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Original poster

Thoughts on tweaking MN

192 replies

MsAmerica · 19/11/2021 02:09

Since the mods very cordially expressed a willingness to read suggestions, I put something together for you. I tried to think this through to cover as much as possible, although I admit I'm not an experienced poster here. So these are things I've noticed that you might want to re-think, but overall the main suggestion is just to tidy up the layout for clarity, and re-organize and re-name some forums, to make the posting process more user-friendly. Please excuse a bit of repetition, as the categories overlap. (Also, some small additions since my original failed attempt to post, with apologies to mods who were already kind enough to read the initial version.)

I haven’t been able to post this, possibly because it’s so long, but I’m now going to try it in sections, as suggested, and see if that works.

OP posts:
HumbugWhale · 21/11/2021 06:37

@ArblemarchTFruitbat

I really dislike nested replies. It's such a pain going back and forth reading them. It's one of MN's huge plusses that it doesn't have them.
Totally agree, they are so hard to follow!

The only bit if the OP that I have often thiught myself is that the body and soul section that groups together sex, style and beauty, bereavement etc is a but odd.

MusterMark · 21/11/2021 09:34

@BIWI

No - this is indenting:

Line 1 of conversation
..........Line 2 of conversation
....................Line 3 of conversation
..............................Line 4 of conversation

(Just imagine it without the dots)

Many sites indent only one level. This avoids the "hitting the edge" problem, but means that replies to a reply (rather than the OP) are grouped together, so it's possible to follow a sub-thread of interest (or skip one that is irrelevant).
SoupDragon · 21/11/2021 09:37

Why isn't there a general politics forum instead of having brexit, feminism etc siphoned off?

You mean like the "Politics" topic?

Subjects get siphoned off when people ask. Things like Brexit get their own topic when they start to take over the other topics and people are bored shitless and want to hide them.

SoupDragon · 21/11/2021 09:38

dont bring a woman down for having ideas of how to improve it.

Don't being women down who disagree that the suggestions are improvements.

CiaoForDiNiaoSaur · 21/11/2021 10:07

@alienbaby

Good suggestions OP. Agree forum names are ridiculous. Why isn't there a general politics forum instead of having brexit, feminism etc siphoned off?

What a bunch of sad sack responses on this thread though. Do people really hang around on the MN site specific forum waiting to pounce on anyone who dares to criticise their "safe space"? Guys, it's a business. Businesses change. Move on and dont bring a woman down for having ideas of how to improve it.

Yes. We all hang around on the "site stuff" board to scare off newbies with their oh so brilliant ideas of how to make MN exactly the same as every other forum.

Or maybe, just maybe, it popped up in "active" and we picked it up from there.

EmpressaurusWitchDoesntBurn · 21/11/2021 10:13

I think a good compromise on zombie threads would be if only the OP was able to update them.

I also think that people should have to get to the end of a thread before being able to post on it. I’m not saying they should be forced to read it all, but if they at least had to click through to the last page / scroll to the final post, they might be less likely to just reply to the opening post.

As for feminism & Brexit being in one big politics forum, the Mumsnet feminism board is huge, famous & legendary - to the extent that a bunch of trans rights activists and misogynists have been trying to get it shut down for years.

CircleofWillis · 21/11/2021 20:32

I think Zombie threads should alert you as soon as you click on them that they are over 6 months old. I think some of the funniest threads on here have been reactivated zombie threads (dadsnet, woman replying to her own request for a pram review years later) so I would hate to see them locked.

SixQuidGames · 21/11/2021 22:14

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Sparklingbrook · 21/11/2021 22:19

The zombie pram thread always gets a mention but that's the only time I've known an OP to return.
But that said I think only allowing the OP to bump a zombie thread would be good just in case.

And as for all the bringing women down stuff, not everyone on here is a woman...

CircleofWillis · 22/11/2021 04:07

@Sparklingbrook

The zombie pram thread always gets a mention but that's the only time I've known an OP to return. But that said I think only allowing the OP to bump a zombie thread would be good just in case.

And as for all the bringing women down stuff, not everyone on here is a woman...

I think only allowing an OP to bump isn't necessary. Color coding and clearly labeling zombie threads should prevent people who have no interest in accidentally reading or posting on in. Locking them gives no flexibility at all for those who don't mind or for whom they might be useful.
CircleofWillis · 22/11/2021 04:09

Also read 'is this the only dadsnet...' for the sheer beauty of an epically slow moving thread.

