Responding to a Milestone: Tsikot Forums Reorganization

[niky]

That only gives you the last 11 posts across all the forums! You'd be lucky to get the most recent 5 entries in from car talk that way. The main forums page gives a better view of recent car talk posts than the new posts button.

From what I see, the new posts button is actually a shortcut to search for the most recent 11 posts across all forums. Maybe its possible to change the "car talk" link to a similar search (say the most recent 25 posts across car talk), since the car talk itself doesn't contain any posts, only links to subforums. At least this way we can read car talk the old way, even if posting requires going into the appropriate subforum first.

My 2c.

Well... if the thread doesn't get bumped enough to make the "New Posts" list, I'm not going to waste my time looking for it.

I've got five boards that I'm a regular on... and searching every sub-sub-sub-forum on each one is a waste of my time.... and possibly everyone else's.

I know that some of us have discussed issues like this before. When a board gets too big, it can lose touch with its subscriber base. I think theveed talked about the typical life-cycle of a big board... and one of the warning signs or danger signs of impending chaos is excessive sub-forum-ization.

I've been on boards which have gone down that path. And once the old regulars are gone, all that's left is small groups squatting in their own sub-sub-sub-forums. The boards may look large, but some questions can go unanswered for days... weeks... or forever.

This kind of environment doesn't encourage newbies... and it's a turn-off for many regulars. But hey, it's not my board. Let them experiment, and if it doesn't work... put things back.

[Horsepower]

Thank you tsikot for the reorganization.

It's really better structured now, cleaner and much more intuitive to use unlike before.

[tsikot]

Well... if the thread doesn't get bumped enough to make the "New Posts" list, I'm not going to waste my time looking for it.

I've got five boards that I'm a regular on... and searching every sub-sub-sub-forum on each one is a waste of my time.... and possibly everyone else's.

thank you for your inputs, niky...

i know you are an expert in forums and boards, but to each his own.

btw, it's not sub-sub-sub-forum. It is:

Category (e.g.: Car Talk or At the Parking Lot)
Forum (e.g.: Car Talk or The Workshop)
Sub-Forum (e.g.: Audi Cars Talk or Engine and Fuel System Talk)

This is just one level down a forum (sub-forum). so any talk of sub-sub-sub-forum i guess is a little 'exag'... anyway, point well taken!

I know that some of us have discussed issues like this before. When a board gets too big, it can lose touch with its subscriber base. I think theveed talked about the typical life-cycle of a big board... and one of the warning signs or danger signs of impending chaos is excessive sub-forum-ization.

i beg to disagree...

case in point:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/index.php

with the following stats:

Threads: 1,082,826, Posts: 6,690,352, Members: 562,600

i know tsikot is not even a fraction of this size, but i can't imagine a forum with such (automotiveforums) stats organized in a different way.

i don't and cannot see how "sub-forumization" can lead to impending chaos... for me it is the opposite ... it is rather a response to a lot of chaos and disorganization concomitant with a 'big board'.

anyway, it's only time which can tell if chaos is indeed 'impending'.

I've been on boards which have gone down that path. And once the old regulars are gone, all that's left is small groups squatting in their own sub-sub-sub-forums. The boards may look large, but some questions can go unanswered for days... weeks... or forever.

will not argue this point, but with the "sub-forumization", a lot more threads do get browsed and replied to, rather than being buried in the inside pages (and left unanswered). and our stats do tell us that a lot more guests/lurkers do sign-up, page views are increasing, and indeed more posts/replies are being posted.

btw, we know very well that in online communities, 'regulars' do come and go ... even with moderators and admins. but keep in mind that communities like 'tsikot.com' and your very own are supposed to be 'dynamic' and 'fluid'. 'regulars' do go (and move on), but new members (newbies) do come in greater numbers and if they like what they see, will stay.

This kind of environment doesn't encourage newbies... and it's a turn-off for many regulars.

this is an interesting view / observation. can you tell me what metrics / parameters you are using so that i can look into this matter and validate these observations? from my side of the monitor, we have stats (google analytics) stating otherwise.

it is always my view that when newbies are looking for something, they always have in their mind the the brands/makes of their cars. with the present set-up, they can easily zoom in to their particular vehicles rather than sift through tens and hundreds of pages under a general forum like "Car Talk" or "Workshop".

