WIP Section

[fredmck]

How a bout a work in progress area? I frequent the BMC site and the WIP are is good to show what you are working on but also spurs slowpokes like me to get something done. I dont know what you guys allow for pictures here though. there the minimum is 3 pics to show what you are doing them progress shots until its done then it goes into a new model announcement forum. Its nice to see others comments (good or bad) while you are going.

[admin]

That's a great idea! These forums are still very new so any suggestions are very welcome.

Would it be better to have a WIP section under each subject or a single WIP section covering all subjects?

Ray

P.S. Could you clarify BMC? I'm probably just dense but I'm racking my brain trying to think of what site that might be.

[fredmck]

I would add the WIP section to each category to save sorting through stuff to find what WIP's you are into. The site I frequent now is http://www.briansmodelcars.com it is a site just for car builders but has a pretty good following and many good tech sections.

[admin]

Aah *slaps head* of course. That's a great site. Thanks for reminding me about it.

I'm trying to decide how best to implement the WIP forums. I've come up with several options:

1 - Create a whole new WIP section with a separate forum for each subject.
- The 'problem' I forsee with this is that the forum list starts getting too long and it might be slightly confusing seeing two very similar sections.

2 - Create a sub-forum within each subject forum.
- The disadvantage with this approach is that the 'path' starts getting too long. You would need to drill down into 2 separate forums before you can even begin to start looking for new posts, etc.

3 - Incorporate WIP threads into the existing forums.
- We could set a standard that any WIP thread titles are prefixed with "WIP -" which would clearly identify any such threads and would make searching for WIPs relatively easy.

I tend to look at these things from a web developer/programmer standpoint so I need you guys to help me out here. Let me know what you would prefer, give me other options, etc. Brad, you had mentioned you used to be a moderator, so I'm sure you could offer some valuable feedback from that point of view.
As I've said before, this is not my forum, this is our forum. I just want to make sure we look at all options and do it right the first time instead of continually trying to change things after the fact.

Ray

[Brad]

I think these types of choices boil down to personal preference, usually gained from other sites we frequent. If you wanted to be totally diplomatic about it, you could introduce a poll for a period of time that will span through our next meeting, where it could be announced and thereby get the (hopefully) most amount of participants. Or, it might just be simpler to make an "Executive Decision" on what you feel is right. You, after all are Sheriff around here... ...it is in your best interest to incorporate features you feel are logical and therefore "enjoy" maintaining...it's less of a chore that way. We'll adapt to what is given to us.

Although I see Fred's logic with the second-level forum within the appropriate genre...I'm not sure we have the volume of users to require segregating WIP's from discussion and display threads...that's just my opinion...but in the spirit of "keeping it simple", I like the idea of prefixing WIP threads with "WIP-" (so much so, that I went back and re-titled my appropriate threads...you can slap my hand if I jumped the gun Ray... )...this will also reduce the need for the Admin to police the forums so much...you won't need to be relocating WIP threads from the "X" Forum into the appropriate WIP Forum or Section.

That would be my (rather long-winded) opinion...

Cheers