Atari 8-bit Sub-Forums?

[falcon_]

 

Might I suggest that in addition to moving the 8bit programming forum into under 8bit systems,

how about an Announcements forum that is moderated and can be a place where people, especially

occasional viewers can easily get a better grasp of what activity is happening here. All updates

and releases for software, or hardware as well as any events/gatherings remotely related to Atari.

I think this can help the Atari's "visibility". It would show that the forums are not choked

with just a bunch of "bla bla bla"/chatter, there is real kool stuff going on, and without

having to be part of the forums to 'know' what is there. Know Whut Ah Mean Vern?

 

I'm also an older forum user, older as in I started BBS'ing in 1985, and from my experience

adding subforums is always risky. What if you moved the Programming into 8bit Systems, and

see how the activity goes for a bit? Then think about what other subs to add?

Overall, slower changes are better. If it meant loosing thousands of messages, I would

say not to do anything but linking...

 

_falcon_

[Kylev]

Al,

I am one of your "unsure" voters. I like the current layout of AtariAge, but I am not averse to seeing changes that benefit the community here.

Overall, I think you are doing a fantastic job with things the way they are. Please keep up the good work.

 

Russell

[snicklin]

I'm another one that would like the 8 bit programming to be put together with (next to) this forum. I hardly ever frequent the programming forum and put my programming messages in here due to the higher level of traffic.

[+Philsan]

I'm another one that would like the 8 bit programming to be put together with (next to) this forum. I hardly ever frequent the programming forum and put my programming messages in here due to the higher level of traffic.

I agree.

[Roydea6]

Just refreshed site... and I like it. Nice touch. I agree that change should be made in small steps.

[Albert]

I've moved the Atari 5200/8-bit Programming Forum into the 8-bit Forum, which makes a lot of sense and is something I should have done some time ago. I've done the same thing with the other system forums (2600, 5200, Lynx, etc.), and created links to the individual programming forums from the Programming Forum so people don't get confused if they suddenly went missing.

 

I may make additional changes, but that one was a no brainer.

 

..Al

[flashjazzcat]

Thanks for that change: I think it's a great improvement.

[analmux]

I voted "unsure". The main reason for me would be that I'm happy with just having to check one forum / list of new topics. I find many topics interesting, so if we have 5 new subforums, I'd need to check all 5 of them everytime I visit A.A.

 

However, I think that many people would enjoy when f.e. sound/music/pokey topics will have their own section. Many people are not interested in this, so why putting it in the root section?

 

 

I'd like to propose an idea. I'm not sure whether this is possible (for the admins/mods), but some kind of mixed solution might be to (at least) add an extra parameter to each thread. The parameter will say whether the topic belongs to a category: Music / GFX / Coding / Hardware / Software / Games / Meetings & Events....

 

Then it's up to the reader to select one of these, or even to select all of them at once. So, make no real subforums, but only some kind of virtual buttons. So, all threads will be in the 8bit section, and the default setting will be that all topic types are selected, so you can see all subforums at once, in chronological order of the last post in any thread. Then just click a button somewhere in the top of a window, and you'll only see f.e. the Games-related threads, etc.

 

Then it's up to the user, making the first post of a topic, to select the thread-category, or even select none. Then people who don't want to miss any threads can easily see all by not selecting any category.

 

A nice variation might be to introduce on-/off-switches to show/hide categories.

 

 

Anyway, my list of possible & desired 'subfora' will be:

 

- Sound, Music & Pokey stuff

- Graphics, enhanced graphics

- Programming (basic, TBB), Coding (M.L.)

- Hardware

- Software, operating systems, DOSes

- Games

- Meetings & Events

[Albert]

I'd like to propose an idea. I'm not sure whether this is possible (for the admins/mods), but some kind of mixed solution might be to (at least) add an extra parameter to each thread. The parameter will say whether the topic belongs to a category: Music / GFX / Coding / Hardware / Software / Games / Meetings & Events....

 

Then it's up to the reader to select one of these, or even to select all of them at once. So, make no real subforums, but only some kind of virtual buttons. So, all threads will be in the 8bit section, and the default setting will be that all topic types are selected, so you can see all subforums at once, in chronological order of the last post in any thread. Then just click a button somewhere in the top of a window, and you'll only see f.e. the Games-related threads, etc.

