Too many forums?

roxics

roxics

Veteran
Does anyone ever feel like there are too many forums here on DVX user? I mean I understand the need to categorize topics so it's easy to find things related to a specific topic. The only problem is, everyone crowds into certain popular forums of the moment. So when you have a question or need advice about something more niche, you want to post it in a forum where the most people are going to see it. But the proper forum to put it in is the one people hardly view. So you might have to wait days for a single reply.

There has to be a better way to organize forums. Not everyone clicks the "new posts" link at the top to see all the new topics.

I know this isn't anything DVXuser can fix. But I think it would be better if the forum by default displayed all the messages as a single forum, then allowed you to select categories via drop down boxes if you want to see only stuff from the GH1 category for instance. When you post a new topic, you pick the category it goes in.

This concept of putting everything into a hundred little boxes and having people crowd certain boxes at certain times is very inefficient.

Anyway, just my thoughts.
 
Roxics - we've actually been discussing the possibility of a system very simliar to that.
If you have any other ideas or specific feedback feel free to PM me directly anytime.
Always like hearing what people think -
 
I tend to agree with that. I've always felt like there were many forums on this board that just never go noticed. I tend to stick to the cafe, film discussion, user films, and on occasion lighting, acting or writing.

I feel like a lot could be at the very least combined. Cameras are always changing. While I rarely, if ever, go into the camera forums, if we do have a system as the one suggested above, then we can combine all the cameras at least by make. "Panasonic" "Canon" etc... not sure how active these forums are though. It would be a bit flawed if it's so active that people would be sending new topics to the next page by the end of the day.
 
Keep in mind there are over 75,000 members here. While you might only frequent certain forums, there are plenty of members who never go into those forums and only frequent the others.
Point is - it's always a balancing act between enough division of topics and over fragmentation of the site.
 
And don't forget the "search" option. Sometimes what you're asking has already been answered someplace else.

I think the DSLR section of the forum is one of the better layouts. You have DSLR discussion (which is essentially Cafe for DSLR), you have the DSLR show room, then you have things broken down by camera. I don't think there have been any issues with the DSLR section.

What Rox is suggesting sounds a little *advanced* for a traditional forum. I don't know what the programming depth of the DVX owners is, but even if you could drop a new thread into a specific forum box, how would anyone ever find it except for you? You're asking for DVX to be one giant forum without categories but then asking to be able to drop your new thread into a specific category. At some point that thread needs to exist in a place where people can find it. So like, if you asked the question "How do I turn on my GH2?", if there wasn't a GH2 forum no GH2 owners would necessarily find your comment unless they typed in "GH2" in the search to actually seek out your question.

I think bringing things together does make some sense, and using the DSLR format might not be a terrible idea.

Now that we have three different *types* of popular prosumer cams (DSLR, Fixed lens camcorders and Interchangeable lens camcorders), possibly separating the cams by Type and then, what? Media and company maybe? So,

FIXED LENS CAMCORDERS: CANON: SOLID STATE (or) SD CARDS

FIXED LENS CAMCORDERS: PANASONIC: TAPE (HDV?)

FIXED LENS CAMCORDERS: PANASONIC: P2

INTERCHANGEABLE LENS CAMCORDERS: SONY: SOLID STATE (or) SXS

INTERCHANGEABLE LENS CAMCORDERS: LENSES

FIXED LENS CAMCORDERS: DISCUSSION

INTERCHANGEABLE LENS CAMCORDERS: SCREENING ROOM

Something like this would certainly group more threads into one box. Not sure if that would help.

My .02
 
Brian_Rice said:
What Rox is suggesting sounds a little *advanced* for a traditional forum. I don't know what the programming depth of the DVX owners is, but even if you could drop a new thread into a specific forum box, how would anyone ever find it except for you? You're asking for DVX to be one giant forum without categories but then asking to be able to drop your new thread into a specific category. At some point that thread needs to exist in a place where people can find it. So like, if you asked the question "How do I turn on my GH2?", if there wasn't a GH2 forum no GH2 owners would necessarily find your comment unless they typed in "GH2" in the search to actually seek out your question.
Click to expand...

Not exactly. Imagine if it was one forum, one stream of posts. At the top was a drop down with all the available categories. When you first come to the forum you would see everything. Like one big melting pot of posts. But if you wanted to get specific you would just select the category you want from the drop down and it would filter out all the posts except for the posts in that category. No need to type or search. Just filter out using predefined categories.

