New forum categories?

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scott
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New forum categories?

Post by scott »

Hi all,
Now that I've (finally) got multiple choice voting working, I'd like to try it out with the following poll. If we were to decide to do so, how should we further categorize the besslerwheel.com forum?

I went through the topics and came up with the following possible categories. This is just a rough draft, so please feel free and post other suggestions here if you have them.

A related issue to keep in mind is this: Right now, there is a clear distinction between the public and private forums. That is, the General Discussion forum is open to the Internet at large while the Community Buzz forum is only open to members of BesslerWheel.com. If we further granularize the forum categories it may be difficult to maintain this distinction.

What do you think?
Thanks for visiting BesslerWheel.com

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jim_mich
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re: New forum categories?

Post by jim_mich »

I punched 14 catagories on the above list but actually I'm happy with the catagories as they are now. More catacories be might be confusing?

I've saved the search_id=newpost link on my computer and use it almost exclusively, and seldom even notice which forum they are in. I right-click on the topic link, press 'n' to open a new browser window, and as soon as that page loads I start another window loading while I switch back and read the first window.

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Fletcher
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re: New forum categories?

Post by Fletcher »

Hi Scott,

That will be a welcome improvement imo. I haven't made my choices yet as I'd just like to mention a few possible concerns first.

I appreciate that you are probably trying to create a greater sense of order to the board which I applaud especially as it grows. It is it is nearly impossible to search anything in a systematic/efficient way unless you can remember the author.

I presume that individuals will be responsible for posting their own topics into the correct (best fit) category. A word of caution, people are inherently lazy :-) & some members will not be to bothered about where they post & won't take the time to look into or get familiar with the 'direction' of the board.

In order for this categorisation to work it will rely on you 'sweeping' on a regular basis & shifting topics & posts to the appropriate category. There is no onous on the postee to "enguage the brain" to help out. Regular followers are more likely to be cooperative as they will have the 'feel' for the board & will appreciate the potential order from chaos it can provide.

I would like to see more people sign in & comment on community buzz topics rather than the 100 or so daily who simply browse visit. Structure categories such that they are tantilisingly hooked as casual browsers in the general topics (but show them the categories they can't yet access) then reel'em in & get'em to sign on.

-fletcher
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re: New forum categories?

Post by ovyyus »

I think that any modification to the forum that will make it more easily searchable, and therefore a better research tool, has to be a good thing.

Jim_mich has described above how different ways of using the forum suits different people and, IMO, flexibility is what we need with all our different research approaches.

Adding more forum catagories would probably not add confusion for logged-in members. Therefore, more catagories might add incentive for guests to become members.
epistemologicide
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re: New forum categories?

Post by epistemologicide »

emperical evidence!!!!!!

and perhaps a newbee section?
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Oxygon
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re: New forum categories?

Post by Oxygon »

Off-Topic...

everything else is redundant...

imo
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re: New forum categories?

Post by MrTim »

Just merge General Discussion and Community Buzz and make it one big "free-for-all" forum....
"....the mechanism is so simple that even a wheel may be too small to contain it...."
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Fletcher
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re: New forum categories?

Post by Fletcher »

Hi Scott,

Any progress here ??? especially lately :)

-fletcher
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Oxygon
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re: New forum categories?

Post by Oxygon »

Come'on...

Off-Topic couldn't hurt...

test it for a while...

See if any good stuff starts...

p.s. - although I am sure we would have some religious rants and arguements in there...

not good...

If anyone gets "out of line" ban them... from "Off-Topic"... for a few weeks...

I think the likely discussion is worth a try and I can't believe a new forum would be that much of a burden...

We already have personal/private forums...

Have special rules... for off-topic, etc...
"A man with a new idea is a crank until he succeeds."~ M. Twain.
Sevich

re: New forum categories?

Post by Sevich »

Oxygon wrote
Although I'm sure we would have some religious rants and arguements in there....not good
Don't be discriminatry

Eat the whole sandwich without picking out stuff........."nothing wrong with the gerkins" ....it's all good for you!!
:)
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Oxygon
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Re: re: New forum categories?

Post by Oxygon »

Sevich wrote:Eat the whole sandwich without picking out stuff........."nothing wrong with the gerkins" ....it's all good for you!!
:)
I know their are a few "eccentrics" here and I have gotten into multi-thread arguements with them... in other forums about a year back and do not wish to be tempted to respond...

The discussions are wastes of time...

And can taint a forums overall experience.
"A man with a new idea is a crank until he succeeds."~ M. Twain.
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