Suggestion Box

[JMC2009]

Mac, how about with the library? The idea is the same - books published by AWers.

*leaves the discussion, two cents poorer*

 

[BunnyMaz]

Following on from something raised in this thread. A few people seemed to like the idea (it wasn't my idea but I'm one of the ones that like it!) of a feminism, or gender studies-oriented section on the forums, sort of like how we have QUILTBAG and PoC sections. The idea being that it'd be a place for 101-level questions, resource sharing, safe space discussions and the like.

I guess it would depend on how much interest there was in that, but it would be handy to have a place for 101 questions and to share resources, so discussions on feminism-related issues could have an easier time sticking to the original subject!

 

[Yorkist]

Chime.

OK, so yeah, it was my idea. Here are my justifications:

(1) There are writers who blog about feminism. There are writers who are concerned about their presentation of female characters. There are writers who write women's fiction, which rather gets lumped in with romance as if it were the same thing, but it's not IMO (no disrespect to either).

(2) As Bunny pointed out, feminism threads in other subfora often get overtaken by men's issues and the male perspective, which can be unproductive.

(3) As we saw in Devil Ledbetter's thread from a few days ago, PC&E can be a dangerous place for certain topics.

(4) I've seen these comments in the forum (paraphrased): "I thought all feminist questions had been answered in the 70's." "I feel like I'd need a course on gender theory to even attempt something like that." "I don't consider myself a feminist, but..." Etc., etc.

(5) There are tons of interesting and discussion-worthy topics and blog posts that don't exactly fit within the culture of PC&E.

(6) It would be nice to have a place for young feminists and allies to learn about the issues and ask questions.

Here are the potential cons:

(1) Heavy moderation is needed. Cannot dispute. (To avoid trolldom, is it possible to have a 50-post limit while also being a public subforum?)

(2) There's a chance that all women-specific PC&E topics will divert to a smaller and less active section of the forum. I haven't been here for very long, but seeing as how PoC and LGBT political issues have not disappeared from PC&E, I think this is less of a danger than one might think.

(3) The elimination of the non-cisgendered perspective. A subforum could help or hurt in this regard, depending on the culture it develops.

(4) Technical issues?

 

[iron9567]

I like this thread it goes to show that this site actually cares what its members think. So I applaud you for that alone. When I first joined it was quite clear that you had to have a minimum of 50 posts before you can create a thread. I agree with this rule and think it's a good idea as well.
My idea is to turn the post count off in the break room section of the site. What I mean is what ever you post in the break room. These posts will not increase your post count. This way if you want to reach your 50 post quota you have to actually post like everyone else. It also encourages the new members to get more familiar with the site instead of spamming in the break room sections. It's just a thought you can do what you want with it as you choose to.
thanks
the iron man

 

[Deleted member 42]

The 50 post rule ONLY applies to starting a thread in SYW.

Nowhere else. See the FAQ: Why Can't I Post to SYW and the SYW Stickie: Starting new threads in SYW.

Turning off the post count in the break room simply means that people who want to rush to 50 posts / exploiters will do it somewhere else.

And when when we didn't count posts there I had to explain constantly explain why post counts weren't changing.

But it was a nice thought on your part.

 

[iron9567]

I know that the rule is just for the syw section. I guess I wasn't clear enough for that point in my post. I apologize for that on my behalf. I meant it for the syw section. I just think the break room has it to easy to spam your way to the 50 post count. My suggestion makes it so that you get more familiar with the site instead of spamming in the break room. I know I am fairly new on this site. So you can take what I have to say as you may choose to.
thanks
the iron man

 

[Silver King]

...I just think the break room has it to easy to spam your way to the 50 post count. My suggestion makes it so that you get more familiar with the site instead of spamming in the break room...

If you're referring to the Office Party forum, I very rarely find new members padding their post counts in that room. You'd think it would be easier for them to do so there, but for some unknown reason it occurs in other rooms far more frequently.

As a side note, until a couple of years ago, posts in Office Party did not count toward our totals; but that was changed to bring the room in line with the others, in which all of our posts count for something...

 

[Deleted member 42]

I just think the break room has it to easy to spam your way to the 50 post count.

