Changing forum?

[tyred]

Of course change is an inevitable part of life and we should embrace it like I do.

Now, has anyone seen the starting handle for my Model T? I need to pop to the shop to get a new mantle for my gaslamp and I best get a typewriter ribbon whilst I'm there.

 

[Drago]

If it's not liked or if people feel they can do better the solutions are obvious.

It's a good thing it's not your forum, as I couldn't see people flocking to the place with that attitude. The owner of any forum can indeed do what they like, but not if they expect people to actually visit.

And Shaun does a most excellent job, I've never seen anyone on here genuinely complaining about the look of layout of the site.

 

[martint235]

It's a good thing it's not your forum, as I couldn't see people flocking to the place with that attitude. The owner of any forum can indeed do what they like, but not if they expect people to actually visit.

And Shaun does a most excellent job, I've never seen anyone on here genuinely complaining about the look of layout of the site.

He does do an excellent job. But if no one complains about the look or layout of the site, what the feck is this thread about?

 

[pplpilot]

You may like to add your 'scrolling woes' to - http://first-world-problems.com

Life really is a drag isn't it?

 

[Drago]

But if no one complains about the look or layout of the site, what the feck is this thread about?

I've just reread it and it looks like several perfectly polite and valid questions to me, not a general bitch session.

 

[martint235]

I have to ask, since no one else appears to have done, why does the forum keep changing?? The other week we suddenly had a bout a million separate sections where previously there had been a dozen or so. To get to the Cafe, which must be the most frequented spot, one has to scroll all the way down now which is frustrating as it takes several scrolls. A significant portion of the sections have little or no visitation and yet appear well up the list.

More recently the "General discussions" section has been further revised to include the recently-created "Road bikes" section, which implies you think that road cycling is more important here as it rubs shoulders with General Discussions.

We get no proper notice of these changes and they don't seem to add any value (quite the opposite) - so why are they happening? Is it just a case of we've got a few mods who want some "shaping" credentials on their web-hosting CVs? Or who think they're born to know best?

Stu

I've just reread it and it looks like several perfectly polite and valid questions to me, not a general bitch session.

So in Drago world that's not a complaint? I've never said anyone was bitching about it but the above sounds like a complaint to me.

If people don't like what Shaun does they have the option not to visit. If he wishes them to come back, he has the option to change things.

 

[Dan B]

If people don't like what Shaun does they have the option not to visit. If he wishes them to come back, he has the option to change things.

That sounds like a particularly slow and high-stress way to get user opinions. Do you quit your job/move house every time your employer/landlord does anything you don't like? Do you start divorce proceedings each time your spouse leaves dirty dishes on the counter?

 

[ColinJ]

I think we should have one for Bacardi lovers. I suggest that it be called the For Rum forum ...

 

[martint235]

That sounds like a particularly slow and high-stress way to get user opinions. Do you quit your job/move house every time your employer/landlord does anything you don't like? Do you start divorce proceedings each time your spouse leaves dirty dishes on the counter?

No I obviously gave the extreme options. I do throw the dirty dishes away and buy new ones though.

 

[nickyboy]

I think the design of the website is purely up to the owner. He will, and should, do what he wants with his website. If it's not liked or if people feel they can do better the solutions are obvious.

Any successful business welcomes positive criticism. The idea that any business would take the view that if you don't like their product then sling your hook is bonkers

 

[martint235]

Oh well it didn't take long

 

[Shaun]

I have to ask, since no one else appears to have done, why does the forum keep changing?? The other week we suddenly had a bout a million separate sections where previously there had been a dozen or so. To get to the Cafe, which must be the most frequented spot, one has to scroll all the way down now which is frustrating as it takes several scrolls. A significant portion of the sections have little or no visitation and yet appear well up the list.

