mods

[tj99959]

Why don't you just remove the new member forum and the general discussion froum since it has become quite obvious that you don't want people to use them.

PLEASE take the time to investigate what happens to a thread when you move it! THEY DIE, never to be looked at again. Not a good way to pass good information on to those that want it.
You are fooling yourselves if you think most users are interested in opening 50 different sub forums.

 

[tiburonfirst]

tj, no opening of subforums necessary if you follow your threads through ''my posts'' - i don't even look anymore, at least most of the time, in which forum my threads are hosted.
but i can see the problem if somebody navigates ecf any other way ......

 

[caffeinator]

Yeah, I do the same thing...about the only thing I touch is the "New Posts" link and the "What's New" dropdown menus. Maybe a search here and there.

Manually doing things on a huge forums like ECF is not going to work. I'm on a few sites far larger than ECF and without automation, there is zero way anyone could do anything useful. It just doesn't work. Use the site's tools and you'll be happier.

 

[caffeinator]

For example, I posted in this thread: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-do-you-carry-around-your-e-cig-supplies.html

It was originally in New Members, but got more involved and was moved to E-Cigarette Accessories. I didn't even notice as my updated posts list still had it listed. It automatically updated it.

Like so:


(click for full sized)

If there is something you'd like to know how to do, I'm sure we can help ya do it.

 

[tiburonfirst]

caf - i think tj is concerned that members not all that familiar with ecf easily lose track of threads they might be interested in.

it would be interesting to know if threads, once moved, really lose momentum.

 

[caffeinator]

Hmm, IDK.

On all of the large forums I know of, users use subs and the post lists to keep track of posts. If they don't know how, then they need to be taught how. One site I've on since 2005 has about a million members and more posts then the USPS. Users still seems to follow along just fine though.

As far as the OP's/or posters losing track, on forums that I mod, I always PM the OP or the poster when I move or otherwise edit their content. That way, they can't say they weren't notified and their post/topic/whatever just "disappeared". Ya know?

 

[tj99959]

caf - i think tj is concerned that members not all that familiar with ecf easily use track of threads they might be interested in.

it would be interesting to know if threads, once moved, really lose momentum.

IMO most forum member that are not on the site every day, and/or newer member function from this page The E-Cigarette , and basically only use the top 4 forums, with most only the top two. Just look at the numbers using each forum and it is quite obvious.
I know how to find the threads I started, or posted in, that's not the problem. The problem is that it seems like no one else can. I have followed active thread after active thread, that that has gotten few if any views after it was moved.
I think my solution to this problem would be to wait until a thread drops from the first page before moving it. If a thread is getting enough attention to stay on the first page, it is because people are interested in it, so it is probably right where it belongs.

 

[caffeinator]

Ah, I see what you're saying now...

IMHO, Forums are just like the rest of the Internet; the strong survive and rest get swallowed by oblivion. If a topic is worthy, informative and interesting, it'll keep on going because users will seek it out no matter what.

 

[tj99959]

Ah, I see what you're saying now...

IMHO, Forums are just like the rest of the Internet; the strong survive and rest get swallowed by oblivion. If a topic is worthy, informative and interesting, it'll keep on going because users will seek it out no matter what.

Wish that was the case here, but a new thread in the same place seems to be the norm requiring that the conversation needs to be repeated from square 1 all over again.

 

[oldsoldier]

This subject has come up more times than I wish to attempt to count. The forum is large and to be quite honest I'd love to just merge all the forums into one mega forum just to show you how ill advised it is to NOT break up the subject matter.

Once a user learns the layout and starts using it it is actually way more efficient to do it "our way". Trust me I've moderated on a forum that is much much larger than ECF and even though large forums are not easy for a new user to navigate, breaking down the subject matter is the way to go.

 

[Chessiesmile]

I am not new to vaping anymore (almost 8 months w/o cigs, for me and spouse) but I am not a "forum" person. In fact this is my ONLY forum, and I am here alot, 3 or 4 times a week, which is HUGE for a site that is not weather related for me... I bank, shop, and check my local news, and get info on vaping online, and then move on to real life. All that to say this: Please, Keep It Simple, and don't move stuff too much! I have many many times got frustrated, and just closed my browser without learning everything I had hoped, because the thread just disappeared and maybe I am not the only one. I Love ECF, it has set me free from big tobbaccy, so what ever happens GOD BLESS yuns

 

[progg]

It doesn't solve everything but : If you find a thread of interest immediately subscribe to it or bookmark it.

