Too many forums?

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snifter

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This forum set up allows you to list sub forums within a main forum. Which means that quieter areas can be condensed in the main forum view.

Personally I'd like to see this as a) too many forum sections that are quiet and not much used just seem to make the place look idle and not used and b) The less scrolling around down a screen I have to do when viewing a main forum page the better :)

I'm a long time forum user and spend a great deal of time on various ones and always find the more condensed ones easier to view, navigate and read. Once a forum has too many main sections it starts to feel crowded even though some of those forum areas are hardly used or viewed.

I run a forum on my website and my rule for new main forum sections is if there is not a demand for the subject then don't introduce it. Give it a thread or at most a sub forum section, but not a main one. Save that for the most popular areas of the forum to get people reading. Once there is enough genuine regular interest in that then consider a main section forum and change it to that. Otherwise a forum can become unwiedly and too big when its actually quite a quiet forum.

Any chance you would look into doing this for the Waterfowl and Other Poultry sections which are fairly quiet?

Just a suggestion. Am enjoying being here and hoping more people join us :)
 
Hi Snifter,

I appreciate your input - this is after all the first time I have set up such a big forum! The last one we had on poultrykeeper.com was tiny in comparison and had very few categories.

I'm definately keen for a fast / easy to use forum without the hassle... something we can all use easily and certainly without too much advertising. Some sections as you say are pretty dead at the moment and I agree, it would be good to keep the main page condensed.

I will look into it shortly - I have a bit of a backlog of things to do first but will get back to it and will probably have to come back and ask you some questions when the time comes if you don't mind.

One question now though - do you have an example forum I could look at? I think I follow you but if I can see what you mean, it will be easier to understand...

Thanks,

Tim
 
Sure, you can see my forum here. Its not poultry related though ;)

http://www.whatthefolk.net/forum/index.php

If you go into the main areas like the Flight of The Conchords one in the Conchords section, you'll see sub forums listed at the top of the page.

Same in the Music Lyrics and Tabs section there. Sub section in there also. And in the Conchords Cohorts also. Gig section also has a sub forum.

I try not to use masses of them but do find them handy for quieter areas where there is interest, but not enough to put it in the main forum. I try not to have more than 4 to a section either. After that I give things specific threads. For example we have one ongoing members pic thread (which you won't be able to see as its only viewable for members when logged in), rather than a new thread each time someone wants to post pics.

And sure, feel free to PM me anytime. Happy to help. I do check in here as often as possible and am trying to remain active and post where I can to help.

The forum is in basic mode as I've skins but yet to upload them.
 
OK - I see exactly what you mean now.

Basically the quieter areas are made sub forums. Makes a much neater = more user friendly forum I agree.

I will have a think about what to call the top forum / how best to group them and give it a go!

Thanks for your support on the forum, it's great to have some feedback and ideas... I appreciate it.

Tim
 
OK - I would appreciate your thoughts on this lay out for the forums.... or do you think this is overkill?

Keeping Chickens>
-General Chickens Forums
-- Subforum Showing Chickens
-- Subforum Photos of Chickens
-Chickens Health
-Incubation and Hatching Eggs
-Chickens For Sale or Wanted Forums
-- Subforum Chicken Hatching Eggs For Sale Or Wanted

Keeping Waterfowl>
-General Waterfowl Forums (Combine General Ducks and General Geese Forums into this one forum)
-- Subforum Waterfowl Health
-- Subforum Incubation and Hatching Eggs
-- Subforum Showing Waterfowl
-- Subforum Photos of Waterfowl
-Waterfowl For Sale or Wanted
-- Subforum Waterfowl Hatching Eggs For Sale or Wanted

Keeping Other Poultry>
-Other Poultry Forums
-- Subforum Other Poultry For Sale or Wanted
-- Sub-Subforum Other Hatching Eggs For Sale or Wanted

Other>
-General Chatter / Introductions and Other Forums
-- Subforum Please Help Our Forum
-- Subforum Poultry Equipment For Sale or Wanted
-- Subforum Pests and Predators
-- Subforum Website News and Feedback

Thanks,

Tim
 
Looks good to me :) You can always move things around as needed. Don't forget to make the sub forums show up in legend so they show up on the main forum listing. If you don't opt to have them show the listing (in small print in the main forum blurb) people may miss them. They may miss them even if listed, but if you write up some guidelines/rules etc and mention the forum has sub forums and list them, people should find them.

I'd have a welcome forum and rules etc at the top of the forum is all. Make it apart from the General section.

Often how people navigate a forum will affect what they view or see. If people just go to view 'new posts' or 'new topics' they may never browse round the entire forum or sections. Some will always start from the main forum page and work through.
 
The forum setup has now been changed. Personally I think it is far better. I hope everyone agrees.

Well done Snifter - fantastic idea.

Tim.
 
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