Proposal: Split the Trade/Sell and Review/Hardware forum .

[al dolega]

I propose that the current Reviews and Hardware, Trade and Sell forum be split into two separate forums: one for Trade/Sell and one for Reviews/Hardware.

As it is now, the trade/sell topics swamp the shared forum, and push any hardware/review threads off the front page almost immediately. So people then post their hardware/review stuff here, in General Gossip, so that people will actually see and respond to them.

This works to a degree, but the same thing ends up happening (sometimes even faster on a busier day/night), because of all the other threads being posted. I think creating two forums would allow the good technical discussions we have here to be even better, while letting General Gossip still be itself.

Personally I get sick of answering the same technical/product questions over and over again, and I think that a hardware discussion/reviews forum would not only help alleviate that, but would serve everyone else better as well.

I'd be willing to serve as a moderator in the new Hardware forum, if necessary.

[Red Rider]

Wait, there's more than one part of bemag?

[UnknownPleasures]

You want to answer technical questions?

[Bazodazo]

to be honest al would be the best person to do that job

sort of 'Ask Al' forum

[UnknownPleasures]

More like ask Europe.

[Glitter Child]

'Ask Al' forum

If Al is proposing that the forum be split up, I am proposing the split Hardware/Review forum change its name to the Ask Al forum. Whether he's there to answer the questions or not.

[Bazodazo]

'Ask Al' forum

If Al is proposing that the forum be split up, I am proposing the split Hardware/Review forum change its name to the Ask Al forum. Whether he's there to answer the questions or not.

+1

[Glitter Child]

Imagine how awesome it would be if the spotlight on Al from the Ask Al forum lead him to start recording a monthly hardware review video.

A series of satirical video reviews mocking Bob Villa would make my dreams come true.

[Quark]

Be-mag help desk, Al Dolega speaking, how may I help you?

I appreciate the input. But the fact is that a separate board for reviews wouldn't draw much attention. People wouldn't check for updates, so people would post them up in here again.

I have a better idea, though. I can put you in touch with Stefan/Mike, and see if we can get a monthly review section/column on the main site. How does that sound?

[terpander]

'Ask Al' forum

If Al is proposing that the forum be split up, I am proposing the split Hardware/Review forum change its name to the Ask Al forum. Whether he's there to answer the questions or not.

+1

[Glitter Child]

I have a better idea, though. I can put you in touch with Stefan/Mike, and see if we can get a monthly review section/column on the main site. How does that sound?

Great idea, but who ever goes to the main Be-Mag page anymore?

[Quark]

It gets thousands of hits every day.

I think somewhere over 9000.

[Bassimastprime]

Everything that gets reviewed ends up here anyways, I say just leave it.

[formerly galenaskater]

please make al a mod of said review/hardware forum. he's answered numerous questions i've had over the years, many of which without me even asking

[al dolega]

I agree that a forum solely dedicated to reviews would not be worthwhile, and that's not what I was proposing; I want one for reviews, hardware discussion, technical questions, modifications, sizing issues, design suggestions, etc.... basically everything that people come to me for, yes, but I don't think it should have my name on it or anything.

The idea isn't for me to have some sort of spotlight or attention or anything... it's for the forums to be better-organized so that everyone can contribute AND benefit from the hardware discussions that we frequently already have. All that's needed for this is a better-organized forum layout, so that non-skating and trade/sell threads don't swamp the tech-discussion threads.

The only reason I propose that I be a mod is because these types of threads are what I pay the most attention to, and I'm on here a lot. Thus I'd be able to do the mod grunt work- moving threads into the new forums, combining threads on the same topic, moving non-hardware threads out of the forum, etc. Plus it would lend the new forum some credibility, I suppose.

As for a weekly column or something... nah. That's just setting me up to disappoint, haha. Adding this new forum would almost instantly create a great resource for people, if for no other reason than having somewhat of an archive of common questions; plus I know the hardware nerds on here would nerd out even harder if they knew their threads/posts wouldn't be on page 23 in an hour.

If a thread in the new forum really gets going well, or is on a new/hot topic, you could link to it from the front page, or maybe even condense the high points down into an article... but trying to put a schedule on something like this won't work. It has to happen organically.

[Grasshoppa]

DONT CARE

[Quark]

I'll talk it over with the others.

[Glitter Child]

It gets thousands of hits every day.

I think somewhere over 9000.

[Bazodazo]

It gets thousands of hits every day.

I think somewhere over 9000.

holy shit i only just got that haha

[Alex Coe]

I appreciate the input. But the fact is that a separate board for reviews wouldn't draw much attention. People wouldn't check for updates, so people would post them up in here again.

Since when does something you assume (and I don't happen to agree with) become the fact that is?!

I think it only makes sense to make a forum dedicated to talking about skating rather than having it mixed in with the chummy topics about whatever in the general forum. Then people who want to talk about skating but don't want to deal with the internet nerds could browse that forum. Look at how successful the jakekordie topic was. Even a forum just for talking about the technical aspect of skating would be successful, however maybe only to the people who actually skate .

And you should get rid of all the polls in the buy/sell forum. There's about 3 pages of non-polls left.