There is more to Massachusetts than Boston, much more (Newton: suburbs, horse)

[ruready1st]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

I always thought that the 'Massachusetts' forum basically was the 'Not Boston' forum?

I thought that too, but you end up wading through lots of Boston threads in the Massachusetts forum.

There are lots of Boston relative posts that should be in the Boston subforum.

Maybe people need to be educated that Everything East of the I-495 should go in the Boston folder? Well except for Cape Cod and the Islands.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

None of those have anything in common with the City of Boston (urban).

I respectfully disagree. Boston is where life inside I-495 revolves around. Despite the city vs. suburb thing (culturally we are all connected), Boston is where people work, study, play, etc. Most of us (including myself) either are from the city originally or have roots there. I go to Texas, I tell people I am from Boston. Someone from Pittsfield would most likely not.

[thenewtexan]

The Boston forum had 11 posts during the last 24 hours. The "non Boston" forum had nine. How can we divide that up? We can't. Not enough traffic.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by ruready1st

Maybe people need to be educated that Everything East of the I-495 should go in the Boston folder? Well except for Cape Cod and the Islands.

And there are people on here (not me) who live in the city of Boston, or in Cambridge or Somerville, and think that questions about, say, Framingham should be in the Mass. forum, not Boston. What does New Bedford or Salisbury have to do with Boston?

To me it's a stretch to include anything outside 128 in the "Boston" forum, except maybe threads specifically requesting suburbs from which to commute to Boston.

[massnative71]

Congratulations Frederick, on your own forum!

Look at this lovely small MD city that now has it's own subforum (looks like it averages 1 topic a day or less).

And closer to home:

Portland area

^Like previously said I think I-495 should be the border for Boston, therefore leaving Salisbury and New Bedford out of that. Framingham is certainly tied to Boston in every aspect. Maybe there should be seperate Boston "City" and "Greater Boston" subforums. They would still both get more traffic than Portland or even the state of RI forum.

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by massnative71

Congratulations Frederick, on your own forum!

Look at this lovely small MD city that now has it's own subforum (looks like it averages 1 topic a day or less).

And closer to home:

Portland area

^Like previously said I think I-495 should be the border for Boston, therefore leaving Salisbury and New Bedford out of that. Framingham is certainly tied to Boston in every aspect. Maybe there should be seperate Boston "City" and "Greater Boston" subforums. They would still both get more traffic than Portland or even the state of RI forum.

128 and in is Boston, who in there right mind would lump Andover as Boston, or Franklin.

[in_newengland]

128 and in is Boston, who in there right mind would lump Andover as Boston, or Franklin.

I might agree with that but who in their right mind would lump Salisbury or Andover in with Western MA? All we're got on this forum is either Boston or the rest of MA.

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

128 and in is Boston, who in there right mind would lump Andover as Boston, or Franklin.

I might agree with that but who in their right mind would lump Salisbury or Andover in with Western MA? All we're got on this forum is either Boston or the rest of MA.

People from Back bay, lol then again 1/2 of them would call Newton West Mass

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

128 and in is Boston, who in there right mind would lump Andover as Boston, or Franklin.

They are both Boston suburbs and in the Greater Boston Area. I don't know anyone in either town who doesn't identify with Boston.

C-D is a relocation forum for those looking for info. on the area. Considering most will choose the suburbs due to either prefered lifestyle or economic necessity, one relocating to Boston would often want info on the WHOLE area. This is a large metropolis and the economic powerhorse for all of New England. "Boston" for the purpose of this forum does not stop at the city limits or even 128 anymore. This is not Topeka, KS.

I see why the current Boston subforum is set up the way it is as "urban Boston" focused, but I believe that the rest of the Boston area should be seperate from the main MA forum as well. This would reduce confusion for outsiders and level the playing field for the rest of the state.

[in_newengland]

I see why the current Boston subforum is set up the way it is as "urban Boston" focused, but I believe that the rest of the Boston area should be seperate from the main MA forum as well. This would reduce confusion for outsiders and level the playing field for the rest of the state.

Well said.If they want Boston and a Boston Areaas two forums, that might work. But there has to be something separate for NON Boston and NON Boston area.Regardless of what the Bostonians think there is more to this state than Boston and area.If I came to the Massachusetts forum looking to relocate to one of the Springfield suburbs or Northampton or had a question about the Berkshires, I wouldn't know where to turn because there isn't a separate forum. Someone coming from out of state would be baffled.