NEW POLL: Should forums be moderated for content?

[Boxx]

Well since your now over 100 post I will take your word on it and find my way around I mean I did figure out where the beer was

Actually, Chad brought the beer.

I like him even more now.

I do trust it was a quality beer, my friend....

[Chad]

Chad is abrasive. And grouchy. And downright mean. He is a programmer, after all. I mean, really, look at him!!

However, I think he knows what he's doing. We just might keep him around.

:)

Spoooooky iPad and Glasses! And iPad Cover Flipping Action!

[Amy]

Spoooooky iPad and Glasses! And iPad Cover Flipping Action!

It's my mad photo-skills.

[mustang guy]

I'm a kinda of big guy. Can you all see me? I feel invisible. No response whatsoever to a thing I said....

[CECAA850]

I'm a kinda of big guy. Can you all see me? I feel invisible. No response whatsoever to a thing I said....

Did you say something????

[JL Sargent]

Jeeze Chad, you are really starting to scare some of us (me included). If you keep messing around with forum names and moving threads, we might have to go find a real life outside the forum!!!

Oh and Amy, If I make to Hope on my Harley, would you go for a ride with me? I am trying to earn some brownie points taking up for Chad and all.

[mustang guy]

Jeeze Chad, you are really starting to scare some of us (me included). If you keep messing around with forum names and moving threads, we might have to go find a real life outside the forum!!!

Oh and Amy, If I make to Hope on my Harley, would you go for a ride with me? I am trying to earn some brownie points taking up for Chad and all.

Christ, I give up.

[WMcD]

Hmm. I can see the problems. But many of the issues have been around for a long time.

Let me say, first, that Chad is a programmer. As the joke goes, there are two types of people: those who think in binary, and those who don't. Extending that, he may want a lot of categorization which is hard to achieve. For good or bad, the forum does not have a Library of Congress type system where subject are extensively pre-categorized.

To the limited extent the forum has categories, they are more than a bit ambiguous and overlap, as things stand. Let's look at Technical Questions, Two Channel Questions, and Home Theater Questions. If you have a technical question about either of the last two, where do you go?

Then there is General Questions. What goes there? Properly, or not properly?

Let me suggest that keeping things on topic will best be achieved by new sub forums -- more of a LoC system. For example, wood refinishing is a perennial topic, speaker wires and interconnects too. Crossover information. Room treatment, room size. How to post pictures. Amplifiers. TS parameters. We can't keep on-topic when we don't have sub-forums directing people to those subjects?

I think that Chad will not be able to move old posts around to those categories (or should) but eventually they will be filled in over future years.

For years the forum's search system did not work well. Chad, you've done a wonderful job of making a great new forum and we all love you for it. Still, I tried looking up K48 (for example) and got a message that none can be found. When I did some more investigation, there was a link to an old forum subject which did not work.

I can appreciate that a new comer may find the forum to be hodge podge. It seems to me the problem is lack of sub categories, as described above is more of a problem than keeping on topic. A good search system will help the bloke who come in for the first time. I know you're working on it. Many thanks.

One other thing might be driving you nuts, Chad, but is a subject dear to us. Time and again forum members will post something to the effect: Sorry I've been away so long, I just had surgery, bought a new house, my dog died, got a new dog, I just had a 600 mile road trip to pick some second hand speakers, etc. And a lot of humor. A "personal notes" sub forum might be in order.

But . . . this is to also argue against the notion that the forum's subject matters should be limited to technical issues on Klipsch products -- rather than social matters and banter. In my view, the forum does have a benefit to "Klipsch Inc." by fielding technical questions which would otherwise clog a 1-800 number. (Aren't you happy that questions about monster wire are here on the forum, rather than on directed to Klipsch Inc. ?) So it does fulfill that function.

But pure technical matters aside, this forum is a community not unlike the organizations at Indy and Hope, where parts and products are made. Naturally we here on the forum have a social network as do Indy and Hope. So it should not be foreign to Chad. I think they are vital at Hope and Indy, and, importantly, here on the forum.

