Too many topic's!

[pathfinder]

Did I count right that there are 86 topic's? 86? Really?  Getting way to complicated. I saw this at a club I once belonged to,everything was micro managed and every suggestion was acted upon. Before long the place toppled over from it's own weight. I truley hope that doesn't happen here,but 86? Pretty soon there are going to be board's for either wanut or maple bullet board's,or percussion gun's that use AAMPCO v/s White lighting liner's ect............. This is a simple sport,let's keep it that way.

[Red Badger]

I personally agree with this, but several wanted these topics.... I would like some suggestions on how to clean up the board.

[mongrel]

Simplest way would seem to be to make note of which topics are seldom if ever visited, or are visited by only the same minimal number of people. Transfer old posts to the archives (or delete them), transfer newer ones to Open Topics or a category to which they might somehow relate, then eliminate the original category regardless of whose personal baby it might be.

I could see combining both the traditional and more general hunting categories into one; combining moccasins and shooting pouches under leatherworking; scrimshaw under powder horns and possibly both under a general accoutrements heading; archery under pre-firearms weaponry; and all history, be it of the United States, Native topics, battles, and so on, as one topic. I could go on but those are a few examples. Problem with this is, every category I've just named is someone's particular favorite on this site, and the staff is faced with a choice of catering to the diverse interests of every member (or at least every regularly-participating member) or of actually expecting and enforcing the expectation that people won't gripe if their favorite line of discussion has to rub shoulders with something they're not particularly interested in, because they're both lumped under the same topic.

To be very blunt -- the question really isn't what the staff can or should do in the way of simplifying things, but of how tolerant, inclusive, and in general mature the membership is capable of being when it comes to topics they're either aren't interested in or personally believe have no place on a "traditional muzzleloading" forum, if multiple topics are combined.

Personally, my experience on a number of forums has been that the diversity of topics we have here might be the best system to keep friction to a minimum. The alternative is telling those who tend to be hard-nosed about what's acceptable, and what's not, to either chill or hit the road, and while I'm pretty handy at showing someone the door I feel it should be a last resort after every other option has been tried (such as a specific category relating to every stated major interest within the realm of this sport). You lose a lot of talent, entertainment, and generally valuable input, otherwise.

[Dogshirt]

Personally, I don't mind looking through all topics to find where to post something.
If I get a bit flustered sometimes, it's more my lack of familiarity with the site.
The more time I spend here, the easier it gets.

[pathfinder]

And I agree,there are A LOT of threads I never visit and my intention isn't to exclude them,not at all,but having X amount of "board's" for leather or whatever when 1 or 2 would get the job done. Normally what I do when I visit here is click on "unread post's" and see what's going on. What Mongrel said makes a lot of sense. Would like to write more,but the heat finally broke up here and I have a lot of catching up to do in the shop. Don't delete anything,maybe condense.

[Bulldog lady]

Agree with the afore mentioned posts,, I have the general categories I check and then only if have a green  (new)thing. Some times if not much going on will check the others but for most part stay with my interests.  Think folks often haven read the forum outline and don't check the subject list or search before posting.  Not that I'm bias but think the boosways do a great job and this is a wonderful learning and teaching site.  Whoo   I smell black /pink powder  burning. 

[gordy]

          I would have to agree that too many topics can cause any site to become  hard to navigate.  I like the idea of consolidating a few of the headings that could fall under one main topic. I,mjust glad the remedy is not my responsibility , no matter what path you take , a nose or two will get bent. All things considered the sight is great.

                                             

[Dogshirt]

Just had this thought while posting about "fire rings". Why is there a thread for our camps,
and another for our "camp gear"? It would stand to reason that these two could and SHOULD
go together. Just my take.

[Red Badger]

this is why we created two areas.... this is only one (the most eliquintly stated one of several) of the comments we received....

one having to do with actual shelters and another concerning camp gear. There is enough variety in both categories that lumping them together might create difficulty after a large number of topics had been started, trying to find certain pieces of info

[mongrel]

That's what will make this a little touchy, and will cause it to be something that doesn't happen overnight -- assuming it happens at all. What one person considers to be just right, a second will think involves too many specialized sub-topics, and a third will think isn't specialized enough. To the horners here, for example, it might seem right that "scrimshaw" is a separate topic from actual "hornmaking", and that neither is lumped in with "accoutrements" in general -- but then to my way of thinking, though I love the looks of a well-crafted powder horn, it is most definitely an accoutrement and the scrimshaw work done to a powder horn can be applied to most anything capable of taking that sort of carving. So I can see three separate categories but if we're talking about simplifying I can also see the lot being grouped under one heading.

And, as said, however it's done, someone's nose is liable to get bent, and understandably so -- with great pride in one's work or in the possessions one has acquired, or great interest in a certain subject (say some aspect of history), comes a tendency to see those things as something special. I simply hope that it's realized that none of this discussion is intended to downgrade or dismiss anyone's interests, but just to work out if there is in fact something that needs fixing, here, and if so what to do about it.

[Horner75]

I know!  Let's change the name of the site to:  THE MUZZLELOADING CRAIGSLIST ON THE CHEAP!"  We cover everything!

[Red Badger]

I know!  Let's change the name of the site to:  THE MUZZLELOADING CRAIGSLIST ON THE CHEAP!"  We cover everything!

Sir that was toitally uncalled for.  I have neer said this before but remember this is a free country you are free to not return if we are offending you. 

RED BADGER
FACTOR

[Horner75]

Red Badger,  It is a free country, but some people don't want to hear the truth!  You are not offending me in the least.  Our society today is always trying to NOT OFFEND someone or BLAME IT ON THE OTHER GUY! .... You ask for input and the minute you receive input that YOU don't particular agree with...BAM!  You post a public reply for me to more or less leave this forum and then in the same breath, send me a PM saying to  "LET IT LAY..PLEASE!"  I read the PM first and decided to just shut up, but then I read your public post and it just P_ _sed me off! 

So good bye to all my friends here AND those folks that think I'm the bad guy! .... Red Badger, you accomplished your mission and good luck to everyone!

Rick

[mongrel]

No one person's opinion is ever "the truth". It's an opinion and of no more or less value than anyone else's, and as such should be expressed in good humor and a spirit of respect.

Regardless of how it might be rearranged at some point in the future, this site will strive to appeal to a diversity of interests within this sport. Those who feel that's too broad a goal, or that that sort of diversity somehow cheapens what they consider to be most important -- whatever that might be -- well, buh-bye. There are plenty of sites catering to the elitists in every specific aspect of the sport; this site is not, never has been, and has no ambitions of being another one like that.

[chuck w.]

Simple solution. If it doesn't interest you, don't open it and don't read it. The topic probably interest's other members.