Should we "sticky" the Roll Call thread?

Heya!

The "Roll Call" thread is over 60 entries long and on its second thread. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/865911/#new :-) I copied over all the initial introductions from the first thread to the second, and I think it might be useful to continue doing that as we start new continuation threads.

Although we usually manage to keep the thread on the first page, I was thinking it would be even easier to find if we asked admin to "sticky" it to the top of the forum. It might serve as a friendly starting point for folks just finding their way over to the MidAtlantic forum. What does anybody else think? Yes? No? Maybe? Maybe, but?

I'm assuming we can "sticky" a new continuation thread and then cut the previous one loose as needed... I don't think we're going to be so chatty that we'd end up bugging admin for a new sticky every week. :-)

If discussion seems to be in favor of making the Roll Call thread a "sticky," we can bring this thread to admin's attention if they haven't spotted it. I wanted to discuss this here rather than taking up space on the Roll Call thread itself.

Thanks for your input!

Question: is this forum public? That could make a difference for some folks...

All the regional forums were designated "subscriber only" some time back (early last year, maybe?). None of the personal information was copy/pasted into the first post of the thread (where nonsubscribers can see it).

Still, with everything we post on this forum, we should be aware that it's a public venue. The "subscriber only" status gives us an illusion or privacy, and it's certainly a different thing than being an open forum, but people still shouldn't post street addresses, phone numbers, etc. Much as I love to see kid pictures, people might want to think twice before posting them, too.

Sorry, I know that's another whole discussion... But no, this isn't a public forum in the sense that it's subscriber-only. :-)

Thanks, I thought I remembered that 'status' but wanted to check anyway. Right now I am neutral about a sticky.

I vote for "sticky"! Would be nice to have it show up at the top of the forum so it doesn't get "lost" when there's not much activity on the thread :)

I vote yes.

OK... I'm guessing it's going to take more than a couple of responses to get admin to "sticky" the thread. Meanwhile, we'll just have to bump it up every so often to keep it on the first page where it's easy to find. :-)

Critter, Did you ask Admin to sticky this?

I vote yes again, so does that count as 2 votes?

I didn't ask, because there didn't seem to be a lot of interest. I still think it would be a good idea to "sticky" this thread and maybe also the "party time" thread (where I've been putting dates, places, and links for upcoming midAtlantic events).

So... maybe we should ask?

Ok, Yes from me too.

No. I hate stickies. Hate, hate, hate with a burning passion. If they're ever used at all, it should be only for some general information that everyone wants to see like the rose resources sticky in the rose forum for example. For once this should be a thread that's easy to find in search.

Hart, Why do you hate them so much? Am I missing something?

If it's a sticky, it'll still show up when you search. I'm not sure I understand your objection to them, although I do agree that no forum needs half a dozen stickies taking up room at the top.

I have a lot of trouble with the "search" function here (iffy and inconsistent results), and not everybody has taken to using the new (well, new-ish) tags.

Do we have enough threads of interest to create a "resource" sticky for the MidAtlantic forum, do you think? I'm talking about a thread with just a few posts containing links to threads such as the Roll Call and Party Time threads.

I was thinking that stickying those two threads would make them obvious and easy to find, especially to newcomers to the forum (who wouldn't know there was a thread like that to search for).

Critter, I think it's very appropriate to have a Welcome and a Current Events sticky thread. Most other regional forums that I've visited have them. I may be missing something. Hart must have experienced something that turned her off about them.

The search function here drives me insane!

It took me forever to find the roll call thread because I couldn't remember what we called it.

Even the search engine in PF sometimes won't return some of the most common plants.

Yeah I know!!!! I typed in German Iris before and I was getting tomatoes....what part of tomato did I type???

I hate stickies because they become invisible. Look at the last time the existing sticky was posted in by anyone. And they push the active threads down further on the page or even onto the next page.

If you know how people look at a webpage, stickies go against everything you want to do to get people to actually read the things on that page.

Pick up your local newspaper. Would you stop and buy one in a box if the masthead was so deep it pushed most of the headlines to below the fold?

I think if you're going to have stickies they should be used at an absolute minimum and then only for general information that everyone who visits that forum would need to find, not for an ongoing discussion thread.

A resource thread like you're talking is a good idea. Anything else, forget it.

The search function drives me nuts. It's one of the reasons why I'm beginning to hate these long, long threads about as much as I hate stickies. When you do search for something and it actually finds it, it's buried somewhere in a thread with 296 posts. In plant files, it's actually easier to search in Google to find the plant files entry you're trying to find.

Hart, Thanks. If I understand correctly, a resource thread would be good if people are not posting in it?

I have started googling plants too.

Actually, that first sticky (dating back to the forum's formation) should be cut loose, IMO. I don't think having one or two sticky threads will push the active threads too far down... and if we end up wanting/needing to make additional threads easier to find, a single resource thread could be "stickied" in its place.

