Forum consolidation

[Oliver]

OK, so, further to my previous thread, I'd like to start a conversation about how we might go about consolidating forums.

The case in point here will be the reviews forum. This is currently organized as follows:

Hardware reviews >>

Standard E-Cigarette Reviews
E-Cigarette APV Reviews
[URL='https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/forums/e-cigarette-reviews.745/forums/e-cigarette-video-reviews.37/']E-Cigarette Video Reviews
[URL='https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/forums/e-cigarette-reviews.745/forums/atomizer-reviews.650/']Atomizer Reviews

Cartomizer Reviews

Tank Reviews

Accessory Reviews

Commercial Ecigarette Reviews and Videos[/URL][/URL]
Liquid reviews >>

General E-Liquid Reviews
E-Liquid Video Reviews
VG E-Liquid Reviews
Flavor Reviews

OK, these categories simply don't make any sense to me. For one, "video reviews" is not a product cateogory, whereas all the others are (kind of ).

I'd like to have two forums....

Mods, tanks and dripper reviews (or "vape hardware")

E-liquid reviews

And this is how it works....

I create new forums and batch move every single thread into the forum. BUT, I don't just batch move - I also add a new prefix before I do the move. For example: "Tank reviews" gets the prefix "tank" added before the move. Maybe we can refine it further and add "mtl", or "subohm" as well. This needs careful thought - then each can be added into the thread.

Video reviews - this will be trickier - basically each thread there will need to have a video prefix, but also the actual product (e.g. tank/mod/etc).

Anyway, that's my thinking. So, over to you

 

[Letitia]

I like the idea of Hardware and E Liquid reviews. One can always use Search if they want to investigate a specific item. Search is so much better now, thank you for that.

 

[mikepetro]

OK, so, further to my previous thread, I'd like to start a conversation about how we might go about consolidating forums.

The case in point here will be the reviews forum. This is currently organized as follows:

Hardware reviews >>

Standard E-Cigarette Reviews
E-Cigarette APV Reviews
E-Cigarette Video Reviews
Atomizer Reviews
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/f...iews.745/forums/e-cigarette-video-reviews.37/
Cartomizer Reviews
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/f...iews.745/forums/e-cigarette-video-reviews.37/
Tank Reviews
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/f...iews.745/forums/e-cigarette-video-reviews.37/
Accessory Reviews
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/f...iews.745/forums/e-cigarette-video-reviews.37/
Commercial Ecigarette Reviews and Videos
Liquid reviews >>

General E-Liquid Reviews
E-Liquid Video Reviews
VG E-Liquid Reviews
Flavor Reviews

OK, these categories simply don't make any sense to me. For one, "video reviews" is not a product cateogory, whereas all the others are (kind of ).

I'd like to have two forums....

Mods, tanks and dripper reviews (or "vape hardware")

E-liquid reviews

And this is how it works....

I create new forums and batch move every single thread into the forum. BUT, I don't just batch move - I also add a new prefix before I do the move. For example: "Tank reviews" gets the prefix "tank" added before the move. Maybe we can refine it further and add "mtl", or "subohm" as well. This needs careful thought - then each can be added into the thread.

Video reviews - this will be trickier - basically each thread there will need to have a video prefix, but also the actual product (e.g. tank/mod/etc).

Anyway, that's my thinking. So, over to you

ROFLMAO, now I need a "pondering" like........

 

[mikepetro]

The prefix idea only works if you add some mandatory canned prefixes to the "Start new thread" dialogue.

Otherwise it will only be the history that is prefixed.

How is that different than sub-forums?

 

[FlamingoTutu]

Not touching this one with a 100 foot, sonic cleaned poll. Just want to say I'm thrilled it looks like you're keeping DIY as a separate forum.



You guys have heard over 50 have been murdered and over 200 wounded in Las Vegas, so far, right? Not a criticism by any means, just a heads up.

 

[stols001]

Can you use the search function with tags? If that's possible, maybe all the various different posts could be organized via that system, though it is adding an extra step that could potentially be merely to get to where reviews were before.... Only instead of sub-forums, you are doing a search.

I don't know that there is anything inherently wrong with that, but it does add another layer of complexity to the whole thing, if a search is required in a forum due to there being so many different types of reviews, honestly. I'm not sure on this one. If it could be easy to separate out one or two things (I'm still a fan of the juice/DIY going together with a search function to separate them out, for those who don't want to wade through DIY stuff, or e-juice recommendations, etc., when one already DIY though I get why others don't like that idea at all and I was not around, then, so maybe it is a terrible idea) but that's some serious searching if all those forums are going to be combined.

I'd also suggest a sticky with "how to use this forum via search function" if you are going to switch it up this way, for newcomers who may be like, "WTH, what's with all these different weird reviews." IDK. I'm on the fence on this one.... I so like the idea of simplification, but this is a lot of combining in one spot, so there does need to be a good way to filter/search it, then.

Anna

 

[Oliver]

Not touching this one with a 100 foot, sonic cleaned poll. Just want to say I'm thrilled it looks like you're keeping DIY as a separate forum.



You guys have heard over 50 have been murdered and over 200 wounded in Las Vegas, so far, right? Not a criticism by any means, just a heads up.

No, I hadn't. But my God, how unbelievably terrible

 

[Oliver]

The prefix idea only works if you add some mandatory canned prefixes to the "Start new thread" dialogue.

Otherwise it will only be the history that is prefixed.

How is that different than sub-forums?

I think that's true-ish. Perhaps we do need to add them. Let me have a think...

Mandatory... or moderated?

