Forum Reorganization Options

[demolished]

This is an organization for ONLY INTEREST!

Educational
Books
Debate
School
Writing
Technology

entertainment
Sandbox
Humor
Art
Anime

Fitness
Health
Fashion


what do you think? i'm talking about the majority of subforum posts that fall under the catagories. that's what the list is base on.

the italic text are the ones that i'm not really sure.

[marzipan]

.....ok, so you want bring entertainment under interests and add more subforums?

eh...idk, i like all the different topics organized in their own subforums.

[demolished]

i dont know. can you find a proper term for entertainment in interest.


There is no way that the admin will unite some subforum to the main forum.


there was a thread about dumping interest subforum to the main forum, it NEVER HAPPENED.

so whynot deal with the interest forum? somehow, it will make it easier for us to browse.

[sadolakced acid]

here's my suggestion for a forum layout, since it seems to be the in thing to do now.


- the community

-- the club
---- the lounge
---- introductions
---- sandbox
---- comedy corner

-- the B'n'N
---- books
---- movies and telly
---- music
---- art

-- the coffeshop
---- debate
---- school
---- technology
---- writing

-- the bar
---- food
---- fashion
---- sports
---- pictures

-- the lockerrooms
---- health
---- relationships
---- the boy's locker
---- the girl's locker




everything would be moved to whereever makes the most sense, which should be easy to tell.

i stuck pictures in the bar because it made it an even four. and it was the last one.

could probably do with a little revision, but that's the general shape.
(oh, and i'd be willing to help sort through entertainment if that were an issue)

[demolished]

mmmmmmmmmkay. your topic is better than mine.

however, admin will not do it. there was a thread discussing about this situation.

and eventually, this thread will be ... closed down.

[sadolakced acid]

they said that it was up for suggestion, but they wanted an entire layout, not just "bring back this forum" or something.

[*Libertie*]

Eh, topics merged for simplicity. We can just use this thread to talk about reorganization in general.

Nothing wrong with putting ideas out there.. Forum reorganization was put on the back burner, so to speak, but that's not to say that we can't generate some ideas in the meantime.

Justin - I like the way you have health and relationships grouped with the locker rooms, and "the club" as well..

[sadolakced acid]

well, i think it'd be nice if this weren't back burnered...

discuss, people, discuss!

[sadolakced acid]

`cough.

[*StanleyThePanda*]

I personally like how its organized.

[*disco infiltrator*]

I like Justin's. It makes it more clear what kind of topics are supposed to go where. Like, the bar would be a little more lax and casual than the coffeeshop and such.

[Tribal J_Rome]

I like Justin's idea, but "The Bar" was the only thing imo that seemed random and out of the ordinary.

[sadolakced acid]

well, i had left over forums and no where to stick them...

i tried dividing them up between the other 4 groups, but it would lead to weird groupings.

actually...

- the community

-- the club
---- the lounge
---- introductions
---- sandbox
---- comedy corner
---- pictures

-- the B'n'N
---- books
---- movies and telly
---- music
---- art
---- fashion

-- the coffeshop
---- debate
---- school
---- technology
---- writing
---- food

-- the lockerrooms
---- sports
---- health
---- relationships
---- the boy's locker
---- the girl's locker

i prefer the one with the bar though, becuase the other 4 group better that way...

[misoshiru]

I personally like how its organized.

Same here, I'm fine with how it is now.

[think!IMAGINARIL...]

i think we should make some room for science (astronomy, physics, biology, chemistry, spectroscopy, ect.)..
we could add it onto Technology and be like "Technology and the Sciences" or something like that.
but that's just my opinion.

[demolished]

i dont think moderator cares.

i could be wrong though.

[marzipan]

I think we should keep it the way it is. It works for me.

[*theoutlaw*]

well, i had left over forums and no where to stick them...

i tried dividing them up between the other 4 groups, but it would lead to weird groupings.

actually...

- the community

-- the club
---- the lounge
---- introductions
---- sandbox
---- comedy corner
---- pictures

-- the B'n'N
---- books
---- movies and telly
---- music
---- art
---- fashion

-- the coffeshop
---- debate
---- school
---- technology
---- writing
---- food

-- the lockerrooms
---- sports
---- health
---- relationships
---- the boy's locker
---- the girl's locker

i prefer the one with the bar though, becuase the other 4 group better that way...

