OT - Forum Suggestion

[Catnapper]

I like the way this forum is. I was a newbie years ago, but the mixed bag approach did not bother me. I read everything carefully to learn anything and everything I could. You never know when some bit of info will come in handy later. While a newbie, I didn't always know what to ask. I certainly did not understand all that I read.

What I like best is that there is always something going on here, sometimes more interesting than other times. I am always surprised to read some of the opinions here that are so different than mine and so passionately expressed.

Please don't change it.

Catnapper - Joanie

[jnk]

. . . the grandiose and the irrelevant. . . .

My doc and I wish I wasn't so grandiose.

But maybe my saying that is irrelevant.



jeff

[Hoze-Zay]

Yep

[SeaPappy]

An open forum such as this gives everyone personalized responses to their unique problems. Wouldn't you prefer someone answer your question directly, and not have to decipher how similar your problem is to someone else's and adapt a generic response to your specific problem. You must remember there are a multitude of machine/mask/pressure/user combinations, each with it's own intricacies. There are some in here with a broad knowledge base who can answer almost anything, but there are also others (like me), who have been on the hose for a long time and only answer questions that echo their experience.
The format of this forum flawlessly fits it's fantastically flamboyant fan-base

[jdm2857]

I've seen forums organized in a different manner that had benefits. There was the general forum, which was the default, so all of the newbie questions and general interest questions wound up there.

Then there was an advanced topics fourm, for threads like the one currently discussing variable breathing and the details of Respironics data collection. The separate forum keeps newbies from being overwhelmed by the more esoteric topics, although anyone could read or post to that . Occasionally, a moderator might move a thread from the general to the advanced forum to spare the newbies, but would always leave a link from the original thread to the new location.

Finally and OT forum, to keep all of the amusing but not topic related threads in one place.

Just a suggestion. I won't be offended when you blast me to smithereens.

[DreamStalker]

I've seen forums organized in a different manner that had benefits. There was the general forum, which was the default, so all of the newbie questions and general interest questions wound up there.

Then there was an advanced topics fourm, for threads like the one currently discussing variable breathing and the details of Respironics data collection. The separate forum keeps newbies from being overwhelmed by the more esoteric topics, although anyone could read or post to that . Occasionally, a moderator might move a thread from the general to the advanced forum to spare the newbies, but would always leave a link from the original thread to the new location.

Finally and OT forum, to keep all of the amusing but not topic related threads in one place.

Just a suggestion. I won't be offended when you blast me to smithereens.

[goose]

I saw this and said "Oh my Gawd, Not again".......

If you need to find something, search for it - if you can't figure it out, you really don't need the info that badly (finding stuff is tooooooo easy).

As has been said before, if it's segregated some very important information will be missed because you didn't go to that particular "subject". If you're a newbie, go to the "New Users" and "Our Wisdom" section - they're a great place to start.....If this had been a forum with separate "subjects", personally, I'd have been gone a long time ago!!!!!

It ain't broke.
I wish people would just stop trying to fix it.......

cheers
goose

[ldylarke]

Your search results are only as good as your search terms. If you don't know what you are looking for you can't really expect to find it, can you? You'll have to sift the posts anyway.

Granted forum search queries are NOT always search engine friendly. Some forum software is more antiquated than others. Sometimes a simple forum software update will improve search functionality. But it does depend on how search engine friendly the software is - AND what search terms you use.

On a forum with a lot of active members, the search results are going to be a confusing mash no matter how you structure the site. With SO many posts to sift through, how can you expect it to be any different. Unless you use specific search queries. Even then what you get as a search result may not be what you are looking for, so you have to sift the posts. Such is life - it's like that on every forum.

Unfortunately, no matter how structured a forum is - people will be people (as was already stated). What seems obvious to one person won't seem so to another. Posts can and will be misplaced, mis-titled and hijacked no matter what forum you go to.

I have installed, maintained and managed many, many forums in the last 10 years. Yep, 10. I helped admin a forum of over 300,000 active members (go see invisionize.com, it still exists). And let me tell you, I've seen it all when it comes to forums.

My experience tells me that the MORE you structure a message board, the more you enforce "rules", the more you kill the forum. NO one wants to be part of a forum that quashes everything because it doesn't conform to "rules". There is one exception here and that's a buy/sell forum I belong to and do business on a daily basis. The rules there are so anal and so strict that you can get banned for simply bumping a post. And a ban means no more business for you. They monitor IP addresses and autoban new accounts with the same IPs as another member. In fact, you get banned for having 2 accounts at all.

I am a professional SEO - I rank websites on the search engines for a living. Using forums on a daily basis is part of my job.

This forum software isn't bad at all. Looks to be the latest version. Phpbb is one of the most commonly used forum softwares out there. It installs automatically with CPanel (a hosting feature many hosting companies use) and it's free with free support. Consequently it is rather well supported with so many users contributing to this software's community site.

And, frankly, as this forum seems so friendly and eager to help folks - if you can't find the answer ask for help. Make a post "I can't find.." and perhaps someone will help you out or help you learn how to form a search query that will find what you are looking for. Believe me, I've been on many an unfriendly forum that will only quote "Use search" to find your answers. Be greatful.

Edit: and oh yeah, phpbb has a lousy forum category structure lol. Creating new forums under categories, specifically sub-categories is a royal pain in the ass. I recently installed a new phpbb forum and switched to SMF instead. Though phpbb is more supported, offers more features and forum "mods" than SMF at least SMF lets you install mods with a click in the back end instead of manually making edits like phpbb. So there ya go.

