There are too many forums and it's making me look to other websites for help

[archcommus]

I understand that the goal of extra forums was to better accommodate the topics being discussed, and to help organize and make room for more members and topics. But really having so many "non-computer" boards, such as gadgets, digital and video cameras, etc., really reduces the usefulness of the forums, and lately it's been making me look towards other sites for assistance. As I'm sure you know, the reason for this is because the boards are simply too small and unfrequented. If I try to post something about my cell phone in OT, I'll just get flamed and it'll moved to the appropriate board. It was much better in the past when I could ask ANY non-computer related question in OT, and get lots of great answers and nobody minded.

Unless this changes, the AT forums are now strictly for computer hardware assistance for me, and nothing else.

 

[bendixG15]

It just happens that I fully agree that there are too many forums.

But for different reason.. no action.... too many dead forums, like this one, got 2 posts yesterday. Other forums are in the same boat.

If nothing is happening, then why should I come here ??

 

[Ricemarine]

Actually I concur with this...
My accident thread got 3 replies in under 5 minutes in ATOT, while under the My Garage forum, it's slow and not really having the info I was looking for... 4 responses in 12 hours compared to 5 minutes in ATOT, I think we should merge back The Garage and ATOT.

 

[imported_LoKe]

New forums are nice and all, but too many hurts. Bad. I would have left it the way it was (letting users petition for new sections like we did with programming). But hey, trial and error.

 

[archcommus]

Yeah, I would go back to the basics, which means everything the old forums had plus Programming and maybe Love and Relationships, nothing more. If people ask for more, then consider it.

Is this even an option at this point?

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: archcommus
Yeah, I would go back to the basics, which means everything the old forums had plus Programming and maybe Love and Relationships, nothing more. If people ask for more, then consider it.

Is this even an option at this point?

No.

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: archcommus
Yeah, I would go back to the basics, which means everything the old forums had plus Programming and maybe Love and Relationships, nothing more. If people ask for more, then consider it.

Is this even an option at this point?

No.

That was kind of obvious. I'd like to hear from someone how they think this setup is conducive to getting questions answered. I currently have at least 3 threads with no replies right now, so I'd say the forums' usefulness is greatly diminished.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: archcommus

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: archcommus
Yeah, I would go back to the basics, which means everything the old forums had plus Programming and maybe Love and Relationships, nothing more. If people ask for more, then consider it.

Is this even an option at this point?

No.

That was kind of obvious. I'd like to hear from someone how they think this setup is conducive to getting questions answered. I currently have at least 3 threads with no replies right now, so I'd say the forums' usefulness is greatly diminished.

It's possible you misunderstand the purpose of this forum. It's the "suggestion box". Not the "ask a question box" or "suggest something and we'll do it box".

As far the the direction the forums are taking, Derek has covered it already. More than once.

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: archcommus

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: archcommus
Yeah, I would go back to the basics, which means everything the old forums had plus Programming and maybe Love and Relationships, nothing more. If people ask for more, then consider it.

Is this even an option at this point?

No.

That was kind of obvious. I'd like to hear from someone how they think this setup is conducive to getting questions answered. I currently have at least 3 threads with no replies right now, so I'd say the forums' usefulness is greatly diminished.

It's possible you misunderstand the purpose of this forum. It's the "suggestion box". Not the "ask a question box" or "suggest something and we'll do it box".

As far the the direction the forums are taking, Derek has covered it already. More than once.

Yes, the suggestion box. I posted a suggestion and I never demanded it be done immediately. I asked if I was wasting my breath because it's never going to go back to less forums anyway.

I've read all of Derek's explanations of things. I see how this is good for forum growth, but it doesn't really work until the forums "grow" so much that all those extra boards aren't so empty. For the time being the forums have lost a lot of their effectiveness.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: archcommus

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: archcommus

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: archcommus
Yeah, I would go back to the basics, which means everything the old forums had plus Programming and maybe Love and Relationships, nothing more. If people ask for more, then consider it.

Is this even an option at this point?

No.

That was kind of obvious. I'd like to hear from someone how they think this setup is conducive to getting questions answered. I currently have at least 3 threads with no replies right now, so I'd say the forums' usefulness is greatly diminished.

It's possible you misunderstand the purpose of this forum. It's the "suggestion box". Not the "ask a question box" or "suggest something and we'll do it box".

As far the the direction the forums are taking, Derek has covered it already. More than once.

Yes, the suggestion box. I posted a suggestion and I never demanded it be done immediately. I asked if I was wasting my breath because it's never going to go back to less forums anyway.

I've read all of Derek's explanations of things. I see how this is good for forum growth, but it doesn't really work until the forums "grow" so much that all those extra boards aren't so empty. For the time being the forums have lost a lot of their effectiveness.

Quantity of posts may have gone down on a per topic basis, but IMHO, the quality has gone up with the segregated boards.

 

[DivideBYZero]

You can all shut up with regard to merging the Garage back into AT. IMHO there have been much better discussions and technical detail since the split. For example, there is a thread in there right now that is discussing the new M3 vs the RS4 and C63 and not one member has had to don a flamesuit. Try that in OT back in the old days and any reasonable discussion would have dissolved into a case study of Scott Adams Seven rules for debating on the internet.

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
You can all shut up with regard to merging the Garage back into AT. IMHO there have been much better discussions and technical detail since the split. For example, there is a thread in there right now that is discussing the new M3 vs the RS4 and C63 and not one member has had to don a flamesuit. Try that in OT back in the old days and any reasonable discussion would have dissolved into a case study of Scott Adams Seven rules for debating on the internet.

Yeah, actually I agree with that. There used to be a lot of useless crap in YACT threads in OT.

The Garage, Programming, and Love and Relationships are definitely worthy boards. Can't say the same for Power Supplies, Peripherals, Highly Technical, Computer Help, Digital and Video Cameras, Gadgets Gear and Phones, Free Stuff, Contests and Sweepstakes, the list goes on...