Regarding the new forum changes *** MERGED ***

[peplaw06]

In all the time I've been here on CZ, I think I've click on the other zones maybe 3 or 4 times. I'm sure many people are just the same.

I've also tried my best to explain it to you.

I know you care. I'm not saying you don't.

Well I may be in the minority, but i spend quite a bit of time in the NFL Zone, Sports Zone, Off-Topic Zone, and Opinion Zone. Lotsa good stuff in there, gives you a break from all the angst going on when the Boys lose.

Plus I like to keep track of where threads I've posted in have gone. It's a lot easier IMO, to search 5 forums than it is to search 50 pages of 25 threads in one forum.... which would happen if there was only one forum.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Tom Scholz was great but reports had him down as a jerk and almost divaish

He was a perfectionist.

 

[BigDFan5]

I use the buddy list. At most, it just puts a plus sign next to the member's name in the member list. And they show up in the User CP.
:

I am #1 in your buddy list aren't I

 

[BigDFan5]

He was a perfectionist.

which usually equals jerk and divaish :laugh2:

 

[Viper]

I went to Boston once. There I'm keepin in the theme.

667

 

[Cbz40]

I went to Boston once. There I'm keepin in the theme.

667

That was beautifully done Sir......

 

[WoodysGirl]

I am #1 in your buddy list aren't I

Uhmm sure... :

I went to Boston once. There I'm keepin in the theme.

667

Good job Viper. Create a new thread and I'll move it to the CDZ for a day. :

 

[BigDFan5]

ok Show of hands who loves Journey!

 

[Seven]

ok Show of hands who loves Journey!

Ahh, A Show Of Hands. Pretty decent Rush album..............

 

[Bleu Star]

Well I may be in the minority, but i spend quite a bit of time in the NFL Zone, Sports Zone, Off-Topic Zone, and Opinion Zone. Lotsa good stuff in there, gives you a break from all the angst going on when the Boys lose.

Plus I like to keep track of where threads I've posted in have gone. It's a lot easier IMO, to search 5 forums than it is to search 50 pages of 25 threads in one forum.... which would happen if there was only one forum.

I hear ya man. One thing I do is, when I have been away for awhile like gone to work to support my habit, the first thing I do when I check the site is to go to my user cp. I usually run though that to see what opinions of mine have been replied to and it allows me to quickly reply no matter where the thread ended up. I'm head over heels for the user cp.

 

[BigDFan5]

Ahh, A Show Of Hands. Pretty decent Rush album..............

when I stand up to fast I get a headrush

 

[goshan]

Mods, I am not trying to be difficult but I really believe this new forum concept does not work well for your user segments.

Not to get on a high horse, but my job is to help large companies design web sites specifically through helping them to understand the specific needs, biases and behaviors of the users that visit their web sites.

Based upon my understanding through reviewing this thread, it appears as though you have three specific types of users that visit the Zone:

1. NEW USERS -- Arriving via word of mouth or referral, they are interested in becoming Zoners. New users will go to the main forum - this is simply the way it works on Discussion Boards.

** Problem-Cowboys news and the best threads aren't there. Many won't use the Zone for long.

2. LIGHT USERS -- Once a day or every other day regular users -- probably less than an hour per day. These users come to see the latest news and facts, spending less than an hour on the site per day.

** The new forum concept works well for these users **

3. HEAVY USERS -- Users that visit the site multiple times per day and often spend hours on the site at a time. These users will and enjoy traversing though almost all the threads, exploring and deciding what to get involved in.

**The new forum structure is frustrating and inconvenient. These users want everything in one place ****

In Summary, you have done a good job of addressing user #2 at the expense of users #1 and #3.

SOLUTION:

The solution, if Vbulletin will support it, is to structure the forums around the user as follows:


Main Forum - All threads, including those in Daily News. Works well for user segment #1 (New User) and user segment # 3 (Heavy User).

Daily News Forum - contains the threads from Main Forum that are marked as 'Daily News' by the mods. Works well for user segment #2 (Light User). Technically, the Daily News Forum is just a view or filter of the 'News Worthy' threads in the Main Forum
_______________________________________________________
Thanks for consideration. I really think this is the way to go.

 

[Hostile]

See, this is what I was referring to earlier in the post. Your problem is low quality post crowding the main forum. Your intentions are good, it isn’t a bad idea. However, you must face it, your going to have a lot of upset individuals who think their threads should be moved to your new zone.

If you made it so an individual could only post around 6 new threads a day in the main area you’ll find you have more quality threads. But in all other area’s they could post til their hearts content. I am sure that most individuals would find it difficult to think of say six quality threads in a day. But it would eliminate the “TO wore green socks today” threads.

When you first started, the main thread was for Cowboys news and topics only. Today we have threads about portis bashing the skins threads. For me, this is the stuff I really don’t want to sift through. If I wanted news about other teams I could visit their teams sites.

I do have another idea though; don’t know if it’s possible. You could create a favorite posters zone. It would be private to each individual. Let’s say I mark Hos, Reality, BrainPaint as my favorite posters. When I log in, they would show up in my favorite posters zone.

