number of forums

[Jezebel]

I was hesitant to bring this up, but a couple have talked to me about it on IM and it has been brought up on the board a few times tonight.

There are 19 subforums on this site. Most of them get less than 5 posts a day, and most don't even get new threads each day. There are even a few that have been around since the board was created and received less than 20 total new posts. That's a lot of clicking around for members who check posts from the forum index.

Just because there isn't a subforum for a topic doesn't mean members aren't allowed to make threads about it. Maybe some of the forums that are similar can be merged. If later on there are more members and a topic is getting a lot of posts, the subforum could always be brought back. Even I like the forums separated so similar threads are together, but that's a lot of clicking for so few threads.

Just as an example, enneagram and jung & mbti could be merged with the psychology forum.

I'm not trying to run the forum, just bringing something up that others have brought to my attention and didn't want to say either. So what does everyone else think?

[Division56]

*points*

She's trying to run the forum!

Quick Vaga, get the 2x4 with the nails in it!



*angry mob chases Jezebel*

[Jezebel]

*realizes her sneaky tactic to take over the forum didn't work*

*runs*

[purple13]

I like the idea of merging similar ones, maybe at least the ones that don't get as many posts.

[Boozer]

Yes there are too many I think.

(I'm a lazy bastard)

[BritainOphira]

The index is really crowded and, because of that, I only check certain sub-forums. I really don't have the time (okay, I won't once school starts back after the break) to check everything, and it's sort of annoying.

[NGene]

I personally like having a lot of categories for stuff, but if most of the members want less sections, of course I'll merge some of them.


The way I see it is that if the sections get merged, sooner or later they'll probably have to revert the operation. If that'll be the case, the effort is a bit redundant.
That's the biggest problem with merging sections. I'm optimistic and suppose the forum will keep growing, and at some point, it may seem some sections need splitting up. And guess who'll be really, really frustrated then? :banghead:

Though I think I could safely merge all the three different psych categories and expand the "Women" section to include all sort of relationship talk as well.

[Claverhouse]

Though I think I could... expand the "Women" section to include all sort of relationship talk as well.

That'd be handy for those of us who ignore both.



Claverhouse :ph34r:

[nobarcode]

;)

[Claverhouse]

Perhaps a mild re-ordering of the fora might help. Personally, I think The Local Pub, Entertainment, and possibly Playground, and also Web Links could all go in Flamethrower. They'd sit better with The World & Rants and Raves. Obviously they're not to let off steam, but neither are necessarily The World, nor The Mature Section.

People and Psychology could, being general, slip into Life, The Universe & Everything.

I only visit certain fora once a week if that, and, as the Forum grows, will probably not see some posts ever, particularly if we ever get say, 5000 members, half posting every day. But that's the way it goes. In the meantime I'd prefer people to post where seems appropriate, rather than just starting a thread anywhere, or putting in a post at random. Iron discipline is needed, comrades !

Speaking of which, it might be nice if some of the threads around were gathered up and deposited in the Science forum, now and again. And if a thread is moved, and it says moved in it's original location, how come you can still access it from there by simply clicking ? Seems to defeat the purpose of moving it.
;P



Claverhouse :ph34r:

[Vagabond]

I would be perfectly fine with just a couple of categories to start with. But since everyone seemed to like the idea of many categories, I thought I'd shut up about it...

[Niflheimian]

Perhaps a mild re-ordering of the fora might help. Personally, I think The Local Pub, Entertainment, and possibly Playground, and also Web Links could all go in Flamethrower.

Really? I don't see how those'd belong in Flamethrower .

[Claverhouse]

Perhaps a mild re-ordering of the fora might help. Personally, I think The Local Pub, Entertainment, and possibly Playground, and also Web Links could all go in Flamethrower.

Really? I don't see how those'd belong in Flamethrower .

How then do you equate The Mature Section aka Porno Central, with Flamethrower ?

All these things are essentially of the present, except for Web Links, which is as near eternal as to the moment the last given link vanishes from the web for all time. The Local Pub has no different posts to The World or Rants & Raves. Perhaps you would care to make a detailed chart to convince otherwise.


[ Welcoming criticism ]


Claverhouse :ph34r:

[Johnny]

There are 19 subforums on this site. Most of them get less than 5 posts a day, and most don't even get new threads each day. There are even a few that have been around since the board was created and received less than 20 total new posts. That's a lot of clicking around for members who check posts from the forum index.

This is precisely why the more forums we have, the merrier. It keeps the "special interests" in a place that makes them both easy to find and easy to ignore.

Winning a popularity contest isn't what motivates me to post and surf this place. If that was the case, I would have left a long time ago... :lol:

[Niflheimian]

Perhaps you would care to make a detailed chart to convince otherwise.

Perhaps, but it's doubtful. I don't see the logic in creating a detailed visual in an attempt to convince one Englishman of my opinion. I don't intend to argue this point.
You haven't convinced me that the aforementioned topics belong in Flamethrower either (but that goes without saying).
Each to his own, eh?

[Jezebel]

There are 19 subforums on this site. Most of them get less than 5 posts a day, and most don't even get new threads each day. There are even a few that have been around since the board was created and received less than 20 total new posts. That's a lot of clicking around for members who check posts from the forum index.

This is precisely why the more forums we have, the merrier. It keeps the "special interests" in a place that makes them both easy to find and easy to ignore.

Winning a popularity contest isn't what motivates me to post and surf this place. If that was the case, I would have left a long time ago... :lol:

What does this have to do with popularity? It's about having so many boards to check, many of which get very few updates. I didn't realize there were any popularity contests going on.

[Johnny]

What does this have to do with popularity? It's about having so many boards to check, many of which get very few updates. I didn't realize there were any popularity contests going on.

If it's only about fewer clicks, then how about consolidating the larger forums like local pub, people & psychology, and web links, while leaving the smaller forums alone as they are?

The smaller "special interest" forums receive fewer posts because they discourage posts that aren't on-topic, and they should not be consolidated for this reason.

[NGene]

I merged MBTI, Enneagram, and People & Psych. It seems almost impossible to separate general psych discussion from personality typing at an INTP forum!

I also moved the Women category into Shrink's Sofa. It seems to fit there a little better. And I removed "women only" from the description, because obviously the category isn't "women only!"

I'm a little hesitant with merging other categories at this point. I could merge Science and Technology, but don't know yet... Thoughts, anyone?

[SensEye]

I have become highly ambivalent about this whole subject.

The way I browse the forum is to use the "view posts since last visit" so the whole category thing is neither here nor there (although I glance at it when deciding whether or not to open the thread).

This works well for frequent visitors (at least once every day or two), of which I am currently one. I suppose less frequent visitors browse more by category.

Trying to keep crazy INTP's on topic is like herding cats. Any given thread has the potential to wander all over the place. So I tend to look into subject areas that don't appeal me on the surface just in case something interesting is going on in there.

The only threads I find safe to ignore are those in the playground. Safe in the sense that people usually stick to the "play" of the thread and don't sidetrack into discussing anything.

So I wouldn't sweat it too much NGene. Any solution is likely to be equally good (or not).

[int]

... is like herding cats. ...

Another one of my favorite lines. Most people I say it to always have to think about it for a second before they get it. :)

[NGene]

So I wouldn't sweat it too much NGene. Any solution is likely to be equally good (or not).
Well that's why I sweat it so much! How are you supposed to choose between equally good solutions?! 8O