What is an appropriate thread?

P

Patrick

New member
In keeping with the requirement that the general forum be kept to "chit chat" let me pose the following.

I asked a question about a gun / caliber I know nothing about. Since I know nothing about it, how am I to deduce the proper forum to post? The thread was summarily closed.

If we are to compartmentalize everything into a "proper" forum, why have a general forum at all?

Wouldn't "chit chat" be reserved for political / legal as that is the type of chit chat that occurs here?

Shouldn't this post be submitted to "feedback" or something of the like?

And if I have a question because I lack knowledge, am I to merely go away and sulk in my ignorance because I may offend someone if I ask in a general forum?

I understand your desire to get all the pistol people together, all the rifle people together, and all the full auto people together. However I do believe this is going a little bit too far.

Come on guys, lighten up. There has to be a happy middle ground. If I am mistaken, I will just go away and bother you no more.
 
Patrick-
Thanks for the comments. This is a difficult situations for us...and we don't mean for anyone to take offense.

Here's the deal: we're real proud of the way the site has come along; the level of discussion; the professionalism of Members; and the organization of the information. They're all first rate.

Originally there was no General Forum. This was added by Member request as a place to discuss "soft" topics. Of late, we are seeing a lot of topics posted to the General Forum that are of a specific nature.

Yours, for instance, was a question about the chambering for a Winchester Rifle. As such, it would best be placed in the Rifle Forum. If a Member wishes to later search for the thread, it's much easier to use the Search option by Forum. Also, as many Members have limited time, they only check one or two favored Forums for new posts. By placing your topic in General, we may not get the benefit of some of the more knowledgeable long gun shooters' experience.

We are really not trying to be hard asses about this. But we've posted requests, placed announcements in the "mailbox" at the top of each and every Forum and added a statement in the description of the General Forum which reads, Please use this Forum only for posts that do not fit well in the other, specific Forums. Still the problem continues.

We take no joy in closing a thread. We have to state why we're closing it; close it; in many cases email the author with a friendy encouragement to help us out by reposting (as Mykl did in your case); thank the Member in the new post; and then manually delete the old thread. This is not my idea of a fun way to spend my time.

We recognize that certain topics are tough to categorize. And we've tried very hard to make certain that no one would be offended. Your manner would indicate that we've suceeded in your case as in all of the others.

When all is said and done however, The Firing Line is still a privately owned and privately funded service. All Moderator time is volunteered, without hidden agenda. I don't believe it's too much to ask in return for Members to think twice about where to post their topics. I hope all will agree.

If we've become a bit overzealous as a result of our frustration, we apologize. None of us likes seeing the little padlock icon on a thread. That includes Mykl and I.
Regards to all,
Rich
 
Nor do I, unless it is because a member has successfully sold or traded an item in the marketplace.. ;)

Anyone having a serious doubt about where to put a question can feel free to email me, as volunteer moderator at large, and I'd be glad to help.

I was one of the people who wanted a general forum, because I like to chew the fat with like minded people, which there are a lot of around here.
The last few weeks have seen some very clearly misplaced threads in this forum, which takes away from the casual conversation that "General" was set up for.

On top of the housekeeping aspects of keeping everything in its place, all members, but especially the less experienced will be better served by placing their questions in the appropriate forum.
With full time jobs, families and shooting to take care of, many members may not read the entire Board. In fact, busier members may only check their personal favorite forum on a regular basis and avoid the "general" area all-together. Certainly, those most qualified to answer a question on Full-Auto Weapons, will be likely to at least read the Full-Auto Forum. The same goes for all of other topics.

Almost everything I can think of that is shooting related has an appropriate forum. Even other "tactical" issues could probably fit into the CQC area and politics obviously has its own place at TFL. IMHO, General should probably be the least used forum on the site, especially if your topic is about firearms.

------------------
-Essayons
 
Patrick - I believe Rich was very generous in his answer to you. IMHO, your post was unnecessarily harsh, and somewhat disingenuous. Are you telling us that when your father-in-law offered the 'Winchester 92' you didn't know if it was a rifle, shotgun, handgun or crossbow?

Based upon your posts, you are clearly a very knowledgeable guy - you've even given me some excellent feedback - thanks again. At this point you've posted here 33 times, and you were even kind enough to compliment TheFiringLine.Com, and mentioned you had left the 'rudeness and nonsense of rec.guns'.

Well, just as you said, these are thinking men and women here, and the administrators do a fine job. They're trying to develop and manage this forum in an intelligent manner. I think it is reasonable for us to cooperate with them.

I'm sure no one wants you to go away, sulking or otherwise.

BTW, I have nothing to do with the administration of this site - just another member, like you. And, I've asked some pretty ignorant questions around here, and I have never been humiliated because of it. I'm sure Rich and our other administrators can argue their own points, but I felt it was incumbent upon a member to offer a polite 'rebuttal'.
 
Jeff,
I notice you do not have your e-mail address posted. I understand this usually is done for one of two reasons:
1) you don't want ANY unsolicited incoming messages, or
2) your current e-mail address may reveal information you wish to keep private.