 

Then it's up to the user, making the first post of a topic, to select the thread-category, or even select none. Then people who don't want to miss any threads can easily see all by not selecting any category.

 

A nice variation might be to introduce on-/off-switches to show/hide categories.

Those are some interesting ideas, but I can say right now that it's very unlikely to happen quite as you describe it. What you're suggesting is more akin to "tags", which is a more realistic possibility, and one that many of Invision's customers have asked for. Then you'll be able to assign tags such as "Music", "Graphics", "Programming", "Games", and so forth, and people would be able to filter the forum by those tags. I'm not sure when this is going to happen, though.

 

I will emphatically say it's something that I will not be programming for this forum, due to the complexity of such an effort and the fact that Invision has stated it's something they are looking into.

 

..Al

[analmux]

I will emphatically say it's something that I will not be programming for this forum, due to the complexity of such an effort and the fact that Invision has stated it's something they are looking into.

 

OK, I understand. But, maybe an alternative that's simpler? (at least, I don't know how hard it is for you to do):

 

Making subforums PLUS a root forum, containing all threads, or at least links / 'shortcuts' to these threads, to offer an overview of the total group of topics.

 

Would this be easy?

[Heaven/TQA]

it seems already done... and a c64 vs a8 thread...

[PeteD]

Why does the Vs thread go to a video?? It's Youtube and I just get this "This video contains content from Vevo, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds"

 

 

I'd say maybe do music and graphics threads as well, they could go under a higher level heading of homebrew or something along with the coding bit. Not that I mind THAT much but I think some people would be happy to see certain graphics related stuff hidden from view, if you know what I mean, nudge nudge, say no more

 

 

Pete

[dwhyte]

I like the new sub-forums... Good job, Al.

 

I especially like the new Atari vs. Commodore sub-forum. Something the Commodore lovers surely needed...

Edited February 24, 2010 by dwhyte

[spookt]

Why does the Vs thread go to a video?? It's Youtube and I just get this "This video contains content from Vevo, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds"

 

 

I'd say maybe do music and graphics threads as well, they could go under a higher level heading of homebrew or something along with the coding bit. Not that I mind THAT much but I think some people would be happy to see certain graphics related stuff hidden from view, if you know what I mean, nudge nudge, say no more

 

 

Pete

 

It's blocked for me too but I guess it's probably a RickRoll.

[PeteD]

 

 

It's blocked for me too but I guess it's probably a RickRoll.

 

Yup, I just proxied it and it is, something all us commodore lovers need, obviously..

 

 

Pete

[analmux]

I will emphatically say it's something that I will not be programming for this forum, due to the complexity of such an effort and the fact that Invision has stated it's something they are looking into.

 

OK, I understand. But, maybe an alternative that's simpler? (at least, I don't know how hard it is for you to do):

 

Making subforums PLUS a root forum, containing all threads, or at least links / 'shortcuts' to these threads, to offer an overview of the total group of topics.

 

Would this be easy?

 

...to add some more:

 

I just took a look at the "Click here to show filter options" bar, at the bottom of the list-of-topics page.

 

When clicking, we get this:

 

(1) Show type: Topics / All Topics / Open Topics / Hot Topics / Polls Topics / Locked Topics / Moved

(2) Sort by: Order....

(3) Sort direction: Z-A A-Z....

(4) Time frame: From: Today....

(5) Remember filters

 

Just wondering whether it is possible to add a 6th selectionbox. Especially (1) shows what I mean. F.e. only activate Locked Topics, only these topics are visible in the list of topics. Isn't it possible to add all the desired subforum labels there? So, we have "Open Topics", "Locked Topics", ......, "Graphics Topics", "Programming Topics"...etc.

 

I don't know whether I missed the main source of problems & complexities. Of course I'm just a layman. So, I was just thinking...

[+bf2k+]

I prefer one-stop shopping! I hate having to jump all over the place to get my Atari fix. I don't want to see more sub-forums.

 

In that case, why not just use the "view new content" option?

 

Because I don't read all new content in a single forum. I pick and choose what I want to read - sometimes it is based on topic content - sometimes based on who started or replied to the topic - it just depends on how I feel at the moment I guess.

[+bf2k+]

Another thing that will inevitably surface with additional forums is a while new crop of forum police who's unappointed duty will be to blast anyone and everyone that posts an off-topic message in the wrong forum - accidental or not!

