Why are you splitting OT apart?

[Eli]

This is stupid.

Now we aren't going to be able to talk about relationships or anything automotive.. in OT?

You just killed those topics. The separate categories are going to be as dead as the Networking and Video forums.

:|

Thanks. That's awesome. Really. It makes me feel so good about posting here.

Christ.

I post in OT because of the people. That's all. You are splitting us apart. This is a Computer hardware based forum, not an "Everything" forum.

We do not need an automotive forum. Some of the more intelligent automotive posters around here are going to get lost in the mix.

There is no way that the automotive forums are going to be as busy or get as many replies now that there is not only one, but THREE separate automotive categories.

People are going to end up posting YACTs in OT just like people post Networking threads in OT because those forums are too slow.

I just want to know why. I've never heard people calling for a YACT forum, let alone three of them.

Where is the lawn and garden forum? Photography? Music? Hollywood? Cooking? Health & Nutrition?

Where the fsck does it end? Do you not understand that by sub-categorizing so many things , that you are killing OT?

Off Topic is great because it combines the knowledge of everybody. You are forcing "everybody" to differentiate and choose which forums to participate in based on their knowledge. This is not right.

I wish I knew how better to explain myself.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I'm not a fan of the new forums either - automotive electronics? 3 threads are in it at the time of this post. Mechanics and support? General Auto?

We've also got 3 levels of consumer electronics... I liked OT because it was a place to just relax and talk about whatever. It had an electronic influence and I enjoyed that, I could poke in and out of many different threads and voice my opinion. I don't come to ATOT so I can handle things like it's a helpdesk where everything is assigned a support ticket, sorted into billing/support/sales, and then keep an eye on it. I post in things I care to and just take it easy, it's a nice way to relax at the end of a day.

I agree with Eli, and I don't have the energy to write something that will grab people's attention very well, otherwise I'd take the time to make a more detailed/meaningful post. I wish OT was the way it has been for a while, the forum's style (skin) wasn't changed, and Programming was split away from gaming. I'm glad programming is independent now, that took years, how could you decide to quickly to make an automotive electronics forum?

Before I end this, I wanted to point out something that I just said... it's taken years for Programming to be split away, but overnight, you've made automotive electronics, which has 3 threads in it now. Did you even bother to see how many threads with the word "car" or "YACT" were posted daily? I don't think those results would justify 3 forums about cars.... How did you come to your decision? Usually, I'd say that you need to look out for the forum as a whole and make the right business choice (more pageviews = more revenue), but in this case, I don't get why it was done. Are you trying to sell advertising to more specific categories? This is Anandtech.com, not cartech.com, girlfriendtech.com, etc.

 

[Eli]

I don't care about the layout stuff, that's just all superficial, but this is going to drastically change the way people talk and interact here.

I wouldn't have ever posted my latest YACT if I would have had to post it in a sub category where 25 people are going to look at it. I made that thread to show my Off Topic friends.

I made that thread to show people who know nothing about cars the mechanical devastation I experienced. I do not agree with this change and I refuse to participate in the automotive forums.

 

[andylawcc]

I concur... ATOT without YACT just isn't the same. the lack of YAGT maybe less painful, but YACT? come on.

 

[AFB]

Even though this is going to be locked, Eli is right, OT needs to be recombined.

 

[Brainonska511]

Certain things could be recombined, but I like some of the separate forums, particularly the digital cameras forum - I can see stuff there that I wouldn't have normally seen in OT.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
Certain things could be recombined, but I like some of the separate forums, particularly the digital cameras forum - I can see stuff there that I wouldn't have normally seen in OT.

if the DC forums were part of OT, you can still see stuff there that you won't have normally seen.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
Certain things could be recombined, but I like some of the separate forums, particularly the digital cameras forum - I can see stuff there that I wouldn't have normally seen in OT.

if the DC forums were part of OT, you can still see stuff there that you won't have normally seen.

No. I meant it as threads that I would have missed if they were within OT because of how fast OT moves. It also encourages people to post their questions. Photography is a valid forum. The automobiles forum is questionable, but I have no problems with the changes.

 

[raildogg]

I agree. Cut out the relationships and automotive forums and combine them with Off Topic again. YACTs and YAGTs seem just right in Off Topic.

Off Topic is not the same without them.

