What the hell's with all these lame new forums?

[Ogre]

Seriously. Cecil's...I mean, Ed Zotti's stupid vanity forum was bad enough, but now we have SIX new forums about all things Chicago. Meanwhile, Dopers have been asking for a whole suite of new SDMB features that get lost in the shuffle, but you can implement a shitload of new forums for local interest? I know the Dope is based in Chicago, but c'mon. Do this somewhere else, you idiots.

[running coach]

Answer.

[Ogre]

No shit. I've read it. Now I'm Pitting it.

[Skald the Rhymer]

Originally Posted by Ogre

Seriously. Cecil's...I mean, Ed Zotti's stupid vanity forum was bad enough, but now we have SIX new forums about all things Chicago. Meanwhile, Dopers have been asking for a whole suite of new SDMB features that get lost in the shuffle, but you can implement a shitload of new forums for local interest? I know the Dope is based in Chicago, but c'mon. Do this somewhere else, you idiots.

You know, if you guys are going to continue overreacting and posting stupid crap about things that don't matter, I will no longer serve a purpose here.

[Ogre]

I'm hardly frothing at the mouth about it, but I must admit that I saw the new fora, read the relevant ATMB thread, and threw up my hands. It's just stupid.

[Cluricaun]

Right, but if those six new fora allow the other ten to survive then what's it matter to you?

[Grumman]

I'm sure that the SDMB's Chicago population will be thankful for having a new forum each.

[Skald the Rhymer]

Originally Posted by Ogre

I'm hardly frothing at the mouth about it, but I must admit that I saw the new fora, read the relevant ATMB thread, and threw up my hands. It's just stupid.

I retract my accusation that you are reaching Rhymeresque overreaction. But seriously, dude. It just doesn't matter.

I can't stand most sports, and even if those involving hot nearly naked chicks bouncing around after a ball bore me quickly. Likewise video games. So I rarely enter the Games forum. I admit I'd be happy if there were literature-only & politics-only forums , but the current setup seems adequate. (I'll fight for a Monica Bellucci only forum, though.)

[Ogre]

Right, but if those six new fora allow the other ten to survive then what's it matter to you?

Because I have my doubts that any such thing is true.

And it matters to me because I've spent a fairly significant amount of time on this board for 8 years. In other words, it matters because it matters.

[CircleofWillis]

No dog in this fight but it IS stupid... Was there that much of a clamoring for Chicago info cluttering up the standard boards to warrant 6 new boards? I haven't see it. I have yet to go on the game room board and say "If I see one more goddamn Bears thread..." or gone into great debates and thrown up my hands at the excessive North Side South Side debates.

There are other topics that ARE cluttering up the ten boards that would serve a useful purpose as their owns boards. It's not necessarily that irksome; but let's not put lipstick on a pig and call it a VP candidate, it is stupid.

[silenus]

Reading comprehension would help here. The CL people are trying to launch websites and message board groups in all the cities they have newspapers, ideally. This is the pilot program to see if the idea will fly. Since they already have and maintain this board, it makes sense to run the pilot program as an adjunct rather than set up a whole new board. This also gives them some spill-over, which helps. It in no way interferes with this board or its operation. It's not because Chicago discussions were all over the place here. It's because they are trying to expand and modify their business model so they don't vanish into the ether. Cut them some slack and just ignore the new areas if they annoy you so much.

[ultrafilter]

Here's your answer:

Originally Posted by Ed Zotti

Our experience with online advertisers to date suggests they're mostly interested in targeting specific markets, by which I mean geographic markets, and finer gradations where possible. The online Chicago Reader takes in a fair amount of money that way, and the ad inventory in the music section often sells out. We've had a much tougher time selling the Straight Dope because of the perception that its audience is spread all over the place and its interests are diffuse, even though we offer advertisers the ability to geotarget specific locations. The presumption with the SDCMB is that users will mostly be in metropolitan Chicago, and that they'll self-sort by areas of interest - clubs, restaurants, neighborhoods, etc. This is pretty much how advertising in the printed paper works. In other words, if you're opening a new music club in Chicago, you'll probably want to run your online ad only in the After Hours section of the SDCMB, on the assumption that that's where your core audience hangs out. So to answer your question, we plan to charge everybody as close to the rate-card rate as we can get, but we figure to do a lot of targeting.

I really can't see what there is to get worked up about here. If you don't like the Chicago forums, don't read them. It's not like they're listed on top of the old ones.