I love the idea, I support you all the way. the club and coffeeshop sound awesome.

[micron]

i tried dividing them up between the other 4 groups, but it would lead to weird groupings.

...

hmm, thats an interesting idea and quite a radical departure from how the forums are currently organized.

for now, were going to stay with how its organized now but please keep the suggestions coming. its interesting to see how people organize things. =)

[sadolakced acid]

anyone else have opinions?

(cough like how much you want this cought)

[*I Shot JFK*]

Justin's idea is good.

I'm not INCREDIBLY bothered either way, but i am starting to get fed up with the millioms of interests subforums, so let's try something new!

and jusun, has it occured to you to say WHY we're sticking with what we have, as opposed to reorganizing, so that people can actually benefit from what you say?

[*Zatanna*]

I think all of the forums, with the exception of Interests are organized well.

Lifestyle and Culture
-Art
-Fashion
-Food
-Health
-Travel?

World Awareness (totally dorky name, but couldn't think of anything)
-Debate
-News
-Sports
-Technology

Literature
-Books
-Writing

For Your Leisure
-Sandbox
-Humor
-Anime

The Forum titles are wretched, and it wouldn't get rid of the problem of having so many interest subforums.

[*mona lisa*]

^Actually, the way you organized it works well. But I just hate having subforums within subforums.

[*I Shot JFK*]

See, Rebecca's is fine, but i prefer Justin's just because it is a little more different, and the club, B'n'N would be a nice little change of pace...

[*Azarel*]

I like other Justin's second organization; Rebecca's is lacking the entertainment forum, and overall, it seems less comprehensive than Justin's.

[*Zatanna*]

Yeah Mona, I don't like subforums within subforums.

By the way, I did mention that what I posted was for Interests only.

[GREASEbaby]

I personally like Justin's idea.
However, I'm kinda, I don't know..unnerved by the word, "The Bar"
I'm just soo...kiddish. xD

How about something like...ermmmm...The Family Room? Ick. No way.
I'll come up with something... :\


I'll post a forum-reorganization plan soon :]

Edit//

Whoo. I made a forum! xD
So basically I used the same style as Justin's, but everything is grouped completely different. Let's just see how this works out :]

Happy Family
--Introductions
--Lounge
--Entertainment

Blank Canvas
--Anime
--Art
--Books
--Writing
--Pictures

Ice Cream Social
--Debate
--News
--Humor
--Forum Games
--Food

The Classroom
--School
--Sports
--Technology
--Fashion

Lean on Me
--Health
--Relationships
--Boy's Locker
--Girl's Locker


This post has been edited by GREASEbaby: Aug 25 2006, 08:41 PM

[*This Confession*]

Honestly I like Rebecca's

Lifestyle and Culture
-Art
-Fashion
-Food
-Health
-Travel?

World Awareness (totally dorky name, but couldn't think of anything)
-Debate
-News
-Sports
-Technology

Literature
-Books
-Writing

For Your Leisure
-Sandbox
-Humor
-Anime

Its simple, and clean cut.

Its not hard to understand and all the topic titles go along with whats in it.


For now and perhaps the future, I think everything looks fine. The interest is the only thing I think really needs to be fixed.

[*Azarel*]

By the way, I did mention that what I posted was for Interests only.

Oops, I missed that, sorry.

But since that's the case, I prefer Justin's organization.. I'd rather have subforums all around than subforums within subforums.

[*Zatanna*]

^ no worries.

Justin's has good organization, but as mentioned (I think), it would require a complete site overhaul.

We'll have to wait until the next version of cB is implemented, but I hope people keep this topic alive and continue to provide feedback before the next version of cB because if there is any chance in the world of a huge site overhaul, it would be then. (I think).

I'm rambling. I need more coffee.

[*I Shot JFK*]

it wouldnt really require a masive overhaul, would it?

all you would have to do would be take the site offline for a little while while you retitled and moved things... it's all done on the admin CP

[*Zatanna*]

^ I was under the impression that it would be an overhaul (since so much would be reorganized) and that it would be a lot of work.

Unfortunately, I can't remember the post I got that impression from.

