DisneyDestroyer

Question to the moderators: Why are you moving so many posts from RX-8 discussion to the lounge? It seems to me that discussing options, choosing this car or another car, insurance, communications from Mazda regarding your order, comparisons, etc. are all discussions regarding the RX-8. They are all related to the car, no? As opposed to discussions of, say, current events, sports, etc.

Has some mod decided that he wants to do some load balancing or encourage people to visit a new board?

If so many people think that these topics belong in one board vs another, perhaps you should allow the users to use the board in a way that makes sense to them, or else provide better guidelines regarding what belongs in which category...

Gord96BRG

... just waiting for this thread to get moved to the Suggestions forum where it belongs! :p

Regards,
Gordon

RX-8 Zoomster

I think DISNEYDESTROYER has a valid point. Every thread that was moved from here in the last few days HAS been RX-8 discussion. Except this in a way.

I also thought the lounge was topics not pertaining to the RX-8 and other non-related BS that does not have a home somewhere else. Idle "chit-chat" as the forum's explanation states.

Seems to me, most of the threads that got moved should have stayed here. Just my 2 cents.

Sputnik

Name a thread or threads, and it will be explained why they were moved.

---jps

RX-8 Zoomster

Ok. I'll try.

1. Cancelled my pre order - Reality check - Dealt with canceling an RX-8 order. RX-8 discussion.

2. Who has closed their deal. - Dealt with someone asking who has closed their deal on the RX-8. RX-8 discussion.

3. RX-8 Sightings - Dealt with as the title implies. RX-8 discussion.

4. best buying experience so far. - Dealt with a person's best buying experience so far which happened to be relating to a RX-8. RX-8 discussion.

5. Going to Japan - Dealt with a person going to Japan to check out the RX-8 factory & inquiring about RX-8 activities. RX-8 discussion.

6. Rotor Watch - Dealt with a gift someone got for buying their RX-8. RX-8 discussion.

7. winter wheels - Dealt with someone inquiring whether their current set of winter wheels will fit the bolt pattern of the RX-8. RX-8 discussion.

8. Your RX8 is on the way!! - Dealt with someone receiving an Email announcing that their RX-8 is on th way. RX-8 discussion.

9. Mazda Rev-It-Up! Philly! - Dealt with Mazda's Rev-It-Up event, where an RX-8 is featured and track driven. RX-8 discussion. RX-8 discussion.

10. I should have gotten my call weeks ago! - Dealt with DisneyDestroyer's dealer experience about him finally get his VIN# staight and asking whether he should get a fee for doing all the work the saleman should have been doing. RX-8 discussion.

I won't go on. This is just in the last two days. To be fair, I can see really why #7 got moved, but what I can't see why a topic like Tire rotation and odd wheel design stays and winter wheels move. Totally dumbfounds me. Seems like both should have went to THE TECH GARAGE forum.

Please explain.

DisneyDestroyer

:D :D :D :D :D

SGC

I'm no moderator, but ultimately the problem comes down to the difference between talking about the car itself ("What grade of fuel does it take?", "Where's the cupholder?") and talking about yourself and the car ("Which color do I want?", "I want to buy one", "First roadie?"*) or talking about yourself and the process of buying the car ("Why is my local dealership clueless?", "Mazda sent me my order confirmation").

Perhaps there needs to be a better indication of the purpose of the RX-8 discussion and Lounge forums OR perhaps there should be new forums for "RX-8 Current and Prospective Owners" and/or "Pre-orders", etc.. It's just not clear where topics that are "Kinda RX-8 Discussion" go versus completely off-topic discussion ("Today I breathed oxygen").

This at least may help divert the VIN #, delivery date, etc. discussion threads that is of interest to a rather narrow and well-defined segment of the community. I'm anxiously awaiting my car but realize that the volume of North America pre-order status trivia in the main forum is fairly obnoxious to everyone else.

