The Orchid Source - Orchid Forum

What do you think about the new expanded category forum?

But..., but... if we go back to the old format, how can we look toyota, or whatever he was named in the face... But perhaps we can hope he won't hear from it as he cavorts happily on it specialized Cattleya forum with his expert friends as they banter happily Cattleya gossip.

I thought we only saw the other side Ricardo.

Mokeck you forgot to add an option to change the forum home page to list the topics by the 'number of post', to save the popularist from carpal tunnel syndrome.

I want Einstein to come back. I miss him.

Is Einstein gone?

You really don't think this will make a difference, do you?

I liked the old format.

Where did Einstein go and why did he leave? I noticed he hadn't posted in awhile but assumed he was on holidays.

It should. The reason the forum changed formats in the first place was because of a perceived popularity issue. As opposed to "the nail that sticks up gets hammered down", Woola succumbed to "the nail that sticks up gets listened to". Can't say as I blame him. I'd try to placate the whiners also if they were that annoying. Hopefully Woola will see this poll as a way to return to the loyal followers. I mean, afterall, those are the ones who count when all is said and done. Even if Ron is one of them.

My recommendation would be to keep just the new Advanced Orchid Discussion for those that want to have a serious hi-brow discussion that absolutely positively stays on topic. All the other new areas can be dumped.

The numerous forum subdivisions seems to have been accompanied with an impressive streak of civility. Or perhaps what happened was that all the discussions I found interesting happened in areas where thread hijacks were no longer tolerated or laughed at. Time will tell.
One thing I would ask is that rather than recording your displeasure at the current format, voting and then leaving the thread, it would be helpful for those of us that feel it is ok, if those that are voting against the current format would explain the reasons they dont like it. I would like to understand what you dont like about the new format.

I grew alot of different species... not many Cattleyas, but I did grow Leptotes and Soph.. I dont want to check every singly specie category every time I visit...
So someone may have posted something about Leptotes under the catt section...and I wouldnt see it unless it was top topic... I liked just species and hybrids as divisions...
I probably grew one or two plants under every heading...with the majority angraecoids and pleuros-- a close third Phals. It just seems that I dont have time to open all those sections.. And I HAVE to check the photos.........
My two cents...keeping in mind that I dont use the forum daily anymore....which has nothing to do with the new format..

Ricardo you're being a bliss ninny! Pook has the right idea.

I second Colleen. I can't be bothered checking each and every genera.

I second Pook and Colleen. Anyway, the forum has been too quiet for a long while. Sometimes there are only 4-5 new posts in 24 hrs. Only Photos, Chit Chat and Critters are more interesting these days. Ah, and, of course, the Poly Pit, but I don't go there much.....hate opening links, or reading 500 word posts.

Same for me. It just seems there are way too many sections to check now. I prefered reading and participating in a more condensed format. It is pretty lonely here lately too.

I'm with Pook, Irma, and Wendy...and all the rest...This new set up takes too much time and I tend not be here as much.

To everything, turn, turn, turn
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.

Dunno. I know that the old format had 30 categories and the new one has 46. That's a greater than 50% expansion. I look at it like the old format was a country road, take a right at the Poplar tree to get to Chit Chat and the new forum is like a highway, you have to drive a bit to get to an exit that's easy to pass.

I agree we should eliminate just the species categories. That'll cut the expansion by almost 70% and make the forum more user friendly imo.

I agree that the previous points are indeed important points. It would not bother me if we went back to the previous format.
The fact that there has been a decrease in the number of posts per day is an interesting development that does merit some discussion.

I navigate by "Today's Active Topics" button. Therefore, I don't find the new areas a hindrance at all. Going back to the prior format or staying with the present one makes no difference to me.

Personally, I feel the format is not the reason for decrease hits. IMHO, I think it had to do with personality clashes, infighting and attitudes.

Also, summer, I would suspect, would be expected to be slower than winter for # of hits.

Edit: Just went back to read all the comments
Love you too Jon :rolleyes:

I think you hit the nail on the head Ron. Because I also navigate by the "today's active threads" button, the new sections have not made a difference for me.

I was thinking about the same thing and was going to comment on that. It is just that my comment was going to be a little bolder.....like.....this place is kind of dead lately!

It takes too long to check all those categories. And there is no choice in the voting poll to say it sucks. Yes, Einstein left. Now I have to e-mail the handsome dude directly. If he wants to tell you why that is his business so don't ask me. I tired and a little crabby these days. :p

Quiet... lonely... dead...

Sad words to use to describe the perception of a forum.

Hmmmmm...

So what, for you, is missing that made it noisy, gregarious and alive?

For me what is missing is the feeling that I can post an honest opinion which differs from the dish-it-out-but-can't-take-it crowd without being smacked down