To sticky or not to sticky

Buford T Justice

Hi

This has been bugging me for a while. I've counted and there are 8 sticky's on the front of this forum and have been for a while. I think that this is excessive, and it clogs up the front page.

Every time I go to the sligo forum, all that appears on my screen is the 8 stickys, and unless I scroll down I can't see any more threads, they are all on the bottom.

It makes it more difficult to spot new threads as you can't quickly glance at the page and see whats going on, plus it makes me less inclined to look at the threads as they are always there, rather than popping up as and when someone has something to say.

Also gives the impression that the topics for discussion are being slightly dictated, as these are staring you in the face constantly.

For example:
Favorite Restaurant
Beers Thread
Gigs and Events - Last post 3-12
News and Views - Last post 19-10

Surely, as these are threads that have specific enough subjects, they should be just normal threads, that are allowed ebb and flow. If there is no discussion then they should naturally die away unless someone has something to say, and they can just repost.

After all, if a subject is popular it'll stay on the top of the forum anyway rather than needing a sticky.

Personally, I think that the only ones that should be there are the Charter and Chit Chat.

What does anyone else think?

magnumlady

I think you are right on some of them.
A couple have died so I will unsticky them.
I will leave the busy ones for the moment and see what the others think.

Mint Sauce

I do agree on some as well, some threads are strong enough they will always appear on the first page or two.

Sometimes a sticky can be forgot about as people can sometimes look beyond them. Can I also ask 'fingers', are you aware you can change the number of threads that appear per page, if its a thing that not many are appearing on yours and you are finding your self clicking to go to the next page for new or recent posts.

Buford T Justice

irish-stew wrote: »

I do agree on some as well, some threads are strong enough they will always appear on the first page or two.

Sometimes a sticky can be forgot about as people can sometimes look beyond them. Can I also ask 'fingers', are you aware you can change the number of threads that appear per page, if its a thing that not many are appearing on yours and you are finding your self clicking to go to the next page for new or recent posts.

Nothing to do with the settings 'stew', its screen limitations that I have on a 15' screen. With all the forum logos, and menu's etc, there's about a third of the screen gone, then with stickys it takes up the rest before the screen stops.

dnme

IMO

No need for ...

1. Sligo Bargain Alerts - because you already have a Shopping sticky and there is a generic Bargain Alerts forum on boards anyway.

2. Sligo Beers, If ppl wanna go drinking, post a thread or if it's that busy, update the existing thread.

3. General chit-chat. This is what the entire Sligo forum is....no?

4. Fav Restaurant. Its a transient incidental matter of personal opinion. How many people need to know the opinion of others on restaurants? If the answer is 100's then fine but I doubt it.

Also bear in mind that busy sticky's are often self defeating if they grow into large threads. Are people then bound to read the entire thread? what if it's 100's of pages long? what if it was started in 2003? Do I read from the beginning or start somewhere in the middle. IMO a sticky should be concise, of a reasonable length and maintained up to date.

All of this post is just my opinion, just trying to contribute to the discussion, not trying to back seat moderate.

Mint Sauce

dnme wrote: »

IMO

No need for ...

1. Sligo Bargain Alerts - because you already have a Shopping sticky and there is a generic Bargain Alerts forum on boards anyway.

2. Sligo Beers, If ppl wanna go drinking, post a thread or if it's that busy, update the existing thread.

3. General chit-chat. This is what the entire Sligo forum is....no?

4. Fav Restaurant. Its a transient incidental matter of personal opinion. How many people need to know the opinion of others on restaurants? If the answer is 100's then fine but I doubt it.

Also bear in mind that busy sticky's are often self defeating if they grow into large threads. Are people then bound to read the entire thread? what if it's 100's of pages long? what if it was started in 2003? Do I read from the beginning or start somewhere in the middle. IMO a sticky should be concise, of a reasonable length and maintained up to date.

All of this post is just my opinion, just trying to contribute to the discussion, not trying to back seat moderate.

Thoughts and comments are most welcome. Would not think for a moment your back seat modding.

In relation to the shopping/bargin alerts. Personally with bargin alerts thats exactly what you have, its seperate from whats opening/closing etc. Its also specific to sligo, rather than nationwide or on line.

For the beers thread, i'm still open to views and opinon on this. It has already been suggested that if people want a night out a new thread is started and then merged into the mega thread after the event. The main reason for this was to allow new polls to consider night/location if so desired.

For general chitchat this was to avoid or to reduce the amount of off topic posting, its in peoples nature to talk and due to the small comunity that the sligo forum is, this off posting is easy done, hence having a seperate thread from specific topics. Yes threads will always stray, but the introduction of this sticky by previous mods has reduced this.

The restrarant thread had been requested by a number of posters, and whilst it may not be the busiest it is updated regulary, and does seem to be a genuine interest in it.

Going back to my opening paragraph its you guys that make the forum, your debate, your contributions, your personalties, etc etc, and your thoughts and comments can be as important as the forum content its self.

Buford T Justice

irish-stew wrote: »

For the beers thread, i'm still open to views and opinon on this. It has already been suggested that if people want a night out a new thread is started and then merged into the mega thread after the event. The main reason for this was to allow new polls to consider night/location if so desired.

I think its pointless having a megamerge beers thread as a sticky. Who is interested in 600 odd posts of people historically trying to arrange a drink?
If anything, it should be a megamerge and left to die away, and only merged with other new threads after they have finished, with a new thread added as and when needed. I can't see any point to it.

irish-stew wrote: »

The restrarant thread had been requested by a number of posters, and whilst it may not be the busiest it is updated regulary, and does seem to be a genuine interest in it.

If its updated regularly, then it should be self serving without the need for a sticky. I don't see a point to having this as a sticky if people aren't posting in it.

starbelgrade

I don't have a problem with any of them. Most of the forums I use have 5-6 stickys & I read them if I see that there's a new post.