New forum suggestion...

[Uglygreen]

Hey, just a suggestion, how about a new forum for newbie first post stories? Its getting kinda crowded these days, and just getting worse. Topics now move off the main page in a matter of just a few hours, its getting kinda silly.

Or leave the new member stories here and create a new forum for actually discussing current fishing topics?

Any thoughts on this?

UG

[The Fishing Geek]

Nah.

[Uglygreen]

All the "I need help, how do I do this or that" posts can go there as well. Would go well with the topic Jennie started yesterday with regard to helping new users learn the board. The Ifish Tech thing.

Look at the main page... 3 or 4 current fishing topics hidden in all the other stuff...

Mel made this mess... I nominate him to ride herd on this new forum. :grin:


UG

[ 01-28-2003, 07:37 AM: Message edited by: Uglygreen ]

[Jennie@ifish]

Yeah, I agree... Too many new member stories, but I don't want a new forum for them, really... Too many forums get really messy.
What to do? We like to welcome new members, but.... fishing info is getting really sparse!
Jen

[Point-of-Sale Clerk]

Jen

Growing pains…

Increase the number of posts that display on the front page from the current 50 to say 75 or 100.

[Uglygreen]

Well something needs to be done... currently (and its not unusual) there are 15 new member stories and less than 10 current (depending on how you define current) fishing related topics for 50 topics total.

Just thinking out loud, (so nobody get PO'd)can you limit the number of "welcome" responses so the stories move off the main page faster?

UG

[Hogmaster]

For what it is worth...

To me it isn't so much an issue with a newbie story versus a fishing topic, it is more an issue of current versus past.

Don't have the real answer here, but perhaps thinking about a forum that contains "Tales of the new and old" which could include method Q&As and such would help a lot.

Then the main board could be for current reports and questions like, "What color pink worm is Flatfish usuing on the Notellum?" or I saw a Hogmaster slaying fish out of his back yard again, How does he do that?"

Basically, current events versus interest and tidbits is what I'm suggesting...

The newby stories do seem to have a purpose though. It gives an idea about the experience, age and disposition of the new member. I have read some and immediately think, "Yep that right winger DEFINITELY needs to fish with ***" or "Geez, TFG needs to lern that guy on spelling morphodite!" :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

[skrimmy]

Just another thought "out loud" - There appear to be a fair number more NFR topics on the main page than newbie stories. The newbie stories are at least fishing related where the NFR's are not. How about the newly created "junior jennies" admins having the ability to move the NFR's to Life In General. It won't take too long for the constant offenders and others to catch on that if it's NOT FISHING RELATED, put it on Life in General. Just my .02

[ 01-28-2003, 08:00 AM: Message edited by: skrimmy ]

[Miss B Haven]

UG Said: " Mel made this mess... I nominate him to ride herd on this new forum. "

Huh? :whazzup: [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

PS - This topic is NFR :smile:

[Uglygreen]

Mel, don't be shy, you were the new story **** for quite a while... Last fall when the new story thing really got popular, Mel was leading the charge!

Was just a nomination, i didnt say you had to take em all out on your boat for new member orientation or anything... but thats another idea! :grin:

By the way... it was my wife that took your picture.

UG

[Smj]

UHHH, Who was it that started INSISTING that every new person absolutely MUST tell a story before being recognized anyway????

"Just don't click on it"

Smj

[CATCH AND EAT]

'The monster is now out of control. Lots and lots of hits to this site. One thing I do notice is that lots of the old timers are not posting as much or at all. Either that or I am just missing their posts.

***'s idea is actually pretty good. It would not hurt to expand the number of viewable posts. [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] I am not sure about another forum though. But something has to be done to control the clutter effect. Perhaps UG is right though. A newbie story forum or page may be in order due to the growth of i-fish. Tough decisions for Jennie.

It is a good problem to have though. Growth is good as long as it is sustainable and manageable.

Hey Hogmaster, how do you spell "learn" anyway? :grin: I only have 10 spelling errors in this post but I found your one. he he he.... :grin:

It's hard to believe how many new members we're getting daily.

[crabbait]

Welcome aboard, Keta! Oh......sorry.....conditioned response.

I like the idea that we are getting so many new members. All the fishing stories are great. I realize, however, that we are burning through topic space like crazy. Don't have a solution. Ain't success wunnerful??

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[Hogmaster]

C&E -

I missed a begin quote and typo'd "using".

I did not make a mistake on "lern" . That is geekspeak. He knew... :grin:

[The Fishing Geek]

Check this out. It works.

[CATCH AND EAT]

Yep it's wunnerfil.

[Bill Monroe]

New members are a GOOD thing, so why not capitalize on it at the same time...

