Forum categories

[mlines]

Glad to see the forum back.

I realise that in order to possibly retrieve old posts from the historic forum that categories need to be created to bring across old posts. However I would suggest that once this has been achieved that perhaps the current categories can be consolidated down a bit as there are currently lots and lots of categories that really duplicate each other and only serve to thin out posts and can make finding things difficult.

[Ianfs]

Lots of very good points and one's which we are already aware of. I didn't intend to launch the forum until it was complete, however when I said to Nick that my intention was to aim for last night, he got stuck in and burned out several keyboards constructing Forums whilst I was busy trying to format the thing. Colin had been occupied for the last 2 days and could only get to it last night but again said that he would leave it alone until it settled down.

The idea of the new forum is to have a sort of expansion to attract a wider audiance,consequently we have added to it extra categories.In doing so when headers are made with this Version they also contain the same information, which appear's to duplicate what is already there. Word got round and we got tired and all you wonderful people arrived so we stopped for a breather.

I'm going to look at the old forum this afternoon but I don't hold much hope because the database is broken and it is an old version so may not translate easily. Also as it has been hacked and there is reference to something nasty in the source code of the website, I would not want to bring it across to this forum.

It's a bit work in progress and I am grateful for any feedback.

[ColinR]

I think I agree with Martin, too many sections at the moment.

Time will tell and if any sections remain unused we can always cull them or merge them with others.

[NikTheGeek]

There are too many - or at least too many empty ones. Depends on if you want to try and cater for everything. There is the question like:

Should cruising grounds be on its own or under Sportsboats AND under Motorboats AND under Paddleboats etc as the passtimes are so different. Duplication if that's how it's done. But if it is somewhere else, does a dingy sailor care where a jetskier launches?

Same for engines. I think engines should be under Technical as you might have an outboard on any type of boat.

So as a starter for 10, what should the top level categories be?

Currently, they are:

Welcome
Boats
Sports & Recreation
Technical
Social
Members Only


You only need the "Boats" category (whatever its name) if you are to target more than Sportsboats. If you are just Sportsboats (and ribs and jetskis etc) then the watersports bit could be done without too as it would go under sportsboats.

Begin discussion...

[Nick]

Not launched yet. Time to get it right...

[shibbs]

I do admit that i agree, i think there are too many options (for my small mind anyway)..
Also, would it be possible to move the 'read new posts' to the top of the home page also like before?
Just my thoughts, great otherwise!

[Nick]

I do admit that i agree, i think there are too many options (for my small mind anyway)..
Also, would it be possible to move the 'read new posts' to the top of the home page also like before?
Just my thoughts, great otherwise!

There is an option to move various parts around. If we moved the Main Menu, User Menu that's currently at the bottom up to the top, it would fit, but probably at the expense of the image as I think it would be difficult to read text over a picture. But these things are for trying...