Re Chad:
thanks Jack.
I knew the country and that didn't make sense and I remember the grafitti cartoon called a chad of the guy overlooking a wall, with nose and fingertips overhanging the wall, with Kilroy or similar tag and that only confused me more.
I'm now functioning enough to use a dictionary and that defines it as the piece of waste paper produced by punching a hole in paper or card - origin 1950s.
I must try and use my new word in conversation today;)

Guess I am one of the simple minded people you mention, as I come here for all me answers (engine, body etc, etc).
Koo

Milu, sorry for the obscurity. I was suggesting that my vote was going to be "disqualified". I understand that there is only one vote that matters. The Aye has it. (I believe it was Lincoln that put a vote to his cabinet, lost "5 Nays to his single Aye and announced that the"Ayes have it". Wayne is going to do what ever he wants, and I accede to his decision. He has forgotten more about running a BB than I know so who am I to question his decision.

Change is good because then you can always change back.
Personally I think there is too much BS on the Technical Forum.

What he said! :)

Harold Macmillan (SuperMac) British Prime Minister early 60s, allowed his cabinet to discuss a question, they were united in their point of view: Against Macmillan. Macmillan summed up the situation for them by saying - "We've discussed the issue fully and I believe we are now all in agreement" and confirmed his point of view.

I'm still against the dilution of the forum for all the good reasons everyone has quoted above but Cassirot, Lincoln and Macmillan have summed up the situation for us.

I am pretty content with the forum as it stands. I have only been in the Engine rebuild forum twice just to take a quick look. I have already performed a rebuild on my motor so there is no reason to go there. Since I have no need for rebuild info I also don't take the opportunity to add to the input on that forum. Granted if the engine rebuild questions pop up on this forum I would see the posts and possibly add to it. I am interested in all aspects of the 911 but I don't have the time or inclination to drop into every sub forum to provide an input. I am also interested in the 356 forum unfortunately I don't own one of those babys yet, so I do take the time to look at that forum. I do enjoy this forum for it's diversity on all aspects of the 911 experience. Yes the O.T. post can be annoying and on many occasions be very funny. If there are to be several sub-forums like suspension, restoration, electrical, fuel injection, conversions or AUTOZONE go fast enhancement forum. If that is what will happen then I will go to where my interest lies. Electrical, restoration and fuel injection would be the three forums I would lurk around. I would have no interest in the AUTOZONE go fast option forum.

Hey Pat,
How's your resto going. Havn't seen updates in a while.

the advantage of dividing the forums is less clutter in the topic specific forums.

the disadvantage of dividing the forums is that you also divide the contributers and readers. This means that you dilute this extrodianry pool of knowledge.

the big questions are: will there be a critical mass for issue X if it is a separate forum? will there be a critical mass of people left in the main forum.

For engine swaps, I can see it working. This is a technical and pretty focused issue. But how many people never considered a swap until reading others experiences in the main forum? How much $$ in parts does an engine swap represent?

For suspension, I could see that being a real problem. If you want a quick response do you post in the main forum and the suspension forum? I can't imagine that crossposting will be tolerated.

As for the race prep catagory. GOOD LORD how many different damn forums am I going to have to follow for race related info!? first there is the main forum, the the autox/race forum, then the race prep forum!!? give me a break.

I will tell you one thing. I am at my limit for the forums I can follow. Main, parts, and autox.

I'll toss my comments into the mix. Don't fix what ain't broke.

Fix the search feature.

Moderators are enforcing the OT topics and moving them. So what's the problem?

Add a topic column or tag to new posts. The topic would be selected by the poster. Then if someone wants to see just the suspension posts, they can hit the topic tag. Require the poster to select a topic tag before final submission.

Very insightful.

It would seem a narrow topic forum would be destined to die as people come for answers, then leave - little incentive to hang around and help others. Without the constant nursing as a pet project of some expert(s) the forum would have few knowledgable participants to provide answers.

The broader forum has something for everyone, providing incentive to hang around and help, thus remains self-sustaining.

Adding on Souk's reccomendation about the search feature, possibly some sort of "subtopic" or enhancement to the search could be installed; for example one might type:

1) In SEARCH field, type <SUSPENSIONS>, click "SEARCH"
2) SUBTOPIC field appears with SUBTOPIC search field
3) In SUBTOPIC search field, type <SWAYBARS>, click "SEARCH"
4) Swaybar-related items appear.

I understand search fields can be difficult and time consuming to set up, as in the background features requires a lot of cross-indexing. But IMHO, to sift through so much "stuff" that comes up with a term as ubiquitous as "swaybars" is in itself too time consuming. As is, it's up to the designer to determine how deep a search field will go. However, the user should have some options and/or control over how his or her interests can be categorized more efficently.

I don't have time to read the entire thread so if I repeat someone then consider my comment as another vote to your way of thinking.

I have learned ALOT about many different aspects of the 911. I wouldn't be exposed to this broad technical landscape if it was chopped and segregated. There is commonground here...it's a good thing.

I have always gotten a prompt response to even my most asinine questions & really can appreciate that, after all I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

I think Wayne has created a monster & his best efforts to slay it will be futile. I think the tech forum will stay as is regardless of the moderators.

I wonder how much weight I can save deleting my power mirror option?

Ich spiele mit Hühnern in der Dunkelheit

poking the hornets nest... I like the idea of subforums AFTER a set time. Meaning post to the main forum, AFTER 30 days it spins off to the subforum. Allows subtopic searching, and browsing of similar headers. still keeps the general info loop for all to read as the topic starts. or just leave it as is.