# Why aren't there more forums? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 7, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804 "2011-01-07T23:01:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804/21 "2011-01-08T16:48:54Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > I wholeheartedly recommend the creation of a beauty forum, where my countenance can finally receive its just praise. I volunteer to moderate that forum when it is created. It would only be fair to have a beauty contest before choosing the moderator. I want to see you walk in heels before I vote for you. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804/22 "2011-01-08T17:44:45Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > It would only be fair to have a beauty contest before choosing the moderator. I want to see you walk in heels before I vote for you. I think we’ll pass on the swimsuit competition, though. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804/23 "2011-01-08T23:33:06Z")
It seems to me that if a forum does not have a few new questions and a few answers almost daily the forum tends to languish. A family of forums called Gardenweb was flourishing between about '97 to '01. They added about 60-80 titles and now most persons with gardening questions just slap them in the first active title they come across. The whole thing became unmanageable and someone sold it someone else who is reportedly owned by NBC. There is not much gardening information there anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804/24 "2011-01-09T04:44:56Z")
> [@Lasciel](#): > > (snipped, obviously) > > Weird question then - I’m a newbie and just a guest, but I can see and reply to Marketplace threads. I can’t post new threads, but I’m still able to participate in the forum itself - is that the way it’s supposed to be? > > From your comment I’m wondering now if that is a glitch. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. We want to give some extras to paying members, and allowing them to start threads in the Marketplace forum is one way of doing so. It also prevents spammers (who NEVER buy a subscription) from starting threads there. ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804/25 "2011-01-09T05:58:42Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > So, no, most of us like thumbing through a lot of topics. That way (at least for me) I often learn new stuff, and find interesting new reading that I might not have chosen if I were just browsing traditional genres. I will agree with this. This is one of the many reasons I’ve become known among my friends as “the guy who knows a little about a lot”. Due to the fact I’ve been on the dope for over a decade now (don’t look at my join date, remember that is only when I wanted to ask my first question), I like the way this board is set up. I’ve been hanging out here for over ten years, the only thing I’ve been doing for as long as I’ve been here is my wife. I’ve been on the dope for a third of my life, and it is one of my joys. It is the top bookmark on all my browsers and phones. I like the “type” of discussion format. Questions which actually have actual answers (GQ), questions that don’t (IMHO), questions that will have a debate (GQ), questions on a posted comment on [Straightdope.com](http://Straightdope.com) (CSR, CC). Questions on the arts (CS), questions on any type of game (GR), Things people want to share as a community (MPSIMS), and stuff that bothers people, including other dopers (BBQ). I know exactly where I should go depending on the type of thing I want to read. I spend most of my time here, but am still mostly a lurker, even if since I’ve gone through school, I have more GQ type questions I can answer. Heck, the more I learn, the higher my post count goes 🙂 So, to answer the question in a GQ type way, the reason we have forums in a “type” instead of a “topic” is because the people who support this board like it that way. I like it the way it is. The only major change I would vote in favor of is combining CSR and CC. In both cases, the “type” of question is the same, something that was posted on [Straightdope.com](http://Straightdope.com). ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804/26 "2011-01-09T07:00:52Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > It hit a point when we felt the need to break off at least one topic area (entertainment) because GQ was flooded with TV, Movie, etc questions. So Cafe Society was born. Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t Cafe Society spun off of IMHO, and not GQ? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804/27 "2011-01-09T13:00:01Z")
The only way I could see this sort of thing working is with tags, so that the forums were still populated. Actual subforums, as explained above, would not work, but I think a small number of predefined tags might. The only problem I see is that an actual search would have to be run if you want to see threads that only have a certain tag. While it would be less taxing than a regular search, I don’t know if the board can take it. Especially without a full-time tech operator that could make it work. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804/28 "2011-01-09T14:14:13Z")
I"ve mentioned this before, but the latest [poop](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=592268) question proves the need for a PQ forum. I think the process of choosing a mod would make the effort absolutely worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804/29 "2011-01-10T16:47:58Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > When The Straight Dope left AOl and [straightdope.com](http://straightdope.com) was originally set up using vBulletin forum software, the forums were: > About This Message Board, aka ATMB > Comments on Cecil’s Columns / Comments on Staff Reports > General Questions, aka GQ > Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share, aka MPSIMS (the forum title comes from the name of a discussion thread at the AOL board) One very minor correction. I believe the boards used UBB prior to turning to vB. Not that it had a big difference - UBB functioned very similarly and had much the same appearance. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804/30 "2011-01-10T17:27:13Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I believe the boards used UBB prior to turning to vB. And this is also correct. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804/31 "2011-01-10T18:59:39Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t Cafe Society spun off of IMHO, and not GQ? Both, really. Factual questions about entertainment went in GQ, and opinions went in IMHO. Same with the Game Room, although game threads themselves (IIRC) mainly went in MPSIMS and sports threads were in CS. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-there-more-forums/566804.md?page=1)