Please start any new threads on our new
site at https://forums.sqlteam.com. We've got lots of great SQL Server
experts to answer whatever question you can come up with.
| Author |
Topic |
|
lexiz
Starting Member
17 Posts |
 Posted - 2010-08-13 : 10:04:25
|
| I think Im the only person in the world that is bother by the design of forums. I was wondering a few minutes ago,if it because of my background in building database that make feel as if forums are not designed well, if thats the case then maybe other here have had the same thoughts, anyone?I know they are good for general all round use, but they suffer from a lot of bad design issues. I have to think about building one in a few months time, I wonder if anyone has seen any better new models features that make it easier to find information post questions etc |
|
|
russell
Pyro-ma-ni-yak
5072 Posts |
Posted - 2010-08-13 : 10:16:17
|
| What, specifically, are your objections? |
 |
|
|
Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2010-08-13 : 10:17:50
|
"I wonder if anyone has seen any better new models features that make it easier to find information post questions etc"I use Google ... works for me  |
|
|
|
lexiz
Starting Member
17 Posts |
Posted - 2010-08-13 : 14:15:20
|
| I could probably produce a long list, but here is just a few,1. Posts tend to get worse the longer they become, I have seen some go into 40-50 pages for a single post. now if you are after an answer to a question and its a very big forum even finding it in one Post can be dificult let alone.2. Multiple conversations happening in one post, sometimes it really easy to loose track ,yeah quotes make it easier, but then do you start quoting the responses to quotes etc etc3. Busy forums - once your post if past the first page, then thats about it, you rarely get many more responses. many posts are often just asking semi-common questions that have already been asked before, but they can find the answer.4. Making a choice of where to post your thread. (this is a bad example but) I remember looking at a pc compenent forum, which was split into sub forums by component, Graphics card, motherboard, memory etc. I had a question that was relivent to all 3, but where do I post?, Its more than posible some poeple only one of the sub forums.I know much of this is fixable if you have moderators that want to spend all day making faq's / sumerizing posts ec. but really is the best answer not to have better software that manage.Things like "mark as the answer" and tags will help, but i still feel like these are just bolting on to an old model...... maybe it is just me that it bothers |
|
|
|
robvolk
Most Valuable Yak
15732 Posts |
Posted - 2010-08-13 : 15:25:03
|
quote:
Originally posted by lexiz
I could probably produce a long list, but here is just a few,1. Posts tend to get worse the longer they become, I have seen some go into 40-50 pages for a single post. now if you are after an answer to a question and its a very big forum even finding it in one Post can be dificult let alone.2. Multiple conversations happening in one post, sometimes it really easy to loose track ,yeah quotes make it easier, but then do you start quoting the responses to quotes etc etc3. Busy forums - once your post if past the first page, then thats about it, you rarely get many more responses. many posts are often just asking semi-common questions that have already been asked before, but they can find the answer.4. Making a choice of where to post your thread. (this is a bad example but) I remember looking at a pc compenent forum, which was split into sub forums by component, Graphics card, motherboard, memory etc. I had a question that was relivent to all 3, but where do I post?, Its more than posible some poeple only one of the sub forums.I know much of this is fixable if you have moderators that want to spend all day making faq's / sumerizing posts ec. but really is the best answer not to have better software that manage.Things like "mark as the answer" and tags will help, but i still feel like these are just bolting on to an old model...... maybe it is just me that it bothers
Mind if I ask what any of your objections have to do with Database Design and Application architecture, since that is the forum you posted in? |
|
|
|
lexiz
Starting Member
17 Posts |
Posted - 2010-08-14 : 09:18:31
|
| The objections were in response to a question that russel asked(2nd post), my original post said: "I have to think about building one in a few months time" so currently im looking for better model for application and therefore databebase design.Strickly speaking I am thinking about how to build it now - hence the reason I posted, in a few months time i have to sit down and build something.Appologies if this isnt the type of question thats acceptable in the forum, I thought it was relivant and a place to ask. And maybe others would have had simular thought, or seen examples of better data design. |
|
|
|
robvolk
Most Valuable Yak
15732 Posts |
Posted - 2010-08-14 : 13:50:57
|
quote:
Appologies if this isnt the type of question thats acceptable in the forum
No need to apologize, just wondering since none of the points you made were about database design. |
