Should cpaptalk Be Divided Into Categories or Subsections?

neversleeps wrote: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.

.... I appreciate your call for opinions. It is indicitive of a forward-thinking management, and it is absolutely wonderful to be asked and heard.

(emphasis added)

Neversleeps said it quite well, and I agree.

If it aint broke, don't fix it!

Andy

I also voted no. I enjoy that everything is on one forum. Like everyone else has said when you compartmentalize so much you have people posting on other sections that you never have even seen or heard from. I like the familiarity of doing it in one section.

Hey Johnny, can I get another 22 votes? Need to vote yes a few more times

I'm not quibbling (is that really a word?) as I really do like the way the forum unfolds. BUT, I wish there was a mechanism to direct posters to recent and not so recent threads relating to their particular interest.

It just seems to me that some really great posts are lost because it takes too much time to search or scroll through the pages to find them. If people could readily find a string of threads that they can quickly access, their needs would be better met.

Here's a subject of another poll. When was the last time you checked the threads on page 60. or 72, or 12? Also - how often to you use the search feature, and does it really meet your needs or do you find it too cumbersome?

My theory is to have new posters post on existing threads of the same topic, or new ones if they desire. The outcome may be fewer topics but longer threads. Not sure if this is better or not but it may keep a history of meaningful posts within closer reach, particularly for newcomers.

Just to emphasize that last point when do you think any newbie or in fact any of us had a look at SWS or Liam's posts? Yeah. I miss them too and think their particular insight would help anyone visiting this forum. But they are gone.

Just to ramble on ( not much longer though - my water pill is killing me), I also have a special agenda. Being a Canadian from Ontario there are unique questions that apply to newbies here and I suspect other geographical areas of the world. Some kind of focus on these circumstances are really needed.

So, Johnny, by the time this post is submitted I'll really need 31 more votes.

Love this forum no matter what!

Bob F

P. S. - It is a word but I spelt it rong. Had an eye between the bee & ell!

I just wanted to say that if there is a topic that I'm interested in that I will look at the various long pages no matter how many of them there are. Also I do use the search feature when I want to find something and I do find it useful most of the time. Maybe I'm rare and in the minority.

Howdy,

What I'm hearing is that people view cpaptalk as a balance between community and practical information. Both are valuable to members.

Right now, the layout favors community at the expense of an efficient and easily referenced archive of relevant information.

The problem will be solved when community members can easily link together multiple cpaptalk threads that address one topic. The CPAPopedia was intended to solve this problem but has not. Our next attempt will replace the CPAPopedia and include the ability to define keywords, define aliases to those keywords, and include threads related to those keywords. Another problem with the last one was that there was very little community involvement. Creating good, structured content is very difficult and we'll need your help!

We'll be launching several new cpaptalk features in the near future. We've got more features than we have space for them given the current header design. When we get together to think out the new header design, I will definitely factor in the considerations I've just addressed.

For the time being, the layout of cpaptalk will remain as it is, without categories.

wading thru the muck! wrote: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.

Please don't misunderstand me; I wouldn't want dozens of forums for exactly the reason you mention.

forumadmin wrote:Our next attempt will replace the CPAPopedia and include the ability to define keywords, define aliases to those keywords, and include threads related to those keywords. Another problem with the last one was that there was very little community involvement. Creating good, structured content is very difficult and we'll need your help!

Now that sounds like a very interesting design!

We'll be launching several new cpaptalk features in the near future. We've got more features than we have space for them given the current header design. When we get together to think out the new header design, I will definitely factor in the considerations I've just addressed.

I'm getting excited already, and I don't even know what you'll be doing.

For the time being, the layout of cpaptalk will remain as it is, without categories.

Sounds like a plan!

Perhaps a simpler name for the "cpapopedia" button, catchy as it is. Something that any newcomer would recognize...like "Definitions". Just a thought.

"Browse before you ask"?
"The best and basics - info and tips"?


O.

forumadmin wrote: The problem will be solved when community members can easily link together multiple cpaptalk threads that address one topic...Our next attempt will... include the ability to define keywords, define aliases to those keywords, and include threads related to those keywords.

