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  1. #21
    silentorpheus's Avatar
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    While I can appreciate the desire to help organize, and to come up with creative solutions to a perceived problem, there are already forum tools at your disposal to tackle this issue, without creating more sub forums and more work.

    You can search within any given forum, in addition to the overall forum search. If people simply get in the habit of including the state that the hang is going to take place in in the title of the thread, i.e. "New Jersey - Overnight hang this weekend", then all that is needed is to do a search withing the trip planning forum that already exists, enter "new jersey' as your search parameters, and you'll get all the info you need. Granted, the search engine will throw out the search term "new" because it's either too short of too common, but you'll still get all the hits because of "Jersey". The most recent will be the hangs coming up or just passed.

    The only issue that will cause problems is if folks use state abbreviations. Then the search will automatically return a zero sum, due to the fact that it won't search for 2 character search parameters. So the only extra "work" required for anyone is to make sure they put "Massachusetts" instead of "MA" in their title, and so on. We simply have to take the extra second to type the full state name, and make sure it's spelled correctly.

    Again, no need to reinvent the wheel here. Just applying a little bit of consistency in naming, and using the forum tools that already exist. While I applaud folks desire to come up with fun thread titles in order to try and catch peoples attention, perhaps in the trip planning sub-forum it would be better to simplify, and just keep it simple. Then again, as long as we start the thread title with the state name, it doesn't matter what the rest of the title says. So you can do "West Virginia - Walkin' in a winter wonderland hang, December 2012" as your title, and it will still come up for those searching for hangs in West Virginia.

    Just a thought.

  2. #22
    Senior Member FLRider's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by XTrekker View Post
    Here is a map of the US divided into 5 Regions. This would be good because it only uses 5 Sub-Forums.



    Attachment 42694
    Which is great, as far as the US goes. But what about folks in the UK? Or Australia? Or Lithuania? Or Brazil? Or...

    How far do you break it down? I mean, I know that the majority of forum members live in the US, but there are quite a few in other countries (and continents!). Where do you put their threads, and how many subfora should you create for them?

    "How many are you willing to moderate?" is really the question.

    Not trying to detract from a good idea or say that you're unwilling to back it up with work. Just trying to point out some of the difficulties involved so that they can be addressed before they become a problem.
    "Just prepare what you can and enjoy the rest."
    --Floridahanger

  3. #23
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    The only issue that will cause problems is if folks use state abbreviations. Then the search will automatically return a zero sum, due to the fact that it won't search for 2 character search parameters. So the only extra "work" required for anyone is to make sure they put "Massachusetts" instead of "MA" in their title, and so on. We simply have to take the extra second to type the full state name, and make sure it's spelled correctly.
    The only problem with that is the most recent input from staff has been to suggest that the "simple solution" is to list upcoming trips thus:

    TX>>Lone Star Trail>>February 23-24

    If we are now to write out the entire state's name in order to make searching the site more effective we are reinventing the wheel anyway and perhaps might want to find a solution that works for everybody. The constant need to change the manner in which trips are listed so as to make them more prominent by title, or easier to find using a search is but another data point to consider whether keeping the present system or going to sub-fora listing by region is, in the end, going to be the easiest way to a system that works to the benefit of all.

    It is unfair to put the entire burden on the present mods. It is likewise unfair to put the entire burden on members, particularly new ones, and it is unfair to everyhone to constantly change the rules or conventions on how trips are to be listed.

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by FLRider View Post
    Which is great, as far as the US goes. But what about folks in the UK? Or Australia? Or Lithuania? Or Brazil? Or...

    How far do you break it down? I mean, I know that the majority of forum members live in the US, but there are quite a few in other countries (and continents!). Where do you put their threads, and how many subfora should you create for them?

    "How many are you willing to moderate?" is really the question.

    Not trying to detract from a good idea or say that you're unwilling to back it up with work. Just trying to point out some of the difficulties involved so that they can be addressed before they become a problem.
    I think that starting out with an "International" sub forum as a start is the easiest solution, and see how that works out. I can only recall seeing one or two trips outside CONUS being posted, but that might be the result of those posts being buried hours after being posted and dying as a result of a perceived lack of interest.

  5. #25
    Senior Member XTrekker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by silentorpheus View Post
    While I can appreciate the desire to help organize, and to come up with creative solutions to a perceived problem, there are already forum tools at your disposal to tackle this issue, without creating more sub forums and more work.

