Why do certain threads get moved to manufacturers forums and others don't?

[John348]

I just noticed that two threads, one of which was in general discussion since 2016 and was 6 pages long, has gotten to the Chevrolet Forum, which is pretty much a death sentence, and another on Studebakers and that had gotten moved which was recent, but I see threads on Dodge water pumps, Chryslers, Packard's, Ford's all in General Discussion. I just don't understand the random logic to the decision making. Especially if a thread can survive 6 pages in 6 years and pretty much stay on topic, which we all must admit is a rarity. Why? 

[John_S_in_Penna]

22 minutes ago, John348 said:

...the Chevrolet Forum, which is pretty much a death sentence... 

I see what you mean, John.  Some entire categories

are very inactive.  For contrast:

 

General Discussion:  The first page is filled in 4 days.  Typically 10, 40, 80 responses.

Chevrolet:  The first page filled in 8 months.  Typically 0, 1, 2 responses.

 

Until I went to check, I don't think I have EVER looked at the Chevrolet category.

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[John348]

I don't expect an answer, but why are certain topics relocated and some not. There must be some criteria? I am just curious, I would like to think there is some process involved to making that decision. I just find it hard to believe it took 6 years and 6 pages to arrive at that decision, and the Studebaker one less then a day 

[Steve Moskowitz]

Peter is the best one to answer this but some times it is due to a request by members to the forum moderators or even the original poster asking for a change.  Other than that you might chalk it up to alcohol!  

[John_S_in_Penna]

52 minutes ago, John348 said:

There must be some criteria? I am just curious, I would like to think there is some process involved to making that decision.

I don't know what the criteria are, or the criterion is,

but I figure it's mostly the moderators' judgment.

They must try to keep the "General Discussion" category

from becoming over-populated, and fill the lesser categories

with subjects that surely look limited to one make or model.

 

In the case you cited, it would kill the discussion.

In other cases, the decision may be excellent, helping out

a novice forum-goer:  For example, a "Buick" or "Riviera"

question will reach many more knowledgeable people in

the "Buick" or "Riviera" categories, because those categories

are highly read. 

[SC38dls]

In defense of the moderators (thank you for doing a thankless job) I had a discussion get moved to another make specific site. I believe it was a couple hundred responses into the discussion. The thread received zero response in the new site. After two days I sent a PM to the moderator, explained the thread was about my car but was also would apply to any make and was generating interest and help for others attempting to do the same type project I was doing. It didn’t matter what make it was. The thread got moved back to the general thread and was active for a few hundred more responses that were of a general interest. If this happens to you ask the moderator why in a PM they are just trying to keep the forums active. 
dave s 

 

edit PS - I don’t disagree on not understanding why they get moved. I do now go to the make of my car thread to check for possible intresting threads but miss out on ones that may apply in other make specific. 

Edited August 9, 2022 by SC38dls (see edit history)

[John348]

Points are well taken, the Chevrolet Forum on this site gathers dust, especially for a topic such as the one that moved. There just is an extreme lack of consistency and it is noticeable. There is a thread on Repairing Ford Lincoln Mercury Audio Components, not that I want to see it get moved, but why does get to stay in General Discussion? Just be consistent, the relocation effectively killed the 348/409 thread without deleting it.    

Edited August 9, 2022 by John348 (see edit history)

[46 woodie]

Same thing happened to something I posted a few weeks ago. The topic was about breaking a tie for Best of Show because one car had restored year of manufacture license plates. Posted for a few day's, got great response and all of a sudden poof, it was gone. It would be nice for the moderator to send out an E-Mail and explain why your posts are moved or deleted. Many categories are very stagnant and not read.

[John348]

Just a clarification, I did not start this thread to call anyone out or question anyone who volunteers their time, or gets paid for their time. I just do not wish to be painted as the bad guy because I question what appears to me as an obverse inconsistency. Volunteer or paid, there still should be some sort of criteria other "then I felt like it" or it was time.  The political stuff I clearly understand, 

[John_S_in_Penna]

34 minutes ago, John348 said:

I just do not wish to be painted as the bad guy because I question...

A member questioning is not a "bad guy!"

