Good Idea

loco_engr

With posts averaging over 600 a day, will definately be easier to have this section.

Gator Bait

Hi loco_engr,

I think you might be right. Posts to the main forum have been coming and going so fast this is probably a good idea. I have opened another tab in my browser so I can jump back and forth eliminating any inconvenience. The content of the main forum is preserved and we can still share our diverse thoughts.

Gator

Boilermaker Ben

I'm not sure I agree. I just saw WPB's post about the forum (amusingly, right after I posted an OT post, myself).

I have never made it a habit of checking the side-forums (weight loss forum, etc). I might check them from time to time, but it is not with regularity. My bookmark takes me right to the main forum, and the other forums just aren't prominantly displayed to remind me that there might be interesting posts there. Yes, I realize this is my fault, with how I have my bookmark set up, but I doubt I'm the only one.

Yes, we might have some OT posts that get divisive, but as a whole, I think the OT posts build a sense of community amongst the forum, which can only be a positive thing. If they are relegated to a side forum, OT posts like Celticwolf's fundrasing for his charity work, the numerous requests for thoughts and prayers for personal issues, sharing of good stories, woosday, etc, WILL get less traffic, and will be missed by many. I will try to make a regular point of visiting the OT forum, but I'd prefer if these posts were kept in the main forum.

Just my 3 cents...
BB

loco_engr

Did ya notice that the off-topic forum is just a click away in the menu section at the top of a message?
I can't dispute what you say as I kinda agree with the "community" aspect. The reason I like the separate section is that I, like some members do not have acesss on a daily basis and with 600+ posts average a day on the main forum, this will be more a convenient method of learning what people are cooking and how they are doing them and not having to weed out the birthdays and etc. Alot off OT posts are educational in their own rights though and will still be interested in them.

Just my pennys worth.

RRP

I agree with you - the OT are part of the colorful nature of this board. I know there are some outspoken critics of OT posts, but I most generally warn people with OT: in my subject. That way they can pass me by and that's fine with me. If anybody thinks that a board with nothing but endless discussions of butts, ribs and yard birds is going to make for a lively community of eggers I disagree!

It will be interesting to see how this unfolds, but I really doubt it will have many takers...in fact this will probably be my only post here!

Grandpas Grub

Even with the first few posts in this Off Topic Forum we see the fragmenting and having to jump around forums to follow a topic.

On the Egghead Forum WPB said feel free to leave comments on the Forum Feedback. http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=674206&catid=6

If the "flavor" of the Egghead Forum is going to be changed to a topic driven forum, then it might be better to switch to a better program that will enhance the segregation.

Hopefully the friendly "family type" interaction will not be lost.

In any case I very much appreciate the work that has been done to build the forum to what it is today.

GG

Grandpas Grub

.

Well said, thank you.

For now I will bounce back and forth as I am interested in the different thoughts.

Kent

Gator Bait

Hi Ben,

I agree with what you say. I also think that the administration is doing its best to accommodate a rapidly growing membership here on the forum. The first rule of the forum is:

"Please stay "on-topic".
This forum is intended as a discussion platform related to all things "Big Green Egg". An occasional "off-topic" or "OT" is not a problem. But please use your good judgement and common sense and not make it a habit."

Due to the simple structure of the forum any new post are not staying in the lime light for very long because of the amount of traffic the forum is seeing. I think that this is a very logical solution provided by the administration and if given a chance should help in the long run. Yes, it will take getting used to but I think it will help the forum survive growing pains.

I have created a bookmark for this page and when I open my bookmark for the main forum I open this page as another tab on my browser window and can jump back and forth very quickly between the two.

I have to applaud the administration for their efforts at a workable solution that shouldn't be that difficult to adapt to.

Just my 2¢ worth,

Have a great day,

Gator

Grandpas Grub

Interesting.

There are a lot of 'on topic' bbq forums available and some very easy to get to where you might want to go.

I would ask, does even one of those forums have the interactivity, information, concern for members and concerns for things a particular member may have concerns about? No, not even close.

A few examples are Egret's help for an acquaintance, (BTW egret how is she doing?), Mad Max, Spawn, and their charity work, Celtic Wolf's work and many others.

I am not sure if the forum will change or not, but I expect it would.

Just thinking out loud.

Kent

Gator Bait

I agree with everything you are saying Kent, 100%. The forum is growing and I wonder if it can retain its relevancy without some effort on the part of the administration. Do we let the forum continue to grow unfettered? Would the forum end up in chaos? I don't know. I figure if the administration feels they need to take this action then I will give them the benefit of the doubt and try it their way for a while. I'm not going to get pi$$ed off and take my ball somewhere else to play, I'm going to give them a chance just as I would hope someone would give one of my ideas a chance.

That's about 1¢ worth. :cheer:

Gator

Grandpas Grub

It's "their" board and there is a lot of work put in on our behalf. I am not pissed but I sure hope the forum keeps the same "feel".

I would think someone or a few, possibly even BGE, have gotten a burr under their saddle and want some change.

Kent

[Deleted User]

Guys,

I wasn't meaning to come across as this "OT" category being some hard and fast rule... I wouldn't want to do anything that disrupts the rhythm and sense of community of the forum... I was attempting to try some things since we are getting about 700+ posts a day.

I often use "Last25" or "Latest Posts" to see a timeline that includes Forum Feedback, Weight loss, and OT forum postings.

The "Search Forum" functionality has also come in handy for finding posts based on search cirteria or posts by a particular user.

I really meant for this whole thing to be somewhat fluid and malleable... I'm sure we can find a balance.

Celtic Wolf

Actually that Burr was me..