[rested gal]

I have installed, maintained and managed many, many forums in the last 10 years. Yep, 10. I helped admin a forum of over 300,000 active members (go see invisionize.com, it still exists). And let me tell you, I've seen it all when it comes to forums.

Out of curiosity, I went there...to invisionize.com.

Wow! You were a busy lady, Larke.

And you still are!

I am a professional SEO - I rank websites on the search engines for a living. Using forums on a daily basis is part of my job.

Cool.

Edited to correct my misspelling of invisionize.

[alnhwrd]

Isn't "phpbb!" what you say when someone tries to change the forum?

[goose]

Great post ldylarke!!!!!!! Thanks for the info and insight.

Anymore, searching is so easy, it's nearly a no-brainer. If you put in the words, or phrase, or information you "really" want, you'll get a million or so responses to weed through!!! Someone suggested using the "Site:....." parameter in the search and that is excellent!!
If you can't find the information you are looking for, you really don't know what you're looking for!!!!!

Hey - Roberto.....you were in the neighborhood (SF trip)......coulda, shoulda, woulda........

Take care
cheers
goose

[DreamStalker]

Hey - Roberto.....you were in the neighborhood (SF trip)......coulda, shoulda, woulda........

Take care
cheers
goose

Yea .... I know. It was a spur of the moment thing so there was no planning. I probably passed by a whole lotta hose heads along my trip. Coulda, shoulda, woulda been nice though.

Take good care yourself and hope those fires stay away from you.

[goose]

Yea .... I know. It was a spur of the moment thing so there was no planning. I probably passed by a whole lotta hose heads along my trip. Coulda, shoulda, woulda been nice though.

Take good care yourself and hope those fires stay away from you.

Yeah -- for sure!!!
So far so good -- knock wood!!!! Still a long way to go......
cheers
goose

[Froro]

Hi all. I'll pipe in as a newb (ieish).

I had no problems with the forum format. I kind of liked the organic nature of it. I found the collected wisdom very quickly. This forum was so welcoming and before i posted I saw how helpful everyone was to other newbies. I had zero problems posting questions for clarification even after I had found related threads.

I've been on forums for more than 12 years (my first foray into a message board was to ask if anyone knew how to remove permanent blue marker from my 2 year olds body...he painted himself into a smurf). I got an answer !!! With my old 28.8modem and that massive 100mb hard drive.

Anyhow. While some forums work alright divided and catagorized for informational purposes, the organic nature of this forum (and others I am a part of) lends itself more to a community feeling vs straight info. If I wanted straight info there are plenty of places to find that all neatly packaged up. I've seen some other cpap boards (here and overseas) catagorized and yes, newbies get their virtual hands slapped for posting a question in the wrong spot and their question never gets answered. They get a "hit the search" key response. How helpful and welcoming is that (especially for many who are still new to message boards).

I like it here. No one will delete your posts for having the audacity to suggest you want to be in control of your treatment and learn.

[rested gal]

I love OldLincoln's comment!

When I had a job and time was limited, and I was kinda new to CPAP, I also suggested categories. Since the economy bit my company and I've been sitting on the beach for a year, I see the value in the kitchen table kind of forum structure. I suspect a lot of members have excess time, or simply take it, to lounge about here. I find I have a few posters I like to read a lot, browse about half the topics, and pick up more of the family aspect of the forum - whose doing what.

So it grows on you if you can set a Type A personality aside and enjoy the ride. I hope you decide to stick around at least until you can experience the family aspect.

Right now it's a bit complex to follow threads or to quickly find info via Search when threads are all over the place in topics and time.

If this has been thought of before and discounted for some good reason, my aplogies.

My reply then is what I'd still say now: No need to apologize, Mtnviewer. That's a perfectly reasonable suggestion.

Quite a few people would like categories. Quite a few wouldn't.

It never hurts to ask. I kind of like the forum as it is, but then I'm pretty used to it. I can well understand how it is for people who have recently come here and are trying to find something specific.

There've been some good pro/con discussions about "categories":

Any value in Creating New Forum Subjects?
Feb 2009 - topic started by Mtnviewer
viewtopic/t39122/viewtopic.php?p=342140#p342140

Board suggestions
Feb 2009 - topic started by 40 Winks
viewtopic.php?p=340618#p340618

Please Rethink The Big Pot Design
Sept 2008 - topic started by OldLincoln
viewtopic.php?p=296770#p296770

Do you think adding some forums to separate content would make this site more user friendly?
May 2007 - topic started by SleepFitness
viewtopic.php?p=169484#p169484

Any chance of sub-forums being added?
May 2006 - topic started by tom2112
viewtopic.php?p=80429#p80429

Topic started by forumadmin -- Should cpaptalk Be Divided Into Categories or Subsections?
Aug 2005
viewtopic/t4149/viewtopic.php?p=33395#p33395


This next thing isn't about categories, but might help:

A suggestion about doing searches (thanks to blarg and CollegeGirl) -- if the Advanced Search button at top of the forum's main page doesn't find what a person is looking for, or comes up with such a mish mash of things that it aren't useful, another way to search this board is to do a Google search.

In the Google search box, type what you want to look for, written as in the examples below. Be sure to include the words that are run together (and the colon) in that final emphasized phrase:

oral mask site:cpaptalk.com

Cflex A-flex EPR difference site:cpaptalk.com

DME definition site:cpaptalk.com