Index discussion

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PaulaJedi

Rift Surfer
I can't see the first link, but have changed the board index back to default (no chat in sidebar to mess it up). Let me know if that fixed it or you're talking about something different.
Thanks for letting me know :)
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The forum topics are still the same....

 
Ok, by index we thought you meant forum Topics. @KerrTexas and I suggested that the forum topics should be like the original board. Right now, Most posts go into general. Topics are hard to find.
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Right, I set the forum home page to be the index for https://timetravel.institute and https://bbs.timetravel.institute. Is there another page you guys think should be "home"? I think we're using different terminology LOL ;)
Do you mean a page like this instead of the board index?

https://bbs.timetravel.institute/whats-new/posts/[/URL]https://bbs.timetravel.institute/whats-new/posts/

 

 

 
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How the original index was set-up. As an example, there was an entire section devoted to the Philadelphia / Montauk Project with numerous threads. Now, they are spread out across the site. In moving the archived threads back to where they came from -- into the original index format, would not take long. THEN, we could experiment with a new forum index.

 
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Okay. Detail that information here and I'll see what we can do. I am reluctant to change the category structure too much though, a lot of thought and time on my end has gone into what we already have.

 
I mentioned this to Paula in a PM but posting it here too:

For the categories and stuff on the index, I actually don't mind changing any of that. I just need a nice bulleted list showing the top level categories and then the forums you guys want under it (and it would really help to have a suggestion for the forum icon, which you can see all the options for here:https://fontawesome.com/icons?d=gallery). I will probably modify whatever you all come up with to make sure the stuff I want covered or have plans for is also included, but I'm really not opposed to it at all. When I wrote my last reply I was in "work mode" so it probably came off more direct than it should have.

 
Also keep in mind that we want t make use of thread prefixes too. Those act as a third level of organization to keep things tidy and not sprawling. If we want a forum for a particular topic but not enough threads to warrant it, then it should be a thread prefix under something else (like the screenshot above). Paula knows about these, she's been tagging prefixes in the general forum like a champion.

 
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Also keep in mind that we want t make use of thread prefixes too. Those act as a third level of organization to keep things tidy and not sprawling. If we want a forum for a particular topic but not enough threads to warrant it, then it should be a thread prefix under something else (like the screenshot above). Paula knows about these, she's been tagging prefixes in the general forum like a champion.
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I think @KerrTexas has a good grasp of the old topics. We can probably incorporate tags into those, especially general. Our main concern is that general is becoming too big and more of a dumping ground. That's why I was requesting new tags. Some topics were very popular, like space. I think Kerr needs the old topic list from years past. lol.

 
general is becoming too big and more of a dumping ground
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I agree with this. I tried hard to keep the current categories within the realm of "time", but that's come at the expense of the many other threads that aren't that.
I don't want to go back to ONLY the original categories though; I think our niche can be bigger than what it was 15 years go,. That's what I was getting at (poorly) a few posts above. Whatever you guys articulate though will be what we try to get as close as possible to :)

 
I think @KerrTexas has a good grasp of the old topics. We can probably incorporate tags into those, especially general. Our main concern is that general is becoming too big and more of a dumping ground. That's why I was requesting new tags. Some topics were very popular, like space. I think Kerr needs the old topic list from years past. lol.
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I know that you, Brent, have done an amazing amount of work on Time Travel Institute. No denying that what-so-over. Love the progress with the format ....but....it is a bit confusing. Which I also know you are aware of and are doing what you can to smooth out the bumps.

Maybe it is because I am use to the old, original forum index. Wouldn't take me long to move all the threads from the archive section to their original homes IF the old index was in play. But, I DO understand and see the vision you have for TTI.

I mention the Philadelphia Experiment, since I know it had numerous threads. If someone was to create a new thread on that subject, where would they put it? Time Travel 101 ? Time Travel Physics? Urban Legends ? Tagged and dumped into General discussion? And is General Discussion kind of like an off-topic section too? We also had a Alternative energy section that was a solid section. Where did those threads go?

I figure that to distribute the 6,000 + threads quickly and easily, the original TTI index would be the easiest. Then, after all the threads have been restored to where they had been, THEN create the bigger forum. Cart before the horse comes to mind.

