At the top of each page provide links for each of the forums. When I am on SDMB I will often click back and forth between the main page and the other forums. This is a needless step that only adds to the bandwidth overload. I am willing to bet that many, many people also go back and forth from the main page, rather than opening up multiple windows.
It may not be a lot, but putting a prominent link to each of the forums would be an easy and painless way to cut out a significant portion of useless page-loads.
And then what happens to all those people who think that since it’s gone from the bottom of the page, we removed it? Or to those who read a thread until the last post and then switch to a different forum? Are we going to force them to scroll all the way back to the top? Oh, the humanity!
I don’t see why it’s necessary to have it twice, even if it were possible (I haven’t checked the template.) We already have people complaining that the top graphic takes up too much space at the top of the page. If we add a drop-down box that will move down the first post on the page even more.
Here’s another proposal for the SDMB Staff, which I think yields a much, much better benefit.
Make all of the “Social” Forums (the BBQ Pit, Cafe Society, MPSIMS, IMHO) Member’s Only with respect to viewing.
Advantages:
Greatly reduces bandwidth and server requirements as non-Members are no longer accessing those very busy Forums.
Does not in any way prevent SDMB Members from posting, reading, or participating in said Forums.
Can be implemented from the Admin Control panel with no template changes whatsoever in minutes. And un-implemented, should the SDMB change its mind, just as quick.
Non-Members can still read and enjoy the Comments on Cecil’s and Staff columns, ATMB, GQ, and GD. Ignorance is still fought.
Non-Members and Banned Members can no longer get a voyeuristic pleasure from reading the BBQ Pit and the flames therein. You all know exactly what I’m talking about here.
Maintains the social community of the SDMB.
Disadvantages:
Requires change.
Cries of “censorship!” will be heard.
People will claim that this will discourage non-Members from joining the community. I contend that the SDMB is not meant to be a “Community where intelligent people happen to discuss weightier issues”, but rather “A place where intelligent people tackle tough issues, learn from each other, and yes, also discuss the mundane and pointless.”
Well? Am I really off-base here? Is this a good or a bad thing?
Do we have any idea of what percentage of bandwidth goes to members and non-members reading which forums? I never would have thought it was significant.
I remember some vague numbers from when the total number of Members and non-Members online was posted. And I can draw some inferences from large sites such as Fathom. My site is too small, and already has two Members Only Forums, so I don’t have a good metric.
But I would imagine that the ratio of Members/non-Members is about 75%/25%. If we assume that half of those are viewing the aforementioned Forums which would be made Members Only, then that would be, all things equal, a 12% reduction in bandwidth and server needs. It is possible that the Pit and MPSIMS account for a busier than average portoin of the Board, so I would be willing to buy Arnold a steak dinner if this idea of mine did not reduce the page views per day by 15%.
So you’re simply proposing a shift in the classification of a person; if they were a registered member, they’d get access to the members-only areas. If they were unregistered, they wouldn’t? Like that?
I guess it would be helpful to know how many people are lurking out there, unregistered, accessing the ‘social’ forums.
Kinda of. It’s really quite simple - for each Forum, you can specify what type of user can have access. Unregistered/non-Members (classified as “Guests”) would simply not be allowed to see those 4 “social” Forums. They could easily see and read the main “Ignorance-fighting” forums, and upon becoming a Registered Member, they would automatically, with no other action needed, be able to see the remaining Forums.
Current registered Members would see no difference whatsoever.
As I said - it’s an idea of mine that has a lot of pluses, and not many minuses - in fact, IMO, it really is a no-lose scenario. My Board has been running that way for about 14 months now with two “Members Only” Forums, and has worked very well.
Sure, but how often does that happen? Don’t most people come here for the intelligent stuff and hang around and post a lot because of the social stuff?
Arnold, nothing but the hassle of actually registering. What keeps people as permanent lurkers instead of registering to post? Same diff. I think Anthracite feels pretty certain that not many people will bother to register and then have nothing to say. Thus the benefits of reduced viewing will remain. And the few that do will be a small percentage, probably noise to the already number of registered users who post almost never. (You know, those folks that registered in 1999 and have 6 posts to their name, yet read all the time.)
Not saying I agree this is appropriate, just ‘splainin’.
Arnold, nothing but the hassle of actually registering. What keeps people as permanent lurkers instead of registering to post? Same diff. I think Anthracite feels pretty certain that not many people will bother to register and then have nothing to say. Thus the benefits of reduced viewing will remain. And the few that do will be a small percentage, probably noise to the already number of registered users who post almost never. (You know, those folks that registered in 1999 and have 6 posts to their name, yet read all the time.)
Not saying I agree this is appropriate, just ‘splainin’.
Oh, the humanity!