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View Full Version : Suggestions on Critique thread.



Frank&Earnest
30th September 2007, 04:11 PM
Is it just me, or it is by now obvious to everybody that to make sense this has to be a forum with separate threads? I was under the illusion that the first post was meant as an instruction of what people need to expect when they open threads in it.

RETIRED
30th September 2007, 07:34 PM
Is it just me, or it is by now obvious to everybody that to make sense this has to be a forum with separate threads? I was under the illusion that the first post was meant as an instruction of what people need to expect when they open threads in it.You can't open a new thread under this heading only new posts. Will look into adding a sub forum for this but at the moment keep posting here. It keeps them in the one place.

joe greiner
1st October 2007, 01:54 AM
You can't open a new thread under this heading only new posts. Will look into adding a sub forum for this but at the moment keep posting here. It keeps them in the one place.

I think VBulletin (might be version-dependent) allows threads within threads as a display option, but it can be a bear to navigate. I bailed out on it at smc in favor of the linear display we have here. Nested threads (ala "spaghetti code" in BASIC) may work just as well if comments quote the initial post for each work. If it gets too messy, a SUB-sub forum might work, but only when/if the effort is justified.

Joe

Frank&Earnest
1st October 2007, 12:00 PM
I think VBulletin (might be version-dependent) allows threads within threads as a display option, but it can be a bear to navigate. I bailed out on it at smc in favor of the linear display we have here. Nested threads (ala "spaghetti code" in BASIC) may work just as well if comments quote the initial post for each work. If it gets too messy, a SUB-sub forum might work, but only when/if the effort is justified.

Joe

My apologies if there are problems that I do not see and I am oversimplifying, but I find frustrating that what appears to me an exceedingly simple solution ends up being complicated without need. This the simplest solution. One thread to post all pictures of those wishing to have a critique of their posts.

The description of the area (forum, sub-forum, sub-sub forum, whatever, it's only a name) says: "If you open a thread in this area it is for critique. If you do not want critique, Can't be much plainer in my opinion open it in... (blogs might be best IMHO, but the generic woodturning area as it is now could be OK, another specific area called e.g. "gallery" could be better). The rest of the Woodturning Forum can and is used for this. Does not require another Forum. We will keep an eye on it to ensure that the two do not get too enmeshed". I already do.

The beauty of this would be that people like Skew could put 95% of his work in the "gallery" for the rest of us to be inspired, and 5% in the "critique" area for brainstorming, while the beginner like me would put 95% of the work in the "critique" area for learning and 5% (hopefully) in the "gallery" if I am particularly proud of it and as a grateful acknowledgment of what I have learnt. This what is happening now and seems to working OK to me.

I think got that from the beginning, this is just a trial run, as he explained. (Of course, apologies to if I misunderstood the explanation:-).You did. Apology accepted.

The other simple solution was to just require each poster to mark each new thread with either "critique" or "gallery" and policing this policy (bad pun) so that it keeps making sense. The way that it is setup now means only one thread that has to be looked at It loses the advantage of keeping them all in specific areas for easy access, They are in one place but it would also solve the problem, I think it has. as Stirlo and others found out.

My answers are in blue.

Frank&Earnest
1st October 2007, 03:30 PM
Thanks . I renew my apology for not understanding. I took your "will look into adding a sub-forum, but at the moment..." as an intention to go that way. Instead you have chosen a third way, neither what I though nor what Stirlo suggested, and you are happy with it.

I agree that this way has the positive result of curbing "look at me" threads, thus reducing the administrator's workload. On the other hand, three people have already said, and other two hinted, that this way tends to be too jumbled up and reduces the usefulness of critique by discouraging multiple comments.

Hopefully, after the first rush only a few people will post, so the confusion will subside. If there is a sequence of individual requests for critique every few days the thread will effectively fulfill its purpose. If not, it will have been useful as an education tool anyway: a positive outcome either way. I am sure that we are all grateful to you for doing this work regardless of the outcome.

Thanks
Frank

TePe
2nd October 2007, 08:47 AM
Hi all.

Thought I would chuck in how "critique" threads are sorted in our UK forum. At this moment in time it is just for woodturning, but may move into the other disciplines if needed.

If you have a item you wish critiqued you post it in the woodturning forum section and ask for the critique in the thread heading. One of the members looks after the critiques and moves the thread to another page where all you have is a table of links to critique threads. The page has been made a 'sticky' at the top of the woodturning forum, and anyone who wishes to have a look and comment can do so. Doing this moves all these threads away from the normal forum chat/questions.

It has only been running for a very short time but does seem to working very well.

I you wish to have a look at how it is set up try this link Critiques (http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewforum.php?f=6) It's the second sticky down.

I must state I have nothing to do with the running of all this, I'm just a member but thought the idea may be of some help here.

RETIRED
2nd October 2007, 11:49 AM
Hi all.

Thought I would chuck in how "critique" threads are sorted in our UK forum. At this moment in time it is just for woodturning, but may move into the other disciplines if needed.

If you have a item you wish critiqued you post it in the woodturning forum section and ask for the critique in the thread heading. One of the members looks after the critiques and moves the thread to another page where all you have is a table of links to critique threads. The page has been made a 'sticky' at the top of the woodturning forum, and anyone who wishes to have a look and comment can do so. Doing this moves all these threads away from the normal forum chat/questions.

It has only been running for a very short time but does seem to working very well.

I you wish to have a look at how it is set up try this link Critiques (http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewforum.php?f=6) It's the second sticky down.

I must state I have nothing to do with the running of all this, I'm just a member but thought the idea may be of some help here.Had a good look around TEPE. Probably when we start getting enough we may have to go that way. Thanks.

Frank&Earnest
2nd October 2007, 10:09 PM
Thanks TePe. Requires a bit more labour than absolutely necessary, IMHO, but confirms the desirability of separate threads. I rest my case.:)