Revise the tradition a little and simply require (ok, suggest to) new members to post their favorite fishing tip instead of a story...or two or three...that way all the posts are FR...

[Jennie@ifish]

Sorry, UG, only mods can move posts, and I have four mods... That is the limit. No reason the mods can't be doing the moving... Why don't you guys help whistle the NFR's, so that we don't miss em?
I will increase the topic length... again... Already did it twice!
Jen

Right now, however, Dee Dee the big black lab is covered in rotten salmon and threatening to lay on my couch. SHE REEKS! Out with the shampoo!

[ 01-28-2003, 08:39 AM: Message edited by: Jennie@ifish ]

[skrimmy]

Well, since Jennie just recently bumped the number of topics displayed per page from 35 to 50, it's just a short matter of time that 75 or 100 will need to be re-visited too. Ifish seems to be growing at an ever increasing speed. So....how about a combination of these good ideas?

Increase the number of topics displayed to 75

Have admins more actively moving NFR topics to the appropriate forum. I mean, look at the main page right now, it's FULL of NFR stuff. Much of it seems to be boat/motor related.

Create one new forum, not necessarily for "newbies" as it's great to have the newbie first story front and center so we can all welcome them and hear their "traditional" fishing story. An ideas to kick around for a new forum would be boats/motors/rods/reels/tackle related topics

[ 01-28-2003, 08:44 AM: Message edited by: skrimmy ]

Move the sport related ones to the general board

[WaterDog]

I think a help forum is a good idea. It could then be used to build a FAQ.

[Lured In]

A couple other boards I check out on occassion have so many forums that it is obnoxious. I mean like 60+ forums.

A couple suggesstions though, because I like having everything in one place. Perhaps a "Help" forum, for posting questions regarding use of ifish(pics, avatars, name changes, tech support). That way the new 'little jennies' could easily help out when they are on. This would also cut down on wait time for getting help in some cases.

The only other forum that would be of interest to me would be a "Tech Tips" forum. Most of us have probably gone back to look at old threads about tackle and set ups. Having them in one forum may be of use.

I like the community as it is. Newbie Storys's, news, reports, and the usual fishing related issues.

Just my .02

[Uglygreen]

Jen... that was Scrimmys suggestion, not mine.

UG

[Smj]

Check out this web site. This is where I hung out before I found ifish.
This must be what we are headed for?

http://www.wmi.org/nonfishing/index.html

Smj

[skrimmy]

Can't sneak much past you, can we UG! :grin:

I saw that too, so on my last post where I made three suggestions, I had to go back and edit "have additional admins....." to "have admins.....". Heck, I don't give a rip WHO moves the NFR's, but they dominate the main page, don't you think?

[CATCH AND EAT]

9:46am and there are 10 newbie stories on the front page and Birdhunter complaining about his old man posture at 20.

Busy, busy, busy. Jen, you may actually need more than 4 moderators at this pace. Certainly they do not have enough time to read and move everything for ya. Plus baby sit all us i-fishers. I think they are doing a great job and should be commended for the time they put in here. I appreciate it folks. Kudos to ya!!

[SafetyChain]

C&E, I too have noticed the "old timers" are not posting as much recently. Too bad :depressed:

I do like the idea of tech tips and FAQs :smile:

Regardless, It is getting extremely cluttered on the main forum.

[crabbait]

I guess some of you have a different opinion of what is and is not "fishing related". Threads about boats, motors, rods, reels, lines, baits, egg cures, technique (including rowing technique), news (downed boats, lost fishermen, hatchery closures, manure spills, high water, bad boat ramps, etc.), roll calls, are all fishing related.

Birthdays (with a few notable exceptions), sporting events/teams/etc (again, notable exceptions), politics, religion, computer info, forum info, are not.

Hate to move someones favorite topic but I will endeavor to be more ruthless in the future.

[WaterDog]

Safteychain, your right about “oldtimer’s” not posting much. My thoughts are this: We have been on this forum going on three years. Much of what is asked or discussed has already been said. I think we choose to let some of the other folks answer the questions since more than likely we’ve already answered the question in the past, probably more than once. Heck I even have some canned responses for a couple of questions that are always asked in the spring. This is pretty typical of what I have seen on other discussion boards. Some of us don’t seem to offer much in the way of content (me :smile: , BOE , C&E :tongue: , fishbait :grin: , to name a few) other than to razz each other. We are still here and I think if we have something to say we’ll say it. :smile:

[The Fishing Geek]

Originally posted by WaterDog:
Some of us don’t seem to offer much in the way of content (me :smile: , BOE , C&E :tongue: , fishbait :grin: , to name a few) ...

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