Topic: Alaska and Hawaii? (Read 14735 times)

Dougtone · « **on:** March 04, 2009, 06:49:08 AM »

I just noticed that Alaska and Hawaii (or Hawai'i) were not included as states listed in the forum listings. I'm assuming that they should be listed as part of West Coast Roads, but were somehow omitted.

SSOWorld · « **Reply #1 on:** March 04, 2009, 09:25:48 AM »

I would say something similar about Iowa - perhaps Midwest roads?

Alex · « **Reply #2 on:** March 04, 2009, 11:34:42 AM »

Yes, all three should be added. Voyager will take care of it.

V'Ger · « **Reply #3 on:** March 04, 2009, 01:57:29 PM »

Would it be a better idea (also better looking on the board) to organize the boards for the time zone that they're in instead, instead of listing the growing number of covered states? It just doesn't look good on the boards.

mightyace · « **Reply #4 on:** March 04, 2009, 02:01:50 PM »

Quote from: voyager on March 04, 2009, 01:57:29 PM

Would it be a better idea (also better looking on the board) to organize the boards for the time zone that they're in instead, instead of listing the growing number of covered states? It just doesn't look good on the boards.

Personally, I like the regional idea. However, what region a state is in is open for interpretation. On this board, Virginia is in Mid-Atlantic while I'd put it in the southeast. And, an argument could be made for Pennsylvania in the Mid-Atlantic and many others.

The best thing about your idea, voyager, is that it would be clear for most states what region they're in.

However, a lot of states are split by time zones, like Tennessee here and Kentucky. Where do they go?

SSOWorld · « **Reply #5 on:** March 04, 2009, 02:03:49 PM »

I was also under the impression that these were aligned to the domains that AARoads uses.

John · « **Reply #6 on:** March 08, 2009, 11:51:06 AM »

Yeah but some states like Texas and DE are on the main site and others aren't even covered.

Alex · « **Reply #7 on:** March 08, 2009, 01:26:04 PM »

Quote from: John on March 08, 2009, 11:51:06 AM

Yeah but some states like Texas and DE are on the main site and others aren't even covered.

Eventually, they will all be migrated onto the main site.

DanTheMan414 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 08, 2009, 03:00:27 PM »

Dividing by time zones would be way too broad. I think you should do a special category for Alaska & Hawaii, and just maintain the existing regional categories, adding states in where appropriate.

V'Ger · « **Reply #9 on:** March 08, 2009, 06:03:30 PM »

Quote

Dividing by time zones would be way too broad. I think you should do a special category for Alaska & Hawaii, and just maintain the existing regional categories, adding states in where appropriate.

This creates board clutter, which looks bad. Also, Alaska and Hawaii wouldn't be popular enough to warrant their own boards. They have to have enough volume to keep, or else they just contribute to the board clutter.

corco · « **Reply #10 on:** March 08, 2009, 07:23:43 PM »

Make a "States I forgot the first time" board with

Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Idaho, Iowa, and Maine.

I don't like the time zone idea because that gets pretty complicated

V'Ger · « **Reply #11 on:** March 08, 2009, 07:35:58 PM »

I don't think it does, and that's why there are moderators to move threads into the right boards. The current system just isn't working, eventually showing 50 state names on the board index just doesn't look good.

corco · « **Reply #12 on:** March 08, 2009, 07:39:21 PM »

I'd find something more tight like Census designated locations or something. Moderators having to move threads around is a hassle for you guys and annoying for people who post threads because then they disappear. States like Nebraska, Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Idaho, Oregon, etc just don't have clear cut locations. Alaska and Hawaii would have to have their own boards for their own time zones.

You're only five or six states form having fifty states listed, and the way it works now it is clear and apparent where things go, which I think should trump arbitrary aesthetics.

Clear descriptions are important. A usable board with clear descriptions is better than a pretty but confusing board.

Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida all fall into multiple time zones (or have their own time zone) and for people without a time zone map in front of them there are several other states that could be questionable (as well as which time zone do any of those states fall into)

corco · « **Reply #13 on:** March 08, 2009, 07:51:45 PM »

Alternatively break it into alphabetics, so do Alabama through Georgia, Hawaii through Maryland, Massachusetts through Jersey, New Mexico through SC, SD through Wyoming.

(broken down differently at your discretion to balance thread volume, but with that as the general idea).

That's a lot less confusing than time zones and cleans it up a bit. That said, I still like it better the way it is, but I think clarity is a necessity here, not just expecting moderators to move things around. The goal of moderation should be for it to be kept to a minimum- people don't like being moderated and moderators with reasonable egos don't like having to exercise moderation- folks would rather know what they are doing and just do it themselves.

If you do go with the time zone idea, I'd strongly recommend putting a pinned thread at the top of every "time zone" with a list of what states are included to make it more clear.

V'Ger · « **Reply #14 on:** March 08, 2009, 08:10:55 PM »

I do like the letters idea. Having A-E in one and F-L in another one, etc. I'll look into that.

Alex · « **Reply #15 on:** March 08, 2009, 10:04:37 PM »

I prefer the regional breakdown for southeast, mid-atlantic, and northeast.

V'Ger · « **Reply #16 on:** March 08, 2009, 10:09:28 PM »

Well either way the state names have to go. The clutter is becoming unbearable.

DanTheMan414 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 08, 2009, 11:33:11 PM »

I'd say just go regionally, then. Perish the thought of time zones, for sure.

SSOWorld · « **Reply #18 on:** March 09, 2009, 03:50:15 PM »

Quote from: voyager on March 08, 2009, 10:09:28 PM

Well either way the state names have to go. The clutter is becoming unbearable.

Well if the state names have to go, how do we determine the regions?

Dougtone · « **Reply #19 on:** March 09, 2009, 05:40:39 PM »

Quote from: Master son on March 09, 2009, 03:50:15 PM

Quote from: voyager on March 08, 2009, 10:09:28 PM
Well either way the state names have to go. The clutter is becoming unbearable.
Well if the state names have to go, how do we determine the regions?

As mentioned earlier in the thread, some states fall into a category where the region it falls in could be interpreted differently by others. Pennsylvania, Oklahoma or Virginia could be considered examples of this. By listing what states are included in which region (as determined by AARoads), it is easier for the user to find which state for which they want to discuss a topic.

vdeane · « **Reply #20 on:** March 09, 2009, 05:41:14 PM »

Yeah, some of the regions are odd. Like having Texas in southeast roads (though with the existing categories I can't think of a better place to put it). I don't think it looks cluttered, but then again I'm using the highway theme and not the new one.

Alps · « **Reply #21 on:** March 14, 2009, 06:46:10 PM »

Quote from: voyager on March 08, 2009, 10:09:28 PM

Well either way the state names have to go. The clutter is becoming unbearable.

That's what the FHWA said! Poor neutered Interstate and US shields.

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