Atari 8-bit Sub-Forums?

[Albert]

The Atari 8-bit forum here on AtariAge sees quite a bit of traffic. I was wondering if the members here who frequent the 8-bit forum feel it would be useful to create some targeted 8-bit sub-forums? And if so, what sub-forums do you feel would be appropriate? The main reason I'd consider doing this would be to organize threads into the most oft-discussed topics and thus make it easier for those interested in those subjects to keep tabs on them.

 

I look forward to reading your feedback.

 

Thanks,

 

..Al

[Cebus Capucinis]

I think it would be good to break them up via intent, such as Hardware, Software, Games, etc. -- just more targeted forums.

[Rybags]

I think generally, this place has too many forums.

 

IMO, if a particular forum doesn't accumulate enough new threads in one day to spill over into more than 1.5 pages or so, then it should be candidate to be merged with another "quiet" forum.

 

I'd prefer it if most of the system forums were merged into one per system, e.g. 8-bit computers instead of 8-bit, and a seperate one for programming.

Then, maybe some seperate forums could be created for other systems that are popular, e.g. Commodore, and maybe one for Z-80 based machines.

[Albert]

I think generally, this place has too many forums.

 

IMO, if a particular forum doesn't accumulate enough new threads in one day to spill over into more than 1.5 pages or so, then it should be candidate to be merged with another "quiet" forum.

 

I'd prefer it if most of the system forums were merged into one per system, e.g. 8-bit computers instead of 8-bit, and a seperate one for programming.

Then, maybe some seperate forums could be created for other systems that are popular, e.g. Commodore, and maybe one for Z-80 based machines.

I generally don't agree with this approach. There are many "quiet" forums here by your criteria, probably nearly all the forums here in fact. I don't believe that just because a forum doesn't get a huge amount of traffic that it should be merged into another forum in order for it to appear busier. On the other hand, I don't want to create forums "just for the sake of it", which is why I'm putting forth the question here. The Atari 8-bit forum is one of the more heavily trafficked forums on AtariAge, probably garnering as much traffic these days as the 2600 forum.

 

My thinking is that breaking the 8-bit forum into a few sub-forums (such as hardware, software, and games as suggested above) may encourage additional discussion in those areas and make the AtariAge forums more of a destination for Atari 8-bit fans (of which I am a big one).

 

..Al

[Kjmann]

I think generally, this place has too many forums.

 

IMO, if a particular forum doesn't accumulate enough new threads in one day to spill over into more than 1.5 pages or so, then it should be candidate to be merged with another "quiet" forum.

 

I'd prefer it if most of the system forums were merged into one per system, e.g. 8-bit computers instead of 8-bit, and a seperate one for programming.

Then, maybe some seperate forums could be created for other systems that are popular, e.g. Commodore, and maybe one for Z-80 based machines.

 

I would have to agree with Rybags on this. Maybe a 8-bit computers Forum. then an 8-bit consoles forum. on top of that a Chiptune music Design forum, since there is so much of that going on in some threads. and etc.

 

Just My two cents.

=)

[Cebus Capucinis]

I'd certainly be spending 24/7 in the "Games" forum that's for sure!

 

Quality over quantity, even if a forum is quiet but it is full of good, informative posts that really help users find new software or learn things about hardware is what it's all about to me.

[Kjmann]

Or Maybe an 8-bit games, 8-bit programing, 8-bit music, etc. thing.

 

it just seems to me that AA has grown from just an atari based forum to much more. I am Above all an atarian all the way. but I see the need for some changes after some interesting discussions and comments (Al, you know what I mean. as I have seen you, forced to deal with some of this garbage recently).

Edited February 24, 2010 by kjmann

[Rybags]

I generally browse the forums using the "View New Content" facility.

 

If anything, a nice feature although probably needing a change to the forum engine itself, would be the ability to add filtering to the "View New" facility.

 

Then, we could just ignore forums that we're not interested in when using "View New".

[Albert]

I generally browse the forums using the "View New Content" facility.

 

If anything, a nice feature although probably needing a change to the forum engine itself, would be the ability to add filtering to the "View New" facility.

 

Then, we could just ignore forums that we're not interested in when using "View New".

I use the "View New Content" and "Today's Active Content" queries constantly. You actually can disable forums you are not interested in viewing right here:

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=forums&area=blockforums

 

 

..Al

[+Stephen]

I know there is a programming forum here, but for some reason it seems that most people don't know it exists. Maybe if it was moved inside this one it would get more traffic. There are a ton of hugely talented coders here. It would be great some programming threads got as much traffic as the pissing contests of late.

 

Stephen Anderson

[Kjmann]

I generally browse the forums using the "View New Content" facility.

 

If anything, a nice feature although probably needing a change to the forum engine itself, would be the ability to add filtering to the "View New" facility.

 

Then, we could just ignore forums that we're not interested in when using "View New".

 

Thats a good idea too. =)

[Kjmann]

I know there is a programming forum here, but for some reason it seems that most people don't know it exists. Maybe if it was moved inside this one it would get more traffic. There are a ton of hugely talented coders here. It would be great some programming threads got as much traffic as the pissing contests of late.

