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RR Forums Administrator
Board Administrator
Username: admin

Post Number: 66
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Tuesday, 25 December, 2007 - 21:34:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

I don't like to distract the discussion from the subject of cars but I would like some feedback on my sudden creation of the new "sub-subtopics" immediately above this.

Lately I've been a bit bothered by the number of threads in this subtopic on the forum. It's wonderful to see so much discussion but I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets tired of scrolling down looking for the latest entries.

Rather than simply archive old threads it occurred to me that categorising them might be a better approach. I could be wrong, of course, so let's discuss this.
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Patrick Lockyer.
Grand Master
Username: pat_lockyer

Post Number: 746
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Wednesday, 26 December, 2007 - 04:38:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

IMO it is a good idea to have sub-topics it will hopefully keep the thread to the topic concerned,something that i am sometimes guilty of.

I will be carrying out a more up todate LPG system
on the SS2.
This is because of the suitible availability of a single twin diaphram vaporisor etc being suitible with mixers and a lamda loop.
This will allow start ups on LPG and a more efficent system than my present working well early set-up

If this would be of interest then maybe a sub-topic on "LPG"

Seasons greeting to all.

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Laurie Fox
Experienced User
Username: laurie_fox

Post Number: 31
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Wednesday, 26 December, 2007 - 08:06:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

I am in favour of subtopics. I would also like the sequence of the topics on an index page to be based on the one having the most recent post being at the top. What controls the present sequence?.

The post above is a glorious example of two different subjects in one post. Only manual editing will separate out this sort of thing.

Regards

Laurie
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Trevor P Hodgkinson
Experienced User
Username: wm20

Post Number: 12
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Wednesday, 26 December, 2007 - 15:44:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Being new to the forum and having spent far too many late night hours ( according to SWMBO ) trolling the previous archive I think that the new "by topic" format is absolutely brilliant and the work of an obvious genius
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RR Forums Administrator
Board Administrator
Username: admin

Post Number: 67
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Wednesday, 26 December, 2007 - 17:31:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Ummm... so far I am encouraged, so I shall elaborate.

Sub-subtopics

Adding subtopics could easily get out of hand, so we need to keep them to a manageable number. I'll start by taking a lead from the eighteen Shadow workshop manual chapters but - not being any sort of expert on Shadows - I fully expect to be roundly criticised for how I condense them into a smaller number of topics. So don't get too comfortable with what's on offer just yet because it will change after the experts get their knives into me.

Apart from the obvious subtopics already created and those not, there will probably be a need for a "Miscellaneous" topic. I'm inclined to also add a "chat" topic for threads that start to meander. In many other forums this is referred to as a "lounge" but in our case I might resurrect a topic (which was long ago removed from the forum for lack of interest) called "The Car Park". People who have been to RROC(A) Federal Rallies or on Overlanders will probably appreciate what I mean when I suggest that the car park is the best place to be.

As has already been suggested, this change to sub-subtopics will make it necessary to relocate threads occasionally to match subject matter to topic. This would require more diligence and effort (i.e. work) from the moderator, which I'm sure he'll be delighted to hear.

Subtopic, Thread and Message Ordering
Different ordering can be applied to individual topics as desired, though for consistency it would probably be best to apply any changes to the entire forum. Here are the options available for automatic subtopic and thread ordering:
1 - Add new threads to top - New threads would appear at the top of the subtopic

Pro: No scrolling down to the bottom to find new threads.
Con: None

2 - Alphabetize threads upon addition - All threads sorted alphabetically

Pro: Easy to find thread by subject
Con: Thread titles don't always reflect their content

3 - Move active thread to top of list - New messages to a thread move it to the top

Pro: Easy to find threads with new messages in them
Con: Thread order constantly changes

4 - Move active thread's parents to top of list - New messages in a thread move its subtopic to the top

Pro: Easy to find subtopics with new messages in their threads
Con: Subtopic order keeps changing

5 - Add new messages to top - Messages get added at the top of a thread, not the bottom

Pro: New messages are easily found
Con: Threads read "upside-down"

I would only recommend options 1 and 3. If 4 is implemented, the "sub-subtopics"
will constantly change position and that could get confusing. I would not recommend 2 or 5 at all.
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David Gore
Moderator
Username: david_gore

Post Number: 774
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Thursday, 27 December, 2007 - 19:18:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Your friendly Moderator's overloaded and frazzled brain is having a short holiday break and will return hopefully refreshed, able to comprehend this new approach to the forum and most importantly comment appropriately in the New Year .

In the meantime, I would appreciate further input and comment from our users as any changes must meet their needs and expectations and not detract from their forum participation.