[Skald the Rhymer]

Originally Posted by silenus

Reading comprehension would help here. The CL people are trying to launch websites and message board groups in all the cities they have newspapers, ideally. This is the pilot program to see if the idea will fly. Since they already have and maintain this board, it makes sense to run the pilot program as an adjunct rather than set up a whole new board. This also gives them some spill-over, which helps. It in no way interferes with this board or its operation. It's not because Chicago discussions were all over the place here. It's because they are trying to expand and modify their business model so they don't vanish into the ether. Cut them some slack and just ignore the new areas if they annoy you so much.

This is the PIT, goatman. Where's the insults?

[mhendo]

I was just having a discussion with someone about the issue of gay marriage, and how i don't understand why it is so vehemently opposed by people who will not be directly affected by it in any way.

I sort of feel the same way (although in a much less concerned manner) about your rant.

How has your SDMB experience changed as a result of what you're complaining about? If the presence of the Chicago forums doesn't make any noticeable difference to the regular SDMB forums, why do you give a shit? I've also spent a bunch of time on these Boards over the past years, and the introduction of the Chicago sections has not changed my board experience one bit. Hell, my screen resolution means that, when i open the SDMB home page, i don't even see them. They are literally out of sight, out of mind.

I've complained about certain things here in the past, but this is truly lame.

[Giraffe]

Originally Posted by Skald the Rhymer

This is the PIT, goatman. Where's the insults?

There's no requirement that every post in the Pit contain swearing or an insult, you dumb fuck.

[carnivorousplant]

Originally Posted by Skald the Rhymer

I can't stand most sports, and even if those involving hot nearly naked chicks bouncing around after a ball bore me quickly.

Even I, Who Detest All Sports, watched Olympic Ladie's Beach Volleyball. Buck up, old fellow, buck up!

[Amber in Treasury]

Speaking of Dope subforums: Some time ago, a cat forum was suggested. Personally, I'd be all for it. The cat addicts (roughly 89% of all Dopers I imagine) would be among themselves, while us normal people wouldn't have to worry about accidentally stumbling across "cute" hairball threads anymore. No, seriously, I think it's not a bad idea.

[Skald the Rhymer]

Originally Posted by Giraffe

There's no requirement that every post in the Pit contain swearing or an insult, you dumb fuck.

I am far too gentlemanly to reply in kind. Men of quality need not lower themselves to use such language. We deal in formal courtesy or hard knocks, nothing in between. You'd understand if you didn't spend all your time using that 18-inch-long tongue to pleasure yourself.

[Idle Thoughts]

Originally Posted by Giraffe

There's no requirement that every post in the Pit contain swearing or an insult, you dumb fuck.

Preach it, dildo!

[Skald the Rhymer]

Originally Posted by carnivorousplant

Even I, Who Detest All Sports, watched Olympic Ladie's Beach Volleyball. Buck up, old fellow, buck up!

I watched with my wife long enough for her to get horny. Fortunately that was not long.

Of course, her getting horny while watching near-naked chicks bounce is faintly disturbing, but I choose to be optimstic.

[Kal]

Originally Posted by Ogre

Meanwhile, Dopers have been asking for a whole suite of new SDMB features that get lost in the shuffle...

Asking for stuff is no good, you need to trick Zotti into thinking he thought of the ideas first.

[dgrdfd]

I want a Huntsville, AL forum.

[scout1222]

Originally Posted by Skald the Rhymer

You'd understand if you didn't spend all your time using that 18-inch-long tongue to pleasure yourself.

Tell the truth - if you had an 18-inch-long tongue that's what you'd do!

[Thudlow Boink]

Originally Posted by Ogre

but you can implement a shitload of new forums for local interest?

I don't look at it as a shitload of new forums on this message board. I look at it as an entirely different message board, that happens to be linked and connected to the SDMB in such a way that members here who want to can participate there, and members who don't can just ignore it. Kinda like two businesses sharing a building.

Am I missing something?

[Skald the Rhymer]

Originally Posted by scout1222

Tell the truth - if you had an 18-inch-long tongue that's what you'd do!

You forget that I have three penises, each longer than the last, except for the first, which is pretty damn long anyway. You hobbit scum cannot begin to imagine the vistas of pleasure open to me.