|
|
|
lexiz
Starting Member
17 Posts |
Posted - 2010-08-16 : 04:27:46
|
quote:
Originally posted by lexiz
I have to think about building one in a few months time, I wonder if anyone has seen any better new models features that make it easier to find information post questions etc
Thats because are "some" of the issues I would like to address when designing a new Fourm, but werent things I mentioned in the initial post. but this post ping-ping seems a little pointless, so I wont bother posting here again. |
|
|
|
Lumbago
Norsk Yak Master
3271 Posts |
Posted - 2010-08-16 : 07:02:25
|
| I have no idea where the aparent hostility came from, I thought this was a perfectly legitimate question posted in the right forum. Not exactly formulated as a database design question but definitely application architecture. If I was to design a forum I'd make sure that each topic could be marked as "answered", and I think it would great if you didn't post a topic in a specific forum but rather marked the topic to belong to one or more categories. That way, if my question for example was in regards to backup in general, it would end up in both 2005 and 2008 administrator forums. I would also like the ability to mark a reply/topic as spam and if x amounts of people did the same it would be removed automatically. 'There are some ideas off the top of my head!- LumbagoMy blog (yes, I have a blog now! just not that much content yet) -> www.thefirstsql.com |
|
|
|
Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2010-08-16 : 07:48:19
|
| Not really database design though, is it? (I have no objection to it being here ... just typing out loud)"make sure that each topic could be marked as "answered""User won't bother. But it sure helps people who come along behind with the same question. "N people found this helpful" or "N people thanked XYZ for this post" is another approach common on Forum software."you didn't post a topic in a specific forum but rather marked the topic to belong to one or more categories""TAGS" added to each question is the common forum method for this (still have specific forums though). (Stack overflow JUST has Tags)"mark a reply/topic as spam and if x amounts of people did the same it would be removed automatically""Report this" is the normal forum approach. Dunno what happens when N people have reported it - at worst it is just on an Admin ToDo list, at best it would grade the people who had reported it and once some threshold was reached quarantine the post. Many fora software I have seen only allows the first reporter - and thus has no gain from "quality analysis" of multiple reporters.All three of those are in Stack Overflow / Stack Exchange, along with a number of other attempts at solving the problem. Popular with technical people, not sure it works well for a less technical-orientated audience - although there are a number of successful implementations - but all the plethora of sites set up in Beta have petered out ...Most posts here are Question and Answer. For long-running debate its not a good tool - but long threads, discussing a technical point (rather than Chatter), are rare here. |
|
|
|
Lumbago
Norsk Yak Master
3271 Posts |
Posted - 2010-08-17 : 04:19:45
|
| I would also like to be able to subscribe to any updates in the threads I have been participating in via an RSS feed! And/or have a separate page more or less exactly like the "Active topics" page here but with the topics I have participated in only.- LumbagoMy blog (yes, I have a blog now! just not that much content yet) -> www.thefirstsql.com |
|
|
|
Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2010-08-17 : 05:04:45
|
| Most new forums have similar. Doesn't quite work for me. What I see is:New posts. My posts are highlighted. Posts I have READ are excluded (thus also including ones I just replied to ... so I don't have to consider those again)This could be improved (for my needs!) by:[ ] I am no longer interested in this thread.NEXT THREAD link which will show my threads I have read before (which have new posts) - a bit like working down the Activity / New posts page. I guess it would show me in order of:Threads I have responded toTHreads I have indicated I'm interested inThreads I have read before (I can opt out by using "[ ] I am no longer interested in this thread.")Threads with TAGs I am interested in... then what? Everything else except threads with TAGs I have marked as NOT interested in? They then become "read" and will be included in (3) above. (Again, I can still opt out if it is not of interest).To my mind this would make being an active participant / regular much more pleasurable, and improve use of my time. If busy I can just deal with threads I have replied to. If more time I'll pick up on other threads. If plenty of free time I'll read, backwards in time, everything I haven't yet read.System can choose reading order for me based on past habits and any "hints" that I can provide. If I add someone to my "twit" list then posts originated by them, or where their reply is the only once since I last read the thread, can be down-ranked for my reading order. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum design