New forum section that's not the lounge - Page 7

Ea · 03-23-2009, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra

I am not exactly new, but that is how I feel quite often.

Same here. In a way I don't really mind the cliquishness and the silliness of the Lounge, I just don't go there then. It could be nice to have a seperate space for more serious descussions, though I usually come here for reading and ebook related things anyway and I don't know how much it would interest me.

Sparrow · 03-23-2009, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

It could be nice to have a seperate space for more serious descussions...

But how would this work in practice? Would someone (a mod?) need to judge when a light-hearted remark had overstepped the boundary into silliness?

If someone has started a serious (to them) discussion, I can see it would be annoying to see others treat it flippantly.
But, I would rather see a debate descend into silliness than vitriol - apart from anything else, it is easier for a debate to recover from levity and it can act to prevent things getting too heated.
Perceived 'cliquiness' is a problem, but I think generally all contributions are treated with equal respect. On a (very) few occasions I have seen what seemed to me 'mobbing' of one poster by a group and that has made me sad - but I think that behaviour is extremely rare.

astra · 03-23-2009, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

But how would this work in practice? Would someone (a mod?) need to judge when a light-hearted remark had overstepped the boundary into silliness?

If there were 2 subforums, Silliness and standard lounge, it would really be easy peasy lemon squeezy.
People who like silliness would post in Silliness sub forum. The other subforum would be a subject to standard rules that apply to the rest of the forum in regard of hijacking and off-topic issues.

JSWolf · 03-23-2009, 12:23 PM

I do understand that threads do drift off topic. But a good thread will manage to get back on topic of if it cannot get back on topic, then it's time to close that thread or split it off from where it drifted into a new thread. That said, time to be on topic....

I do agree that it can feel like an in-crowd type of community in the forum and until you've been a regular long enough, you might not feel a part of they crowd. But right now, we don't have a place to post that does not fit into the other forum sections. The Lounge used to be that way, but it's gone into being a place for mostly silly. So unless I was starting a silly thread, I don't want to post in the Lounge. I don't see what the issue is to not add one more forum section that isn't the Lounge that can be what the Lounge was originally supposed to be and leave the Lounge as is. Can someone please give me a good reason to leave the mess (yes, I do think the Lounge is a mess) the way it is?

Sparrow · 03-23-2009, 12:35 PM

If there was a new forum, and a non-silly thread was started in the Lounge, would it get shifted to the new forum?

Daithi · 03-23-2009, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marysart

I did find it intimidating even though I liked some of the threads. Why? Because I feel that there is a lot of clique forming going on in a lot of threads. Since I'm new here I don't now all the inn jokes. ...

I just wanted to say I agree with Marysart and JSWolf. I think the the Lounge is great and wouldn't want to begrudge anyone their friendships and banter, but the Lounge really isn't for me.

However, there are instances where I'd like to post on a topic that doesn't fit within any of the other forums, so it gets posted into the lounge. My preference would be a Lounge Forum and a seperate Miscellaneous Forum.

Ea · 03-24-2009, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

But how would this work in practice? Would someone (a mod?) need to judge when a light-hearted remark had overstepped the boundary into silliness?

If someone has started a serious (to them) discussion, I can see it would be annoying to see others treat it flippantly.
But, I would rather see a debate descend into silliness than vitriol - apart from anything else, it is easier for a debate to recover from levity and it can act to prevent things getting too heated.
Perceived 'cliquiness' is a problem, but I think generally all contributions are treated with equal respect. On a (very) few occasions I have seen what seemed to me 'mobbing' of one poster by a group and that has made me sad - but I think that behaviour is extremely rare.

That's why I say "could" rather than should. A different forum isn't necessarily the right thing. And I think you're reading more into "cliquiness" than I meant - you could also call it "in-crowd-ness". I don't mind the lounge, I just don't feel at home there myself and thus go other places.
Anyway... I think Daithi's suggestion of a miscallaneous sub-forum is interesting. A couple of times there's been topics I'd like to post about but couldn't find anywhere to put them. The lounge doesn't feel like that kind of catch-all place to me - it's much more, well, "lounge-y"

if that makes sense.

Wetdogeared · 03-24-2009, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daithi

My preference would be a Lounge Forum and a seperate Miscellaneous Forum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

I think Daithi's suggestion of a miscallaneous sub-forum is interesting.

This isn't meant to be argumentative, but there is already a sub-forum called Miscellaneous, in which the lounge is sub-sub-forum.

Miscellaneous Forum

Introduce Yourself

Flea Market

The Lounge

Feedback

Announcements

Archive

WDE.

Sparrow · 03-24-2009, 09:43 AM

How about a new Lounge thread prefix - 'Keep it Sensible' - to go alongside 'Silliness' and 'Meet Up'?

Lady Blue · 03-24-2009, 09:56 AM

That sounds REAL Sensible to me . . . and I'm not being a smarta**.

astra · 03-24-2009, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

How about a new Lounge thread prefix - 'Keep it Sensible' - to go alongside 'Silliness' and 'Meet Up'?

