Split Forum?

[paulct]

Can the moderator please consider splitting the forum into smaller, product specific subs. For example, I didn't know what the post "SP2" was all about, so I had to open it and read it to find out it was about TLCN2008, which I really had no interest in. Based on the subject, we can't tell if a post is about TLCN2010, TLCN2011 or some other version, so we have to read all of them to see if they are of interest to us, or not. Not enough time in the day to do all that. Please, consider smaller sub-forums.

[artmart]

I'm not sure splitting the forum (as you call it) will solve this problem. Many problems are similar no matter what the version. I'll agree that the SP2 post was confusing for me, too only because we have currently being discussing TLDCN 2011 issues and had to read the details to find out the original post was for TLDCN 2008. The topic should have included TLDCN2008 in the heading, but this is the posting fault, not the forum. SP2 was implemented for 2008 months ago and for some of us no longer relevant but for someone it was relevant.

Splitting the forum can create more problems and make things harder to find. Not only that, it never seems possible to create enough headings to cover all the possibilities so one ends up having to read everything to find anything anyway. The biggest problem is how split up do the splits become. When does the splitting stop? How much does it split before it becomes hard to find anything. How sub is a sub product?

We as users of the forum need to make the best of it with our topic subjects and the way we post.

When you look at this forum in relationship to Undertow Software, they have it split up by their product offerings and we are fortunate that it includes all the versions of Trailer Life offerings in one place.

[Ruby22]

I was also thinking they should split the forum, but now that I read Art's post, I have to agree with him. It would make things tougher to find and we'd probably still have to browse all subs, when looking for things.

Art is right, the best think we can do is make sure the subject line of our posts identifies what we are looking for as best as possible.

[Moderator]

Can the moderator please consider splitting the forum into smaller, product specific subs. For example, I didn't know what the post "SP2" was all about, so I had to open it and read it to find out it was about TLCN2008, which I really had no interest in. Based on the subject, we can't tell if a post is about TLCN2010, TLCN2011 or some other version, so we have to read all of them to see if they are of interest to us, or not. Not enough time in the day to do all that. Please, consider smaller sub-forums.

Paul, from a procedural/technical stand point, it's very easy for us to create additional sub-forms and move certain threads to them. However, as others have pointed out, be careful of what you wish It can indeed make it much tougher to find things and you may end up looking through all of them, since you still won't know if a posted placed their message in the correct forum.

For now, let's wait and see what other users think and it there is an overwhelming desire to break this down into smaller forums, we'll do that.

[mrhagen]

Don't split it. I thinks it's easier to find things this way.

[Alexguv]

I like it better with all messages in one section (unless they end up being 10s of thousands of topics. I frequent some other boards that have 100+ section (no exaggeration) and though the search works fine, I cringe any time I have to look for a specific subject

Leave it the way it is, please!

[artmart]

LOL alexguv.... I see you've been to some of the forums I frequent.

In the future if the topics become unwieldy and too numerous I sense a change is needed, but for now, us users can work on improving our Topic writing skills and just post a better heading description and that's all we'll need for now.... My favorite is still, "TLCDN 2011 doesn't work"... are you serious? Is that how you talk to your auto mechanic, your plumber, your handyman, your kids, your wife, did you eat paint chips as a kid? Wow, let's help each other out folks.

[Alexguv]

Yup, sure sounds like we've been to the same places

As for the "TLDCN2011 does NOT work" subject line, there are a couple of such posters on every forum, aren't there? They have the "I'm gonna show you software company..." attitude and they post some silly message like that and then disappear. They have NO idea about the concept of forums, community, etc. They feel they somehow are teaching the company a lesson whereas all they do is waste forum bandwidth that is of no help to anyone

Oh well it takes all kinds.

[Kevin_T]

I'd have to agree with everyone else here, both on keeping the forum section as "one" and with the post about "TLDCN2011 Doesn't Work".

My rule of thumb is, if there are less that 1000, or so subjects (not individual message), just leave it alone. I can search for a specific issue, if I want to, or I can quickly scan the subjects, or I can even use Ctl-F to use by browser for a quick search (to that effect, moderator, the # of subjects per page could be made larger - I don't mind 50 or even 100 subjects per page and it makes my Ctl-F search easier <smile>).

As for the types of subjects and posts some people make, as someone else mentioned in this thread, I can understand they are trying to "teach the company a lesson", by posting like that, but it only shows that they are very angry people. People like that spend their whole lives being miserable, an there is nothing anyone can do or say to change that I most of the time just ignore them.

[Moderator]

I'd have to agree with everyone else here, both on keeping the forum section as "one" and with the post about "TLDCN2011 Doesn't Work".

My rule of thumb is, if there are less that 1000, or so subjects (not individual message), just leave it alone. I can search for a specific issue, if I want to, or I can quickly scan the subjects, or I can even use Ctl-F to use by browser for a quick search (to that effect, moderator, the # of subjects per page could be made larger - I don't mind 50 or even 100 subjects per page and it makes my Ctl-F search easier <smile>).

Easy change Just changed the # of subjects per page and # of messages per page to 50. Hope this makes it easier for everyone. If we need to change it back to a smaller number, just let me know.