[CircleofWillis]

Originally Posted by Thudlow Boink

I don't look at it as a shitload of new forums on this message board. I look at it as an entirely different message board, that happens to be linked and connected to the SDMB in such a way that members here who want to can participate there, and members who don't can just ignore it. Kinda like two businesses sharing a building.

Am I missing something?

Being that they are subforums of the main board, I see it more as a grocery store that has subletted a small booth to a vendor selling miniature Sears Tower chotchkes while the f"Rock the Vote" folks are wandering the aisles blocking the chip display with the 10 for $10 Doritos.

Again not a HUGE deal and no real ire, but seems the time that it took to put that together could've been better served elsewhere... their house, their rules. DOesn't mean we have to agree with it.

[Interconnected Series of Tubes]

I can't be the only one who didn't even notice until reading this thread.

[Dewey Finn]

Although I recognize that Ed Zotti is trying to appeal to local advertisers, I think that fragmenting the membership of the board by creating local sub-boards is the wrong approach. Instead, I think they would have been better off trying to appeal to the people who post questions on places like Yahoo! Answers, considering that, according to this article, "Hitwise, Yahoo! Answers is the second-most-visited education/reference site on the Internet after Wikipedia." That article goes on to discuss how inaccurate many answers are on Yahoo! Answers. I think people can get better information here, and once they do, they'll be drawn in and want to stay.

[Revtim]

Originally Posted by mhendo

I was just having a discussion with someone about the issue of gay marriage, and how i don't understand why it is so vehemently opposed by people who will not be directly affected by it in any way.

I sort of feel the same way (although in a much less concerned manner) about your rant.

How has your SDMB experience changed as a result of what you're complaining about? If the presence of the Chicago forums doesn't make any noticeable difference to the regular SDMB forums, why do you give a shit? I've also spent a bunch of time on these Boards over the past years, and the introduction of the Chicago sections has not changed my board experience one bit. Hell, my screen resolution means that, when i open the SDMB home page, i don't even see them. They are literally out of sight, out of mind.

I've complained about certain things here in the past, but this is truly lame.

A-fucking-men. What the fuck is wrong with people that they can't just not take part in something they are not interested in, they have to complain about it and try to get rid of it for everybody? I have zero interest in the new forums, so I don't fucking read them. Why is this concept so fucking difficult for some people?

[Omegaman]

Why bother. Fuck.

[Hamlet]

Originally Posted by Ogre

No shit. I've read it. Now I'm Pitting it.

No shit. Now you're making an whiny bitch of yourself too.

[Simplicio]

Heh. I didn't even notice the new forums until this thread pointed them out. I can't see them on my browser unless I scroll down from the frontpage, which I don't really have any reason to do. I literally could've gone months without knowing about them.

Now that its been pointed out to me though, I'm angry as hell and hope whoevers idea this was is put up against a wall.

[carnivorousplant]

Originally Posted by scout1222

Tell the truth - if you had an 18-inch-long tongue that's what you'd do!

Which reminds us all of the famous Lyndon Baines Johnson quote.

[Manda JO]

Originally Posted by dgrdfd

I want a Huntsville, AL forum.

That would double the number of things to do in Huntsville, AL

Manda JO
Grissom, Class of '95

[descamisado]

You, you, you made me look . . . . down there!

I'll get you for this; the SDMB Front Page will continue to end at The BBQ Pit for me.

[Roland Orzabal]

Originally Posted by Simplicio

Heh. I didn't even notice the new forums until this thread pointed them out. I can't see them on my browser unless I scroll down from the frontpage, which I don't really have any reason to do. I literally could've gone months without knowing about them.

Now that its been pointed out to me though, I'm angry as hell and hope whoevers idea this was is put up against a wall.

What he said. Didn't have a clue until five minutes ago, and now my rage burns with the fire of a thousand Taquitos.

...with Texas Pete.

[carnivorousplant]

Originally Posted by 5-4-Fighting

the SDMB Front Page will continue to end at The BBQ Pit for me.

What? There is something under the Pit?
Oh lord, no, please, no...

[ShibbOleth]

I originally came into support my comrade Ogre in his latent outrage, and to tell him "Go GATORS!" to sort of take the good karma back. I live in a CL city and could care less if they want to do Tampa fora. Probably wouldn't get much notice by folks here.

Originally Posted by carnivorousplant

Even I, Who Detest All Sports, watched Olympic Ladie's Beach Volleyball. Buck up, old fellow, buck up!