(Yes, it doesn't make a big difference but I think now there are probably too many subcategories)

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
Certain things could be recombined, but I like some of the separate forums, particularly the digital cameras forum - I can see stuff there that I wouldn't have normally seen in OT.

if the DC forums were part of OT, you can still see stuff there that you won't have normally seen.

No. I meant it as threads that I would have missed if they were within OT because of how fast OT moves. It also encourages people to post their questions. Photography is a valid forum. The automobiles forum is questionable, but I have no problems with the changes.

but other non-DC people will now be left in dark, absolutely oblivious about the DC world unless they click into the DC forum (which could be a pain in long run, it's like the other email account you have but rarely checked, and then your mum dropped you an importmant email in that account). This could add to more nuisance when you seperate DC, Cars, and others... sooner or later there will be no "off-topic" as each topic established it's own forum.

so are you so selfish that you want the latest DC news and coolstuff be confined inside the DC forum only? :sadfacewithtear;

 

[LOUISSSSS]

You just killed those topics. The separate categories are going to be as dead as the Networking and Video forums.
Thanks. That's awesome. Really. It makes me feel so good about posting here.
Christ.

I post in OT because of the people. That's all. You are splitting us apart. This is a Computer hardware based forum, not an "Everything" forum.

lol you're pretty pathetic IMO, is AT, off topic your life? if they take it away are you going to be suicidal? lol, its a minor change, they're not removing it...

sorry for the bashing, the way you wrote it just makes u sound a little crazy

 

[Greenman]

I think the point was to try and limit OT, and I think it will work. Soon the only topics will be about bugs and how much money you make. I'm sure it will be riveting.

 

[DerekWilson]

multiple forums are designed to help people find what they need ... clicking on another topic that interests you should be as easy as hitting refresh to see if there is anything new and interesting in OT ...

That being said, we are absolutely here to serve you guys. It seems clear (as with the speakers/sound and phone/comm forums) that you guys would rather eliminate the distinct automotive forums.

I'm going to lock that automotive forums and start moving threads back to OT right now.

Thanks very much for being patient with us.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: DerekWilson
Thanks very much for being patient with us.

Thanks for listening :thumbsup:

 

[archcommus]

Thanks for listening, Derek. I think the cosmetic changes are refreshing and will only improve over time, and the forum categories and additional boards are a welcome change, as well. But I did agree that splitting off automotive was a bad idea, so I'm glad you recombined that with OT. But are you still going to keep Love and Relationships separate? If so, is it because you've heard less criticism about breaking that off?

 

[DerekWilson]

Originally posted by: archcommus
Thanks for listening, Derek. I think the cosmetic changes are refreshing and will only improve over time, and the forum categories and additional boards are a welcome change, as well. But I did agree that splitting off automotive was a bad idea, so I'm glad you recombined that with OT. But are you still going to keep Love and Relationships separate? If so, is it because you've heard less criticism about breaking that off?

I think we're gonna keep Love and Relationships open for a while at least to see what happens.

In addition to reducing the YAGTs, we'd also like to try to relax the rules a bit in Love and Relationships in order to give people a way to talk about more sensitive things if they chose to do so. But OT isn't the place to do that IMO.

Of course, if I get an incredible flood of requests to remerge them, i'm not going to jump in the way of the bus.

 

[trmiv]

Originally posted by: Eli
This is stupid.

Now we aren't going to be able to talk about relationships or anything automotive.. in OT?

You just killed those topics. The separate categories are going to be as dead as the Networking and Video forums.

:|

Thanks. That's awesome. Really. It makes me feel so good about posting here.

Christ.

I post in OT because of the people. That's all. You are splitting us apart. This is a Computer hardware based forum, not an "Everything" forum.

We do not need an automotive forum. Some of the more intelligent automotive posters around here are going to get lost in the mix.

There is no way that the automotive forums are going to be as busy or get as many replies now that there is not only one, but THREE separate automotive categories.

People are going to end up posting YACTs in OT just like people post Networking threads in OT because those forums are too slow.

I just want to know why. I've never heard people calling for a YACT forum, let alone three of them.

Where is the lawn and garden forum? Photography? Music? Hollywood? Cooking? Health & Nutrition?

Where the fsck does it end? Do you not understand that by sub-categorizing so many things , that you are killing OT?

Off Topic is great because it combines the knowledge of everybody. You are forcing "everybody" to differentiate and choose which forums to participate in based on their knowledge. This is not right.

I wish I knew how better to explain myself.

