Admin: When to Start a New Topic?

First, some random thoughts -

This forum contains a wealth of information. Trouble is, this information is often hard to find. A couple of years age we made a major update to this forum by creating many more subforums with specific technical categories, and that has allowed us to zero in on specific topics fairly easily; however, in some cases we are now getting many similar Topics (threads) within a particular subforum. I've occasionally merged such discussions together as simply a housekeeping effort. I also occasionally move topics from one subforum into another that makes more sense. I'm a little fearful of doing these merges or moves as I don't wish to offend the posters.

When it comes to finding things, I've also recognized the value of having a clear-cut specific Topic title.

Looking over some of our companion forums (e.g., myNissanLeaf) has me holding my head. :shock:
The huge proliferation of individual Topics is overwhelming.

Perhaps it's also time to create a few more pigeonholes (subforums) to make our discussions a bit more findable?

I'm afraid that I am averse to rambling social-media style discussions, so I also recognize that maybe I'm the one who has a problem?

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Since this forum belongs to you, let me put a simple question on the table:

Do we wish to have any guidelines for starting new Topics (threads) as compared to simply tacking a post onto an existing Topic?

Your comments are welcomed.

Maybe more sub-forums ?

Maybe Close a topic if it starts to go off onto another subject (which happens a lot).
No 16 page topics.... I mean really.

tigger19687, thank you for your observations.

tigger19687 said:

No 16 page topics.... I mean really.

Click to expand...

I had thought about this a lot, with a good example of a long very specific topic being our CaniOn thread - that thread is supposed to be about the CaniOn app and not the interpretation of CaniOn data. Now, if I were to close this thread, we would have to open up another one identical to it in order to continue that conversation. Why would that be preferable instead of simply continuing that one thread as long as it stays on topic? Wouldn't we then have to look at two different threads for the same subject?

More subforums = death. People will quit posting anywhere. Seriously don't.

This is a relatively low-traffic forum as it is; I don't see a need for changes.

I'm a big proponent of the KISS principle . . . . and, if it ain't broke, don't mess with it

True, on any large forum (and this one is tiny, tiny by comparison) it can be hard to find specific things when you go looking for them - That's the 'cost' of keeping things simple, but it's worth it, IMO

If a newbie starts a new thread about a subject that was discussed at length a year or two ago, what's wrong with letting the new one run and *not* merging his new one with the old one? Nothing so far as I can see. If you leave it alone, someone will come along shortly and post link to the previous discussion and 9 times out of 10, the new thread will just die the death it deserves

My opinion (for what little it's worth) is we've already taken many steps to make simple things complicated - I would vote not to continue the policy of expanding sub-forums and merging threads and to let most things run their natural course where ever possible

Don

Ok I can see that.
But the CaniOn thread really goes on and on. I got lost trying to Find something I KNEW was in there.
Problem is, it makes people NOT want to even look for things........ and I would like to get more people on this site.

BUT, I think a few Sticky notes at the beginning of a few of the sub-forums would be good.
This "helps" to stop repeat threads and since the Search function is not the greatest here, would help with that as well ?