Future Fora Format Suggestions

PC elmo · 2006-02-20 20:29:32

Bishop Of Bath & Wells wrote:

Jo wrote:
Garybob wrote:
Nevertheless, I too am becoming bored with the forum. Much of the same thing being posted, some interesting posts with interesting comments and discussion, but mostly the same sort of thing, same compliments, same arguments, same-same-same. I'm really looking forward to the new sister-site to this one which will hopefully be up and running this month.
And you really think, the comments there will be of a higher level???
Perhaps it would be a good idea to merge the three message boards into a single forum? In other words, rather than one for ISM, one for BA, and one for the new site, just have a central board that anyone (so long as they are current members of one or more of the sites) can contribute to? Just an idea.
Bish

It's definitely an attractive idea, to start a new forum from scratch. Maybe we'll see more participation from some of the newer members, who might feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the existing discussions.

Merging is an interesting idea -- I would consider it a plus to have all the talking in one place. I think it'd also be good for the forum to be completely unaffected by heavy download times, but that may basically mean that the administrators will be running four sites. Categories -- like "General" -- could help keep things straight, but I've no clue how compatible the existing formats are or whether the powers that be would even consider it.

I might also have an issue with names. What if some of us already have different names on the different discussion boards? And what if some of us would prefer a new name for a combined forum area? I know I'd want to choose my name a little more deliberately than I have in the past. It's not that "PC Elmo" is bad, it's just that I would NOT choose it now if I were just registering. In fact, I only used it for the forum because I had already used it in the Overkill section, and now I can't even use it there anymore -- posts there now require the same "username" as our login names, which otherwise are not used for anything besides logging in to the main site! And of course, we could get our subscriptions to the different sites using different login names. I like the idea of registering for the forum separately from subscribing to the site(s).

As far as requiring forum participants to be paying members of at least one of the three main sites, I think that's different than it is now, at least for BA. I seem to recall people posting before they join, while they're still in the thinking-about-it stage, so we can encourage them and answer any questions or concerns they have for current members before they "take the plunge." That strikes me as a good thing, though not absolutely necessary.

So, is there getting to be a lot of same-old, same-old with the forum?
Are there members who'd post more than they have, if given a "clean slate?"
Does centralizing sound helpful?
Does anyone else have concerns about what their name would be?
Are there any opinions about joining and participating in the fora without (or before) joining the main site(s)?

And for Richard, Lauren, and friends: How would things be with the new site if no one had brought up any of this? And is it too late, or too difficult technically, for this input to have any impact?

exhausted · 2006-02-20 22:38:32

Goodness me PC Elmo. You don't believe in brevity. 200 word when 10 would do. Keep it short old chap otherwise it is too boring.

Bishop Of Bath & Wells · 2006-02-20 23:40:43

No exhausted, I think PC Elmo raised several very valid points.

The ISM forum is a veritable hive of activity compared to here, I think merging them once the new site appears would make a lot of sense.

Bish

PC elmo · 2006-02-21 19:47:50

Mea culpa. I can now say I've been accused of having trouble keeping it short ... ( )

( but somewhat ironically, if getting "boring" is a problem people are having with the forum, that's exactly what I'm asking )

elfman11 · 2006-02-24 10:00:58

Sister sites? Are there other sites out like this that I don't know about. Gentlemen. Information if you would be so kind.

elfman11

Bishop Of Bath & Wells · 2006-02-24 12:23:05

Hi elfman11,

Believe me, there are NO other sites quite like BA, that's part of the reason why it's so special.

However, Richard and Lauren are also involved in I Shot Myself (www.ishotmyself.com), a kind of DIY nudie photography site which some of the BA contributors also appear on, and they are about to launch a third site by the end of the month.

Bish

elfman11 · 2006-02-24 17:03:07

Ah well. One could but hope. Anyway thanks for the information Your Grace.

richard · 2006-02-28 13:40:56

It's an interesting idea but I think it would homogenise the discussions. ISM is already very different to Agony in terms of who posts and on what topic, and I think the new site will be different again.

But technically, as you point out, it would be difficult. From the admin point of view the problem isn't that you have different names oin different sites, but that different people have the same names on different sites.

#1 2006-02-20 20:29:32

Future Fora Format Suggestions

#2 2006-02-20 22:38:32

Re: Future Fora Format Suggestions

#3 2006-02-20 23:40:43

Re: Future Fora Format Suggestions

#4 2006-02-21 19:47:50

Re: Future Fora Format Suggestions

#5 2006-02-24 10:00:58

Re: Future Fora Format Suggestions

#6 2006-02-24 12:23:05

Re: Future Fora Format Suggestions

#7 2006-02-24 17:03:07

Re: Future Fora Format Suggestions

#8 2006-02-28 13:40:56

Re: Future Fora Format Suggestions

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