Randomly, Gloomcookie mentioned a while ago that perhaps what we need to do is say, there's a threshold to how many posts a specific show can generate in a topic after which it automatically is spun off into its own thread. She never detailed her ideas, but I thought I'd remind us of it because it's another possible solution.

:: curls up in a dark corner to cry ::

Polls! Data!

Some buckets, some individual show threads, some discussion of tv in general threads. A bit of this and a bit of that. I guess I don't need the bright lines so much.

What I mean is that I think Cindy proposed to the experimental threads as a chance to help the community see how we watch and discuss TV. What happened is that people who enjoyed them understandably want a replication of what they were. If we have a new experiment, we suddenly have a second constituency advocating for their specific threads.

Is that the worst thing? At least then we'll be hearing from more people, and we'll be actually finding out, rather than assuming, what does or doesn't work for us. Given the strength of feeling on these issues, I'd rather have more understanding than less. And if people do end up advocating for different thing, maybe it'll also help ease the people who are concerned that anything that gets proposed or advocated is a gimme.

Data! We need more data!

That's why I think polls might be quicker, easier and less stressful than throwing out more threads.

If we did some polls, I think I'd be most curious to find out how people use B.org (is it their main online community, are they mostly in Natter or Bitches or a show thead or fanfiction, do they seek out other forums for music, movies, tv shows, etc.), and then find out viewing habits (buckets or single threads or a mix, delayed viewing or within 24 hours of broadcast or something else, whitefont or not, only cop shows or only blackula hunter shows, etc.)

Because I am having a hard time getting a sense of broad trends of preference. Are the minority opinions small but vocal? Is the difference between the majority and the minority smallish? What accomodates the most people? What works best for the community?

What poll questions do you think would be useful for your understanding of these issues?

1) slows down the board as a whole or specific threads? I suspect that if we have more threads, the discussion board-wide will actually increase.

The board as a whole. as in makes it run slower. I am not really concerned about teh three threads I read withering up. If they do, it means b.org isn't the place for me anymore.

2) What's wrong with new people in Natter?

Well, I am new people averse and I know it is stupid and I like lots of people who were new at some point or other and yes hypocricy, but I stand by it. I don't much like people and I really don't like the people I don't know. I'm still the nicest one here.

I heart msbelle. IJS.

The board as a whole. as in makes it run slower.

Oh! Gotchya. I guess that would be a question for ita. Although, I believe earlier she said it wouldn't be appreciably slower. Is that right, ita?

I'm still the nicest one here.

Well, that will never change. There are some constants on B.org. Jesse will always be a cowgirl, ita can always kill people with her pinky even when she has a migraine, billytea will always like animals, tommyrot will continue his bizarre fascination with hairless cats, and msbelle will always be the nicest.

With a bucket as huge as the proposed Broadcast Drama thread, even if someone in a non-Eastern time zone watches these programs as they air (not tape or DVR delayed), they still need to exit the thread every day when prime time starts on the East Coast and can't return until prime time is over in their time zone.

I've been doing this for years. Heaven knows the number of evenings I've watched the post counts go up in the Angel thread until after it aired in the Mountain Time Zone. It's the same with House and Bones now. I've learned to cope with the great burden that is waiting two hours to go back into a single thread on the board.

You have to pay SOME price for your gorgeous weather! :)