Repetitive threads

[Doc]

I really enjoy reading the threads but over the past year I have notched that people are starting new threads instead of posting in an already established thread. Case in point are discussions on MPG. it's not my place to tell others what to do... (I try with my kids but that doesn't even work) I just think it would be better/ neater to keep threads consolidated as much as possible.

In the spirit of this thread, I will delete it after some time.

Thanks.

 

[Gondul]

There would likely need to be more Admins/Mods... not sure how else to get people to do a search *before* they post...

 

[devildodge]

We merge threads quite often. I usually do a search and post the links...and yesterday we had 3 posts were the answer to their question was the post before they posted. Most times it might be just one page back.

Sometimes though the posts are just different enough to warrant a new conversation.

A big thing people do is only look at the what's new and don't even open the forum and look at thread titles.

There are a few threads on how to search and a member even explained how to search Google to this site to make the search even easier.

For awhile people where posting tire questions, uconnect questions, etc in general discussion, when we have forums for that. But that is very few lately

 

[Doc]

Thanks devildodge, but even under the what's new I see multiple threads on the lifetime warranty... 2 months ago I don't remember any. I know you guys do a great job of policing the site and answering our questions. I'm just pointing out as members we could make your jobs easier

 

[GATORB8]

An attempt to combat this that I've seen used on other forums is a FAQ sticky for each section.

A user who's an expert in the area would pull together as much info as possible and dump it in one thread that stays at the top of each forum. For the general forum, it can be a link to a single thread for each topic. In a specific forum, it can be a single info source.

For example, here's an Audio thread I made for this use in an F150 forum in 2010: https://www.f150forum.com/f30/2004-2008-audio-basics-49666/

Unfortunately, no matter what is done, there will be more and more posts every day on the largest tire you can fit stock or leveled, and people complaining about the MPG in their V8 fullsize truck.

 

[Old Ray]

This would require people (including myself) to think! In a age where we have lane control and collision avoidance with technology to protect us from our own inattention. Sorry, but we are lazy and not that bright. For example, and I'm sure every business has its own minor issues, in my retirement hobby used book store some of the books sit sideways, spline title out, that somehow get replaced title in, so that the next customer can not read the title (job security for me).

 

[Leadbedr]

At least it's better than every single auto Facebook group that ask what's the biggest tire/best exhaust/ best intake ateast 15 times EVERYDAY

 

[Zinger]

At least it's better than every single auto Facebook group that ask what's the biggest tire/best exhaust/ best intake ateast 15 times EVERYDAY

Facebook is an atrocious medium for creating useful INFORMATION. Its like a big run on sentence. Forums still do it way better, if managed well.

 

[Doc]

This would require people (including myself) to think! In a age where we have lane control and collision avoidance with technology to protect us from our own inattention. Sorry, but we are lazy and not that bright. For example, and I'm sure every business has its own minor issues, in my retirement hobby used book store some of the books sit sideways, spline title out, that somehow get replaced title in, so that the next customer can not read the title (job security for me).

Old Ray, you hit the nail on the head... if your ever in this neck of the woods, I would love to buy you a beer.

 

[Doc]

Facebook? I refer to it as two-face book. I admit I used it while outside of the U.S. to let family and friends know that I was doing well, but now that I'm home... I don't have any user for it. People post what they are scared to say face to face or they post what they wish their lives really were.

 

[VaderRebel]

Can't wait for the repeat of this thread!

Yes, I'm 8 Guinness in after MONSTER JAM!!!!

 

[Leadbedr]

Facebook is an atrocious medium for creating useful INFORMATION. Its like a big run on sentence. Forums still do it way better, if managed well.

You can every once in awhile get a nugget of info.

 

[GATORB8]

You can every once in awhile get a nugget of info.

One of the things I miss about my BMW is the awesome regional club and their Facebook pages (club and club marketplace). Awesome group of gear heads that would recommend mechanics, put on track days and events, and give you an impossible to find part or tool sitting in their garage.

 

[DeanKing]

I can think of one thing that may be adding to it. This forums search engine is too picky about short search terms. For example: @Doc started this thread with an example about repetitive threads on MPG. Try searching for MPG and see what happens. It’s too short and is rejected as a valid search. I have no idea why that is not a perfectly valid search term that would have lead someone right to what they were looking for. This has happened to me several times. The next problem is compound searches. If I search for Order Tracking on google, it will find me things with both words first. It is an implied And. This forum seems to treat it as an Or. That makes finding results quickly harder. I love this forum for the information and the people and the fact that we are mostly civil and don’t let politics ruin it like every other social media. But the tech is kind of weak. Also, people are lazy as suggested so if the tech doesn’t work right and easy they don’t put more effort into it. Been thinking this for a while but didn’t want to whine. But since you brought it up....

