New TT Category Proposals

“Ok, to fine tune the process of thread categories, what categories do you think are needed? The current categories are:

Gear

General Backpacking/Outdoors/Fun

Places

East Coast

Pacific Coast

Mid Continent

Chatter/Off-Topic

Trips

Are any of these redundant/not-needed? I did think that we need a Cooking/Food category. I don't want to create just a Political/Religion category, because that can be too limiting as to what is included. I was thinking more of a Way Out in Left Field (no partisan joke there, a baseball reference) that is all encompassing of the brainwashing threads.”

“I like the idea of a cooking/food category. Placing a political/religion category will just bring more of those types of threads to the board. The focus of this site is backpacking, not politics and religion. I have no problem with them being on this board under chatter, but I don’t think they deserve there own category.

I would like to thank you Matt for making this site a great place to visit; although I don’t think my boss does.”

“This would be fine if there were some means of controlling which icon is selected.

General backpacking/Outdoors/Fun topics seem to include a lot of chatter.”

“So religion is a brainwashing topic? j/k, it had to be said.

I sort of think the location designations are redundant. People are typically pretty good about listing a location. Also, Trips and Places might be redundant.

The Left Field classification is good. The hard part is naming the thing. Maybe, "Politcs, Religion and All things Controversial" Gee, that may be too long.”

“Food category is a good idea. How about an Lightweight/Ultralight category?”

“Yeah, I think a General Nonsense category should take care of politics and religion. And, as Lumberzac says, I am grateful for this website as well. If not for this I'd have to get a real life.”

“Oh, and others brought this up on your other thread - how about "ignore this thread"?”

“I see Matt "re-classified" some threads with different icons, which seems to work better. Thanks.

How about a "trip report" category? With the upcoming Yellow River State Forest trip, I was never sure if I should post it under "Midwest" or under "Trips." Aaaaaand... when trip reports come in from it, what do they go under?

It's minor... but a thought. The food category is good.”

“Places
East Coast
Pacific Coast
Mid Continent

these kinda always threw me a bit because the East Coast, Pacific Coast, Mid Continent...are all places....”

“I don’t know about everyone else but as for me, I don’t go by categories. If I see a subject that interest me then I read it other wise I don’t click on it. It would be nice to have all the backpacking threads grouped together because that is mostly what I read.”

“I don't think we need the east coast/ pacific etc.... categories. we have the trip page, that should be fine.

I like all the others, and all I think that's needed is a politic category. I think the political category is really the only category I would not select to view. I like some of the other crap we write. :)

Well yeah a food and trip report category is good, but I normally post them either under trips or general cat.”

“And lets please get that "Nightcrawlers" thing down at the bottom of the page as it is EXACTLY WHAT THE THREAD IT IS **NOT** DEFINED BY CALLS IT: ****CHATTER****

Thanks!”

“just keep the website going!

A food/cooking category is not a bad idea.”

“I don't use those thread catagories, so I don't know what the usefulness is of having them around. Would it be safe to say that they could go?


I think an ultralite, Food/Cooking,and a Trips "area" instead of a page, would be useful on this board.”

“What about "family type" treads like TT Injured Reserve List and get up! If these remain in Chatter/Off-Topic, with Political/Religion, I don't see any improvement or change.

There does exist a "family" feeling here among some backpackers who have met or would like to meet.”

“You could create a Category for "The Smoking Parlor" or "The Room". Send the zealots there for their debates and leave the rest of us in peace.”

“Or "Hot Air". Make the icon a hot air balloon.

Otherwise, I like your ideas and the cooking/food thread.

I think the general backpacking/outdoors/fun leave room for fitness topics like "Losing Weight". ;P”

“Maybe instead of East Coast you could have it like:

NorthEast (NY,NJ,CT,NH,MA)

thats not complete but you get the picture...

This way people know what states the discussion revolves around?

Some people will post a report or discussion and just put the name of the trail or whatever and many people are like "where the heck is that???"

Just a suggestion!

Thanks for asking our input and keeping such a cool site for all these years!”

“All gear, all the time!”

“Adventurist hit on a good point. I often don't recognize names of places that I have never been near or read about. Some local names halfway across the country don't register with someone who has no experience with that place. I would be interested to see a little more definition in some of those...”

“A food/cooking and a ultralight gear category would be great.

I do think a political/religion category would be good. That way you can mark it as one you dont want to see unless you want to.

I do like the dating sucks, divorce sucks, losing weight, TT Running club threads. I think these need to be kept separate from the political type threads. These could remain in chatter”

“Good idea. Keep political separate. Frankly, if you do, it probably couldn't be easier to avoid and anyone who complains at that point is going to complain about them no matter what you do. And Ewker's right too. If divorce is not what you're looking for, you certainly can avoid that too...”

“Maybe define parts of country as either a lot more, like NE, SE, Upper Midwest, lower Midwest, Rocky Mountains, SW, PNF... etc.

Or just simplify to East, Midwest, West... that might also be better.

And let's harp on people to please mention right away what state they're talking about. That would be a gripe I have with many posters. I even caught Editor Geobeet posting about a trip without giving the state (and gave him crap). LOL!”

“It would help make your trip description a little more defined...”

