Do we need to change the weekly threads?

[chimera]

Traffic has certainly increased on the weekly threads. As of last night, we were up to #119 when I went to bed, about what we used to have in a week.
We've had one suggestion for daily threads and several people commenting on how quickly things are moving (hard to keep up). So...do we need to consider changing things a bit?

Personally, I'm not excited about daily threads. I don't think it will cut down the number of posts and it will splinter conversations (kinda like what happens now when we change weeks). I thought about twice weekly threads or even three times a week, but still don't think that would make any fewer posts to read.

We could think about two threads, one for WISH team talk and one for WISH team training, but I think that could be too many threads to keep up with.

I'm actually okay with leaving things the way they are now, but don't want to see people dropping off because things are moving too fast and it's taking too much time to keep up. I also don't want people to feel like they shouldn't post because it adds too much to the post count. I do recognize that the team is growing and we may need to modify accomodate as many as we can.

Those are my random thoughts. What are yours?

 

[aladdinsgirl]

I think we should definitely keep things the way they are now. It will be too difficult to have multiple threads and I'm afraid if you have a talking thread a and training thread, people will get alienated and we may end up with 2 or more teams. I don't think anyone wants that. Just my opinion, of course.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I know I have problems keeping up. I hate to post posts all about me--but I can't catch up on 5 pages.

We can always try a shorter thread (daily or whatever) and see how it goes. If it is too little--or we lose peeps....we can always go back.

I would keep whatever we decide to one thread though.

 

[mogulskr]

I voted for daily because it seems like it would be easier to keep up or catch up in the thread. Though you guys have been doing this longer and if you think the thread will die down as the months go on then the way it is now would be good.

 

[wtpclc]

I voted to keep things the same.

1. Another 2 weeks and I am sure that things will die down a bit.

2. I have a hard time keeping up. I know when I get back on Monday, I have a hard time going back to the previsou week's thread to catch up. If we have daily threads and I see that I missed the end of Friday, Saturday and Sunday, I will not go back. I'm much more likely to read the last 5 pages of the weekly thread than hit 3 threads I'm behind on. That's just me, but I know I'd never go back and read teh 3 prior days, even if they were shorter.

3. It's way to much to ask you, or anyone, to post new threads every day.

4. If we have separate training threads, we will lose a lot of the personal info that makes us a team. Many times, the line between trainigna nd general lives is really fuzzy anyway.

JMO. If consensus says otherwise, that's fine. However, we'd need a new system. We'd have to assign posting responsibliities to more people (One person for each day of the week or something)

 

[MelRhoads]

I like it the way it is. If you use the go to first new post function, you don't have to see the old ones.

 

[keenercam]

I voted to keep things as they are.

I think the things we learn about each other on the training threads help us to bond and to know each other better, so I wouldn't want separate talk & training threads. I agree that more frequent threads would fracture conversations, and I'd still want to go back and read earlier threads to keep up with people. And, frankly, if I don't have time to read all the posts I read what I can and if something peaks my interest, I go back to find the earlier reference.

There is no doubt that things are going to slow down soon. There may be a surge in traffic right before the Minnie or the RFTT but on an ongoing basis for probably the next 8 months (until the marathon/half-marathon training plans kick in), the traffic might not be as voluminous as it is right now.

Thanks again, Mel, for putting up the weekly threads!

 

[wtpclc]

I like it the way it is. If you use the go to first new post function, you don't have to see the old ones.

DOn't know if it's the upgrade or not, but hte new posts function seems to be working better than I htought it used to.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

I voted to keep things the way they are too.

1.) I have had a little trouble keeping up, and by the time I've read all the posts I don't have time to reply. However, I really enjoy reading the posts and try to throw my 2 cents in when I can.

2.) I think the volume is definitely going to die down too. Everyone's on the post marathon high right now and posting a lot. Plus, we have a lot of new people that are excited for getting started. I don't want to squelsh that enthusiasm.

3.) I agree with what others have said, that learning more about each other has really helped us bond as a team. I wouldn't want to change that.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Well, the poll size has blocked my vote. However, I am inclined to agree with keeping it at weekly for now and see what goes. Many seem to think that it will slow down (I hope not). If it does then the current format will work. I do enjoy reading about all the goings on and find it does make this a lot more team oriented.

If I don't have a lot of time I will go to the last post and work backward. Or, I post up first then work backward.

 

[Honeibee]

I voted to keep it the same. I have too many threads going on as it it! The Weekly one, the Minnie one, the Weight Loss one. I don't really have time for a job. I'll have to quit IBM so I can be on the DIS all day!

 

[wfloyd]

I voted to keep them the same. Splitting up the weekly thread won't cut down on the number of posts you have to go through, it will just put them in different spots that could make it harder to find. It seems that alot of the posts also just consist of 1-2 lines responding to someone so it doesn't take that long to read them.

Bill

 

[Big Vic]

Keep it the way it is.

 

[skfulkers]

I agree with everything Carrie said (and others, too). If we had separated training vs daily chat this past year, I probalby wouldn't know half the things I know about all of you. And those details are what make us friends. There have been many times I've been out on a run and just didn't feel like doing it, but I thought about so-and-so and what they're going through and then I thought about the horrible possibility that I'd have to get back on the thread and tell everyone I didn't finish my run because of _____ (insert some lame excuse here). I'd miss that motivation if we weren't all so close.

I say leave it how it is. Like Bill said, a daily thread won't cut down on the number of posts, it will just end up breaking up the posts into different categories and make the conversation broken. Just my two cents.

Steve

 

[KelNottAt]

I'm actually okay with leaving things the way they are now, but don't want to see people dropping off because things are moving too fast and it's taking too much time to keep up. I also don't want people to feel like they shouldn't post because it adds too much to the post count.

These comments describe me perfectly. I see no need to change, but the rate of posting is one reason I'm not around much anymore.

The main reason I hardly post anymore is because the "regulars" on the weekly thread know each other and refer to each other by real first name. For the most part, I only know the posters by screen name. The difficulty in matching real names to screen names is my biggest barrier, not the speed at which at which the posts move. That's not meant to be a criticism of the thread's culture. It's just an explanation of my own reason for participating less.

 

[wtpclc]

For the most part, I only know the posters by screen name. The difficulty in matching real names to screen names is my biggest barrier, not the speed at which at which the posts move.

Good point. It's still not easy, but you do know screen names and corresponding first names are posted in the first post of the weekly thread, right?

 

[Honeibee]

Good point. It's still not easy, but you do know screen names and corresponding first names are posted in the first post of the weekly thread, right?

I really appreciate those that put their real name in their signature.

 

[panthergirl]

I voted to keep things the way they are for now. I agree that there are tons of posts now but as I recall it was this way last year too and then it slowed down.