[*I Shot JFK*]

no, i know what you mean, but i think the idea was that it would be done at the same time as a bigger overhaul, rather than the actual reorganization being a lot of work in itself, because moving forums around and such is fairly simple...

i think the thing you're refering to came from the thread about a possible travel forum?

[GREASEbaby]

Did nobody notice my organization?

I'd like to hear some feedback on it.

I personally like Justin's idea.
However, I'm kinda, I don't know..unnerved by the word, "The Bar"
I'm just soo...kiddish. xD

How about something like...ermmmm...The Family Room? Ick. No way.
I'll come up with something... :\


I'll post a forum-reorganization plan soon :]

Edit//

Whoo. I made a forum! xD
So basically I used the same style as Justin's, but everything is grouped completely different. Let's just see how this works out :]

Happy Family
--Introductions
--Lounge
--Entertainment

Blank Canvas
--Anime
--Art
--Books
--Writing
--Pictures

Ice Cream Social
--Debate
--News
--Humor
--Forum Games
--Food

The Classroom
--School
--Sports
--Technology
--Fashion

Lean on Me
--Health
--Relationships
--Boy's Locker
--Girl's Locker

[sadolakced acid]

well, with mine, everything except for entertainment would be a straight forward move.

[*Azarel*]

Budump.

I'd like to hear some feedback on it.

I don't like the section titles; they also don't really fit with some of the subforums, and the subforums sort of randomly grouped. Like, I don't see how debate and food are remotely alike. Or fashion in the classroom? Entertainment makes for a happy family? Wot?

Still backing Justin's unless something better comes up, which hasn't happened.

[*Azarel*]

Okay, so I'm double posting--shoot me. Anyway, there's talk of reorganizing the community section in this thread, and I had toyed with the idea of revamping the design section as well (to easier access the help forums collectively; sometimes it gets annoying to have to click twice to get to one help forum, and then going back and another two clicks to get to a different one, but I'll live if this doesn't happen--it's just an idea).

·Layouts
--- *Submission Guidelines (Thread, not subforum)
-- ·Blogger
-- ·Livejournal
-- ·Myspace
-- ·Website (Templates)
-- ·Xanga

·Graphics
--- *Submission Guidelines (Thread, not subforum)
-- ·Resources

·Scripts
-- ·Blogger
-- ·Myspace
-- ·Xanga

·Tutorials

·Help
-- ·Blogger
-- ·Livejournal
-- ·Myspace
-- ·Website
-- ·Xanga
-- ·Graphics

·Request
-- ·Blogger Layouts
-- ·Livejournal Layouts
-- ·Myspace Layouts
-- ·Website Hosting
-- ·Xanga Layouts
-- ·Graphics

·Showcase
-- ·Blogger
-- ·Livejournal
-- ·Myspace
-- ·Website
-- ·Xanga
-- ·Graphics
-- ·Topsite

·Extras (Must be a member, some may require official membership to use.)
-- ·Tools (the ones located here, since not all of them are xanga specific)

[*This Confession*]

^I like that idea. It sounds pretty easy to figure out.

Although in some ways how it is now is pretty organized as well.

But I don't mind that idea.

[smoke]

That's pretty good Anna. I agree, it is annoying the way it is setup right now. Yours seems centered around easy access and simplicity. I like that.

For the Community, I like Justin's idea. It's organized but still looks approachable and fun. That's important.

[radhikaeatsraman]

My idea for interests/community reorganization: (Yes, the titles aren't that great...okay, they suck, but if you have better ideas, tell me.)

The Community & Our World
*Introductions
*The Lounge
*News
*Pictures

Entertainment
*Music
*Movies
*TV
*Humor
*Sandbox

Intellectuals
*Art
*Books
*Debate
*Technology
*Writing

Lifestyles
*Health
*Fashion
*Food
*Relationships
*School
*Sports


I decided to get rid of the Anime forum, mainly because you could just post stuff about it in other Entertainment forums. Quite frankly, I don't see a need for one.

edit: After much consideration, I decided to move the Sandbox to Entertainment.

This post has been edited by rawtheekuh.: Sep 23 2006, 05:06 PM

[*This Confession*]

^I don't think the sandbox should really be under the community & our world.

Maybe Entertainment..


I think the Anime forum gets enough activity that it could stay? I mean they are having little contests in there and a lot of people here are in to anime?