The OT posts were getting to the point they were overshadowing the posts for help.

Politics, sports, and even my fund raising outnumbered the posts for help or even posts of "LOOK WHAT I COOKED"
post.

If the separation does work ohh well. If it does great. We will never know until we try.

Grandpas Grub

.

Pete you seem to express yourself well when someone makes a post you don't agree with.

But you have to remember you are the one who posted a political directed thread the other day. The thread took on a life of its own but...
I agree there has been a lot of OT stuff not labeled as OT. If it's labeled as OT it is pretty easy to pass the post up if it isn't something one wants to read.

There are also a lot of times when there are no OT posts.

I do believe that Max's campaigning for help with the charity or even your troop help would not have as much success if those types of things had to be put on the OT forum.

I would have hated to have learned about Spawn or even miss the situation because it was on the OT Forum.

As I have said a couple of times now it really doesn't matter what I think, the forum will evolve as it evolves.

This is not directed at you... nevertheless, a lot of people (some people) get upset about something but when it suits them they don't seem to think twice about doing the same thing.

Keep up the good work for the troops.

Kent

Celtic Wolf

If you actually read my original post to the request for this section you would would see I did not hold my self above approach.

The fact that a simple post list what I did got turned into a political pissing match is what prompted me to ask for the separate sections. That post and the lump tax post buried some requests for help. Most likely scared off people who may have wanted help or wanted to show off thier cooks.

I don't feel separating this stuff will distract from the over all forum. In fact I think it will enhance it; however, if we are going to piss and moan over a small inconvenience to see the ongoing political debate or a running tally of the sport De Jour we will never know will we.

try giving it a chance. then piss and moan. Or could it be you are against it because I am for it. You seem to like to contradict me every chance you get.

stike

it's "above reproach", FWIW. or, less commonly, "beyond reproach"

:evil:

Celtic Wolf

You got the idea, but thank you for the grammatical correction.

Grandpas Grub

Opinions vary...

I am not piss'n and moaning, Pete. The off topic/on topic comes up all the time.

There is no way of telling but I don't think those posts scare people off any more folks jumping on new people posting something that isn't liked. (this is not directed at you so don't take it that way).

I didn't realize it was your idea that got the OT Forum started.

Sorry you feel that I like to contradict you, however, that isn't the case. If fact I probably post more in support of you than contradict you. If you have read any of the responses in the these two forums you quite the opposite, rather I am supporting you.

I do remember posting a picture a long time ago and had wondered if you took offense. The photo was harmless and it reflected something told to me by another member about a situation which I think was at a fest.

Getting way off track here.

AS I have said 5 or 6 times now, it doesn't matter much what I think, and we will see what happens.

No offense intended, Kent

stike

"I didn't realize it was your idea that got the OT Forum started. "

how do we know it was his suggestion and not the three hundred other times it was suggested?

i invented the internet, by the way.

(i'm gonna like this OT forum. i can be over here without p!ssin off the elders who are sick of me talkin all the time)

Celtic Wolf

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=674199&catid=6

I didn't say it was my IDEA I said the BURR that got it added was me.

Saying he didn't know that a full 24 hours after posting to the Feedback Forum makes you go HMMMM


I hope you do enjoy it. I hope everyone does..

stike

well, if you notice, i only correct those that go around correcting everyone...

and it wasn't an error in grammar you made. it was usage, again, FWIW :woohoo:

stike

well, i stand corrected.

fist time for everything!

dhuffjr

I highly second that motion Ron.

Dennis "grumpy young'en that likes the old ways better" Huff

Celtic Wolf

I guess you need to start reading the forum more. They only one correcting anybody is YOU!!!

Well except for the Muscle/Mussels

FSUScotsman

I think that the biggest problem with another forum is the layout of the website in general. Through the years I've been a member of a lot of different forums and mechanically this is one of the most difficult that I've ever tried to navigate.

My biggest complaint is that this forum is a clickfest...you just can't hit a "next" button to go to the next post the thread, or the site isn't segregated into threads that are easily findable.

I know that there were discussions about the forum when the migration to this forum started. I've always felt that this forum's software was not suited for a large volume of posting. It has nothing to do with the good people here and all that we learn, I just don't think that this is very good software.

FSUScotsman

Just what I was talking about.

Anyone that wants to see a really good forum with a really close community go look at cigarweekly.com, their forums are some of the best.

I'm not sure, but it looks to me that this forum is growing so fast that it's going to need to be split into subforums just to keep pace.

Grandpas Grub

I just took a look at cigar weekly. I will have to take your word for the community. This is late night on the 4th. What I did notice there were 3 members and 16 guests on their forum. This forum has 108 guests and 51 members online, and there is active posting going on around the clock.

The forum is the only reason I bought my first egg and mostly the reason for getting 3 additional eggs. I would venture to say many others have purchased their eggs, the first or additional eggs due to the forum.

One thing to think about the forum is a huge selling tool for BGE.

If changing the format is going to keep all the, fun, concern for each other, help, hints etc. in the forum, I am all for it.

GG

FSUScotsman

We are all enthusiastic about our Eggs. The problem I'm having is finding what I need. Sure, it's a lot of fun to read all the stuff that's going on, but the search engine isn't good enough to find things when I need them.

For instance, last week I started a thread on the Mini, because there isn't a way to pare down the threads to get just X answers. I just wish there was a little more segregation of topics.

I do understand the concerns of maybe "losing something" but if the board becomes so large that a thread posted at 1PM is pushed to the second page by 1:30 that isn't going to help either....people are going to get ignored.

Just my two cents as we say.