**Proposed Layout Changes--Feedback Wanted!

[lost_grrl]

There have been a few proposed changes to The Tailsection layout and Administration is eager for everyone's feedback. They know that we value our Tailsection roots here and don't want to make changes that will alienate any of us. Please take a minute to look at the proposed changes and let us know what you think. If you have any other suggestions, please post them.

*Delete entirely the "Island Divided" and "R.P.G." sub-forums since they are entirely inactive.

*Get rid of the "Theories" and "Speculation" sub-forums since most people post theories and speculation in the general section--having it separate is redundant and doesn't really facilitate discussion in any way.
It has been suggested that it might be better to simply combine the "Theories" and "Speculation" into one thread but still keep it separate from "General Discussion".

*Have only 1 menu--put the sub-forums for the two games ( Find 815 and The Experience) in the same menu as all the other forums and place them at the bottom since they are fairly inactive.

Member Suggestions:

*Merge the Comments and Mod Questions forum to one general help forum.

*Have the weekly episode discussions in the Episode section, not in the General section

Originally Posted by lost_grrl

There have been a few proposed changes to The Tailsection layout and Administration is eager for everyone's feedback. They know that we value our Tailsection roots here and don't want to make changes that will alienate any of us. Please take a minute to look at the proposed changes and let us know what you think. If you have any other suggestions, please post them.

*Delete entirely the "Island Divided" and "R.P.G." sub-forums since they are entirely inactive.

*Get rid of the "Theories" and "Speculation" sub-forums since most people post theories and speculation in the general section--having it separate is redundant and doesn't really facilitate discussion in any way.

*Have only 1 menu--put the sub-forums for the two games ( Find 815 and The Experience) in the same menu as all the other forums and place them at the bottom since they are fairly inactive.

I think that is awesome! No one really looks in the Theories and Speculation threads. They post in Gen anyway.
Um I say we move Lost Off-Topic up under Gen.

I agree about ditching the RPG and Island Divided. I doubt anyone wants to play.

What do you think about changing the color to the standard BuddyTV color?

[jimmy12345]

Originally Posted by lost_grrl

There have been a few proposed changes to The Tailsection layout and Administration is eager for everyone's feedback. They know that we value our Tailsection roots here and don't want to make changes that will alienate any of us. Please take a minute to look at the proposed changes and let us know what you think. If you have any other suggestions, please post them.

*Delete entirely the "Island Divided" and "R.P.G." sub-forums since they are entirely inactive.

*Get rid of the "Theories" and "Speculation" sub-forums since most people post theories and speculation in the general section--having it separate is redundant and doesn't really facilitate discussion in any way.

*Have only 1 menu--put the sub-forums for the two games ( Find 815 and The Experience) in the same menu as all the other forums and place them at the bottom since they are fairly inactive.

I'm loathed to disagree a little bit. Although somewhat under-used, the theories and speculation DO get used sometimes, and to delete them would mean cluttering the already cluttered General Discussion.

Maybe merge the two (theories and discssion) into a 'The-scussion' thread :P

[RichPundit]

Originally Posted by lost_grrl

... let us know what you think. ...

*Get rid of the "Theories" and "Speculation" sub-forums since most people post theories and speculation in the general section--having it separate is redundant and doesn't really facilitate discussion in any way.

Whew! If you care Lost_Grrl & HLyons, fyi:

to be clear, if you foolishly choose to delete the "Theories" sub-forum ... I'm gone. If so, please kindly email me an electronic version of at least the "Forbidden Planet" thread, so that I can post and continue building it elsewhere.

imho, I believe that your own data would reveal that at least the "Theories" sub-forum is frequently viewed by a globally diverse group, and has some organization to it that allows easy revisiting by anyone interested.

Think that you need to consider the diversity of both your visitors and regular TTSers: younger/older, hourly/weekly/monthly, rabid/casual, writers/scientists/fans/Newbies/other, etc.. Our [perhaps your] TTS Board is best for all if flexible and satisfying of the needs of a diverse audience as well as participants, both active and casual.

Also, I personally struggle with your "General" sub-forum cuz it seems to be a dumping grounds for everything, and now you excitedly suggest to dump more? New threads keep growing almost hourly like weeds such that most are quickly pulled or die. Albeit, it is easily ok with me to keep it as is if you believe it is valued by those who visit and perhaps actively participate. I simply quick peek, rarely post, and mostly avoid the obvious ever-changing chaos. If TTSers like you two Mods, Lost_Grrl and HLyons, believe that it's great, that's great too. Please continue to relish and enjoy ... I'm very happy for you!

Your choice as to how to proceed, but please let me know so that I can at least salvage my almost a year of contributions to our [perhaps your] TTS Board if needed.

Namaste - RichPundit

Originally Posted by RichPundit

Whew! If you care Lost_Grrl & HLyons, fyi:

to be clear, if you foolishly choose to delete the "Theories" sub-forum ... I'm gone. If so, please kindly email me an electronic version of at least the "Forbidden Planet" thread, so that I can post and continue building it elsewhere.

imho, I believe that your own data would reveal that at least the "Theories" sub-forum is frequently viewed by a globally diverse group, and has some organization to it that allows easy revisiting by anyone interested.

