Moving the top section (Android Community - Lounge etc) to near-bottom of front page.

[Phases]

As per a pretty fair suggestion by NightAngel79 - we've decided to see what sort of reaction we get by moving the top section down to the bottom of the page.

After all, we are an Android site - so it would make sense to show users Android related forums as they discover us, not off-topic "last post" threads, etc.

So, for the time being you will notice that section (Lounge, Introductions...) at the bottom of the site, just above Community Info and Talk (Site Updates, Suggestion Box...)

We may move it back, may leave it as is, or may merge it with the Community Info/Talk section - depending on feedback.

Feel free to reply and let us know how you feel. This is currently just a test run and not set in stone. I may open a poll after giving everyone a few days to adjust and come to a solid conclusion how they feel about it.

I've also renamed "Google+" to "Google".

 

[330D]

I haven't posted in the thread discussing this, but DO think it is appropriate. I guess we'll see how it goes....

 

[cds0699]

It confused me at 1st and seemed weird, as all change does (I must be getting old). It does make sense though, now that I think about it. It's worth a shot... there is the "favorite forums" thing so people can save quick access to forums they frequent, so it should work out ok.

 

[330D]

What I do think, however... Is that since introductions is an important section, maybe you should leave that up top on it's own or add it to the android discussion section.... Just my.02

 

[cds0699]

What I do think, however... Is that since introductions is an important section, maybe you should leave that up top on it's own or add it to the android discussion section.... Just my.02

I can kinda agree with this. How about separating that from the community forums, and adding it to the very top of the forums?

 

[Phases]

Well, those that haven't posted see a banner pointing them to introductions and part of the goal I think was to get introductions out of very top of page view so questions don't end up there as seeming the obvious easy place to go. Wow that was a long sentence.

However. You're kinda right. We'll see what other feedback we get.

 

[alostpacket]

What I do think, however... Is that since introductions is an important section, maybe you should leave that up top on it's own or add it to the android discussion section.... Just my.02

^ I agree with this. Also just that anything that gets moved below phones gets drowned out by the phone sections.

Maybe community could have been broken down differently?

I think maybe classifieds can easily get buried, it hardly gets any traffic (I think). Would be really nice to see dev sections come up.

Most of that community stuff seems like it may die slowly down there.

Maybe it's more just that the phone section itself is too much. Maybe it could be categorized by manf. and/or have click to expand functionality? Not sure the manf forums are needed at all too.

I do like having Android discussion at the top though -- maybe intros could go into Android discussion at the top? And perhaps dev/rom/them into android discussion with click to expand forums for the custom rommers?

As of now

Themes 75 viewing <- in first section

Accessories 3 viewing <- in first section

App dev 173 Viewing <- at the bottom (dont think this counts sub forums, not sure)

Roms 16 <- at the bottom (dont think this counts sub forums, not sure)

Intros 43 <- at the bottom

Lounge 88 <- at the bottom

Classifieds 7 <- at the bottom


Thinking Maybe something like

Android discussions

• Introductions
• Android Lounge(general talk)
  
• Android Applications
• Android Games
• Android Media (maybe worth renaming to Audio/Video & media)
• Android Themes
• Application Development (possibly collapsed sub forums?)
• Custom ROM (possibly collapsed sub forums?)

General

• The Chill off-topic Lounge (possibly collapsed sub forums?)
• Classifieds

Phones [expand all]
[+] Acer
[+] Alcatel
[+] Casio
[+] Dell
[+] Garimfone
[+] Gigabyte
[+] HTC
[+] Huawei

(etc., etc.)


Tablets [expand all]
[+] Acer
[+] Alcatel
[+] Casio
[+] Dell
[+] Garimfone
[+] Gigabyte
[+] HTC
[+] Huawei

(etc., etc.)

Other devices[ expand all]
gTV
etc etc

Community and Site talk

VIP
Team
Contests
PhanApps
Site Announcements
Suggestions
Unanswered


Carriers (or Carrier & Manf)

Archives






just some ideas.

 

[Phases]

We've talked about breaking devices down by manufacturer and that was shot down every time. The list won't grow too much, as they start to rotate into Archived devices. (Which is something I need to do soon).

I was thinking about moving manufacturers and carriers into another category and instread of giving each man/carrier a forum, instead use prefixes for them within a single man/carrier forum.

Shrug..

 

[BabyBlues]

My biggest issue is anything being below the 'archived' things. Admittedly I look for the Lounge with games but to have to go all the way to the bottom is a little like a kick in the patooty. Its now in my favorites though so no biggie if it stays there.

We've talked about breaking devices down by manufacturer and that was shot down every time. The list won't grow too much, as they start to rotate into Archived devices. (Which is something I need to do soon).

I was thinking about moving manufacturers and carriers into another category and instread of giving each man/carrier a forum, instead use prefixes for them within a single man/carrier forum.

Shrug..

I don't understand why it would be shot down? My friends ask me all the time what android devices they can get - I would much rather come here to my favorite place online and be able to look quickly than have to remember who has what and go searching each carrier individually.

 

[Xyro]

I was thinking about moving manufacturers and carriers into another category and instread of giving each man/carrier a forum, instead use prefixes for them within a single man/carrier forum.

That definitely makes sense for manufacturers. Apart from HTC, Motorola and Samsung, the rest of those sections may as well not be there for the amount of use they get.

 

[andruoid]

Just make sure that fruit company doesn't have a patent on the way you have arranged things now.

