Now, that's thinking outside of the box Chuck.

Trouble is, it won't work technically. The archives have all of the technical info in it...

Unless I secretly switched the forums.

I have some ideas. I will give it some thought. Nothing is permanent either, change can be reversed...

-Wayne

so what about those drinks?

Chuck, The thing is most here are Techie kinda guys. So, will the community forum become the new "less strict" technical forum?

Rick had a good idea. It was very much like what I thought when I first saw this post. I don't know if it is possible with the software used for the board, but maybe some sort of rating (general, technical, etc.) could be assigned to each post when it is started. This would rely on the person starting the post to rate it correctly, but a moderator could override later if needed. Some sort of filter could then be used based on a user's preferences (show everything, show this or that, etc.).

Or maybe you could split things into more forums and allow people to subscribe to the ones they like and view them together. I will usually check only this forum even though some of the others are of interest to me as well. If I could view everything together, that would be great!

I realize this may not be possible, but it's what I would like. It seems like a reasonable solution too.

I think that we can do without the enzo/cayenne posts. It is a shame when a valid tech question is bumped off the first page. However, I think it will be a sad day when I can't read up on the carrera vs. sc struggle in the tech forum.

Will, I think that the new version of the BBS can do that (version 3.0). I've been awaiting it's arrival for almost a year now...

-Wayne

Good old vaporware.

Well, I just posted again on a thread that has substantial political commentary. The main reason for today's post was to apologize if I offended anyone, so I hope it stays there at least long enough for a couple of folks to see my hat off and in my hands.

Wayne, I respect you and your ideas including this one. I'm not sure how much censure The Board can survive and still retain its magic. This board is indeed magic. It's possible that substantially more censure would make this forum into a lively, busy tech-only board. It's possible that too little censure would allow it to deteriorate into a messy, frustrating place to try and get answers to 911 questions. On the other hand, I think it is currently a fairly efficient place to get answers to 911 questions, and also a busy, active community of e-friends and Porsche lovers.

If I were to cast a simple vote, I would say leave it alone. But that's what I've said repeatedly over the past 3+ years. I think this board's freedom is a large part of what makes it so magical. As far as censure goes, The Board seems to police itself.

i don't even think chuck's idea is going to work....I don't see it. Just continue to moderate this one. Let people post offtopic stuff, and move it. I mean, I don't see the problem with that unless it's too annoying for the moderators. As someone said, the offtopic stuff comes in hot spots. Otherwise, people pretty much just come by for P-car related issues.
To this day, i haven't been to the "off-topic" forum even one time. I have a link to the 911 bbs in my browser that takes me here. I rarely navigate anywhere else.

Wayne, fellow pelicans,

I liken coming here to coming to a club meeting. Most of the people all know each other and will more or less stay relevant to the club function. However, part of what makes going the meetings fun is discovering other aspects of your fellow members lives which may or may not include any relevance to the Club charter.

I for one, do not want to have lots of little club rooms to visit. I like the noise, buzz,excitementof the big ballroom where there are many things happening at one time.

I, like I am sure many others, have had a tech question disappear before I get an answer. If I still need the answer, I'll merely bump it back to the top when I see no repsonse. This does not seem to be a big deal to me.

Don't lose this or you will be the many other mortibound BBS's that seem to have lost their magic.

I think the moderators have done an excellent job of moderating this board for as long as I've been here. I know it makes more work for them but the current policy seems to be to let the OT threads have a little time and exposure here on the main board and then banish them to the OT forum. It has happened a few times to my posts and I think it was appropriate.

To have a blanket rule banning all OT posts would turn this forum into a rather sterile place. I am fairly active on other boards and none of them have anywhere near the sense of community that exists here. I think much of that is attributable to the fact that members here share experiences beyond Porsche ownership. Many of us reveal important parts of ourselves through our posts. And for the most part everyone here respects Wayne's rules. Those that don't soon lose interest and move on.

This board is clearly working. Maybe fine tune things a little bit by reminding everyone occassionaly and moving the OT posts a bit more aggresively. But I wouldn't make any drastic changes.

Some level of OT is fine with me. Since you are the owner, I have no problem with you and the moderators deciding what stays and what goes. If this week I post something OT and it goes and next week someone posts the same thing and it stays, so what. Keeping a good flow of ideas is like a conductor with a symphony; it's your call. I prefer an OT item or two to break the all tech discussions. It's like working 8 hours a day without stopping a moment or two to BS at the water cooler. You can do it but it would be mentally taxing.

Besides, I like the cynical sense of humor these guys have; it's like conversing with a group of SNL writers.

I'm still a relative newbie, but I say, from what I've seen, leave it the way it is. I think Wayne and the other Moderators do a good job of "policing" the BBS.

