Forums layout.

[Rob Glynn]

OK. Be kind to me. This isn't critisism, just comment.

I am a member of an Oz equivalent of SMC. You can go visit it at ..removed..

Same forums software as this one except that it is a slightly earlier version - 2.2.9. My user name there is Robert WA.

I find the content of individual forums here confusing. It is often not possible to identify the subject matter of a thread by its stated "Subject" and, in any event, there is a very diverse range of subjects in a, relatively, few individual forums.

The Oz site allows for OT posts under a number of forum headings in the group "Woodies Stuff" and it divides woodwork topics into a bunch of groups and forums. To me, it is an easier site to navigate.

By way of example, I am not a wood turner so I just ignore the woodturning forums, and I only go to some of the others when I have time to spare.

That said, I acknowledge that any US site will be very much busier than an Oz site. You have 15 times our population. That, in my opinion, is a good reason for a change to a larger number of more specifically defined groups and forums.

OK, I have said what I wanted to say. I like this place and have learned a great deal from it. I will continue to visit here because it is a good place to be.

[Joe Suelter]

Hi Rob, welcome. You will find that we talk about almost anything here, from cars to beer to computers to you name it. That is what we like to refer to as "community building" to borrow that from Wayne Miller. In doing that it helps us get to know each individual a little better. I have not seen an Off Topic thread yet that hasn't gone without an answer. This is a great place with great people, I hope you decide to stay awhile, even though the forums probably wont get changed!!:rolleyes: You actually get used to the layout once you come here everyday. Take care, and welcome aboard!--Joe Suelter

[Rob Glynn]

Thanks for the welcome Joe. In fact, I have been coming here for some months and thoroughly enjoy the place and the company.
Did you look at the Oz site? The questions are the same, just the brandnames change.

[Ted Shrader]

Rob -

I know you have been around here for a little while, but might have missed the earlier discussions on the same topic. Your comments echo some of the others expressed.

There are changes planned. Another (even newer) version of vBullitin is due out. Aaron is hard at work with graphic and format improvements. Will even have thread and sub-thread capability. I'm looking forward to it. The admin guys are doing great things!

Regards,
Ted

[Rob Glynn]

OK. Thanks for that. I will look for the changes.

[Tom Sweeney]

I went to the Oz site & couldn't figure out the format . . . . .
Everything was upside down ;) Sorry I couldn't resist :D

I think that a certain amount of non-ridgidity (is that a word?) in the forum subjects does help to create more of a community.

Sort of like sitting around with a bunch of mates knocking down a few fosters & just shootin the breeze. One minute your talking woodworking the next cars then girls (well at least in the old days :D ) then politics (well, we don't want to go there).

I think that maybe having a few more forums might be nice but I think the Oz site has it broken down a little too much for my taste. We have had discussions about seperate turning forums - but those Evil turners like having a chance to pull us flat workers over to the dark side :D

I think that maybe having a strictly OT forum might be more trouble than it's worth. I could see the potential for things getting out of hand. I usually enjoy the OT posts, maybe even as much as the WW'ing posts. I think the forum is moving towards more "On Topic" WW'ing posts now that everyone is settling in. personally, I can contribute more to the OT posts because I have not had a chance to do much Woodworking yet :mad: .

I think this is one of those things where there is no one right answer. Both points of view have merit.

There have I a solved anything with my decisive answer :rolleyes:

BTW Hope your hip is all better(read one of your posts) - My Dad's had 3 hip replacements - on the same side :( & my MIL goes in next month for one.

[Rob Glynn]

Hi Tom. That decisive answer all makes sense to me, except for the Fosters bit. As a Western Australian I drink Swan, not that Victorian piss.
The hip went really well. I walked to the letter box and back today. Our letter box is a bit over a 1/2 mile away from the house. Only bills in the mail, damn it, but the walk was nice.
This is my second hip. The first, on the other side, was done 25 years ago and is still going strong.