I've lost touch

[Mat Sklansky]

I posted a question about guns in the lounge. That's my default forum for posting, but it made me realize that I'm not really sure what defines our other topic communities anymore.

Was my question appropriate in OOT or Diablo? Was the question even appropriate for the lounge? Should we have yet a new forum for general advice?

I'm not trying to get anyone to think anything is wrong. In fact I hope the general consensus is that things are going well with the current structure and that firearms questions clearly belong in the lounge. I'm just checking in case.

[iron81]

I don't see anything wrong with posting that thread in the Lounge or OOT. I thought that the point of the different general discussion forums was so the poster could control what kind of discussion took place. If Mat wants more replies, but perhaps more chaff in with the wheat, he could post it in OOT.

Also, I'm not saying Politics would be right for that thread, but we've had a lot of talk about guns there in the wake of Virginia Tech, including some more general interest talk outside of their legality. There seems to be a correlation between posting in Politics and gun ownership. Sometimes I'm happy we're all on the internet. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

Mat's thread

[JaredL]

Mat,

I think that's a standard advice type question where you would be best served getting a broader audience. Basically it's perfect for OOT.

Threads like that IMO are what separates OOT from BBV/4L, the lounge and to some extent the diablo forum. Whatever possible changes the OOT mods decide are best, I think for general advice threads like this OOT is easily the best forum.

[El Diablo]

Mat,

That question would have been fine in any of those three forums, you'd just get a different set and volume of responses based on where you posted it.

There's definitely no need to start another forum for general advice. If you have a question that you want the widest possible range of feedback on, OOT is the best place for it. If it's something that requires more thought out or expert answers and possibly requires more detailed answers, then EDF is often the best place for it. If you want to get feedback on topics from sniper, wookie, blarg, katy, db and a couple of others, then the Lounge is the best. I jest a bit, of course, but I can't really think of any topic where you'd get better response in The Lounge than EDF or OOT. The Lounge is more like a private discussion forum for Sniper, db, and a handful of their friends who have shared sensibilities regarding how and what they like to post about. Doesn't seem to be hurting anything, though.

One thing you could try if you want to get a better idea of the distinctions I'm talking about is simply crosspost your OP in EDF and OOT as well. There's some overlap in userbase, but I suspect all three would lead to different types of threads.

[diebitter]

Mat, I think all 4 coexist fine. And your question, Mat, is fine in all but BBV4Life.

Did you find the Lounge feedback useful at all Mat?

[Mat Sklansky]

These are the responses I was hoping for. Thank you everyone for the update.

By the way I got great advice from fishwecian?.

I was really sort of hoping when we created the multiple communities that there would be some cross linkage.

Like Iron exhibited in this thread. I would definitely like to hear what some of the potential experts in the Diablo forum have to say, but i don't want to break any cross post taboos.


How does that work?

[Mat Sklansky]

All the feedback was good but yours.

just kidding. an airhorn still makes sense even if i'm armed with a pistol.

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
All the feedback was good but yours.

just kidding. an airhorn still makes sense even if i'm armed with a pistol.

[/ QUOTE ]

To bre honest, I'd get a gun if I could. But only to pretend to be the Man with No Name.

[El Diablo]

Mat,

I don't care if people post things in EDF they've previously posted in the Lounge or OOT. Just post it like a brand new thread - that way it promotes new discussion as opposed to people first checking what everyone else wrote already.

[diebitter]

I also have no objection to cross-posting. The communities are sufficiently different, the effect is additive without loss, rather than diluting content.