03-06-2013, 07:03 PM
I am starting this thread with some misgivings, but I felt that it was high time (in fact, long overdue) that we asked ourselves this question. My points here are not facetious ones and I would appreciate it if facile replies or those intended to provide humorous but unproductive comment were avoided.
When this section was created several years ago, the intention was for it to feature a few useful entries or threads which would provide answers to some of the most common questions new members asked, rather than the same questions coming up time and time again. It was for the convenience of everybody and was not in any way intended to replace any of the other RAT fora.
However, before long, new members started getting the impression that it was where they, as new members, should be posting their threads. This should not have been the case, but it was not addressed at the time and has rarely been since.
However, a look over the various threads in the beginners section shows that most are topics which should rightly have been posted in the 'Re-enactment and Reconstruction' forum, along with a few that should really be in the 'History and Archaeology' forum and quite a lot which should really be in the 'New Recruits' thread in the 'Round Table' forum. This means that in effect we have two 'Re-enactment and Reconstruction' fora, two 'History and Archaeology' fora and two fora where new members are announcing their presence.
Therefore virtually all of the 'Beginners section' is doubling up on the roles intended for other RAT fora. I would like to ask: what is the point of a forum like that?
I think (and I feel strongly about this) that the threads in this section should all be migrated to the correct fora they should originally have been posted in and the forum returned to its original purpose. I think that the threads which remain here should only be those which are intended to address common questions and that those threads should be locked to anyone who does not have high enough access privileges to prevent them from becoming confused, distracted or watered down.
Anyone wanting to discuss a locked thread in the beginners section could do do in the correct forum and simply provide a link to the locked thread so other members could join in the discussion properly.
What I am proposing would be quite a lot of work for our hard working moderating team to do, I admit, and I am sure there will be some here who do not understand the points I am making, but I think the present situation is far from ideal, and many threads do not get the attention they deserve because they have been posted in a forum not everyone takes the time to look at.
You thoughts Ladies and Gentlemen of RAT?
Crispvs
When this section was created several years ago, the intention was for it to feature a few useful entries or threads which would provide answers to some of the most common questions new members asked, rather than the same questions coming up time and time again. It was for the convenience of everybody and was not in any way intended to replace any of the other RAT fora.
However, before long, new members started getting the impression that it was where they, as new members, should be posting their threads. This should not have been the case, but it was not addressed at the time and has rarely been since.
However, a look over the various threads in the beginners section shows that most are topics which should rightly have been posted in the 'Re-enactment and Reconstruction' forum, along with a few that should really be in the 'History and Archaeology' forum and quite a lot which should really be in the 'New Recruits' thread in the 'Round Table' forum. This means that in effect we have two 'Re-enactment and Reconstruction' fora, two 'History and Archaeology' fora and two fora where new members are announcing their presence.
Therefore virtually all of the 'Beginners section' is doubling up on the roles intended for other RAT fora. I would like to ask: what is the point of a forum like that?
I think (and I feel strongly about this) that the threads in this section should all be migrated to the correct fora they should originally have been posted in and the forum returned to its original purpose. I think that the threads which remain here should only be those which are intended to address common questions and that those threads should be locked to anyone who does not have high enough access privileges to prevent them from becoming confused, distracted or watered down.
Anyone wanting to discuss a locked thread in the beginners section could do do in the correct forum and simply provide a link to the locked thread so other members could join in the discussion properly.
What I am proposing would be quite a lot of work for our hard working moderating team to do, I admit, and I am sure there will be some here who do not understand the points I am making, but I think the present situation is far from ideal, and many threads do not get the attention they deserve because they have been posted in a forum not everyone takes the time to look at.
You thoughts Ladies and Gentlemen of RAT?
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