Yes, we brought this up.

Believe me, we did not think of this last night. A lot of thought went into this. A lot of research too.

We have no intentions of hurting anyone's feelings but that is unavoidable. They get their feelings hurt when the threads get moved already. Posters say something 3 months ago and it hapens today they go drag that thread back and thump their chest about the irrelvant prediction. In their minds this is high quality stuff.

In our mind the vast majority car eless about that kind of stuff than they do finding the best articles, recaps, and info in one spot.

On game days you will see the difference. I believe that.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Well I may be in the minority, but i spend quite a bit of time in the NFL Zone, Sports Zone, Off-Topic Zone, and Opinion Zone. Lotsa good stuff in there, gives you a break from all the angst going on when the Boys lose.

Plus I like to keep track of where threads I've posted in have gone. It's a lot easier IMO, to search 5 forums than it is to search 50 pages of 25 threads in one forum.... which would happen if there was only one forum.

Same here, a lot of good threads and conversations are missed because people just don't want to click a link to a different section.

I also think it helps to get to know other users better.

You may have someone you really disagree with about matters concerning the cowboys but you may find a mutual respect in other areas covered in the different sections.

Not that there is anything wrong with someone that just wants to read cowboys news, or just likes good debates, but I think they miss out on so much more with a one zone mentality.

 

[Viper]

Uhmm sure... :


Good job Viper. Create a new thread and I'll move it to the CDZ for a day. :

Ohh no you don't, I'll get hate mail!

 

[theogt]

Same here, a lot of good threads and conversations are missed because people just don't want to click a link to a different section.

I also think it helps to get to know other users better.

You may have someone you really disagree with about matters concerning the cowboys but you may find a mutual respect in other areas covered in the different sections.

Not that there is anything wrong with someone that just wants to read cowboys news, or just likes good debates, but I think they miss out on so much more with a one zone mentality.

You're right. A lot of good threads and conversations are missed because people just don't want to clic a link to a different section.

That is exactly what I've been trying to tell you.

 

[Seven]

1. NEW USERS -- Arriving via word of mouth or referral, they are interested in becoming Zoners. New users will go to the main forum - this is simply the way it works on Discussion Boards.

** Problem-Cowboys news and the best threads aren't there. Many won't use the Zone for long.

I disagree. I for one, as a new user, will snoop around. See what ya got forum to forum. See if the forum titles live up to their content. By default, I'll find what forum best intrests me.

 

[theogt]

I disagree. I for one, as a new user, will snoop around. See what ya got forum to forum. See if the forum titles live up to their content. By default, I'll find what forum best intrests me.

Whenever I visit a new forum I go straight to one place -- where the most amount of posts are.

 

[Bleu Star]

Mods, I am not trying to be difficult but I really believe this new forum concept does not work well for your user segments.

Not to get on a high horse, but my job is to help large companies design web sites specifically through helping them to understand the specific needs, biases and behaviors of the users that visit their web sites.

Based upon my understanding through reviewing this thread, it appears as though you have three specific types of users that visit the Zone:

1. NEW USERS -- Arriving via word of mouth or referral, they are interested in becoming Zoners. New users will go to the main forum - this is simply the way it works on Discussion Boards.

** Problem-Cowboys news and the best threads aren't there. Many won't use the Zone for long.

2. LIGHT USERS -- Once a day or every other day regular users -- probably less than an hour per day. These users come to see the latest news and facts, spending less than an hour on the site per day.

** The new forum concept works well for these users **

3. HEAVY USERS -- Users that visit the site multiple times per day and often spend hours on the site at a time. These users will and enjoy traversing though almost all the threads, exploring and deciding what to get involved in.

**The new forum structure is frustrating and inconvenient. These users want everything in one place ****

In Summary, you have done a good job of addressing user #2 at the expense of users #1 and #3.

SOLUTION:

The solution, if Vbulletin will support it, is to structure the forums around the user as follows:


Main Forum - All threads, including those in Daily News. Works well for user segment #1 (New User) and user segment # 3 (Heavy User).

Daily News Forum - contains the threads from Main Forum that are marked as 'Daily News' by the mods. Works well for user segment #2 (Light User). Technically, the Daily News Forum is just a view or filter of the 'News Worthy' threads in the Main Forum
_______________________________________________________
Thanks for consideration. I really think this is the way to go.

My 2 cents, I spend hours reading and occasionally responding to this site. I would definitely consider myself a heavy user as of 4-6 weeks ago. I actually like the new ideas. I can get my quick rush in one forum and my brain stimulation in the other. at least that's what I see thus far. As I stated, just my 2 cents.

 

[goshan]

Seven, this may be true of you. But my company (it is a big, well known company in Web Design) does this sort of research all the time. For this type of site, the majority of new users will look for a 'Main Forum' and attempt to find a 'home' there.

A multiple forum approach works well for broad discussion sites/portals or technical support type sites where you have a question about a specific type of product. For narrowly focused sited, like Dallas Cowboys Discussion, a multiple-forum approach is not recommended.