pesky watering holes... can they go?

[SUroot]

I know people like them and that they are typical lounge material but they annoy the hell out of me to the point I have stopped visiting the lounge as its clogged up with what I can only describe as pointless crap.

I see no need to talk generally about anything in a thread specific to the phone I have. ...and they are ever increasing in numbers too.

Now I'm not suggesting they are banned or deleted but can they PLEASE be moved to a handy lounge subforum that I can easily avoid instead of having to avoid multiple threads in the lounge which is becoming increasingly more difficult.

 

[D-U-R-X]

I think this may have come up before... not sure what the answer was though!

 

[SUroot]

I think it was no, but I'm having another go...

 

[AntimonyER]

I know this has been discussed before. The consensus last time was that most would fall out of favor and fall down the list in due time. Not saying the consensus will stay the same this time. The successful ones (GS3, GNex, Dinc) will live on wherever they go, so I am neutral on this.

 

[D-U-R-X]

You don't get, if you don't ask!








At the same time, just because you ask, doesn't mean you'll get though!

 

[EarlyMon]

I'm not sure in this area or how our policy got this way.

What's the harm in one off-topic thread per device, letting birds of a feather flock together?

Seems to me that folks that helped one another through rough patches with their devices ought to be able to pal around together once they're past the troubles and questions, yeah?

Every pre-release period has a Lounge-like thread, why move the party?

 

[SUroot]

My suggestion is to move the threads to an area specifically for watering holes within the lounge, then they can still pal around as much as they like.

There's no harm them paling around as much as I see it as pointless. The harm comes when there are loads of these threads clogging up the lounge, making the lounge less enjoyable. I did feel post 1 covered this adequately.

You raise another point, thank you. Yeah - pre release stuff. These too should go. They should be tidied into the new device forums. Another way of spoiling the lounge.

 

[Gmash]

I can see why people like to have a place to chat off topic with people they get friendly with in their phone sections, but there are so many of them now. I think the rationale given before for putting them in the lounge was to get people out of their phone sections and have them participate more in the site, but since they are segregating themselves this way anyway, I don't see why they can't just have a lounge thread within their phone sub forum.

Well, having them in the lounge does allow people without that device to participate easier if they want to, so there's that I guess.

 

[SUroot]

Yes lounge threads within their device would be good too.

 

[EarlyMon]

Yes lounge threads within their device would be good too.

Ok, I left off a word in my earlier post but that's exactly what I was proposing. One off-topic thread in each device forum.

And pre-release threads are already in their device forums.

 

[SUroot]

Ah ok. Sorry I thought you meant why move the party from where they are now, ie the lounge.

 

[Slug]

The device-specific forums have always been kept clean of 'off-topic' chatter i.e. topics unrelated to the device(s) themselves. They have never been social hubs, and I'm vehemently against encouraging them to be so now.

The Lounge and its subs is the correct place for all non-Android chitchat. It could be argued that designated "watering hole" threads are unnecessary when members could simply create their own topics as desired, but the decision was made. It was by no means a universally popular one, but Gmash is correct - the intention was to encourage members to venture out into the wider AF community.

 

[SUroot]

Then my initial request of a wateringhole sub would still fit that criteria. As long as they're not in the main part of the lounge, I don't really care where they go.

 

[Unforgiven]

I'm an active member in three Watering holes, and a member of quite a few dead ones. And for the most part I don't own the devices that the watering hole is designated for. So long as they aren't exclusive clubs, I see no problem with them. I also agree with Slug that they do not belong in the device forums. In the GNex watering hole we once spent several hundread posts discussing pulled pork. These threads, like many of the lounge threads, foster the community spirit that pervades and drives AF. If the watering holes are always at the top of the Lounge, there is a reason, the members like them. The ones that don't get a following don't get posted in and fall into the land of misfit threads.

I like the Watering Holes and I like them right where they are.

 

[SUroot]

What was wrong with having a pulled pork thread?


Lounge within a lounge makes no sense.

"Its no use dear, its turtles all the way down"

 

[SUroot]

Fao admin...

 

[NightAngel79]

Now I'm not suggesting they are banned or deleted but can they PLEASE be moved to a handy lounge subforum that I can easily avoid instead of having to avoid multiple threads in the lounge which is becoming increasingly more difficult.

COmpletely agree (more on this later)

I'm not sure in this area or how our policy got this way.

What's the harm in one off-topic thread per device, letting birds of a feather flock together?