 

Stephen Anderson

 

Right on! =)

 

Sorry. I've just been quiet during all the "Pissing contests" of late and it was building up. =)

 

Edit:

 

I use the "View New Content" and "Today's Active Content" queries constantly. You actually can disable forums you are not interested in viewing right here:

 

http://www.atariage....rea=blockforums

 

 

 

..Al

 

I just noticed this post. I wasn't aware of that feature. =)

Edited February 24, 2010 by kjmann

[Albert]

I know there is a programming forum here, but for some reason it seems that most people don't know it exists. Maybe if it was moved inside this one it would get more traffic. There are a ton of hugely talented coders here. It would be great some programming threads got as much traffic as the pissing contests of late.

I agree that the programming forums are a bit disjointed at the moment. What I probably should do is move them into their respective "System" forums, and then the "Programming" forum itself can have soft-links to the system-specific forums. This is how the various High Score forums are setup and that seems to work well.

 

..Al

[Shawn Jefferson]

I know there is a programming forum here, but for some reason it seems that most people don't know it exists. Maybe if it was moved inside this one it would get more traffic. There are a ton of hugely talented coders here. It would be great some programming threads got as much traffic as the pissing contests of late.

 

Stephen Anderson

 

+1 on this. It would be nice to link the Programming forums into each section like the High-Score club is currently (like you just said, Albert. )

 

I also don't think that the Atari 8-bit forum needs to be split up particularly. I just read the topics I'm interested in and ignore the others.

Edited February 24, 2010 by Shawn Jefferson

[GroovyBee]

Judging by some of the latest A8 threads I think it needs a religion category.

[Albert]

Judging by some of the latest A8 threads I think it needs a religion category.

If I was going to that for the 8-bit section, I would have created one in the Jaguar forum first..

 

..Al

[Cebus Capucinis]

Judging by some of the latest A8 threads I think it needs a religion category.

If I was going to that for the 8-bit section, I would have created one in the Jaguar forum first..

 

..Al

 

:lol:

[+Stephen]

Judging by some of the latest A8 threads I think it needs a religion category.

If I was going to that for the 8-bit section, I would have created one in the Jaguar forum first..

 

..Al

Al - please don't even suggest that! The A8 forums are my escape from the Jag craziness. Don't give anyone ideas.

[Cebus Capucinis]

They REALLY love their marshmellows over there, I hear..... :lol:

[Albert]

Al - please don't even suggest that! The A8 forums are my escape from the Jag craziness. Don't give anyone ideas.

Blame GroovyBee, it was his idea..

 

..Al

[GroovyBee]

Blame GroovyBee, it was his idea..

Cheers Al!

[+wood_jl]

I agree with those who have suggested a "programming" subforum. However, there should also be a "hardware" subforum. I tended to miss those - in that they're "their own" forums currently. If each section had a "programming" and "hardware" (and whatever else) subforum - inside the forum of each respective system - it would be easy to find them.

 

Don't forget the "Flamewar/enter-at-your-own-risk" subforum. Inside that, there could be a "Atari vs. Commodore" sub-subforum. heh heh.

Edited February 24, 2010 by wood_jl

[Albert]

Inside that, there could be a "Atari vs. Commodore" sub-subforum. heh heh.

That will be redirected to /dev/null.

 

..Al

[jaybird3rd]

I like the idea of breaking up the 8-Bit Computers forum. Some major categories I can think of are:

 

• Music/Chiptunes/Demos: I'm not too interested in these projects personally, but those who are would probably enjoy having their own space. This could be considered a subset of the "Programming" subforum (see below), but these projects have a different focus and are a large enough category to merit their own subforum.
  
• Hardware: New peripherals and other projects, upgrades, repair questions and advice, etc. are a big part of life on this forum. I often find myself searching for information on specific products and upgrades, and it would be nice to consolidate those conversations.
  
• Games: Tips/tricks, game-related questions ("how do you land in Blue Max" and so forth), high score contests, compatibility lists, etc. This is another major category which would certainly make an active subforum.
  
• Programming: New software development (games, applications, etc), programming resources, etc; this might even be broken down further for specific projects (such as Last Word or RealDOS) if needed.
  

 

The main forum could then be used for more general discussions about using the 400/800 machines as computers, Q&A, etc.

[JonnyBritish]

Perhaps like the Atari 2600 forum we could have one under the Atari 8-bit for

BASIC

FORTH

ASSEMBLER

ACTION!

 

There seems to be so much activity around coders building new games on the 2600, 5200 and now 7800. Would be great to encourage more actviity with BASIC, ASSEMBLER and ACTION! and get some new titles written. Personally I would like to get a complete dump of all the usenet articles that google gorups has for comp.sys.atari.8bit and extract all the ACTION! tips and archive into the proposed group.

 

One question. If a group does not see much activity can you roll up all the messages into the main group. Also if you created a sub group could you easily move related messages from the top group down to the newly created sub group.?

 

As steve says people are not going to the programming forum at least it does not appear so