67 442

I am starting to visit this site a little more often but find myself frustrated by all the sub forums. For example, is it necessary to have a forum for "parts", "parts wanted" and "parts for sale"? IMHO delete the "Parts" forum and just have the two sub forums stand alone.

Ditto for cars and parts cars. Too me it seems redundant and cleaning up things will make the site more inviting.

That's my two cents, take it for what it worth.

70 cutlass s

I don't agree, I think it makes it eaiser to find what your looking for. Putting all the parts wanted and parts for sale just under parts, would make it more confusing.

The only problem I have is titles that have anything to do with the thread or threads in the wrong forum.

gearheads78

I tend to agree with you. It used to be not enough but it went too far the other direction.

67 442

Let me try again,

I didn't say put everything under "parts" I said delete "parts" and let "parts wanted" and "parts for sale" stand alone. The "parts" forum is redundant.
Ditto for "Cars" and "Parts Cars". All are located in the "Classifieds" section so that keeps them grouped.

Rickman48

I can see a Parts section - If you've got a part and it needs identifying, but you don't want to sell it, and you don't need it because you've already got it, where do you put it??

Nothing in this world is perfect!

70 cutlass s

I guess I didn't read your post fully before posting. I see your point, I could go for that.

jaunty75

Am I missing something here? There isn't a separate "Parts" forum. If you click on "Parts," you're taken to page which has two choices, "Parts Wanted" or "Parts for Sale." I don't see a way to post in a forum titled simply "Parts."

jaunty75

On further investigating, I think I see what you're saying. In the "Oldsmobile Classifieds" forum, there are currently three "sub-forums", each with two sub-sub-forums under them. You could get rid of the sub-forum level and promote the three sub-sub-forums to sub-forums. Then you'd just have six sub-forums directly under the "Oldsmobile Classifieds" forum: cars wanted, cars for sale, parts wanted, parts for sale, parts cars wanted, and parts cars for sale.

I could see that.

TK-65

yes, there are too many sub forums. For the chassis forum there are 5 subforums.

67 442

You nailed it...

I do realize I am nit picking but what the heck.

TK-65

Its not nit picking at all. I sometimes answer questions I find on the newest posts page and have no idea where the post is located.

jaunty75

The real funny one is actually the "Wiki Site" forum under "Repair and Restoration." It has only one sub-forum called "Proposed Changes to Wiki Site." Why not just called the forum "Proposed Changes to Wiki Site."

It's like you learned in high school about proper format for outlining. You shouldn't have an "A" without a "B" or a one "1" without a "2". If you have only an A or only a 1, just move it up a level.

allyolds68

I've brought it up a bunch of times. No one ever seems to agree with me. You're about 50/50 now & you've got Richard (gearheads78) agreeing you. Keep it going.......

oldsmobum

What gets me every time is that there are 5 sub forums in the chassis//drive train section, there are only 3 sub forums for engines/transmissions: transmissions, small blocks, big blocks.

I'll bet its a huge percentage of us have NEITHER a small or big block. Mine is first gen. v8, not to mention inline engines, alero v6's, or chevy small blocks that came in some cars from the factory.

Do I think there should be 5 subforums there? No, but starting in that direction and leaving all the other categories out makes things really confusing and leads to posting in the wrong section. Just my 2 cents.

MDchanic

I could see simplfying the heirarchy some to remove intermediate levels of organization. Wouldn't hurt, might help.

My only real beef, though is with the Big Blocks / Small Blocks division.
Aside from those whose motors are neither, as mentioned above (straight eight, anyone?), the fact is that the VAST majority of posts are specific to neither type if engine; "Ignition problems," or "Rough running," or "Engine smokes" could apply to any engine, so forcing posters to choose is kind of absurd and bureaucratic.

- Eric

joe_padavano

I have to agree that there is too much segmentation. I don't think it really matters (computer memory is practically free) but it can get confusing. Some of the more obscure forums get very few posts. And the BBO vs SBO forums? The two families are nearly identical except for deck height, yet there is no forum for the first gen Olds motors (which end up in both of the current forums) or the 215 (and I won't even start on the Q4...). Again I don't really care one way or the other, but since the topic came up...

Oldsguy

Please have patience with me guys. It seems like just yesterday we went through a long and grueling evaluation of site organization and finally decided upon what we presently have. Moderators you guys should remember this. If we change forums, especially to consolidate them into smaller groupings, then we are going to have to do more than just merge two (or three) into one. In some cases individual threads will have to be sorted out and then inserted into the correct new larger forum. This is a necessity if we want our data base to be as correct as possible for future use. Remember, this is more than a social site, it is a library of data that many people refer to for help with their particular problem.

With that said, if the consensus is that a change should be made, we are all going to have to be willing to do this work to keep the site up and in good shape; I won't obstruct it. I am just not enthusiastic about doing it, but its everyone's site.

