Phone Sections: Sub-forums vs Prefixes vs Nothing

[Frisco]

Option 2 will produce MUCH LESS wrong section posting that option 1.

Think about the reason why people currently post in the wrong section. Its because they jump into the phone section and either dont see the subforums, or not sure where to post so go for hte general option.

If at the time of thread creation, they are forcibly given the option to choose, they are way more likely to pick the right one.


All that equals much less work for mods/guides. It helps newbies who may be confused, and it helps get them answers because people are less likely to reply telling them they have posted inthe wrong section.

What you're saying is true, but the idea of removing the correct sections/sub-forums for device queries, so that the member will be even more encouraged to continually post those in the generic area, seems counter to site organisation, in my opinion.

The "less work for mods/guides" also seems that way; we're here to do the job, not to find ways to do less, aren't we?

There is nothing frivolous about those sub-forums, their purpose is self-explanatory.

 

[UncleMike]

I do see a lot more moved threads here than I see in other forums, so I understand that it can be a lot of work keeping up with it. But I think that option 2 won't be any better, because if users are incapable of posting in the correct (sub)forum, they would be equally incapable of selecting the appropriate prefix. Unless correcting a user's prefix selection is less work than moving a thread, I don't really see any benefit to option 2.

In the end I think we should keep "All things root" and "Accessories", and merge the other subforums into the main forum for each device.

 

[woop]

In the end I think we should keep "All things root" and "Accessories", and merge the other subforums into the main forum for each device.

Glad someone finally agrees with my post. This is seriously the best compromise.

 

[Frisco]

Glad someone finally agrees with my post. This is seriously the best compromise.

Compromises are always good in a community of mixed ideas.

No matter the decision about this, whether it's the opposite of what I think, something in-between or exactly what I suggest, I'm behind the outcome 100%.

 

[Phases]

Keep the round table going folks, this is helpful.

 

[Frisco]

Just to summarise my thoughts on all this..

..when I took notice of the changes to sub-forums a while back, it had the appearance of a stroke of genius, impacting the Eris forum, where I was most active for my first six months or so of being here, in a needed way.

"Finally," I thought, "organisation; the mess is about to take shape into a system for each device."

The work of keeping it that way, now that it's been implemented, is what is being resisted, along with a realisation that members, especially new members, naturally gravitate to the very first place they land in when they have a concern to post.

Sometimes that very first place is the Lounge, News and Talk or Updates and Cupcakes, necessitating a move of their thread, so the way I see it is that we're always going to be moving threads, so that is not more of an issue when we have to move them out of the generic device area to Support, etc.

And the place has great structure with the sub-forums standardised.

As far as the sticky guides in each device forum go, I feel that those should be linked to in Guide and Moderator posts as a matter of policy, perhaps in the sig line as many do, but also in a kind reminder in our posts when helping a member.

In short, staffers should be upholding the standards, the sub-forums and the rules in a member-friendly manner, in a way that we ourselves would like to see if we were coming here for solutions, etc.

 

[SoFLO]

Very interesting discussion. I voted for option 2 but with an extra subforum. Not only should the Root subforum be kept but also the Accessories subforum as well. Merge the others into the main forum with the use of prefixes such as [Tip], [Support] or [Q], and general discussion gets no prefix but must still be chosen from the dropdown menu when creating a thread.

Sure there will be users botching the prefixes and choosing the wrong one but it would be a lot less than users posting in wrong forums now. A lot of question/support type threads are posted in the main forum rather than the subforum. The subforums IMO just don't see as much traffic as the main forum. Root and Accessories are just on a different level and should keep their subforums. They're much easier to distinguish whereas some support threads can be on the fence as to where they belong. If this is implemented in the Phandroid App then there should be no problem using this structure on a mobile platform.

 

[Phases]

Any subforums that stay will be created immediately when forums are created. No more waiting. Including the All Things Root subs.

 

[INOV8TN]

Fountaine Pajot - Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Now that is an interesting choice of a demo link. I sailed one in Annapolis a few times. Keep up the good work. lol

wrt the prefixes etc although I'm new to the Android (35 days w/ an Android 2 from 6 years as a relatively happy BB user) I'm not new to organizing stuff (25 yrs as a databased applications developer) and #2 would be my choice if there were some way to allow experienced users users (those who had used the existant prefixes and perhaps had suggested new ones) ton add new prefixes. OR Allow everyone to 'add' new prefixes and include a justification in the first post and then have those new prefixes accepted or denied by moderator/admins. If a proposed prefix was denied then the m/a would simply move the thread to the appropriate prefix. This way the forums are more self-organizing but with some limits.

Hope this helps.

 

[Frisco]

Welcome aboard, inov8tn, and congratulations on your new Droid 2.

