Here's what I was trying to avoid when I built this forum...

Chris

Chris

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As a former Harley owner, one of the forums I used to visit was the Harley Davidson forum:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/

Check that out, scroll down, and prepare to be dumbfounded. There's so many damn sub-forums that you have to spend a good amount of time thinking about where to actually post your topic.

I can't stand forums like this. It isn't just this forum either, most of the forums that Vertical Scope (the company who owns WF and JF) and Internet Brands (the company who owns HD forums and the other motorcycle forums) owns are like this. They just overload them with so many sub-forums it's ridiculous.

Want to see another horrible one?
http://www.r1-forum.com/forums/

That's the Yamaha R1 forum (used to be a member there as well).

Part of this sensibility of mine comes from my web designer background. I know that one of the number one things that website visitors prefer is a site that's uncluttered and easy to navigate. I can't stand going to a forum and trying to figure out where in the heck I'm supposed to post.

I actually do understand the intention behind all the sub-forums (organization), but often times it creates more confusing than it does practicality.
 
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I think we should have a section for all Jeep parts
Example:
Lug Nuts: General
Lug Nuts: Left Front
Lug Nuts: Right Front
Lug Nuts: Left Rear
Lug Nuts: Right Rear
Lug Nuts: Spare Tire
Then break it down to tire size, lift of vehicle, gearing size, then Chrome, Black, Other
Then we go to the Lug Wrench, Etc, Etc, Etc!
 
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Cisco Kid said:
I think we should have a section for all Jeep parts
Example:
Lug Nuts: General
Lug Nuts: Left Front
Lug Nuts: Right Front
Lug Nuts: Left Rear
Lug Nuts: Right Rear
Lug Nuts: Spare Tire
Then break it down to tire size, lift of vehicle, gearing size, then Chrome, Black, Other
Then we go to the Lug Wrench, Etc, Etc, Etc!
Click to expand...
I guess Lug Nuts: Locking must go under Lug Nuts: General...?
 
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No need to thank me (though your thanks is appreciated). I got so tired of the clutter (and attitude) over at WF and JF, I just decided enough was enough.
 
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Chris said:
As a former Harley owner, one of the forums I used to visit was the Harley Davidson forum:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/

Check that out, scroll down, and prepare to be dumbfounded. There's so many damn sub-forums that you have to spend a good amount of time thinking about where to actually post your topic.

I can't stand forums like this. It isn't just this forum either, most of the forums that Vertical Scope (the company who owns WF and JF) and Internet Brands (the company who owns HD forums and the other motorcycle forums) owns are like this. They just overload them with so many sub-forums it's ridiculous.

Want to see another horrible one?
http://www.r1-forum.com/forums/

That's the Yamaha R1 forum (used to be a member there as well).

Part of this sensibility of mine comes from my web designer background. I know that one of the number one things that website visitors prefer is a site that's uncluttered and easy to navigate. I can't stand going to a forum and trying to figure out where in the heck I'm supposed to post.

I actually do understand the intention behind all the sub-forums (organization), but often times it creates more confusing than it does practicality.
Click to expand...


It is like reading a post from myself.

I too had a Harley (wide glide), and now own a R1 (50th Anni) and am a member on that site you mentioned. I can't remember joining any Harley forums, but probably for the same reason you complained about. About 12 years ago I started a forum up in Seattle called Emerald City Cycle. It was a street bike forum where I had the same issues of how to deal with sub forums because I didn't specialize in bikes. But like you, I wanted to keep it simple. I knew I was moving so I ended up selling it to a competitor of whom I think eventually shut it down. Mine wasn't as big as his anyway, and he was a friend.

I started one in Arizona called azxperience.net, but I still own this one, but actually shut it down because it was starting to be a full time job staying ahead of spam, and most of my guests went to facebook anyway, so it wasn't worth keeping up. I still own the domains, and am currently trying to decide what to do with them.

