New Alberta Forum Format (SSP Local Alberta) VOTE!!

[Wooster]

I think we should consider a much simpler, less fragmented version of SSP local Alberta. 2 main sections. Development and City building as one. and General discussion as the other.

I think most agree we could leave Calgary and Edmonton together. Let's vote on this format, and forward it to administrators.


Development and City building
Sticky: Calgary Construction
Sticky: Edmonton Construction
Sticky: Calgary Public Transit
Sticky: Edmonton Public Transit
Sticky: Calgary Roads
Sticky: Edmonton Roads
Sticky: YYC
Sticky: YEC
Unsticky: Everything else like individual project polls etc

General Discussion
Sticky: Calgary food and coffee
Sticky: Edmonton food and coffee
Sticky: Alberta economy and politics
Sticky: Calgary Arts and Entertainment
Sticky: Edmonton Arts and Enternainment
Sticky: Edmonton Sucks
Sticky: Calgary Rules
Unsticky: Everything else

[lubicon]

I've said it before and I will say it again. Keep things the way they are, I don't want this forum to become more fragmented and harder to navigate.

[RWin]

I think you should try changing the name and then re-poll.

[Boris2k7]

No offense Josh, but this is a big can of worms.

...

Now, my view is as follows:

1) While I am not opposed to a Local totally... since my biggest issue was that the Construction thread be maintained... I do think that if we are to do so, we need to try and keep divisions to an absolute minimum.

2) I think that there are other things we should be looking at before Local, those being:

• aesthetic upgrades to make sticky's more distinct and give the Alberta subforum a better "sense of place" (including, if possible, better navigation and a banner)
• more local moderation; right now, we have itom, who does a good enough job I guess, but we could use increased supervision and intervention from above (obviously, I cannot fulfill this role if available because I have little ability to remain a third party in most debates)
• a firmer set of rules for the Alberta subforum regarding voluntary posting practice, common courtesy, and forum direction
• more coordination regarding items such as diagram requests and news posting

etc.

[Kevin_foster]

To me, it's just an internet forum. Why the need to be so structured.. I have no problem following threads I talk in... and I also like to read other threads concerning calgary etc.

I hate beaurocratizing things.

[frinkprof]

I voted yes. I generally like the format Josh proposes, and I would probably come up with something a little different. That's the thing though, everyone wants something different.

Also, Boris raises a good point, that regardless of a switch to a different format, it has become clear in recent months that some form of moderator or administrative intervention is needed, at least in the Calgary threads. I won't name names, but the information and conversational flow has been crippled and the things that make this corner of SSP great have been compromised. I have more thoughts on this topic, and I'd be happy to share them with the SSP moderation team if they were to ask either me or the group.

Anyway, as for the topic at hand, I'd be good with what Josh has proposed, other than the obvious joke about Edmonton sucking and Calgary ruling.

[freeweed]

If anything, combining "roads" with "public transit" and calling it "transportation" would make the most sense. I really don't see the volume to justify two stickies for that, plus, how would we ever have calm, intelligent debate about transit vs cars? Kidding aside, as much as some might like to disagree, the two items are intricately linked and really feed off each other.

Doing that, it just strikes me that the only change needed would be to make the airport threads sticky (which I think is a good idea regardless). The food and entertainment discussions come up so infrequently that I never even notice them cluttering up the forum.

Here's a pickle: if we have a "Calgary entertainment" thread and a "Calgary development" thread, how the heck do we discuss the most important news story of the century, a replacement for the Saddledome? Virtually any discussion on that topic would cross over between the two threads, and then we'd have groups on both sides whining that there should be a THIRD thread (much like Edmonton has done for their arena discussion), and where does that go? What happens when someone mentions the LRT stations to the Saddledome, do we need thread moderators to shove that discussion into the transit/transportation thread, whereupon the folks there will complain about the inevitable hockey comments? I shudder to think of where a discussion about coming home on the LRT after hitting a really good bar after a hockey game would end up.

Eventually we'll just have both sections looking pretty much identical to the current set up, but with duplication everywhere. As you may be able to determine, I'm not a huge fan of artificial compatmentalization of knowledge. Everything is related to everything else.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Boris2k7

[*]more local moderation; right now, we have itom, who does a good enough job I guess, but we could use increased supervision and intervention from above (obviously, I cannot fulfill this role if available because I have little ability to remain a third party in most debates)

Props to Boris for having the integrity to state this. It's the same reason I always refuse to be a moderator/op role in any discussion format ever - I'm never impartial and I full well know it.

Personally though, I'm a fan of very little moderation. Mostly because I'm exceedingly tolerent of jackasses, but also because I know about the /ignore function. Now if only that applied to when other people not on your ignore list quote those that are, so you could fully eliminate the offender from your sight...

[Coldrsx]

KISS

If it aint broke, dont fix it.

[jeffwhit]

I like this format proposal a lot. A Third Way, if you will

How typically, typically Albertan.

[itom 987]

Originally Posted by josh white

Sticky: Edmonton Sucks
Sticky: Calgary Rules

Josh, that isn't winning any positive diplomacy points.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by itom 987

Josh, that isn't winning any positive diplomacy points.

Heh.

No doubt we also won't see any "Sticky: Alberta humour" threads.

[Greco Roman]

Originally Posted by itom 987

Josh, that isn't winning any positive diplomacy points.

It's a typical Calgarian attitude, joking or not. Not surprising.

Anyways, the current format is good the way it is.

[Hardhatdan]

Yawn

[CanadianCentaur]

Originally Posted by Greco Roman

It's a typical Calgarian attitude, joking or not. Not surprising.

Anyways, the current format is good the way it is.

Yeah, and that "typical Calgarian attitude" gets old really fast.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by CanadianCentaur

Yeah, and that "typical Calgarian attitude" gets old really fast.

Especially when it's coming from a typical Edmontonian attitude.

Or is it only OK to act like a jackass when you're from one city and not the other?

Seriously. People need to lighten up. The big bad Calgary ego monster isn't gonna steal you away in your sleep or anything.

Edit: Hrm. I thought that with the quotation marks you were poking fun at constant braying of the "typical Calgarian attitude" phrase. Just realized that my first comment makes far less sense if not. Ah well, never fear, Edmonton is better represented in the mod community than Calgary so I'm sure Josh or I will get banned soon.

[Wooster]

Alright, alright. We'll change those two catagories to:

Sticky: Greco Roman has no sense of humour
Sticky: Typical Calgary attitudes

Anyway, seems like the crowd has spoken. No change.

And at least six people like josh white. Encouraging.

[The Kid]

I know I haven't been posting at all the past couple of months but I am still following almost daily. I like things the way they are if we're still counting votes.

[Greco Roman]

Originally Posted by josh white

Sticky: Greco Roman has no sense of humour
Sticky: Typical Calgary attitudes

You are right. I do need a better sense of humor, so here is my contribution:

Calgary is full of crap.

Ha Ha Ha.

See, I have a sense of humor

[freeweed]

Now make it a sticky.