Hell it doesn't even have to be drop downs, it could be a list of categories on the side with check boxes. That way you could see whatever mish mash of posts you wanted for whatever categories you choose. So for instance if I just wanted to see topics about lighting and sound I would check off the lighting and sound categories and my forum feed would filter out everything but those. Then I could just hit "reset" to see everything again. it could all be done with Ajax or jquery so that the page doesn't even need to refresh. It would happen immediately. Similar to how facebook can drill through your feed to show you just photos or just links without even needing to refresh the page.

Yeah this isn't something I think the current DVX system can do. It would probably require entirely new messageboard software. Like I said, just an idea. More of a web 2.0 method of dealing with data versus a web 1.0 method these forum softwares were built using.
 
roxics said:
[...]Imagine if it was one forum, one stream of posts. At the top was a drop down with all the available categories. When you first come to the forum you would see everything[...]if you wanted to get specific you would just select the category you want from the drop down and it would filter out all the [other] posts except for the posts in that category[...]
Click to expand...

This would be quite convenient and welcome.
 
I like it the way it is. I go to all the subforums I'm interested in dealing with at that time. The posts I like to involve myself in are usually quite specific. The only reason I would avoid a subforum, like the GH subforum, is because the same threads get started over and over and over. If every time I came to this site and I had to see every thread with questions that have been answered a million times already, I'd get very turned off to coming here.
 
I'd also like to offer, without a trace of maliciousness, that perhaps it's not that people here aren't finding your posts; perhaps people just aren't interested in your question at the time for whatever reason. I find it a bit too strong an offer that the layout of the forum should be altered to accommodate anyone who's not finding the answers they want. That's my general opinion; please don't take it personally.
 
Seems like two sides of the fence here:

By having more sub forums, User brand grows. People can come here and know that, if they have a really popular camera, there's a sub forum dedicated to that camera, where all questions etc are placed.

That's not a bad thing, DVXuser really is a brand and I'd like to see it expand to the next level.

The other hand--

The subtext is "Online Community for Filmmaking" and it's almost like the flood of gear sub forums overshadows that. Gear is great, by the way, and I'm probably--or at least once was--a huge gear head. It'd be nice to somehow make the more "filmmaking" oriented sub forums more prominent.

I have no idea how you would do that without confusing a lot of people who have already been members here and are used to a certain structure.

At this point, I don't mind how the site's setup, it's easy to grab information by searching or plugging around for a few minutes. It'd be really cool to see more people investing time into the filmmaking forums, how do you make that happen, though?

Also, I think I agree with Cassel: when people post versus threads, others probably aren't interested. And, at this stage, it's flame bait and what really begins to tear the community down. Those things need to be banished, unless it's from people testing on their own and showing RESULTS.

Sorry, small tangent.
 
Is it still possible to search within an specific sub forum? I don't see option in the search page. could anyone point me to it?

Thank you!
 
ilauzirika said:
Is it still possible to search within an specific sub forum? I don't see option in the search page. could anyone point me to it?

Thank you!
Click to expand...

Advanced Search -> Search Single Content Type
You can choose which forum you want to search in from there.

You can also use the "Search Forum" button at the top of the page of each forum (below the page numbers).
 
For me, Kholi has nailed it.

Obviously the site was initially geared to user of the DVX, and filmmaking. But it took on a life of its own, now there are so many more technical forums and camera sub-forums. Which I think is great.

It helps to draw a larger community to DVXUser. But, there are many sub-forums I am not interested in, nor would I have anything to add. So I don't look in those threads.

But IMO, it seems the actual film-making is taking a slightly less prominent role. I would like to see it take a bigger role. Because, sometimes, it's not the camera, it's how you make films.:cheesy:

My vote: leave it like it is. I know where things are, I know how to get there. I don't like change, LOL.
 
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vcassel said:
I'd also like to offer, without a trace of maliciousness, that perhaps it's not that people here aren't finding your posts; perhaps people just aren't interested in your question at the time for whatever reason. I find it a bit too strong an offer that the layout of the forum should be altered to accommodate anyone who's not finding the answers they want. That's my general opinion; please don't take it personally.
Click to expand...

No offense taken. I know what you mean. But when you have one forum about a specific camera that has 200+ viewers at any given moment and another forum about business that has 3 viewers, chances are your business question isn't going to get answered in a timely manner. There may be people in the camera forum that know a lot about business and would answer the question if they had only seen it to begin with. But maybe they never bother to go into that business forum to begin with.