SGC

Sputnik

The way we are sorting threads on this board, we aren't keeping a thread in RX8 Discussions if it is remotely related to an RX8. If the main topic is something else, it will be moved to the appropriate forum instead. It had more to do with someone's personal situation than an RX8. Again, had little to no discussion about the car, just about the deals. Which one? Please post a link. It dealt more with dealerships, etc., than the car itself. That thread was more about the trip than about the actual car. That was about a watch, not an RX8. Which one? Please post a link. Which one? Please post a link. Dealt with an event occuring in the NE region. That thread was about dealership experiences more than the car itself. Again, show me the links (because there is so much repetition here) of which ones you are referring to, and I will explain.

---jps

Kuf

Since my own link got moved i'm going to reply to this.

ISN'T THE FORUM NAMED GENERAL TOPICS???????????

How does talking about THE RX8 vs YOUR RX8 change where the topic belongs. All this moving is stupid if you ask me. I thought the lounge was for non RX8 specific topics.

In fact here are the specifics for the forums as listed:

General Topics: Talk about the upcoming Mazda RX-8
Lounge: Chit chat ... keep it clean please

Someone is move happy IMO.

RX-8 Zoomster

Appreciate the response JPS.

I'll include the links on the threads you asked about.

3. RX-8 Sightings, Link

7. winter wheels - Link . As I said this is the only one that seems to makes sense in why it was moved.

8. Your RX8 is on the way!!, Link

9. Mazda Rev-It-Up! Philly! - I can see your logic here, but it gets cumbersome to always go to the region. Many here like to know about Rev-it-up without having to do that. Expecially when people tell about their experiences, and include pictures and/or video. To me that is a nation-wide news, not only regional.

Tire rotation and odd wheel design, Link. Should have been moved to THE TECH GARAGE, right? But it didn't move like the winter wheels thread.

The other threads I mentioned before - I can see your logic, kind of. But it could go either way.

IMO, I think the lounge should be for non RX8 specific topics only. And IMHO, right now there are some threads that discuss the RX as it's central point of idea.

Kuf

I couldn't agree more. I think more important RX8 related topics will be MISSED by new forum viewers because they are in the Lounge now.

DisneyDestroyer

From my experience on other boards, there is usually one forum for non-board related conversations. This is what I think of for the lounge, and I believe most other people who are visiting do too. That the lounge is for talking about sports, weather, politics, etc. That would make "RX-8 discussion" for general things not found in the other forums. In other words, anything related to the upcoming, approaching car. Things such as interactions with dealers with respect to the car, your impression of the car, buying the car, Mazda rev-it-up, etc.

If you're seeing that high of a ratio of people posting in the "wrong place", perhaps you should create different forums, new forums, or differently described/titled forums.

Or simply shift your mental paradigm to allow for a different frame of reference (sorry, a bit of the office creeping in).

Edit: Besides which, there are plenty of other threads to which the same logic could be applied:
How to drive an RX-8 - driving the car, not the car itself.
Order Status - 3rd Allocation - ordering the car, not the car itself.
monthly payments - paying for the car, not the car itself.
Before Buying New Wheels/rims.... - replacement wheels for the car, not the car itself.
Automatics Ordered (4 confirmed) - order status of the car, not the car itself.
Adding port accessories while in transit - changing the order to get accessories, not the car itself.

There are very few things left to talk about the car itself, now that all of the information is widely available. There's not too many people discussing the cruise control, size of the trunk, number of doors, location of the cupholders, brand of tires, etc.

Digisan

Much needed RX-8 moderator training:



How to be a Mod

Sputnik

It's callled "RX8 Discussion", not "General Topics".
Another thing that we're trying to do is keep the most often read/posted forum, "Discussions" clear of redundant, trivial items. Along the lines of what SGC was talking about when he said ...I'm anxiously awaiting my car but realize that the volume of North America pre-order status trivia in the main forum is fairly obnoxious to everyone else... The same goes for things like "sightings". If such a thread goes beyond mentioning the sighting and into discussing some aspect of the car (other than "it looked cool"), then it is normally kept in "Discussions". The reason it doesn't go to LOUNGE instead is because there are occasionally some discussions about where others in the area might see it, like at a certain event, dealership, or show. Like the others, that one was merely talking about the ordering process. Unless I am confusing it with another thread, this one was a "who's going?" type of thread, and not a review. Reviews, when they pertain to the RX8 and any test drives of the RX8 (as opposed to the 6 or other car), are normally moved out of regional and into discussions. Those are judgement calls as to how "techy" it is. Admittedly, inconsistencies like that will happen with multiple moderators, and amongst the same moderator, depending on how he/she felt when they skimmed the post.