Think that you need to consider the diversity of both your visitors and regular TTSers: younger/older, hourly/weekly/monthly, rabid/casual, writers/scientists/fans/Newbies/other, etc.. Our [perhaps your] TTS Board is best for all if flexible and satisfying of the needs of a diverse audience as well as participants, both active and casual.

Also, I personally struggle with your "General" sub-forum cuz it seems to be a dumping grounds for everything, and now you excitedly suggest to dump more? New threads keep growing almost hourly like weeds such that most are quickly pulled or die. Albeit, it is easily ok with me to keep it as is if you believe it is valued by those who visit and perhaps actively participate. I simply quick peek, rarely post, and mostly avoid the obvious ever-changing chaos. If TTSers like you two Mods, Lost_Grrl and HLyons, believe that it's great, that's great too. Please continue to relish and enjoy ... I'm very happy for you!

Your choice as to how to proceed, but please let me know so that I can at least salvage my almost a year of contributions to our [perhaps your] TTS Board if needed.

Namaste - RichPundit

erm.....all I really want is for Off-Topic to be moved up to right under Gen. Discussion.
I don't honestly think we still need the Island Divided forum.
I guess we should make a poll to see if people want a change.

What does everyone think?

[jimmy12345]

Originally Posted by hlyons

erm.....all I really want is for Off-Topic to be moved up to right under Gen. Discussion.
I don't honestly think we still need the Island Divided forum.
I guess we should make a poll to see if people want a change.

What does everyone think?

I'm with you.
Island divided can go.
As can the RPG (Which i was meant to sort but forgot)
Move Off-Topic up.
Maybe merge specluation and theories, as they are kinda the same.

[lost_grrl]

These are proposed changes only. Both BuddyNick and I receive frequent complaints about the strange user non-friendly layout of the Lost Forum.

Originally Posted by RichPundit

Whew! If you care Lost_Grrl & HLyons, fyi:

to be clear, if you foolishly choose to delete the "Theories" sub-forum ... I'm gone. If so, please kindly email me an electronic version of at least the "Forbidden Planet" thread, so that I can post and continue building it elsewhere.

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough in what I proposed about the Theories thread. The current active threads would not be deleted, but merged into the General thread. I know that people use the "Theories" thread, but if you take a look, you will see that the thread topics and discussion are nearly identical to what is discussed in "General".

There is absolutely no reason to get in a huff about this and certainly no reason to covertly imply that we are trying to exclude anyone. This thread is to get EVERYONE'S opinions about the forum layout. Nobody here claims to own this forum. Perhaps some of those people who PM Admin and myself about the chaos of The Tailsection can speak up as well.

Perhaps Jimmy's suggestion that the Theories and Speculation threads become one is the best solution to this issue. There is a reason for the proposed deletion/merger of the theories board into the general board. People are very, very confused about what kind of post is technically a theory and what kind of post should go in the General discussion forum. There are several "theory" threads in the General Discussion as we speak and most people get mighty uptight if their topic is moved because the distinction between a general thought and a theory is in the eye of the beholder.

No ill will is meant by these proposed changes. We simply want to make The Tailsection as user-friendly as possible. Judging by the suggestions and PM's I personally received prior to this, many of you do not think the site is currently easy to navigate. We want to remedy that and want everyone's feedback before making any changes. Certainly Admin did not have to seek our advise but they know how much we all care about this forum reflecting the spirit of the original The Tailsection.

Please EVERYONE continue to give your feedback on this issue.

[Markus.Darkus]

Get rid of the RPG and Island threads by all means, in fact there's probably hundreds of old redundant threads from a couple of years ago that could be managed.

To be fair I don't mind what we get rid of as long as it speeds the site up a bit and isn't upsetting anyone..

[jvince]

I agree that we should combine the theories section and the speculation section, and make it into one section (Lost Theories and Speculation). They're both pretty much the same and I never understood why there were two sections in the first place. Same for the Comment Box and Admin Questions section.

Another section that isn't used much is the Episode Discussion forum. I'm not suggesting that you should remove it, but I think it's best if the Episode threads on the General Discussion forum were moved there and posted there. That's what it's for anyway. Imo, the General Discussion forum should contain stuff like Lost news, screencaps and easter egg threads, polls (the Lost Polls forum should be removed), the "my favorite episode/scene/character" kind of threads, etc.

The Off-Topic forum should stay where it is, because everything in it is Off-Topic.

And please don't change the black background again. Please.

I totally agree on merging the theories and speculation. It's basically the same thing right?

Comments and Admin questions should also be merged.

And I agree on getting rid of the Island Divided forum. It is just a bad memory and a eyesore. In fact I am going to lock the one remaining open post. We all I'm sure remember what happened when we tried to make a game.

Originally Posted by jvince

I agree that we should combine the theories section and the speculation section, and make it into one section (Lost Theories and Speculation). They're both pretty much the same and I never understood why there were two sections in the first place. Same for the Comment Box and Admin Questions section.

Another section that isn't used much is the Episode Discussion forum. I'm not suggesting that you should remove it, but I think it's best if the Episode threads on the General Discussion forum were moved there and posted there. That's what it's for anyway. Imo, the General Discussion forum should contain stuff like Lost news, screencaps and easter egg threads, polls (the Lost Polls forum should be removed), the "my favorite episode/scene/character" kind of threads, etc.

The Off-Topic forum should stay where it is, because everything in it is Off-Topic.

And please don't change the black background again. Please.