Suggestions for um... Suggestions forum

[Xechon 58]

I've noticed, too many times, good threads derailed, old topics usurped by younger clones, and necromancy of the highest degree. Yet, worst of all is the sayings, repeated by veterans and lively new ones quick and eager to learn. These are, but are not limited to:

"Lurk Moar"

"Just click the like button"

"Thread necro"

"This has been suggested many times before"

" Bioxx/dunkleosteus has rejected/accepted this already"

"This is a planned feature"

Now, I know it is good intent, and has gotten better since Dunk's revelation (tell newbs to lurk moar, bash when they necro == bad). However, I am still disappointed in the direction many posts head. Even then, some good ideas are flooded and intimidating to onlookers, not wanting to surf through 16 pages to make sure they aren't reposting or necroing for no good reason. Therefore, I suggest a change, to how we suggest changes.

There could be a few feeds per post, all accessible from a bar at the top of any entry, below the post's title. These feeds would be off-topic (because it is going to happen), amendments, counter-suggestions, discussion, regular (as it is now), and on-topic (everything except off-topic and regular).

Instead of excessive quoting for replies, they could be structured into "comments" in all but the regular mode, branching off of another post. These would be spoilered so that one can easily see that something is there, and choose to read or not, and keep going along. Quotes would still be available but a lot less necessary for how they are used.

When someone makes a thread, everything is normal. Replies to the original post of the thread are made as comments under the original post, and further replies choose which post then to comment under, forming a long, branching tree of posts. These can be sorted through methodically by readers, and those reading will be asked to take the time to click a button a the bottom of the post, specifying whether that particular post is off-topic, an amendment, or a counter-suggestion.

The poster may also vote which category it belongs to, but once there are 2 or more votes, the thread is moved into that category, and any further votes are still tallied, just in case people are attempting to troll. Also, to see what a particular person has to say on the entire topic (through all posts), and to easily view if they have been misbehaving with the system, clicking on a button on the person's identifying sidebar would bring up an account of everything they have done on that post, and the time.

A new suggestion forum sorting option (recently updated, start date, etc.) would be tags. As of now, we can add one tag to suggestion topics: suggestion. New tag groups and a good system for proposing new tag groups would be nice, so that one can easily search for accepted, rejected, magic, basket-weaving, etc. threads, and less reposts should be made that way, yet all ideas currently held here can be preserved (albeit only in regular mode).

To prevent anger over necroing, users subscribe to each individual part of a thread separately, and can change an option on their preferences to have subscriptions expire after x amount of time. People are still encouraged to hit the like button, instead of saying "I really like this".

There it is. It's not perfect, but it seems better to me at least. Please, make amendments and counter suggestions to help with this.

[dunkleosteus 2,425]

"modname"

as there are only two of us, (and most of the time they mean me) you could just list our names

[Xechon 58]

"modname"

as there are only two of us, (and most of the time they mean me) you could just list our names

Sorry . Fixed it.

I have to say that was very quick. What are your thoughts?

[Zandorum 59]

GAH! The urge to do exactly what your saying to not to do on topics on this topic is overwhelming.

[LordOfWolves 514]

I agree with the OP. I saw one of thse phrases once only, but it's true what he says. This behave discourages some people from posting. However I will see "already suggested", because if it's already suggested, the poster must know this. But I won't make a big problem out of this. Just an "aready suggested and have fun " or similar things.

[dunkleosteus 2,425]

I don't know really, we should redirect spans here, he's our forum guy.

[ECC 508]

I'll pester spAnser when he gets on IRC. Just so I remember, this thread will stay open in my browser till I do. (:

its a good idea, but from what I know from experience, will take some work to do. Unless somehow the software already supports this... which I doubt.

[transcengopher 349]

Forum engines usually don't support this kind of changes right away. Either we rewrite some modules of it, which can be doubtful, because engine might not be open source, or we changing the engine, and all forum history most likely go in vain because the way posts are stored aren't exactly the same.

And I say "we" although it is probably spAnser alone.

[Xechon 58]

Well, whenever spAnser sees it we should know if it would work . I obviously think it's worth a try.