Instead of a "newbie" area, how about a subforum specifically for PROJECT threads?

[J Tiers]

And I mean one where NO COMMENTS are allowed..... ONLY threads/posts about the project, with pics. That keeps the threads on-point, and also avoids the inevitable nay-sayers. Just a place to post about your project.

EDIT: It probably needs to be open for questions and comments.... scratch that part..... but NO other sorts of post, no OT, no question threads, etc, just projects.

A "subforum" so that the author of the project can make multiple posts as it progresses, or to put in sufficient pics. In a thread, sticky or otherwise, the posts for one project would be utterly lost, separated by other posts interspersed between them.

The thread idea worked OK for the "shop made tools", because most could be covered in the 4 pic limit. A project might take considerably more.

This makes sense, and I think it would get more than sufficient views, and traffic. Projects are what this place is about, but they get mixed up and lost in OT threads, as well as threads about the various processes, techniques, etc. I very much suspec that even the "grumpy" folks who never look anywhere but "general" would condescend to look in the "projects" subforum from time to time.

[danlb]

What problem are you trying to fix? The forum works rather well as it is.

Dan

[3 Phase Lightbulb]

If the person that creates a thread could delete posts in their own thread then that would solve the problem with threads going off in the woods-- unless the original thread owner wanted that.

Jerry, you could delete this post if you didn't agree it added to the thread topic

[J Tiers]

Does everything have to "fix a problem"? That seems so limiting and small.....

I suppose, since this is a home shop machinist forum, that many of us have neat projects that we'd like to show (or show off). That's pretty much what we DO, I think, BUT WE NEVER PROVIDE A WAY TO REALLY SHOW THEM OFF Currently they drop off the page into oblivion, covered up by OT etc, with the threads polluted by folks saying "you did it wrong", etc.

Why NOT have a forum area specifically for posting what we ACTUALLY DO with out "Home Shops"? No BS, just show it off. If someone wants to ask about it, or comment, they can do it elsewhere. Or, it could be left open to questions etc right there, maybe the "you done it wrong" folks would never go and have a look.... A win-win that would be.....

The more I think about it, the less I can understand as to why such a thing, which is at the base of the entire concept of "Home Shops" HAS NO PLACE here. How can that be?

[Norman Bain]

A lot of the reason the posters post about their projects is to GET SOME FEEDBACK.

Feedback is a back scratch if you like. Posting into the ether (without feedback) would be pretty tame or is that lame.

[goose]

And I mean one where NO COMMENTS are allowed..... ONLY threads/posts about the project, with pics. That keeps the threads on-point, and also avoids the inevitable nay-sayers. Just a place to post about your project.

A "subforum" so that the author of the project can make multiple posts as it progresses, or to put in sufficient pics. In a thread, sticky or otherwise, the posts for one project would be utterly lost, separated by other posts interspersed between them.

Already exists. In the form of blogging websites like Wordpress, or video uploaded to YouTube. Just post in the General forum, “I’ve got a new project going on, feel free to follow me at whatever.url”

[danlb]

I don't see a need for a "project" forum. Every sub forum here hosts project threads. If you don't agree, look at the threads by Brian Rupnow. He does a fine job of putting his projects in a thread with no apparent problems due to the 4 image limitation.

If you find a thread to be interesting, subscribe to it and you will find it easily for years.

It seems that people are always eager to propose more work for others. George is busy enough as it is. Let us not make more needless work for him.

Dan

[Paul Alciatore]

What on earth do you mean? This forum DOES indeed host photos. I have been using it since the PhotoBucket nonsense started about three months ago.

Read here, skip down to posts #11, 12, & 13 by George:

http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/thr...Posting-Photos

It is a somewhat convoluted procedure and I simplified it somewhat by creating a "short strokes" version of George's instructions. You can find it here:

http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/thr...hotos+pictures

I recommend printing my short strokes and looking at George's photos when you do it the first time. Once you do it two or three times it becomes a lot easier. Here's my short strokes in an image form, suitable for printing on a 2" x 2" sticky note. And this image is hosted HERE on this BB.



PS: This procedure is similar on all BBs that use the vBulletin forum software so it is very similar on PM and a lot of other boards.

A projects subforum would be great, but why is it every other forum in the known universe hosts photos but this one. It's time to pull the handset out of the 600 baud modem and give it to Old Tiffie to "bin it".

[Paul Alciatore]

As for a Project forum, I like that a lot better than the Beginner's forum idea. But, frankly, I like the idea of just a few forums here. I can usually just look at the titles and view the discussions that I want to read. And I don't have to jump around to different forums to do so.

[J Tiers]

[QUOTE=danlb;1140828.....
It seems that people are always eager to propose more work for others. George is busy enough as it is. Let us not make more needless work for him.

Dan[/QUOTE]

MORE WORK?

How so? take away one of the useless unused subforums, and then you have no more work. Would be no more work anyway.

As for feedback.... valid point, even if only to bask in the approval. So let it be open to comments, As I said, maybe the old "we don't need it I'd never look at it, get off my lawn" curmudgeons might never go there so they'd not post about all the faults they see.

[nc5a]

The reference to Brian Rupnow and his project post pretty much settles it in my mind. I love the way Brian does his post and he clearly isn't limited in anyway shape or form presenting his ideas and projects with clarity. Regarding a new project forum I think less is more. I'm all for improving things when necessary but I don't see the need in this case. As I make a point to search out interesting projects even if they are several pages back.

Ron

[danlb]

MORE WORK?

How so? take away one of the useless unused subforums, and then you have no more work. Would be no more work anyway.

As for feedback.... valid point, even if only to bask in the approval. So let it be open to comments, As I said, maybe the old "we don't need it I'd never look at it, get off my lawn" curmudgeons might never go there so they'd not post about all the faults they see.

Have you ever configured a commercial forum? If you had, you'd realize it takes some work to add or delete a sub forum.

Have you ever provided a service where you were the customer support? If you had, you'd realize that there are a lot of people who will be confused or upset by the changes, and those people will want answers.

Yeah, it's easy to suggest things that cause others more work.

[Ian B]

Maybe we should also have a separate forum for lurkers. The ones who come and never post anything. Having a lurkers forum would let them lurk in peace and not disturb the rest of us.

Oh, wait a minute...

Ian

[dave_r]

That would save me a lot of time, as the lurker's forum would rarely get new posts. It would be really fast to see that there were no new posts and then off to the other machining websites.

[lugnut]

I really don't understand all the need to change the forum. It works and has worked for years. But if it has to change and it sounds like a bunch are wanting to add and remove sub-forums how about
1. Projects
2. Tips
3. Questions
4. Cry, Moan, and Whine here.

Your wanting to segregate people and their talents and knowledge will destroy the whole thing.