Interesting I only added a few new forums, the rest already existed and were just brought out from their sub-forum position into the main forum list to make for better 'tap' targets for mobile and tablet users (which have significantly increased in number over the past three years). If you're using a laptop or PC you can press CTRL+END to jump down to the bottom of the forum to get quicker access to the Cafe, or on a phone or tablet do a fast diagonal swipe from bottom left to top right.

More recently the "General discussions" section has been further revised to include the recently-created "Road bikes" section, which implies you think that road cycling is more important here as it rubs shoulders with General Discussions.

Not at all - there have been several requests for a Road Cycling forum over the years and it is a very popular term used in search engines to find cycling related content (and we didn't have it anywhere in our existing forum naming scheme), so I thought I'd add one during this latest set of changes. Having done so I went looking for threads to move there that were specifically "Road Cycling" and found it much more difficult than I'd anticipated; so much so that the I decided it would simply be best to leave the threads in 'General' (which is where most of them already are) and put the Road Cycling phrase into that forum name instead.

We get no proper notice of these changes and they don't seem to add any value (quite the opposite) - so why are they happening? Is it just a case of we've got a few mods who want some "shaping" credentials on their web-hosting CVs? Or who think they're born to know best?

They do add value; it is easier for mobile device users to tap the larger forum names; Google is now indexing more of our content as it is higher up the forum hierarchy and renamed to hit qualified higher-volume search terms (which brings us more visitors and new members to talk to); we have clearer ride sections for Sportive riders and randonneurs (two distinctly different ride disciplines); we have a collated section for adaptive cycling threads (not popular or particularly busy, but very useful for people searching for equipment for themselves or their disabled siblings, friends or colleagues); a couple of new bike forums; and a top-level position for our classifieds (which are very popular, but were previously much less visible as a sub-set of a sub-forum).

I've spread the changes over a few weeks so that people can get used to them (I understand that people don't like wholesale change). I also needed to move some of them around to find out whether they would work as I'd imagined they might (or not as happened with the Road Cycling forum). Sometimes you need to let a change sit for a while before you can decide whether it works or not.

I need to remove the rides archive forum from view and make the final new one visible (currently awaiting some info), but otherwise the changes are complete and I don't anticipate making any more for a good while now.

It's always going to be a balancing act between offering a good range and variety to suit the many interests of our broad and growing membership, changing trends in cycling and technology, and keeping the forums useful and useable. Using the tools I posted an announcement about, all members can now reduce the forum view to whatever selection of forums suit their personal preferences, and can additionally exclude forums from the New Posts search results to limit the results to the areas of CC that are of most interest. It'll take you a few minutes to tick a few boxes but it will positively change CC for you if you're not using most fo the forum sections.

I stopped short of adding forums for Unicycing; Hipsters; Bike Messengers; Gear Ratios; Urban Cycling; Cycling Culture; Weight Weenies; Critical Mass Rides; regional ride forums; Lowriders and Cruisers; Fifty Plus; Car Free Living; Cycling Blogs; Books, Music and Entertainment; Winter Cycling; Tandem Cycling; Women's Cycling; Framebuilders; Cycling Trade; a breakdown of the component and accessories forum into multiple subs; Cycling Training; Cycling Holidays; Clydesdales; brand-specific forums; Coaching; ... well, you get the idea ...

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[martint235]

From a personal point of view I think a forum for Clydesdales would be awesome

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I want a PIE forum.

Sorry, they can't split forums (especially irrationally).

 

[Arrowfoot]

I welcome the gradual changes in the forum which have enabled us to personalise the forum by hiding sections which don't interest us.There is no significance as far as I can see in where different topics are positioned on the index page and certainly no need for lengthy scrolling down if you just exclude the sections which don't appeal. You could try just clicking on New Posts, instead of scrolling down the Index page.
See this posting, the title explains (almost) all!.
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/t...ts-to-suit-your-interests-preferences.180122/

You have absolutely no clue what UI means and why it is so important when websites are designed. Visitors to most buildings would be able to find the canteen or restrooms for a similar reason.