It's merely asking accounting of our elected club officers,

volunteers, and paid employees.  In your own business, you'd

never be hesitant to question your employees with respect

and courtesy, and you've done so here just as courteously.

 

[Peter Gariepy]

I move topics when I feel they are better posted to another forum.  

 

It's like herding cats. An impossible task, but there are sub-forums for a reason.

 

I also rename posts.  Clickbait and ambiguous titles are rampant, and I do what I can to squash them.

 

This topic is a perfect example of something that should be in the forum questions forum.   I only stumbled upon it here.

[1937hd45]

14 hours ago, John348 said:

I just noticed that two threads, one of which was in general discussion since 2016 and was 6 pages long, has gotten to the Chevrolet Forum, which is pretty much a death sentence, and another on Studebakers and that had gotten moved which was recent, but I see threads on Dodge water pumps, Chryslers, Packard's, Ford's all in General Discussion. I just don't understand the random logic to the decision making. Especially if a thread can survive 6 pages in 6 years and pretty much stay on topic, which we all must admit is a rarity. Why? 

I don't let it bother me, I'll read stuff in the General Forum, and Pre War Photographs, if things get moved, they are gone as far as future reading for me. Rarely if ever read  the specific categories, but if the Green Mustang owners have a Green Mustang Forum, good for them. 

 

Bob 

Edited August 9, 2022 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Chris Bamford]

2 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

I also rename posts.  Clickbait and ambiguous titles are rampant, and I do what I can to squash them.

 

 

I believe this renaming for clarity is more common lately than in the past, and Bravo, Peter — I'm all for it!

[Pfeil]

6 hours ago, John348 said:

Just a clarification, I did not start this thread to call anyone out or question anyone who volunteers their time, or gets paid for their time. I just do not wish to be painted as the bad guy because I question what appears to me as an obverse inconsistency. Volunteer or paid, there still should be some sort of criteria other "then I felt like it" or it was time.  The political stuff I clearly understand, 

John, you nailed it, inconsistency. Think of the topics raised in the General section which really should be in another place in the Antique Automobile Discussion Forums. A great many questions in the General section are technical in nature which should be in the technical section, still others, on the other side of the coin are a post about a modified car, which have no place in any of the antique automobile discussion forums and should be put in a make section. And yet many prevail while others get the boot.

 The other problem is, if you post in the proper section the post is generally dead-on arrival.

All Pete has to do now is figure out how to herd ALL the cats consistently and objectively. 

Edited August 9, 2022 by Pfeil (see edit history)

[Peter Gariepy]

3 minutes ago, Pfeil said:

 

All Pete has to do now is figure out how to herd all the cats consistently and objectively. 

 

The ideal solution... users need to post in the proper category to begin with, and give it a proper topic title.

 

The alternative is to just have a short(er) list of forum categories.  Considering this forum gets 2,500 new topics a month, and 15000 responses to those posts a month, the short list of forums would see topics fall off the first page within hours of being posted. Not a good solution IMHO.

 

Analogy:  It would be like going to the AACA Hershey meet and walking the show field without first organizing the automobiles.  Some people might love it, but total chaos for the rest.

[Peter Gariepy]

1 hour ago, Chris Bamford said:

I believe this renaming for clarity is more common lately than in the past, and Bravo, Peter — I'm all for it!

 

Glad someone noticed.

[Frank DuVal]

The reason the Buick forums get so many visits is they are THE official forums of the Buick Club of America. The rest of the marque forums are just sub categories of the AACA, not related to a specific marque club, AFAIK (as far as I know, open to corrections, please). I try to visit the Graham and Willy-Knight forums, but usually just visit General, Technical and Buick(s) because they are more active.

 

Personal opinion: it would be nice if more marque clubs used the wonderful assets of the AACA forum system and parked their forums here, especially the lesser visited brands. (i.e. brands whose own forums are visited infrequently, this eliminates the Corvair and Studebaker people! Ha!).

 

I do agree with Peter that post titles need to be way better written to reflect what is really the question/topic/important issue. 👍

[Pfeil]

25 minutes ago, Frank DuVal said:

The reason the Buick forums get so many visits is they are THE official forums of the Buick Club of America. The rest of the marque forums are just sub categories of the AACA, not related to a specific marque club, AFAIK (as far as I know, open to corrections, please). I try to visit the Graham and Willy-Knight forums, but usually just visit General, Technical and Buick(s) because they are more active.

