Suggestion Forum threshold increase

[Oceanus]

Current Rules per FAQ

You need to think about the following:

* Is the subject suitable for ScubaBoard?
* Is it necessary, isn't this subject already covered by another forum?
* Is it to be a private forum? If so, for which group? Any specific access restrictions (ie read-only etc.)?

Got that covered?

Good, next thing you need to do is to start a thread in Suggestions (part of Site Support).

Also, you'll need at least a dozen members who'll back your proposal.

Finally, the ScubaBoard Staff will consider your proposal and create the forum if approved.

I find this threshold ridiculously low, specifically the 12 member aspect, and would like the community to reconsider what is a reasonable threshold for such a significant change of the 'board.

The goal is to create/determine what a reasonable threshold should be. I submit that any forum must first clearly prove it's necessity/viability/legitimacy with demonstrable community support, such as but not limited to:

• a 3 month "running thread"
• 36 member participation (actively participating in thread/discussion, not just 'me too' posts)
• should not significantly diminish another/similar forum
• a public poll in 'parent' forum with majority support (2 week vote?)

Just a start, please comment/discuss...

 

[SkullDeformity]

I totally agree. I brought this up recently, although with not as much thought put into it. They do have an inactive forum purge every now and then, but doesn't it make more sense to nip it in the bud? Although, perhaps it's better to give the forum a chance to develop.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I agree the rules need to be changed. My main home, at the moment, is in Arizona and we have a private forum there that requires a connection to Arizona to be a member. Basically the only posts made in that private forum on the forum leader's monthly announcements about the monthly bar meetings they have. If they want to have a monthly meeting, that's fine, but does it really warrant its own forum?

I do see the need for some subforums, but I believe most of these should be kept open to the general public. I'm a member of a couple of "private" subforums and don't really notice much discussion in them that's not already happening in the open forums of the Board.

 

[cardzard]

ME TOO LOL
Sorry I couldn't resist

I totally agree 12 is to small and over time would die off to nothing. Having 12 members saying ME TOO means zip,zero,zilch.

All forums & sub-forum must first clearly prove it's necessity/viability/legitimacy with demonstrable community support. I also belive all should open to the public.

If it's just a place people want to chat, scubaboard will be getting the chat room back up and running in the not to distant future.

 

[El Orans]

This topic is also being discussed amongst the staff.

 

[The Chairman]

The Florida forum was barely able to scrape up 12 people to get it started way back when. It would have been a shame to not have that forum.

 

[do it easy]

me too

 

[joystershell]

me too

Ha! Me three!

 

[DebbyDiver]

I agree.

It's probably really easy to initially get 12 members to say sure, let's start a subforum. Whether or not they would be active in that subforum is a different matter altogether. Too many subdivisions already. And why have a private group? Isn't that what PM is for?

 

[Oceanus]

The Florida forum was barely able to scrape up 12 people to get it started way back when. It would have been a shame to not have that forum.

While that is surprising, it would not change my position. I suspect the FL forum would have eventually easily proven itself viable at these levels.

As I'm sure you know, this thread was motivated by the restructuring of the FL forum and the 'strong discussion' about whether or not to FL should have a single main forum or 'regional' subforms. It looks like the majority want a single forum, but just 12 members could circumvent the will of the majority and that seems wrong. Additionally I don't think a series of 12 member forums is healthy for a forum community.

I'm hoping for the SB community to have a polite meaningful discussion and determine a reasonable/fair threshold. I don't think I nailed it in the opening proposal.

If it comes up, I wouldn't oppose FL merging into a larger SouthEast forum... but I'm not starting that thread/discussion.