A little more nudity in the posts and this subject is D.O.A.:cool:

having just had a thread or two recently moved.............i ONLY check the 911 forum. i don't check any others. i spent the last year or two going right to this place, and it is hard to look elsewhere on this BBS for topics.

it could be that old habits are hard to break, but in general, the topics i've posted that have been moved were posted here to get the comments from those i've been used to reading in this location. because i've rarely, if ever, checked other locations, i don't know if those same people comment there on posts.

but it ain't my BBS, so i don't make or enforce rules. i just lurk, and post when i think my opinion is worthy of the posted discussion. but i only do so in the place i'm used to going -- namely the 911 technical forum.

I think the way you handle OT subjects works fine. Again, the reason OT subjects are posted on this forum is because if there was a seperate forum for them, nobody would bother to read them.

To solve this problem you could put another line below the Chat line and set it up the same way, showing how many OT posts have been made for the day. By dong that, someone looking at it can see that there is a OT post and go to read it.

It would eleminate OT posts on the 911 forum and the OT posts would get recognized although not posted. At the end of each day, the number would reset to zero for the next day and so on.

Steve


"A Porsche does more then just go fast in a straight line"

like the laws of the country, lets just enforce the rules we already have.

I was going to say this forum is the only one I go to...for the most part that's accurate. But I must say I love going to the classifieds to see whats' going on there.

On a related side note: I found this BBS through a google search. So my initial exposure was to the 911 forum. I didn't realize, at first, that it was tied to such a reputable "parts" business. I rarely navigated my way off the 911 board until recently. I wonder how many have had the same experience.

Move 'em out...

I've rolled-on-the-floor-laughing after reading OT drivel on this site, and I sure would miss it. I think the moderators do a great job, and IMHO, I don't think anything needs changed. My $.02 :D

Sounds fine, but... what happens if some compares -- say -- suspension design in the Enzo with that in the early 911. Or with that in the early 911 and then the 993, and 996....

Personally, the arguably OT posts provide a sense of community to this board. They provide personality to an otherwise sterile environment. If it is necessary to keep the OT off the board b/c the server can't handle the traffic I understand. But if Pelican's business has grown in proportion to the web site traffic I would leave it alone. What sets this site apart from others is the sense of community. A sense of community cannot be obtained through a text-book tech section. There is a reason instruction manuals are tedious.

Even Shakespeare realized the need for comic relief.

I think this post should be moved off topic

And one time..at band camp......... oh woops..way OT....sorryhttp://www.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/roker.gif

I"m not sure which is the minority or majority at this point, although in an "elightened dictatorship" I suppose any opinion contrary to the tsar is minority. At any rate, I'd have to say leave things largely unchanged with perhaps a suggestion that the moderators step up their moves by 5-10%. As has been said above, there are many things that make this board great, but only a percentage is the pure technical talk. The other factors that make up "community" are difficult to quantify, but I like being able to come here and read either about relays or history or whatever. I like the concept of if it is Porsche or at least automotive related it stays until it strays. And in the midst of many an OT post have sprouted interesting discussions that swing back to 911s in some way or another.

In fact, I believe we have a new motto:

"It stays until it strays"
I'll take my licensing fees in Mahle filters...

The reason the traffic is so heavy is because the present format is a near perfect balance. The technical parts are invaluable, but the personality of the board makes it readable.

It's the best there is.

If you need to re-route more OT posts, I think Jack's idea is excellent.

"The reason the traffic is so heavy is because the present format is a near perfect balance. The technical parts are invaluable, but the personality of the board makes it readable.
It's the best there is.
If you need to re-route more OT posts, I think Jack's idea is excellent."

Moses
I agree! Mike

Totally agree with tightening up. Good Q&A and other car related post are getting pushed to the rear by the OT - some of which is garb and some not. The 'lounge idea is also a good one for that stuff.

todd
=-=-=-
86 cpe

Wayne,
come on now....

the topic of this post is Off-topic discussions, don't you think this is a little OFF TOPIC too, considering you're not talking about Porsche's, 911, 944, BMW, or anything to do with cars.... yea..... so put this is the Off Topic Forum

we really cannot get away from the OFF TOPIC discussions SPECIALLY when the Administrator (Wayne) himself brings up the biggest off topic discussion to date!

I'm out
THEO 99

This (off) topic keeps coming up, so presumably there is a problem serious, perceived or potential in the background. And technical difficulties aside, if we must have change when something isn't broke Chuck's idea is probably the best yet.

But why can't we lose some off the dead forums that see hardly any traffic and then don't seem to generate replies? Far better to have fewer forums with more critical mass.

One of the problems is that there are 20+ postings every day(several pages) and a lot of people post with needing immediate help while they are trying to fix their car. These posts get lost on the 2nd page in an hour or have a few assorted responses.


The technical data (and some of the best advice there is I might add) is often posted by the longtime gurus, but they are sick of responding to the same question that may-or-may-not-be found scattered amoungst many of the archives (because of the volume of posts).

