Dear Friends

[easter bunny]

He's talking about removing threads he doesn't like off the main page. He's one poster. Why should he get to decide where everyone else gets to post? I don't want any of my threads removed from the main page. Nobody does.



I don't like his threads. So make a sub-forum for his threads and I'll move them all there. Okay?

Aha! Therein lies the problem. It's pageism! The assumption that a sub-forum is somehow inferior to the main page. This is not nor should it be the case. A sub-forum is simply a division of the main forum that is specific to a certain topic or range of topics. There's no inferiority implied. It just makes it easier for people to find what they are looking for.

[RW]

Anyway, I'm glad that's settled.

[easter bunny]

You are stuck on repeat Ro.  Categories aren't punishment and can you explain if he hates these thread so much, why has he agreed to spend so much time with them in a sub forum?



I'd like to try CATEGORIES like MOST FORUMS DO to see how it works out.

As a German I just vant to say zet I'm all in favour of keeping sings neat und organized, ja. =)

[Renee]

He's talking about removing threads he doesn't like off the main page. He's one poster. Why should he get to decide where everyone else gets to post? I don't want any of my threads removed from the main page. Nobody does.



I don't like his threads. So make a sub-forum for his threads and I'll move them all there. Okay?

Aha! Therein lies the problem. It's pageism! The assumption that a sub-forum is somehow inferior to the main page. This is not nor should it be the case. A sub-forum is simply a division of the main forum that is specific to a certain topic or range of topics. There's no inferiority implied. It just makes it easier for people to find what they are looking for.

Thank you, Easter Bunny!

[easter bunny]

He's talking about removing threads he doesn't like off the main page. He's one poster. Why should he get to decide where everyone else gets to post? I don't want any of my threads removed from the main page. Nobody does.



I don't like his threads. So make a sub-forum for his threads and I'll move them all there. Okay?

Aha! Therein lies the problem. It's pageism! The assumption that a sub-forum is somehow inferior to the main page. This is not nor should it be the case. A sub-forum is simply a division of the main forum that is specific to a certain topic or range of topics. There's no inferiority implied. It just makes it easier for people to find what they are looking for.

Thank you, Easter Bunny!

 

[reel]

I still disagree with the idea of subgroups or categories.  I think it decreases usability.  Only use I've ever had for them on a small forum was segregating posts that certain posters just wouldn't allow to die.  As soon as they were segregated into the subforum, they did die.



On a big forum, they serve to develop sub communities within the larger community.  I don't see that happening here.

[RW]

Maybe you are thinking too small reel.



I think it's worth trying.

[reel]

I never think too small.



You need more people for this to have value.  If you want more people, you need to focus on what will bring you more, not structure things as though it were so and wish that it was.



This forum is a stream of consciousness.  It's not unmanageable in it's present state, so there's no reason to split the stream.



If you want to, then do it, but it won't actually affect anything other than forcing you to click on more things and remember where you were in two streams instead of just one.

[reel]

If you are going to make anything into a subforum, make one for threads about the site itself, like this one.  you've got enough of those on the main page filling up space without adding any community content.

[RW]

You mean sorta have something like we just had?



Hrm....that's not the idea.

[Renee]

I never think too small.



You need more people for this to have value.  If you want more people, you need to focus on what will bring you more, not structure things as though it were so and wish that it was.



This forum is a stream of consciousness.  It's not unmanageable in it's present state, so there's no reason to split the stream.



If you want to, then do it, but it won't actually affect anything other than forcing you to click on more things and remember where you were in two streams instead of just one.

Well what's going to bring more people here? A big pile of disorganized shit, scattered all over any number of pages or a neat and orderly format where topics of interest are easier to locate?



Currently both this place and Van are of the big pile of crap type of forum. Now ask yourself; exactly how many new members has either place attracted in the past year? I think the answer is almost none. And yes I'm NOT including the existing nuisance posters creating additional handles. Those we can do completely without.



I'm all for trying a new format. I'm not saying every category is going to be a hit but it can't perform any worse than the current format has. Right now the stagnation in terms of new incoming members is growing more obvious by the day.

[keeper]

I never think too small.



You need more people for this to have value.  If you want more people, you need to focus on what will bring you more, not structure things as though it were so and wish that it was.



This forum is a stream of consciousness.  It's not unmanageable in it's present state, so there's no reason to split the stream.



If you want to, then do it, but it won't actually affect anything other than forcing you to click on more things and remember where you were in two streams instead of just one.

Well what's going to bring more people here? A big pile of disorganized shit, scattered all over any number of pages or a neat and orderly format where topics of interest are easier to locate?



Currently both this place a Van are of the big pile of crap type of forum. Now ask yourself; exactly how many new members has either place attracted in the past year? I think the answer is almost none. And yes I'm NOT including existing nuisance posters creating additional handles. Those we can do completely without.



I'm all for trying a new format. I'm not saying every category is going to be a hit but it can't perform any worse than the current format has. Right now the stagnation in terms of new incoming members is growing more obvious by the day.

I totally agree with Renee and share in her frustration about how the board is scattered. Pooh thread? Really?



we need to fix this shit right now.

[reel]

OK, I agree that since all the guest posting threads just got merged with the main ones, it's pretty messy, but that will be temporary.  Realistically, I think the majority of those guest posts should just have been deleted.



What will bring more people is a culture and a community that people can relate to.  Somewhere with interesting discussion that you might actually tell a friend about.  I really don't think that depends on the structure of the board.  



Anyway, I don't think it will do that much harm to categorize other than slowing down or reducing existing posting, so go ahead and try it.

[keeper]

OK, I agree that since all the guest posting threads just got merged with the main ones, it's pretty messy, but that will be temporary.  Realistically, I think the majority of those guest posts should just have been deleted.



What will bring more people is a culture and a community that people can relate to.  Somewhere with interesting discussion that you might actually tell a friend about.  I really don't think that depends on the structure of the board.  



Anyway, I don't think it will do that much harm to categorize other than slowing down or reducing existing posting, so go ahead and try it.

It will not be temporary as long as the few turds are still posting here.

[Renee]

OK, I agree that since all the guest posting threads just got merged with the main ones, it's pretty messy, but that will be temporary.  Realistically, I think the majority of those guest posts should just have been deleted.



What will bring more people is a culture and a community that people can relate to.  Somewhere with interesting discussion that you might actually tell a friend about.  I really don't think that depends on the structure of the board.  



Anyway, I don't think it will do that much harm to categorize other than slowing down or reducing existing posting, so go ahead and try it.

It will not be temporary as long as the few turds are still posting here.

Out of pure morbid curiosity I took a look at Van the other day. It was the first time in weeks that I was either dumb or bored enough to lurk at the monkey ranch and I have to tell you, I wasn't disappointed. The place was exactly as I expected. Every thread on the main page was either started by or dominated by the usual brigade of ree-ree's and their mommy/caretaker. Almost every thread, IMHO, was a throw-away, full of nut-jobs spouting nonsense and coddling of the said nut-jobs by the asylum staff.



I think mixing the "Guest Forum" and the "turds" that lived in it with the main board was a mistake as it only adds to the messiness and most of all, I'm extremely puzzled at what it was supposed to accomplish. Personally I think it adds a bit of a repellent vibe to the place that any non-freak is going to pick up on almost immediately and as you say, it's probably not going to go away. I for one do not want this place to become a home for miscreants, perverts, and leg humping apes the way that Van has.