I like it.

pshrynk · 03-24-2009, 10:32 AM

I started a thread with the topic line "Serious Topic" to see if the thread would be hijacked if it was in the lounge. It has not been and the discussion has been a good one. I think it is very easy to have a serious discussion any where on the board if you ask respectfully that it be kept serious.

On the other hand, I fell that having a "Salon" an are for on-topic discussion of matters that concern us would be a great addition. The more options available, the better, in my opinion. We opened the Writer's Corner a few weeks ago and it is going great guns. Some silliness, but a lot of really good discussions about writing and out work that we are involved with.

Would anyone who hangs out in the Lounge be offended by having a "Serious Discussion" section? I would not. I would welcome it and participate in both areas.

JSWolf · 03-24-2009, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wetdogeared

This isn't meant to be argumentative, but there is already a sub-forum called Miscellaneous, in which the lounge is sub-sub-forum.

Miscellaneous Forum

Introduce Yourself

Flea Market

The Lounge

Feedback

Announcements

Archive

WDE.

Miscellaneous is just the name for all of the forum sections you've listed. We cannot post there. And none of the other forum sections are a place to have threads that do not fit the rest of MR as they all have specific topics and Lounge is all we have and it's been hijaacked by silly threads. Not that I mind. But I do mind not having a place that does not have the silly threads. I think leave the Lounge as it is and move all the non-silly threads out of it into another forum section. Then that would solve the problem and everyone should be happy.

Nobody has yet given us a good reason why this cannot or should not be done.

JSWolf · 03-24-2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshrynk

I started a thread with the topic line "Serious Topic" to see if the thread would be hijacked if it was in the lounge. It has not been and the discussion has been a good one. I think it is very easy to have a serious discussion any where on the board if you ask respectfully that it be kept serious.

On the other hand, I fell that having a "Salon" an are for on-topic discussion of matters that concern us would be a great addition. The more options available, the better, in my opinion. We opened the Writer's Corner a few weeks ago and it is going great guns. Some silliness, but a lot of really good discussions about writing and out work that we are involved with.

Would anyone who hangs out in the Lounge be offended by having a "Serious Discussion" section? I would not. I would welcome it and participate in both areas.

I do like your idea of a Salon. It would leave the Lounge for the sillyness or whatever sort of fun stuff people want to have and the Salon could be for threads that just don't fit elsewhere.

RickyMaveety · 03-24-2009, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do like your idea of a Salon. It would leave the Lounge for the sillyness or whatever sort of fun stuff people want to have and the Salon could be for threads that just don't fit elsewhere.

And then the silliness will leak into the Salon, and there'll be yet one more place to be silly.

Dandy idea.

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03-23-2009, 12:23 PM	#94
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,421 Karma: 129358310 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I do understand that threads do drift off topic. But a good thread will manage to get back on topic of if it cannot get back on topic, then it's time to close that thread or split it off from where it drifted into a new thread. That said, time to be on topic.... I do agree that it can feel like an in-crowd type of community in the forum and until you've been a regular long enough, you might not feel a part of they crowd. But right now, we don't have a place to post that does not fit into the other forum sections. The Lounge used to be that way, but it's gone into being a place for mostly silly. So unless I was starting a silly thread, I don't want to post in the Lounge. I don't see what the issue is to not add one more forum section that isn't the Lounge that can be what the Lounge was originally supposed to be and leave the Lounge as is. Can someone please give me a good reason to leave the mess (yes, I do think the Lounge is a mess) the way it is?

03-23-2009, 12:35 PM	#95
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	If there was a new forum, and a non-silly thread was started in the Lounge, would it get shifted to the new forum?

03-24-2009, 09:43 AM	#99
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	How about a new Lounge thread prefix - 'Keep it Sensible' - to go alongside 'Silliness' and 'Meet Up'?

03-24-2009, 09:56 AM	#100
Lady Blue the snarky blue one Posts: 6,001 Karma: 3877825 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: deep in the heart Device: PRS500, 505 & 600, PRST1 & T2, Kindle PW, Moto Razr, Galaxy Tab 2-10"	That sounds REAL Sensible to me . . . and I'm not being a smarta**.

03-24-2009, 10:32 AM	#102
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	I started a thread with the topic line "Serious Topic" to see if the thread would be hijacked if it was in the lounge. It has not been and the discussion has been a good one. I think it is very easy to have a serious discussion any where on the board if you ask respectfully that it be kept serious. On the other hand, I fell that having a "Salon" an are for on-topic discussion of matters that concern us would be a great addition. The more options available, the better, in my opinion. We opened the Writer's Corner a few weeks ago and it is going great guns. Some silliness, but a lot of really good discussions about writing and out work that we are involved with. Would anyone who hangs out in the Lounge be offended by having a "Serious Discussion" section? I would not. I would welcome it and participate in both areas.

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