Wish the BGE Folks would use a vbulletin board

BubbaGump

I wish someone could sweet talk the folks over at BGE into updating the forum to using a vbulletin board for the forum. The licensing is pretty darned cheap and those message boards are really nice. In case nobody knows what a vbulletin looks like, I put one below that I frequent.[p]Just my 2 pennies worth.[p]Buster
[ul][li]Sample vBulletin Message Board[/ul]

StumpBaby

BubbaGump,[p]Hmmm....would I get my own row...do you think ?[p]StumpBaby

BubbaGump

StumpBaby,[p]Maybe so Stump, maybe so! The thing about those vbulletin boards is they have such unlimited potential as for organization. They can be as simple or as in-depth as the admins for the board want it to be. The site I posted earlier is a pretty advanced layout as you can imagine in boating, the huge range of possible topics. BUT, for BGE, it could be as simple as tech talk, recipes, general, setup ideas, events and I'm sure there are others.[p]Maybe somebody at BGE will read my post and go for it if there's enough people supporting the idea???

WooDoggies

Yo BubbaGump,[p]Your suggestion comes up every now and then and I can appreciate wanting to make the green room a more efficient place but I have got to say that I find the vbulletin format awkward and constricting.[p]I liken the egg forum to attending a party in one big room with all of my friends and being able to quickly assess, laugh and participate in several discussions going on at one time.
I feel this type of format is more spontaneous and akin to natural flowing conversation.[p]The vbulletin format is more like individual conversations going on in individual rooms........ and in order find out what's being said, I have to move from room to room...... with a lot more effort and a lesser sense of community....and I'm more apt to miss something potentially interesting in a room where I don't have much interest in the topic.[p]I tend to think and communicate in a time line like the threads on this forum and less in compartmentalized rooms like the vbulletin.[p]Call me old fashioned but I would be really bummed if this format were to change to vbulletin.[p]Large Beers,
John[p]

JSlot

I agree, John. Especially since the "Lasts 25 Posts" section was added. This made it real easy to keep up with multiple threads if you check in regularly. I'd be disappointed, too, if the format changed.[p]Jim

BubbaGump

WooDoggies,[p]I suppose my concern with the layout here is the lack of ability to EASILY watch items I wanna watch. plus, it seems like, as stuff moves down the board and then hits the archives, they gets fewer and fewer resposnes. Whereas on a vbulletin, they're their for 30 days and DO constinuously get responses. When a response to an old post is given, it goes to the top if configured to do so. Thus letting interested parties know that someone has responded to something, evne if it's an older topic.

BubbaGump

BubbaGump,[p]Boy my typing sucked in that last one. Sorry!

WooDoggies

BubbaGump,[p]My typinf sucks too and spellcheck would be a great addition to this forum. :~)[p]I definitely see your point in changing to vbulletin but simply put they just aren't as fun for me and they lack a real feel of spontaneity.
I have several vbulletin type forums and several of this thread type forum bookmarked and I find I rarely if ever go to the vbulletins.[p]Go to Ray Basso's BBQ Forum. Our forum is set up like his..... and his is one successful and lively free-for-all place to be...... and as I understand, one of the most visited on the internet and growing like crazy every year.
I think a major part of it's sucess is the open format.
[p]I agree it can get a bit tiring when the same questions and topics keep popping up and it would be nice at times to simply click onto a topic and have your questions instantly answered....... but maybe that's part of the compromise by keeping the conversation fresh and flowing and part of what's cool about this forum..... the same questions getting asked can sometimes lead to new and innovative solutions ....... and the people on this forum are really good at figuring out problems and coming up with new ways to do things........ one reason why this forum and the egg work really really well together...... and something I feel would be diminished if we were to move to the other format.[p]Cheers!
John[p]


[ul][li]The BBQ Forum[/ul]

BlueSmoke

WooDoggies,
Got to agree, John. I didn't even know what a vbulletin board was, now I realize I've used them before. I much prefer the "clusters of people all in one big room" approach here. I can't tell you howl many times I've stumbled onto a conversation that I wouldn't have looked for, and come away enlightened and/or entertained. And Stumpbaby??? Don't think I'd ever have found him. (But I sure am glad I did.)[p]Ken

char buddy

WooDoggies I'm with you on this one. The forum is like a Fest and I for one would sure hate to see it change.

