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I'm creating a forum for signal geeks, anything I need to know

Started by traffic light guy, November 05, 2018, 04:18:17 PM

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traffic light guy

I plan on running a road geek forum on my own, mainly for traffic signal enthusiasts, and road and sign geeks. Any suggestions. I'm hoping that this site will became mainstream like Highway Divides. Any suggestions, I'm hoping that familiar users join, I also want to explore more broad topics too, such as the history behind traffic signals, or historic photos. Any suggestions on starting my own forum.


corco


formulanone

1. Make sure you're allowed to promote the new forum.

2. Make sure you have several members who want to join. Also, see suggestion #1.

3. Forums that are off-shoots of another forum usually don't last (unless the other forum folds altogether).

4. Don't try to have too many sub forums; 3-5 should be enough to start, grow it slowly, if even needed. Too many empty/quiet subfora doesn't bring about new discussion.

5. Don't mimic every thread on another very-similar board...otherwise, they'd just go to that forum.

6. You need at least three in-jokes to alienate newbies, but that takes time.

7. The "We're not like the other forum" mantra wears thin after a while.

8. Don't make registration too easy, or you're going to have more spam than you'll know what to do with.

9. Do you have the time for this? Maybe school, play, work, culture, dating, music, whateverthekidsdonowadays at your age?

10. If you give up easily, don't bother.

kevinb1994


kphoger

Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

kevinb1994


hbelkins

Quote from: traffic light guy on November 05, 2018, 04:18:17 PM
I plan on running a road geek forum on my own, mainly for traffic signal enthusiasts, and road and sign geeks. Any suggestions. I'm hoping that this site will became mainstream like Highway Divides. Any suggestions, I'm hoping that familiar users join, I also want to explore more broad topics too, such as the history behind traffic signals, or historic photos. Any suggestions on starting my own forum.

Don't be heavy-handed on moderation.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

renegade

Don’t ask me how I know.  Just understand that I do.

jakeroot

Quote from: renegade on November 05, 2018, 09:24:34 PM
... and don't let it get overly political.

Or alternatively, as to give the impression that this new forum is distinct from AARoads, encourage open discussion of politics.

lepidopteran

If the forum mechanism allows it, require new-member posts to be moderated for their first 5 or so posts.

Scott5114

Make a list of rules and then stick to them. Nobody likes a mod that uses their powers in an ad-hoc manner. That is an easy way to make people angry and get called out for favoritism. If it can be demonstrated that someone was moderated for violating one of the rules that is already written down, then the other members will likely consider it just and you will be seen as merely doing your job as moderator.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

hbelkins

Quote from: Scott5114 on November 06, 2018, 05:06:42 PM
Make a list of rules and then stick to them. Nobody likes a mod that uses their powers in an ad-hoc manner. That is an easy way to make people angry and get called out for favoritism. If it can be demonstrated that someone was moderated for violating one of the rules that is already written down, then the other members will likely consider it just and you will be seen as merely doing your job as moderator.

Or, let it be MTR v.2, and let anything go.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

NE2

pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

Scott5114

Quote from: hbelkins on November 06, 2018, 08:56:53 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 06, 2018, 05:06:42 PM
Make a list of rules and then stick to them. Nobody likes a mod that uses their powers in an ad-hoc manner. That is an easy way to make people angry and get called out for favoritism. If it can be demonstrated that someone was moderated for violating one of the rules that is already written down, then the other members will likely consider it just and you will be seen as merely doing your job as moderator.

Or, let it be MTR v.2, and let anything go.

This is a good way to ensure that you end up with something that looks like MTR.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

Brandon

Quote from: Scott5114 on November 07, 2018, 07:41:45 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on November 06, 2018, 08:56:53 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 06, 2018, 05:06:42 PM
Make a list of rules and then stick to them. Nobody likes a mod that uses their powers in an ad-hoc manner. That is an easy way to make people angry and get called out for favoritism. If it can be demonstrated that someone was moderated for violating one of the rules that is already written down, then the other members will likely consider it just and you will be seen as merely doing your job as moderator.

Or, let it be MTR v.2, and let anything go.

This is a good way to ensure that you end up with something that looks like MTR.

Oh good, I just ever-so-love flame wars. :-P
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

hbelkins

Quote from: Scott5114 on November 07, 2018, 07:41:45 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on November 06, 2018, 08:56:53 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 06, 2018, 05:06:42 PM
Make a list of rules and then stick to them. Nobody likes a mod that uses their powers in an ad-hoc manner. That is an easy way to make people angry and get called out for favoritism. If it can be demonstrated that someone was moderated for violating one of the rules that is already written down, then the other members will likely consider it just and you will be seen as merely doing your job as moderator.

Or, let it be MTR v.2, and let anything go.

This is a good way to ensure that you end up with something that looks like MTR.

It's not just MTR. It's all of Usenet.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

traffic light guy


webny99

Quote from: jakeroot on November 06, 2018, 01:31:49 AM
Quote from: renegade on November 05, 2018, 09:24:34 PM
... and don't let it get overly political.
Or alternatively, as to give the impression that this new forum is distinct from AARoads, encourage open discussion of politics.

Yeah, in the US, in 2018, that would go over, like a lead balloon.

Quote from: Scott5114 on November 06, 2018, 05:06:42 PM
Nobody likes a mod that uses their powers in an ad-hoc manner.

I dare not ask the impending question...

jakeroot

Quote from: webny99 on November 07, 2018, 09:17:05 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on November 06, 2018, 01:31:49 AM
Quote from: renegade on November 05, 2018, 09:24:34 PM
... and don't let it get overly political.
Or alternatively, as to give the impression that this new forum is distinct from AARoads, encourage open discussion of politics.
Yeah, in the US, in 2018, that would go over, like a lead balloon.

No rules on the internet!

hbelkins

Not sure where this quote came from, but...

Quote from: Scott5114 on November 06, 2018, 05:06:42 PM
Nobody likes a mod that uses their powers in an ad-hoc manner.

You mean like the end of the DST thread?  :bigass:


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

jakeroot


vdeane

Quote from: hbelkins on November 08, 2018, 11:57:06 AM
Not sure where this quote came from, but...

Quote from: Scott5114 on November 06, 2018, 05:06:42 PM
Nobody likes a mod that uses their powers in an ad-hoc manner.

You mean like the end of the DST thread?  :bigass:
I think the writing was on the wall when it morphed into a discussion about political representation.  A fun and civil discussion... but one definitely in the non-road political area.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

kphoger

Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

formulanone

Quote from: kphoger on November 08, 2018, 01:11:47 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on November 08, 2018, 12:55:04 PM
I'm not going to say I got the DST thread locked, but

No, I think that would be my fault.

Thank you for putting it out of its misery, though. Besides, DST in 2018 already ended.

On topic, if you want a section for a particular type of discussion, enforce its limits. Leave a section for that type of discussion. Otherwise, every discussion might devolve into an emotional debate without actual answers nor anything useful.

jakeroot




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