To think that it's a shame that some of the other topics on MN aren't used more?

[Dollslikeyouandme]

Does anyone else think this?

I've been wandering over to other topics to ask for advice/ideas on certain things, general type stuff. But I've noticed that some are completely dead. Which then makes me think perhaps there's no point posting.

I've noticed people turn things into an aibu just for traffic.

I sometimes go for a wander around in topics just to see what there is, and try to find the one with the oldest thread.

I may have had too much free time over Christmas..

Well I have aibu and relationships hidden and it makes for a much nicer site! Both were getting me down and their presence was too great.

Active convos is much more varied without them and the ranting tone is greatly diluted. I've been like this for about a year now - would highly recommend.

Maybe people just need to be shown how to customise and use active convos. I've got shitloads of topics hidden and have just picked my favourites. If everyone did that then there would be more traffic in other topics and people wouldn't just shove everything in chat because they want fast replies.

AIBU gets super abused, though. About 1/3 of the traffic there would better go elsewhere.

Too damn right, lljkk!

Yes lljkk - "AIBU to ask for pearl barley recipes"; "AIBU to think that I will look more popular by posting in AIBU quinny are the best pushchair brand" and other crap that no-one but the OP is interested in.

Just noticed there are both 'Baking' & and 'Cake and Bakes' sections.

Agree with you lljkk, should I start an 'AIBU to agree with lljkk' to prove it

WWYD should be used more. More appropriate for many topics found on AIBU.

Oh and the latest trend for AIBU seems to be really smug posts wanting validation and praise, whereas a thread in chat saying "I did a RAoK today and it makes me happy" you get ridiculous "AIBU to thank MN for making me decide to donate this months wages to charity"

The unused names auction needs repeating! I NC a lot and all my first choice names seem to be taken but I never see them being used anywhere.

Agree with too many topics, I use active convos when lurking but have often not bothered to post a question because of the tumbleweed floating around in the relevant topic.

yuup! agree

email mnhq

Don't all recent posts show irrespective of where they are posted?
perhaps we could ask that unanswered posts don't disappear so soon.

There's also a lack of logic in what comes first. Seems to me, for instance, that "In the News" should be more prominent, but you have to go looking for it.

I think it would make sense to be able to customise your shortcuts at the bottom of the page. I'm unlikely to visit antenatal or conception ever again, would be handy to get rid (especially as I often click on them accidentally on the ipad with my fat fingers!)

I dont want them hidden though, as i might have something to say on a thread if I saw it in active, i just wouldnt go looking for it, iyswim?

Didn't a.few of us end up 'camping' out in random topics til MNHQ found us. Think it was led by HoneyDragon

I have just had a nosey and there is loads of topics

The name auction made Tech cry for a week, which is why it hasn't been repeated.

I would like the five topic shortcuts to be customisable.

i dont know why - there must be software to do a silent auction type thing

It's not the auction part, it's managing the old posts - I'm not sure why, maybe Tech has to namechange all previous posts by an auctioned name.

in the news used to be more prominant as one of sub titles but changed ad have go look for it but does get more traffic than politics yet mumnet is supposed to be political site much of politial rambling and news tends to go aibu.

Why does health need a swine flu section these days?

A dental section would make more sense as when posted about teeth posted in health.

Does adolesant/chlld mental health have to be separated from mental health maybe mental health split into sections

ie sos-people who need immediate advice/support.
pod-guess be big one.
eating disorders.
depression and other mental health.

i tend to go same sections and only found site stuff through another section as some pined pots as top sometimes take me to another topic board.

education -could do with an admissions and applications section as that would lighten the load on primary.

I was flicking through random threads last night and spotted one with bo replies, yet it wasnt on the "unanswered threads" list? I thought that included all topics, especially since local threads are now on there too?

Maybe mumsnet could promote an area every so often, so it gets new traffic. As they dont seem to want to amend the set-up?

SOS in general seems like a good idea (with a shortcut at the bottom of the page), most emergency threads end up either without much traffic in a specific area, or put in chat/aibu with the potential to get lost easily?

SOS would just get abused, wouldn't it?

SOS - I am going out in 5 minutes and I don't know whether to wear Heather Shimmer or Very Berry lipstick.

SOS might get abused if it was busy, just like people dump things in AIBU and chat (like one of the threads of the day that's about baby names but isn't in the baby names topic).

If SOS wasn't busy then it would just get ignored. It's a good idea though, it just needs a strategy to get people to use the right topics.

i think some of the more obscure topics (e.g. swine flu) were created so that people who were fed up with seeing particular hot topics at the time could hide the whole group of threads under one heading