Should I change the forum setup?

[Oliver]

Hi guys,

I thought that to make things easier I might create in the Homebrew section some subsections like Recipes, Tips and Techniques, Troubleshooting, etc, instead of just having the one Making beer section.

Since we're adding some 200 posts a week, I reckon it will be easier to tackle this now than in the future.

Please let me know your thoughts, and if you think there are any other subsections I should include (maybe Kegging or Equipment???).

(It seems to me that the Commercial Brew and Miscellaneous sections are fine, as there aren't a great number of posts.)

Cheers,

Oliver

[grabman]

Oliver

Sounds like a good idea, it might help make finding bits and pieces easier.

I'd go with;
Recipes
Tips, Techniques and Hints
Kegging
General brewing

just my thoughts, maybe too many lagers tonight! Was mourning over a death in the family, one og my Grolsch bottles blew today!!!

[db]

subsections would be good. & what about pm's?

[Pyssedas Heavy Industrial]

hmm maybe it is just my naturally laissez-faire approach to life but i quite like the jumble of ideas and topics - it means that when i have a little more time on my hands i click on topics that otherwise i would not look into. [kegging being a good example and something i would never have considered if not for this forum]

I'm sure there are times when people come to the forum seeking information in relation to specific problems - but in those instances there is the search facility at the top of the page to allow them to find that.

Grabman: A grolsch bottle blowing? Sad news indeed and news i find surprising - i had always presumed that the rubber seal would allow it to vent gas in times of extreme pressure [in fact i had advised others in the pyssedas family of this] looks like i need to send some emergency emails

[Dogger Dan]

Grab,

Sorry for the death man, tell me was it an older ceramic top or the new plastic ones, I have found the plastic ones leave a lot to be desired. I love my Grolsch bottles and in the 15 years of brewing I haven't lost a seal yet. Currently they have been relegated to yeast propogation duty although I have this lemon coconut cinamon concotion that will need to sit and enjoy life in the cold celler (which is an unheated room in the basement, the hole in the ground that I wash clothes in and brew beer in)so I was going to put my selection to use and do it the old fashioned way, bulk prime and bottle.

Oliver,

My many thanks for asking what we want to do, ultimately I think the decision lies with you folks that are running the site. I, like my "strange brew" companion, like the loosy goosy way things run, it forces all folks to interact. (point to note, I am not sure about the ramifications of fermenting tomatoes for a red-eye, normally it is put in straight so you expecting the sugar to be there, you know what I am saying?)

So, if you want to change, that is fine, I read all the posts regardless so I hope I can still impart useless trivia to all (like a cubit is the distance from your thumb to your elbow).

On that note, I just got finished with a final exam and I am certain I have had at least 4 to many right now

Dogger

[BPJ]

It would help it a bit, especially trying to follow a thread of ideas and discussions.

Grabman has the right idea.

Recipes
Tips, Techniques and Hints
Kegging
General brewing

and HELP!!!!

If possible can you put navigation tabs at the bottom also ie, previous topic/next topic.

[pelican]

maybe a section for newbie questions and leave the rest as is

[rain]

I agree with Pyssedas and Dogger, the mix is good. The more you isolate the more difficult to 'chat' and stay on topic. Other forums have collapsed when single technicalities were tried.
Keep in mind that it's the brain telling the throat it's dry that causes us to taste the brew - discussing the thirst and not the throat and without mentioning the brain or the nose misses much of the debate (IMHO).
ps: Er, actually, this topic should (probably) not be in Beer Making.

[Evo]

Yeah, Howard Johnson is right. Sorry, I meant Rain. And Dogger. And Pyssedas (?). I think it forces you to read bits you may not (and impart some wisdom if you have any). I mean, as far as kegging goes, I've pretty much got that down pat so I wouldn't bother reading the kegging section. Then think of all the "I've got a 4 keg fridge with twin taps" posts the kids would miss from me. Who could they then learn from ?

As for Rain's speech, not only was it authentic frontier gibberish, but it expressed a courage that is little seen in this day and age.

[grabman]

DD, the grolsch was an older style, maybe passed it's use by date. Oh well just means another carton of Grolsch must be consumed to replace broken one and of course prepare in case we have more death in the family!!!!

MY grolsch collection, i've got about 70, are a mix of old and new, all acquired from a mate who gave up brewing due to "family" pressure.

[NRB]

Whilst you're playing around with the setup, is it possible to enable thread preview when hovering a mouse over the topic? This can often save a lot of time when browsing...

I agree with the proposed sections.

Cheers!

[Oliver]

Hi all,

Thanks for the feedback. It seems split 50-50 at the moment, but keep the suggestions coming.

As for the other enhancements, I'll see what I can do. But this forum is an off-the-shelf set-up (http://www.phpbb.com), with a couple of tweaks, so I'm not sure what I can do. I'll check out their website and forums and see.

If you think there's anything else that would improve things, please let me know.

Cheers,

Oliver

[Dogger Dan]

Rain,

I read that ditty last night and it didn't make sense thats ok, I blamed it on the hooch.

I have read it again today and I think I am getting it , rather profound in philosophical way, kind a like the tree in the forest type thing. It is right up there with why motercycles don't have doors and why Submarines don't have screen doors.

Nice Job

Dogger

[Kozzi]

Yeah i tend to think the hotch potch style is cool

I've built up alot of general knowledge just from reading random posts and the like.

Perhaps the only one I would suggest is maybe having a newbie question post and a more advanced section

That way with this split you do reduce the flooding of posts that is apparently beginning to occur, it allows people to ask questions at their own level and ensures we have the cool variety of ideas

[the Baron]

Oliver I like the way it is all together, just wondering if the full glass of beer for new topics can stay for topics that you haven't red when you log back on, as I have been a hermit for the last two weeks doing uni exams and came back on today to find more new posts than I can poke a stick at but was then disconected and when I come back I can't remember all the ones I haven't red. Otherwise great

[gregb]

Should I change the forum setup?

Nup.

[BPJ]

Oliver, I changed my mind (NO I'm not female) leave it as is, but maybe one new section for Recipes. Splitting it between beginner and advanced would only alienate the beginners, leaving no-one to help

I think it forces you to read bits you may not (and impart some wisdom if you have any). I mean, as far as kegging goes, I've pretty much got that down pat so I wouldn't bother reading the kegging section. ......... Who could they then learn from ?

How many advanced brewers would bother reading eth beginners. there are a lot of new posts, but the number of new topics is low so not too hard to follow.