Quote:

IMO, I think the lounge should be for non RX8 specific topics only.

Fair enough. Some of us suggested adding a "dealership/ordering" type of forum, so that all of the pre-ordering/"I got an email"/"dealers suck" type of conversations had a home. But the administrators/owners decided against it (there are performance and administration problems when you add too many forums).

Quote:

And IMHO, right now there are some threads that discuss the RX as it's central point of idea.

Sometimes the course of a conversation in a thread will shift, and a thread that once was "lounge-bound" might otherwise turn to focus on the RX8. Once-in-awhile, we'll move a thread like that back, but normally we are going to leave it where it is to keep from "ping-ponging" a thread around, especially if the thread isn't all that busy.

If there is a question, or indecision, we are trying to keep the "Discussions" forum as on-point as possible, so we will err on the side of keeping it clear. Some things might seem to be moved unnecessarilly, and other things might not be returned as quickly. And moderators will occasionally make some mistakes. To be fair, most of those that you will see will be my mistakes.

---jps

RX-8 Zoomster

JPS,

You're modding this board, so I have to settle on that. With that and since I'm fighting a losing cause, I'll stop my subscription to this thread.

Thanks for the clarifications.

Digisan

So I stay on topic, I have a suggestion, read this post:

Sputnik

I think I should point out to those who have brought up concerns on this thread that I am not saying that you are wrong. They have certainly been valid questions and valid opinions on what forums should contain what. I am merely explaining what guidelines we are currently following as far as moving, forum content, etc.

I should also point out that while I do have a little influence, most of these guidelines have been set by the administrators, owners, and the moderator team in general. I'm not trying to say "Don't blame me", I am trying to say that I am not making these guidelines on my own, according to my personal opinion to how things should be. It's a team effort. There are some ways in which I don't agree with the guidelines, but I have guidelines I have to follow too, and I have people to answer to.

And these guidelines aren't set in stone, either. We still consider ourselves "starting up", and there are still some things that may change down the line. There are some things that people like on other forums which we may well incorporate the next time we change things, so please don't hesitate to post those suggestions.

---jps

jdj1971

I'd say don't worry about what these guys/gals move. Once the 8 is here this site will trickle down to nothing. I for one won't be reading it any more once my car is here! So 2 weeks left for me!
Don't try and figure out why it they're moving threads. It's just on THIER opinion whether it gets moved or not. They seem to have very narrow definitions of goes in each forum.

BTW. look at the top of the page. I see "general topics" don't you?

RX-8 Forum > General Topics > Suggestions >

pmacwill

seriously? these things bother you? All I do, I browse to www.rx8club.com, push the "view new posts" link under my login in the right hand corner, and then scroll through each thread with new posts. I don't care if is the europe forum, NE, South, lounge, whatever. thats a mere technicality. If there is useful, informative, or entertaining content, I'll read through each of the new posts. If it looks like something I wouldn't want to read based on the Thread title or content, I won't read it.

Its that simple. It really shouldn't matter where the thread is located.

Sputnik

"General Topics" is a collection of several forums, and the name of the forum itself (the forum that was mentioned anyway) is "RX8 Discussion". Just like this is the "Suggestions" forum, which is merely part of the "General Topics" collection.

---jps

8_wannabe

I'm just a humble newbie here, though I have been lurking as a guest for several weeks. If I get to cast a "vote" (realizing the mod has at least 51% of the vote) I like how SGC phrased it. Are people talking about the car (who makes the nav system), or are they talking about their particular experience with the car (saw one, what color, VIN number, etc.) I would find browsing much more productive if topics were delineated this way. Then, a 3rd "lounge" area that is related to off-topic like Phases of the Moon, Spice Girls and the like.

That said, the more I participate in this forum the more I depend on the New Posts search to see what has come up since my last visit. That way, it makes less and less difference to me where things are. They all pop up regardless. Finally, I get email notification when a topic I am especially interested in gets a post. The email has a link that takes me straight there; I don't care if it's moved or not.

Since I spend no time or money maintaining this site my vote is worth somewhere close to squat.