MobileRead Reorganization - Part I (ambiguous sections)

[Alexander Turcic]

As part of our commitment to improving MobileRead, I'd like to invite everyone to help us overhaul our forum organization.

To begin with, we will focus on solving ambiguous sections.

Q: Is it just me or do you also find it sometimes difficult to pick the right section when you want to say something about e-books in general?

Okay, let's have a look at the following sections:

• E-Books/News
  - originally to discuss news and trends related to e-books. Includes technology, publishing, and DRM news.
  
  
• E-Books/Elsewhere on the Net
  - originally to share links and information to other websites related to e-books. Includes hot e-book deals and free e-book resources.
  
  
• E-Book Devices/Future E-Book Devices
  - originally to discuss e-book readers that are not yet released but have received already plenty of news coverage.
  
  
• Mobile Devices/General Talk
  - originally to discuss news and trends related to mobile devices in general. Includes topics on cell phones and mobile reading.
  
  
• Miscellaneous/Lounge
  - originally to discuss anything fun not directly related to e-books.

Proposals:

I think E-Books/Elsewhere on the Net should be renamed into E-Books/Deals, Freebies, and Other Resources to clarify that this section is not meant for discussing news appearing on other sites.

I also think that E-Books/News and Mobile Devices/General Talk should be consolidated into a single section, named E-Books/News and Talk. Mobile Devices is a relict of the past when handhelds were still our main focus.

E-Book Devices/Future E-Book Devices should probably remain as it is as a catch-all category for new e-book readers that don't have their own forum section yet.

Miscellaneous/Lounge, of course, must remain because it's fun. I don't think it needs any changes.

---

What do you think about my suggestions? Also, are there other section labels/organizations that you may find ambiguous at times?

Please post your opinion here because ultimately we'll make the decisions based on your feedback.

Thanks!!!!!

Note: This is the first part of our forum reorganization. Let's focus on the topic. We will continue with other aspects of the forum once this part is resolved.

[Elsi]

I like these suggestions. I will point out that when I'm *reading*, I tend to start with the New Posts pull-down and select "Last 24 Hours". I don't think I've started more than one or two threads -- rather, most of my posts are responses in an existing thread.

But, you've gotten me thinking, so I'm going to hop into this category to start a new thread on something I've been thinking about.

[TadW]

Excellent thread. I agree with the your suggestions, Alexander.

Personally, I find the distinction between Content and Reading Software confusing. I know one deals with formatting e-books, the other with the functioning of software, but more than once one goes with the other.

[Taylor514ce]

I think "Content" isn't clear. When I think "content" for my e-book (Device, Vera, whatever), I think "books". The section is more about creating/formating/converting content. There is the "Book Recommendations" section, which is fine - I'd like to see more reviews. So perhaps a "Book Review" section, or does that overlap too much?

Regarding the Lounge, you bet it's fun, but there are also quasi-serious discussions of poetry and language. Do we want to differentiate between the purely [U.S.] stuff vs. the "literate people find pens and notebooks and 5-line poems fascinating" threads, or do we all like the juxtaposition?

[suckup]I have been admin, moderator, super moderator, sysop, and member of countless forums since the days when they were called Bulletin Boards. Your team of mods here are the most participatory and transparent of any I've ever seen. Well done.[/suckup]

[kovidgoyal]

I'd like to propose a forum for content creation/conversion and management tools, so people have one place to come to ask questions about them.

[zelda_pinwheel]

i'm glad the forum is being reorganised, the categories are definitely confusing sometimes. but i'll think about that tomorrow when my mind is a bit clearer. i just wanted to say in response to Taylor's post that i like the odd mix in the lounge of [U.S.] and notebook fetishism. it's all there for mental relaxation / distraction and friendly banter anyway, when you think about it, regardless of the dominating tone, so i don't see why we should separate it.

[Donnageddon]

I like all your suggestions, Alexander.

Kovid, how do you envision the difference between a "content creation/conversion and management tools forum", and the current "General tips and tricks on formats, conversion tools" in the Content forum?

[kovidgoyal]

Well it should be renamed to something like "E-book tools" and it should have a few sub fora for the prominent tools like calibre, bd, mobipocket creator etc

[igorsk]

When I wanted to post about Words Gear, I could not find a proper forum for it. We have all the Reader/Kindle/Cybook/etc forums, "Future Devices" and "Legacy Devices", but nothing for current devices without a dedicated forum.

[Donnageddon]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Well it should be renamed to something like "E-book tools" and it should have a few sub fora for the prominent tools like calibre, bd, mobipocket creator etc

Makes sense, Kovid. I can support that!

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

I also think that E-Books/News and Mobile Devices/General Talk should be consolidated into a single section, named E-Books/News and Talk. Mobile Devices is a relict of the past when handhelds were still our main focus.

E-Book Devices/Future E-Book Devices should probably remain as it is as a catch-all category for new e-book readers that don't have their own forum section yet.

Your suggestions definately sound good. I would go one more step. I would merge future devices into "News and Talk"... after all isn't "news" many times about future devices?

I also would merge all the sub scections for each reader... For example, the Sony Reader section I don't think needs the content, developers, etc, etc sections. I would actually say one section for developers would be enough... the threads will seperate it further from there. ISn't there already a new developer section or something here?

BOb

[JSWolf]

Also, we need a forum section for generic topics that can relate to more then one specific reader. Like the threads on lights, external power chargers and others.

[Tblossom]

I for onelike this first proposal. I want to also suggest an inclusion in such a terse listing as you´ve just given of the explanation of each forums content also, to be repeated per forum.

[Donnageddon]

... and a fresh fruit banquet in the morning.
.. with toast and a large variety of jams.

[Gudy]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

I'd like to propose a forum for content creation/conversion and management tools, so people have one place to come to ask questions about them.

Yes, please! I understand that there are good historical reasons why calibre and its conversion tools - or Book Designer for that matter - are found in the Sony PRS forum, but it irks me that tools of general usefulness are discussed in a device-specific section of the forum. Maybe the Content forum could be expanded/reorganized to cover that need, and sub-forums created for the most widely discussed tools?