Then I read this. It must either be "Olympic Lady's Beach Volleyball" or "Olympic Ladies' Beach Volleyball". Most likely it is instead Olympic Women's Beach Volleyball. Truly, though, it is a sport for the sports challenged amongst you.

[Ogre]

Originally Posted by Hamlet

No shit. Now you're making an whiny bitch of yourself too.

Hamlet, eternal asshole.

[Ichini Sanshigo]

Originally Posted by Interconnected Series of Tubes

I can't be the only one who didn't even notice until reading this thread.

You aren't. Because of my screen resolution, I didn't even see the new forums until just now. Thanks Ogre!

[Autolycus]

Well, if you really hated the new forums, why waste your time complaining to the administration? Do something about it! Here's a few things you could do:

• Make threads in them pretending you're from Chicago. See how long it goes before people figure out you're bullshitting.
• Purposefully make threads in them that aren't related to Chicago.
• Make threads about how living in Chicago sucks.
• Give Autolycus five dollars.

Of course, all of those options are bad ideas, except for that last one.

[Nancarrow]

Originally Posted by Interconnected Series of Tubes

I can't be the only one who didn't even notice until reading this thread.

You are not.

And for those who, like me, are rather annoyed to see six new Chicago based forums, here's a suggestion. You've bookmarked the SDMB, of course. We all have.
Well, just replace your old link with this:

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/...splay.php?f=15

Presto! It's as if Chicago never existed!

[Bosstone]

Originally Posted by Dewey Finn

Although I recognize that Ed Zotti is trying to appeal to local advertisers, I think that fragmenting the membership of the board by creating local sub-boards is the wrong approach.

I don't think they're trying to fragment anyone at all. I think they're trying to bring in all-new members who are here just for the local boards. We navelgazers can stay over here.

[joyfool]

Yanno, as soon as I saw the announcement in ATMB, I knew someone would pit this. It was just a matter of time. For me though, it's sorta like Revtim said.... I'm not interested in those forums, but I honestly don't understand why they can't just be ignored then and allow everyone else to have their fun. Geesh.

[quixotic78]

Originally Posted by Ogre

Meanwhile, Dopers have been asking for a whole suite of new SDMB features that get lost in the shuffle, but you can implement a shitload of new forums for local interest?

I (a) didn't notice the new fora, (b) don't care about the new fora, and (c) think Ogre is overreacting, but this seems a fair point. Even if it's simple to add a new forum and complicated to add other things, this recent change can be interpreted as a message from the powers that be -- namely, new stuff will be implemented if (and only if?) it benefits TPTB, not the user base at large.

Or perhaps not. But I think it's a point worth discussing.

[Starving Artist]

Originally Posted by silenus

Reading comprehension would help here. The CL people are trying to launch websites and message board groups in all the cities they have newspapers, ideally. This is the pilot program to see if the idea will fly. Since they already have and maintain this board, it makes sense to run the pilot program as an adjunct rather than set up a whole new board. This also gives them some spill-over, which helps. It in no way interferes with this board or its operation. It's not because Chicago discussions were all over the place here. It's because they are trying to expand and modify their business model so they don't vanish into the ether. Cut them some slack and just ignore the new areas if they annoy you so much.

This.

[Maastricht]

Originally Posted by Autolycus

Well, if you really hated the new forums, why waste your time complaining to the administration? Do something about it! Here's a few things you could do:

• Make threads in them pretending you're from Chicago. See how long it goes before people figure out you're bullshitting.
• Purposefully make threads in them that aren't related to Chicago.
• Make threads about how living in Chicago sucks.
• Give Autolycus five dollars.

Of course, all of those options are bad ideas, except for that last one.

Sure. I've left them for you at this very friendly newspaper vendor. Go right outside the Bears's stadium....

[Measure for Measure]

Awesome idea. Expanding the fight against ignorance is always a good thing in my view.

[Aeschines]

these new forums are going to be, and already to be, a flop?

There are not enough Chicago Dopers to make these work. There are not going to be any Chicagoans who join because of them. They won't work.

[Koxinga]

Originally Posted by Aeschines

these new forums are going to be, and already to be, a flop?

There are not enough Chicago Dopers to make these work. There are not going to be any Chicagoans who join because of them. They won't work.

I tend to agree: I'm not worked up like the OP, but seems to me that if the PtB are gonna start pimpin' out this place, at least read one or two undergraduate marketing texts. Lame-o-rama.