“I honestly never look at what the category is. I usually just look at the thread title and who the author is.”

“Instead of focusing on this, how about adding editing functions, updating the search function, and related stuff to bring this forum into the 1990's.”

“Putting all the chatter stuff at the bottom of the page really f##ing sucks. The useability of the site just took a big aZZed nosedive.

Just give politics a freaking icon let people use the damn filter or shut the hell up.”

“Could you add an "intimate encounters" category?”

“The way people discuss political subjects here is not conductive to rational debate.
Calling someone a stupid redneck racist is not debate or discussion.
Political threads must have their own icon and putting them own the bottom is A OK.
The true chatter threads builds friendships and a sence of community and are the 'human' part of TT.”

“Right, Stove and now they are lumped together at the bottom. Separate them as HPM says. It's the simplest, most direct way to do it. This should be a no-brainer.”

“and we could have a "mutt's a total pompus wank-off" catagory as well.....


just brainstorming here.....”

“Don't hate strat! ;-)”

“I am going to do research on a hypothesis I developed...

Hypothesis: No matter what you do, you are always going to have thread derailment within 10 posts of the initial in 99% of all threads!”

“never......


it was a joke....see.......a funny......bone, that is....”

“That's true, Adv. But, weeding through a little degeneration is a lot different than weeding through a multitude of cut and pastes that may not interest you. The thread degeneration doesn't usually involve that kind of volume...”

“I want to reiterate my opinion (shared by some others) that the "political/religion" category be more general, something like "controversial." Because there are plenty of controversial things that aren't political or religion-oriented. Like I could start a thread that says, "I hate Ukranians," which would be controversial, but neither politial or religious.

I do like the idea of the icon being someone beating a dead horse.

I also like having a "trip report" icon, as lizs suggested.

I think food/cooking could go under general backpacking or gear. Or change the gear category to include food/cooking.

Gosh, there's just no end to my ideas.

I am rather upset that no one has given any of my threads as examples of threads they enjoy reading. Maybe I should leave TT!

Just kidding....”

“oops, that should be "neither...nor"”

“Instead of regional categories, how about one beautiful green icon representing the Pacific Northwest and one of Hell for the rest of the US?”

“I was never one who paid attention to categories either. Like Yam said, I look at the title and the author and usually I have trouble finding what I am looking for. I also got used to seeing the active threads float to the top. That is missing now and I am also feeling forced to look at those category icons. Reworking the icons could make this more user friendly...”

“usually have NO trouble...
is what I meant to say”

“First and foremost, thanks Matt for working hard to keep TT and thebackpacker.com interesting and user-friendly as best any webmaster can.

Second, I like the "hot air" designation with the hot air baloon icon idea for the politics/religion/social reconstruction etc. rants. Or maybe call it "blowing off steam" and have a steam whistle icon.

Food certainly is an option, but the thread title under the general icon should usually make that clear. Same with ultralight, as the gear icon works in conjunction with the thread title.

Third, thanks again Matt for giving me a place to hang out with my virtual dysfunctional family.”

“Pekka, don't misunderstand me. I think that this is one of the most user friendly sites that I have ever seen. What I was referring to is that I think to accomplish what he wants here 'currently', can be done a little differently. As it is, it's hard to monitor activity on the board with the exception of the top few items. Even if a 'bottom dweller' topic is discussed heavily, you still can't tell because it will stay buried no matter how many posts are added to it...”

“Previously:

"I've been experimenting with this and I think WD's 'Ignore this Thread' option along with giving political threads their own category would give everyone the ability to customize TrailTalk as they see fit. Those who are averse to political threads can make them all disappear... then make them reappear if their mood changes.

Apparently, many of the 'General' threads are actually off-topic 'chatter', and the like, due to some confusion over the terminology. Applying the 'ignore' functionality to specific threads would obviate the need to police the threads for correct category assignment.

Troll threads could be nixed no matter the category. I don't think the trolls are too conscientious about the categories they choose anyway."


Further:

If ability existed to ingnore specific threads, that would solve the immediate problem, and might solve the problem altogether. Also, troll threads could be nuked on sight. The board becomes self policing -- less work for Matt!

I think "Hot Air" is emminently appropriate for politics and religion. I didn't include religion threads in my thoughts before.... I simply avoid them 97% of the time.

I also think that if there had been an editing function, lots of the heated rhetoric could've been avoided. We all say things in the heat of battle we may regret later. Just think of how much 'nicer' the board could have been.

Is it politics per se at the root of this current controversy, or the corrosive nature of incivility?


If all three of options these were implemented:

1) Ignore
2) Categorize
3) Edit

... each user would see a message board of their own choosing:

Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day

”

“Incivility”

“i agree with Tilt! that sounds like a good idea. but i don't know what it would do for newbies, which Matt says he doesn't want scared away (for whatever reason. j/k!!). they'd still see everything right away.”

“You could have the "Hot Air" category unchecked by default... The newbs could discover it later (to their horror, <G>).”

“Could we put the haiku threads on a separate site altogether?”

“there ya go!”

“and isn't a SLIGHTLY larger font more readable??



<GRIN>”

“Fiddler spouting trash
O silly stringed instrument
Cannot halt haiku”