Does the Dis need a new forum for Blogs & Cliques?

[PrincessKsMom]

Clique threads are thousands of pages long that serve no other purpose other than to chat with people. It's the same 10-15 people on the entire thread conversing.

Some threads turn into blogs. A member decides that, for whatever reason, an entire thread needs to be devoted to them. If you're lucky you might find out what time they have a bowel movement. Ok, maybe not that bad, but you get the idea.

Well I happen to belong to a few of those clique threads. I spend a significant amount of time on the DIS and I have made a few very good friends. You've been a member since 2000 and only posted 70 times in all those years, but it's inconvenient for you to have to look beyond some of the threads you don't like? I honestly don't mean to be snarky but it doesn't seem like you spend too much time here, so why does this bother you?

As for the clique threads I belong to, we're always open to new people posting and welcome them when they do post. Why don't you stop by and be an active participant and make a few new friends?

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Pardon my ignorance. What is a clique thread? What is 'all about me' blog?

The clique threads are the ones with odd titles and have many, many pages. Often the title is dated or given a number to distinguish it from the prior threads with the same title that have reached the maximum number of pages (250). They are called "clique" threads because the same group of people post to it like an ongoing conversation.

The "All about me" blogs are the threads that are written like trip reports, except they are not WDW trips. The most common ones I've seen are pregnancy ones and ones about moving. They tend to get a group of people who follow and they are similar to clique threads except that there is that one main story line of the OP.


As for the OP here...I wouldn't mind them in their own sub-forum, but they really don't bother me here either.

And without arguing the point, what I would NOT like to see is what happened to the political threads - people suggested repeatedly that they get their own sub-forum. The decision was made to ban the topic entirely, rather than moving them to a sub-forum. (Granted, those topics were not as mundane as the clique threads; they were causing fights.)

 

[Missy1961]

Clique threads are thousands of pages long that serve no other purpose other than to chat with people. It's the same 10-15 people on the entire thread conversing.

Some threads turn into blogs. A member decides that, for whatever reason, an entire thread needs to be devoted to them. If you're lucky you might find out what time they have a bowel movement. Ok, maybe not that bad, but you get the idea.

All threads are limited to 250 pages.

 

[Missy1961]

No, I don't think cliques and blogs need a new forum on the Dis. I think they fit perfectly on the COMMUNITY Board. Anyone in the Dis Community may participate in the cliques and blogs. Or not participate. No need to put them elsewhere.

My fingers don't mind scrolling past them if I choose not to partake.

Good point--this is a community board, so all subject matter is allowed here (well except politics & religion).

 

[Flounder's Friend]

All threads are limited to 250 pages.

Sorry, I meant replies.

You've been a member since 2000 and only posted 70 times in all those years, but it's inconvenient for you to have to look beyond some of the threads you don't like?

Not that I owe you an explanation, but I mostly read here and haven't in ages. The Dis is not just about those who can get the highest post count in the shortest amount time. Kuddos to you if it was. Also, many posts were wiped out during one upgrade many moons ago.

 

[Pakey]

I,also, belong to a few of these "clique" threads. The ones I participate in are fun, lighthearted and pretty random. The ones I don't partipate in, I just skip over but I imagine I'd be welcome to post on them. On the ones I do frequent, everyone is welcome to post. They are not exclusive clubs where we vote on new members.

I would hate to see these types of threads moved elsewhere.

 

[Cruisin]

Sure, you can choose to ignore lots of things. I'm one of the people who rarely get to page 2. I'd love to get a page full of threads that are not all about people chatting.

May I make a suggestion to those who say the first page is always filled with these "unwanted threads"

Start reading from Page 2.

Totally ignore page one.

Problem solved

 

[SwedishMeatball]

And without arguing the point, what I would NOT like to see is what happened to the political threads - people suggested repeatedly that they get their own sub-forum. The decision was made to ban the topic entirely, rather than moving them to a sub-forum. (Granted, those topics were not as mundane as the clique threads; they were causing fights.)

Aaahhh those were the good old days. It kept the blood pumping.

 

[pearlieq]

I mostly read here and haven't in ages.

But now you're back and it's time to rearrage the CB to your preferred reading style?

Comparatively speaking, I think starting an "all about me" thread shows far less hubris.

 

[Nancyg56]

And without arguing the point, what I would NOT like to see is what happened to the political threads - people suggested repeatedly that they get their own sub-forum. The decision was made to ban the topic entirely, rather than moving them to a sub-forum. (Granted, those topics were not as mundane as the clique threads; they were causing fights.)

ITA. This is what I thought as soon as I saw this topic. It is not that difficult to skip over threads, participate if you want, keep scrolling if you do not. I also have made friends here on the DIS and we do chat about mundane things. No one who wants to chat is excluded, no one argues and we do not seem to bother anyone. I imagine that there are several other threads that are "clique" threads and those folks are not bothering anyone either. I can understand if a reader does not want to post on any given thread but I have a very difficult time understanding why that person feels entitled to have those threads moved in order to suit their own personal opinion. This is a Community board and as in a real world community there are many different people who exist together. You don;t want to visit one neighborhood you move on to the next. You do not move those neighborhoods you do not want to visit to the back of the town in order to make your travel more convenient for only you.

