Can we have a cull of the topics list?

[GetOrfMo1Land]

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Nooooooo!

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.

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.

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.

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

I like hetty's axe.

CULL CULL CULL

See an 'I seriously need to get out more' topic woukld be fab. 1/2 of the AIBU's could bugger off over there for a start.

You couldn't have just one long thread on e.g. pedants because someone will start an apostrophe rant then someone else a 'would of' rant then someone else a less/fewer rant and it will go on and on and no one would know the latest rant because they couldn't be arsed to read 5000 posts and it would die of apathy.

I think what would be a good idea is e.g. Education topic. If you want to start a thread in Education then the first part of your title is pre-formatted. You choose Primary, Secondary, Other etc. then the rest of the title. You could then use a sort feature in Topics or Search on this pre-formatted bit if you wanted but it would be just one topic. If you get my drift.

I totally agree maryz that threads are ignored because people don't see them. And yes if you are new and post something in a particular section (because as a newbie you don't know that most of the topics are as quiet as a graveyard) you run the risk of feeling hurt and excluded - that is a really good point.

Brilliant idea hocus.

Y' know I'd love AIBU to stop being a topic and start being a section (we could call it Here Be Twats):

AIBU? (with death ray button for those misusing it)
WWYD? (yes I know it does exist but nobdy can find it)
IABSA (I am blatantly seeking attention)
ISNTGOM (I seriously need to get out more)

ALSO there should be a one-in-one-out rule: One topic culled for each new one created.

Exactly.

Here be Twats

AND what hocus said. Genius.

None of this will happen.

Haha at none of this will happen.

NO - but they are considering a bastarding LIKE button

Gah! Like button. I hope that dies a horrible death.

oooh interesting idea with AIBU. I like that very much, but I fear it may need to be much, much easier for the Frothing Beserkers.

How about...

AIBU
WWYD
Look At Meeeeee!
Outraged of Tunbridge Wells