 

[woop]

Very interesting discussion. I voted for option 2 but with an extra subforum. Not only should the Root subforum be kept but also the Accessories subforum as well. Merge the others into the main forum with the use of prefixes such as [Tip], [Support] or [Q], and general discussion gets no prefix but must still be chosen from the dropdown menu when creating a thread.

Sure there will be users botching the prefixes and choosing the wrong one but it would be a lot less than users posting in wrong forums now. A lot of question/support type threads are posted in the main forum rather than the subforum. The subforums IMO just don't see as much traffic as the main forum. Root and Accessories are just on a different level and should keep their subforums. They're much easier to distinguish whereas some support threads can be on the fence as to where they belong. If this is implemented in the Phandroid App then there should be no problem using this structure on a mobile platform.

That's 3 votes for merging Support/Tips into the main forum! We should put this in the poll options

People don't have issue with us moving Accessory/root threads around, but have major gripes when we move Support threads to the subforums.

 

[EarlyMon]

Option 4

While I see the excitement for option 2 - I don't care for it.

Reasons:

• Poor layout of top of page
  • Maybe it's because of the ads in that example, but you have to scroll down on any page to get to the actual forum
  • Even without the ads - it looks like the user's going to see two lines of drop downs and choice where now we have one - i.e., on option 2, you have the line with Register, etc, then the line all of the shouting's about with the Prefix. Personally, I hate that - it's as if the page can't decide where the primary functions are.
  • That's not even counting that above those, there are tabs - hopefully optional if you decide to go this way, because between the tabs and drop downs it felt to me like a dessert topping and a floor wax for web layout
    • We have the same functionality as those tabs already - maybe it's just the artwork and framework I'm not liking - but I don't know what is and isn't customizable, so...
  • Try the tabs - there are still subforums, they simply organize with prefixes after a certain point
• Confusing tools
  • Going from the example page - goto Forum Tools, next to Prefix choice, choose Parent - you've left and have to use browser navigation, not page navigation, to go back
  • Seems like an easy thing to get a newbie lost
• Default showing everything really shows nothing
  • How many newbies are going to mess with that prefix? Most newbies I've seen consider drop-downs advanced. Here the Forum Tools are advanced for a newbie - and they sit next to the Prefix tool we want beginners to savvy.

I'd go with a modified Option 1 - what we have now plus.

If we're trying to avoid dupes and the work of moving - the number one thing I'd lose is the "main" or "general" forum for each phone. Make what we have there a General Topic subforum, parallel to what we have now - All Things Root, Tips&Tricks, etc.

First post I made I made in general because I thought the subs were just too advanced - they must have been, because they required another click.

On each phone's main page, I'd duplicate each sub-forum's stickies and add an initial sticky called "How to find the sub-forum you want" - with contents being a brief description of each.

Then the sub-forums don't become intimidating to newbies because they become at the same level as the General one.

With luck - fewer dup threads started in General. My suspicion is that people see the subs with purpose, the existing General as an anything goes wild west - especially when there's threads that don't belong in General but haven't been moved yet. In that state, General looks chaotic, so people imitate what they see and continue the chaos.

And then allow no posts to main - all posts for each phone must go to a sub-forum - with all the subs visible at a glance, no hunting through a prefix pull-down.

In my opinion. And - I could be wrong on this stuff, I'm no expert.

As idiot-proof as Option 2 seems on the surface, I think we're encouraging the creation of a new kind of idiot we haven't identified first. And I'm liable to be the first of those.

 

[Frisco]

That's good stuff, EarlyMon. I like this observation, in particular:

"My suspicion is that people see the subs with purpose, the existing General as an anything goes wild west - especially when there's threads that don't belong in General but haven't been moved yet. In that state, General looks chaotic, so people imitate what they see and continue the chaos."

That, along with the "sub-forums require another click so they must be too advanced for my question" (paraphrased) practically defines the issues here.

The "option 4," a modified option 1, looks appealing, to me, although option 1 remains my first choice.

 

[LBPHeretic]

Option one definitely. I just got used to them being organized this way and I have come to like it.

My only caution is that sometimes important news that would normally get more exposure in the main Sprint HTC Hero forum gets moved to less noticed subforums. By important news, I mean things like major issues with maintenance release updates that Sprint HTC Hero users should be aware of before attempting to update their handsets.

 

[twospirits]

Very interesting discussion. I voted for option 2 but with an extra subforum. Not only should the Root subforum be kept but also the Accessories subforum as well. Merge the others into the main forum with the use of prefixes such as [Tip], [Support] or [Q], and general discussion gets no prefix but must still be chosen from the dropdown menu when creating a thread.

Why [Q] ??????

I never really understood the purpose of having a [Q] prefix in a general forum. When most if not all are questions.

