PLEASE READ - 4th gen section/thread clean up & consolidation - PLEASE READ

[zopperman]

In the upcoming weeks I'd like to clean up the 4th gen section a little bit and I wanted input from everyone as to what would be the most beneficial. It's no secret that the search function isn't the greatest so I would like to make the stickies as useful as possible.

A few ideas I had:

• Consolidating stickies - Which should stay and which should go?
• Clean up of stickied threads - Should I delete all posts that don't have pictures in the picture thread?
• Any other stickies that should be created?
• Threads to be combined?

Please let me know whatever you guys can think of and I'll do my best to get it done ASAP.

ETA: As a moderator, I can edit posts, delete posts, merge threads, duplicate threads, etc. I cannot affect actual changes to the layout of the forum such as creating subforums etc. Only Admin can do that. I just want to make it easier to find information.

 

[HokieRunner]

In the upcoming weeks I'd like to clean up the 4th gen section a little bit and I wanted input from everyone as to what would be the most beneficial. It's no secret that the search function isn't the greatest so I would like to make the stickies as useful as possible.

A few ideas I had:

• Consolidating stickies - Which should stay and which should go?
• Clean up of stickied thread - Should I delete all posts that don't have pictures in the picture thread?
• Any other stickies that should be created?

Please let me know whatever you guys can think of and I'll do my best to get it done ASAP.

I just eye'd through the stickies and I think they're all invaluable threads - don't see any that should get 'unstickied'.

The picture threads for lifts could probably be cleaned up a bit as it may lead to less redundant threads on suspension options by allowing easier browsing.
But redundant threads are going to still pop up as new members join and are learning new info and where to find it. Luckily this is a great community and there are usually folks to steer them in the right direction.

 

[xpeppyx]

Can you create a filter that sends user's to the FJ lift info sticky whenever they try to create a new thread asking about FJ coils and 5100's?

I'm kidding because I know you can't, but wish you could.

I really think the seach functions on here work well. I've been on many forums that are much much worse. S2KI is definitely THE worst. I think people are just being lazy and want to be spoon fed information.

Maybe just make a tire questions sticky where people can just post their questions so we don't have 30 posts a day asking which tires they should get.

 

[CAN-03runner]

Don't know how much work it is, and what amount you are thinking of doing.

But I'm thinking sub-forums. Example: Easy weekend mods subforum, where every mod is a post in the subforum, instead of 30 pages of stuff that just keeps growing.

Same for suspension.

Locked with just information. New additions suggested by users or determined by mods.

All regular chit chat about stuff like what color would look best to be in general discussion.

 

[Tif]

I am new to forums and how they work so I don't know very much about how the process works and what you can/cant do but I agree with [MENTION=48266]CAN-03runner[/MENTION]
Assuming that a sub-forum works basically like folders.
Being able to go to Easy weekend mods and then be able to choose plasti-dip or wheels/tires or running boards/sliders or LEDs etc would be much more efficient.
Obviously you wouldn't be able to create a separate 'folder' for each thing but some sort of consolidation/separation for the most popular ones would be awesome.

 

[zopperman]

I just eye'd through the stickies and I think they're all invaluable threads - don't see any that should get 'unstickied'.

The picture threads for lifts could probably be cleaned up a bit as it may lead to less redundant threads on suspension options by allowing easier browsing.
But redundant threads are going to still pop up as new members join and are learning new info and where to find it. Luckily this is a great community and there are usually folks to steer them in the right direction.

I agree for the most part

Can you create a filter that sends user's to the FJ lift info sticky whenever they try to create a new thread asking about FJ coils and 5100's?

I'm kidding because I know you can't, but wish you could.

I really think the seach functions on here work well. I've been on many forums that are much much worse. S2KI is definitely THE worst. I think people are just being lazy and want to be spoon fed information.

Maybe just make a tire questions sticky where people can just post their questions so we don't have 30 posts a day asking which tires they should get.

I wish.

Don't know how much work it is, and what amount you are thinking of doing.

But I'm thinking sub-forums. Example: Easy weekend mods subforum, where every mod is a post in the subforum, instead of 30 pages of stuff that just keeps growing.

Same for suspension.

Locked with just information. New additions suggested by users or determined by mods.

All regular chit chat about stuff like what color would look best to be in general discussion.

I am new to forums and how they work so I don't know very much about how the process works and what you can/cant do but I agree with [MENTION=48266]CAN-03runner[/MENTION]
Assuming that a sub-forum works basically like folders.
Being able to go to Easy weekend mods and then be able to choose plasti-dip or wheels/tires or running boards/sliders or LEDs etc would be much more efficient.
Obviously you wouldn't be able to create a separate 'folder' for each thing but some sort of consolidation/separation for the most popular ones would be awesome.

I have edited the first post to include my moderating abilities. I can't make sub folders like that, but the "pre purchase info..." sticky has a database that contains a lot of that stuff.

 

[ebg18t]

I have edited the first post to include my moderating abilities. I can't make sub folders like that, but the "pre purchase info..." sticky has a database that contains a lot of that stuff.

Maybe you should ask for more abilities...

 

[zopperman]

Maybe you should ask for more abilities...

:behindsofa: maybe you should make a build thread!

I'm not sure how admin would feel about giving mods the ability to actually change the layout of the forum. I can ask.

 

[wnelax04sr5]

so i just talked to zak privately and wanted to bring up the idea we discussed on this thread.

As i look at my main page for the 4th gen sub forum, i see 14 threads that are asking questions about either the 4runner, maintenance, parts, etc. i suggested a stickied thread that was dedicated to being a "question thread". you post there if you have an immediate issue regarding the 4runner, maintenance, anything of the sort. that way you keep the new thread count low and the main page is less cluttered. the downside is that you have a thread containing tons of questions that may be difficult to navigate through, and would become cluttered easily without moderator attention.