Its by far more active then the ary subforum.

Also would the girls/boys locker room & relationships just be like they are?

[radhikaeatsraman]

Crap! I forgot about Relationships. That would go under Lifestyles. And maybe there could be a boys/girls area, but I also don't really see a need for a boy's or girl's locker room section. Most of it is polls, anyhow. And most, if not all, of the topics in there could into Relationships or Health.

[*This Confession*]

Yea I was just about to say that actually, but you were editting.
Most of the stuff could go in health.
And perhaps relationships. Although there are some useful resources and stuff in the girls locker room, not so sure about the guys locker room. I usually stay out of there unless someone asks me to go check something out.

[*I Shot JFK*]

Radhika, there is no lounge in your scheme!

*sad face*

[radhikaeatsraman]

AAAH. Crap, I'm so horrible about subforums. Thank you, James.

[OhMyAnniee]

I like the simple, direct & default titles for the forums. I used to go on this other forum alot and they had their own 'unique' titles and I couldn't remember what subforum/topic was where.

& I think Entertainment needs subforums. Maybe instead of Anime, you could have a 'Foreign' forum? It could work...

[think!IMAGINARIL...]

^ Foreign is too broad. I mean, it can include music, film, language, etc. It'd get a little confusing..

[*digital.fragrance*]

*fades out of darkness*

keep the Anime forum - we have our own club and contests!

*disappears*

[gelionie]

Too many subforums. :x
It's okay at the moment.

[HakunaMatata]

*cowers from bumping this*

I agree to an extent. Many of the forums are just placeholders for people to try to think of something to put there. Examples: "What are you wearing?" (fashion) and "What are you eating?" (food). I mean, seriously, how far are we reaching if that's seriously all we can think about to put in these forums? The only ones in interests that really seem like they might be of any use are Technology, Sports, Anime, Debate, News, and Writing. Maybe Art and Books. That's 7, maybe 9, and we currently have 14. The rest are pretty much useless and the topics would be better suited in the lounge. Actually, a lot of the stuff in Fashion could go in the Girl's Locker Room (or guy's, if it's a "guy fashion" thing, not to discriminate by any means ). School stuff, Food, Health, Humor, that's all common-discussion stuff, it'd be just fine in the Lounge. The "sandbox" I've always thought should go in as a subforum of the lounge so it's not "hidden in the interest caves", plus it's basically just a laid-back form of general discussion, a lighter version of the lounge.

But with all the topics we've had here about forum reorganization, we've never gotten far (except once, I believe, a temp fix was made) and lots of people don't like the idea of getting rid of forums. I just hate that people have this stigma associated with making new topics outside of the Lounge. I was just saying earlier that people tend to post the kind of stupid topics in other forums ("like hey, what's ur fave kind of shoe?") and the really interesting topics with actual merit in the Lounge. Why? What's the use in spending so much time writing up a topic if nobody's gonna read and respond to it?

Is there anyone who thinks that there are certain forums that can be removed? In case anyone's ideas need a complete overhaul, CB4 is coming up, so bring up your ideas now!

[*Duchess of Dork*]

I like the simple, direct & default titles for the forums. I used to go on this other forum alot and they had their own 'unique' titles and I couldn't remember what subforum/topic was where.

& I think Entertainment needs subforums. Maybe instead of Anime, you could have a 'Foreign' forum? It could work...

*fades out of darkness*

keep the Anime forum - we have our own club and contests!

*disappears*

Ooo. Actually, a "foreign" Forum might actually work. The anime section just doesn't get a whole lot of play (and hasn't for a quite some time).

[stay infinite]

From looking at createblog for sometime now. I don't really think a foreign film section would really be that active, and I do remember people saying if there wasn't a real need for it and it wouldn't be very active then it really should be created because its just one more thing, almost like the interest and how there are to many and you guys want to keep them down.

I suppose it would be nice to get subforums in to entertainment though, it would have been nice to seperate them one for movies and one for music.

[HakunaMatata]

^Hm, I think we were aiming toward a general "Foreign" sub-forum than a "Foreign Film" sub-forum.

Or actually...not a sub-forum. A whole forum. Hmmm. :thoughtful smiley here:

Ooo. Actually, a "foreign" Forum might actually work. The anime section just doesn't get a whole lot of play (and hasn't for a quite some time).

