Ideas for sub-forum subjects?

[Rock Chalk]

Howdy all,

 

We're interested in hearing your suggestions for geocaching-related subjects that might be worthy additions as sub-forums. Subjects whose discussions might otherwise get lost in the larger Geocaching Topics pot. For example, Geocaching and...Photography was added earlier this year and we've seen 1200+ replies in there.

 

To illustrate one possibility, the popularity of GeoTours and other reward geotrails continues to increase. It might be nice to have a dedicated area for people to discuss their experiences with those.

 

But that's just one possibility. Looking forward to hearing your ideas!

 

Thanks!

[+cerberus1]

Sorry for being off-topic right from the start.

 

I wouldn't have noticed your new thread if it wasn't under "Recent Topics".

I usually don't even glance at the pinned topics.

Does this mean the "User Insights" section isn't gonna be used again?

 

I'd like to see the reward geotrails added, though I probably wouldn't participate.

Probably have one extra not included for some time...

 

There's enough Off-Roaders (truck and ATV) and mountain bikers around, that it might be popular.

- They often posted in Hiking/Backpacking and it doesn't seem to fit well (or sit well with some).

[Rock Chalk]

Does this mean the "User Insights" section isn't gonna be used again?

 

Good question. No, this doesn't mean anything for the User Insights section. That area is dedicated to Product Team questions about future features.

 

And good point about how pinned posts can go unnoticed. We'll unpin it for a little while. Just want to be sure everyone has a chance to chime in for awhile.

 

At least we got the OT stuff out of the way early

[+niraD]

We're interested in hearing your suggestions for geocaching-related subjects that might be worthy additions as sub-forums. Subjects whose discussions might otherwise get lost in the larger Geocaching Topics pot. For example, Geocaching and...Photography was added earlier this year and we've seen 1200+ replies in there.

Personally, I'd rather not have any more sub-forums, at least not until there is a mechanism for viewing new posts in all the sub-forums that I'm interested in.

 

Right now, I can view all new posts, but there are too many sub-forums that I am not interested, so that is not practical. So instead, I view the new posts in each of a handful of sub-forums, but this does not scale to more than a handful of sub-forums.

 

So I for one will probably ignore any new sub-forums, at least until the "new posts in selected sub-forums" feature is implemented.

[+mountainman38]

As a selective cacher, I would thoroughly enjoy a place to read about others experiences with difficult caches.

 

These caches might be ones in the middle of nowhere that took a back packing trip to get to, up a mountain with rock climbing gear, underwater, on a remote island, etc. - sort of like the extreme geocaching thing from awhile back, I guess.

 

Since I often use my dual sport motorcycle (when the weather is good) or 4WD truck to get to caches, hearing others stories of such things would be interesting, as well.

[+frinklabs]

As a selective cacher, I would thoroughly enjoy a place to read about others experiences with difficult caches.

 

And even amusing experiences with not-difficult caches. Generally, a quality-log forum. Ideally, these should already be in the cache log entry, and either quoted or linked to in this sub-forum.

 

Meanwhile, I'd like to see a subforum under Bug Reports and Feature Discussions which would be like the Release Notes. It would contain information from Groundspeak's developers regarding features on which they are working, their issues and a timeframe for their implementation.

 

In a perfect world, threads from the other Feature forums that reflect projects on which they are working would get moved into this forum so we have some idea of what's coming down the pipe (if anything, ever).

[+The A-Team]

I'd like to see a subforum under Bug Reports and Feature Discussions which would be like the Release Notes. It would contain information from Groundspeak's developers regarding features on which they are working, their issues and a timeframe for their implementation.

 

In a perfect world, threads from the other Feature forums that reflect projects on which they are working would get moved into this forum so we have some idea of what's coming down the pipe (if anything, ever).

"Unrealistic expectations" regarding implementation timelines or feedback on suggestions has been stated as a factor in why we don't see more communication from the Lilypad in these forums, and also why the old UserVoice feedback site was shut down. I don't foresee this changing.

Edited November 18, 2014 by The A-Team

[+fuzziebear3]

I really only look in the Geocaching Topics (and sometimes travel bugs) forums. I think more sub forums would lead to me not seeing some recent posts, even ones that I might enjoy.

[+Harry Dolphin]

I hate the subfora! If I want to see if there are any new posts in the Northeast (or whatever we are called these days) I have to click on All Countries -> United States to get the country fora to see there s nothing new. The same problem with Benchmarking. Have to click on "Geocaching Types and Additional, Many, Some, GPS based Gameplay, Who Knows Why These Are Grouped Together".

The previous format was much easier to navigate. Scroll down and see where the new posts are.

So I am not interested in any new subfora.

Bring back the old format!

[+NeverSummer]

My 2c:

I think more subforums off of Geocaching Topics may make for more work for the Mods, what with the increase in need for moving topics to the relevant sub-forums and moderating discussions that get "off track".

 

That said, I'd like to see "Cool Cache Containers" and that ilk in their own sub-forum. I think innovation and ideas are good, and having its own sub-forum can also help with having consistent Mods who can remind people about guidelines and implications of their "cool ideas" without having to wade through all of the threads within the general "Geocaching Topics" forum.

[+Viajero Perdido]

I've noticed there's no designated place to discuss non-Groundspeak caching apps, of which there are plenty.

 

API partners: friend or foe?

Edited November 19, 2014 by Viajero Perdido

[+Shaved Ewok]

I would love to see a sub section for geotrails and not only for the up to date list. It could offer a place to discuss the creation of these trails and how to get local organizations involved.

 

I also like the ideas of the cool cache container and extreme caches sections.

