In the Lounge there are multiple new threads for birthdays every day. Whilst all very well, they have the effect of pushing the more interesting or long-lived threads off the first page rapidly, which in turn means people don't get to see and respond to them as frequently unless they make the effort to browser multiple pages.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to have a "Birthdays" sub-forum where all such greetings and well-wishes can be posted and allow the Lounge posts to retain more page-one longevity?

This has been discussed before, as has similarly creating sub-forums for other very common Lounge topics. Personally, I like this idea, but it's generally been thought ill-advised. Still, I'm sure another discussion of it will be welcomed! Especially if we get a wide and interesting range of thoughts and perspectives on the matter

I think it's more perception than reality, in my opinion. There are rarely more than two birthdays a day that have a thread started, and often none, and they tend to last no more than a week. It would be rare to have even eight birthday threads active at a time, and it would be rarer to have more than five active other threads at the same time. Since most people are using the default of fifteen posts to a page, then the vast majority of time, all the active threads will be on the first page. Only if I've been away for a few days do I find that I need to check a second page of threads -- and if I've been away for that long, I'll do so

As an example, at the time of writing this post, there are exactly TWO birthday threads on the first page....

Here's what I said in the previous discussion.... Dump the old useless threads!!!

Well, I agree with Graeme. There are not more than 2 threads per day, and that too on a good day. Another sub-forum will just add to the clutter and further reduce the number of threads in the first page (assuming the sub-forum will be in Lounge)

I do believe there is a Birthday Thread somewhere in the Lounge that I've seen which makes a lot more sense. Instead of having a subforum for the posts, if everyone were to post their birthday wishes in that thread, it would significantly clean up the clutter.

It would kill some of the personal aspect of it, but if everyone's is in there, then everyone gets fair treatment.

Anyone have objections to this?

I actually started that thread with this in mind. But since the personal threads still kept cropping up, I abandoned the idea..

It's the killing of the personal aspect that I don't like. I generally only start threads for members that I know are active, or that I've had some personal interaction with. I don't start one for all members. I'll check out a new thread for someone, but I'm less likely to visit a consolidated thread, simply because it'll be tough to identify who is in there.

Just my personal views

I happen to agree with you. I have not actually celebrated a b-day on the site yet. I had joined by my b-day, but I had not posted yet. I actually regret not posting sooner, though I have more than made up for my initial silence.

I don't think it's a large scale problem at all. Like Graeme said, there are never too many active Birthday topics at one time and none of them are long standing. I believe Dom Luka's birthday generates the longest time on the first page, but, it's not difficult to flip to the second or third page to bring a popular, or a discussion of interest back to the first page where it's easily seen. I think if we make too much of a fuss about what happens in the lounge then it would significantly dissuade people from posting on the forums.. and forum activity is a sign of an online community's success. So I think everyone has to stay compromising on things to keep that aspect going.

Just my thoughts though.


Krista

As everyone mentioned, it's not a huge deal. Every time I notice a new birthday thread, it's only about one or two and it doesn't stay very long because new topics arrive, or the birthday has passed, and so forth. It's not enough where it really hinders other topics from being discussed, because people do search the pages and such.

Plus, like Graeme mentioned, having a birthday lounge takes away some of the personal feelings behind it. It just becomes one big giant birthday thing and is not as special.

I think The Lounge is ok as it is. I admit that it seems to be 'Birthday' season. It's not always like this. And I prefer personal threads. It's much better.

And birthday threads are just for a few days and the interesting threads can stretch over weeks so they will remain on the surface.

Take care,
Ieshwar

I agree with Graeme on this one. It would be a bit too impersonal in my opinion. Like Graeme I also only start threads for active members, and I'm quite excited when it's the birthday of a member whom I know personally. Just dumping in one birthday thread would probably result in less...festivity.

Personally however, my main desire for a birthday sub-forum (and sub-forums for a couple of other frequent topics) doesn't have as much to do with keeping other threads active on the front page as it does with a simple organizational desire. I'd find it more useful to have everything in one easy, accessible place where members know to look. For example using the birthday thing as an example, let's say I went away for a few weeks immediately surrounding my birthday and I get back and I want to see if anyone did create a thread. Well, it would be much easier to find if I were looking in an area that only had birthday threads (granted there's the search function, and good old fashioned page browsing but still...).

Finally, regarding keeping active threads on the first page, is there a way to mess with the settings so that we can have more threads displayed? Personally speaking I'd like to increase the "page length" of the forums so that they display at least 50% more threads, but I'd like to reduce the number of responses shown per page within a given thread. Obviously these preferences are pretty personal to me, but is there already a way to customize these things and if not would such a thing be desired by a significant enough number of members to make it worthwhile?


-Kevin

Kevin! I have a solution to your predicament

Go into your control panel. Then all the way at the bottom under options select board settings. On the board settings screen is are two options:

Number of posts to show for each topic page

Number of topics to show for each forum page

Both should currently be set to use board default

The default for posts is 20, so you'll want to throttle that back to to 15 or 10 ( as it is only available in increments of 5) you'll also be able to up the visible number of topics per page. A quick count of my Forum and I saw about 15 topics per page so you should be set if you move that to 30, though you can choose anything from 5 to 40 (once again in increments of 5. IE 5,10,15,20,...) It is a board wide custom setting so it will blanket every sub-forum you visit.

Save changes and enjoy GA your way! <g>

Steve

Thanks Steve!!

WOOO HOOOO

Thanks, Steve!! You completely and utterly rock!!