 

Personal opinion: it would be nice if more marque clubs used the wonderful assets of the AACA forum system and parked their forums here, especially the lesser visited brands. (i.e. brands whose own forums are visited infrequently, this eliminates the Corvair and Studebaker people! Ha!).

 

I do agree with Peter that post titles need to be way better written to reflect what is really the question/topic/important issue. 👍

Frank, does the BuickCA have their own web site and forum like Pontiac fans have POCI and Ames Performance Engineering? I think that's why the Pontiac participation here is so low.

Edited August 10, 2022 by Pfeil (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

The Buick Club of America has their own website, 

but from their website, the tabs to their forum all lead

to the various Buick categories hosted on the AACA Forum. 

[John348]

1 hour ago, Pfeil said:

Frank, does the BuickCA have their own web site and forum like Pontiac fans have POCI and Ames Performance Engineering? I think that's why the Pontiac participation here is so low.

 

That is what I am trying to point out with this thread. Initially I thought the "Lets Talk 348-409 Stuff" was a goofy thread and it sort of grew legs over the past six years, and most importantly it stayed on topic.  I might have only looked at the Chevrolet forum here ten times, I don't think it gets any traffic, and the traffic it gets seems to be the early Chevrolets.

 

Peter, I would like to thank- you for answering as to why it was moved. I would like to see it moved back 

[Bloo]

3 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

The rest of the marque forums are just sub categories of the AACA, not related to a specific marque club, AFAIK (as far as I know, open to corrections, please).

I don't think that is true, is it? I assumed that was the case when I first landed here, but then later I think I saw links from various club websites linking back here. I didn't imagine that did I? I'm not suggesting all of them are linked with clubs, but probably a few more than just Buick? Initially I thought it odd that cross-posting to other sections is not only tolerated but sometimes recommended here when it is banned on most forums, but then I realized that some of the posters probably came from elsewhere via club links and do not even realize all the other sections exist, or if they do realize it they probably don't normally look outside their section.

 

[SC38dls]

John, if a thread is so specific it only applies to one make of car does it really apply to the general forum?  If it was in the Chevy section wouldn’t it generate more responses if those interested in Chevy’s knew post were in there and they checked it every day like some of us do for the general section. I do that for the Studebaker section. If it’s specific to Studebaker it’s actually faster to check for these post and therefore I have more time to respond in the goofy ways I do. The moderators have it tough enough trying to keep all of us from politics and other topics that get us into arguments and derogatory comments. Maybe it’s time to make life a little easier on them. Surly it’s not to difficult to press a few extra computer keys for the great information and fun we receive from this forum. Just my 2 goofy cents opinion.

dave s 
 

[alsancle]

Everybody needs to learn how to use the "unread content" button so it eliminates the argument guys make about generating more traffic in a different sub forum.

[edinmass]

On 8/9/2022 at 9:57 AM, Steve Moskowitz said:

Peter is the best one to answer this but some times it is due to a request by members to the forum moderators or even the original poster asking for a change.  Other than that you might chalk it up to alcohol!  

 

I'll have a double of Crown Royal please.......

[Frank DuVal]

13 hours ago, Pfeil said:

Frank, does the BuickCA have their own web site and forum

As John already said, yes the BCA has a web site, but no forums on their website, just links to here on the AACA under Buick. Everyone here, works so much better than all the other clubs reinventing the wheel. Of course some clubs have already invented the wheel years ago and hard to make people move.😆

[Pfeil]

If anyone who wants to post something about a certain "make" of car has to go to that specific site.

 

The General section has rules that "make" specific sites do not. I remember a modified Buick Riv. in the General section being sent to the Buick site. This is good because it's a modified car. I usually don't go to specific "make" sites because it has modified cars. I want to be at AACA, not Jalopy Journal.

 

If all the different "makes" are going to specific sites, the General section will have about as much traffic as memorabilia, toys, etc.   

