asking Al Gore to run in 2008!
Using the new site
Posted March 1st, 2007 by dbciii
It would probably be good to work out a policy of sorts as to what is a blog and what is a forum topic.
I don't know that there are any "rules" but i have always thought that the forum paradigm was for general back-and-forth, typically on the events of the day, like cocktail party conversation, whereas the blog was more of a person taking a "position" and then getting comments on it. typically the blog post would be something that might stay around for a while, remaining topical for a somewhat extended period. In a high-traffic site the forum threads sink into oblivion in as little time as a few hours. If you put your heart and soul into a delicious Olbermann-esque rant, you want to put it in as a blog. If you want to stir up a conversation on a topic and then pretty much forget it, use the forum.
Our old site had a problem in that it was purely forum. Many of the areas were restricted as to topic, in an attempt to manage the "sinking into oblivion" issue.
Anyway, these are just random thoughts for consideration by the group as a whole. Feel free to throw stones. Or stow thrones.
dbciii
Whhooooops! Just got bit trying to post this in the wrong Forum! Still using the training wheels.
Be part of the Draft Gore '08 campaign!
We need SOMETHING here
...and I don't know if it's a policy.
Since the format change this place has been pretty dead. I think perhaps the blog-vs-forum thing is part of the problem. If there were only the forum, I think there'd be more activity. Perhaps the topic categories would have to be more like the old ones were, too. But I think having only one option (the forum, IMO) would be the key to success here.
A forum is like a crowded room in which walking around listening to conversations and perhaps picking one to join in on for a while. The blog is like walking into that room, saying something, and then walking away.
There are subtleties to the blog format that limit its interactivity. For example, if I start a new topic in the forum, it is the forum's topic ... it just happened to be started by me. If I post a blog entry, it becomes GOPstopper's blog. It belongs to me. I feel like that is subtly intimidating.
In addition, the blogs are listed in a most-recent first format and not categorized at all. I can post a brilliant blog entry but it can be quickly pushed off the front page into oblivion by just a few worthless "I love Al" toss-offs. My effort is wasted... or at least I feel that way.
The blog format works if there are certain people whose blogs you want to follow, or if, as on TPMcafe, you have a companion site like TalkingPointsMemo that highlights certain posts, acting as a kind of guide to the blog, and driving traffic to the best posts. Do you think DailyKos works? Not for me, but I see it is very popular. I think that is because someone controls which blog entries get onto the main page. (Yes? No?)
I'd really like to see the old forum brought back, with all its features, but I know that's not going to happen. Perhaps this site could be helped if only certain people could blog -- you know, the leaders of this site -- and everyone else has to do the forum only.
On positive thing, though, at work they do appreciate the fact that I spend some time doing my job now.
The site doesn't seem to love me
Since I registered four days ago, I have failed to log in on every attempt thereafter. I'm using a PC with Explorer 7. To get in, I have to go through the "can't remember your password" section, after which I re-enter the same password. It tells me all is well, but then next day we start over. Anybody have any ideas or suggestions? Thanks.
Do you see and apostrophy after your User ID?
Are you gettting challenged with the "pink" box asking you to login again?
If so, you have been hacked. This will cause the site to not identify you and ask you to login again. This happened to me a few weeks ago. Not good.
I would strongly suggest that this site get a SSL certificate and use https because all logins are not safe these days unless they are secure.
Cookies?
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You may have to check your "cookie" settings in your internet options. I am fairly certain that this web site requires that you allow all cookies.
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Reverend Wally say's, "Talk only works when someone listens"
To blog or not to blog
I'd say you're right on the money here. Additionally the blogs are meant to be a way for Gore Groups to speak within their Groups, and to keep each other apprised of their progress / ideas. As time goes on the distinction between blogging here and debating things in the forum will become more clear-- and we'll try to clarify that with some design decisions we'll make too.