 

[stols001]

I do not see what is wrong with mandatory, personally.... I mean, anyone doing a review is probably going to have enough experience to go, "Oh, okay, forums have been combined, I need to state in my title what type of review I am doing." Surely? Seems like a lot to ask a moderator to do, honestly, though I have to say, I'm not entirely sure how frequently reviews get posted. But, no reason not to ask the reviewer to select a particular
review title as part of the rest of it-- just break down the mandatory titles like the forum lists, and it should be fine, could also add a second "Written or Video" to the title, IMO.

Anna

 

[mikepetro]

I think that's true-ish. Perhaps we do need to add them. Let me have a think...

Mandatory... or moderated?

Mandatory, with an option being "None" or "General", perhaps being the default. You can always add to the list if the need arises.

ETA: IMHO reducing the load on the Moderators, wherever possible, is wise.

 

[cats5365]

Could you do the reviews forum like the classifieds? There would be drop downs or buttons for picking out what category you are reviewing (mod, tank, juice, etc.) and put a check box for "includes video." The name of the product could go in a text box. The software could automatically put the review in the proper space and the video box could put a little movie icon in the forum thread list if the video box was checked. I would probably add a box for brand name so that the thread list could go in alpha order if that wouldn't make things too complicated.

 

[Eskie]

As I was reading your opening post and seeing that long list, my first impression was why not just a hardware review section and e liquid section, and then there it was at the bottom of your post.

I like that. Simple and straightforward. As to tags, titles, I would think that a reviewer putting significant effort on a review will have no problem spending a few minutes assuring the title and tags are meaningful if they want their reviews to be read and the thread participated in.

 

[Kprthevapr]

I'll be back when ya get it all worked, too much at once makes my head hurt.

 

[Letitia]

Just stay on ECF Dark and headache will go away. Promise.

 

[Oliver]

Can you use the search function with tags? If that's possible, maybe all the various different posts could be organized via that system, though it is adding an extra step that could potentially be merely to get to where reviews were before.... Only instead of sub-forums, you are doing a search.

I don't know that there is anything inherently wrong with that, but it does add another layer of complexity to the whole thing, if a search is required in a forum due to there being so many different types of reviews, honestly. I'm not sure on this one. If it could be easy to separate out one or two things (I'm still a fan of the juice/DIY going together with a search function to separate them out, for those who don't want to wade through DIY stuff, or e-juice recommendations, etc., when one already DIY though I get why others don't like that idea at all and I was not around, then, so maybe it is a terrible idea) but that's some serious searching if all those forums are going to be combined.

I'd also suggest a sticky with "how to use this forum via search function" if you are going to switch it up this way, for newcomers who may be like, "WTH, what's with all these different weird reviews." IDK. I'm on the fence on this one.... I so like the idea of simplification, but this is a lot of combining in one spot, so there does need to be a good way to filter/search it, then.

Anna

Thanks Anna,

Let me start by saying that I'm only considering this at all due to the new search system we've installed. It's a much more powerful system than anything that's existed here, or on any forum, before. So, search will be a big part of how this pans out.

I don't think the reviews will be as cluttered as perhaps you are suggesting. Although I am now thinking we definitely need to think hard about how reviews are done.... maybe simple forum threads are inadequate. I'll have to take a look at what's available.

As I was reading your opening post and seeing that long list, my first impression was why not just a hardware review section and e liquid section, and then there it was at the bottom of your post.

I like that. Simple and straightforward. As to tags, titles, I would think that a reviewer putting significant effort on a review will have no problem spending a few minutes assuring the title and tags are meaningful if they want their reviews to be read and the thread participated in.

Yup, exactly. So, why not do it with prefixes. Tags too, but they can be optional. I think prefixes are more useful. Also, I can style them nicely.

 

[stols001]

I agree Oliver, I think that I made that tags post before the idea of prefixes was mentioned, I think that's a far less "clunky" way to do it, for sure....

Anna

 

[Eskie]

Thanks Anna,

Let me start by saying that I'm only considering this at all due to the new search system we've installed. It's a much more powerful system than anything that's existed here, or on any forum, before. So, search will be a big part of how this pans out.

I don't think the reviews will be as cluttered as perhaps you are suggesting. Although I am now thinking we definitely need to think hard about how reviews are done.... maybe simple forum threads are inadequate. I'll have to take a look at what's available.

I will say that beefed up search capabilities are a big deal for this forum. There is so much information available, and even knowing the board pretty well, I can struggle to find a piece of information I know is here, but I can't find it. I know searches are one of the most difficult tasks to implement with all the data in here, but any improvements are a win for the user.

On a side to consolidation, on some of the subforums inactive threads of 6 months or more are locked. Yet on others that doesn't seem to happen. I've seen threads resurrected from the grave on the new members, general, and "hardware" sections. I believe all that information needs to remain available via search as there's lots of good info there, but sometimes a stake has to be taken to them at some point, otherwise I'll find myself preparing to respond to an issue that's a year old and already resolved.

Is there an official policy on locking old threads and establishing what inactivity automatically triggers a lock? My experience on other forums is if no new posts within a 6 month period are automatically locked. Is the issue that because someone views a thread that's sufficient to keep it open rather than last post date is?

 

[Robino1]

The forum used to automatically lock threads after no posting for a certain amount of time. Only posting would keep a thread out of the auto lock.

Not sure why some threads are remaining open??? They shouldn't be...

 

[Letitia]

I know since I've been here I liked and posted several old threads. I do forget to look at dates sometimes.

 

[Eskie]

The forum used to automatically lock threads after no posting for a certain amount of time. Only posting would keep a thread out of the auto lock.

Not sure why some threads are remaining open??? They shouldn't be...

For real, I'll run across one or two a day. If I spot one, I'll edit and post a link in this post.