I'm terribly new at this computer "stuff", but my neighbor advises me that e-mail addresses are available free on various "servers" (if that's the correct word) that reveal nothing personal about the owner. Further, I'm told I can even have my own e-mail address if I have NO computer of my own (e.g. using a friend's or employer's computer).

It might be useful for you to check this out to see if it is true or helpful to you or to those who have something private to discuss.
 
Dennis, I really didn't see this as a personal discussion, and I apologize if I wasted the forum's time. I do appreciate the tips.

[This message has been edited by Jeff Thomas (edited 01-25-99).]
 
Easy, Jeff. I thought you were as new as I am to the internet and it might interest you. Simple as that.
 
Jeff -
You hit the nail on the head. While I thought that a Winchester 92 was not a handgun since I have never heard of a Winchester handgun, I did not know whether it was a rifle, shotgun, or mistake because I have never heard of a "2520" until someone on this forum pointed out it a was .25-20 in a rifle. Of course I had never heard of a Remington handgun either until I encountered a war surplus 1911.

While I have certain knowledge of gun related issues, antique arms are not something I am familier with. Current production guns are my thing.

Rich -

As I stated before, I understand your logic behind your request to put specific questions in specific forums, but you did not answer my question about how to post a question on something you know nothing about, and hence, do not know what forum to post it in.

Is it possible, in such circumstances, to simply move the post from the general forum once it becomes clear that it belongs somewhere else without closing the thread and sending a "bad dog" post to the originator?

As Jeff has mentioned above, I have praised TFL and its participants. It is one of the finer gun related sites on the net. But let us not forget that great things only remain great if they evolve. I strongly suggest a more user friendly system to post questions when the poster does not know what forum it belongs.

I believe I understand what you are saying when you remind me that this is a private enterpirse. If my suggestion does not seem appropriate, please cancel my registration. No hard feelings.

Best Regards.

Patrick
 
Most of the forum members read most of the forums. If you have a winchester there is a very high chance it is either a rifle or a shotgun. Post in one of those two forums asking because it fits the closest.

I think the important thing here is for the members to try to post in the correct forums, and for the managment (who do a wonderfull job) to not be to tight with cross posting.

This worked well for awhile but recently we have had an excess of handgun and rifle and ammo posts in the general forum which definatly fit in other forums. Threads about AR15's should go in the rifle thread. Threads about lead bullets should go in the re-loaders forum.

If you post a question about a gun you dont know about asking for info in the rifle forum, and it turns out to be a shot gun, I dont think anyone is going to say anything. But if you post a thread about a shotgun in the rifle forum someone should.

To illistrate my point I pose this question:
Where should I post about a drilling?


Great forum guys. Its made that by both the people and the managment. :)

------------------

Mouse Assassins inc.
 
Patrick-
I wish it were possible for us to move threads....the software won't allow it. Therefore, we must rely on our Members to do it for us every now and then. If the following explanation doesn't suffice, feel free to email me.

This is not a big deal with us. We have neither berated nor chastised Members for posting to General...quite the opposite, we've initiated friendly off-line conversation in each case as, I believe, Mykl did with you. With over 1,400 topics (not posts, topics) we've asked that about a 6 be moved to a different Forum. If this is micromanagement, then I'm guilty.

All we're asking is that our Members think a bit when in question about the placement of a thread. Generally you can narrow it down in less than 10 seconds by process of elimination. Just look at the descriptions for the various Forums for further guidance.

The General Forum is not intended as a "when in doubt, post everything here, Forum"...surely, some questionable posts might be placed there. Perhaps, if we had the information that you knew the Make, Model and Caliber of a firearm, but were unaware of whether it was a handgun or rifle, we'd have let it continue on General.

Is it that big a deal that we might occasionally ask a Member to do a simple cut and paste of his post to another Forum?

Can we get back to guns, gear, tactics and fun, now? :)
Regards,
Rich

[This message has been edited by Rich Lucibella (edited 01-26-99).]
 
I use black thread with black fabric, white thread with white fabric, etc. It really is very easy. - Doc
 
Shaded Dude,
RE: your drilling question.
Place it in the "Rifles & Shotguns For Sale" Forum :)

I think you already answered the question. Put it in either the rifle or shotgun forums, unless you're trying to roll your own ammo for one of the earlier proprietary pieces, in which case you should dance by the light of the Reloading Forum.. sigh...

Patrick,
I sympathize with your lack of background info on the Win92 in .25-20. I would have been equally stumped had someone asked me where to place discussion on the Volcanic. Point is: do the best you can, "you pays you money, you roll da bones" but you don't always win.

Anybody wanna go shootin? This keyboard work is making my trigger finger all hinky...

Mykl
 
Patrick, I understand how a guy can be confused, please don't be upset if the Moderator tells you you have the wrong Area. After all he did tell you where to go, well what the right area was.
BTW as I'm not a moderator I can tell you that this should have been in the Feedback, area. Bet even Rich missed that.
 
Raymond-

I was wondering when someone would trip to that issue. As I do not wish to attend my own public stoning, I concluded that discretion might be the better part of valor in this instance.

See, guys...I'm not *that* anal. :) :)
Rich
 
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