Edited August 10, 2022 by Pfeil (see edit history)

[John348]

4 hours ago, SC38dls said:

John, if a thread is so specific it only applies to one make of car does it really apply to the general forum?  If it was in the Chevy section wouldn’t it generate more responses if those interested in Chevy’s knew post were in there and they checked it every day like some of us do for the general section. I do that for the Studebaker section. If it’s specific to Studebaker it’s actually faster to check for these post and therefore I have more time to respond in the goofy ways I do. The moderators have it tough enough trying to keep all of us from politics and other topics that get us into arguments and derogatory comments. Maybe it’s time to make life a little easier on them. Surly it’s not to difficult to press a few extra computer keys for the great information and fun we receive from this forum. Just my 2 goofy cents opinion.

dave s 
 

Dave,

Very true, but what makes that thread any less marquee specific then a " HELP 1950 Chrysler New Yorker high oil pressure" or "water pump woes on a 34 dodge coupe" I am just using those threads as examples, there are many others.

 

The inconsistency part of this has yet to be answered. 

[SC38dls]

John, just the way it goes I suppose. 
dave s 

[Peter Gariepy]

3 hours ago, John348 said:

The inconsistency part of this has yet to be answered. 

 

Not enough time to police everything.   Address things that people complain about first.

[John348]

59 minutes ago, Peter Gariepy said:

 

Not enough time to police everything.   Address things that people complain about first.

Thanks for answering, 

[Frank DuVal]

10 hours ago, Pfeil said:

I usually don't go to specific "make" sites because it has modified cars.

Modifieds are allowed in the Buick section because BCA allows modified cars in their shows. The other marque sections that are not other club related should follow the AACA rules AFAIK.

[Pfeil]

12 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

Modifieds are allowed in the Buick section because BCA allows modified cars in their shows. The other marque sections that are not other club related should follow the AACA rules AFAIK.

Long ago I realized that Frank, that's why I don't go to the site. Often times other Marque sites don't follow the rules. 

[Pfeil]

20 hours ago, John348 said:

Dave,

Very true, but what makes that thread any less marquee specific then a " HELP 1950 Chrysler New Yorker high oil pressure" or "water pump woes on a 34 dodge coupe" I am just using those threads as examples, there are many others.

 

The inconsistency part of this has yet to be answered. 

Yes! and this one came up in the general section this morning;  Email from AACA? "Important member history requested"

 

According to what is being asked of us it should be in the Forum Questions and Answers

 

 

[R W Burgess]

20 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

 

Not enough time to police everything.   Address things that people complain about first.

+=

And, I'd say not enough moderators too. I used to do this job every day, but got burnt out. It can happen. I miss you guys, but sometimes the stress means its time to back off. I would think Peter would welcome more help, if you can pass the "AACA Mind Test!"  :-)

[MrEarl]

On 8/9/2022 at 11:02 PM, Frank DuVal said:

The reason the Buick forums get so many visits is they are THE official forums of the Buick Club of America. The rest of the marque forums are just sub categories of the AACA, not related to a specific marque club, AFAIK (as far as I know, open to corrections, please)

Since you're "open to corrections" Frank 🙂,  let me respectfully correct you on your statement that the Buick forums here "are THE official Forums of the Buick Club of America"  It once was, but a couple years back any and all specific references to the Buick Club of America were removed from the Buick sub category. (With the exception of the sub sub forum of "Buick Club of America News" listed under General, that I requested Peter to allow.)  As far as I know, since then, the Buick forum is no longer "officially" tied to the BCA and is no different than any other here.  Any other specific marque club can similarly provide links to here.

 

As to moving Buick related posts from the AACA General forum to a Buick forum,  I as a moderator normally hesitate to do so. IF I do I typically advise the poster as to the fact that I did along with my reason and to let me know if they desire it be moved back. I am quick however to move errant posts in the Buick forums to their proper Buick sub forum according their topics and subject matter....a place for everything and everything in its place ya know.

 

Glad to see a discussion on this subject, I've wondered the same as others. Peter continues to do a great job as administrator and I personally think the number and caliber of moderators these days is spot on. 'twas a time when too many chiefs seemed to create a problem of it's own.

 

Edited August 14, 2022 by MrEarl (see edit history)