forum reorganization

[Coopa Cabana]

I did suggest a "Search this Thread" a few days ago on the 2010 BYC Wish list":
Well, it's probably getting too late into 2010 to ask for this, but maybe it can be added to the 2011 wish list:

I would love to be able to search within particular threads - maybe at the top of a thread, a "Search this Thread" feature. I spend a lot of time scrolling thru pages and pages and pages within particular threads for posts related to specific topics. For example, if I want to search thru the "Cochin Thread" for all posts discussing "AI", or maybe the color "Golden Laced".

Obviously, the "Cochin Thread" is my mainstay, but we also have separate threads for more specific Cochin color varieties, i.e. Mille Fleur, Self-Blue, etc.
Our "Go-To" resident Cochin expert is not an APA/ABA judge - just one of the premier breeders/showers in the country, and President of Cochins International. While I love the idea of an "Ask the Experts" forum, I'd hate to see him excluded because he's not a judge. But again, I do like the idea of an "Ask the Experts" forum. Maybe "Ask the Show Experts", "Ask the Genetics Experts", etc. But it would be a job for Nifty and the Mods to solicite and jury who the "Experts" are.

I do understand what the OP is saying - some threads (not in the Social Forums) can get very chatty. I'm not sure there's a way to prevent it - it's the nature of the beast. But when things get chatty, I have no problems changing the subject and posting.

Maybe we all just need to practice more self-policing of our threads - find a POLITE way to encourage chatty members to use the "Chat" or PM.

To me, BYC is a huge BackYard Social - and everyone in the community has the one common love of poultry. But just as with any backyard party, the amount of various discussions will elevate as more members join the party. And as with any party, people move around and mingle as the individual discussions and topics change. The trick is to keep the party going - no one goes home early, everyone has a good time, and the discussions continue the next day at the water coolers at work!

 

[TimG]

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No, as I understand it, each of those would be sub-forums, not threads. SO, each of those sub-forums could have several threads.

 

[JanieMarie]

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I say let em chat. It's how the friendships on here have been established BUT give us a tool so that those that are looking for some information specific to the breed can find it relatively easily within the 200+ pages of the thread. How difficult would it be to set up a search feature for threads over 200 pages or so? (Don't know much about software stuff)

 

[FireTigeris]

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If these are subforums not threads the questions would be topics that can be scrolled through, the Chat thread would be its own Topic.

Then the search function would work... topics would come up quickly in search.

The Marans Subforum would have things like

-Help are crooked toes genetic?
-Do my birds meet SOP?
-What is the SOP for Blue?
-Copper vs Mahogany
-What color is this?
-Chat about your Marans!

The Silkie subforum would have topics like this

-Silkie Chat
-Topknots too large?
-Vaulted skull issues
-Too Many Hard Feathers?
-What colors would I get if I breed these?
-Is this a 'good' Silkie?
-SOP Silkie
-Why is my Silkie so big?

The Heritage Breed thread would be.

-What makes a heritage breed?
-Is this (name of breed ) a heritage breed?
-Suppliers of real Heritage breed birds.
-Links to Specific Breed subforums- (this would link the heritage threads back to the general of that breed, but just a list of links.
-Why isn't my (name of breed) Heritage?

((wow- took me a long time to post that, fixed another homophone.))

 

[halo]

I really like the organization ideas. I have to laugh when Im reading one of those uber-threads, and a questions is asked, and the answer is, its already posted on this thread; or a picture is posted, and someone wants to see it, and its 35 pages back...somewhere....

The Marans thread is basically useless and just taking up a whole lotta space, and its getting longer and longer. Re-organizations sounds great.

 

[cochin123]

Edited for internet safety.

 

[punky rooster]

Why don't we call threads like "the official orpington" the "official BYC orpington thread" (orpingtons as a example)

 

[racuda]

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I have tried BYC's search engine many times and it is difficult at best. . .

Have to agree here. I try to search for answers before I ask a question because I don't want to bog down the site with repetative inquiries. However, the search engine pulls up every single anything that might have ever possibly maybe at one time mentioned whatever I'm looking for. After a few pages of "chatty" posts I just give up and ask the question. It's sometimes just easier to go that route.

I've been on other forums (not here) where someone will ask a question and they immediately get slammed with "USE THE SEARCH BUTTON!!!" Well, excuse me but it is called a discussion forum for a reason. People love to discuss topics that have been hashed and rehashed over and over again. A forum is not just a repository of information.

 

[halo]

Thats exactly why it would be good to have threads more specific. Instead of posting the same things over and over and over, a search will bring up the thread that the question is about, and either the person can find their information, or they can continue the discussion.

 

[Mrs. Turbo]

I might be on my own here but when we go to a chicken show we don't just talk about showing chickens. I think the breed threads bring the breeders together and you really get to know WHO you are buying your birds from, not just a name and pictures. there are some questions that get asked over and over and they pop up pretty quick on the search, but other questions don't and most people don't mind answering them.

I like the central breed club forum that was mentioned a few pages back. The guy that runs it (Matt) is a poultry judge and the post are pretty cut and dry with answers and questions. No one can compete with the traffic on BYC......trust me.