The Future of BladeForums.com: Your input requested.

Categories and subcategories is probably the way to go. I think this has come out already, but to make it more clear, I think the category/subcategory stuff works best when the front page is a graphical site map rather than just a text listing of categories. Maybe category icons are spread horizontally across the page, with subcategory icons dropping downwards vertically as far as they need to go. I don't believe that anything like this is supported in UBB currently, but a good graphical site map really is the way to start, I think.

Joe
 
Ok, some clarification is due on our parts, my mistake in writing the post before going to sleep.

1. Page Layout. I did a poor job explaining this, and here's some more information. When you go to the initial screen, you'll see the main categories. When you click on the link of one of the main categories, you'll be taken to a page showing only the forums for that category. We're working on making sure that you'll be able to see the other categories as well, no matter where you are. Part of the problem with further subdivision is that people can forget or not even know that the other forums are there, effectively killing off that traffic.

2. We're going to try our hardest to prevent over specializaton. But, this method would be a great way for us to be able to add as many manufacturer forums as we wanted, and we'd be able to add a few forums that are currently missing. It's risk, like previously mentioned, would be a loss of traffic to forums who survive just by having people notice them. It's a double edged sword.

If we had a way to keep one or two categories open, and turn the others into links, we'd probably do so, but that's not an option.

This can be done on a trial basis as well, and we can see what happens, since we're not going to go hog wild with adding forums...

Spark

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Kevin Jon Schlossberg
SysOp and Administrator for BladeForums.com

Insert witty quip here
 
I think you might as well give it a shot. You guys have done a great job with the forums so far and I have every confidence that you`ll continue to do what`s best for it in the future. If you think it`s a good idea go for it. Marcus
 
This seems like an eminently sensible idea IMO.

I feel the current front page is way too crowded. The fact that I have to scroll down at all on this page is something I could really do without, and your suggestion would solve this small but persistent annoyance. I could then bookmark each forum group seperately and go straight there. Do it now!
 
I am a bit of a tailender, here.....one of the disadvantages of timezones. You blokes are all having fun while I sleep.
But I think anything that will give me more knife stuff is great. With the horrible exchange rate, I have had to rationalize my knife magazine intake so the forums (more than) fill the void
smile.gif

Go for it.



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Brian W E
ICQ #21525343
Money : spend it before it's all gone

 
The separation into catagories idea is a good idea. I imagine that a lot of the members, like myself, do not even try to cover all of the topicseither because the subject matter does not interest them or they simply do not have the time to do so.
Breaking the forums down into groups will not affect me except to reduce unnecessary scrolling time.

Count me for the change.


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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 
Like the idea of catagories, but at all costs keep the general forum predominate

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Life is a journey, not a guided tour -- GO ARMED!
-->BLADE


 
Spark,

I think your ideas are sound and should be put into effect asap. We are seeing several forums going elsewhere. Thus I feel action should be taken now. I personally would rather go to one site for all the forums I am interested in.

Regards,

Tom Carey
 
The sub-catagory idea is sound. Take on as much as you think you can handle. Let us know how we can help.

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~James


 
Spark

I don't know how you keep up with the hats you wear, much less what to do when you have one of them on.

I went back and re-read the first post and the rest of the thread. Sound like a good idea, as long as if it fubar's you can undo it.

Dwight
 
I think I have the idea which will end this and make this forum really rock. I need to talk to Spark to see if it will work in the CGI (Pearl Script) world this forum works in. If so look for it to be up and running real soon.

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!
www.wowinc.com

 
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