But hey, it's not my board. Let them experiment, and if it doesn't work... put things back.

yep... you're right. it is not your board. but i don't see it as 'experimenting', but rather 'adapting' and 'innovating'.

tsikot.com's strength is the cumulation of a lot of factors: a very conscientious and committed mod panel, a loyal, supportive and caring community of tsikoteers and members, the board's commitment to listening to feedback and inputs and the ability to respond and adapt to changes, challenges and opportunities.

again, thank you for your inputs. they are really valuable and helpful and i personally appreciate them very much.

:car:

[niky]

Yeah, it's a bit of an exaggeration... hehehe... but I'm glad you get the point.

Good points all. I will agree that yes, newbies tend to go straight to a section dealing with the particular model or issue they're interested in. But it's regulars who answer their questions.

It's a problem I noted before with the "club" sub-boards here on tsikot and on other automotive forums. People will come in and post, and the question will go unanswered for days or weeks unless some moderator or regular is sitting on that board and scanning it daily.

On Nissanforums, before it imploded, they speciated the boards into specific model (Sentra, Altima, etcetera), specific year-models (B13, B14, B15) and specific subsections (2 liter, 1.6 liter, suspension, etcetera)... which was okay at the start, but without enough regulars manning each section, it quickly became a ghost town.

With the swinging Korean sub-boards here (the Santa Fe club, the Tucs club (though they're not very active at the moment)) and other groups, this isn't an issue, but for more obscure brands, it might be. But then, I've always seen it as a problem... like I've said, it's not my board, but I hate to see questioners leave with their questions unanswered, like here:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=744093
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=737302

Drive-by traffic may look good in terms of stats, but it's the quality of that traffic that will determine whether anyone will stay on that board and become a recurring statistic. AutomotiveForums looks good on paper simply because they're big, they bought a lot of smaller boards out and they generate big numbers, but the quality of the forum itself turns away a lot of people... it's like Yahoo Answers... you can post a question, but the chances of getting a meaningful answer out of it is as good as flipping a coin.

-----

Not that it's a guarantee that anyone would have answered here, but if such questions were to go to a less specific subforum, someone such as the ever helpful speedyfix may have answered with suggestions.

And despite not being on in tsikot in any official capacity anymore, I regard this place as a second home, and I have fond memories here. I definitely don't want to see anything like that happening here. Maybe it's too early to react, seeing as the categorization isn't excessive yet... but this is just a warning on what might happen.

Anyway, congrats on officially becoming a big board. While I may not agree with the new arrangement, I'm willing to see if it will work. Good luck!

[tsikot]

hello niky!

again, thank you for very valuable feedback!

It's a problem I noted before with the "club" sub-boards here on tsikot and on other automotive forums. People will come in and post, and the question will go unanswered for days or weeks unless some moderator or regular is sitting on that board and scanning it daily.

the club subforum moderators were given instructions that such subforums will only include discussions regarding club recruitment, activities and events. all other topics, specially matters regarding a specific make or brand of car, will always be moved to the specific manufacturer forum.

On Nissanforums, before it imploded, they speciated the boards into specific model (Sentra, Altima, etcetera), specific year-models (B13, B14, B15) and specific subsections (2 liter, 1.6 liter, suspension, etcetera)... which was okay at the start, but without enough regulars manning each section, it quickly became a ghost town.

rest assured, this is the deepest level we will go (actually, just one level down). we will not further subcategorize the subforums to particular car models as stated above.

Drive-by traffic may look good in terms of stats, but it's the quality of that traffic that will determine whether anyone will stay on that board and become a recurring statistic. AutomotiveForums looks good on paper simply because they're big, they bought a lot of smaller boards out and they generate big numbers, but the quality of the forum itself turns away a lot of people...

i cannot comment on this because it is not my board. but i am sure they know more than what we can see from their stats and size.

And despite not being on in tsikot in any official capacity anymore, I regard this place as a second home, and I have fond memories here.

thank you for this nice statement, but i hope this is not an end-all and final statement. it was saddening that you left the tsikot.com's writers' bureau which was till in the works, but we understand.

hopefully this does not preclude any involvement with tsikot.com in the near future, that the doors are still open and not permanently closed shut.

we have some major projects in the works, specially with Tsikot.Tv and other major deals and hopefully, you can still consider being with us in a professional capacity, that is.

I definitely don't want to see anything like that happening here. Maybe it's too early to react, seeing as the categorization isn't excessive yet... but this is just a warning on what might happen.

Anyway, congrats on officially becoming a big board. While I may not agree with the new arrangement, I'm willing to see if it will work. Good luck!

thank you niky!

as always, an excellent post with highly valuable insight!

more power bro!

[niky]

As long as it doesn't get segregated any more, okay. We'll see what happens in the future.

More power to you guys, too!