 

[bicker]

This has come up before, and the bottom-line typically is that some folks feel that these threads would be diminished in some way from being segregated in that way. I think there is also a lot of concern about what criteria would be used...

 

[bicker]

May I make a suggestion to those who say the first page is always filled with these "unwanted threads"

Start reading from Page 2.

Totally ignore page one.

Problem solved

You were joking, but to be fair, there is a solution to the quandary expressed by the OP. Here's how I read the Community Board.

First, I subscribe to the RSS feeds. The DIS has RSS feeds for each forum, and informs you of every new thread posted. RSS feeds are supported by lots of different tools -- you already have a few of them, I'm sure. Microsoft Outlook, Firefox, Google Reader, and even Microsoft Internet Explorer. I find Google Reader the best, because it keeps track of the threads I've seen and I can set it so I don't see a thread ever again, once I've clicked on it (or deliberately marked it read). There is also a way to create your own RSS feed URL from the DIS, combining the threads from a number of forums, if you would prefer that. (You can't do anything like that in the DIS' regular user interface. You also cannot get the "list of new threads" in any way other than via the RSS feeds.)

So that raises the question, "What if I like a thread and what to follow it?" Well, that's what thread subscriptions are for. You just pull down the Thread Tools menu inside the thread, and subscribe. You can even be notified by email when there are follow-ups (but that's not as reliable as just visiting your subscriptions page).

You also could mark the thread in your RSS reader, and return to it that way, if you wish, but I find using thread subscription a lot easier, because it brings you directly to the first message in the thread since the last time you were online.

So between using the RSS feeds to know about the threads that have been started, and thread subscription to follow threads that I find interesting, I typically never visit the Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 list of threads in the forum.

If folks are interested, I'll be happy to help anyone through any of the steps I outlined above.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

 

[Boo'sMom]

No, I don't think cliques and blogs need a new forum on the Dis. I think they fit perfectly on the COMMUNITY Board. Anyone in the Dis Community may participate in the cliques and blogs. Or not participate. No need to put them elsewhere.

My fingers don't mind scrolling past them if I choose not to partake.

well said.

 

[DeluxePrincess]

I have a very difficult time understanding why that person feels entitled to have those threads moved in order to suit their own personal opinion.

Seems those who don't want them to move use the same argument. You want to keep it the same because it works for you. There are now boards for games, exchanges, military, etc. They fit into the "Community" too. The Disboards obviously like to change things up to keep it more organized. I'll live either way, but let's not just call those who would appreciate the move selfish. Pot Kettle

 

[Nancyg56]

Seems those who don't want them to move use the same argument. You want to keep it the same because it works for you. There are now boards for games, exchanges, military, etc. They fit into the "Community" too. The Disboards obviously like to change things up to keep it more organized. I'll live either way, but let's not just call those who would appreciate the move selfish. Pot Kettle

Actually I don't care one way or another. If my threads are moved I'll find them. I also don't mind passing a thread by if I am not interested or if the subject does not pertain to me.

 

[NikitaZee]

This has come up before, and the bottom-line typically is that some folks feel that these threads would be diminished in some way from being segregated in that way. I think there is also a lot of concern about what criteria would be used...

Thank you for explaining it in this way. I was wondering why some are bothered by the OP's suggestion.

Seems those who don't want them to move use the same argument. You want to keep it the same because it works for you. There are now boards for games, exchanges, military, etc. They fit into the "Community" too. The Disboards obviously like to change things up to keep it more organized. I'll live either way, but let's not just call those who would appreciate the move selfish. Pot Kettle

I agree with this.

 

[dejr_8]

Wasn't one complaint about the Political Threads is that they clogged they first page and people couldn't find other threads?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Any thread I'm not interested in, I just pass right on by.. It's not that difficult at all and I'm confused by people who think it is.. And why don't people go back beyond the first page? That's like picking up a good book and reading "only" the first page..

Or better yet, if you find nothing that interests you on the first page, start an interesting thread yourself!

And in the upper right hand corner, it will say when you last visited unless you never log off and never shut down your computer.

I often only view the first page--but when it looks like things have been busy, I'll go back a couple of pages....at least to the point where I last was timewise.


Not sure what the deal is in mod-land, but it seems that it takes a lot to create a separate area. Not sure if it is like a jury and they all must agree or if there is a pain to setting it up.

But I envision a day years from now--when people will complain that there is an unnecessary amount of subsets.

 

[bicker]

Wasn't one complaint about the Political Threads is that they clogged they first page and people couldn't find other threads?

That's not what I recall as the main complaints about those thread.