As idiot-proof as Option 2 seems on the surface, I think we're encouraging the creation of a new kind of idiot we haven't identified first. And I'm liable to be the first of those.

LMAO, I think we have seen almost all the idiots we can so far. But then again nothing ceases to amaze me. A new breed of idiot is possible. lol (Also looking at myself in the mirror)

I like Woop's idea to a point and i love the analysis that Earl did. I still think Option # 2 is good providing that the member does chose the correct one. But I just know alot will not be picking the correct category and thus brings us back to our original problem of having to move/assign stuff to their correct prefix/section. When we first created the subforums, some members complained that it was an extra step (extra click) to get to their destination. Now we are forcing them to click once again for posting and I see the very same members crying foul.

Going back to Woops idea, I love stuff organized and feel that each section whether or not its heavily used should have the following sub sections...

GENERAL
SUPPORT
ROOT
TIPs-TRICKs
ACCESSORIES

Those are the ones we use now.

Numerous places throughout the web have different takes on this. One site does..

GENERAL
ROOT
ROMS
THEMES
HACKS

another does..

GENERAL
Q&A
DEVELOPMENT
ACCESSORIES
THEMES & WALLPAPER
APPS & GAMES

If we do away with subforums then it should be only three sections.

GENERAL (Includes Tips & Tricks, Support threads)
DEVELOPMENT (Includes Root, Roms Hacks)
ACCESSORIES (Includes Themes, Wallpapers, Apps and Games)

Within the Development section the following prefixes)...
ROOT
ROMS
HACKS

Within the Accessories section (the following prefixes)
THEMES
WALLPAPERS
APPS
GAMES

But again, i would prefer to keep the existing subforums we have, and add the capability of the prefixes.

TS out

 

[Roze]

But again, i would prefer to keep the existing subforums we have, and add the capability of the prefixes.

I think this would be the best option tbh. We know our current option doesn't work on lets say....60-70% of the forums with multiple subforums.

 

[Steven58]

Unfortunately, I voted for #1, when I'd rather vote for #2, now that I think about it.

I think #2 is more of a powerful organizational tool. I like the way you can see everything in front of you and if you want to get more detailed on a certain topic, just hit the pull-down menu.

I like the sub-topics. I've been wanting a theme/mod section for the X for awhile, in order to stay more on the cutting edge for eXtreme modders, like me and the others who live in the root section. (GrandMasterB, you hear me brother? )

Personally, I think #2 will make the forum easier to follow, once you get the hang of the layout. I think it makes navigating so easy that it is possible other forums will follow our lead.

I am not worried about posts being lost because all you have to do is hit the pull-down menu.

I would like to see us try #2. If it doesn't work? We can go back to #1? #3 is out of the question for reasons stated above. I think we all agree on that.

Thanks for listening.

Steven

 

[Member243850]

Hmm... I don't really know actually...

I have not voted yet because it's important to choose the most appropriate one for myself and as well as others... But I really like the way things are but on the other hand... it might be better to do option 1 but i don't know 100% yet so i think i will wait for now actually till later.

Hmm this reminds me... by the way can anyone make an Archos 32 Section for me by any chance? It's a seriously awesome device!

I would be very grateful!

Thanx in advance if it is possible

Regards

Stinks

 

[Frisco]

..can anyone make an Archos 32 Section for me by any chance? It's a seriously awesome device!

There is a general Archos area: Archos Tablets - Android Forums

 

[Member243850]

There is a general Archos area: Archos Tablets - Android Forums

Woopsy! I did not see this before

Thanx dude!

Regards

Stinks

 

[Phases]

Woopsy! I did not see this before

Thanx dude!

Regards

Stinks

Every so often I send a msg to the 'ol wife with a username I see that cracks me up. Yours was sent a couple months ago.

 

[Member243850]

Every so often I send a msg to the 'ol wife with a username I see that cracks me up. Yours was sent a couple months ago.

Hahahaa! lol

Thanx dude! That makes my Stinky self feel all Stinky inside

Hahaha lol... ja i was a bit of a Class Clown at school back in the day...my nick name was "The Joker"... never did that well though hehehe

Hmm I am still thinking which could be the best option... damn i am a bit clueless and can be a bit indecisive at times... damn i can't make up my mind! hahah lol

I don't know which 1 to choose... I personally like Number 1 and 2 hahah lol

 

[twospirits]

Unfortunately, I voted for #1, when I'd rather vote for #2, now that I think about it.

I updated the poll to reflect your change.

TS

 

[Frisco]

I updated the poll to reflect your change.

How many more votes for #1 will a fresh, unopened bottle of Hennessy get me? PM me your delivery info.

 

[Roze]

I want to know who picked #3!!!! lol