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View Full Version : Message Board Idea for better organization



isestrex
06-03-2009, 08:48 PM
I realize I'm a lowly member here.
I realize that there are many, more wiser, individuals running the OH
I realize that these guys are actually paid to run this thing
I realize that certain methods have remained the same since before I even arrived.
I realize that my opinion may be a tiny fly smashing the windshield of the committee that drives this board.

...and yet, I can't help myself.

I have a knack for wanting to improve things (even tiny adjustments), and I feel I want to toss out an opinion. I think it will help the board, not drastically, but help it and perhaps the management will see it as well.

Idea:
Why not have a different forum section (or even a slightly different posting format) for news items.

Among countless other things, I come to the OH for news. I know that if anything is announced anywhere on any medium, that some OH member will snag it, post it and link to it within the hour. The board is invaluable to me as an Oriole fan who doesn't want to keep checking the Sun, the Post, Trade Rumors, ESPN, Yahoo, SI etc..etc...etc...

I know to look here.

The problem is, often times these nuggets of gold are buried behind "Walker should go", "Jones is a BEAST", "Our 2012 lineup". All these discussions are great but I think they are a different flavor from the "Orioles release Eaton and recall Albers". Those are the type of threads I look for first when logging on the OH before getting to the speculative fan discussions/theories/rants. And I'm sure I'm not the only one.

My proposal: Open a new section (or sub-section) for strictly news. Reactionary discussion can still happen within the thread, but threads in that section are purely for news items and must have a link. Ordinary members can still post news (that's part of what makes the OH so quick at having the hot scoop), but it separates the official moves from the fan proposed moves.
OR
Ditch the new section idea and make a more detailed format for posting news in the regular "Orioles Talk", so that all news has "NEWS:" before the title and the title is all in bold.... or something like that. Something that will make the news stick out.



Now... I realize that this is a very minor idea and one that can easily be glossed over. No biggie, I often over analyze things and underestimate the amount of work things can sometimes create for little return. If this idea is a bad one, if it has been talked about before, or even tried before (and I missed it), then forget it. I'm sure you all have more experience with this sort of thing than I do.

Just saying... I think it would help the OH.

The Wedge
06-03-2009, 08:49 PM
That's what the main site is for...

isestrex
06-03-2009, 09:05 PM
That's what the main site is for...

But it's not quick... it's never been as quick as the fans.

Here are the current "news" items on the main page:
-David Hernandez Set to Make MLB Debut
-Koji to the 15-day DL
-O's Expected to Call Up RHP Jason Berken

...not exactly the most up to date news I was referring to earlier.

Plus threads that might also fall under the classification of "News" might also be things like "Buster has some very nice things to say about Jones" etc.

The Wedge
06-03-2009, 09:11 PM
Right...but you're asking them to basically make it easier to effectively undermine their news pages.

PrivateO
06-03-2009, 09:25 PM
Just an idea (maybe what isetrex wants) is possibly "sticky"-ing the news-worthy threadsfor a set amoutn of time so that readers can know what is up.

PaulBako
06-03-2009, 09:26 PM
This won't happen but I like the idea of having one sports forum, and then one big off topic forum.

isestrex
06-03-2009, 09:32 PM
Just an idea (maybe what isetrex wants) is possibly "sticky"-ing the news-worthy threadsfor a set amoutn of time so that readers can know what is up.

I thought of that too but I would think that would make MORE work for the site admins. I tried to make my ideas "user maintained".

Saintbird
06-03-2009, 09:49 PM
Maybe a Orioles News and Rumors forum and a Orioles General Discussion forum. It has always worked on a Disney site I'm on.

Tony-OH
06-04-2009, 08:55 AM
Thanks for the feeback.

However, I really don't see a need to a split up the main Orioles forum. The hot news is always easily found because people are normlally commenting on them and news that's a few days old can be found on our front page or in our archives.