Too Many Forum Categories

[ekraft84]

Ok here goes .. <deep breath>

<rant>

The forum is still too cluttered.  I wanted to look for some general info earlier, but there were like 4 categories that I had to sift through just to find it.  Then I had to spend double that amount of time reading the catchy "Off the Wall" / "Help Me Master!" thread names to figure out where my particular post would fit in.  I as a user want something simple and easy.  I have a life.  I have work to do (sometimes) and I want my forum to make sense!

Keep it simple:

1. Announcements
2. FAQ

3. General Racing (CCS Racing Discussion / Help Me Master / CCS Rules and Regs / Pics and Vids)
4. General Life (or something clever): (Help me Master / Non-Racing Motorcycle Discussion / Pics and Vids)

5. Technical (Help me Master / Wrenching)

6. Cornerworking (keep it separate if you don't want to blend it into one of the General topics, but you could if you wanted to)

7-10. Classifieds - Keep as is


Look, we just cut the number of categories in half and made it much easier to get through.  I'm all for clearly defining categories, but right now this is just too granular and borderline messy.  I don't visit the board much because it takes too much time to sift through the chaos.  If I can hop on, jump through a couple threads and be done with it, I'd come back more often.  You still would have very clearly defined areas of conversation, but I would venture the "flow/vibe/feel" of the forum would improve overall.

Maybe some people are like me, maybe I'm the only one <shrug>.  If you've been to this forum for awhile, you're probably used to it.  I'm just contributing my two-five cents as a student of web usability (also known as a web surfer).

Anyway, that's my rant.  Love it, hate it, delete it, or move it to the appropriate section of the forum here.  Whatever you like.   

</rant>

[Jeff]

Well, based on the fact that you put this in the area it was intended to go into, I'd say the layout is pretty good... 

I'm flexible though.  What do people want? 

I'll post a poll here.

[ekraft84]

Only because I spent too much time writing this and wanted to get it right.  

[251am]

Just right and a vast improvement as to what it had been...Your 2 suggestions for "General" areas are vast in each of their respective contents; Wouldn't it actually take longer to sift through all those posts of 3-4 filelds combined in one "general"?


What was it you had trouble finding? Maybe that's a better place to start...

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Only thing I see is maybe combining Help me master into the Wrenching in the Misc Motorcycle section sicne they pretty much are the same thing. There really isnt alot of sub-boards here compared to other boards I'm on. Its pretty minimalistic here.

[Gixxerblade]

What I want to know is what is the difference between "Wrenching" & "Help Me Master?"

[Jeff]

Wrenching = mechanical.  I.e., I can't synch these carbs.

Help me master = the old "tips & tricks", or 'how do I handle this decreasing radius turn at Gingerman?'

I understand that the 'help me master' is a cluster, but I didn't know what to do with it.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

MAybe changing the name of Help me Master to Tricks and tips? May help with tht confusion.

[ekraft84]

Help Me Master should be racing general discussion then -  If you're asking about a decreasing radius turn for example. 

[ekraft84]

Only thing I see is maybe combining Help me master into the Wrenching in the Misc Motorcycle section sicne they pretty much are the same thing. There really isnt alot of sub-boards here compared to other boards I'm on. Its pretty minimalistic here.

Yeah, some forums (like say, the R6 forum) have even more categories, but they aren't a niche market as much as this racing community is I'd say.

Again, my opinion.

[TommyG]

I know I`ve missed information that would have been nice to know before a race weekend because I didn`t have time to browse through all the different categories.......

[Jeff]

Would merging the "Help me master" and "General CCS Race discussion" sections help?