:thumbsup:

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

You just killed those topics. The separate categories are going to be as dead as the Networking and Video forums.
Thanks. That's awesome. Really. It makes me feel so good about posting here.
Christ.

I post in OT because of the people. That's all. You are splitting us apart. This is a Computer hardware based forum, not an "Everything" forum.

lol you're pretty pathetic IMO, is AT, off topic your life? if they take it away are you going to be suicidal? lol, its a minor change, they're not removing it...

sorry for the bashing, the way you wrote it just makes u sound a little crazy

Haha...

I guess it kinda does if you read it that way.

I was just trying to make a point. I dunno.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: DerekWilson

Originally posted by: archcommus
Thanks for listening, Derek. I think the cosmetic changes are refreshing and will only improve over time, and the forum categories and additional boards are a welcome change, as well. But I did agree that splitting off automotive was a bad idea, so I'm glad you recombined that with OT. But are you still going to keep Love and Relationships separate? If so, is it because you've heard less criticism about breaking that off?

I think we're gonna keep Love and Relationships open for a while at least to see what happens.

In addition to reducing the YAGTs, we'd also like to try to relax the rules a bit in Love and Relationships in order to give people a way to talk about more sensitive things if they chose to do so. But OT isn't the place to do that IMO.

Of course, if I get an incredible flood of requests to remerge them, i'm not going to jump in the way of the bus.

Wow. I didn't actually expect this thread to do anything. Thanks. I think many of us really do appreciate it.

I didn't mean to make it seem like the end of the world. But cars are something that a lot of people are passionate about... I just really didn't think it was going to be good for the forums to have a complete automotive section with sub-categories. It just seemed too fragmented.

As far as Love and Relationships - I completely agree. Having that be a category of its own will be the only way to discuss sensitive subjects and such. I think that will be good for the forums, because as you know.. many of us less inhibited folks get annoyed at the level of Rated G-ness that is necessary in OT.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: MmmSkyscraper

Originally posted by: DerekWilson
Thanks very much for being patient with us.

Thanks for listening :thumbsup:

:thumbsup: X2

 

[Inspector Jihad]

i was coming in to make the same post. well put eli :thumbsup:

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: MmmSkyscraper

Originally posted by: DerekWilson
Thanks very much for being patient with us.

Thanks for listening :thumbsup:

:thumbsup: X2

X 3

My $.02 -- OT just isn't OT without the YAG/YAC threads. Yeah they can be annoying and trite (YAGTs specifically) but they are just part of the charm of the forum. When you accept something "warts and all" sometimes you miss the warts.

There's a nasty pun in there somewhere... But I'm not looking for it.

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: MmmSkyscraper

Originally posted by: DerekWilson
Thanks very much for being patient with us.

Thanks for listening :thumbsup:

:thumbsup: X2

X 3

My $.02 -- OT just isn't OT without the YAG/YAC threads. Yeah they can be annoying and trite (YAGTs specifically) but they are just part of the charm of the forum. When you accept something "warts and all" sometimes you miss the warts.

There's a nasty pun in there somewhere... But I'm not looking for it.

First of all I want to add that I too appreciate the fact that we are being listened to here & to say thanks! :thumbsup:

Second, I think that the relationshp thread should be re-merged with OT because the high level of traffic is the thing that made ATOT into the interesting & fast-moving place that it was before.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Captante

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: MmmSkyscraper

Originally posted by: DerekWilson
Thanks very much for being patient with us.

Thanks for listening :thumbsup:

:thumbsup: X2

X 3

My $.02 -- OT just isn't OT without the YAG/YAC threads. Yeah they can be annoying and trite (YAGTs specifically) but they are just part of the charm of the forum. When you accept something "warts and all" sometimes you miss the warts.

There's a nasty pun in there somewhere... But I'm not looking for it.

First of all I want to add that I too appreciate the fact that we are being listened to here & to say thanks! :thumbsup:

Second, I think that the relationshp thread should be re-merged with OT because the high level of traffic is the thing that made ATOT into the interesting & fast-moving place that it was before.

I think the relationship threads need to stay out of OT. I think they need to be banned altogether. It's simply pathetic that the forums are associated with people who are so naive and ignorant. I feel embarrassed for the people posting (kind of like watching "The Office") and it isn't even related to me or anything I have to deal with.

 

[CrystalBay]

^^^LOL^^^