 

[Zinger]

I can think of one thing that may be adding to it. This forums search engine is too picky about short search terms. For example: @Doc started this thread with an example about repetitive threads on MPG. Try searching for MPG and see what happens. It’s too short and is rejected as a valid search. I have no idea why that is not a perfectly valid search term that would have lead someone right to what they were looking for. This has happened to me several times. The next problem is compound searches. If I search for Order Tracking on google, it will find me things with both words first. It is an implied And. This forum seems to treat it as an Or. That makes finding results quickly harder. I love this forum for the information and the people and the fact that we are mostly civil and don’t let politics ruin it like every other social media. But the tech is kind of weak. Also, people are lazy as suggested so if the tech doesn’t work right and easy they don’t put more effort into it. Been thinking this for a while but didn’t want to whine. But since you brought it up....

This forum is running the best tech currently available. Xenforo is the #1 forum software at this point. The issue with the 3 letter search term is actually a MySql database limitation, and yes, it is annoying but there isn't much that can be done about it at this point. The alternative is to use Google with "site:5thgenrams.com" after the search phrase.

 

[Doc]

One of the things I miss about my BMW is the awesome regional club and their Facebook pages (club and club marketplace). Awesome group of gear heads that would recommend mechanics, put on track days and events, and give you an impossible to find part or tool sitting in their garage.

I would join that club!

 

[dswoboda2120]

It is easy to blame people for not searching but that will never stop, people are the way they are. I think a better solution is to keep the forum topics to as few pages as possible. I think when people see 8 or more pages they don't take the time to read through everything. It would be nice if the irreverent posts, like just responses saying "I agree", or "I have the same issue" or that restate the topic issue, could be deleted, . Keep only the information in a topic that moves it forward. I am guilty of that very thing and could go back and police my own posts as well.

 

[YoAdrian]

Can't wait for the repeat of this thread!

Yes, I'm 8 Guinness in after MONSTER JAM!!!!

I must admit @VaderRebel the thought crossed my mind to start another thread on repetitive threads the moment I read this one...

 

[YoAdrian]

It is easy to blame people for not searching but that will never stop, people are the way they are. I think a better solution is to keep the forum topics to as few pages as possible. I think when people see 8 or more pages they don't take the time to read through everything. It would be nice if the irreverent posts, like just responses saying "I agree", or "I have the same issue" or that restate the topic issue, could be deleted, . Keep only the information in a topic that moves it forward. I am guilty of that very thing and could go back and police my own posts as well.

You are absolutely right about not blaming people, and we all need to be patient with new members who haven’t been on the site reading everything up to now. Suspension clunk thread is a good example... it is simply impractical to expect everyone to read every post looking for the golden post somewhere in the middle...

...but we mods try not to intervene any more than we have to, so deleting “non helpful but non harmful” posts is not what we want to do... for instance @VaderRebel ’s totally random monster truck picture and Guinness reference ( cheers brother! ). The FAQ idea brought up by @GATORB8 above is an awesome one, that would help bubble up the best info... it takes time to build one though, so I’ll just say ANYONE out there that is willing to build a FAQ Thread - go for it! If it successfully distills key info and can be categorized in the right place without cluttering the forum, we can sticky it.

 

[go-ram]

This forum is running the best tech currently available. Xenforo is the #1 forum software at this point. The issue with the 3 letter search term is actually a MySql database limitation, and yes, it is annoying but there isn't much that can be done about it at this point. The alternative is to use Google with "site:5thgenrams.com" after the search phrase.

I don't know squat about the back-ends of websites, but 5thgenrams has the smoothest, most sophisticated, most enjoyable forum capability I've ever used. So my hat is off to whoever is figuring all that out and maintaining it.

I do agree that searches even within 5thgenrams do leave something to be desired. Oddly, when I've used the internal search and couldn't find the thread I know is there, I open a new browser window using DuckDuckGo ("DDG"), type my search term along with "5thgenrams" into DDG's search bar, and I usually find exactly what I'm looking for that way. This particular "failing" is NOT exclusive to 5thgenrams, I almost never have any luck using any internal search on any website.

Regarding a way to slow down redundant proliferation of existing thread topics, would it be possible to generate a user-interface routine so that when anyone wants to start a new thread, they first have to go through a set of set of pull-downs that define & refine the category, which itself then shows a listing of the threads that already exist on that topic, and before a person can actually begin a new thread, they have to click a button at the end of that "existing threads on this topic" list, in order to get to the actual window that lets them post a new thread? Again, I have no idea if this is possible or practical, I just toss the idea out there in case someone who designs websites can consider if that approach would be (a) possible, and (b) effective.