When I first read that I was all like "You mean outside of cB?!!? "

[stay infinite]

A whole seperate forum for just foreign films would be pointless and it completely fits under entertainment so there wouldn't really be a point

I mean if you mean a whole foreign thing of its own perhaps even in the interest section where people can talk to people in other languages and stuff and discuss other foreign things like music or movies and stuff I think that would be pretty nifty.

[HakunaMatata]

No like...uhhh. Okay, I think I'm damn terrible at explaining things.

So like, we could have a whole forum just labeled "Foreign". For foreign films, foreign TV, foreign foods, culture clubs, foreign e-chet-era.

Uhhh...yeah. Yeah.

The more I look at the word 'foreign' the more I think I'm spelling it wroooong.

[stay infinite]

^Yea I know what you meant, although I don't really know. I think it would be kind of weird to have its all own forum out of no where.

I think it should start off as a sub forum in interests and if it grows and becomes really popular then promote it up to have its own forum if the admins can do that.

[Simba]

No like...uhhh. Okay, I think I'm damn terrible at explaining things.

So like, we could have a whole forum just labeled "Foreign". For foreign films, foreign TV, foreign foods, culture clubs, foreign e-chet-era.

Uhhh...yeah. Yeah.

The more I look at the word 'foreign' the more I think I'm spelling it wroooong.

Hm, I see what you're trying to say, but what about foreign subjects in Entertainment, Food, and what not? It seems kind of pointless to create a forum just for "foreign like" when they could be discussed in other forums.

"Foreign entertainment is entertainment too!"

[stay infinite]

^Uhm pretty much exactly what I was going for

[*Libertie*]

I dunno, I'd almost rather get rid of forums before we think about adding more. Like I said in my post (Kaycee cross-posted it on the last page), we have several forums that are, in my opinion, useless.

[HakunaMatata]

H, I was thinkig more along the lines that Anime would fit into a 'Foreign' forum, not add an entire new one.

And really, we could have just one Locker, the Boys Locker is overrun by girls anyway. They'd just have to put "Girls only" or "Boys's version" or whatnot. But then, when I think about it, what kind of topics would be put in the Locker? A lot could just go to Health or Relationships.

[*mzkandi*]

I don't think the Locker Rooms are so much my issues as Interests is. Some of the forums are just there taking up space. Some of those serves less of a need than the two locker rooms combine (which btw, I think are helpful to have around).

If we were to combine Locker Rooms why not put Health with it.

[*Libertie*]

^Right, I don't mind having the locker rooms around, but some of the forums that are hidden deep within the interest subforums are just taking up space, like you said.

[stay infinite]

I was thinking..

Whats so wrong with having the forums and adding more?
Is it just because the staff doesn't want to look over it? Or does it really affect the site. I mean I do understand if you don't want it anymore cluttered or what not but I don't really see as being to big of a issue.

[*mzkandi*]

It's not that staff doesn't want to look over anything, but what is the point of having forums that hardly anyone goes to? Why not just have forums that members will actively engage in? I don't mind adding forums that community is interested in actively engaging in.

[*Libertie*]

I was thinking..

Whats so wrong with having the forums and adding more?
Is it just because the staff doesn't want to look over it? Or does it really affect the site. I mean I do understand if you don't want it anymore cluttered or what not but I don't really see as being to big of a issue.

Dude, the way we have it now is not at all difficult to deal with, so it's not by any means a question of how lazy our staff members are. Rather, I believe it makes the forums less active, because we have all these topics that would be gaining MUCH more attention hiding out in the forums nobody goes to. Someone posts a topic in the lounge in hopes it'll get seen, and when it gets moved to another forum, they're upset because really, what we're doing is burying it. That's not fair to them or to us, because we're the ones complaining that nobody makes good topics anymore.

[viugiufgjhfhjfhg...]

Dude, the way we have it now is not at all difficult to deal with, so it's not by any means a question of how lazy our staff members are. Rather, I believe it makes the forums less active, because we have all these topics that would be gaining MUCH more attention hiding out in the forums nobody goes to. Someone posts a topic in the lounge in hopes it'll get seen, and when it gets moved to another forum, they're upset because really, what we're doing is burying it. That's not fair to them or to us, because we're the ones complaining that nobody makes good topics anymore.