Moderators, keep a tally and let's follow up on this in the moderators' discussion forum where we are discussing this as well.

lshlsh2

Out of curiosity I looked at a jeep fourm and a hyundai fourm. I own both. The jeep fourm was huge and had alot of different fourms. I guess that was to be expected with all the models and then throw in off-road. Even the hyundai fourm was bigger with all the models that are sold in europe and asia but not here. If you think some of the fourms here don't get much traffic, check out a hyundai fourm about a car that was built in korea 20 years ago and never imported to this country. Yes this fourm could use some contraction but is it worth it? I'm not sure.
Larry

Rocketowner

I've wondered for some time , why do post that are 5years old or more suddenly get posted,and then naturally,members start replying to them and,not realizing they are not current. Larry

joe_padavano

Like this one?

MDchanic

It seems like it's usually because some wisea$$ digs back and reopens one, apparently just be be a b__buster.

Why do you ask?

- Eric

67 442

Greetings from the archives!

joe_padavano

It's always better to be a smart@$$ than a dumb@$$.

MDchanic

"Melior est semper intelligens asinus asinum quam hominem inprudentem."

That's the MIT motto, isn't it?

- Eric

[Any seminary graduates here, please forgive me for my Latin]

Olds64

I started reading the thread and when I saw gearheads78's and Oldsguy's replies I knew it was older.

Koda

Interesting thread. I usually bounce through general, clubhouse, and the classifieds every day, and post in the technical when I see something that interests me or I have a question.

I think the site is adequate now on a PC. I have a hard time getting through it all on my phone. If boards were to be simplified, I would do the following:

1. Remove the sub forums on Site Related and merge all.
2. The In Memoriam section is appropriate as being stand alone subforum and I'd leave it alone.
3. Remove subsections on technical reference and merge all. Joe can make his Tech Editors' posts with a special heading if he cares to differentiate from us mere mortals.
4. Remove and merge big blocks and small blocks in Engines, leave non-olds
5. Split the transmission / drivetrain forum into two forums and delete the subsection headers.
6. Chassis, body, and electrical are ok.
7. Remove interior upholstery subsection and just make it one interior forum.
8. Vehicle Lineup forums are ok.
9. Classifieds are ok.

Diego

I think the layout of the different "rooms" could be improved substantially.

Killian_Mörder

When viewing the forum's first page, the "small block" category is easy to confuse with Chevrolet, since Oldsmobile never manufactured a "small block", in the sense that Chevrolet's V-8 engines were also visually distinguishable between both, the 348/366/409 not counting as either.
What many would probably classify the aluminum engines built by both Buick and Oldsmobile as "small blocks", this classification could confuse those who own the 330/350/400 engines who think their's are "small blocks". Whereas, they are actually short-decked versions of the 425/455 engines. Of which all Oldsmobile V-8 castings built until the end of 1964 belong to neither, just like the short-lived Chevrolet truck engine dropped into their full-sized models between 1958 and 1964 also belong to neither.
To make things less confusing, as to avoid posting into wrong categories, may I suggest sorting out Oldsmobile engines into the following categories (These are just suggestion guidelines. The actual categorization is likely to be tailored to better suit the forum):

1. 1st generation V-8 blocks
2. Aluminum blocks
3. Short-decked blocks
4. Tall-decked blocks
5. Non-Olds GM V-8s
6. V-6s
7. Oldsmobile straight blocks (Bundled up into only one category, due to how rare these are dealt with here and the fact that the difference between both 6-and 8 cylinder types is basically the 8 being essentially an extended 8)
8. Non-Olds GM straight blocks or maybe just "Chevrolet straight 6"? Someone here has a current thread dealing with installing a Pontiac OHC 6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmo...0RAW.hdr.c.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmo..._8_engine).jpg

redoldsman

It looks like this thread comes back to life every four or five years. Interesting.

joe_padavano

Personally, I'd support a wholesale revamp of the sub-forums. We have too many related sub-forums in some cases (SBO and BBO are exactly the same except for the deck height), and no applicable forums in other cases (first gen Rocket V8s, for example). Where should someone talk about HVAC questions? Where do Quad 4 and 215 questions go? And what's the difference between "General Discussion" and General Questions"?

Grayghost

Every time you click on a forum ,sub forum, it loads a new page and is seen as another hit/click as far as forum traffic numbers.
Making you, have to click classifeds or use the drop down at top of page, , then click on cars or parts . loads another page, bing 1 point/hit as far as traffic numbers, then you have to pick in say, parts, either for sale or wanted , loading another new page, another point/hit for the traffic numbers.
This is all for traffic # And ad dollars
Without the dollars, forums die, or the membership has to start footing the forum cost.

joe_padavano

Who cares? The ad dollars are why this forum is free.

Grayghost

That was my point.
I have no issue with what the o/p started thread about, but maybe he didn't under the reasoning, to make you click a few more pages to get to a forum area.
Not everyone understands how forums get ad dollars. so to them, having to go through a 4 step drill down of page loading doesn't make sense,

HighwayStar 442

With a little over millions D and DX blocks made. The small difference between D and DX. Very like a SB with mains of BB. With new cranks for it from cutlassefi. Heads, rods, piston combos. And many now wanting to build and some are. Maybe its own sub forum to help work out conversion from diesel to gas for all?