But what would a new comer think of these social functions threaded throughout the posts on the forum? Chad expresses some concern that new comers just go away. As a designer of a website it is a natural concern. His new Klipsch website certainly draws one in with the history of Klipsch and the like. Wonderful. A turn on to any visitor.

But is the forum a turn off to a new visitor? I think not. There are comments by new comers. They typically say: I'm happy to have found this place. There don't seem to be any who say, "I like to get involved but you guys go off topic." So I think Chad's concerns are misgiven. Not that things can't be improved. Smile.

Again, Chad, many thanks.

WMcD

BTW, why on this forum is the word Klipsch underlined as being mis-spelled? Smile.

[Taz]

I still consider my self new to the Forum, but one of the things I like is that there are "Off Topic" items that are interesting to read. I never know where I'll find something to make me smile or laugh. It could be in the Garage Sale section, The Technical section, The Two Channel section, or most anywhere.

I think It is important to Post some things in an "Off Topic" such as when Someone or their Wife is sick and can use some help. Some of the humorous items We've read. I myself would miss the "Off Topic" posts.

Sometimes I as well as others have questions that are not Klipsch related. When I post in Technical or Two Channel I know someone will be there for me to give advice. Would it be possible if something is "Off Topic" to have it run in the channel it was posted in and in the proper channel word for word at the same time?

I love the way the treads seem to meander at times. It keeps me interested and having fun. I know if we get too far out of line Amy will come along with her BIG STICK and lock the tread.

To be honest, since I found this Forum it is the only one I follow. I don't deal with change very well, yet I know I have to deal with some change. Please be careful about what is changed. I thought it worked quite well before, which is why I've stuck with this Forum. Even to the point of Withdrawals while it was down.

I would like to Thank Amy, and all the others that have helped me in the past.

I would Also like to thank Chad for all the hard work he put into this new format.

I am Grateful for this Forum and Hope these issues can be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

By the way, I can't find the Off Topic forum. Can someone direct me to it?

Taz

Edited November 1, 2013 by John W. Henderson

[Taz]

This sounds/reads like some unnecessary and confusing turmoil. One person's "cleaning things up" can be another's path to confusion. Reading the posts above makes this clear. It doesn't sound like many people thought something was broken that needed fixing.

I suggest leaving things the way they were until a problem is better identified.

I get it. But consider this:

A random visitor who has never been to the Klipsch Forums before lands here. He has a general question about a Klipsch product that he can't remember the name of, only vaguely the timeframe of when it was on the market. First thing he does is go to the General Klipsch Questions & Info forum, to see if anyone might be talking about something similar, maybe he can learn something. Imagine his confusion when, while expecting a bunch of topics about Klipsch products/history/what-have-you, he sees:

Capture.JPG

And immediately gets turned off to the forums and leaves.

So, instead of a potential thread and conversation about something relevant to the sub-forum (where others would benefit), we get nothing.

Or, we could just keep things noisy, thereby reducing the chance of forum growth.

I must disagree. We were all new at one time and look at all the Fine Members we have on the forum. Long time members welcoming new members. I don't think in my short time here I've ever seen a new person's question go unanswered. I have seen people that were new and RUDE get an explanation of how things work on the forum. Some choose to become sociable and we want these members. Others remain obnoxious and leave, keeping the Forum for the most part Pleasant and Friendly.

If it's not BROKE, let's not be like Government and try to Fix It.

Taz

[philly0116]

OK, I guess I wasn't paying attention. We have an off-topic forum now I presume. The General forum is now a Klipsch info forum. In the past, anything that was for everybody went into the General forum. Somebody dies, something funny, yada yada... Now we need to go to the off-topic.

I would like to make a request. Will you please consider renaming the off-topic forum to something a bit more friendly? It sounds like a punishment. How about something like General Discussion Area. Am I being a sissy?

I concur.