I get that, but you'll notice that we can reverse the post count of members who are essentially cheating in order to exploit the community.

We can also simply ban them, and have. Who wants to have a member who's only here to exploit and not actually participate?

 

[AbielleRose]

Some of us were just talking about how great it would be to have an Absolute Write magazine. Something with AWer's short stories and some articles/interviews maybe a couple times a year (quarterly or every 2 months). Is this something that would ever be possible?

 

[JMC2009]

Some of us were just talking about how great it would be to have an Absolute Write magazine. Something with AWer's short stories and some articles/interviews maybe a couple times a year (quarterly or every 2 months). Is this something that would ever be possible?

Mac, I think you have a volunteer to run a magazine - Editor Abby.

Abby, not trying to be a jerk or anything, but have you looked at the actual Absolute Write website?

 

[Bogna]

Some of us were just talking about how great it would be to have an Absolute Write magazine. Something with AWer's short stories and some articles/interviews maybe a couple times a year (quarterly or every 2 months). Is this something that would ever be possible?

I'm still game to help out.

@JMC - I have seen the website, but how many people actually look at that as opposed to the forums?

 

[MacAllister]

I'm still game to help out.

@JMC - I have seen the website, but how many people actually look at that as opposed to the forums?

About 60,000/month as opposed to around 275,000/month, according to our Google Analytics unique visitor stats.

I'm probably nuts, but I'm actually thinking about the possibility of this. Maybe as a quarterly, to start with...

 

[Haggis]

You've stopped taking your meds, haven't you?

 

[Smish]

Some of us were just talking about how great it would be to have an Absolute Write magazine. Something with AWer's short stories and some articles/interviews maybe a couple times a year (quarterly or every 2 months). Is this something that would ever be possible?

I love this idea!

 

[MacAllister]

You've stopped taking your meds, haven't you?

I have this toothache, see, and it's a holiday weekend so the dentist can't see me until Monday. So the warm salt water rinses and an ice pack are getting me through, but I'll confess to self-medicating rather heavily with bourbon...

 

[Haggis]

You haven't gotten to the dentist yet? Oh, geeze.

 

[MacAllister]

Monday morning, bright and early.

Unless I'm all better by then. But that's looking less and less likely.

 

[AbielleRose]

About 60,000/month as opposed to around 275,000/month, according to our Google Analytics unique visitor stats.

I'm probably nuts, but I'm actually thinking about the possibility of this. Maybe as a quarterly, to start with...

Hope you feel better soon!

 

[Haggis]

Monday morning, bright and early.

Unless I'm all better by then. But that's looking less and less likely.

Have the dentist order you some penicillin or whatever antibiotic he/she uses. The pain won't go away until the pressure from the infection goes away. That could start to hit it within 24 hours. SRSLY. Do this.

 

[JMC2009]

I'm still game to help out.

@JMC - I have seen the website, but how many people actually look at that as opposed to the forums?

Bogna, that's actually why I was asking if she'd seen it. I got to AW through a Friends referral link and it took me a while to realize There was a separate website.

I just wanted to make sure that what Abby was suggesting wouldn't be duplicating Mac's efforts.

Mac, Hope you're feeling better!

P.S. if you're serious about the mag, I'll do what I can to help.

 

[Perks]

I have a suggestion - how about opening a thread in the Newbie Guide to locked threads? All locked threads could be dumped there and it would serve two purposes:

1) Everybody loves a locked thread

and

2) Newbies could see what-not-to-do in action.

Since the threads are locked down, it's not like they'd get new comments. It could be very educational for the new, and entertaining for the old. Just a thought.

 

[JMC2009]

So, it occurred to me one day that it's hard to use the forums on my mobile device while at work.

Any possibility of an app?

 

[Deleted member 42]

So, it occurred to me one day that it's hard to use the forums on my mobile device while at work.

Any possibility of an app?

Not really, no.

 

[JMC2009]

Not really, no.

Knew it was a long shot. But never hurts to ask, right?

 

[Ken]

... slight glitch on AW.

When you give someone a rep and click ok
10 or so rows of "this person is great we've run out of comps, etc"
appears in the avatar section of their post.

just figured i'd let the hamsters know