category consolidation?

Miggy · Post by **Miggy** » July 7th, 2009, 10:55 am

There are 29 forums on the AIC forums. It doesn't bother me much since I just go to see the new posts search....but maybe some of these could be retired/consolidated as a way of making this site look less intimidating for new folks? I also see a lot of posts put in kinda the wrong place if I were to try and look for it. Maybe 10 categories total could be a goal?

Roy Janik · Post by **Roy Janik** » July 7th, 2009, 12:09 pm

I definitely agree. Here are my thoughts.

--> means merge existing messages into another category and delete this one.

Announcements
Events
Casting
Classes
The Corkboard

Improvisation
Improv Theory & Practice
Improv Business & Technical
Book Club --> General Discussion

Austin Improv Collective
AIC General Discussion
AIC Local
AIC Education --> AIC General Discussion
AIC Marketing --> AIC General Discussion
AIC Schedule --> AIC General Discussion
AIC Fundraising --> AIC General Discussion

Show Management
Thursday Night Awesome --> AIC General Discussion
Double Barrel --> AIC General Discussion
Threefer Madness --> AIC General Discussion
The Cagematch --> AIC General Discussion
Maestro --> General Discussion

Off Topic
Introductions
General Discussion
Major Havoc
The Stump --> General Discussion
Tech Talk --> General Discussion
Help Desk
Hall of Jackasses --> ?
Bitching --> Major Havoc

Out of Bounds Festival
OoB Announcements --> OOB Discussion
OoB Discussion
Oob Coach Xchange --> OOB Discussion

That gets us down to 14;

Announcements
Events
Casting
Classes
The Corkboard

Improvisation
Improv Theory & Practice
Improv Business & Technical

Austin Improv Collective
AIC General Discussion
AIC Local

Off Topic
Introductions
General Discussion
Major Havoc
Help Desk
Hall of Jackasses

Out of Bounds Festival
OOB Discussion

Thoughts?

kbadr · Post by **kbadr** » July 7th, 2009, 12:23 pm

Roy Janik wrote: Show Management
Thursday Night Awesome --> AIC General Discussion
Double Barrel --> AIC General Discussion
Threefer Madness --> AIC General Discussion
The Cagematch --> AIC General Discussion
Maestro --> General Discussion

Thoughts?

If Maestro goes into General Discussion, then I think The Double Barrel and Threefer should as well. They aren't run/organized by the AIC anymore. Also, "Madness" should be taken off the Threefer name since we don't use it and don't like it.

Also, TNA doesn't exist.
Maybe a Local Shows category?

Pdyx · Post by **Pdyx** » July 7th, 2009, 12:30 pm

This was my biggest complaint about these forums when I first signed up. I didn't use it much initially because it seemed so cluttered. Some of those sections never get posted on, even when people are talking about, say The Threefer, they just do so under Events, so I like the suggestion to consolidate.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » July 7th, 2009, 12:37 pm

I've used category links maybe three times in the years I've used the forums. I always just use the 'There are x new messages' link at the top, and get a listing of the most recent posts, sorted by most recent posting.

Asaf · Post by **Asaf** » July 7th, 2009, 12:43 pm

Here are my thoughts:

1. No one uses the show specific categories. Announcements for Cagematch and Maestro keep popping up in Casting and General Discussion.

2. The Stump is useful for parsing out political debate which can get heated sometimes to the point that people want to avoid it.

3. Why do we need a Hall of Jackasses? Shouldn't we just delete those spam threads? Is there a purpose to keeping them?

4. I have had a use of keeping the AIC Marketing separate from the others and would strongly suggest keeping it that way.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » July 7th, 2009, 12:53 pm

kbadr wrote:
Roy Janik wrote: Show Management
Thursday Night Awesome --> AIC General Discussion
Double Barrel --> AIC General Discussion
Threefer Madness --> AIC General Discussion
The Cagematch --> AIC General Discussion
Maestro --> General Discussion

Thoughts?
If Maestro goes into General Discussion, then I think The Double Barrel and Threefer should as well. They aren't run/organized by the AIC anymore. Also, "Madness" should be taken off the Threefer name since we don't use it and don't like it.

Also, TNA doesn't exist.
Maybe a Local Shows category?

I like the idea of having at least one non-improv related forum, which seems to be General Discussion (and Major Havor should be rolled into that). I'd ask that threads for Maestro, Double Barrel, Threefer, etc. go into some Show Scheduling type forum or something specific to improv.

mcnichol · Post by **mcnichol** » July 7th, 2009, 12:53 pm

gah, that was me above there...

arclight · Post by **arclight** » July 7th, 2009, 1:37 pm

Let me know how you'd prefer it be carved up and I'll make it so.

Also, let me know if there are any show- or troupe-specific fora that need deleting or deactivating. Some people like the historical posts; I'm ambivalent.

Personally, I'd like to whack the spam and cull older casting call and events posts (maybe age out anything older than 2-4 months) but I'll leave that for discussion.

Roy Janik · Post by **Roy Janik** » July 7th, 2009, 1:55 pm

kbadr wrote: If Maestro goes into General Discussion, then I think The Double Barrel and Threefer should as well. They aren't run/organized by the AIC anymore.

The reason I thought those messages from the Double Barrel and the Threefer forums should go into AIC General Discussion is because when those forums were last active, they were AIC shows. So those messages belong in the AIC section.

But it doesn't really matter, so long as they're somewhere.

vine311 · Post by **vine311** » July 7th, 2009, 2:08 pm

As long as you keep Major Havoc, I'll be happy.

Roy Janik · Post by **Roy Janik** » July 7th, 2009, 2:11 pm

Oh yeah, I guess I should say that with my fancy arrows and such I just meant that the existing messages in a forum that is removed should be moved into another forum, not that the removed forum should still exist somehow.

sara farr · Post by **sara farr** » July 7th, 2009, 2:56 pm

Sure, consolidate... don't delete. I like having the old, early AIC posts to look back on.

You can archive the Pom Pom Sisterhood section, and take me off the Start Trekkin and Flying Theater Machine sections.

I like the idea of putting a bunch of stuff into "Local Shows" but keeping Events, Casting and General Discussion. Here is my take:

Announcements
Events
Casting
Classes (+ Jams & Drop-ins)
Corkboard

Improvisation
Theory & Practice
Business

Austin Improv Collective
Local Discussion
Local Shows (+ Monday Night Mash, Threefer, Double Barrel, etc)
Local Business (+ Education, Marketing, Schedule, Fundraising)

Off Topic
Introductions
General Discussion
Major Havoc (+ Stump, Bitching)
Help Desk (+ Tech Talk)

Out of Bounds Festival
OoB Discussion (+ Discussion, etc)

That gets us down to 14;

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » July 7th, 2009, 5:25 pm

vine311 wrote:As long as you keep Major Havoc, I'll be happy.

ditto

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » July 9th, 2009, 7:58 am

The only problem with removing the old events is that there was sometimes a useful theory-ish discussion after the event happened on the same thread.

I am way down for this consolidation and also I like the havoc.