Too many topics / not enough discussion

[Hawkstein]

This forum is great but I noticed there's not enough discussion in almost all of the threads... often days/weeks/months between replies. My suggestion is to merge all the related topics... i.e. Mars, Moon, Interplanetary, Asteroids & Comets, could all be one as Interplanetary or Our Solar System, etc. So ideally there would only be 4-5 topics and more general discussion within.

Another forum I'm used to only has two main topics.... this seems to help a lot. It would be nice to have more specific discussion but not at the expense of the frequency of posts.

 

[Western Sage]

I agree!

 

[Mental Avenger]

I completely disagree. Having separate forums for each topic keeps the discussions focused on that topic, and helps the discussions to remain within the scope of that topic. When the topics are too broad, discussions wander all over the place, and that discourages those who want to engage in serious discussion on a given issue. Threads get derailed easily enough, let's not facilitate that.
This is a new forum. There are few members so far, and very few members who are scientifically educated or enthusiastic about Space. Give it time. The former SDC Uplink had 500,000 members and about the same number of different forums. In its day, Uplink had dozens if not hundreds of replies in many of the forums.
What should be done is more advertising that will draw both former members, and new inquiring minds to this site. Space.com posts many topics on Facebook. If each has a link to these forums, I believe the numbers of avid participants will increase greatly.

 

[sward]

Thank you for this feedback! The forums are growing slowly, and it honestly just takes time. It's important to remember disccusing STEM topics on the internet is very different now to 10-15 years ago, folks on Facebook/reddit/ other social media are reluctant to go somewhere else to post their comments now, especially if they can comment there and then on their preferred media of choice!

However most articles on space.com do have a link to these forums at the bottom, and we're looking into promoting the forums more in the new year.

We know it can feel frustrating when a forum is new, so If you are interested in sharing the forum with friends, teachers and other communities, please do! It IS growing. I also just wanted to thank you folks for being so passionate about this community and its growth. We're glad you love it as much as we do.

 

[Hawkstein]

I didn't think about the age of the forum so that is a good point, however I see there are some old posts from 2004 so that is pretty old. I just joined and had assumed it was around for a while. I'm not sure when the major upgrades happened, but yes I'm sure there could be some growth with the upgrades. Perhaps can reaccess the number of topics in the future months.

 

[sward]

Yeah the forums were offline for 10 years and were switched back on two months ago! So a lot of the old guard have found places elsewhere to go, so in essence we're starting from scratch. It is growing though slowly.

 

[Hawkstein]

Definitely a lot of room for growth then in the coming months. Thanks for the info.

 

[Truthseeker007]

Build it and they will come! Sorry I couldn't help myself.

 

[Hawkstein]

After about 6 months I'm not really seeing an increase in activity here and therefore highly recommend removing/merging at least half of the forum topics.

 

[frankie22]

I agree with Mental Avenger. From what little i have seen having more topics in view promotes use. If you only had Mars in view no one would see a post on Venus.

I agree with sward too. Do you have any promotions to shools or techs? I heard about you (us) from a friend. I want to learn. It is so much better to see real opinions and discussions than to be stuck with a book. I think the posts on life in other planets really amazing.

 

[Hawkstein]

I agree with Mental Avenger. From what little i have seen having more topics in view promotes use. If you only had Mars in view no one would see a post on Venus.

Disagree based on current activity... posts often go unanswered for months.

Need to generalize more, i.e. replace Venus/ Mars with "Inner Planets" or something.

In an ideal world there would be a topic for every interest but there's not enough activity to support this here.

 

[frankie22]

Sorry hawkstein I disagree with you. out of site out of mind. if venus is buried behind mars noone will see it and reply toit. I have looked very carefully and see evrn mars posts are buried begind mars posts.

 

[Hawkstein]

Sorry hawkstein I disagree with you. out of site out of mind. if venus is buried behind mars noone will see it and reply toit. I have looked very carefully and see evrn mars posts are buried begind mars posts.

I imagine you're just conjecturing since there's no topic for Venus

 

[frankie22]

To the admin people here. Is it possible to have a carusel so topics within mars, venus etc are rotated NOT lumped tpgether but within mars, venus separately?

 

[frankie22]

hawksrrein. There is a topic LIFE ON VENUS

 

[frankie22]

and life on mars 74 posts is buried behid a post with 13 posts. There is ur prob

new title too many older posters not enuf 17 yrs

 

[Hawkstein]

hawksrrein. There is a topic LIFE ON VENUS

You're confusing topics with posts. The topic that post is in is "Xenobiology". Anyone can create a post, topics are set in stone by administrators.

 

[frankie22]

You're confusing topics with posts. The topic that post is in is "Xenobiology". Anyone can create a post, topics are set in stone by administrators.

thank you for being so friendly I AM OFF BBBBYYYYYyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[Hawkstein]

thank you for being so friendly I AM OFF BBBBYYYYYyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

No need to get upset, my posts were just straight forward. Also, the world could do with less passive aggressive sarcasm.

 

[shaines]

We're always open to feedback. We have list of current Categories on the forums.

Each Category is filled with sub-categories.

Each sub-category contains individual threads.

To start on the "macro" side of things, what feedback do you have for Categories listed above? We will not promise to implement any specific change, but if it can be done without risking something else, we're happy to consider it.

 

[Craftsman X]

I don't mind what categories there are - or how many - or how specific they are - I am just happy that this forum exists to look at and respond to - it just needs more contributors.
… especially it needs those lurkers, and you know who you are, to pluck up courage and put in your views.

 

[Helio]

I feel fairly confident this site will grow. The articles by Space.com are wonderful and is a huge drawing card for potential new forum members. There has already been mention that advertising is coming.

 

[Hawkstein]

It's not that I want to merge the categories, I like the variety, it's just that I think you have to to improve the discussion rates... otherwise more people get bored and leave to never return (prob nobody will admit this fact). Also there are some subcats with not enough activity.

Example suggestions:

- Merge cats "SCIENCE FICTION" and"GAMES & SIMULATORS" (call it "OTHER" or "MORE", a bit of a catchall)
- subsequently merge sub-categories "TV & Movies" and"Books" (i.e. call it "TV, Movies, & Books")
- and merge sub-cats "PC Games" and "Tabletop" (call it "Games" or something)

- Merge "STARGAZING" and all its subcats and move in under one of the other cats (as a subcat)

- Merge "EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE" and all its subcats and move it under one of the other cats (as a subcat)

- Merge cats "MISSIONS & LAUNCHES" and "SPACE TECH" (call it "SPACE MISSIONS & TECH" or something)
- subsequently merge various sub-cats
- Merge/delete "Historical Aerospace" in one of the other subcats (not very active)

- Merge "ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY" and all its subcats and move it under one of the other cats (as a subcat),

- Delete "Home Education" subcat (nothing there)

- There is not really a place to talk about Space launches other than "SpaceX" so that needs to be renamed to be more of a catchall for space launches

These are just some examples, you can see which sub-cats are not very active, those ones should be merged with other more active sub-cats, etc.

Just my two-cents.