New forum suggestion

For all your general chit chat, caching or not.

Separate on-topic and off-topic forum sections?

Yes
25
56%
No
15
33%
I have another suggestion
5
11%
 
Total votes: 45

Mind Socket
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New forum suggestion

Post by Mind Socket » 10 February 05 1:50 pm

A number of forums have a separate area for offtopic threads, anything and everything goes sort of thing.

I'd like to propose for this forum that General Chit-Chat remain for this purpose, and that a new area be created for Geocaching specifc Chit-Chat and any existing on-topic threads be moved into it.

What say you, the people?

- Rog

ian-and-penny
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Post by ian-and-penny » 10 February 05 2:14 pm

If it's not broken . . . .

Geof
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Post by Geof » 10 February 05 2:46 pm

Have to admit we regularly go way of topic in threads :oops: :roll: . I have come into some threads and found them interesting even though they have moved from their original issue.

I think all stickys should include a link to were they came from. This could allow "mods" to cut without killing continuity.

We could end up like the secondary site :twisted:


My 2cents

Mix
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Post by Mix » 10 February 05 2:51 pm

Either way, I do post off-topic quite a bit and if it helps others sort out their lives I am happy to confine it to an off-topic forum. I read all the forums anyway. This has never been an issue as the GCA forums have always moved so slowly. Now however it is getting a bit more crowded and so moving fasted. I donÂ’t think itÂ’s absolutely needed yet, but it will be sometime so go ahead and start it now.

Gunn Parker
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Post by Gunn Parker » 10 February 05 3:23 pm

ian-and-penny wrote:If it's not broken . . . .

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caughtatwork
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Post by caughtatwork » 10 February 05 3:50 pm

Hmmm. Smacks of the US Nazi approach.
Mod doesn't like that subject so shunts it away, or closes it as being 'off topic', even if only slightly off.
I like our open friendly approach where a hijack can occur and no-one gets snarky.

Mind Socket
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Post by Mind Socket » 10 February 05 5:08 pm

I'm not suggesting closing any threads by any stretch of the imagination, nor moving them if they stray offtopic. As you know, all the mods here take a hands off approach. I just think it's useful sometimes to be able to read the forums quickly without going into every thread that might or might not be relevant to geocaching. I stick to Chit-Chat and NSW only if I'm in a rush.

I know that many threads stray off-topic, and that's ok, I just thought it might be good for those links to funnies etc that are clearly not geocaching related from the outset.

Oh well, let's see how the discussion/voting pans out.

- R

rhinogeo
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Post by rhinogeo » 10 February 05 7:20 pm

ian-and-penny wrote:If it's not broken . . . .
<br><br>exactly

Geof
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Post by Geof » 10 February 05 9:17 pm

I just think it's useful sometimes to be able to read the forums quickly without going into every thread that might or might not be relevant to geocaching.
I'v found good* information in threads were the heading has little to do with the good* information I gain as the topic has changed from the uninteresting* heading.

That could be one case for turning the thread into a new topic when it changes. But be sure to leave a link to were it came from.
If it's not broken . . . .
.......there will come a day when it is but till then keep it as it is maybe.
*to me that is

dak's Emu Mob
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Post by dak's Emu Mob » 10 February 05 9:51 pm

G'day,
<p>
I agree with you Rog. I would welcome a new Chit Chat area that was for Geocaching only.
<p>
The current Chit Chat area allows just about anything to be discussed. Sobeit, but I would still like to have a Chit Chat area that is for geocaching-related material only. Bring it on!
<p>
As regards the comment "if it ain't broke": in my opinion, from the point of view of geocaching, it is 'broke'.
<p>
Cheers,
<p>
dak

Mix
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Post by Mix » 10 February 05 10:03 pm

How about this, from now of I am going to put this :mrgreen: before the title of any threads I start that are way off-topic and at least that way if your busy at least you can ignore my off-topic threads.

Geof
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Post by Geof » 11 February 05 9:04 am

:idea: Just had an idea this morning.

Could there be an option that the thread starter can select that:

a: lets the thread run for say 2 weeks then deletes it. or

b: lets the thread run until it gets no posts for 2 weeks then dumps it. or

c: none of the above as some threads should stay.

Type a&b threads should be clearly identified to the posters so they know it will go.

We seem to get many posts on the same thing from time to time. I have tryed the search function and often found it of little use but may be I don't know how to drive it. Could it support wildcards, "fffff hhhh yyyyy wwww", "rrrrr" "hhhhhh" type searches and so on thus cuting down on new threads on old topics. I tryed this type of search but it seems to come up with anything containing any of the words in any order.

Do we have a graph of server space used for the forum over say the last 12 months?

Mind Socket
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Post by Mind Socket » 11 February 05 9:10 am

I think my point is still being missed. As far as I know, there is no problem, nor am I implying one, with server space, discussions topics that have been covered before, searching the archives or threads surviving.

All I'm suggesting is 2 areas instead of 1, separating the geocaching chit-chat from the non-geocaching chit-chat. Nothing else would change. Deleting threads simply isn't an option as they are another kind of log/blog/memory/history that should be preserved.

- R

Geof
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Post by Geof » 11 February 05 9:20 am

Mind Socket:
I have another suggestion
Thats were the non yes or no comments are coming from :)

Mind Socket
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Post by Mind Socket » 11 February 05 10:08 am

Yes, I wasn't expecting people to suggest anything only remotely related to the specific question. Live and learn. :)

I suggest beer o' clock. There's a Canadian blonde bubbling away under my house. :roll:

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