PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Putting threads in the right forum

[George]

Recently Numfarh posted a fantastic thread about the useful "search" function of the forum, and today I would like to post in regards to putting your threads in the right forum.

First, let's take a look at what forums we have on EC.



As you can see, we have Chit Chat, Fun and Games, Entertainment and Technology, LGBT News, Rights, Issues and Equality, Introductions, Welcoems and Congratulations, Support and Advice, Coming Out Stories, Health and Well-being, Anonymous Discussions, Empty Closets Help and Feedback and Ask the Staff.

Generally speaking, people use the Support Area and Empty Closets Stuff sections fairly well, but in General Chat people are mixing up forums. The Chit Chat forum is for general discussion and the Entertainment and Technology forum is for, you guessed it, entertainment and technology.



Let's take an example of someone posting something which should be in the Entertainment and Technology forum in the Chit Chat forum.



As you can see, this thread is about a TV show interview with fashionista Bruno. This was posted in the Chit Chat forum, yet it really belongs in the Entertainment and Technology forum. Why you ask? Well TV falls under the category of "entertainment"!




Here is another example of something posted in Entertainment and Technology which should have been posted in Chit Chat.



In this example, we see someone posting a thread asking if people like cats or dogs better. How does this go under Entertainment and Technology? Oh that's right, it doesn't. This is an example of something which should be posted in Chit Chat, the forum for general discussions.


Having threads in the wrong forum can cause many organisational and logistic problems, so please for the sake of the EC staff (and users like me who like things to be organised neatly) post things in the right forum!

Another issue is that things will become very mixed up and it does make the forum look fairly messy and unappealing to some people.

Please note: This is not a personal attack on people who have posted in the wrong forum, it's just an FYI.

[djt820]

You have quite a bit of time on your hands.

I feel personally insulted that you would make such a thread!
To think that you think that we can't think is absurd!
Horrible!


It makes me want to cry.
Words hurt, you guys.

(And for those wearing sarcasm-repellent, yes it was.)

[Paul_UK]

I think sometimes people post in the section where they feel most comfortable or where they spend the most time, rather than looking at where is best for the thread. Also if someone is not sure they may put it in Chit Chat as it is a more general section than the others.

If anyone finds a thread in the wrong place please just use the Report Post icon (the little triangle one on the left) to let us know and one of the mods will move it.

[George]

Originally Posted by Paul_UK

I think sometimes people post in the section where they feel most comfortable or where they spend the most time, rather than looking at where is best for the thread. Also if someone is not sure they may put it in Chit Chat as it is a more general section than the others.

If anyone finds a thread in the wrong place please just use the Report Post icon (the little triangle one on the left) to let us know and one of the mods will move it.

The problem is that there are many threads which blatantly scream out what forum they should be in. Maybe if the Entertainment and Technology forum was renamed something like Entertainment, TV, and Technology or something along those lines to make it more clear? (though personally I think it's clear enough)

[Alexander]

I personally have qualms about posting things in Entertainment and Technology that aren't about celebrities, movies, etc.. but are just funny things that I want to share with people.

Chat about music, movies, gaming, technology, computer software and hardware, books, fashion, sports, whatever.

When I read the forum description, the Entertainment and Technology forum seems much more centered around discussions on pop culture, and less centered on "OMG this cool video I found" type threads.

And Paul is totally right. There isn't really a strict law on where things go, or a list of qualifications for each forum. So that means that people like me who take forum descriptions literally are going to put a lot more threads in Chit Chat than the other general chat forums.

[Jeimuzu]

I think it's not that important. Yeah, we have lots of different boards, but what of it? There's not a finite amount of space in each, and if we end up with two then they'll be merged. =]

[littledinosaurs]

this temps me to make threads in incorrect places
>:]
muahahahahahaa

[George]

Originally Posted by littledinosaurs

this temps me to make threads in incorrect places
>:]
muahahahahahaa

[hisses] Do not want.

[Cheria]

Originally Posted by George

[hisses] Do not want.

This is why you don't feed the trolls.

[George]

Originally Posted by Roswell

This is why you don't feed the trolls.

[gets shotgun ready]

[DexterMorgan]

7/10

Oops, wrong forum.

[George]

BUMP.

Seriously, why do people not heed this message? What's the point of having different forums if the threads are all jumbled up?

[Kenko]

One issue / possible point of confusion is the "Entertainment and technology" forum has the byline:
Chat about music, movies, gaming, technology, computer software and hardware, books, fashion, sports, whatever.

I don't know if "fashion, sports, whatever" quite fit in there.

I mean if it was "So and so's wardrobe malfunction", yes, but if it was something like "What type of pants(trousers) do you like?" maybe not so much?

Same with sports, I think something like "Did anyone see the big football(soccer) Stanly cup game?" would fit, but "What type of sports do you play" maybe not so much?

I dunno. I rarely if ever talk about sports or fashion, so I don't run into such dilemmas often. And usually any forum I go to has a big problem of people not categorizing posts correctly.

[Chaos]

I consider "fashion" and "sports" to be part of entertainment and all that jazz. It's all just lumped into one big forum because maybe there isn't enough interest for that subject to have its own category on the forum? Certain things have to get lumped together in forums.

George, you're funny and awesome at the same time for making this thread. It irks me that people don't read the descriptions of categories. I to have noticed many threads in the wrong section. It's annoying.

[George]

Originally Posted by Chaos

I consider "fashion" and "sports" to be part of entertainment and all that jazz. It's all just lumped into one big forum because maybe there isn't enough interest for that subject to have its own category on the forum? Certain things have to get lumped together in forums.

George, you're funny and awesome at the same time for making this thread. It irks me that people don't read the descriptions of categories. I to have noticed many threads in the wrong section. It's annoying.

Aww thanks. :3

See, the threads which can belong in multiple forums I don't target, but the blatantly obvious ones are fairly annoying, and THOSE are the ones I target.
The forum descriptions are pretty darn obvious.