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I've recently had several threads which I started, either moved into other forums, or attached to the end of existing threads.
The moderators may feel they are making the right choices in doing this, but not always, in my opinion.
Sometimes the creator of the thread has a particular forum audience in mind, which would lean the discussion based on the forum the thread resides in.
In one example ... I created a post about Digital TV being available in San Diego, and created it in the San Diego forum. In that forum it attracted attention, and thank yous from other San Diegans for providing the information. I wanted to get more responses from San Diegans to learn what issues they've encountered in converting to Digital TV, and how they were resolved. Then the San Diego moderator moved it into a TV "specific" forum, and my thread died. The regulars in the TV forum were not the least bit interested, and the thread simply faded away.
In the politics forum, I created a thread about a recent Obama CNN poll, and then a moderator attached it to the end of another thread about a different poll. So very little attention was paid to my specific post, which was meant to be a completely seperate conversation, and exist in it's own thread.
Sometimes the creation of these new threads can be time-consuming. They may involve searching for, and attaching links to supporting information. They may involve posting related quotes from other sources.
Then when they are moved into another forum, or attached to the end of an existing thread, it almost feels like creation of the thread was a waste of time.
I hope moderators will realize this when they consider moving threads.
Hi. I think we can carve out exactly the audience we want by tailoring the thread title. What do you think?
Mods can't possibly know what all the OPs might have had in mind. So I think we posters can solve this ourselves, almost all the time -- by creating thread titles that delimit the thread to a specific forum.
So instead of, for example, "Do you like the drizzle?" which will get moved to the WEATHER forum, "Do you like Seattle's drizzle?" will stay in the SEATTLE forum. Does that make sense? So perhaps "San Diego Digital TV" would be a title tailored for that specific audience.
I hope moderators will realize this when they consider moving threads.
I probably move 4-6 topics a day out of local forums I moderate that have no indication in the original post of a reason to be in that local forum. That's why I'm going to point this right back at you and other members here.
Members need to make the local aspect of a thread very clear in the original post if it's on a topic that overlaps with another forum here. Even put it in the title if you can. Think hard before you do that, though. You may want local input on a topic, but do you really need it? This is a sprawling community with many thousands of members. Usually the best expertise on a topic can be found in the general forum for subject area, rather than a local forum.
Quote:
Originally Posted by allforcats
So instead of, for example, "Do you like the drizzle?" which will get moved to the WEATHER forum, "Do you like Seattle's drizzle?" will stay in the SEATTLE forum. Does that make sense? So perhaps "San Diego Digital TV" would be a title tailored for that specific audience.
Hi. I think we can carve out exactly the audience we want by tailoring the thread title. What do you think?
Mods can't possibly know what all the OPs might have had in mind. So I think we posters can solve this ourselves, almost all the time -- by creating thread titles that delimit the thread to a specific forum.
So instead of, for example, "Do you like the drizzle?" which will get moved to the WEATHER forum, "Do you like Seattle's drizzle?" will stay in the SEATTLE forum. Does that make sense? So perhaps "San Diego Digital TV" would be a title tailored for that specific audience.
This would be best discussed with the moderator who moved it. I'll look up who moved the thread and ask that mod to get in touch with you.
Thanks Bowie.
I participate often in the San Diego forum, and I already know the San Diego moderator. I've DM'ed with him on several occasions about different subjects.
I just wanted to inform all moderators at City-Data that relocating threads is not always the best choice, and can sometimes negatively affect the original purpose of the thread. Sometimes the desired audience is in the original forum selected by the creator of the thread.
I also realize moderators are unpaid volunteers, and I do appreciate their efforts at keeping City-Data a great forum to participate in!
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The title is the clue