The semi-off topic discussions do introduce people to Gumball 2000, Aircraft discussions and some pretty unique personalities though. No easy answers.
My gripe is each discussion doesn't get covered enough. Color code off topic as a default unless the poster specifies what arena they are in.

i personally don't mind going back a few pages to look for a thread..........and i haven't read this entire thread either (4 pages :D )
is there a way to have more threads show up on each page?
i think a 911 OT would get used being alot of us have pretty wacky senses of humor.......my .07

As was said recently:
"Far better to have fewer forums with more critical mass"

FWIW I visit PPBB and this forum several times daily. PPBB alllows OT posts as long as they are not offensive. It is the most popular Boxster forum, it is without equal. In the 911 BBS forum realm this place is without equal. I enjoy and indeed contribute to the OT posts. HELLO, it is not about simply nuts and bolts. It IS about the people who care about those nuts, bolts, sheet metal, glass, mufflers, etc. It is about us as people. We feel the need to share with our community more than just technical stuff. No disrespect meant to Wayne, but while it is HIS BBS, it is our community and we have alternatives. One other thing, again not meant disrepectfully it, should be "stricter" not "more strict".

I am expressing my thoughts in the best interest of this BBS. If I am banned because of this, so be it. I am only able to speak the truth as I see it.

I just had a thought I'd like to share with you all.

Wayne created a Rebuilding Forum in order to separate messages specifically related to rebulding engines. Then he needs some input on the Engine Rebuilding Wizard and posts it in the general forum.

Why? Because he needs critical mass and he will not get a lot of answers if he posts it in the "specific" forum.

Some other people do this also. I remember posts about new garages and workshops, discussions on jacks and lifts, advices on where to park the car on a mall. these posts are not necessarily 911 related, just because the owner of the garage, jack or dent owns a 911. These posts might belong to the General Car or possibly Porsche talk forums, but they would not get much attention there.

But I happen to like most of these posts as they contribute to the "sense of community". It is like to talking to your "flesh-friends", sometimes they have an interesting conversation and sometimes they don't, but we tend to listen anyway, just in case.

I also like to know when one of my "e-friends" has had a baby, had an accident or is selling his car (does Leland Pate's thread on selling his car belong to the Classifieds forum?)

What happens them is forum democracy. If we like the thread, we keep it alive. It usually has some connexion with the "regulars" (we all know who they are, and usually respect them because they have earned this respect) keeping the post alive.

Also newbies tend to post more OTs. We all were newbies, we want them (And Wayne likes them too) and we like to help them.

So I say let's be careful not to lose the critical mass of this board and the ability to tap on its "colective wisdom" if we ever need it, even if it is somewhat OT.

PACO got it
 

"be careful not to lose the critical mass of this board" I think "collective wisdom" was in there somewhere too. You can divide and conquer to the point where you conquer youself. People, PORSCHES, sense of community, our issues we feel need discussion, technical issues we face. Why that is not a PORSCHE forum instead of 15 PORSCHE forums, many of which have little traffic, I do not understand.

So much could be in a few places instead of so little being in many so many "dead" places. I believe in the "KISS" principle. Keep It Simple Stupid. Works for me. Maybe it will work for Pelican.

"is there a way to have more threads show up on each page?"-Bell
What about smaller font that is as easy on the eyes as the present and more posts per page?
Mabye less links around the edges and a big one to a fast loading main page with all of them?

why not just make the tech postings stickier so they don't fall so quickly?

If this is ALL TECH ALL THE TIME I'll spend my time somewhere else, unless I need a tech answer.

How about these ideas?
 

Message boards, like retail stores, benefit from "inventory" turnover. Stale message boards, like low-traffic retail stores, will wither and die. I check the 964/993/996 board every week or so, and I can catch up on the new posts in about 10-15 minutes. Just try that with the 911 Technical Forum.

I have some suggestions, some of which may or may not be technically feasible with this board software:

(1) Display more TOPICS per page (not necessarily individual posts per page). I frequent the nsxprime.com boards, and there are probably 100+ topics per page and I think it works well. There is something about being about to scroll down and glance at topic headings--rather than constantly switch pages. You need to find the right balance.

(2) As has been suggested above, somehow change the "rate" by which posts are cycled--create two buckets (technical and not technical), each with its own cycle rate. This would keep technical posts visible longer than OT posts.

(3) Keep the current collection of boards, but allow users to combine individual boards to their liking. The boards selected in a user's configuration would be combined into a single view, allowing people with different interests to view a personalized collection of posts. Responding to any particular post would append the new message to the appropriate board. That would be a cool feature!

Lance.

whew, i'm tired,, not like tired of this just plain tired.

yep, post an OT blatant topic and you're account will be suspended for a day....

ask me how I know....

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/loldork.gif