[philly0116]

This sounds/reads like some unnecessary and confusing turmoil. One person's "cleaning things up" can be another's path to confusion. Reading the posts above makes this clear. It doesn't sound like many people thought something was broken that needed fixing.

I suggest leaving things the way they were until a problem is better identified.

I get it. But consider this:

A random visitor who has never been to the Klipsch Forums before lands here. He has a general question about a Klipsch product that he can't remember the name of, only vaguely the timeframe of when it was on the market. First thing he does is go to the General Klipsch Questions & Info forum, to see if anyone might be talking about something similar, maybe he can learn something. Imagine his confusion when, while expecting a bunch of topics about Klipsch products/history/what-have-you, he sees:

Capture.JPG

And immediately gets turned off to the forums and leaves.

So, instead of a potential thread and conversation about something relevant to the sub-forum (where others would benefit), we get nothing.

Or, we could just keep things noisy, thereby reducing the chance of forum growth.

Hey! I have a post on that list! Lol. I see your point though. I have no problem with the "off topic" arena, its just the title that I think good be dressed up. Perhaps, "All things not Klipsch" , "General Discussions", something along those lines? Anyway....I see your point and didn't think of it the way you explained it and your right.

[philly0116]

Spoooooky iPad and Glasses! And iPad Cover Flipping Action!

It's my mad photo-skills.

In all seriousness, you do take some great photos!!

[Amy]

I will make a command decision on this hopefully some time today. I see both sides. (Is that a song? I look at the forum from both sides now..... I digress.)

[Amy]

In all seriousness, you do take some great photos!!

Thank you

[DrWho]

If you have a search feature that works, then you don't need any categorization.....Google saw this years ago when they created Gmail. Not to say some categorization is bad, but I would suggest it should be used as little as possible - especially in a social situation.

If you had a big convention, would you require that non-klipsch discussions happen in another room? I can see some strategy in having some topic based rooms to create smaller groups that help guide people to the likelihood of profitable discussions...that just kinda naturally happens anyway if you put everyone into one large room. Formally embracing that is when there is value to the newcomer....anything beyond reduces the social nature. If you really want a technical resource for noobs, then implement a wiki.....but that's gonna die because there is no social network to keep things interesting.

[Chad]

I thank everyone for their input. I'm nothing if not fair (yeah I'm a programmer, but I like to think I'm a little different from most )...

My request wasn't meant as a law or anything like that. Merely a suggestion by someone who has managed large forum communities in the past and knows what is likely to work well. Not all online communities are identical (thank heavens), and we love ours. Carry on, y'all.

[oscarsear]

For me it is 2 issues.......... 1st is the redefinition of posting categories with one so cherished now being reassigned in scope and purpose (I'd suggest 'hodgepodge' in place of 'off-topic').

2nd is the active oversight of a moderator redigesting threads and - with all the best of intentions, relocating them.

Whether a new or old member, they should be afforded enough respect to choose where they decide to place their forum contributions. This reshuffling of posts seems a tad intrusive, somewhat judgmental and approaching insulting. Previously we had moderation to control subject and tone within some clear civil boundaries. Now we have that and an involuntary discussion flight director. Yay, I feel like I am 3 years old again.

A suggestion: If a post seriously seems like it would benefit from being viewed in more than one forum arena then double post them. As a courtesy - blend posts into other forums where they might be better served. But remove this quasi-dictatorial stance of saying you are wrong to have placed this thread 'here' and - I corrected it - by moving it 'here'.

[Chad]

But remove this quasi-dictatorial stance of saying you are wrong to have placed this thread 'here' and - I corrected it - by moving it 'here'.

I think maybe that's an over-reaction, but I already did, kinda.

No worries everyone. I'm going to take a step back and work more "behind the scenes", and less "in your face".

[Alex L]

If you have a search feature that works, then you don't need any categorization.....Google saw this years ago when they created Gmail. Not to say some categorization is bad, but I would suggest it should be used as little as possible - especially in a social situation.

Just so I can be annoying...Gmail added categorization a couple months ago. Primary, Social and Promotions.