By making people see everything first and then drill down to see camera specific stuff, there is a higher chance people will click on things they would not have otherwise bothered with. Just like you won't go out of your way to order a subscription to Star magazine, but you might pick one up and leaf through it in line at the grocery store if you see a catchy headline that is of interest to you.
 
roxics said:
By making people see everything first and then drill down to see camera specific stuff, there is a higher chance people will click on things they would not have otherwise bothered with. Just like you won't go out of your way to order a subscription to Star magazine, but you might pick one up and leaf through it in line at the grocery store if you see a catchy headline that is of interest to you.
Click to expand...

I can see how some people may want that. My girlfriend loves using something call 'StumbleUpon'. It lets her sort of randomly surf the web to find content she might not have otherwise found. A bit like channel surfing, I suppose. Me? I have a categorized list of favorites I hardly deviate from unless I know I need to find specific information. My life is very scheduled, it has to be in order for me to get anything done, and I come to DVXuser with a very specified agenda in regards to what I want to learn and what I want to contribute to. I would suggest a compromise: let it be an option to suit each user's taste if possible. Though, in the end it may not be too much help to you if the majority of people choose to opt out of a linear thread wall.
 
roxics said:
No offense taken. I know what you mean. But when you have one forum about a specific camera that has 200+ viewers at any given moment and another forum about business that has 3 viewers, chances are your business question isn't going to get answered in a timely manner. There may be people in the camera forum that know a lot about business and would answer the question if they had only seen it to begin with. But maybe they never bother to go into that business forum to begin with.

By making people see everything first and then drill down to see camera specific stuff, there is a higher chance people will click on things they would not have otherwise bothered with. Just like you won't go out of your way to order a subscription to Star magazine, but you might pick one up and leaf through it in line at the grocery store if you see a catchy headline that is of interest to you.
Click to expand...

Exactly my thoughts. There are questions directed to a specific category, but we have to first go to these forums to even see this thread.

Sometimes I stumble upon other forums, and I find something, or a topic that I wish I had seen earlier. Perhaps a great blog, some amazing footage, or a simple question I could answer, but most of the time I'll miss them completely as there are so many forums to look through. So I stick with a select few, some of which I rarely check.

Personally I welcome change, especially if it benefits us. Maybe it's cause I'm 'young' but I've been on these forums for a while, and it's one of those things that I never liked. But maybe that's just me.
 
And some of this might also be solved by DVX simply sending out a blast PM poll to all its members simply asking *why* it is they come to DVX. Are they coming for a specific camera, tech questions, conversations on film theory, etc? As a former and current member over the years I've always found that maybe I ask too much of DVX. I want the actor and screenwriting and directing forums to be just as packed and insightful as any of the DSLR forums; I want to have in-depth conversations about comic books and politics, but the reality is that DVX has to draw the line somewhere and *specialize*. And, in the end, I think the specialization is geared towards, well, gear. The name itself invokes a tech/camera dominance and, with a few exceptions, I think it does a solid job question and answering tech questions.

If I need to know something or have some information on a Sony EX3, chances are I will connect pretty effortlessly with another EX3 owner/operator. If, however, I'm wanting to discuss the finer aspects of an HFS200, that could be slightly more challenging.

I think the thing people (in general) need to protect themselves from is exstinguising completely the "happy mistake". Often times I'll be rushing down to Cafe or DSLR General and will spot an interesting thread title and will join the convo. What I have trouble with is reengaging with that thread once I leave for a day or two. Signing on and having something linked to my profile that shows me what threads I'm currently "involved" in would help me personally with thread maintainance -- and could also help with the original OP's issue that says everyone *hangs out* only in specific threads. Cafe and DSLR General are usually the easiest places to track my more informal threads.
 
I would urge those of you with specific ideas on what you'd like to see to write them up and PM me any ideas or suggestions.
That's an open invitation.

As far as wanting to see certain types of content on the site - I would strongly urge you to add what you want to see to the site.
A community is made up of it's individual members - you guys make the site, you make the content, you decide what the most active forums are and what kind of discussion is had there.

I can't stress this enough - if there are threads that you find annoying or unhelpful the best thing you can do is ignore them completely. Don't add to them, don't bump them to the top, don't engage in those types of conversations (as tempting as it might be). The more people ignore the noise, the more likely the noise will simply drift to the bottom and go away.

And conversely (and more importantly) if there are conversations you wish were happening here more often - then make a serious effort to post that type of content, find other threads like it and add to them, foster the type of content you wish we had more of.

We often hear people say that they wish the site wasn't quite so focuses on gear, and instead gave equal weight to the craft of filmmaking.
I'm not saying one way is better than the other - but I am saying that if you want to see more craftsmanship related threads...then start them, foster them, create the content you want to see.

The long and short of it is - the best thing any member can do here is ignore the content they don't like, and add and foster the content they want to see.
 
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