Forum Reorganization

[Sun Baked]

Arn,

We've been trying to do this for a bit, but it probably should be formalized into separate forums under Hardware, Software, and iPod/iTunes...

Hardware FAQs
Software FAQs
iPod FAQs

Not a forum when members can start new threads.

But someplace where helpful threads can get moved to by the mods, and still posted to by members.

Probably would beat having stickies all over the place.

 

[arn]

Arn,

We've been trying to do this for a bit, but it probably should be formalized into separate forums under Hardware, Software, and iPod/iTunes...

Hardware FAQs
Software FAQs
iPod FAQs

I like the idea... keeping good threads. lemme think about it.

arn

 

[Applespider]

Must confess that I liked the first version that didn't differentiate between hardware and software. Often part of the problem when people need help is not being able to differentiate between it being hardware/system issue.

Can there be 'virtual' forums so that the 'New to Mac' could be listed under both Hardware and Software? Newbies have even less chance of figuring out which their problem is related to.

I'd almost be tempted to put Mac Gaming, Mac Programming and Distributed Computing under Special Interests and move Mac OS and Mac Applications into what's currently Mac hardware.

 

[wdlove]

Thank you arn, happy to see that you included the general "Current Events."

Are you making any changes to the look of the MacRumors itself? How long do you expect that the change over will take?

 

[arn]

Thank you arn, happy to see that you included the general "Current Events."

Are you making any changes to the look of the MacRumors itself? How long do you expect that the change over will take?

I don't expect to make any drastic changes to the look of the site.

As for the New to Mac under Hardware section. Yeah... it would be better if it was a bit more software/hardware agnostic.


arn

 

[edesignuk]

Arn,

We've been trying to do this for a bit, but it probably should be formalized into separate forums under Hardware, Software, and iPod/iTunes...

Hardware FAQs
Software FAQs
iPod FAQs

Not a forum when members can start new threads.

But someplace where helpful threads can get moved to by the mods, and still posted to by members.

Probably would beat having stickies all over the place.

I really like this. Could be very useful, and as you say, better than stickies.

 

[mymemory]

I agree... do you think better to only have New to Mac and have software/hardware forums seperately?

arn

They are very close to each other in terms of content. For example, I have a friend who just got a Mac and he is a PC expert and the kind of questions about programming he is asking me would fall more in to the softweare/hardware forums.

It depends on your level of knowlege you have and it would be easy to jump from one to the other. But still... in one we would have silly questions and in the other one more complex ones I think.

Everything would depend on the volume of people using each section.

I would change the title from "New To Mac" to "Mac Newbees" is more catchy and probably will drive more attention to it.

 

[arn]

Must confess that I liked the first version that didn't differentiate between hardware and software. Often part of the problem when people need help is not being able to differentiate between it being hardware/system issue.

Can there be 'virtual' forums so that the 'New to Mac' could be listed under both Hardware and Software? Newbies have even less chance of figuring out which their problem is related to.

I'd almost be tempted to put Mac Gaming, Mac Programming and Distributed Computing under Special Interests and move Mac OS and Mac Applications into what's currently Mac hardware.

actually the more I think about it, I think it's ok.

I think people will go to it if they don't know if it's a hardware/software issue... while if they know it's a software issue, posting it in the appropriate software forum is fine.

arn

 

[MacDawg]

Looks great to me... and I trust your wisdom Arn

To Lacero's point about too many forums, you can expand and contract the ones that you don't want to see.

I love this place... just wish I could spend more time here.
Can't wait to experience the changes

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

I like the first posts ideas on organization. I think though that marketplace items should not be listed on the first page, unless under their own subheading.

 

[Duff-Man]

Duff-Man says...I generally like it - the idea of a "newbie" forum is great and will be a great addition to the forums - if we get a few really well written stickies for some of the basics sitting at the top of it we'll be all set. But yeah, at the moment having it sitting in "Hardware" is a bit confusing - many newbies will get confused and post a lot of duplicate threads in the other software forums (as they do now)...I am not sure exactly as to what is the best way to separate them out though without creating too many forums...ideally a section "New to Mac" with Hardware, OS, and Software sub-forums might be best but also might be overkill?? Regardless, I look forward to the changes and I hope we all take it easy on the admin/mods during ther break-in period....oh yeah!

 

[dotdotdot]

As long as Community Discussion, Picture Gallery, Web design stuff, and Mac Help and news stay I'm fine...

Until I get a Mac, I love using the Community Discussion...

---

Also, a suggestion is to add a forum specifically for Windows questions and heres why: No matter who it is, a person with a windows computer WILL eventually ask a question here. And the Mac/Apple Hardware, Software and General forums have been flooded by Windows questions...