Unknown

BubbaGump,[p]Ok, it's unanimous! You all like this format. I now retract my suggestion.[p]Thanks for the input though.
Buster

TRex

BubbaGump,[p]I too like the current format. The only thing I would change is to have the latest original post that was replied to moved to the top. In other words, if today someone replied to a topic that was originated on Monday, then that original topic and its corresponding threads would be moved to the top. That way, good discussions wouldn't be lost way down the page just b/c it's a busy day on the forum and lots of people are posting new topics. Frequently, my habit is to page down only so far before I stop, but sometimes way down there I find an excellent reply to an older topic, and I wish that it was closer to the top for others to read and participate in.[p]Having to click on different "rooms" to look for topic-specific posts just creates more work, in my opinion. I like to be able to scroll on my mouse and get a quick overview of the latest topics, then choose which ones I want to read and reply to. But, then again, maybe I'm just lazy.[p]Just my thinking on the subject.[p]TRex

BlueSmoke

BubbaGump retracts his suggestion,
You're due a large measure of thanks for the suggestion. Till then I didn't know why I prefer this format.[p]Ken

BubbaGump

TRex,[p]That idea would solve my only issue with it, if this forum format allows for such customization.[p]Thanks for the idea! Maybe they'll try it.[p]Buster

The Naked Whiz

BubbaGump,
I would like to see us change to a BBS that required users to register with a password. I was gonna look into this, but like all things like that, I lost interest. Talk to Wise One if you really would like to see something happen. He can't make it happen, but he knows the principals involved, etc.[p]TNW

Nature Boy

WooDoggies,
I am fully in agree-ance witchyou mang. Just the thought of having to decide which room to post in presents a challenge. More decisions to make! Got enough of those already. LOL.[p]Another thing I like about this format is that you post for the whole forum to read, but you respond to a particular person....which is much more personal than posting, and have it end up at the bottom of the thread...[p]I think, while some folks love having stuff categorized and thrive on making decisions, the majority of the folks prefer not to have to put TOO much thought into the process.[p]Speaking of the BBQ Forum, which is hugely successful, I like the feature Ray has put in where you pass your cursor over the title of the post, and the first sentence appears in the bottom scroll bar. You don't even have to open the post to get an idea what it is about. Also, being able to change the title for each post would be nice.[p]Okay...enough of this...nice weather outside. Tootaloo!
Chris

Unknown

BubbaGump,[p]And Stump-Stories

Spring Chicken

WooDoggies,
Being the bashful person that I am I would never be bold enough to post anything anywhere unless I felt comfortable with the people who would read my post. This Forum is easy and comfortable. I'm sure there are lots of folks who feel the same way about the BGE Forum and who do not feel uneasy or embarrassed to ask questions or respond with their thoughts on someone else's post. I especially like it when I see a new BGE owner asking questions because I know they thought long and hard about asking, and felt comfortable enough to do so. It says a lot about our special little. I'm proud to be a part of it.[p]Spring Chicken
Spring Texas USA

Jethro

WooDoggies,[p]I am on the same page as you. Replies to a message are all over the place. I read message 4 and by the time I read the first reply to it in message 7 I've forgotten what mesage 4 was about.[p]Keep the current format.[p]And Keep em Smokin,
Jethro

CR

BubbaGump, I also like the present format. The main reason that this format works for this forum is the very high activity level here. It is like being together at a big party. Also we get a lot of repeat subjects from new users and long time users. These get addressed quickly and save a newbie from spending a lot of time searching. [p]I think that the other format is useful for forums that are not so active and the occasional user is looking for information that is easier to find if categorized.

Unknown

WooDoggies, [p]Hell, I can't even figure out how to get around that other kind of forum.

Cap'n

Juango,
I have to agree with you - I like this format much better[p]cold pbr's atcha[p]Brian