05-03-2013, 07:47 PM
I have a few comments in response to mrp-admin's query and a few later in response to what I'm reading from Larry.
This generally isn't a problem for forum users, so if it's a perceived problem for someone else it would help to know more about what those expectations are.
1) Tips & Deals does work very well -- as-is -- when someone asks for something and someone else chimes in with what they saw. One of the hallmarks of this forum (and of dealmac in the earlier years) is that when someone asks something or posts something interesting you get a quick response from people. That's more rare than you think, even on boards with "a lot of volume" because you can't do that when the potential responder has to peek into sub forums.
But because electronics are commodity items competitively priced there are few genuine, big deals. And we're a damn tight bunch here --- RYF means you better run because it's a legit deal, not some milquetoast deal anyone can save $5 on at any time.
2) The forum's search function really works very, very well --- better than many other sites that use other stuff like VBS or whatever. Having non-deals discussion isn't a problem, and a separate Tips & Deals would be a ghost town.
3) Ask yourself how you use forums with sub forums, child forums. It segments / compartmentalizes your discovery, which is fine when a site has a ton of common topics, each with lots of independent discussion.
But here, my 6 year old Mac mini isn't terribly different than someone's new iMac when there's a question about either. Ask a question about one thing and at least half the time, you're really asking about something else. Welcome to Computer Tech Help 101 --- segmenting machines or OSes or iOS stuff into cubby holes isn't helpful or productive. Other forums routinely have people posting stuff to the wrong sub forums. More busy work for admins and mods, less utility for readers.
mrp-admin wrote:
Hi All -
As it's becoming more and more obvious that our Tips & Deals forum is severely lacking in just that - Tips & Deals ...
This generally isn't a problem for forum users, so if it's a perceived problem for someone else it would help to know more about what those expectations are.
1) Tips & Deals does work very well -- as-is -- when someone asks for something and someone else chimes in with what they saw. One of the hallmarks of this forum (and of dealmac in the earlier years) is that when someone asks something or posts something interesting you get a quick response from people. That's more rare than you think, even on boards with "a lot of volume" because you can't do that when the potential responder has to peek into sub forums.
But because electronics are commodity items competitively priced there are few genuine, big deals. And we're a damn tight bunch here --- RYF means you better run because it's a legit deal, not some milquetoast deal anyone can save $5 on at any time.
2) The forum's search function really works very, very well --- better than many other sites that use other stuff like VBS or whatever. Having non-deals discussion isn't a problem, and a separate Tips & Deals would be a ghost town.
3) Ask yourself how you use forums with sub forums, child forums. It segments / compartmentalizes your discovery, which is fine when a site has a ton of common topics, each with lots of independent discussion.
But here, my 6 year old Mac mini isn't terribly different than someone's new iMac when there's a question about either. Ask a question about one thing and at least half the time, you're really asking about something else. Welcome to Computer Tech Help 101 --- segmenting machines or OSes or iOS stuff into cubby holes isn't helpful or productive. Other forums routinely have people posting stuff to the wrong sub forums. More busy work for admins and mods, less utility for readers.