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Ron Earp
08-30-2005, 01:16 PM
Has traffic dropped off with the new forum format?

It seems so to me, or at least, it is not as accessable as before. Not so sure I am so keen on the subforums as it takes a few clicks to see something. I know I don't post as much with the subforum format, anyone else find this to be true?

Ron

planet6racing
08-30-2005, 01:40 PM
It's not just you. I've noticed it as well...

I was just starting to think that, maybe, there is too much organization now... (Note, I'm not complaining! I like the new forums and will happily work within whatever framework there is. Please don't ban me! PLEASE!! :119: )

Speed Raycer
08-30-2005, 01:52 PM
The organization is a little confusing.... but I just hit the "View New Posts" button up at the top now and see everything that's been posted since my last visit.

Eagle7
08-30-2005, 07:21 PM
Yeah, I find it quicker and easier to go through the posts with the new format. Don't know if there's less traffic.

imported_Webmaster
08-30-2005, 08:08 PM
Originally posted by Eagle7@Aug 30 2005, 07:21 PM
Yeah, I find it quicker and easier to go through the posts with the new format. Don't know if there's less traffic.

59341


I do know one thing that is causing the # of posts to decrease. We used to allow any vagrant off the street <_< to come in and post anonymously. They just had to pick a name and post. A number of people also had their "normal" IDs and then their "nasty flaming" IDs.

Now that we are requiring registrations to provide a real email address it has decreased somewhat the # of people who are jumping in as they feel they are not anonymous.

Not sure why people feel that way but I have received a few emails from concerned people. Guess they think I may be selling the email addresses or monitoring posts or something.

If people feel that the subforums are really cuasing people to stop posting then I will change things. But I think maybe people just need to get used to the new format. But I&#39;m open to suggestions... I think I&#39;ll start a poll on the subject.

imported_Webmaster
08-30-2005, 08:10 PM
Originally posted by Speed Raycer@Aug 30 2005, 01:52 PM
The organization is a little confusing....

59318


Please let me know what is confusing! :unsure: I want to make this site as intuitive as possible..even if it means simplifying.

Wayne
08-30-2005, 11:02 PM
Originally posted by Webmaster@Aug 31 2005, 12:08 AM
If people feel that the subforums are really cuasing people to stop posting then I will change things. But I think maybe people just need to get used to the new format. But I&#39;m open to suggestions... I think I&#39;ll start a poll on the subject.

59343

My visitation to this site is almost nil anymore. There are way too many sub categories for the amount of traffic this site has. I&#39;m simply not willing to wade through the maze of categories.

I realize the tendency to want to provide sub categories for everything, but this type of strategy only works on forums with extremely high traffic volumes, and sometimes not even then.

I certainly appreciate the site owners efforts in trying to improve the site, but I feel the quality of the community has suffered greatly with the multiple categories. I believe the old quantity and layout of categories was just about right for the level of forum traffic.

Wayne

JoelG
08-31-2005, 09:28 AM
Originally posted by Wayne@Aug 31 2005, 03:02 AM
My visitation to this site is almost nil anymore. There are way too many sub categories for the amount of traffic this site has. I&#39;m simply not willing to wade through the maze of categories.


I agree 100%. I think this my only my 3rd visit since the changeover and I used to visit almost every day.

Joel

Greg Amy
08-31-2005, 10:03 AM
...I just hit the "View New Posts" button up at the top now...


Ah-hah! I hadn&#39;t seen that; it&#39;ll be my new main navigation mode!!!

gran racing
08-31-2005, 10:06 AM
Just my opinions…

General Discussion:
Omit IT News, and Race Tracks North America

In the new to racing section, eventually have a pinned area that has some of the things every rookie needs to know such as the SCCA web site, link to down load the GCR, etc.

Tech Talk:
Move the driving technique to the General Discussion area.
Omit the engine, suspension and chasis sub forums.

Rules & Regs:
Omit the car classification

The view new posts option should always be on for every user.

dickita15
08-31-2005, 02:13 PM
I agree that there are way more clicks needed now. between the sub forums and the pinned topics it is harder to see whqt is new. I really don&#39;t like using the new topic button as I lose context.

I did think it was just me though.

imported_Webmaster
08-31-2005, 02:39 PM
Originally posted by dickita15@Aug 31 2005, 02:13 PM
I agree that there are way more clicks needed now. between the sub forums and the pinned topics it is harder to see whqt is new. I really don&#39;t like using the new topic button as I lose context.