 

[caffeinator]

Really, all you have to do is post to a thread you like, then the "my posts" list will track it for you. I can see the problem for peeps who just read and don't post as without subbing; IDK how they could track it automatically via the forums.

Forums are designed for interactivity. The less you interact, the less you'll get out of it and you'll be doing things more like in the 1990's Internet: manually.

I do have a ECF bookmarks folder in Opera's bookmarks list though for threads or URL's I know I'll want to reference later on.

 

[tiburonfirst]

This subject has come up more times than I wish to attempt to count. The forum is large and to be quite honest I'd love to just merge all the forums into one mega forum just to show you how ill advised it is to NOT break up the subject matter.

Once a user learns the layout and starts using it it is actually way more efficient to do it "our way". Trust me I've moderated on a forum that is much much larger than ECF and even though large forums are not easy for a new user to navigate, breaking down the subject matter is the way to go.

but if tj is right and the same topic threads are created over and over again in the general and new members' forum, then moving these threads defeats the purpose ........

 

[caffeinator]

The problem is, IMHO, that people are just lazy or don't know what to look for.

Most folks would rather just ask their question and expect others to just answer it than do the research themselves. FAQs and stickies are great, but in this short-attention span social media era, peeps just want to crowdsource.

I'd bet 90% of newbie questions are already answered somewhere, but who wants to search when someone else will do it for them? One forum I'm on, there is a Help Forum that has many, many FAQ entries that nobody ever reads because it's too hard apparently. So, the Help staff answers the same damn questions over and over, everyday.

Moved or not, peeps will just keep asking the same questions over and over and over again. Because they can.

 

[tiburonfirst]

lol, caf - i fully agree with people not doing research before asking questions, but they might also be hindered by a below-par search engine ......
for instance, try 100% vg as a search word and even using the advanced mode you won't get far .....

 

[caffeinator]

lol, caf - i fully agree with people not doing research before asking questions, but they might also be hindered by a below-par search engine ......
for instance, try 100% vg as a search word and even using the advanced mode you won't get far .....

Well, I use Google

Like this: https://encrypted.google.com/search...p://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/++100%+pg


just use

site:http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/

then your terms. Use terms in quotes for exact matches.

 

[caffeinator]

For some reason, the Google Custom Search Engine used on this site (the white search box) is disabled or something as it returns the default CSE page.

It was nice because I could use the Google search parameters locally.

 

[progg]

The problem is, IMHO, that people are just lazy or don't know what to look for.

Most folks would rather just ask their question and expect others to just answer it than do the research themselves. FAQs and stickies are great, but in this short-attention span social media era, peeps just want to crowdsource.

I'd bet 90% of newbie questions are already answered somewhere, but who wants to search when someone else will do it for them? One forum I'm on, there is a Help Forum that has many, many FAQ entries that nobody ever reads because it's too hard apparently. So, the Help staff answers the same damn questions over and over, everyday.

Moved or not, peeps will just keep asking the same questions over and over and over again. Because they can.

This era has increased opportunity for people to kibbitz, but crowdsource has been a thorn for a few years. [Amended forum rules ??]

Perhaps the cruelest punishment for slanderers, nags, and gossips, when simple gagging wasn't enough, was the brank, sometimes called the "gossip's bridle" or "scold's helm." This was a sort of heavy iron cage, that covered the head; a flat tongue of iron, sometimes spiked, was thrust into the mouth over the criminal's tongue. Less sophisticated areas made do with a "simpler machine—a cleft stick pinched on the tongue." Either system pretty much insured silence.

Colonial Crimes and Punishments : The Colonial Williamsburg Official History Site

 

[AttyPops]

progg, let's hope we've evolved a bit socially.

How about a compromise? (Tibby should like this, she splits everything down the middle )

Let them "age out" into their final categories. That would let people chat for .... ahem... 3 days. After that, move it.

BTW it's got to be hard on the mods to have to read a long thread after 3 days and then figure out if the conversation meandered or stayed on topic, then categorize it. So IDK if that's all that good either. But... it seems they do let it sit for some time now (a good thing) so why not just say 3 days? Let's people chat and post a bit.