Seems to me that folks that helped one another through rough patches with their devices ought to be able to pal around together once they're past the troubles and questions, yeah?

Every pre-release period has a Lounge-like thread, why move the party?

My issue is it seems like half of the first page of the lounge is 'watering hole' threads. IMO just create a 'Device Watering hole' sub forum in lounge. Yes there wont be many threads in there but to many they are an eye sore in the lounge

Yes lounge threads within their device would be good too.

That's where they started long ago. Word came down from Admin/Owner to move them out of device sections so as not to promote 'segregation' or 'clique' from forming.

There was several who were against this but eventually me (and others) came to agree that they don't really belong on the device sections.

And pre-release threads are already in their device forums.

I see that as being similar to how we close those threads once the device is released. Once device is released its all business in the device section, which is why the 'Lounge' thread gets moved to lounge.

I don't inherently disagree with this but when we start getting 10+ watering holes that are active it really does beg the question, do they need there own section

I think they do...

They people who post in them will still post in them. The only downfall I can see is that those threads will of course be a bit more secluded, less random users will find them and 'connect' with other users discussing whatever phone....

 

[EarlyMon]

I'd rather they go than get a subforum.

We have how many devices? How many watering holes with the same posters, mostly staff?

Watering hole type threads have come and gone, once people got used to the Lounge. The big epic release threads almost never die.

And we already have a venue for groups wanting to buddy up and talk about whatever - it's called Social Groups.

 

[Rxpert83]

Ok, I left off a word in my earlier post but that's exactly what I was proposing. One off-topic thread in each device forum.

And pre-release threads are already in their device forums.

I would much rather see this than all the watering hole threads in the lounge. Keep it in the device forum if its meant to foster device community relationships.

 

[Gmash]

I think the sub forum idea would work best, because of the favorite forums/unread posts feature. You could favorite the watering hole sub if you wanted to see them, otherwise they would be out of the way.

 

[SUroot]

So I think we need to work out what they are trying to achieve, whether it needs achieving and how best else to achieve it without flooding the lounge "general" area with watering holes.

Personally I feel the lounge is well known. Any off topic threads are moved here with links. This draws out device people into the community. There seems to be no need for them. Perhaps they can just go?

 

[SUroot]

Anyone delete my bump?

Phases, would love your input on this one please

 

[Phases]

(sorry if this post is all over the place, things are coming to mind as I type and I'm just throwing them in somewhere)

The real problem here is that there are probably 4 very viable ways to handle this, and no particular one is the clear winner for the community.

1. Kill them off.
2. Leave in lounge
3. Move to device forums, as one OT thread that users can BS in.
4. A subforum for the lounge.

There are pros and cons for each. One of the main cons that come to mind for me for 2-4 is that they foster a communication medium that is secluded to that thread, unless mod intervene. I mean, you have 20 users BSing in a thread and one discovers something cool. What do they do? They post it on the thread to tell all their friends, rather than create a new thread in the forum.

On the other hand, the users want these things. Or they wouldn't have them.

I'm not totally opposed to any solution personally. I'm fine with all four. Although, I DO see that as more and more sub-communities adopt the watering hole idea the lounge could eventually be nothing but that. It doesn't take but one reply to put it back on page one. We have hundreds and hundreds of devices. Soon, the lounge will be nothing but watering hole threads, potentially. And what do we do when we see this scenario in almost any case?

We make a forum or subforum.

At the same time - there really aren't that many in there, I can't imaging it being a huge huge pain now, potentially ever.

The idea was to encourage people leave their respective sub communities. Do we have any proof though that this is really working other than to get to just these watering hole threads?

So here's the thing. If I need to be the one to decide something, fine by me. I will. However if Early or someone would like to poll the community, with a sticky in the lounge, and a post in the main watering hole threads - all pointing to a poll -that's fine too. If we feel the voters would look past just the immediate desire of them personally and consider what would also be best for the site..

Or, if people are comfortable figuring it out here, fine.

 

[SUroot]

I'm personally happy for you to make the decision. So long as it's not 2

Unfortunately I don't see a poll going my way but if the rest of the contributers in this thread recommend one, that's ok.

 

[Kelmar]

IMO, 3 (or 4) is the way to go. I agree that the lounge, as it sits right now, is too cluttered with Watering Hole threads. There are too many devices for the Lounge to be cluttered with these.

IMO, it would help keep off topic out of the device forums and yet still allow it in the device forums.

Option 3, IMO, is the BEST option available.