Precisely; having an excessive amount of sub forums makes the site as a whole look less active than it really is. The best option seems to keep the number of message boards towards the minimum, and create new ones only when there's a consistent demand for a place to post about a certain topic.

On the same note, when sub forums become passive or literally dead for months, it's not that bad of an idea to merge it with a message board of similar characteristics.

[*My Cinderella.*]

I'm liking the way that justin has it set up. Although I have no problem with the way its set up now. There could be a few less subforums.

[Simba]

Writing and Art are two notably inactive sub-forums. What about combining the two together? After all, "the arts" include "language arts."

[*Libertie*]

Someone mentioned once the idea of a "coffee shop" category for forums. I actually wouldn't mind using that name for a forum called "The Coffee Shop", where people can discuss stuff like books and art as well as showcasing works of art (writing, sketches) they've done themselves.

[Simba]

So I guess that would be adding Books to the mix as well? I wouldn't have a problem with that either.

(Createblog must really like coffee.)

[*Libertie*]

I don't see why not, we'd take three or four relatively inactive forums and make one forum that gets a lot of activity.

(I love coffee. )

[viugiufgjhfhjfhg...]

Merge Debate and News!

[HakunaMatata]

I definitely wouldn't mind Books, Art, and Writing lumped into one. They're related, and I'm sure everyone can differentiate which topics belong to which category. :]

And ummm, we...don't...need...a... Sports forum.

[*Azarel*]

Any agreement on anything?? lol
I'm not sure I'd fully go for this organization I just came up with (I'm not sure if there are subforums within the community center or what), but it sortof fits. Sortof.

Community Center

·Interactions
Posts from
-- ·Introductions
-- ·The Lounge
-- ·Humor
-- ·Sandbox
-- ·Relationships
-- ·Pictures

·Academia
Posts from
-- ·Books
-- ·Debate
-- ·News
-- ·School
-- ·Writing

·Culture
Posts from
-- ·Art
-- ·Entertainment
-- ·Sports (discussion of)
-- ·Fashion
-- ·Foreign (Anime included)
-- ·Technology?

·Health and Fitness
Posts from
-- ·Health
-- ·Food
-- ·Sports (participation in)
-- ·Boys' Locker
-- ·Girls' Locker

And anyone down for a resource center revamp (slightly edited from my post on the second page)?

Resource Center

·Designers' Café

·Layouts
--- *Submission Guidelines (Thread, not subforum)
-- ·Blogger
-- ·Livejournal
-- ·Myspace
-- ·Website (Templates)
-- ·Xanga

·Scripts
-- ·Blogger
-- ·Myspace
-- ·Xanga

·Graphics
--- *Submission Guidelines (Thread, not subforum)

·Resources
-- ·Graphic Resources
-- ·Tutorials
-- ·Website Hosting

·Help
-- ·Blogger
-- ·Livejournal
-- ·Myspace
-- ·Website
-- ·Xanga
-- ·Graphics

·Request
-- ·Blogger Layouts
-- ·Livejournal Layouts
-- ·Myspace Layouts
-- ·Website Layouts
-- ·Xanga Layouts
-- ·Graphics

·Showcase
-- ·Blogger
-- ·Livejournal
-- ·Myspace
-- ·Website
-- ·Xanga
-- ·Graphics
-- ·Topsite

·Extras (Must be a member, some may require official membership to use.)
-- ·Tools (the ones located here, since not all of them are xanga specific)

[*Duchess of Dork*]

The Community Center looks great, Anna. I think that in so many ways that would limit the frustration members have when their posts get moved, for one. I also think that it would create an environment that didn't seem so restrictive. You did a great job of catagorizing.

Resource Center looks like it would flip from being organized by site type to being organized by what type of resource is being sought after. That might make it a little difficult for the Design-relate staff though, unless all the Design related staff were made globals for the Resource Forum.

[HakunaMatata]

I really like Anna's Community Center organization, but I'm hesitant about having two Sports forums. I'm actually for removing it completely, as just having one doesn't draw very much actvity at all.

For the Resource Center, I think I'd rather see it grouped by the site. I think it was by Anna's way in CB2 though....? I wasn't around, so I don't know how well that worked out.