I did think it was just me though.

59423



OK this is good to hear.... I&#39;m so busy with the site construction/changes that I have not had time to "feel" how it all works now.

Keep the comments coming please !!

Both pro and con... You can&#39;t hurt my feelings. :bash_1_: If they suck..tell me ! :P

spnkzss
08-31-2005, 03:01 PM
Originally posted by Webmaster@Aug 31 2005, 02:39 PM
OK this is good to hear.... I&#39;m so busy with the site construction/changes that I have not had time to "feel" how it all works now.

Keep the comments coming please !!

Both pro and con... You can&#39;t hurt my feelings. :bash_1_: If they suck..tell me ! :P

59428


Netscape&#39;s tabbed browsing makes this real easy to get around. I go to the main page and open each new forum (that I care about) in a new tab and then start closing tabs as I go. The only thing that I really miss from the old site iis after you have read a forum, or a single topic in that forum, it used to mark the rest as "read" automatically even if you didn&#39;t read them. If there is a new post on Summit Point and a new Post on NHIS something or another and I read the Summit post and not the NHIS post it now only keeps the Summit post as read and the NHIS post stays unread. I&#39;d like both to be read again.

Awesome job on the new site. :happy204: It&#39;s just going to take time to get into a new "groove".

This whole thing reminds me of GCR Rule changes. Some people like it some other&#39;s don&#39;t and some just don&#39;t pay attention anymore ;)

planet6racing
08-31-2005, 04:26 PM
Originally posted by spnkzss@Aug 31 2005, 02:01 PM
Netscape&#39;s tabbed browsing makes this real easy to get around. I go to the main page and open each new forum (that I care about) in a new tab and then start closing tabs as I go. The only thing that I really miss from the old site iis after you have read a forum, or a single topic in that forum, it used to mark the rest as "read" automatically even if you didn&#39;t read them. If there is a new post on Summit Point and a new Post on NHIS something or another and I read the Summit post and not the NHIS post it now only keeps the Summit post as read and the NHIS post stays unread. I&#39;d like both to be read again.



I think some of this has to do with the cookie settings and whether you close out of IE before your next visit. IE for me is up all day long and only rarely does it recognize that it has been 1 or more hours since I last visited. I&#39;m not sure that anything can be done about that...

As for the organization, some of it is nice (like the newbie subcategory), but I&#39;d agree that we don&#39;t have the traffic to warrant it.

Speed Raycer
08-31-2005, 05:46 PM
Like was said earlier. Some of the subtopics (newbie forums etc) are needed, but others aren&#39;t

I&#39;d like to say that the new forums ARE GREAT and thank you for all the work!

I&#39;ve been working on my regions website for over a year now and you can get in such a bubble that you don&#39;t see if things are "flowing" well until you hear from the end user (which is always a flame... rarely an attaboy).

Knestis
08-31-2005, 08:20 PM
Originally posted by Webmaster@Aug 31 2005, 12:08 AM
... A number of people also had their "normal" IDs and then their "nasty flaming" IDs.


:D HAH! I knew it!

K

JeffYoung
08-31-2005, 09:32 PM
That&#39;s right. My nasty flaming screen name was "Knestis."

Jef

lateapex911
08-31-2005, 10:41 PM
Ooooooo...............

(low hushed whistle of admiration)

now THAT&#39;s sneaky.....

Bill Miller
08-31-2005, 11:24 PM
Originally posted by GregAmy@Aug 31 2005, 02:03 PM
Ah-hah! I hadn&#39;t seen that; it&#39;ll be my new main navigation mode!!!

59386



There&#39;s also a nifty little thing up there called "My Assistant". Check it out!

planet6racing
09-01-2005, 08:53 AM
It could also be the fact that there really is nothing new being discussed on the board. October FasTrack is apparently the near the off-season argument that will continue for too long, Restricted Regional discussion has degenerated into personal attacks, etc.

Maybe I&#39;m just cranky today...

gsbaker
09-01-2005, 09:52 AM
Originally posted by planet6racing@Sep 1 2005, 08:53 AM
Maybe I&#39;m just cranky today...

59496
Could it be the sprinkles? ;)

imported_Webmaster
09-04-2005, 10:21 AM
I agree that there are way more clicks needed now.

Just looked at the site layout again in this respect. Other than the subforums that are still there. The new site requires no more clicks than the old site. The subforums require 1 more click.

We&#39;re going to take a look at removing some more subforums that don&#39;t appear to be getting used properly.