[Albert]

Another thing that will inevitably surface with additional forums is a while new crop of forum police who's unappointed duty will be to blast anyone and everyone that posts an off-topic message in the wrong forum - accidental or not!

That's generally not an issue. This is not the first time additional sub-forums have been created here.

 

..Al

[Mirage]

I prefer one-stop shopping! I hate having to jump all over the place to get my Atari fix. I don't want to see more sub-forums.

 

In that case, why not just use the "view new content" option?

 

Because I don't read all new content in a single forum. I pick and choose what I want to read - sometimes it is based on topic content - sometimes based on who started or replied to the topic - it just depends on how I feel at the moment I guess.

 

Then I guess I don't understand what you mean, but that's okay. If you're on the main forum page, and you click "view new content", it will show all the new content from ALL the forums except the ones you specifically choose to ignore in the link that Al posted. It seems to me that that would give you just what you're looking for... it has nothing to do with "a single forum". But like I said, if that's not what you mean, then I guess I don't see what you mean, so... sorry!

[+bf2k+]

Another thing that will inevitably surface with additional forums is a while new crop of forum police who's unappointed duty will be to blast anyone and everyone that posts an off-topic message in the wrong forum - accidental or not!

That's generally not an issue. This is not the first time additional sub-forums have been created here.

 

..Al

 

I have to defer to your wisdom and experience on that one!!

[Freshy]

Would this be possible:

 

Add an essentially locked subforum where a few designated frequent contributers can add links to what are deemed good threads in the other forums that are heavy on information and light on chatter? This way new people have a kind of FAQ with more detail than the 8-Bit FAQ floating around. I for one seem to be missing the "Competent at Searching" gene that most others have.

 

This would eliminate a bunch of pinned topics that clutter some other forums (thankfully not this one), while still providing a concentrated source of information. I cannot even begin to fathom the amount of information hidden within these forums. I'm not saying anyone would have to sift through the existing posts, but maybe add them when they are bumped or created?

 

Ken

[Albert]

Would this be possible:

 

Add an essentially locked subforum where a few designated frequent contributers can add links to what are deemed good threads in the other forums that are heavy on information and light on chatter? This way new people have a kind of FAQ with more detail than the 8-Bit FAQ floating around. I for one seem to be missing the "Competent at Searching" gene that most others have.

 

This would eliminate a bunch of pinned topics that clutter some other forums (thankfully not this one), while still providing a concentrated source of information. I cannot even begin to fathom the amount of information hidden within these forums. I'm not saying anyone would have to sift through the existing posts, but maybe add them when they are bumped or created?

Yes, that is quite easy to setup. I do like the idea of a more "interactive" FAQ that is updated with relevant information on a timely basis. I'll have to give this some thought. This could actually be done for other systems that have a lot of activity, such as the 2600 .

 

..Al

[+therealbountybob]

I like it now you have pinned the programming sub-forum on the main Atari 8-bit one (I don't think additional forums are required!)

 

I've said this before but if a casual user goes to the main atariage home page there is scant mention of the 8-bit - It should be added to the systems box and top menu bar - otherwise it looks like a console centric forum

[Albert]

I've said this before but if a casual user goes to the main atariage home page there is scant mention of the 8-bit - It should be added to the systems box and top menu bar - otherwise it looks like a console centric forum

I wholeheartedly agree, and ultimately the same with the ST as well. I did start work some time ago on an 8-bit section, but didn't get very far. It's a hell of a lot of work, even if you want to be North America-centric. There is a huge amount of 8-bit hardware and software, and I need to make some changes to the database to properly support computers. Might be time to dust off those plans again.

 

For the various console sections, I was able to scan my collection to get them going, and then fill in the gaps later. That's not as feasible for the 8-bit, as while I have plenty of carts (and I think they are already scanned and in the database), it's a small percentage of what's really out there. Plus I don't have much in the way of boxes or manuals, nor have I taken any 8-bit screenshots.

 

The first thing that would need to be decided is what to start with? Do you want to stick to just games for the software? Just cartridge-based software? Everything? Doing everything is a HUGE undertaking, so just doing carts initially might be a good idea and actually set an easier goal. I would need help with scans of carts, boxes, manuals, 8-bit catalogs, and screenshots. If the community wants to contribute those items, then I can work on an 8-bit section. This is a discussion that should be moved into a new topic, though.

 

..Al