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Original poster

Can we have a cull of the topics list?

137 replies

GetOrfMo1Land · 27/10/2011 15:39

Discussed this on the AIBU thread in site stuff.

People get pissed off witg the fact that some topics are too quiet and so people post stuff in aibu when it shouldn't be there. That may be because loads of people hide topics which do not interest them, so some topics get no traffic.

Do we really need to have so many topics. For instance, could there not be a Pets topic. Is there reallt any need to dogs, cats, hamsters, chickens, horses, FISH to have their own topic really?

There are too many sub-topics I think and it is a pain in the arse I think.

OP posts:
Original poster
GetOrfMo1Land · 27/10/2011 16:41

Oh all right then I back down on the hiding topics thing.

I like hetty's axe.

CULL CULL CULL

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HettyAmaretti · 27/10/2011 16:40

A cull is definitely in order, at the very least the "Topics" page needs to be rationalised so it's usable.

But, ideally I'd be for a big cull

just getting rid of the blatant doubles would be a good start. Topics that don't get significant traffic should go too IMHO, shouldn't be too hard to set a limit and apply it retrospectively. When "Products" was a topic it was unusable but it's gone way too far the other way.

MNers (as a herd) hate change - surely you remember the fuss when MN New was introduced? There's always hell to pay, MNHQ are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Being able to hide topics is a good thing - Local, Pregnancy, Anti-natal, For sale, (and feckin Pushchairs) just clutter up active convos otherwise. I reserve the right to hide any topic I have no intention of contributing too.

KatieMortician · 27/10/2011 16:39

Do not touch Employment Issues but do feel free to combine redundancy and going back to work into it.

Yy to putting all the animal ones together.

Agree with Maryz about being able to hide whole swathes of stuff you're not interested in or that might upset you.

fastweb · 27/10/2011 16:38

I think too many half dead boards lead to newbie disappointment, the sheer number of boards looks dizzyingly exciting, like a real hub of yakking going on....and then you keep walking into empty rooms looking for this lovely chatty party you heard about ....but can't quite seem to find.

fastweb · 27/10/2011 16:34

Nooooooo!

Original poster
GetOrfMo1Land · 27/10/2011 16:32

Grin fastweb.

It is sad isn't it, both in a pathetic way and in a perjorative sense. Lots of these topics are requested by a small handful of mumenstters, never bloody used and impact on how the board is used. So they should be ZAPPED out of existence.

OP posts:
Original poster
GetOrfMo1Land · 27/10/2011 16:31

I do need to get out more rycooler, I have been bedridden for 6 weeks and am SERIOULSY ovberthinking mumsnet Grin

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fastweb · 27/10/2011 16:31

I agree that slimlining individual boards would make them more lively, so topics would tend to be posted in the right place, rather than the most traffic heavey place.

And I find mostly abandoned boards quite sad, like the remnants of a ghost town, and your voice echos when you "helllloooo, is anybody there?" All the hopes and dreams of a
ittle group of posters who requested it, crushed, when their board failed to take off.

rycooler · 27/10/2011 16:30

How about a 'I seriously need to get out more' topic, for all those people who moan about the topic list on MN?

Maryz · 27/10/2011 16:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OTheHugeWerewolef · 27/10/2011 16:22

Aren't we rather closing the Tack Room door after the horse has bolted?

There's no use crying over spilt breast or formula feeding milk, you know.

Original poster
GetOrfMo1Land · 27/10/2011 16:20

Yes I agree lady, it is mumsnet being too nice and saying yes to requests from people to add extra topics.

I would like to cull the emoticons as well but don't want to dilute my argument Grin

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Original poster
GetOrfMo1Land · 27/10/2011 16:19

And I also think it is daft to have the ability to hide whole topics - that is why the topics have stagnated and everyone goes to aibu and chat. yes to be able to hide a thread, but not a whole topic, if you are a member of mumsnet you should be able to see everything

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LadyWellian · 27/10/2011 16:16

I think in a lot of cases there did just used to be one topic - such as legal and money. But I don't know if it was user demand that caused the rash of sub-topics or not.

Maryz · 27/10/2011 16:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
GetOrfMo1Land · 27/10/2011 16:13

What the hell is mumsNOT. And a weather topic for crying out loud.

My list

Conception
Pregnancy and birth
Newborns
Primary parenting
Secondary parenting
Education
Travel
Health
Relationships
Mumsnet stuff
Chat, trivia and rants
Pets
Books
Food
Childcare and work
Femninism
Homes and gardens
Clubs
Legal and financial
Special needs
classified
Products

And a hidden area for boil squeezers, coprophiles and slow cooker threads.

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DamselInDisarray · 27/10/2011 16:10

There are loads of topics that overlap. It's all very confusing.

For example, there are lots of situations where it's not clear whether one should post in 'ethical dilemmas', 'what would you do?' or perhaps even 'etiquette'. These posts, them, all end up in AIBU.

Maryz · 27/10/2011 16:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 27/10/2011 16:07

I agree. It's daft having so many topics.

The travel topics could be merged easily enough. And Food/Recipes. I'm going to do my own cull, on a spreadsheet.

Give me 10 minutes or so...

Original poster
GetOrfMo1Land · 27/10/2011 16:05

I know you are there MNHQ.

Come on, get yer big red delete button out.

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ItsonlymeMrsDB · 27/10/2011 16:04

Is there ? I never knew that.

There must be so much I haven't discovered. I am loving the Christmas section though, and have had my eyes opened in the ebay section.

Original poster
GetOrfMo1Land · 27/10/2011 16:00

Why is there a school holiday topic? What is the point of that? Just have an education topic.

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ItsonlymeMrsDB · 27/10/2011 15:59

I agree too.

Can we call the 'credit crunch' section, 'how you could spend your money if you had any' ?

Original poster
GetOrfMo1Land · 27/10/2011 15:57

YES! There is someone else who agrees with my very dull thread.

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Original poster
GetOrfMo1Land · 27/10/2011 15:56

Why are there 6 subsections on books? Why not just have one book topic.

And credit crunch is a bit unnecessary now it is called a recession.

5 subsections in legal and money - just have one 'legal and money' topic.

One food topic instead of 5.

And when boring people ask for a new topic please MN say NO.

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