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New MacRumors Forums Thread Category Structure
- Thread starter celticpride678
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Thanks for all of your feedback.
We've already answered most questions in this thread and in our MacRumors Forum Reorganization announcement thread, but to catch up on some from earlier...
iPod and iTunes
The combined iPod and iTunes forum had been under the Apple Hardware category for years, and it was always a little odd having iTunes threads in the Apple Hardware section. That was fixed by our reorganization, which now matches what -Ryan- suggested.
The catch-all Mac Basics and Help forum also had a less-than-ideal home in the hardware category because it covers both hardware and software questions. It's now next to the Mac OS X section.
PowerPC Macs
We didn't remove any categories but we did decide to separate Intel and PPC Macs after observing the types of threads that users of PPC Macs create. Perhaps some users would rather see them stay with with their sibling Intel models in the Desktops and Notebooks groups, but most threads about PPC Macs are about specific models or features common to PPC models, e.g., Power Macs and PowerBooks. Conversely, relatively few threads apply to both Power Macs and Mac Pros or to both PowerBooks and MacBooks.
We thought it was worth keeping the oldest PPC threads in an active forum rather than archiving them because so many are still relevant. While we were setting up the separate PowerPC Macs forum and moving thousands of threads over to it, we changed the descriptions of the other hardware forums (the guidance you see in subtitles under the forum names) to explain where to post threads for PPC Macs. But it became apparent that many people don't bother reading the forum descriptions so some users looked only at the forum titles and concluded that we had no home for PPC threads. Lesson learned; we shouldn't rely solely on the forum descriptions. That's why we included details about where to post in the MacRumors Forum Reorganization announcement.
We did give a backseat to the oldest category of Macs -- those using Motorola 680x0 processors -- merging their threads into the Apple Collectors category. The line starts to blur between running and collecting stone-age Macs because collectors don't just admire them, they keep them up and running! Combining these two forums was one of the compromises we made to keep the number of forums somewhat more manageable.
Other comments
We know some people would rather see the Mac sections featured. It's a toss-up since there are many forum users for whom the computer is more important than the handheld gadgets, but many for whom it's the reverse. Apple has many customers who don't (or don't yet
) own Macs and they are among our users too.
Here's a tip. You can click the
icons on the right side of the forum home page to hide or show particular forum categories: News and Article Discussion, iPhone, iPod and iPad, etc. That's one way to "skip the boring stuff". The forum software will remember your setting.
The other category, which we ended up calling Apple Systems and Services, covers Apple's infrastructure: Mac OS X, servers and networking, MobileMe, Boot Camp, and programming for Mac OS or iPhone OS.
We've already answered most questions in this thread and in our MacRumors Forum Reorganization announcement thread, but to catch up on some from earlier...
iPod and iTunes
The combined iPod and iTunes forum had been under the Apple Hardware category for years, and it was always a little odd having iTunes threads in the Apple Hardware section. That was fixed by our reorganization, which now matches what -Ryan- suggested.
The catch-all Mac Basics and Help forum also had a less-than-ideal home in the hardware category because it covers both hardware and software questions. It's now next to the Mac OS X section.
PowerPC Macs
Well, there are still some people, like me, who have PPC machines, and would like to post about them. Where do I post about them now?..I think MR should make a dedicated PPC forum, and that's where people ask things about those machines only. I still use my various PPC based Macs, right now, I'm angrily pounding this message out on my Quad G5.
I agree and don't really understand why that category has been removed. How much trouble could it have really been keeping a couple places open for those machines? I know technology is all about the NEW NEW NEW but it's not like PPC is ancient history. I still use a powerbook nearly every day as a glorified netbook in conjunction with a Mac Pro for the heavy-lifting. Even sentiment aside, it seems a shame that the machine that lead me to find this forum no longer even has a category here. Show some love for your roots, MacRumors!
We didn't remove any categories but we did decide to separate Intel and PPC Macs after observing the types of threads that users of PPC Macs create. Perhaps some users would rather see them stay with with their sibling Intel models in the Desktops and Notebooks groups, but most threads about PPC Macs are about specific models or features common to PPC models, e.g., Power Macs and PowerBooks. Conversely, relatively few threads apply to both Power Macs and Mac Pros or to both PowerBooks and MacBooks.
We thought it was worth keeping the oldest PPC threads in an active forum rather than archiving them because so many are still relevant. While we were setting up the separate PowerPC Macs forum and moving thousands of threads over to it, we changed the descriptions of the other hardware forums (the guidance you see in subtitles under the forum names) to explain where to post threads for PPC Macs. But it became apparent that many people don't bother reading the forum descriptions so some users looked only at the forum titles and concluded that we had no home for PPC threads. Lesson learned; we shouldn't rely solely on the forum descriptions. That's why we included details about where to post in the MacRumors Forum Reorganization announcement.
We did give a backseat to the oldest category of Macs -- those using Motorola 680x0 processors -- merging their threads into the Apple Collectors category. The line starts to blur between running and collecting stone-age Macs because collectors don't just admire them, they keep them up and running! Combining these two forums was one of the compromises we made to keep the number of forums somewhat more manageable.
Other comments
can't we put apple hardware above iphone/ipad/itouch? (although maybe I'm just bitter because I don't own any of those products, yet they are always the first to come up
We know some people would rather see the Mac sections featured. It's a toss-up since there are many forum users for whom the computer is more important than the handheld gadgets, but many for whom it's the reverse. Apple has many customers who don't (or don't yet
) own Macs and they are among our users too.Here's a tip. You can click the
The Apple Applications category is for software written for Mac OS X or iPhone OS. It groups the forums in which software developers participate. It could have been called Apple Software but that would have sounded like it also covered Mac OS X itself.
The other category, which we ended up calling Apple Systems and Services, covers Apple's infrastructure: Mac OS X, servers and networking, MobileMe, Boot Camp, and programming for Mac OS or iPhone OS.
I can live with the forums the way they are now, but can the front page be trimmed down a bit, the right column is way to bloated. Is it possible to just make that a summary page and not list every forum. Even the left column could use a trim. How many clicks come from the front page links, would it just be better to get rid of the side columns all together?
All of these are possible, but you should post your suggestions in the New MacRumors Website Design? thread.
Unless I'm going mad the PowerPC Macs forum was not there when I made the comment. Whatever the case, I'm glad it's there.
Actually, while I quite like the new lay-out (even though it did take a bit of getting used to, and I didn't pick up on the threads detailing the changes until last night), my one quibble/gripe is with the merging of the music forum into the community affairs forum. While I love current affairs, - and always check out both the politics and current affairs sections, I liked the cosy and easy-going camaraderie of the old music forum.
Cheers
The forum wasn't there yet. Instead we had temporary subtitles on the other hardware forums saying they were for PPC Macs too. If we'd completed our transition more quickly it wouldn't have been an issue. Sorry to confuse you.Unless I'm going mad the PowerPC Macs forum was not there when I made the comment. Whatever the case, I'm glad it's there.
If you are going mad, however, it's more likely to be from driving on the wrong side of the street!
Before I knew about Forum Spy this is how I found threads to post in
I couldn't get to grip with the forum system.
Ah, okay. *phew*
I've actually had dreams where I mixed up the sides of the road I was supposed to be driving on and nearly crashed. At least I won't have these dreams with posting in the wrong forum.