New Forums & Restructuring

[Muhammad]

Looking into the possibility of simplifying and reorganizing the forums here, and add some useful forums, I've come up with the list of where I think we could go with the forums. This would save space, loading time, and also add some useful forums while also decreasing the number of forums you'll be checking:

General Forums
Buying
Operation
Attachments
Customization
Projects
Safety
Oil, Fuel & Lubricants

Kubota Forums
Buying
Owning/Operating

JD Forums
Buying
Owning/Operating

NH Forums
Buying
Owning/Operating

Other Brands/Equipment
Case-IH
Cub Cadet
Kioti
Massey Ferguson
Other Brands
Chinese Brands
Grey Market Tractors
Lawn & Garden
Construction Equipment
Ag Tractors
Vintage Tractors

Other Forums
Rural Living
Photos
Off Topic & Just For Fun
TBN Feedback & News

The general forums would be strictly for posts and issues that relate to all tractors... the new forums in this general tractor topic would be the buying forum (undecided on brands, issues like "which tires" or "which options", etc) and the operating forum ("how do I use a box scraper!")... If posts are more along the lines of "which tires on my 4400?" then they should go in the JD buying forum, since that is a brand-specific question. If the question were "which tires for xyz uses" then it could be in the general forum.

Also the brand-specific buying and pricing forums would be merged into the buying forum, and the 'other' forum folded into the owning/operating forum. Also, we're considering a technical forum for more in-depth discussions on servicing, repairs, etc. Where you would draw the line between making a post in the owning/operating forum, and the technical forum, though, might make it a little confusing. But as an example, "how to replace fuel filter on B2100?" would go in the technical forum, while "when to change fuel filter on B2100?" would be in the owning/operating forum. This is an idea I'm looking for feedback on...

Moving down the list, we would add a Chinese tractor forum, and combine ag tractors and ag tractor repair. A vintage tractor forum will also be added.

Ultimately, we will be looking to open more complete ag and vintage tractor forums. But for the time being, we'll get started with one topic here.

In addition to the forum changes, we'll be replacing the FAQ with a completely revised version covering many more items. not to mention several other new features and perhaps a facelift on the design side. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

If you have any ideas, thoughts, or feedback, please post away!

 

[Bird]

Sounds good to me, Muhammad. I see you used the "/" in "Owning/Operating". Should you add it to the "Buying" and make it "Buying/Pricing"? Don't know that it'd make any difference. In fact, shortening both to just "Buying" and "Operating" might be just as well.

Bird

 

[Wheeldog]

Muhammad,

I like it - especially going from four categories to two in each of the brand-specific sections.

I'd like to suggest a name change to "Off-Topic and just for Fun", though. I think it should be called either "Let's argue about politics and pickup trucks", or "Off-Topic and . . . Hey! You wanna' step outside!?" /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Rob

 

[Bird]

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

 

[JohnMiller3]

<font color=blue>...I'd like to suggest a name change to "Off-Topic and just for Fun", though...</font color=blue>

Or "Off-Topic and Everything Else But Tractors-Not!" /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

I liked Bird's suggestion of <font color=blue>"Buying" and make it "Buying/Pricing"? </font color=blue>... this hopefully would keep the "pricing" posts somewhat together.

How about a:

"Suggestions/Complaints"

"Manufacturers & Feedback" ... maybe get a two way communication setup with tractor mfrs., implement mfr. etc.

"Latest Manufacturer News"

Upgrading the emoticons as stated in previous posts for more "moods" and selection.

Don't forget redo the Search... with "All-Forums" on top...

A greeting by Muhammad sitting on his new tractor of the week talking about the implement of the week showing the use of the week, etc.

"You are what you eat, drink, think, say and do..."

 

[GlueGuy]

I like the design change, and have another suggestion.

It would be nice to be able to go to the top-level of a particular forum (e.g. General Forums) without having to list all the others too. Currently, the only way to get the top-level summary of one forum is to get them all. This would please me and my puny 24K connection.

The GlueGuy

 

[Muhammad]

Have you checked out the categories.pl feature? You can set in your display preferences to automatically load categories.pl instead of wwwthreads.pl (as the main index). If you set it that way, it will load just the category you click, while if you load the page now with 'forums' as your default, clicking a category will load all forums. Is this what you meant? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[GlueGuy]

Muhammad,

Oh wow! /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif That's what I wanted. Never saw that doo-hickus...

This may fall into the topic "You don't know what you don't know"...

Thanks!

The GlueGuy

 

[glennmac]

Muhammad,

I like it--naturally. Some further suggestions for thought:

1. I dont think a technical forum is necessary. I think what filter for a Kioti and how to install a filter on a Kioti are both part of operating a Kioti. If I want to skip a Kioti technical discussion, I can do so by looking at the title of the thread--or, more likely, by just skipping the entire Kioti forum. The real technical discussions will probably mostly show up in the customization forum, anyway.

2. I have just used the word Kioti about as much as it has ever been used. Consider eliminating the Kioti, Cub Cadet and Case/IH forums. There are so few posts in them to date that they can be addressed in the Other Brands forum. Indeed, most of the Case tractors may show up in the Ag forum anyway.

3. I always have found "attachments" to be an ambiguous word. It could cover things that properly belong in customization. I think "implements" is a better word but also somewhat limiting. So I guess I would vote for "Implements and Attachments".

4. A long time ago I suggested searchable profiles. I'll bring it up again here. The idea is that you could search through profiles to find other members who live in Nevada, or who play violins, or who have a TC45, or who have a 4 in 1 bucket, or who ride motorcycles. This would, I assume, require us who would want to participate to fill out some sort of input form.

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Muhammad,

Sometime ago, I believe Thomas suggested "weather " as a topic by it's self. I liked that idea.

Thanks for the great board, it's the exception to "If it ain't broke don't fix it"
Just keeps getting better./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Al