Posted on 03/27/2002 2:28:44 PM PST by John Robinson
I want to improve the per-state message boards as found here while reducing the total amount of program code (to support.)
My idea was to create topics in the News/Activism forum for each individual state and allow interested parties to subscribe to these topics. Example. My thought was that the state-level activism conducted on the per-state message boards would then be greatly enhanced... with the ability to create separate discussion threads, and all the other tools that are included in the standard forum package.
However, my idea has been met with much resistance and I would like to know exactly what the issues are. I first thought I merely didn't communicate my intentions clearly, but I'm not so sure that is the case now.
1) Like News/Activism, General Interest, VetsCoR, Campaign2002, Religion: the forum is wide open, anybody can read, anybody can post.
2) Like the FAB and Moderator forums: restricted access, only members can read, and members are added by the Forum Administator.
3) Combination. Anybody can read the forum, but membership is required to post. Members are gained by joining and being approved, or having a Forum Administrator add you.
And while we're on the topic, each Forum has Forum Administrators, Forum Moderators, and then just Forum Members. Admins are responsible for the membership list, managing the moderators, adding groups and topics, forum homepage, etc. Moderators are responsible for keeping riff-raff out, handling flame wars, etc. And of course members are there to participate, to be the forum.
(This means that each forum has its own ban list.)
While I usually like change, this one needs serious work :-)
That would be precisely wonderful! I think that's what we want. I already refer to our forum as "Free Republic Wisconsin."
There will also be an "Overview" mode that will list in several columns all sidebars on one page.
The membership list will probably stay on the Profiles page, but each topic does have the facility to hold a membership list. I haven't thought much about how to publish such a list if at all.
BTW, I don't see any reason that an extra click to see the membership list should be a problem. In fact, I'm going to have to do that anyway as certain states have nearly a thousand members, and scrolling through the list is tedious. In other words, even if I keep the state message board, I am putting the member list on a separate page as a favor to Californians and Texans on dialup modems.
Also, it's kind of nice how it is -- it's remarkably easy to post, so that brings in people who can't work the "post thread" function.
But, hey, it's a good idea, and I'm sure you'll think up something that makes the vast majority of us happy.
Please advise if it does.
The open State boards provide the opportunity to glance at ALL the info on ALL the issues and then the individual is able to decide if this is a topic for which they intend to become involved.
I can 100% guarantee that the recall effort in Milwaukee (from a FReeper's standpoint, an important standpoint to consider since some of the instigators were FReepers) would have been ignored by many Wisconsinites past earshot of the Milwaukee area had this open forum not existed. It is my understanding some of them became involved and donated money to help the recall.
I will repeat again...the majority of people will follow the path of least resistance...your forum will simply be stop signs in that path.
Basically, I am collecting this list because when I do turn on the forum subscriptions, if you're not a subscriber to any, all forums would disappear from your sidebar. Which could be very upsetting if you weren't expecting it. :-)
After that is all implemented, only posters on the forum (or people who have explicitly joined a forum) will be listed as members. And in that case, membership will determine access to the forum-- that is, forums will have their own administration, moderators, and ban list.
Think Yahoo Clubs/Groups, or Delphi Forums, etc.
I saved a piece of my article body that ended up on the cutting room floor. I knew it would come in handy, but didn't want to steer the discussion until I confirmed my suspicions.
I'd still like to push for use of the state topics, however. And possibly state forums in the future. But if it is this upside-down thread that is all the rage, then by all means, let's have an upside-down thread! It'll be fun.The only particularly unique feature about the state message boards are, well, their lack of features. I mean, that they are not threaded... every message posted is easily accessible, no clicking necessary. It's as if they are one thread listed in reverse chronological order.
Is this the attraction?
If it is, I can embed a standard forum thread into the individual state page but show it in reverse order. That would allow for paging back through earlier comments as well as the ability to address specific comments (Post Reply) and to address comments in private (Private Reply) etc.
In earlier mock versions of the forum, I had topic "home pages." And recently I've been toying with the idea of having a topic "cork board" which is essentially the upside-down thread idea.
In other words, I'd really like to replace the state message boards with a topic, and yet retain __ALL__ the features that made the state message boards desirable.
And I do have to admit, I'm now convinced you're a democrat because you are creating an incredible monstrosity of a bureaucracy on this site.:^) I was under the impression Free Republic Network existed to fill the wants or needs of these specialized forums. Man, you're really trying to take the fun out of this, aren't you?
I figure subscribing to state topics would be as good as it gets.
There's your political humor. Laugh it up now. :-)
Serious. At the moment all forums are listed on the left-hand sidebar. That will change, you will be able to add and remove forums from the left-hand sidebar at a later time. Free Republic will be more like an all-conservative Yahoo. It might be a little confusing at first, but we'll work this out soon enough.
BINGO! I know, for someone who has devoted a great deal of time to this site (and it is appreciated, even if it doesn't sound that way) it may be difficult to understand that many people pop in and out of this site, only spending a few moments...and want a quick update without having to jump through too many hoops.
I've also noticed mention of a state "ping" list...that may work for some, but, to me, being "pinged" incessantly for every state topic would be only a step or two above receiving telemarketing calls. Why would I want to endure that, when I know that, if it's important, someone will have posted a link on the STATE BOARD with a brief explanation of the content...instant decision on whether or not to go there without reading through lengthy threads.
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