Forum partitioning

Emp_Fab

Does anyone else feel that the creation of the two Off Topic sub-fora here; Politics Economics and Tributes has effectively killed both ?  I propose bringing both of these sections up a level so they are at the same level as Off Topic and other sections under “Chat”.

Nitefly

I'm not sure I agree that it has killed them off - certainly I think some people avoid Politics/Economics, so it's a good thing that it's separated out.

What difference do you think it would make, Emp?

guitarfishbay

I thought most people browsed through recent discussions. If that’s still the case I don’t see what real difference it would make unless they’re auto hidden 

WezV

It gives people the option to hide them if they want.   Not sure about Tributes but some of the politics threads deserved to be hidden out the way.     Politics has already moved back into a general area from BCD, previously it wouldn't show up in recent discussion, now it does.

Maybe if the posters in those sections can learn to behave in a way that doesn't cause extra work for the moderators, those in charge might consider reintegrating them more fully.  

Has it caused less issues since the move to its own area????

TTony

WezV said:

Has it caused less issues since the move to its own area????

Yes.

axisus

Disappointed. I was thinking it would be a suggestion to partition all the nutcases in their own area.

TTony

axisus said:

Disappointed. I was thinking it would be a suggestion to partition all the nutcases in their own area.

What do you think BCD is?

Fretwired

I'd leave politics where it is ... I find I don't post as much and maybe in the future it can just be binned and we can be a politics free forum. Most discussions turn into a slanging match with left v right, Brexiteers v Remainers etc.

Sporky

I would still like a "nice" hidden area.

Basically for non-contentious stuff but hidden from non-members and from Google.

It could be used for discussing work things, for example.

I know I can use (and have used) BCD for this, but I'd like not to wade through the stuff that's in BCD - I don't mind it existing at all, it's just not the place for me (same as the politics section).

Fretwired

Sporky said:

I would still like a "nice" hidden area.

Basically for non-contentious stuff but hidden from non-members and from Google.

It could be used for discussing work things, for example.

I know I can use (and have used) BCD for this, but I'd like not to wade through the stuff that's in BCD - I don't mind it existing at all, it's just not the place for me (same as the politics section).

Not thought of that .. excellent idea.

Emp_Fab

@guitarfishbay I never use the 'recent discussions' feature.  I just drop in to the various sections for a nosey.  My reasoning for proposing the elevation of the sub-fora is that I think that where they are, they get far less traffic than they would if they weren't located there.  I think that politics is a very important subject and moving it to where it is now is, in effect, an attempt to brush it under the carpet so to speak.  The same with Parody - although I do understand the reasoning in doing it - to declutter OT, it is a bit nonsensical and illogical - like having a comedian telling jokes then going into a different room to delivery the punch line.

I'm just not happy at the practice of 'burying' a section of the forum down a layer where it will be seen less - especially with a subject as important as politics.

Legionreturns

There are thousands of politics forums and groups available out there on the internet Emp. 

The fact that we have an area for such discussions on a guitar forum feels like a concession to the desire of some members to discuss contentious subjects. I don't have a problem with it, and join in with some discussions (at least until someone puts 50p in one of the dick heads and any debate is lost in favour of a toddler bun fight). I totally agree with it being down a level. It's not a core of the forum, and a relatively small percentage of members have anything to do with it.

not_the_dj

Being a "recent discussions" style browser of this site I'd forgotten we had a separate politics section.

John_P

I’d say leave it where it is.      It’s an off topic discussion so belongs in that section,  in the same way that there are sub sections in the classified and reviews sections, it makes it easy to find and keeps things organised.  

I can see an argument for putting it in bcd rather than ot but bcd seems to have become a home for the bizarre rather than just a private chat area so it’s probdbly less likely to have serious discussion there - part of OT is fine. 

NPP

not_the_dj said:

Being a "recent discussions" style browser of this site I'd forgotten we had a separate politics section.

so had I - and I am very happy with this state of affairs. I agree with @Sporky that it would be good to have a 'nice' hidden area but it might be difficult to keep it nice unless perhaps it had a very boring title to deter the not-so-nice posters.

EricTheWeary

not_the_dj said:

Being a "recent discussions" style browser of this site I'd forgotten we had a separate politics section.

That as well. 

bingefeller

Having a politics section on here was one of the best moves ever. 

Jalapeno

Meh. Leave it alone.

Emp_Fab

Indeed.  That appears to be the will of the people.  I’ll wind my neck in.

TTony

Emp_Fab said:

I’ll wind my neck in.

ICBM

Fretwired said:

I'd leave politics where it is ... I find I don't post as much and maybe in the future it can just be binned and we can be a politics free forum. Most discussions turn into a slanging match with left v right, Brexiteers v Remainers etc.

I think it's been much less like that since it's been a subsection in Off Topic rather than BCD. TTony will be able to tell us if that's due to moderation or just better behaviour...

I still read it all, but it does seem less actively used than it was. I would miss it though.