EXAMPLE: Sticky Thread - Hack Categories

[theflow]

continued from prior post:
What we're discussing should not even be an issue. Search is great for many types of scenarios, and for others, it's more helpful to Browse. When browsing, it is most helpful to browse categorized groupings -- whether it is genre based movies or "New Arrivals". Ever try to browse the "used videos for sale - $3.99" bin? Totally uncategorized, and simply arranged by the happenstance way the video clerk happened to grab them out of the box and throw them onto the shelf or table for display. Much like the happenstance way that thread requests show up on a chron-view in a forum. I'm sorry, it's almost pointless to debate this point.

Search may indeed be faster 95% of the time (though it usually is not as crystalline as your "encrypted password" suggestion above). And for those times when it's not, an organized browse capability is essential -- not just desirable, but essential... if you're into customer service.

I would much rather people post their hacks for release on vBulletin.org. The organization is there... There just doesn't seem to be the support for this. I thought about posting the individual hacks there myself but then I would get more email and ICQ than I get now because my name would be attached to them and people expect support.

I went there a few times, I believe, in following a link from Ed Sullivan's sig. I don't remember it specifically other than to say it seemed great -- just not kept current, as you already note. Maybe that IS a great solution. I think you guys at vB should discuss that. As someone noted earlier, it sounds like you guys are all working your asses off, are very over-taxed, and trying to deliver the best possible service. Believe it or not, we do appreciate it more than you are understanding. So please don't mistake constructive criticism as dismissing the tremendous job being done by vB support staff.

In the end, I guess for me I'm saying this: I'm trying to proactively make an acknowledged flawed situation a little better -- but from a non-techie user's perspective, not from a vB Developer's or Moderator's perspective. It's fine that we disagree about solution approaches. I've never liked the "love it or leave it" approach to life, nor do I like the "bitch, bitch, bitch but you never get off your lazy ass to do anything yourself" approach. In my case, I'm trying to rally support to make the user experience here better. If no one but me and 3 other people cares about that, then okay. We'll do our thing and you can leave us alone. I would ask that you not mistake, however, the number of people who reply to this "sticky thread" concept as indicative of the number of people who might actually appreciate such a solution once implemented. It is a well known fact that most people in all areas of life don't even take the time to lodge a complaint, nor take the time to say "yeah, I agree with that". So unless you scientifically poll a representative samping of vB users about their receptivity to such a proposed categorical grouping of requests and solutions, you really should not rule out this suggestion based on thread reply numbers. That said, it is useful, probably, to note the number of page views for the "explain the information design of this forum" thread.

I hope this long dissertation is useful to someone other than me. I do try to help. And that's the spirit in which I offer this reply and my overall suggestions.