Board Clean-Up Days

[Matthew Schenker]

Hey Everyone,
It looks like most people like to post in "General Discussions," which is fine.  However, I'd like to be able to have specific tool discussions in the...um..."specific tools" zone.

Of course, I don't want to be moving posts every day.  That would be extra work for me and would cause too much confusion.  Instead, what I've decided to do is have a "clean-up day" once a month.  On that day, I'll move posts into their more fitting boards.

I'm planning to do this on the first of each month, so the next one will be April 1.

I'll open it up for public comment and derision now!

Any objections?

Matthew

 

[Ned]

I'll open it up for public comment and derision now!

How about sympathy?

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Just a note...I have cleaned up the boards, moving posts into the more appropriate boards.  When in doubt, I left the topic where it was, but I moved the obvious ones.

Most of the moves were from "General Discussions" into "Specific Tools."

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[fcraven]

Most of the moves were from "General Discussions" into "Specific Tools."

It might be good to "specific tool" sections. i.e. a Domino section (duh), a TS section, Router section..., whatever.
Shoot, there could be a whole MFT section!

 

[Dan Clark]

There's a couple of downsides to having product-specific sections.  First, when a new product gets announced, there's lots of discussion and then it drops off.  So the need goes away.

Second (and the biggest reason), is that many discussions seem to combine multiple tools.  For example, "I got my new Domino yesterday.  So I pulled out a convenient 1X2, cut it to the right length with my TS55, clamped it to my MFT1080 with a couple of Festool clamps, hooked up my CT22 to the Domino and cut my first mortise.  But the mortise doesn't look right.  What's wrong?"  So, should that post be in the TS55, MFT, CT, or Domino product board?  Or, maybe he clamped it wrong and the post should be in the accessories section! 

Regards,

Dan.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

When this board was first formed, the question came up of having specific boards for each tool category (saws, routers, dust extractors) rather than "general" and "specific" area.  We decided as a group to go with the current format, for the reasons Dan offered above.

The current format seems to be working fine, as long as I do the clean-ups once in a while.

Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Just a quick monthly reminder...

The next board clean-up day is May 1.  This includes moving certain posts into different boards (as well as a few other administrative tasks that you may not notice).  If I plan to combine topics, or do anything else with posts, I will always contact the original author first.

I've installed a new feature in the forum that allows me to send a PM (personal message) to topic authors, so they know when their topics have been moved.

Again, all comments are welcome.

Stay in touch,
Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
Just a monthly reminder about board clean-up day, on June 1.
Matthew

 

[semenza]

Hi,

  I am new here and just came accross this thread. Not looking to change anything. Just thought I would throw in a comment from a new comer perspective. You do what ever you need to in order to keep this forum running. It is great! 
    The division of General and specific  seems a bit odd. Because most things  in the Specific category are kind of General also. Especially since it is not devided by tool. I guess both groupings seem kind of general to me because even the specific threads often discuss multiple tools. Why bother deviding these two at all. If I am looking for something specific in the Specific category I end up using the Search anyway. I always end up looking through and searching in both categories because of the crossover. BTW the Search on this forum seems to work VERY well unlike some other forums I have been on. That is a real plus!
      None of this deviding really matters because at this point I will be spending hours reading through everything!! JUST CAN"T GET ENOUGH FESTOOL!!!

Seth

 

[Matthew Schenker]

    The division of General and specific  seems a bit odd. Because most things  in the Specific category are kind of General also. Especially since it is not devided by tool. I guess both groupings seem kind of general to me because even the specific threads often discuss multiple tools. Why bother deviding these two at all. If I am looking for something specific in the Specific category I end up using the Search anyway. I always end up looking through and searching in both categories because of the crossover. BTW the Search on this forum seems to work VERY well unlike some other forums I have been on. That is a real plus!
      None of this deviding really matters because at this point I will be spending hours reading through everything!! JUST CAN"T GET ENOUGH FESTOOL!!!
Seth

Seth,
Well, the goal is to have two boards -- one with more open-ended questions about several tools or Festool in general, the other with discussions of specific tools.  I agree that members can use the search function to find what they want.  However, a lot of people like to browse sections of the forum.  In that case, it is better if the discussions are divided between specific and general topics.

Now, in practice, I admit, we sometimes mix general and specific.  That's why I have board clean-up days!  Also, as you point out, sometimes a post falls into a gray area between general and specific, like when someone asks about two different sanders.  I've had to just make a judgment call on those.

This forum is a democracy (pretty much).  So if people feel we should just have one big giant board for all tool discussions, I'll be happy to change it.

Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

BTW the Search on this forum seems to work VERY well unlike some other forums I have been on. That is a real plus!
Seth

Seth,
In my opinion, a good search feature is the heart of any forum.  I've worked a lot on tweaking the settings for this forum's search.  This is a rather technical point, but I've installed what's known as a "full text index" of the forum.  This takes up more resources on my Web host, but it makes searches more complete and faster.  Another technical point: SMF is about to be upgraded, and in that new version we will have an improved search function.

Thanks for posting!

Matthew

 

[woodshopdemos]

Matthew,
  I  don't know how I voted when the question was first asked, but I find it difficult to go to any other than the General. There are many forums of interest and I want to get to each of them and with some others as well, I opt to read only the largest. For what it's worth.
  It is your decision to make. You have made an excellent forum, and home, here. Do what you think is right. It has worked well so far.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Matthew,
...There are many forums of interest and I want to get to each of them and with some others as well, I opt to read only the largest. For what it's worth.

John,
Actually, it's a close call which one is the largest.  Depends on whether "larger" means more posts or more topics.

As of this posting...
General Discussions has 3564 posts and 285 topics
Specific Tools & Accessories has 3242 posts and 317 topics

Looks like you'll have to start reading both boards!

Matthew