If we do "sticky" the roll call thread, every so often we'll probably need to do what I did at the top of the current one... summarize all the previous roll call posts (leaving out the merely chatty responses) and post a new thread at the top, cutting the old one loose. Same thing goes if we "sticky" a schedule thread.

Usually, a "resource" thread is administered by one person (or by admin), who oversees any additions & corrections. The thread is closed to posts otherwise, which means is won't get cluttered with chat or get too long for easy loading & access.

Critter, Do you mean to have them unsticky that thread about GoGardening? Nobody is using the thread, so it should be dropped.

I'm talking about the "Dave got it started" thread... you're right, it is about GO Gardening... LOL, I was thinking it was about starting the forum (some of the forum startup threads stay stickied long past their intro usefulness). Anyway, yeah, I don't think that thread needs to be stickied, although bumping it up from time to time would probably serve as a good remindre to us to add entries

You misunderstand. A resource thread with a link to the roll call posts would be fine. I don't know of any DG law saying a resource thread can only be links about finding more info on roses or whatever and must be locked to anyone except admins. I don't think a general discussion thread should be stickied, ever.

You know, if the thread is getting lost, it's not that hard to periodically bump it up or just start a new one with links to the last one. I think that's a much better solution that making it a sticky.

I think the reason most resource threads are locked is to keep them from drifting off topic and becoming general discussion threads... it's too easy to forget what thread you're on and post something chatty, even if the first post says "no chat" in big bold letters. :-)

Then we're back where we started. I don't think general discussion threads should ever be stickied. If interest is a thread is waning and it's getting buried, bump it up.

I guess part of the question is whether you look at the roll call and schedule threads as "general discussion" or as "MidAtlantic welcome/resource info." To me, those threads serve a different purpose than most of the discussion threads on this forum.

I think there should be some sort of welcoming thread at the top of the forum, even if it only directs folks to general info threads like the roll call or the event thread. At least it should say what states fall in the MA region. People always want to know where they belong. People in border states can go to a couple of forums but they should at least know that there will be folks here from their area and that they can look here for news of events in their area.

Oh, my gosh, Stormy! Don't get that whole what states are included started again. LOL Actually, it includes any state where anyone who wants to chat here happens to live I think. To be a Virg ... er, Mid Atlantean by Birth, Marriage, Adoption, or even on one's mother's side, is an Introduction to any State in the Union, a Passport to any Foreign Country, and a Benediction from the Almighty God.

Yes, a definitely consider roll call to be general discussion and not at all a resource thread. Like I said, if interest is waning, bump it up or start a new one.

I do like your idea of a welcome thread, Stormy.

That would also be easier to maintain than stickying the roll call thread (which would have to be periodically summarized and restarted).

I think we're onto something! :-)

Hart, I think that the welcome verbage should encompass some of the wording that you stated in your last post. But I think it should also include states. In fact a list of states, followed by some thing almost like what's wriiten above, might be just the thing!

Fot anyone who has an interest in gardening in the midatlantic region or who would like to meet some nice folks to share their gardening experiences and find news of events in their locale.

The message at the top of the forum has some of that info -- "from the DelMar peninsula to the Big Apple" etc.

Critter, That certainly covers it. But I think it sould also reference folks who have an interest in MA gardenng and meeting others and finding events. Links to roll call, the party thread, gogardening and maybe the current bloom thread might be just the thing. I am always annoyed at how few people post their experiences in gogardening.

Another thing that is difficult to find on DG is lists of the plant societies. I've added some to GG. But if you don't enter map coordinates for them, they won't come up in a search. They don't have map cordinates. Maybe a link in the sticky to a thread listing them where members can keep adding new ones to the thread.

That was kind of a joke, Stormy. That's an old saying about being a Virginian by birth, marriage, etc. LOL The saying itself is a bit tongue in cheek about the Old Virginny snobby types who think you're only a Virginian if you and the last 9 generations were born here.

I think what would be nice about a welcome thread or post is you could invite people to go to the roll call thread to get to know more about the others and introduce themselves, if they feel comfortable about giving a lot of details about themselves online.

Hart, I knew it was a joke, but I liked the flavor it would add to the welcome!!! I told you I love your humor!!!

Mercy...just found this and agree re sticky at top with links to certain threads. Further more agree that DG's search feature could stand some "tweaking" - google is my friend...going now....buh, bye

Didn't know if you'd be familiar with the saying, Stormy. It is a nice way of saying everyone is welcome here.

I'm not real fond of stickys, They're like clutter, electronic Post-its, perhaps something like a welcome line that directs new subscribers to the Roll Call would be OK!
Jen, I've found typing a search into Google gets me a DG page quicker than a DG search, Usually top ten! LOL:-) Ric

I'm so glad I'm not the only sticky hater, Ric. They are clutter.