Breaking the Message Board into Categories?

Sub Categories:

Predict my 5K times

Bush Sucks

I want Webb to have my baby

How fast could Wariner run the 800

and of course

is Rexing's dick made of steel or gold?

Gold is too soft.

yetanothertool wrote:

Even if what you say is true, then by separating the two we will only have to deal with the running related crap. I'd say that reduces the volume of crap by at least 50%. So, while you say it won't help any, I would argue that it certainly won't hurt any. Why not try it?

But it will hurt...any. It will hurt plenty. Because it will reduce the traffic so much that topics will not get updated with nearly the frequently they used to. Most people on this board dont neatly fit into the "signal poster" or "noise poster" categories.

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

You are right. The "more serious running posters" got sick of letsrun and are now regulars on the more structured Runner's World forums.

Maybe not Runner's World but I've noticed that Nobby, Kim Stevenson, HRE, Tinman are spending a lot more time on Cooolrunning than they are here at Lets Run... Food for thought

If it keeps tinman away, that is reason enough for keeping the board like this.

i'm confused how this will reduce traffic. please explain.

Its not the sub-categories that make Runner's World the haven for joggers, its the accompanying artciles on how to run slow.

If you keep the news feed focused on racing and national talents, you will attract posters who are interested in following these stories and discussing them.

Breaking the board into categories and updating the interface are improvements that will make Letsrun more user friendly. Choose whatever audience of users you want through other means. Right now the audience is a group of people that like running and racing, but really don't like progress, change and improvement. We talk about the glory days of that time 5 years ago breaking 15 in the 5K. Users reflect the content of the site.

Update the board and site.

base wrote:

But it will hurt...any. It will hurt plenty. Because it will reduce the traffic so much that topics will not get updated with nearly the frequently they used to. Most people on this board dont neatly fit into the "signal poster" or "noise poster" categories.

I hope you're joking. Tell you what- all you'll have to do is click on each section and read to your heart's content. It will take exactly 2 seconds longer than what it currently takes. There are people like you interested in both types of categories- I understand this. What the split sections will do is greatly reduce the amount of time wasted by the many of us who only want to read running related threads. It's not exactly rocket science, kiddo.

and the different sections has the added benefit of creating more page views for basically the same content. SI.com, along with many other sites, now break up columns and articles to achieve this effect (and add revenue).

Your under the impression that trolls want flame the running section of the site to.

You'll have the same problem as you are having now except you'll have two or three differant topic areas for the trolls to go to.

Keep it the way it is...if you don't want to read a certain thread don't look at it. If all you want to read is running threads then just look at those. The off topic threads are not really dominating the site as much as you think.

I counted 15 none related running threads out of 50 that's not to bad.

Some of the people posting in favor of differant topics don't realize that a few years ago WOJO did split the message board up into I believe 3 topics.

It didn't work then and its not going to work now.

Update the search function and give none running threads a 24 hour life span.

i think its a great idea overall so that we don't have to search endlessly for a thread we might want to read. Subcategories sound efficient.

Ok, once again- this is not a compelling argument against 2 sections. Let me repeat: once split, we will only have to deal with running related trolls. I could give two shits about non running related trolls (which is by FAR the largest home to troll activity). It will not make trolling worse at all... instead of having the relevant, insightful running threads getting dropped into oblivion by yet another Bush/Iraq/girflriend/boyfriend/poop/movie thread, it will be much easier to find running related topics. I just don't understand why you people are so opposed to this. Your resistance to change is funny, but in a sad sort of way. Let's experiment... give the 2 sections a couple of weeks, and I'll guarantee everyone will be happy. Free your mind!

Swofford11 wrote:

I counted 15 none related running threads out of 50 that's not to bad.

Was the Mike Huckabee 5K time a non-running thread or running thread? Just curious.

bad idea to break it up, wejo

another vote for a separate high school board so all of those young, snappers could spout off to themselves. They are very annoying.

Then who will be there to tell them how asinine they are?

It has nothing to do with change...

WOJO already tried splitting up the board and it didn't work.

Not only did he find that people still posted non related running posts under the topic of running but he saw a drop in the people visiting the site.

Yes I realize that non running related threads can be erased, however, he found that people just kept putting them up faster than they could be taken down. IN the end, after a month or so, everyone asked him to go back to the old format the one that is working now.

Once again splitting the board up is nothing new. It didn't work then why is it going to work this time around? The same problems are still there.

Do you see what i'm getting at?

Ok, once again- this is not a compelling argument for 2 sections. Why do non running related threads and the trolls who inhabit them bother you so much? Is that where you spend all your time?Let's do a little survey. What threads in the past six months were the most popular and by most popular I mean most lucrative for the website?Was it training techniques to improve your 800 time? No, it was Post Nuptial Shutoff, it was engagement rings to income, it was Wejo's 400 meter run, it was...on and on and on.This is the stuff that will suffer when the 5 people of letsrun.com want to access insightful running threads - whatever that means. I am curious though, what do you consider an insightful running thread? Running is not that complicated. If you have a question you can find an answer that fits your needs in 5 posts. If you are wondering whether to dump your girlfriend via powerpoint or buy her a smoothie you won't find your answer until 100 threads.The value of the website lies in getting a runners' perspective on things, both technical and non technical. It's just that the non technical stuff is infinitely more popular than the technical. If a couple of "real" runners take their dribble elsewhere so be it. Although I have a feeling they'll be back.It's fine the way it is...especially the "dating a wiccan" thread, c'mon you gotta admit that is a lot more informative than a discussion about doubles and singles for 100 mpw for Joe DIII Schmoe...

yetanothertool wrote:

Ok, once again- this is not a compelling argument against 2 sections. Let me repeat: once split, we will only have to deal with running related trolls. I could give two shits about non running related trolls (which is by FAR the largest home to troll activity). It will not make trolling worse at all... instead of having the relevant, insightful running threads getting dropped into oblivion by yet another Bush/Iraq/girflriend/boyfriend/poop/movie thread, it will be much easier to find running related topics. I just don't understand why you people are so opposed to this. Your resistance to change is funny, but in a sad sort of way. Let's experiment... give the 2 sections a couple of weeks, and I'll guarantee everyone will be happy. Free your mind!

74dragons wrote:

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

You are right. The "more serious running posters" got sick of letsrun and are now regulars on the more structured Runner's World forums.

Maybe not Runner's World but I've noticed that Nobby, Kim Stevenson, HRE, Tinman are spending a lot more time on Cooolrunning than they are here at Lets Run... Food for thought

Cool Running is being turned into a Lydiard Mythmaking Love-In?