Let me set my definition:

Chattiness is measured in number of posts -- Kristen's scenario had fewer posts, ergo less chatty.

It seems that if even the smallest increase in postiness could crash us, I don't know that there's any house cleaning will have any effect at all.

My point is -- if there's a decent risk that this would increase the number of posts, why bother? You're shifting a status quo for what benefit?

It's not the size of the post, Sean, it's how many times you get down with the act.

Hm? What's doing in Smallville? click Oh, what Ple said cracks me up! I'll respond. click Hey, I'll COMM that! click Posting in COMM. click I wonder what's doing in Natter? click Jobma, healthma, questionable link, quiz, Bush is an ass.

So basically, we don't know. If the thread becomes a default general TV thread, there could be a lot more posts, which is worse. If it means that people who would have gone into three threads go into one and post one thing instead of three, which is better.

Is there any way we could start it, try it for X period of time, and yank it if the MySQL use gets up there?

Dingoes ate my post.

You're shifting a status quo for what benefit?

To satisfy an expressed need within the community while trying to avoid some of the drawbacks that a more general thread would have.

I mean, maybe we should just leave everything right as it is, but then I become quite concerned that we're just hosed, whether something happens to spike posts in between now and Oct.1, or the increased posts of the first Angel broadcasts does, it feels like it's just a matter of time.

If that is the case, is there anything we can do? Should we just switch to a dedicated server now?

I know that we think we should wait on talk like that, but now it sounds like we're going to be fine until we're not (whenever that comes), and once we're not fine any more we get shut down until such time as we can afford as a dedicated server.

I guess it just seems like we're at a sort of "nobody post any more than they already do, and maybe try to post less" point, which sounds exactly like "let's start the fund-raising drive right now" to me.

It's not the size of the post, Sean, it's how many times you get down with the act.

::snerk::

Hey, I'm all about going for quality over quantity.

What Sean said (about the "let's start fundraising") (although I guess I'm in the quality over quantity camp, as well).

This gets tricky, because Smallville? I totally planned to pick it now that Buffy's gone. I watched a few episodes here and there, and erm... it's TV! With pretty people! So yeah, I'd be drawn to either a singular Smallville or a Smallville/Due South/Farscape thread.

. . . still listening. . .

It seems a clearly designated DS/SV/F thread is a clearer choice. Or elimination.

How much will consolidating these threads really accomplish? I see Kristen's point about being able to do multiple responses in one post. But I really think that's more of a factor in faster moving threads like Natter or Bitches. And what I also can see happening is the reverse - having more posts to respond to, I'm posting more than I would have otherwise (for those who don't frequent all three threads).

If all it'll accomplish is a nicer seating arrangement on the deck, then I'm starting to lean towards letting things lie. I can only speak for DueSouth, but I do see it as a sort of subcommunity. I don't know whether that's still true for Smallville and Farscape, though Plei makes a very good point about the likelihood of a resurgence in that thread. If there's no overwhelming need to revamp these threads, I hope we'll seriously consider letting them be.

I am Brenda. With respect to DS/SV/F, I think we should let things lie. My hunch is that a consolidated thread will generate more traffic than thee separate ones. I'm very concerned that Sean is right about a consolidated thread becoming a de facto general TV thread.