Regional subforums?

John Kennett · 10 January 2006, 17:56

A couple of people have requested regional forums on RIBnet (eg Solent, South West, North West etc). So far I haven't been convinced that they would add much, but I'm open to persuasion!

Particular issues:

What would be the purpose of regional forums? [1]
How would they work in practice? [2]
Would it make the forums a better place? [3]

[1] If it's for arranging cruises and meets, then I think that the cruises section has low enough traffic not to need separate regional forums

[2] For instance, would a request for information about local outboard servicing go on the regional section, or the engines section? What if it turns to a more general engines discussion?

[3] What would it achieve that isn't currently available?

I don't want to fragment things more than necessary, but I don't mind giving it a go if there's a significant demand.

So, what do you reckon?

John

DJL · 10 January 2006, 18:18

I don't particularly like the idea. I've seen other forums use it and it really fragments things and as RIBnet doesn't have a huge amount of traffic I don't think its really necessary.

If this is aimed mainly at the cruising section then would it be possible to add a feature to categorise the posts by region. When you start a thread you could select the region from a drop down list NW,S...etc. You could then filter by region and/or get the beginning of the subject to include the region - ie "South Coast: Solent cruise".

I would be dead against it if it means more forums on the front page.

DM · 10 January 2006, 18:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Kennett

So, what do you reckon?

Can we trust the figures?

DM

Polwart · 10 January 2006, 19:02

Personally - I find it interesting to see what people are up to around the country. Its usually easy to tell from the title if the thread is completely geographically irrelevant.

tcwozere · 10 January 2006, 19:13

Holding my hand up as one of the peeps who pm'ed John, I think seperate sub-forums with-in the cruising section would work. I agree that the forum in its present state doesn't have a fast turnover, but, it would be nice to be able to have reference to past soiree's without having to search the entire database. Even though I have only been around a for a year or so, there are still "old" Solent threads that contain a wealth of information.. Pubs, moorings, slipways and least but not last, pubs..

Yes they can be searched for, but you cannot be sure all relevant threads will have been found.

If the "regional" forums were placed with-in the current forum, it wouldn't clutter up the main page.

It wouldn't achieve anything that isn't currently available, it would just make things easier to find.

Mark Halliday · 10 January 2006, 19:27

Now I know what was being talked about in the Pub last night. !!

On reflection (and disregarding my vote, oops) a regional split under cruise planning could be a bonus. Perhaps with a sticky for regular venus etc, now the non-solenters are getting together more often. Maybe a rename to Cruise Planning & Social would go with it.

A bonus would be that it would keep The Jackeens endless St Patricks Day Cruises out of the main section.

Roll on March.

SOLENTER · 10 January 2006, 20:59

In my humble opinion the only thing regional forums would do is to make
the site moor clicky than it already is

If your looking to go along those lines i would think that you will destroy
the very thing you have created

If its all to much trouble to have to go back to find topics that may have
been of intrest to you then open a folder and save them
simple i would of thought

PS Excellent site as it is John

Mollers · 10 January 2006, 22:21

If the site were so big that we were being bogged down with the volume of threads passing through perhaps, but I think it's interesting for us all to see what each regional gang is up to. It makes for good banter also. The Solent mob have big get togthers in hired venues, us SW guys go for a curry, all three of us!!