Review of forum structure

[Second Summer]

It has been said that we have too many forums and some people are confused about where to post their threads.

Actually, sometimes I'm a bit confused myself:

The "animal activism & advocacy" forum versus the "animal rights discussion" - sometimes there are threads that could really be posted in either one, and I'm filled with doubt and indecision as to where I should post.

Then there's the "computer science & other formal sciences" versus "technology & applied sciences". I had a very clear idea when I created the forums, but now I'm kinda confused.

Opinions? Do you care if I decide to merge these? Other forums you're confused about?

 

[ledboots]

I am very confused by all the titles and hesitate to start threads. I think fewer titles and sections would be easier to navigate.

 

[SummerRain]

I definitely think we need less forums. Not just because it is confusing, but because the forum looks quieter if you have too many forums, because the content is spread across more places. I think it'd be better to have

I think animal rights/animal advocacy could be put together, perhaps even with animals in the news too.
Diet/exercise could be merged too, maybe with health.
Lots of the "high culture" section could be put together.
Children could be put with relationships.
Academic disciplines could all be put together.

I think 37 areas is just too much, not even including sub-forums. I think between 10 and 20 would be easier to navigate. I think, say, 15 active forums looks much more inviting to new members than 37, half of which are very quiet.

 

[Ansciess]

I think animal rights/animal advocacy could be put together, perhaps even with animals in the news too.

I think animal rights and animal advocacy and animals in the news are 3 separate categories. The first is theoretical. The second is practical. And the third is timely.

 

[SummerRain]

I think animal rights and animal advocacy and animals in the news are 3 separate categories. The first is theoretical. The second is practical. And the third is timely.

Sure they're different, but I think when animal rights only has ever has 8 topics, and only 3 are active at the moment, it would be tidier and more inviting if it were put with animal advocacy for the time being.

Animals in the news is busier mind you, and could easily stand alone, or be a sub-forum.

 

[Blobbenstein]

I think there should be just one forum for science. And pleeeease don't use the word 'natural'...everything is part of nature, from Rolf Harris to atomic bombs, and iphones....


maybe 'Science and Technology'?

 

[Second Summer]

I think there should be just one forum for science. And pleeeease don't use the word 'natural'...everything is part of nature, from Rolf Harris to atomic bombs, and iphones....


maybe 'Science and Technology'?

Hm, "science & technology" ... not so sure it would be obvious that social sciences topics belong under that title. Same with philosophy.

 

[Blobbenstein]

well, it would condense three forums into one.....soft sciences, philosophy and religion etc deserve their own forum, I think.

 

[beancounter]

Yea, I think it would be a good idea to condense some topics.

 

[KLS52]

I think condensing is a good idea. That's about as far as my opinion goes.

 

[Envy]

I'm against condensing things, it makes it harder to find relevant topics in the area that you like.

 

[Snowcone]

Count me in as pro-condensing. Every time I go onto the forum I feel like it's dead because many sections move very slowly.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

The many many sections are also more tedious to navigate on Tapatalk.

 

[shyvas]

I agree. That's how I have things on mine. Only our activism section is not visible to the public, since someone on there got tracked down by something she posted, and got in trouble with her job. It wasn't illegal, but it irritated her boss I guess.

I gather that the person was using the firm's computer ? I think that every country has their own law concerning the use of computers at work.
For security reasons we don't have access to internet at my firm but I wouldn't want to use it anyway as confidentiality would be an issue.

 

[Second Summer]

So far I have:

• merged Computer Science & Other Formal Sciences with Technology & Applied Sciences. The new forum is called Computer Science & Technology. I would have included the Natural Sciences forum in the merge, but couldn't think of a good title that describes it all.
• Created a new forum under Globetrotting and moved Canada + Australia, New Zealand etc under there.

I want to do more changes, but need to contemplate it a bit more.

 

[Blobbenstein]

So far I have:

• merged Computer Science & Other Formal Sciences with Technology & Applied Sciences. The new forum is called Computer Science & Technology. I would have included the Natural Sciences forum in the merge, but couldn't think of a good title that describes it all.
• Created a new forum under Globetrotting and moved Canada + Australia, New Zealand etc under there.

I want to do more changes, but need to contemplate it a bit more.

Don't you think, IS, that science is primarily the investigation isn't the workings of nature, and that the term 'natural science' is a tautology?

If you have forums for computer science and technology, ie man-made areas of science, then surely the word 'natural' isn't necessary for the alternative forum.

It sort of bugs me, and I would be reluctant to start a thread in there. It's a bit like the term 'ethical vegan'....which probably annoys you.

 

[Second Summer]

Don't you think, IS, that science is primarily the investigation isn't the workings of nature, and that the term 'natural science' is a tautology?

If you have forums for computer science and technology, ie man-made areas of science, then surely the word 'natural' isn't necessary for the alternative forum.

It sort of bugs me, and I would be reluctant to start a thread in there. It's a bit like the term 'ethical vegan'....which probably annoys you.

Your opposition has been noted! And indeed "ethical vegan" is a ridiculous term that needs to be eradicated. As for "natural sciences" tho, it's a term which has widespread acceptance, and the trouble with renaming it to simply "sciences" is that it ignores the social sciences. I was reading about the terms "hard sciences" vs "soft sciences", but that had its own set of problems, so that's probably not a good idea either.

 

[Second Summer]

Some further changes I've made: The Lounge has been renamed The VIP Lounge (eh, maybe not the best name), and then there is a new The Lounge which is public. The VIP Lounge, Games (previously under High Culture) and Anonymous Chat are now all sub-forums to the new The Lounge.

 

[shyvas]

There are 4 sections in the Animal forums. What do you think about merging the animal rights and activist sections ? I always get a bit confused of where to post in these 2 sections.

 

[Blobbenstein]

Some further changes I've made: The Lounge has been renamed The VIP Lounge (eh, maybe not the best name)

The Underground Lounge
Zombie Apocalypse Bunker...