Should cpaptalk Be Divided Into Categories or Subsections?

Howdy,

Prompted by recent community discussion, past discussion and my father coming into my office more than once saying "hey, my posts fly by too fast and I keep losing them - create sections", I'm going to ask for the community opinion by vote.

I'm the forumadmin, but I'm also a daily cpaptalk user myself. I have strong opinions on this topic. I'll be voting and I'll be following up my own call for opinions by posting to this thread.

This is not intended to decide the issue but to shape it. I welcome all opinions.

Johnny

I agree that new posts can accumulate quickly, but as before, when cpaptalk did have several separate forums, posts can also get lost by being located in a forum that does not correspond to the topic of the post. One of the great an personable things about cpaptalk is that threads can have a life of their own, sometimes morphing into a topic much different than they started. The lack of forum categories avoids the possibility of concealing the contents of the threads contained within.

I agree with Wader. I voted "No", for the same reasons he mentioned.

True, this message board is so active it can be difficult to keep up. I rely a lot on the little green "unread" mark in front of topics that have a new post in them since my last visit.

Category divisions always sound like a great idea "on paper". But I think it works better the way you already have it, Johnny - with everything people want to ask being covered in one busy forum.

I agree withe Rested Gal and Wader - we will loose much more from sections than we will gain from them.
O.

I am not one of the most freguent users or contributors and if RG, Wader and Ozij think that it is not a good idea then it may not be.

I am on another forum (valvereplacement.com) where topics are divided, with one general one. I find it very easy to navigate. I do, however, find that I don't necessarily read all of the posts in all of the topics....So, I guess it is a trade off in a way.

But, with trepidation I am voting yes, based on my experience with VR. com!

I would prefer NOT to have it divided into forums. If it's a topic that doesn't look like it interests me, I might completely skip it - and miss a lot of good information!

Rigby

While I appreciate your looking out for us, I vote NO.

Every board I've been on that splits loses so much. The family atmosphere is lost, and you lose the familiarity you have with all the other posters.

And, like others have said, threads tend to change direction, aid I'd miss so much if I only went to the forum I was interested in.

Sometimes it's necessary, if a board is VERY busy, but this board has no where near that kind of activity.

Having been in this forum for almost a year, I voted no too.Just let the topics flow and go where they may. I like to see one line up of topics and pick and choose.

I vote no. I don't like sections. Too much scattered info, too many places to look, too much to potentially miss, and the crossover topics would be completely overlooked.

That being said (you didn't think I'd really stop there, did you? ) I think it would behoove you to have a NEW TO THIS FORUM section that does NOT allow posts, but simply disseminates information addressing the most commonly asked newcomer questions. This could be done much in the same way as rested gal does when she responds to a question with a brief summary, and then refers the reader to a link or two (or three, or four ). It would alleviate a lot of congestion on the forum by answering many, many commonly asked questions in advance. The forum would be immediately more manageable with a lot fewer repetitive inquiries. I think with such a system in place, sections will remain unnecessary.

Another way to reduce the verbosity of the forum, is to address the issue of what has become a rather space-consuming trend in which posters have 12 lines containing their standard signature/equipment/miscellaneous comments on each and every post. How about a link on the bottom of everyone's post that says: My Equipment that one could click on if one were so inclined. This link would then bring one to the poster's profile so equipment could be viewed. This would drastically cut down on the length of each thread, with the end result being a much less cumbersome forum, post by post.

You have advised that this poll will not decide the issue, and the final decision will, of course, be made by you. But I would like to take this opportunity to tell you how very much I appreciate your call for opinions. It is indicitive of a forward-thinking management, and it is absolutely wonderful to be asked and heard.

I'm swimming against the stream. I voted 'YES'.

I've been using online forums since 1985 (that was one I wrote call QUICS -- it went live on April Fools Day ... no foolin' ). Every forum I've used for 20 years has had sections (by one name or another) and I find them useful to organize conversations, just as different folders in a filing cabinet are used to organize papers.

If I through all my pieces of paper onto one big pile in the corner I'd never find anything!

WAFlowers wrote:I'm swimming against the stream. I voted 'YES'.

I've been using online forums since 1985 (that was one I wrote call QUICS -- it went live on April Fools Day ... no foolin' ). Every forum I've used for 20 years has had sections (by one name or another) and I find them useful to organize conversations, just as different folders in a filing cabinet are used to organize papers.

If I through all my pieces of paper onto one big pile in the corner I'd never find anything!

Bill, Think of this forum as a cocktail party. With all the guests in one big area, everyone gets to meet everyone else. If everyone is grouped in twos or threes and put in separate rooms you may never get to exchange glances with that special person far across the room.

My point about the 12 extra lines on a post is well-demonstrated by WAFLowers' entry above. It contains 8 actual lines of content and the remaining 12 lines are the signature/equipment/misc. info, etc. I agree it is worthwhile on some occasions if the topic warrants it, to see the equipment someone is using. Johnny, is there a way to get to all that info (via his profile, perhaps) without it having to appear on each and every post?

Haven't voted yet but will vote yes.

Two reasons for this. Too many no votes so thought I would lend a little balance. But most of all because the way the poll question was asked, I do think there should be more compartmentalization ( is that really a word? Gonna find out when I do the spell check!!)

My concern is exactly what Johnny's dad finds frustrating as well as an avenue for new and old posters to get quick access to their issues. I like the way the current threads are displayed and really wouldn't want to change that. Also the search feature is good if you are aware of it and know what you are really looking for. So- drum roll please. Here is the solution to my pet peeve.

Ta dah!!! A new advertised page with links.

Being the frugal surfer I am, it can only be one page.

A compact page!

Probably small print.

Not with lines that go out to infinity of course. Well, maaybee a little longer.

Do you think spell check will get me? Nah - did I spell that rite?

My wife always gives me s--t cause am so long winded. Haven't told her I am on xPAP - it will explain everything! Thank God I don't have a 10 foot hose.

Aren't you?

So here it is! STOP!! Did I ever get that drum roll? Can't remember. It's been too long. Well, don't have to go to work early tomorrow, sooooo.

Second page as a quick reference guide showing about 100 previous topics with links to the threads. These could be broken down by issue ie masks, units, sleep study, insurance, humidification, software, humour, general, first night/week experience, and finally , popular threads.

These are ten topics and if you had ten threads under each, all on just one page it might focus posters to their area of interest as well as help newbies and oldbies follow threads that interest them.

Of course this would take a lot of work not just to set up but to keep it up to date and current. Guess what!! A small group of avid posters would readily agree to volunteer their time and make this a reality.

So anyway I'm going to vote yes. Here goes!

Bob F

PS - It doesn't seem to be a word. Thought it might be.

It's a word.

com·part·men·tal·ize Pronunciation Key (kmpärt-mntl-z, km-pärt-)

tr.v. com·part·men·tal·ized, com·part·men·tal·iz·ing, com·part·men·tal·iz·es

To separate into distinct parts, categories, or compartments: “You learn... even the ability to compartmentalize ethics” (Ellen Goodman).

compart·mental·i·zation (--zshn) n.

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Damn spell checker!!! It's ruining my life !! I knew it was a word, just knew it! Was already starting to count my royalties for creating a new word.

Back to the drawing board.

Bob F

PS- nott going to do spel chequ ahn thiss post. Soe thair.