Forum Structure, why no subcategories?

[Skarek]

I'm quite new here, so maybe i should just keep quiet. Still I have problems not expressing my need for order in the universe... I wonder, where are all the subcategories in this forum? The forum i really active and there are generated a lot of new threads each day on many different topics. Atleast I have problems keeping up and especially it is hard if you try to find an old thread. Another problem is when you, like me, try to get to know things about crossbows in general. When you want to browse throu the knowledge database and see what is written... At the moment there are too much chaos to be able to do this acording to me

Usually with forums this large and active there are subcategories to help keep the order of threads. At the moment there are only 2 categoris with totally 4 subcategories as I can see.
excaliburcrossbow
-Crossbow Hunting - Where all the postings are made
-en Francais
-Trading Post
Archives
-Current Fourm Archives

As I see it the forum could use alot of more categories to in some way divide all the different types of threads. An example could be somthing like.
excaliburcrossbow
- The forum & the website
- Crossbows - Threads about the crossbows
- Arrows
- Crossbow Accessories
- Crossbow Customizing
- Target shooting
- Off topic
- en Francais
Hunting
- Hunting
- Hunting Stories & Trophy Room
- Hunting Accessories
Trading Post
- Buying
- Selling
Archives
-Current Fourm Archives

I don't say that the categories I have made are perfect, even good. I just came up with them while writing. Things like this needs to be thought throu. Still...

I know that a forum Divided into subcategories needs some extra work from moderators to keep the order, moving around missplaced threads. At the moment it seems that there are only one moderator. But there must be alot of old forum members Excalibur could trust with some moderator might to help keep the order.

What does people thing about the idea? What does Excalibur think about it?

[pokynojoe]

Skarek
Two things(and I hope you take them in the spirit in which they are offered):

First: "All things in nature tend toward disorder." A hard rule to learn I suppose for a young man, but one which I learned many years ago the hard way and it's served me well.

Second: "Consistancy is the hobgoblin of small minds".

Just relax and enjoy the give and take. The very randomness of the posts on this forum is what makes it so refreshing.

All the best
Joe

[Grizzly Adam]

Hey, Skarek ...

Thanks for sharing.

Sorry to disagree with you, but I think the forum is just fine the way it is, and I believe you'll find that the vast majority of posters think so too. I'm not speaking for them, but I know that many of us greatly enjoy the friendly, family-type atmosphere on this forum, and feel that lots of subcategories would destroy that unique nature we so prize.

Others have posted viewpoints similar to yours in the past ... but history shows that most of us like things the way they are.

In any case, welcome to the forum, and I hope you find a place here and enjoy it a lot too!

[pphoenix]

The "Excalibur dude" is just to busy to get into those details

[Digger]

Skarek, we have had this forum going like this for over 5 years and two other Excal forums set up similarlybefore this. there is more activity here than most other forums do and we don't get lost in different topics. Some forums I use have from 20 to 100 sub topics and I still frequent only one or two sub topics. Love this forum.

[TYE]

I'd get lost if we had sub sections...

[Skarek]

I got the answers I guessed I would get. I better just accept the chaos of the universe and go with the flow

[Woody Williams]

There are benefits both ways.

For an active reader (one who checks in at least once daily) this forum is just fine. All active threads are on page one. One does have to do some searching to find what posts are new in the individual threads though.

For someone who only checks in maybe once a week they can get frustrated in the fact that they might have 8 or 10 pages of therads to sift through and then search for new posts. Then the way some of us title our threads there is no telling what is in the thread until you open it and the casual reader might miss something or open something that is really of no interest to them.

In forums that have subcategories a person can pick and choose in what interests them and just not even look at the ones that don't.

Most of the sites that have subcategories have a "new post" selection where you can click on a button and get the posts that were made since you last visited. That is handy compared to opening up each thread and trying to determine which ones you have and haven't read since your last visit.

Just because it is "this is the way we have always done it" doesn't make it the only way.

Personally I don't have a problem either way here, as I am a every day and often times 6 or 7 times a day visitor.