RunningAHEAD - Topic: Masters Forum in Communities (page 3)

Ileneforward

#artbydmcbride

posted: 12/23/2007 at 9:15 AM
modified: 12/27/2007 at 12:34 PM

When you really think about the topics that get posted in the Master's forum are they really any different from other running topics? (okay maybe that one time about colonoscopys but ewwww!) Maybe we should stop hiding out in an older runners section and share our wisdom with the whippersnappers. Of course after very much of that they may willingly resegregate us! Big grin

Runners run

evryday

posted: 12/23/2007 at 9:43 AM

I don't think it's broke. I kinda like the group thing, now that I'm used to it. It doesn't make any difference to me if it's a group, or on the front page as a topic. Wherever it is, that's where I'll go and try to peacefully coexist with other Master runners. RA has bent over backwards to make us feel at home and has catered to several desires. I, for one, am grateful to have the opportunity to come to this place and participate.

Quit being so damn serious! When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. "Ya just gotta let it go." OM

hally

Head Procrastinator

posted: 12/24/2007 at 8:34 AM

I like how this place works. And I think it's been decided to leave the Master's forum where it is. Thanks for considering it Eric and thanks for everyone's input. I sure hope lots of new Master's will join in the Master's user group. Barb

~ My Profile~ The avatar is happy BOC wootcats

StarrRuns

posted: 12/25/2007 at 5:39 PM

Quote from hally on 12/24/2007 at 8:34 AM:

I like how this place works. And I think it's been decided to leave the Master's forum where it is. Thanks for considering it Eric and thanks for everyone's input. I sure hope lots of new Master's will join in the Master's user group. Barb

Hally, I just read through this and I do agree with you. At first login, it is not obvious that our "group" is there, but that's OK. I can find it, and anyone else can too for that matter. This site is wonderful and I like it alot. Dark Horse is here, althogh a bit whinney, but that's good too! At first I too thought the main page would be best, but it's not the way everything's set up for. The user groups is absolutely great for me. p.s. Dark Horse, do you still keep your house at 60 degrees in the winter? We tried that for a bit, and it was not a good plan.... I'll bet your wife turned it up when you were away, no? Starr

“Courage is not defined by those who fought and did not fall, but by those who fought, fell, and rose again.” — Adrienne Rich

Tramps

posted: 12/26/2007 at 10:57 AM

Here's what I suspect most first-time visitors do: 1. Come to the main page (which does not clearly explain the user groups) 2. Click on "Community," which actually takes you the main "Forums" page. 3. Peruse the main Forum to see what's here (and they wouldn't see a Masters group) Then it's a crap shoot as to whether or not they figure out the "User Groups" feature. After pondering this a few days (and seeing the difficulty some folks have had finding us) I'd suggest 1. Leaving the Masters Group where it is (I think the reports feature will be interesting, for example) 2. but adding a note that the top of the main "Community/Forums" page that says something like: " The RA community is organized into two major sections. The “Forums” below are made up of open discussions on a variety of running topics, along with administrative threads. The “User Groups” section (see link above) is made up of user-created groups, including training groups (e.g. 1000-mile club), social groups (e.g. Masters runners), regional groups, and more. This would at least prompt people to drill deeper into the site to find what they're looking for. I also like the idea mentioned earlier of listing the larger groups on the forum page. A number of "groups" actually have only one or two members, while just a handful have more than, say, 50 members. This would maintain the RA structure but alert people to the unique "User Group" structure that isn't immediately obvious.

Be safe. Be kind.

Twocat

posted: 12/27/2007 at 12:22 PM

I am a new person here who migrated over from CR where I did post regularly so I am going to toss in my two cents despite being a relative newbie to this site. At the very least I would support Tramps' suggestion. The ONLY way I found the Masters group was via a link provided by Holly S. over at Active/CR. The next time I came over, without the link, it took me some time to figure the link had lead to a "group." In fact, I had never heard of groups before so it was not obvious to me that I should even look in that area. Over at CR the Master's forum was, I believe, the most active one by far. Many have migrated here making the Masters' group (almost instantly) one of the most active groups. But, the group system will not encourage as much in migration as a link on the front forum page letting people know the group exists. In the long run that will hurt the potential membership numbers. I also think people are not giving the Master's group credit for the activity it is already generating. If you are worried about clutter on the home forum page there are any number of forums that have far less traffic than the Masters' forum. Why not replace, say the lightly used Cross Training forum with the Masters' forum? Or how about Health and Nutrition or Look What I Can Do! All of which have less traffic than the Masters' group. The total number of forum would remain the same and the more heavily trafficked one would be a forum and the less used one a group. My guess is this will raise all sorts of objections, as I think it should, but any such objections will, I suspect, apply to keeping the Masters' group a group and not a forum.

Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.

Drunken Irish Soda Bread and Irish Brown Bread this way --> http://allrecipes.com/cook/4379041/

fatozzig

posted: 12/27/2007 at 2:12 PM

Former CR person here. My $.02, for what it's worth: I like this format, however, without someone telling me, I probably wouldn't have figured out the whole user groups thing for awhile, especially since within each group you have to become a member. A brief explanation on the home page of the difference between the forums main page and the user groups would be a huge help. I like that these specific groups, once figured out, are easy to find and without a lot of clutter. Eric's done a fantastic job, and hopefully former CR people can "let go of the past" and move on to better things (like RA!). Thanks, again, to the RA folks for being so welcoming and understanding. I'm very happy to have found a new "home."

Leslie
Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain
-------------

Trail Runner Nation

Sally McCrae-Choose Strong

Bare Performance

Wingz

Professional Noob

posted: 12/27/2007 at 3:01 PM
modified: 12/27/2007 at 3:01 PM

I have a suggestion: one easy way to let more people know about the Master's group is to include a hot-link for it in your signature. Then, post on the main forum. Every time you post, a link back to the Master's group will show up under your post. I've seen some other people do this with groups, and I think it works pretty well. Kind of says, "To hear more from this person, click on this link..." Big grin

MTA: Oh! Like Tramps has already done. Big grin

Roads were made for journeys...

eric :)

posted: 12/27/2007 at 5:10 PM

Quote from hally on 12/24/2007 at 8:34 AM:

I like how this place works. And I think it's been decided to leave the Master's forum where it is. Thanks for considering it Eric and thanks for everyone's input. I sure hope lots of new Master's will join in the Master's user group. Barb

I skimmed through this thread and it appears that everyone's divided on this. I don't mind moving it to the public forums, but you'll be losing some of the features that a group provides. The one that interests me the most is sell regulation. The administrators have the powers to kick and ban users, as well as moderate the forum by censoring whole threads or inidividual posts. Without a clear majority (maybe I skimmed too quickly), I'll leave it as it is for now. Users tend to advertise their groups in their signatures, which is not a bad idea since the more posts they make, the more exposure they give to their groups. I'll continue to monitor this thread should your decision changes. eric Smile

Masters Forum in Communities (Read 1128 times)