GLR Forum
General Forum => Open Forum => Topic started by: Vizier on Thu, Aug 25, 2005, 14:17
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Hello all! Occasionally I have to actually act like a webmaster. When Vicky and I first discussed this forum and I found the software we are using, one of the things I marveled at is how nicely it runs itself and how little maintenance is required.
However (and this "but" is bigger than mine ;) ), I just took a stroll through using my "newbie" eyes, which is what I do when I try to figure out what newcomers might find disturbing or confusing in here. One thing that stood out immediately is that we appear a little cluttered and some of that clutter is because of a lot of older threads with no activity in eons.
Vicky and I did discuss recently how to approach this and towards that end I have created an "Archive" category which will always live at the very bottom of the page. Now comes the question, how long should a thread be allowed to hang around before it gets moved there? This being a sort of more or less (generally) democratic little outfit, it is time to put the issue before the masses (as it were) and let everyone opine during the next two weeks, after which we'll tell you the poll results and take the appropriate action.
'K? :E
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I would suggest a content-oriented approach: some old topics can be still VERY imortant, even if no comments appeared in the last time. For example, financial reports, By-laws, FAQ etc.
Other topics, such as announcements or threads about what will be in the TV next week, could be shifted much earlier to the archives.
Better each thread is judged individually. :L
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Well maybe you should put some things to rest. I think that everyone has gotten all they can get out of the Dale topic.
It is kind of like pulling wings off of flys..the first 100 are lots of fun, then it gets tedious.
But my opinion doesn't really count. I'm just like a next door neighbor that stops by for a beer and some gossip.
The Commonwealth doesn't have much news, other than Regent Dan went to Vancouver BC and descended into previously unexplored levels of debauchery (lucky dog). But he isn't forthcoming with details :WN
G'day
Jaix
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I would suggest after two months of incativitiy, or even 45 days, then they can go to a archive folder somewhere, and if then they ger more activity bring them back :=SU
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As things currently stand, if a topic has not been posted in for two months, it gets manually moved to the Archives board. These topics are not dead, however. Should a topic merit continued discussion, feel free to locate it in the Archives and post on it. Thereafter, it will be moved back into the appropriate area of the regular forums.
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Ahem, still want remind you that certain old topics are important: :+ In case we choose the automated removal of old topics, we should retrieve at least the FAQ's manually. ;) The next point is that the archives contain now not only the old topics, but also lots of unnecessary trash (re-directs etc). Is it possible to remove all the rubbish while keeping old topics there? I also would suggest that we make the archives open for visitors then - maybe some would like the old stuff.
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I wasn't thinking of having the process automated--manually and on a case-by-case basis has worked up to now just fine. I just wanted to remind people that the archives exist, and that the topics there can still be posted on if someone has something to add. ;D
Sticky topics like the FAQ should stay just where they are.
Opening the archives to casual guests would, I think, serve little purpose--unregistered members cannot post anywhere but the Coral Sea Cafe.
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Manually removal is of course a better choice. :Q
[..] Opening the archives to casual guests would, I think, serve little purpose--unregistered members cannot post anywhere but the Coral Sea Cafe.
I was thinking of the possibility to read the old posts in archives, of course! O:) It can very well happen that a visitor might become interested in a very old topic to such a degree that he feels urged to register and post a reply by himself. With hidden archives we are in danger that the forum appears empty despite of a plentitude of old posts. :+
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I have moved a number of minor topics to the archive section (http://forum.gayrepublic.org/index.php?board=19.0).