For some reason it won't let me access the suggestions page so this topic is going here. I sent a friend here the other night to do a bit of reading. He logged on as a guest I assume but anyway he brought a good point I noticed awhile back but didn't think much of it. The forum is messy and cluttered. Full of started threads overlapping existing threads that are talking about the same shit as 4 other threads.

Sure us regular users might be able to keep up but for someone that is just browsing the place is a messy desk. At one point we had over 6 ACE review threads all going at once. Is this necessary people? To start an entirely new thread just to get your review noticed? What is so wrong with placing a review in an EXISTING thread titled something similar. 14 separate "My impression of ACE" threads is retarded. It's very confusing to noobs and frankly is a bit lame.

So what if each member starts a new thread about each product they own? What then? We have buried each others reviews in favor of bumping an individuals particular review to the front of the line. Imagine how confusing and cluttered this would become. Well people its getting there. A good example of how it used to be was the AV thread. Look at it. Condensed. Got a AV review or something to talk about it? Write it there. Oh look.. when a guest or noob logs on and wants to learn about AV they can read as much as they choose in that giant thread. Alternatively, let's continue to break apart the reviews so each member can make their own thread with their own impression so we have 20 threads to choose from talking about the same friggin product.

Sure make a new thread about a new topic or observance. AV pitfalls, most horrible AV hits, best covers for AV. These are legit new threads and can be useful. However having 40 "My first run with AV" threads is just messy.

Here's a tip. Find a recent thread pertaining to what you want to discuss. Then here's another tip. Post in it. More than likely a current conversation is happening about a new thread you just started. Better yet, start a JOURNAL for your first impressions not start a whole new thread each time you get a new product. Think of it like a flowing conversation.. too many people talking over each other makes for quick and tiresome conversation.

I'm trying to streamline our discussions here a bit more and keep existing convos active rather than being buried in an avalanche of new redundant threads. Just join the conversation or bring up an old one. There is really no need to start a new conversation that basically just ends up reverting back or transferring over something that is being currently discussed. It's messy at best.

Suggestion only and ppl will do what they want. Just bringing up something that was noticed fully by a very intelligent person who told me he has decided not to join because its just too confusing and overwhelming with everyone talking at once. If this impression is given from one new user I could imagine that he isn't the only one. I think we can attract more members and be able to guide noobs a bit better than just telling them to read. That used to work but now its like read what 30 diff threads all talking about the same thing? Even I wouldn't have interest in that.

Suggestions welcome here as i am just thinking aloud and trying to bring a bit of order from the seemingly increasing chaos that is brewing.

I agree completely!

I usually do a search to see if there is another thread started before I start my own. For example, I noticed xs105 and xs106 being reviewed in a few journals but not in the review thread so I started a thread. Ascend has a review thread already so I just piggybacked onto that one.

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I agree and also am probably guilty as well. I will take this under advisement and post in existing threads unless I have totally new discussions.

Others should take notice and do this as well to keep the forum uncluttered.

Good post and great suggestion.

I agree, another thing is people starting threads like, just placed an order for product X, what is the point we are all happy you managed to figure out how to use the internet to order something but unless you are reporting on it we don't need too know people!!

Just wanted to give this a bump.

What about asking mark to create a newbie section? Maybe someone could volunteer to moderate the forum. All the "just got xyz", "cover scent" and "how do i use xyz" could be moved and similar threads could be merged.

I agree that there should be a newbie section. There is currently an incentive for newbies to post( if they want access to journals ), and since they can't start a journal, this will inevitably lead to new threads being created.

Yeah man these threads are becoming like status updates now

"Hey all thinking of buying product x"
"I just bought product x"
"Hi ppl I just received product x"
"Gonna wear product x tonight"
"My opinion of product x"
"what do I cover product x with?"
Etc etc.

I been noticing this a lot lately and we could really do without the clutter. Not to say any member's contribution isn't valid, just that we can be a bit more efficient in filing them together better.

Maybe a solution would be to limit where new members can post until a certain post or time frame has been reached. Allow them full access to read anything but mildly restrict posting power until a bit more seasoning has been rubbed on the ribs. It's a bit diff to have a convo going then having 16 excited noobs screaming what they bought recently in 16 threads.

Not sure how feasible this is concerning programming. I have no idea about that kind of stuff.

A discussion was had about this awhile back and I think the outcome was to try and steer and suggest more organization to the noobs and thread junkies. Journals however did get limited access which I'm pleased to say is working well.

Concerning redundant thread starting, We can rip on these posts all day long but the thread remains and we cant rely on everyone following suggestions. I'm sure a fair solution to this can be found without limiting too much of member rights but still discover a better way to organize things.

Maybe we will see what Mark thinks. I haven't thought over the pos or negs of all the angles of this yet.

I visit several different forums so I've seen different approaches.
On a mma forum, sometimes after a controversial fight everyone decides to start the same thread over and over.
Solution: All new threads get merged together.

On a bodybuilding forum they use two tools i think thus forum could use. Basic questions are moved to a beginners section. Certain sections require a specific number of post to allwallow access. one drawback is sometimes a member will just post 50 "cool", "awesome", "bump" responses just to get access.

A few more suggestions -

The forum could be a lot more newbie friendly.

1. There's a ton of unexplained jargon. What is the "fallout effect"? Where is this explained? Why do people keep referencing it? Why doesn't using the forum search feature give me a useful result? Would it be unjustified for a newbie to start a thread asking what it is? The fallout effect is just one example of this, there is plenty of other jargon that isn't really explained anywhere.

2. I think the forum would benefit from having a lot more pinned posts. There are a few in the new user introductions, which is a good start, but it isn't nearly enough. As a newbie, I have to jump all over the forum to get an idea of what any particular product does. Maybe it would be a good idea to have a pinned thread per product?

3. The wiki. I tried using it, but it's almost completely empty. Therefore, it's the last place I would look for information.

4. There's a conflict of interests. It's weird to have incentives for newbies to contribute, then complain when they actually do( with a thread ).

EDIT

5. The forum feels uncared for. Broken subforums, weird stuff like the "Satellite Cellphone Tracking Network" that doesn't need to be there. Threads aren't moved, for instance, there's a thread about glace in the single molecule forum, with someone complaining about the thread in the thread. Wouldn't it be easier to just move the thread?

If you use the search function and don't find it, or a thread about a like subject, make a thread. But we have pinned newbie threads which no one posts on.

The wiki is about molecules, which is all done by volunteers, which really means only one members.

I do like pinned product threads. Good idea.