    You can search within any given forum, in addition to the overall forum search. If people simply get in the habit of including the state that the hang is going to take place in in the title of the thread, i.e. "New Jersey - Overnight hang this weekend", then all that is needed is to do a search withing the trip planning forum that already exists, enter "new jersey' as your search parameters, and you'll get all the info you need. Granted, the search engine will throw out the search term "new" because it's either too short of too common, but you'll still get all the hits because of "Jersey". The most recent will be the hangs coming up or just passed.

    The only issue that will cause problems is if folks use state abbreviations. Then the search will automatically return a zero sum, due to the fact that it won't search for 2 character search parameters. So the only extra "work" required for anyone is to make sure they put "Massachusetts" instead of "MA" in their title, and so on. We simply have to take the extra second to type the full state name, and make sure it's spelled correctly.

    Again, no need to reinvent the wheel here. Just applying a little bit of consistency in naming, and using the forum tools that already exist. While I applaud folks desire to come up with fun thread titles in order to try and catch peoples attention, perhaps in the trip planning sub-forum it would be better to simplify, and just keep it simple. Then again, as long as we start the thread title with the state name, it doesn't matter what the rest of the title says. So you can do "West Virginia - Walkin' in a winter wonderland hang, December 2012" as your title, and it will still come up for those searching for hangs in West Virginia.

    Just a thought.
    Yes there is all kinds of forum tools for trip planning. Problem is, like always, whether or not people are willing to use them. Most people like easy to use designs. Asking them to remember to spell out their state names will often be forgotten. As well as having people to go through the advanced search function.

    People like user-friendly. Plain and simple. Changing designs to encourage use of a feature just makes the site even more appealing. Having a more user friendly Trip Planning section just makes sense to me.

    Facebook caught onto this idea and look how popular it is now.
    Hey guys, I'm just offering alittle feedback and suggestions as to how I view this site. And it seems I'm not alone in this, since its been brought up in previous threads. But if this is something that will ruffle feathers then just ignore me. Its no biggie.

  6. #26
    Senior Member nryche's Avatar
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    XTrekker has a point. How many people come on to the forums and ask the same question asked many times before. I know I have. Its just people nature now days to take the easy path and NOT use the search function. I have missed hanging opportunities in the past because the only way to find the related post was to search for it.. To me it seams as if it was turned down for the minority not the majority.

    Don't get me wrong. I run and modded in forums before and know the amount of work involved. I give great credit to the owners and mods on this forum, but I think a regional section make sense. I don't even look in the Trip Planning section anymore cause of the amount of irrelevant information.

  7. #27
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    The issue, IMHO, is rendered moot until more than three people step forward to volunteer.

    Just as a suggestion, I would think that if 6 sub fora are contemplated (5 CONUS and 1 International) we would need a minimum of 12 volunteers.

  8. #28
    Senior Member XTrekker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sargevining View Post
    The issue, IMHO, is rendered moot until more than three people step forward to volunteer.

    Just as a suggestion, I would think that if 6 sub fora are contemplated (5 CONUS and 1 International) we would need a minimum of 12 volunteers.

    Isn't that alot of volunteers for just 5 maybe 6 Sub-forums? How many active moderators does the site currently have VS the amount of current Forums on the site. Honestly, wouldn't just 1 active member be more than enough to moderate 5 Sub-Forums?

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by XTrekker View Post
    Isn't that alot of volunteers for just 5 maybe 6 Sub-forums? How many active moderators does the site currently have VS the amount of current Forums on the site. Honestly, wouldn't just 1 active member be more than enough to moderate 5 Sub-Forums?
    A Moderator cannot Moderate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I would guess that a minimum of two would be required for each sub forum to cover vacations, date nights, and any number of occasions where one moderator would be unavailable.

    It perhaps could be done with less. Right now, I believe only three have stepped forward. I doubt that's enough. We really can't design any system until we know how many can help and how much each is able to do.

  10. #30
    Senior Member NCPatrick's Avatar
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    Although it seems as if the ideas here have been decided and are all ready to be acted on, in reality none of this has been decided. Just a friendly reminder. It is a good discussion though.


    "Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities."
    - Mark Twain
    “I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.”
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