This board moves too fast!!

[Joe4]

Actually, looks like I did get a reply on that post yesterday evening!

Did you set your options so that you get automatic email notifications to your threads? Under User CP, go to Edit Options and select the Email Notifications option.

Then you will get an email every time there is a response to one of your questions, so you'll know immediately (might need to edit Spam Filters on your email to allow them in).

 

[coltrane59]

Thanks

 

[Stormseed]

***removed***

 

[coltrane59]

Just like to stir things up a bit

 

[monirg]

Hello;

1) Having reviewed the above pros and cons, I've come down on the side of "Excel Questions" sub-forums! The positives clearly outweigh the negatives, and I think the idea is worth reconsidering by whom it may concern!

2) The "General Excel Discussion" forum and other related forums are already there, and some might argue that they could easily be merged somehow if "too many forums" is a concern.

3) Let us say for the sake of discussion that the "Excel Questions" forum is divided into 3 broad sub-forums:
> Worksheet Functions
> Charts
> VBA
the "Excel Questions" forum would look more organized. Don't you think so ??

4) The new look would help both the posters and (MrExcel) experts. It would also considerably reduce the search time/review by using the keyword in a specific sub-forum, and would reduce the volume/traffic in "Excel Questions" to a reasonable and manageable level for the moderatos. Everyone would benefit!

5) I agree with Joe4. The answer to a particular w/s function question may suggest a VBA solution, or a VBA question may lead to a w/s function solution. In either case, however, the question is answered and no harm was done as a consequence of placing the OP on the "wrong" sub-forum. Agree ??

Regards.

 

[schielrn]

I am one to stick with the current format and not going to sub-forums unfortunately. I like having a couple single places to go to answer questions or ask them. For your case 5, yes the question was answered so no harm done like you said, but then what about your point 4 where you search in a specific forum and then that answer isn't where it is suppose to be. Then these admin and moderators that work for FREE have to move things to correct forums and make judgement calls where things should belong. Yes the board moves fast, but I know personally myself and many other board members use the unanswered threads shortcut. That works great and usually I get through a couple of those easily in a day. If people want to keep bumping their question to the top then that feature is no good for their question. If you don't like the style of this board, there are many other boards with many sub-forums and I personally have not stayed on them long. Sorry if this sounds rude, but this has been discussed at least 4 or 5 times since I have joined the board a year and a half ago and I don't see it changing.

 

[coltrane59]

It sounds like the biggest 2 concerns with creating more sub-forums are these:

1) Topics may be posted in the wrong board (either intentionally, or because a poster didn't know what their solution would require)

2) The volunteer admins would have more work trying to move things to the correct boards.


I wonder though if the added organization would be more friendly to the average user -- not just the long-timers/volunteers looking to answer posts that haven't had a reply yet. What happens when you do get a reply, but need further follow up. Your post can't be found as easily anymore?

And, I'm not sure what real harm is done when admins don't have time to move (or don't notice) a misplaced post. If it stays small, then no big deal, right. If it gets large and is eating up space on page 1 of the board, then it's noticeable, and will get moved. And yes, maybe someone will search a sub-forum and not find a relevent post that was posted to the wrong forum, and so would post a duplicate question. Still, no harm there either IMO, since duplicate posts already happen, and it's not like we're writing gospel here that must be archived in it's untainted original perfection -- the responses to the second may contain a new solution not previously mentioned.


Just some thoughts. If people like the current setup though, that's how it should be.

 

[cornflakegirl]

But what is the actual problem that you're trying to solve? I didn't have a problem getting posts answered, even before I was a regular here, and I'm not aware that there are lots of questions that aren't being solved. So it sounds like you're just trying to deal with the perception that posts get lost. And given that, after a few posts, people seem to realise that the system works, and that the board is really busy, with lots of newbie posts, it's maybe a case of trying to fix something that ain't broke?

 

[Joe4]

but this has been discussed at least 4 or 5 times since I have joined the board a year and a half ago and I don't see it changing.

it's maybe a case of trying to fix something that ain't broke?

Lots of truth in both of those statements.

As Schielrn has mentioned, this has been discussed in great detail numerous times, and after much careful consideration in the past, the board hosts and Admins have determined that this is the way that makes the most sense to them.

Lest you think that they may be "complacent" and unwilling to change, they did a massive overhaul last year to move the board to a new forum when board performance became an issue.

It is a fine balancing act when you have a volunteer board, increasing bandwidth costs, high volume, and people have different ideas on how things should be run. But I think if you look across the internet, I think you would be hard-pressed to find a better free Excel board.

 

[coltrane59]

Lots of truth in both of those statements.
I think you would be hard-pressed to find a better free Excel board.

No question about that! I've already used this board for solutions to a lot of my projects.

Sounds like this question has been asked before and that most people like the status quo. Seems like this is a sensitive subject to a degree. Didn't mean to set off any alarms. I didn't mean to sound like I don't like the forum, because I really do. Just was wondering about the structure, which seems to work well for most people.