This is my long winded way of saying we have a ton in common, and I agree with you!
 
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ac_ said:
It is like reading a post from myself.

I too had a Harley (wide glide), and now own a R1 (50th Anni) and am a member on that site you mentioned. I can't remember joining any Harley forums, but probably for the same reason you complained about. About 12 years ago I started a forum up in Seattle called Emerald City Cycle. It was a street bike forum where I had the same issues of how to deal with sub forums because I didn't specialize in bikes. But like you, I wanted to keep it simple. I knew I was moving so I ended up selling it to a competitor of whom I think eventually shut it down. Mine wasn't as big as his anyway, and he was a friend.

I started one in Arizona called azxperience.net, but I still own this one, but actually shut it down because it was starting to be a full time job staying ahead of spam, and most of my guests went to facebook anyway, so it wasn't worth keeping up. I still own the domains, and am currently trying to decide what to do with them.

This is my long winded way of saying we have a ton in common, and I agree with you!
Click to expand...

I get how things could be broken down into sub-forums. I could have an "appearance mods" sub-forum, an "engine mods" sub-forum, etc. The issue with that is that where does it stop? I mean I could have a "recall" sub-forum and so on. I just don't see a reason for all that unless it's something very specific. Case in point, on WF they have a TJ General Forum and a TJ Tech Forum... All that does is create extra work for the mods, because they're constantly moving topics that were posted in the wrong place.

So yeah, there's a fine line between organized and over organized.

The R1 forum went to hell, honestly. There's even a thread on that forum (if it hasn't been deleted), that is about 100 pages long, titled, "What happened to this forum!?". Basically it's people saying the same things we are saying now. No one knows where to post in order to get their topic seen, and why are there so many sub-forums.

Of course I still prefer a good forum over Facebook. Facebook has way too much drama (no matter where you go), and I do not support Facebook and the way they are attempting to kill the internet as we know it.
 
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Fewer forums is much better. Look at it this way, if you through a big party and wanted guests to not segregate themselves but to be social, would you hold it in a place with many many rooms or 1 big room? The way you have it setup lets all the members interact with each other on every topic ... I love it!
 
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Chris said:
...Facebook has way too much drama (no matter where you go), and I do not support Facebook and the way they are attempting to kill the internet as we know it.
Click to expand...

I only use Facebook when I have no other options. It's sad to see websites going away for the likes of Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest :(
 
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CodaMan said:
I only use Facebook when I have no other options. It's sad to see websites going away for the likes of Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest :(
Click to expand...

Facebook has it's use, no doubt. I just don't like what they're trying to do, and I think I outlined that pretty well in my Fuck Facebook thread. People need to pull themselves off social media anyways, it's alarming to see how addicted people are to it these days.
 
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CodaMan said:
Fewer forums is much better. Look at it this way, if you through a big party and wanted guests to not segregate themselves but to be social, would you hold it in a place with many many rooms or 1 big room? The way you have it setup lets all the members interact with each other on every topic ... I love it!
Click to expand...

And what happens all so often is that those smaller sub-forums don't get viewed as often. So someone posts a topic and then wonders why no one ever responds to it.
 
I agree with everything that has been said so far...I just think that if you narrow everything down to small sub section your not going to learn anything from anyone else's imput.
I guess what I’m trying to say is if you search for one specific thing you’ll only learn one specific thing.... if you keep things more open it’s amazing what you can learn. Hope that makes sense haha....
 
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I'm actually pretty impressed with how you've laid the site out. It's extremely pleasant to use!

A forum I follow, mbtr forum (mountain bike forum) is ridiculously complicated. As a newbie, I have no idea what any of the sub-threads mean.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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This forum is by far the easiest to navigate bar none, and I follow several jeep forums, most of which, I don't follow anymore.
 
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Yep. Your doing fine Chris.

Look how well simple uncluttered page design works for Drudge.

I have not been to a Cummins forums for years, for exactly the reasons you lay out.
 
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