that mains voltage is dangerous.

Is this really required? Do we need to plaster "high voltages are dangerous!" over every question and related answer that deals with something >30 V?

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No, it's not really required, but I can understand warning the user at least a little bit.

We have 7 GPeople on this planet. If some want to do us a favor in voluntarily reducing this problem, it's not our business to stand in the way.

I think some warning is called for in these situations, but the examples in that post go farther then necessary.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Gigapeople. Now there's a unit you don't see every day. :) \$\endgroup\$
    – JYelton
    Aug 28, 2014 at 16:33
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    \$\begingroup\$ Also note the EU has a low voltage directive which comes into force at 50v ac or 75v dc. As it is not known where a piece of info is going to be used, its well worth pointing it out \$\endgroup\$
    – user16222
    Sep 6, 2014 at 13:48
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I'm all in for a anti-nanny state approach. Learning via doing things is always good. The more danger the more learning!! Until the point that you unlearn a bunch of stuff.

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I noticed you have gone in and edited the warnings out of the question and at least one answer.

I have on occassion answered a question and included a warning, although I didn't answer this one.

When I have added a warning it is because I felt that the asker did not adequately understand the danger of what they were asking how to do, and would be at risk from acting on my answer without further consideration for the dangers.

If you had removed a warning from one of my answers, I would delete the answer rather than let it stand without the warning. So please don't do that.

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    \$\begingroup\$ I removed the warnings that the same user copy-pasted onto every single post in the thread (except his own). If you want to slap alarms and flashing hazard lights on your own post, be my guest, but don't flood the entire thread with them. \$\endgroup\$
    – Nick T
    Sep 2, 2014 at 22:37
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Oh no, how dare we have a slightest sense of ethical/moral duty and concern for other humans. How does a warning, that the answerer added by their own volition, hurt or bother you in the slightest way?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I find this quite a surprising reply given your advocacy of newcomers and how you often rail against the presumed superiority and " I know best" approach taken by some around here. Count me as a cheering section sometimes. However, isn't having an overly assumptive approach of "warning, everything is dangerous" just the same thing? I think that all that is necessary is, "just be aware you could kill yourself" anything more is arrogant. \$\endgroup\$
    – placeholder
    Sep 4, 2014 at 21:05
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    \$\begingroup\$ I'm all about the newcomers, and this is part of it. Mains voltage is dangerous when not properly handled, and a warning, especially towards questions that show significant lack of knowledge towards Mains or higher voltage sources are involved. Someone asking "I'm designing a AC to DC supply, and I am not sure if this layout is correct based on x, y ,z" probably doesn't need the warning, but someone asking "how can I make a ac/dc supply, I've only ever used the Arduino/RPI" warrants it greatly. \$\endgroup\$
    – Passerby
    Sep 4, 2014 at 22:18

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