 

[NightAngel79]

What I do think, however... Is that since introductions is an important section, maybe you should leave that up top on it's own or add it to the android discussion section.... Just my.02

I can kinda agree with this. How about separating that from the community forums, and adding it to the very top of the forums?

I think the fact that there is that annoying 'please post an intro' banner is good enough, though I could see moving intros to android discussion as a viable option

^ I agree with this. Also just that anything that gets moved below phones gets drowned out by the phone sections.

Maybe community could have been broken down differently?

I think maybe classifieds can easily get buried, it hardly gets any traffic (I think). Would be really nice to see dev sections come up.

Most of that community stuff seems like it may die slowly down there.

I disagree. The people that frequent the lounge are gonna find it regardless. Honestly when i go to other forums the first thing i do is find the off-topic section. Scrolling to find it is no big deal imo.

While its awesome that we have such an active lounge (and subsections) it isn't the point of android forums.

And let me say, I love the lounge, lol. I spend TONS of time there. But I NEVER have to go to the home page to get there. I am subscribed to tons of threads in there and accompanying sub-sections.

But after this test run we will see how everyone adjusts to it.

Thanks phases! Whoever first had this idea is a very smart man () lol

 

[Vehtemas]

I will admit I was 100% stunned when I logged in and couldn't find the main thread I toy around in hahaha.

I am not too concerned about it, in the end I will still find the forum.

 

[alostpacket]

I think the fact that there is that annoying 'please post an intro' banner is good enough, though I could see moving intros to android discussion as a viable option


I disagree. The people that frequent the lounge are gonna find it regardless. Honestly when i go to other forums the first thing i do is find the off-topic section. Scrolling to find it is no big deal imo.

While its awesome that we have such an active lounge (and subsections) it isn't the point of android forums.

And let me say, I love the lounge, lol. I spend TONS of time there. But I NEVER have to go to the home page to get there. I am subscribed to tons of threads in there and accompanying sub-sections.

But after this test run we will see how everyone adjusts to it.

Thanks phases! Whoever first had this idea is a very smart man () lol

I think I would not have gone into off-topic/lounge if it wasnt at the top. So I guess hard to say -- some people may find it, but you may has a smaller/more hardcore crowd -- dunno.

It certainly isnt as crucial I think as moving dev stuff up next to themes (imho) Or as important as introductions. But I dont think the lounge takes all that much room alone.


I was mostly just going by popularity. So if that were the primary concern I'd say ditch classifieds,accessories,team,vip, and unanswered below phones - and that gives you room for intro, dev, rom and OT lounge.


However, I do think it's nice the users are seeing their phones higher up too, so i have conflicting thoughts heh

 

[chris2k5]

I liked it better before...I might boycott this forum if this sticks!!!

 

[330D]

Well, those that haven't posted see a banner pointing them to introductions and part of the goal I think was to get introductions out of very top of page view so questions don't end up there as seeming the obvious easy place to go. Wow that was a long sentence.

However. You're kinda right. We'll see what other feedback we get.

It has been so long since I registered that I forgot about the banner. That being said I still think it would be nice to have it up top just for those that bypass the initial post an intro banner. ( I definitely skipped it for a day or two)

 

[starxpilot]

Stewie I Don&#39;t Like Change - YouTube

While I can see the pros of it, I think it was better the way it was before, that Community section, along with Community and Info, kinda made it look like a Sandwich, the buns being the community, housing the Android goodies.

Plus, with Intros and Off-topicness things, new users who ignore the banner and can't find the right thread, can post it in the Lounge where it can be nabbed by a Moderator and moved to the appropriate thread, where now in Android Lounge, I'm expecting an increase in Off-topic posts, as that's where most forms hold a general chatter thingamajig.

You can't cram a slice of bread in the middle of a sandvich without a crown.

 

[NightAngel79]

Plus, with Intros and Off-topicness things, new users who ignore the banner and can't find the right thread, can post it in the Lounge where it can be nabbed by a Moderator and moved to the appropriate thread, where now in Android Lounge, I'm expecting an increase in Off-topic posts, as that's where most forms hold a general chatter thingamajig.

And we will catch them in the Android Lounge as well

 

[9to5cynic]

Hmm.. I have been spending too much time in the Lounge anyways...

I think that if you maybe add a "hide" feature set default to the manufactures (much like the posts) that might make it easier. For navigation. Though, it's extremely easy to add a bookmark for the lounge.

Spoiler

These are fun

---
Turns out, this feature is pretty much already in use. It's the little button to the right of the green heading bar. It has some arrows...

Perhaps the default for some of these could be to the 'hidden' value, to kinda condense things a tad. Eh?


As for rotating phones into the archive, I was thinking, could that be automated into the php or whatever you guys are using. I'm a bit of a php noob, but it seems like something like that could be done... *shrug*

 

[Slug]

Perhaps the default for some of these could be to the 'hidden' value, to kinda condense things a tad.

You can set your own preferred defaults. Just condense/expand whichever sections you want and the settings are remembered.

 

[Phases]

Yep..

 

[NightAngel79]

Do think the section(and dev section ALP) should be above 'other', 'manufactor', and 'archived' sections though

 

[DaSchmarotzer]

To be honest, I don't like it at all.

Scrolling down the whole phones and tablets list is a pain. Adding all the "Android Community" forums to my favorites would also screw up my system, since the threads with new posts would show up where it says "X unread posts since your last visit".

No other choice but to scroll down every time I get on the main page.

 

[Black Rose]

My only complaint would be that the old top section is too far down.

I ended up collapsing 7 sections that I don't venture into much/at all to get to it easier.

 

[Phases]

Tis true - I'm not sure how I feel about this.