 

[tech4all]

Also, a suggestion is to add a forum specifically for Windows questions and heres why: No matter who it is, a person with a windows computer WILL eventually ask a question here. And the Mac/Apple Hardware, Software and General forums have been flooded by Windows questions...

Well I do sorta agree with that, but not sure how it will fly in a Mac forum despite the reason.

Why do you say some forums have been "flooded" by Windows questions? I'll admit there are Windows-related topics that have been posted (myself included), but I wouldn't call it "flooded".

 

[dotdotdot]

Well I do sorta agree with that, but not sure how it will fly in a Mac forum despite the reason.

Why do you say some forums have been "flooded" by Windows questions? I'll admit there are Windows-related topics that have been posted (myself included), but I wouldn't call it "flooded".

Well, not really "flooded" as much as... well, yes they are flooded for a Mac site.

There is always questions for Windows from how to install iTunes on a Windows 98 computer, which is KIND of relevant, to how to change shell styles in XP to Microsoft ads to anything...

Sure, its a mac site, but face it: The Mac community is just too smart!

I think a Windows section would be good, of course it would not need to be called the Windows section, it could have a more harsh name...

 

[thomasp]

Is it possible to have a subforum under "Mac Software" for anything pre-OSX related. Eg, a place to request help for OS9 and Classic stuff?

There are still "some" of us out there who use OS9

 

[TEG]

I would like to suggest that somewhere in the fourms, we need a Television Forum, Relating to TV shows we like/hate, Mac Spotting in Shows, and TiVo. I think that it would greatly help move some of those discussions out of community discussions.

TEG

 

[Doctor Q]

I would like to suggest that somewhere in the fourms, we need a Television Forum, Relating to TV shows we like/hate, Mac Spotting in Shows, and TiVo. I think that it would greatly help move some of those discussions out of community discussions.

I think that's a little too specialized for a separate forum. Community Discussion has many threads about TV shows, and also about movies, cars, sports, and other reoccurring non-Mac subjects. I think the topics not related to computers are fine lumped together in Community Discussion.

 

[wdlove]

I think that the idea is to streamline and simplify.

Any idea when the change to the new format might occur? I would imagine that it will require shutting the forum down for that period of time.

 

[iGary]

Seems like a lot of repeats...

Most people post their pics in the picture gallery, and I see a design, artwork/photography forum in another place. Perhaps that can all go in Community.

Seems like some repeats with Apple discussions in two separate forums where they could be consolodated.

Prolly easier for you guys to keep track of things the fewer forums there are...

Just my .02

 

[Doctor Q]

Any idea when the change to the new format might occur?

How 'bout this coming Friday at, say, 6pm? There won't be much happening then.

I would imagine that it will require shutting the forum down for that period of time.

Actually, I expect that the forums can be reorganized "live", so we won't have to miss a minute of MacRumors forum activity, just as the new iPod Gear Products forum was added with no interruption.

 

[Doctor Q]

Most people post their pics in the picture gallery, and I see a design, artwork/photography forum in another place. Perhaps that can all go in Community.

Good point. The idea behind the "Design, Graphics, Photography" forum is to have a natural home for people involved in those particular professions/hobbies, since graphics professionals are common in the Mac world, whereas people post any old pictures, such as screenshots of their desktops or photos of their pets, in "Picture Gallery". Would it solve the problem if they were as follows?

Design and Graphics - design-oriented applications and techniques

Pictures - screenshots, photos, and photography

 

[wdlove]

How 'bout this coming Friday at, say, 6pm? There won't be much happening then.

Actually, I expect that the forums can be reorganized "live", so we won't have to miss a minute of MacRumors forum activity, just as the new iPod Gear Products forum was added with no interruption.

Thank you Doctor Q, that was my concern with possibly such a busy upcoming week. Don't think we will be wanting to miss one exciting minute.

 

[MacNut]

I would love to see sports and entertainment as a separate forum.

 

[iGary]

Good point. The idea behind the "Design, Graphics, Photography" forum is to have a natural home for people involved in those particular professions/hobbies, since graphics professionals are common in the Mac world, whereas people post any old pictures, such as screenshots of their desktops or photos of their pets, in "Picture Gallery". Would it solve the problem if they were as follows?

Design and Graphics - design-oriented applications and techniques

Pictures - screenshots, photos, and photography

Yep, that works - under Community, right?

 

[Doctor Q]

Yep, that works - under Community, right?

"Design and Graphics" would probably be under Special Interests, because it's a Mac-related topic, given how many graphics professionals use Macs. "Pictures" would more likely be under Community, since it's for pictures of all kinds. However, the final decisions on all of these suggestions are up to arn.