 

A sub forum for GSAK could also be handy.

[jholly]

I would love to see a sub section for geotrails and not only for the up to date list. It could offer a place to discuss the creation of these trails and how to get local organizations involved.

 

I also like the ideas of the cool cache container and extreme caches sections.

 

A sub forum for GSAK could also be handy.

There already an excellent sub forum for GSAK at gsak.net/board. I don't see one here being useful because the knowledgeable folks over there probably would not come over here.

[Keystone]

I've noticed there's no designated place to discuss non-Groundspeak caching apps, of which there are plenty.

 

API partners: friend or foe?

We already have the API forum section for discussing authorized API partner applications. It used to have a more obvious name and a more prominent position in the forum index. Did it escape your attention due to the shuffling of forum sections?

[+Viajero Perdido]

Ah, no wonder I could't find it, it's hidden under Technology. I had no intrest in implementing an API app, so never thought to look there.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I hate the subfora! If I want to see if there are any new posts in the Northeast (or whatever we are called these days) I have to click on All Countries -> United States to get the country fora to see there s nothing new.

 

You can put a watch any of the forum sections, then if there are any new posts in that forum subsection a link to the sub-forum will appear in the "Watched Content" box on the right side of the page when on the "Groundspeak Forums" page. Of course, you can also create browser bookmarks for any sub-forum you want to read. I agree that the multiple clicks to get to some of the sub-sub-forums can be annoying. In the old usenet days one could add any of the newsgroups to their "subscribe" list and, for example, get to rec.skiing or rec.outdoors.fishing.fly.tying with just one click. That was back in the mid 1980s.

[+hukilaulau]

I wish that posts could be cross listed. Too often posts that start in the "geocaching topics" forum get immediately shunted into obscurity if they contain certain key words. The best example is if they contain the name of a city, like

"What are some great caches for visitors to Las Vegas?" Sent off to a regional forum as soon as a certain admin lays eyes on it! This despite the fact that LV locals might be the LEAST qualified to assess what would be good for a visitor.

(Hint: it's other visitors! Who probably don't read the regional forum.)

 

What I'm saying is, before looking for MORE sub-forum subjects. I'd like to see more discussion of what constitute general interest, and see if it's possible to keep some posts there as well as listing them in a specialty sub-forum.

[Rock Chalk]

Very much appreciate the input thus far. If you've not chimed in yet, please do.

[Mr.Yuck]

Very much appreciate the input thus far. If you've not chimed in yet, please do.

 

You sure? Because you're not going to like what I'm about to say. Standard forum packages like this are dying all over the internet, on any topic imaginable. Even Geocaching topics here is a fraction of what it used to be, and I'll say I only noticed it in the past year or so. And we know the regional forums have been dead for years. I'd start looking at some other options, some fancy bulletin board type stuff of something. I can't give any suggestions, but I need to start looking at that myself, because I am in fact a Geocaching related forum owner (a phpbb forum). It's dead, Jim. I only thought to put Google analytics on it in the last few weeks, but I haven't seen a 10 visitor day yet.

[+JL_HSTRE]

Why are forums like this dying? Is everyone switching to Facebook groups?

[jholly]

Why are forums like this dying? Is everyone switching to Facebook groups?

smartphones and farcebook, a marriage made in hell.

[+wmpastor]

Why are forums like this dying? Is everyone switching to Facebook groups?

smartphones and farcebook, a marriage made in hell.

But why? Why do people think the other forums are better? And what do smartphones have to do with this topic???

 

Sent from my smart smartphone

[jholly]

Why are forums like this dying? Is everyone switching to Facebook groups?

smartphones and farcebook, a marriage made in hell.

But why? Why do people think the other forums are better? And what do smartphones have to do with this topic???

 

Sent from my smart smartphone

Well farcebook is social media, that's where you go to be sociable, post pictures of the big mac your about to eat and all that other interesting stuff. Can't do that without a smartphone because you need a picture. Oh, I almost forgot, you can post all sorts of political stuff there also. Forums? That is so 1995. But maybe there is hope if some more post here with their smartphone.

[+gpsblake]

subforum about power trails would be nice. Experiences, problems, rewards, challenges. Places to stay or camp near them.

[Mr.Yuck]

Why are forums like this dying? Is everyone switching to Facebook groups?

smartphones and farcebook, a marriage made in hell.

But why? Why do people think the other forums are better? And what do smartphones have to do with this topic???

 

Sent from my smart smartphone

 

Smartphones have a LOT to do with this topic. Another point would be that there is a very well-known app that makes traditional forum packages "smartphone friendly", and we've been told on numerous occasions they can't get it to work here.

 

I didn't want to be such a negative nelly, it just happened. If new sub forums were to be added, would most, if not all of the dead ones be removed? Like the dead for years regional forums? And I just looked at that "events" sub forum, you want to talk dead, look at that. P.S. My dead geocaching forum with less than 10 visitors a day? Over 11,000 members.

Edited November 23, 2014 by Mr.Yuck

[+BigLinc16]

I think a sub forum under cache creation and ideas would be awesome. I do a lot of Diy work building my caches and would like to talk to other Cache DIYers about ideas and tips.

[+niraD]

I think a sub forum under cache creation and ideas would be awesome. I do a lot of Diy work building my caches and would like to talk to other Cache DIYers about ideas and tips.

Be careful though. If people start posting photos of their cache creations, then the threads might get relegated to the Photography ghetto...

[+cheech gang]

What about a true suggestion forum, clearly designated as such, actually frequented and commented on by those on the receiving end of the suggestions.