The new format

[Neil]

I much prefer the old, threaded format, and am now using the www.cs-bb.com board.

I wil keep looking here for a while.

In the end. the quality of the posts are the most important.

I want to see primarily sailing (broadly related) , with a few funny ones, and no nasty comments, politics or totally off topic stuff.

[Rick Beddoe]

As humans, 'old' = 'comfy'. And with an alternative that keeps folks 'comfy', then why not? People (non sailing types) often ask "what do you do when the weather is rough?" My reply, "We stay home where it's comfy".

Though many of us believe we 'must' sail, it's really only that we 'want' to sail because we like it.

Stick around here Neil if you like it. csbb is an excellent option for those who like that format. If that's your taste, hey go for it! In fact, you can do both! :o

Personally, I've used this format on many bulletin boards and find it a MUCH easier to use format and MUCH more powerful. But again, that's just my preference.

But I STILL don't like to sail in rough weather :wink:

[Fred]

You find this crapy format 'powerful'? Don't you mean slow? And rather difficult to view in advance if someone you don't like--- or respect or want to hear their answers--is filling the replies with useless comments?

I'd much rather be able to glance down the topic's and take in what the subjects are and who is doing the responding. Saves a lot of time and bandwidth.

You can go to the new threaded (just like the old CWBB) Crusing Sailors BB at

http://www.cs-bb.com/forums/CSBB/index.cgi/#12001

where everyone is welcome and their is no registration or restrictions on mentioning names of sailing mags.

[Randy]

First of all, Fred, you're a dork.

As for the format I see two distinct problems.

First, if the post starts to take a fork (or two) it looses it's continuity. You have to train youself to read every other or every third post to follow the fork you're interested in. A post replying to one 3 or 4 posts earlier might leave you scratching your head saying "what are you referring to?"

Second if a couple of posts are weak you might give up on it and miss the rest. I might consider this very comment a good example. Not that it's that insightful an observation, but because of Fred's post ahead of mine I bet few people read it.

Sorry, but I just can't find an advantage to this layout and yes, I've been on a few BBs.

[Tim]

In the end. the quality of the posts are the most important.


That's where some of the board features come in, to keep one focused on what is being referred to.

[Saorsa]

In the end. the quality of the posts are the most important.


That's where some of the board features come in, to keep one focused on what is being referred to.

What? You expect these people to learn something?

[Tim]

What? You expect these people to learn something?

doh. nevermind.

[Randy]

In the end. the quality of the posts are the most important.


That's where some of the board features come in, to keep one focused on what is being referred to.

I agree, staying on topic is a big attribute of this format. That's why I like it on the computer boards I frequent, it leaves a seperate chapter for each individual subject. Makes it easier to find a string on the issue I'm working on.

On a sailing board the communication is more conversational. It can start out with a question like "what boat should I buy" and end up finding out the particular quirks of a specific engine and an "I've got that problem too!"

[Catalina Kids]

I know one thing: I'll never buy jack sh*t from sailboat owners.com, 'cause I'm tired of hearing about that board over here.

[rob]

... I don't like the format one bit either, but I like a lot of people that hang here. Unfortunately, I miss a LOT of their post because I don't click on EVERY topic.

Is there a way that we can set up our preferences to veiw all of the posts in a topic from the front page?

I mean, a Topic could be "This One Time At Band Camp..." and I wouldn't be interested in it so I wouldn't click on it. I'll never know what I'm missing, could be a group of friends that were talking about a regatta that I attended or something else. I'll never know...

It could be someone praising Cruising World for their efforts and NOBODY will ever see it.

[Small bird]

Is there a way that we can set up our preferences to veiw all of the posts in a topic from the front page?

I don't know about it as a function of preferences, but I think the Cape Dory board is pretty functional that way, and it uses the same software as this one from what I can tell. Here's the link, if you want to have a quick look-see:

http://www.capedory.org/board/viewforum.php?f=1&sid=3b3ab4ccfced1b522e109832d48bf1a3

I like it a lot better than this, and I can't see any disadvantage in terms of losing any of this board's features.

SB

[Rick Beddoe]

one thing about phpbb (the basis for this board) is that it's highly extensible. If CW will take an active approach to administering this board, they should take advantage of some of the plugins and extension 'mods' available on the phpbb site (http://www.phpbb.com). I would be willing to bet there's even a mod to make the board function like the 'threaded' CSBB. (note: there are two mods listed on the phpbb site that would allow for threaded viewing)

There could be a separate 'room', maybe called something like 'The Rusty Scupper' or 'The Bitter End Bar', etc. etc. where threaded viewing is allowed.

But, all of that requires salary for an IT staff...

[Winston Gribb]

Rob, I must agree. I do not have just tons of time to visit these BB's and it used to be so easy to scan the threads and see whom was posting to what and where the topic was going.

Now I must open every subject to see who has posted. Oh, I know this format here might be acceptable if I posted a request for help in changing my oil filter, but that was not what CWBB was all about....it was about a place to hang out and see friends and get the latest dirt on the sailing world of friends.

Of course those friends were always helpful with any boating problems too, but this place now has the comeraderie of a turkish bath....I mean you just cannot find anyone for the steam. You look here, you look there. You have to keep opening another door to see who is in the subject room. You know what I mean?

Well, I am limited by time and just cannot spend it all looking behind every door. I'm going to leave and go to CSBB where maybe I won't get direct answers to a serious question but I can easily find something of interest.