Changes to Forum Board Structure

[Dave Rudy]

I sometimes fall behind in FOG reading (when travelling on biz for example) and may want to catch up on a week or ten days worth of posts.  Even the recent posts link at bottom right doesn't take me back more than a day or two.  I would appreciate being able to scroll back further when necessary.

Dave

 

[Overtime]

Yep, What Dave just said, same here 

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Lots of great comments here, and I think we're getting close to a consensus.

In my opinion, there are too many separate boards for the amount of activity. That is necessary on high volume forums, but this one is not there yet. It is too much of a pain going to each of the boards when there is only one or two new postings per board per day.

I like the idea of combining the categories as you are suggesting. I read the Specific and General boards as if they are the same anyway. In fact I usually have to look at the heading to know which one I am on. When you consider the purpose of this forum is to talk about not just tools, but a specific brand of tools, then about 90% of the posts are automatically about a specific tool....While it is true that someone could pull up all new posts. Why go through that step.

These two comments pretty much summarize the main issues.  I think the most important change, for now, is to combine specific and general boards, as most of the confusion seems to come from making the distinction between these.

The number of posts on FOG has grown to be quite large, and is likely to continue to grow much larger.  Although I try to read all the posts, I find myself falling further and further behind.  This means I now focus on topics that appear to best fit my current interests or needs.  I am satisfied with the current structure.  But, if you think a change would be better, I favor primary organization along the lines of the various tools and/or their functions, as is done in the Festool catalogues, e.g, drilling, sawing, sanding, joining, etc., or a topical index.  If you convert FOG to "All tools and accessories", then a sub-index of these tools (and their associated accessories) would be helpful to enalble a reader to zero in on posts of interest to him/her.  Simply lumping together posts about any and all tools and acessories will make it more difficult and time consuming for a reader to find items of interest or for help to a particular problem, situation or decision that reader is facing.

This idea was considered back when the forum was first organized.  Initially, I liked the idea of specific categories for various tools.  In theory, this kind of category breakdown would be terrific for finding discussions on the tools you are interested in.  However, the consensus we reached was that it's difficult to maintain.  And it is cumbersome to post in that kind of structure, since you have to spend more time looking for the correct category.  One thing is for sure -- the forum has to be easy to post in!  Now, it's possible that we may be able to develop some kind of variation on this, so I don't want to rule it out forever.  But I need a way to make it work easily.

Actually, if anyone wants to see the original points that were discussed among the "group of 20" in the initial phases of the forum, and the questions we wrestled with, feel free to check out this discussion ----> Original Discussion

Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

...The reply he received (on line no less) was that he would just have to switch to a PC.  I am so mad I am thinking of dropping my subscription to their magazine.  I would be most unhappy should any changes create the same problem here....I do have an ocassional problem in that I sometimes cannot make any replies to certain threads.  I have signed off and come back later with same results.  Once I find it impossible to reply to a certain thread, the problem seems to be forever.  Does anybody have any ideas on that problem?

None of the changes discussed here would affect the software, and so should not cause any problems.  I'm only talking about re-organizing the boards a bit.  Regarding the other problem you are experiencing (not being able to reply to certain threads): I'd be interested in knowing if other people are experiencing this as well.

Tinker,
Take heart. As many Mac users as there are in this forum (probably soon to include Matt) I don't think that can happen.

Indeed!  I'm in the process right now of considering various Mac options.  I'll post updates to this potential shift in the Help With Windows Vista

Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Right now, the only change I would like to see is in the "Recent Posts" section. Right now, it only shows the last 30 posts.... If there were more than 30 posts in a 24 hour day, I can miss some of them unless I check all the catagories one at a time....

This is something I can easily change.  A while back, I set the "Recent Posts" to 30 because I thought it was a number that fit well without being too long.  I can try increasing the number to 50 and see what people think.  It can always be changed again later if we need it to be.

...My usual tactic when I stop by FOG is to review the recent post list--much faster than going through each of the forums.  How about this idea: there could be a couple of clickable buttons placed on the Recent Post header giving option to show recent posts in last 24 hr or last 48 hr? 

yes.... a scroll bar... that goes back ... maybe even seven days or so.....

These are interesting ideas.  I'll look into ways to navigate through more recent posts, then report back here again.

Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Right now, the only change I would like to see is in the "Recent Posts" section. Right now, it only shows the last 30 posts.... If there were more than 30 posts in a 24 hour day, I can miss some of them unless I check all the catagories one at a time....

I should have mentioned this before.  The "Recent Posts" window displays the 30 most recent posts.  But there is a built-in feature for seeing the most recent 100 posts:
1. Go to the Forum Stats section (located at the bottom of the forum home page).
2. Click on the "View the most recent posts on the forum" link (circled in red in the screen shot shown below).

[attachimg=1]

From there, you will see the most recent posts, 10 at a time, up to the past 100 posts.  The great thing about this feature is that the screen provides you with the post, who posted it, which board it was posted in, and reply options.

Matthew

 

[Gary Nichols]

Hey Matthew,

Thanks for that easteregg... I'd a never found that out on my own..... Still think I'd prefer the scroll bar, if it's not all too much trouble...... but until then......

Gary

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Thanks for that easteregg... I'd a never found that out on my own..... Still think I'd prefer the scroll bar, if it's not all too much trouble...... but until then......

Yes, it is a bit hidden; but it's still pretty easy to access.

