Too many members??

[James connell]

cornfed once bubbled...


Getting ride of polls would be a better idea.

i disagree, i think the polls add some valuable content - till it gets out of hand.

what is annoying is a thread ( polls in particual) that has has been Dead for a year or more till someone finds it and posts to it. i've noticed more than once a >year old thread suddendly active.

a "archive" for threads that have been inactive for a set period of time ( and a seperate one for polls) - so you can research but not post would remove maybe 20% of the total.

 

[diverbrian]

Personally, I am somewhat in agreement with the archive idea. I would rather try to sort through several short clearly labeled threads to determine what is of interest to me than try to find a gem of a post in one two year old, thirty page thread that has had about five hijacking attempts, trolls and whatever else that we all know happens. Let's face it, after so long, many of our ideas are OTE (overtaken by events)!

I do like the idea of archiving the old posts so that someone who knows the search feature can do research without adding to an already too-long thread to ask further questions.

 

[flyguy]

I'm kind of new here, but it looks like the issues you're speaking about are pretty much the same as a couple of other larger boards that I frequent... not about scuba though.

For the more experenced members, you have to realized that you've followed the postings for a long time and are aware of the general content where new members arent. And if they're so new, they don't really know the proper method or phrase to search for.

An idea from another board is to create a FAQ thread or a few common discussion threads and sticky them to the top for each panel. Sometimes even locking them if appropriate. This way the threads are always at the top for the new people to see before they post their own thread proobably asking something that has already been asked many times before. Another idea is to create a Newbie area.... when new people can ask simple questions that may seem obvious to most people and not feel stupid about it.

It'snot just this board, all the larger boards end up repeating themselfs just like history does, usually every few months.

 

[Butch103]

DivingGal once bubbled...
Alas, yes with as many members as this board has, many threads are started, that although important to the member creating it, many (as you pointed out) have been discussed before.

Before starting a new thread, it's always a good idea to search for the topic first. I know the search function is not as sophisticated as some would like (like having a nested search function), it does work.

What many members (not just the moderators) are doing, is when someone starts a thread that has been discussed before, they do a search, and then list the previous threads in a post in the new thread.

As for multiple member names... it is against the TOS for one member to hold more than one.

.....resurect <sp> the old thread, read the comments, make your new comments and thus the thread becomes current and can be viewed by the newer members.......and they can add to the discussion.

Tim

 

[Curly]

...too many posts.

Take a look at how many posters there are who have insanely high per-day posting averages. I've seen people who joined this year who have 300-400 posts...with a lot of stuff that's better taken offline, IMHO. There's something to be said for lurking and reading and absorbing the knowledge of the more learned members of the board, and asking questions. Personally, I've picked up LOADS of good information here. Been a regular (daily, when possible) visitor and member since 2001, yet average a paltry 0.23 posts per day.

And in real life, I believe I talk too much...