TanteRose · 22/11/2021 04:22

@CircleofWillis

Also read 'is this the only dadsnet...' for the sheer beauty of an epically slow moving thread.
Ohh I love that thread! Epic Grin Started about 6 years ago? Grin
TanteRose · 22/11/2021 04:25

Omg just popped my head round the door of that thread- it’s 10 years old!!! Shock
They are all very proud of it (bless!)

Meowwwwwww · 22/11/2021 04:50

They asked for for suggestions, OP, not a treatise. Writing (WAY) too much is a very ineffective way to communicate. This won’t serve you well in the workplace or socially. People want the highlights, bullet points even — not a transcription of every thought that passed through your head for a solid hour. My advice is coming from a good place because honestly I can be quite wordy too but I learned years ago to cut things down to a length that people were actually going to read.

I can’t comment on most of what you said because I didn’t get very far but from what I read you are being nitpicky and pedantic. Do you really find “Talk” to be a confusing way to refer to online discussion? And that “What We’re Reading” precludes books that you have already read? Really?

Sparklingbrook · 22/11/2021 13:28

I am so glad the zombie carpet fitter thread has finally got to 1000 posts and stopped. Every year that would get revived, no idea why.

A lot of the time zombie threads are revived by trolls and/or spammers. The posts that revives it gets deleted but off the thread goes again with everyone replying to the OP from 2002 or something...

CircleofWillis · 22/11/2021 19:55

'Zombie Carpet Fitter' sounds like an exciting topic for a thread. I suspect I'll be gravely disappointed if I read it though.

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 22/11/2021 20:28

I also think that people should have to get to the end of a thread before being able to post on it.

YES YES YES YES YES YES. Please.

Original poster
MsAmerica · 22/11/2021 20:29

@ArblemarchTFruitbat

Instead there is this oddly named "What We're Reading," which tends to focus almost exclusively on titles, and it implies that there should be a separate place to discuss books that we're not reading. You're left with a non-fiction forum, but no fiction forum. There's a "creative" writing forum, but what about writing that's not creative? Maybe there should instead just be a Writing/Language forum, where people could also seek advice on wording a business letter or ask about punctuation. But it shouldn't be inside a Book section

The problem with that general approach is that you end up with a large number of sub-topics which are difficult to navigate. The 'what we're reading' forum includes (in my opinion) topics which are in the same approximate area of interest. This is a leisure forum, so people browse - separate everything and it would be easy to miss things of potential interest.

Maybe there should instead just be a Writing/Language forum, where people could also seek advice on wording a business letter or ask about punctuation.

The 'work' section for the first, 'pedants' corner' for the latter. How you categorise topics is always going to be subjective - where one person might think 'writing' for advice on wording a business letter, another might think 'work' and another might think 'grammar'. MN can't please everyone.

I believe that I was actually suggesting combining, in that case, not separating. I don't think fiction/nonfiction should necessarily be separated. I agree about same approximate area of interest, which is also why I think linking sex and death is odd, for instance.

I also agree that much is subjective (so I was just providing my own subjective viewpoint). But wouldn't you still perhaps agree that terms like "Pedant" may not be a great idea? Some of the forum names have a negative connotation, and maybe should be re-titled. No one wants to be considered a pedant.

OP posts:
Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 22/11/2021 20:30

Some people are positively proud of being a pedant (I include my DH in this).

Original poster
MsAmerica · 22/11/2021 20:31

@diddl

Sorry Op, couldn't be bothered to read that.

When I saw the title all that came to mind was an Edit function!

Maybe I'm easily pleased!

That's fine - I figured that probably no one would want to read the whole thing! Maybe not even me!

It was originally intended for the mods, who were very nice about expressing interest.

OP posts:
Original poster
MsAmerica · 22/11/2021 20:33

@Waahingwashingwashing

Tldr op

If it annoys you that much you could go elsewhere?

I hope you're not suggesting that to participate in a website - or anything in life, really - one has to love every single thing about it?
OP posts:
PastMyBestBeforeDate · 22/11/2021 21:02

sweetpeas we pedants are out and proud.

MrsSkimpole · 22/11/2021 21:04

Bloody Hell.

I've been here since 2006 and it's fine just as it is.

saraclara · 22/11/2021 21:09

@MrsSkimpole

Bloody Hell.

I've been here since 2006 and it's fine just as it is.

I think you've just proved a point. A website that hasn't changed in 15 years is absolutely antediluvian. And absolutely nothing to support or be proud of.
SoupDragon · 22/11/2021 22:04

But wouldn't you still perhaps agree that terms like "Pedant" may not be a great idea? Some of the forum names have a negative connotation, and maybe should be re-titled. No one wants to be considered a pedant.

"Pedants' Corner" Is exactly what was asked for though so actually, people do want to be considered a pedant.