I'll check on the scroll bar.  It's not part of the basic software options, so I'm not sure I can make it happen.  But I'm a member of the SMF development forum, and I can ask the programmers there if anyone is working on an add-on like that.

Until then, try using the "View the most recent posts on the forum" link and tell me if it helps.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[Dave Rudy]

there is a built-in feature for seeing the most recent 100 posts

Matthew, It is a great feature and I use it all the time.  But 100 posts does not go far enough into the past for those times when I'm offline for a week or so.  Could you increase it to, say, 500 posts?  For most of us most of the time we wouldn't need to use all those, but then we just wouldn't go back that many pages.  When needed, it would let us go back further than we can now.

Thanks

Dave

 

[Dave Ronyak]

I use the "most recent posts" feature frequently as well as "show reponses to your posts."

Dave R.

 

[Gary Nichols]

Hi Matthew,

I tried this feature last night, but it's still not as handy to me as the "Recent Posts" section.... I don't really need to see what was said in the last post, as I can tell from the heading if it's a subject I want to read or catch up on... and whether it's the first post or last post, just clicking on that subject gives me all the posts in that thread, in order, the whole discussion as it played out...

If a scroll bar is not in the cards, maybe just increasing the "Recent Posts" number from 30 to ?? Then maybe the built-in scroll bar on your browser's web page would kick in? Just move the "Forum Stats" and "Users Online" above the "Recent Posts" so you don't have to scroll excessively to get to them...

Gary

 

[Matthew Schenker]

...If a scroll bar is not in the cards, maybe just increasing the "Recent Posts" number from 30 to ?? Then maybe the built-in scroll bar on your browser's web page would kick in? Just move the "Forum Stats" and "Users Online" above the "Recent Posts" so you don't have to scroll excessively to get to them...

I just increased the "Recent Posts" to 50.  Let's see what people think about this.  Again, the trick is providing more, while keeping the information balanced on the home page.

As far as moving the "Forum Stats" and "Users Online" above "Recent Posts," that's not as easy.  The software has those items coded to be where they are.  Now, this is open-source software, so I might be able to figure out where the software defines those items and re-work it.  I'll post to the developer forum and see what the programmers say.

...But 100 posts does not go far enough into the past for those times when I'm offline for a week or so.  Could you increase it to, say, 500 posts?  For most of us most of the time we wouldn't need to use all those, but then we just wouldn't go back that many pages.  When needed, it would let us go back further than we can now.

When I check into the SMF developer forum today, I'll see how this could be done.

Keep the comments moving!

Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
I've now learned how to increase the number of posts that appear in the "View the most recent posts on the forum" feature.  It's a code change, but pretty easy to do.  The question is, how many posts should appear when we use this feature?

Right now, is set for 100.  I will increase it to 500, and we'll see what people think.  With that number, it means, on average, you'll be viewing the last 8 days of forum posts.

I'll work on the code change tonight.

Just to make sure we are all talking about the same thing, I'm referring to the feature in the "Forum Stats" area.

Matthew

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
It seems we are moving into some interesting territory here, discussing more basic forum functions.  I'm always happy to make tweaks to the way the board works to better serve members.  So keep discussing this.

In the meantime, regarding the change to the boards: I am going to go ahead and make the changes to the structure, as I outlined in my first post of this discussion.  Once I make the changes, people can comment again.  It will be easier to respond once the structure is right in front of us.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[Gary Nichols]

Thanks Matthew,

You made my day..... Knew right off that something was changed when I hit the "page down" button, and couldn't see all the "Recent Posts" on my 20" monitor. I'll let you and the other members hammer out the final amount. Just as long as I can see a whole day's worth.... As far as moving the "Forum Stats" and "Users Online" above "Recent Posts", that's not a deal breaker with me, as I rarely do much with that area; I only suggested it so others wouldn't be inconvenienced by having to scroll down past 50.... or 500... Recent Posts" to get to those sections.... Right now, I'm grinning from ear to ear.... ;D See?

Gary

 

[Eli]

Thanks again for the hard work Matthew. You've made a wonderful place.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
OK, the board structure has been re-worked, and the number of recent posts has been increased to 50.

I'm about to up the number of "View the most recent posts on the forum" from 100 to 500.  There was a delay in this, because I had some concerns, since it involves a coding change to the forum software (trust me, it's too much to explain).  But it's all set, and I'll be making the change later today or in the wee hours of Monday morning.

Meanwhile, let's use this discussion as a place to discuss any other ideas you have for improving basic features.  Sometimes, I can make it happen, sometimes I can't.  But you won't know until you ask!

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[Dave Rudy]

Just one more example of why this is the best-run forum on the internet.

Thanks again, Matthew.

Dave

 

[Dave Rudy]

I'm about to up the number of "View the most recent posts on the forum" from 100 to 500. 

Matthew,

What ever happened with this?  This week is a good example for me.  Traveling since Mon.  Checked in this AM and I can't get back further than Wed on recent posts.  Anything I can do?

Thanks

Dave

 

[Forrest Anderson]

I'm about to up the number of "View the most recent posts on the forum" from 100 to 500. 

Matthew,

What ever happened with this?  This week is a good example for me.  Traveling since Mon.  Checked in this AM and I can't get back further than Wed on recent posts.  Anything I can do?

Thanks

Dave

Dave has just written what I was going to say a few days ago, but never got round to doing. I have also been away and wanted to catch up with recent posts, and 100 (10 pages of 10 posts) just wasn't enough.

Anything you could do to increase this limit would be appreciated! 

Forrest