backpackinglight.com artical

**tlbj6142** · 12-18-2009, 09:46

Originally Posted by Just Jeff

But BPL's forums are very difficult to use. I started a thread one time asking why they didn't use vBulletin style (like this one) and no one responded.

I did the same thing years ago. I got a response from Ryan, but nothing ever came of it. If they would just not let folks change subject lines, it would solve 80% of the issues. You know the members and the operators use other forums. And yet they still tolerate it, I don't get it. Its almost like they want to have a crappy board.

**KerMegan** · 12-18-2009, 10:08

then again- it is easy to tell when a thread wanders off topic...

**tlbj6142** · 12-18-2009, 10:29

Originally Posted by KerMegan

then again- it is easy to tell when a thread wanders off topic...

I guess, but it seems as though so many are compelled to change the subject when they reply it can get derailed after 1-2 posts. And what makes it worst, it seems as though many of the posters seem to think the subject/title line should contain as few words as possible. So, many read "Re: try this" and "Re: Re: try this" and "That did it".

Again, this would be fine it was 1996, but forum software has matured so much over the years and most all of them follow common behaviors. Yet their custom developed (it is custom software not off-the-shelf) doesn't follow these conventions.