I agree with a lot of the other posters that seperate catagories sound good in therory but in practice they end up segregating people. From my experience I tend to not post at new boards I might otherwise be active in if there are too many seperate subgroups because I don't know which one my post belongs under. Too many subgroups can also make a board feel clique-ish to new people too- I like the community feel we currently have and would hate to lose it.

Tagging/using keywords should make a big difference in the flow of the board and is a much better option then seperate categories. SInce tagging/key wording isn't ready yet what about having a sticky post that says something to the effect of "Read this before posting/asking a question or All the things new hoseheads need to know but are afraid to ask" that has some general info on how the board works, points out where the search button & CPAPopedia are, and has links to some of the common issues? Rested Gal has done a great job with complying list of links to past threads on various frequently discussed topics that would perfect for this.

Since I already posted my opinion in the originating thread, and it seems like I'm in a definite minority, I won't bore everyone by repeating myself.

I would like to indulge my 'geeky' curiousity by asking, does the following:

forumadmin wrote:<snip>
Our next attempt will replace the CPAPopedia and include the ability to define keywords, define aliases to those keywords, and include threads related to those keywords. Another problem with the last one was that there was very little community involvement. Creating good, structured content is very difficult and we'll need your help!
<snip>

mean you are planning to implement an xPAP-wiki or do you have something else in mind?

Keep up the great work!

Howdy,

I dig wiki's. cpap.com is in the wikipedia for CPAP:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPAP

However, I think that building a custom phpbb mod/app for this specific need will save time and be a better end product than literally installing a wiki and modding that.

So, all of that is a long winded way to say - it'll be like a wiki, but better because of the auto keywords, the FAQ involvement, and the ability to title documents in a sane way.

Johnny

I vote NO also.

I think you miss a lot going from one subject to another. I belong to a knee replacement group that has their forum divided on the left side of the screen. Its OK but I like the way this forum is set up better.

Good job, Johnny, keep up all your good work and effort in keeping this the great board it is.

Judy

I think there are a few specific areas that would be helpful if they were in separate sections. For example: software questions.

I've never seen a forum this busy that was only one section except for the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome forum and it's a total mess. If you don't get your question answered here in a day or two, chance of someone digging it up and answering it are pretty small. As this forum gets even busier, the problems from keeping everything in one section will be exacerbated.

But many people don't like change... especially when it comes to the way they use their computers.

Most importantly though, what makes this a great forum is not the number of sections, but the wonderful people who come here and participate.

Can I vote Yes twice? I live in FL so we're used to voting irregularities.

Well, Johhny would probably catch my IP address if I did.

SnoreNoMore2005

Well, here I am again and maybe singing a different tune. Had it all figured out in the shower this morning and should have posted then.

Starting to think the forum should not make it too easy for newcomers to access threads to resolve their queries. The reason for this is that if they can too quickly get the info they need we may never really hear from them. In addition, if a newbie posts their own particular issues and questions and gets personalized answers and a good welcome mat from others they will be more prone to return here for initial support and finally be able to return the favor to us all. The overall intention should be to attract posters so we can all learn from each other. This seems to be how the forum is presently operating and I am sure the majority will agree it ain't really broke. Yeppers, I am in that majority!

My real beef is that some important threads and individual posts are lost in the shuffle. Maybe this is good because we can always reinvent the wheel at any time but I think a historical perspective will be lost. A really good example of this are the threads on " How fat are you" and "What other ailments do you have". Posters really divulged personal info which I think helped many. My own soapbox was regarding specifically Canadian issues and I think those from other countries also have their own unique issues.

So here's my latest- but stay tuned while I change my mind in a week or so.

- Keep the threads as they are.

- Have a one pager with links to popular threads and forum adm selected
informative posts ie Canadian issues.

- Have a one page introduction that all unregistered guests will get every
time they access the forum. This will be a welcome, how the forum works,
special features (search) etc., and an invitation to register and make an
immediate post on any concern with a promise they will get a response.

I want to make it easy for newbies to get involved but would also like to keep some links to the past.

Bob F

P.S. - Has anybody read CPAP for Dummies?