Tom, I don't mind them at all. In fact, it helps me to wade through the chaff, as I determine it, to get to the other threads that are titled in an appealing way for me. I won't enter a thread about Beer and Barns, N-Scale, and others that are thoughtfully titled to represent a limited appeal for your general modeler...that I am.
I hope my use of the word chaff is not taken as a deprecation, just that it is akin to "noise" in the signalling world. In other words, these threads actually improve the signal to noise ratio for me.
(How's that for a non-engineer/physicist?)
tstage wrote: Do these threads help the forum, or do they actually split the forum up further into isolated "cliques"? Are certain topics discussed in some of these "sub-forums" being lost to newbies (as well as regulars) who might actually benefit from them?
Do these threads help the forum, or do they actually split the forum up further into isolated "cliques"? Are certain topics discussed in some of these "sub-forums" being lost to newbies (as well as regulars) who might actually benefit from them?
I see your point, but on the other hand, you could look in those threads and find out if it's something you're interested in.
I'll just use the N scalers thread as an example here.
The N scalers aren't going to exclude you from joining in the conversation just because you don't model that scale. The idea is that N scale related issues will be the primary focus of that thread. HO scaler's probably aren't too interested on how the latest N scale release runs. N scalers are very interested, and so for them, that is a place they can go and talk about it. If you model HO, but you are interested in something like that then you'll now know where to find it.
I don't think it hurts anything. I think it's more of a case of a different way of doing it, thats all. It's like a new flavor of ice cream. Its different from the ones before it, but its still good!
I think that the general discussion forum is the place to be!
beegle55
Dave Vollmer wrote:Well, I started the N scale thread because what was happening was that there were several threads that started on a very specific N scale issue that eventually went off-topic into general N scale modeling. Call me biased, but I think it adds rather than detracts from the forum. We discussed whether or not we should ask create a fifth forum, but decided in the end that would isolate us too much from the general community. I think an N scale thread in the General Discussion strikes a nice compromise.Now, I don't do the Beer Barn, Coffee Shop, Whistle Stop, Depot, Roundhouse, Elliot's Diner, etc. I tend to think (WARNING: MY OPINION) that the social threads could instead be their own forum.Just my two cents...
Well, I started the N scale thread because what was happening was that there were several threads that started on a very specific N scale issue that eventually went off-topic into general N scale modeling. Call me biased, but I think it adds rather than detracts from the forum. We discussed whether or not we should ask create a fifth forum, but decided in the end that would isolate us too much from the general community. I think an N scale thread in the General Discussion strikes a nice compromise.
Now, I don't do the Beer Barn, Coffee Shop, Whistle Stop, Depot, Roundhouse, Elliot's Diner, etc. I tend to think (WARNING: MY OPINION) that the social threads could instead be their own forum.
Just my two cents...
I agree with Dave, keep the model ones together. I suggested the social threads be a separate section when The Whistle Stop was started but nothing happened:
As a non-N-scaler (I model in 'twice-N' scale) and a Beer Barn regular, I will note that, while there's quite a bit of technical information exchanged, it's more the kind of thing that would be sent to an individual by e-mail than would be brought out in the open Forum.
The quick answer, for anyone who feels that some gem of knowledge might be missed, is to skim the 'social' threads each time you check into the Forums. Of course, for anyone who isn't a speed reader, that could be a lot of skimming. Unfortunately, the content of those threads is rather like gold ore - ounces of gold in tons of ore.
OTOH, there are some people, myself included, who prefer to see the human rather than the cardboard cutout labeled, "Model Railroader." After all, we aren't interchangeable parts.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - arthritis willing)
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
When I first became a "regular" user of the forum in May 2004, the same four forum categories were present - just as they are now in 2007. If you had a question, you posted it on one of three*venues that were available:
(*Where's the 70th Anniversary Boxcar? forum is a separate entity in and of itself and, to me, not part of the equation.)
Lately (or since the the upgrade of the forum software in July), there seems to be an exponential increase of what I'll call "special interest" threads on the forum - i.e. a thread for N-scalers, a thread for "diner" eaters, a thread for "beer" drinkers, a thread for "whistlers", a thread for such-in-such RR, and so on. A couple of the aforementioned threads have been here for a while; others are a more recent development.
Now I'm NOT saying that all these threads are bad or don't serve a purpose. What I'm wandering is: Do these threads help the forum, or do they actually split the forum up further into isolated "cliques"? Are certain topics discussed in some of these "sub-forums" being lost to newbies (as well as regulars) who might actually benefit from them?
I'd be interested in hearing what you all have to say on the topic.
Signed,
Curious George (Tom)
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.