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Directory?
Topic Started: Aug 20 2011, 02:08 PM (3,208 Views)
SandyC-ZNS
Oldbie
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A bit unfair in a way really, it certainly makes things awkward and time wasting if a forum is up the directory lists, but inactive, Most of us look for active forums to join, or recommend to others.

At the least, maybe inactive forums could be put on an inactive list and need say a 20 or 30 post minimum to get them back to the active forum lists ...
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Cory
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ElementalAlchemist
Aug 24 2011, 11:30 AM
Although I can't be completely sure, I believe the current system punishes boards that haven't been active in a while with a lower rank.
It apparently isn't extensive enough if the statements being said are true.

Here's some options I would consider:

  • Make a board gain X amount of posts or logins, or even both before regaining 'active' state back to their board for the directory.
  • Add a "Is your board a test board?" option to the board setup options so it won't be added to the directory. If the directory isn't being filled up with test boards, this likely isn't an issue, it's just obvious that many people don't read the TOS, which if their board was closed I suppose that would be their fault.
  • Boards that don't have a certain amount of activity shouldn't be higher ranked in the directory listings.
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ElementalAlchemist
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If you find a test board, report it (it IS in violation, after all) and the board will be marked for force-removal from the directory. (Please indicate where in the directory it is, so that we can verify it easily.)

That said, it probably wouldn't hurt to add a test board option that does things like remove the directory options.
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Deleted User
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But what about the other boards that are not in the back of the directory that are inactive? That does give false stats in the directory.
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Swim
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Derp.
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True. Half the forums in the directory are dead.
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Shiarrael
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Crash-Cheetah
Aug 20 2011, 05:40 PM
A few members on my forum has pointed out that other forum systems send a warning by email to the admin that the board hasn't been active and the forum will be deleted in a month of the warning. The admin or a staff member needs to log in and make a post.

If they have a warning than it stops "Where did my forum Go?" question from being asked. They were warned and did not take action. All that you had to do was make 1 post to reset the deletion date.
I don't really find that appropriate either, hence why I don't use any other services.

Take, for example, someone who joins the army. Army basic training is roughly two months, then the advanced training is usually a few more (and you may not have computer access at advanced training either). They know they're leaving, so they tell all their friends on the board that they're leaving and when they'll be back. The board goes dormant for six months to a year, and they're expecting to come back and email all their friends that training is over. However, when they come back, they find a four month old email saying their board will be deleted in thirty days, and their board is gone. I know I would be pretty upset.

There are other situations that could cause someone to be gone for a very long time and then come back. I still visit a very old message board (long dead) on occasion to read what's written there. I believe my last visit was almost a year ago, and yes, I still type the url from memory.
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st0n3
Member
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Interesting idea...
While those boards that are sitting empty seem pointless, apparent inactivity isn't necessarily an unused board.
I've tried a lot of different experiments to jump-start my board...
While months (or longer), may go by between posts, I do have articles posted on my board, that are cross linked from various static pages on the rest of my site...
Those posts get a fair amount of visitors, in spite of the fact that they don't pick up fresh comments... seems like people would rather just send a note from my contact page...

seems like there's probably some middle ground to be considered...
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Moonface
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Inactive boards being removed from the directory isn't a bad idea. The board isn't being deleted entirely, so it still exists. I don't agree on any form of deleting entire boards from existence though based on activity. What if a forum moves to another host and keeps their old board as an archive for all their old content they couldn't bring? It'd be wrong to delete a board like that just because people moved elsewhere. However, to take it out the directory isn't harming anyone, the board still exists and if you want it in the directory so badly, then keep it active.
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st0n3
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Quote:
 
if you want it in the directory so badly, then keep it active.

My bad for advocating taking a careful moderate approach...

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Deleted User
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How about after so long on being in active it is automatically removed from the directory? That should help keep the active boards in the main view of the directory.
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Nicolas
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"PLES RING IF AN RNSER IS REQIRD."

I don't understand where this topic is going, so let me throw in some points here.

First, nobody really knows how ZetaBoards Directory rank is calculated except for Brandon and maybe Brian. Not even a little bit. We can sort of guess which factors are taken in to account, but have absolutely no idea how they're weighted. This is for the betterment of the directory. In the old IF directory, people would force their rank up by always linking to their board through the directory link. That sort of rank cheating doesn't work anymore. Thank goodness.

This directory is tonnes better than its former embodiments. Is it perfect? No. But it never will be. Are there tangible improvements that can be made to it? Yes. I think that's obvious and we'd all agree to it. Are they priority by any means? Not at all.

Only Brandon can implement the changes being argued back and forth here. And it's mostly how he views the system (and that formula behind it) which will decide what's done here.

Instead of demanding that Brandon remove test boards (of which I've usually only seen a few in the coding section, and coder's test boards often become a little bit more than just test boards, I fear, so I don't feel so dreadful if they're in the directory), or determine and remove "inactive" communities, I would much rather he focus on things that matter in the present to the whole service - not just a few communities that pay close attention to their directory rank (and who is above them), or the few members of the network community who use the directory regularly to find new boards. Features like the RDB, bug fixes, improvements on current features, and just general updates (which we haven't seen in a little bit) would be far more welcomed en masse, I think, than what could easily be seen as minor changes to the directory system.

A directory system, mind you, that (in my experience - as it is the only one I can speak from) drives very little traffic/active membership to communities (even ones top ranked in their categories, like my own, where I have seen a handful of users say they found the board through the directory).

In sum: Are there improvements that could be made? Sure. Is there point arguing back and forth about what they are? Not really, nobody here fully knows the situation. Only Brandon can implement change. Brandon should really do other things first. How important are minor directory updates, in the end?
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Deleted User
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It's just us talking back and forth. It might become a suggestion later on. It's something that I noticed and decided to bring it to attention.
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Swim
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Derp.
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Well, Brandon never answers what we have to say.
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Deleted User
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It would be nice to know how it's ranked.
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Nicolas
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"PLES RING IF AN RNSER IS REQIRD."

Swim: Brandon replies to suggestion topics sometimes. And I've seen him reading countless ones. He doesn't need to be an active part of the conversation, as that would dramatically take away from the time he has to spend on other things.

Crash-Cheetah: Knowing how it is ranked was purposely kept secret to prevent people from trying to cheat the system for rank. So no, it wouldn't be very nice, I don't imagine. ;)
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