If you have anything to add to this idea, or think its idiotic and useless, let [MENTION=55855]zopperman[/MENTION] know, its just something to look into

 

[ebg18t]

I know another forum I am on doesn't allow new people to make a 'fresh thread' until they have 100 posts. At that point the admin grants them the ability to post 'fresh threads'. The admin/mods actually spot check those posts to make sure they aren't misc crap to get the 100 posts in.

:behindsofa: maybe you should make a build thread!

.

I know.. I know.. Life and the new business have taken a lot of free time.

 

[zopperman]

I know another forum I am on doesn't allow new people to make a 'fresh thread' until they have 100 posts. At that point the admin grants them the ability to post 'fresh threads'. The admin/mods actually spot check those posts to make sure they aren't misc crap to get the 100 posts in.




I know.. I know.. Life and the new business have taken a lot of free time.

yeah, that's more of an admin thing. I think 100 is a bit harsh and we'd just have peoples questions hi jacking other threads. I would like to just see a 3 day/3 post probationary period.

 

[CXS]

Can you create a filter that sends user's to the FJ lift info sticky whenever they try to create a new thread asking about FJ coils and 5100's?

I'm kidding because I know you can't, but wish you could.

There used to be a vBulletin hack/mod to do exactly that but I don't know if it's still around and works. Sure would be worth a look. I recall the author being Valter and the name something like "check if already exists"

 

[CXS]

I'll also add that deleting threads can create a real mess. Lots od threads here are refer/ link to another.

 

[JustSomeName]

deleting all the "what size tires?", "what lift should i get?", and "will these wheels fit?" threads here in the 4th gen section will probably remove half the number of threads here.

 

[JB.]

I would not be in favor of any information being deleted.

I would also ask that you consider whether any actions taken will result in broken links in past thread posts.

Personally, I think continuity is under-rated. Clothes closets benefit from purging and rearranging -- computer data, not so much.

I save huge amounts of information on my computer and I can also find it. Part of the key has been continuity. I only organize going forward. I almost never rearrange the past.

I don't find the site that hard to search. Perhaps an ongoing (sticky) thread for search tips would be helpful, but we all know that starting a thread and asking a question is by far the easiest and most effective thing to do. And we all know that fresh threads generate more responses than old ones -- and traffic pays for the site (does [MENTION=5653]admin[/MENTION] want fewer newbies asking questions? I honestly don't know). People have a massive bias toward convenience and freshness -- in donuts or information. Personally, I've resigned myself to this being the way things work and I happily answer redundant questions.

Now, how to simultaneously accommodate traffic, organization, and data retention while leveraging user knowledge is a much larger and difficult discussion that would probably have to involve full admin powers.

 

[admin]

I have to agree with @JB, I don't want any threads to be deleted, unless they are spam or break our rules. I think bad or useless threads will die down organically.

As far as sub-forums go, it really depends on how people navigate the site, hierarchically, using search or using 'show me unread threads', which is what I do, in which case sub-folders aren't very useful, but don't hurt either.

I encourage everyone to browse through vBulletin.org site to look through any other useful hacks they may have. If you do, look for vBulletin v3 hacks.

 

[chethro]

X3 with JB. In my short time here I already have multiple folders of threads bookmarked. I would hate to lose all those links.

Stickies are a great place to start looking for information, but large combined threads are difficult to search. On another forum, there is a thread with over 5000 pages. No one is going to read thru all those pages. I know that's extreme, but I probably wouldn't even attempt a 100 page thread in a search for information.

I like to do title searches. Searching the whole thread usually gives too many hits with topics I really don't care about.

I really don't see a problem with the traffic or threads on the 4th gen page now. I'm. on here a couple times a day and if there wasn't as many threads I would just go to another site. If your tired of responding to similar threads then don't, let someone else chime in. I mean if your only response is going to be "search is your friend" why bother. Post a link instead. Not everyone is as computer savvy as the next.

I'm all for using this forum as a communication tool where people can talk and look up info.
I personly, am grateful for the help I have been given and for the time people put into documenting their work in the past.

Thanks!

 

[NuclearN8]

I don't care the search function isn't worth a hoot... that's what google is for in my eyes which always leads me back here anyways, let's not waste time trying to outdo a multi-billion dollar search engine company, ya know?

In terms of stickies... I admit there are a lot of them and also agree that they're all rather useful (when read)...
I also am in the camp that new members should not be allowed to create a thread or reply to a post for a week. This would require them to search around a read a bit after joining. This will inevitably answer a lot of their questions before they ask "hey what lift should I get? what tires? what oil should I use?" threads...
I like the idea of a "I have a question thread/ folder"...
I also don't like the idea of deleting anything... This would not be addition by subtraction in my eyes and rarely is when it comes to data.

I appreciate the effort to keep the forum up to date and current in terms of organization. Great on you being open to so many suggestions. Good luck.

 

[piccrazy30]

When I first started I spent countless hours reading everything from lifts to looking through pictures. A few thousand pages later I have lots of things bookmarked and would hate to lose that. I was kinda nervous to ask questions at first even after searching because I didn't want the "search is your friend" comment.

I am on here just about everyday and like seeing what everyone is talking about. Ex..someones title was "thump and clunk" I think, I was curious since I have the same sound so reading through his thread I discovered what my problem was!!!! To me thats something hard to search for.

I like it the way it is. Thank God for this site and all the smart people that shared what they knew with the rest of us. Don't delete it

 

[iBison]

best way to search this forum section is to put this into google, followed by what you are searching for.

inurl:toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs

Or

site:toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs

Are there still manuals available for download in that sticky?

And don't delete, could make bookmarks unusable.