However, at this point it might be too late to return to the old index format, and participation seems to be picking up.

My main concern is that the material contained within Time Travel Institute is easy to find. That some really wonderful threads don't get lost in the shuffle. AND most important, is that the threads in the archives find permanent loving homes, where they'll be well fed and cared for now and long into the future.

Would it be easier to tag the threads in the archives first, then move em to wherever they belong?

Keep in mind that this all is merely thinking out loud kind of thing. A mere banter back and forth. Constructive criticism. Think tank type activity. Thats all. Over and out.

~transmission completed 06/25/2020 Hans Zulu time Secret Satellite ID 234zbg567~

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Philadelphia Experiment would be under Urban Legends with that prefix:

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I think the confusing part is it's not obvious those prefixes are options you can sort by. You HAVE to click that little "Filters" thing in order for those to appear, or click on a prefix that's already visible in the thread list (where it says "John Titor" there).

Before everyone's life exploded, I also intended on creating a "What is this forum for" type thread stickied at the top of each category:

https://bbs.timetravel.institute/threads/about-the-urban-legends-forum.8387/[/URL]https://bbs.timetravel.institute/threads/about-the-urban-legends-forum.8387/

 


Those threads would outline the available prefixes and a brief synopsis of what they're about (and maybe link the titles shown there to said prefix).

 


As far as functionality with this goes, I think it works fine... It's just not obvious to someone who doesn't already know and I think that's the problem we're trying to solve. Maybe a row of buttons along the top of the thread index making it easier to filter by and jump to threads with those prefixes. Something like this:

 


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Prefixes should be styled better too. Right now they're just blue... I like how the screenshot above does it, and I'd want to add an icon to make it a little more visual (like we do in General, but with some more care taken to make them stand out and look nicer).

 


The General forum has become kind of a catch-all... I think if we expand categories for Space and other non-TT stuff it should be there. Paula already prefixed all of those so moving them would be pretty easy (there's a bulk move option in the backend so I can move ALL threads with whatever prefix to whatever forum). if we can decide on what categories to add under the TTI Commons heading setting that up wouldn't take too long. We'll get rid of The Rift also... I forgot what the hell that was even for.

 




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I've installed that prefix display plugin and I think this helps quite a bit. I'll have to do some work on the appearance but it should open tings up and make things easier to find while we sort through everything.

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Good idea -- prefix preview

IMHO --- science shouldn't be in general. There is too much of it. Maybe you can add a science forum category with its own tags.

During the archive work, I've noticed these:

Space (Astronomy)

Physics

Technology (instead of just computers)

Earth Science (this can include weather, which there are several posts of)

Mathematics

Medicine/Health (instead of wellness?)

These have the most posts and they are all hiding in general at the moment.

 
I have a couple things in the pipeline now which will help with the stuff mentioned above. Looking at what we have and the things you guys have pointed out, I'm aiming to fix the following things:

  • I need to do a better job incorporating non time-travel subjects without diluting the primary time travel categories.
     
  • Content discovery sucks. It's hard to find the older interesting stuff because it all sort of "blends together".
     
  • Splitting content between xenForo and WordPress is annoying and time consuming
    I'd like things to live on a single system that doesn't require any custom development; that shit can break too easily and is what caused the server issues last weekend.
     
  • Splitting content between two systems hurts SEO and makes it hard for people to find it (again with content discovery)
     


[*]The groups feature is crap; not robust enough to get most people excited about using it and the content isn't surfaced well enough to allow others to find it easily (content discovery)

[*]Our current setup doesn't feel "future proof"... Even with a relatively nice theme, this place still feels dated/flat.

I'm aiming to have something to look at by the weekend, but will let you know if I get delayed by work and stuff. I'll make sure you all have a chance to preview what I have in mind, no whiplash bullshit ;)

 
I have a couple things in the pipeline now which will help with the stuff mentioned above. Looking at what we have and the things you guys have pointed out, I'm aiming to fix the following things:

  • I need to do a better job incorporating non time-travel subjects without diluting the primary time travel categories.
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Keep time travel on top. It's just that there are LOT of science posts from the past. :)

You're not going to switch software again, are you? This does look nice.

 
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