I don't know what to propose as a solution.

Can I summarize, for my own benefit?

Fewer threads = fewer posts, or so I understand. Posting expands to fill all available threads, so having fewer open threads would help towards resolving the connections problem.

Consolidating the DS, SV, and FS threads is proposed as a way to encourage consolidated posting on those issues (Kristen's "carpooling" analogy): consider it a pro-mearaing strategy. Also see above, re: fewer threads = fewer posts.

However, the concern is raised that consolidating those three threads would result in yet more posting total in that thread than currently occurs in the three separate threads because it would be used as a general tv thread (although that is not its stated purpose). Adding a new high-volume thread (such as a general tv thread) is currently discouraged for technical reasons involving board capacity.

Pro consolidation: might cut down on posting volume.
Con consolidation: might not, depending on whether the thread stays on topic or is hijacked via (natural and expected) thread drift to related topics.

Another option offered is to simply delete the three threads, which would help the board as a whole to an extent which has not yet been quantified. All three threads currently have fairly low posting volume, certainly totalling not 1/10 of Natter on an average day.

Huh. I think I don't know enough about any of this to propose a solution. Except for more enforcement of thread drift for the time being, until we get some resolution on the code issues?

What about -- and I know it's something people said they wouldn't like, but there don't seem to be any easy solutions -- rolling LOTR into Movies?

I think I don't know enough about any of this to propose a solution. Except for more enforcement of thread drift for the time being, until we get some resolution on the code issues?

Sort of like asking people not to overuse their electricity?

Sort of like asking people not to overuse their electricity?

I know, Elena, it seems nonsensical.

And the issue really does tie back into the question of, well, community priorities. Is this a genre-tv fannish board? An ME-verse-only board? (Although I think that was answered by the decision to open a Tim-verse thread.) A social/community board with more focus on social interaction and less on specified topics?

If we're a Jossiverse board then there's an argument to be made that the non-ME/non-Minear tv threads are out of our scope and can be tossed in order to support the more important elements of the board, however those are defined.

Thing is, every poster has a different experience here. There are people who post in the Farscape thread only, and who probably have no idea we're even having this discussion. I don't want to abandon them, but I also feel like this is, first and foremost, a Buffy community (despite the wide range of interests many of us share). And I would be willing to cut loose the (to me) extraneous stuff to keep the board and the community going.

But that's MHO; YBMV. (And I'm abusing parentheses today.)

Well, I'll be going pretty dark gray for the next two weeks, so I can feel all virtuous that I'm doing my part to keep posting down.

It seems to me clear that less threads leads to less posts. If I want to say something about Farscape AND bitch about my boss, I will post the Farscape observation there and the bitching in Natter. If there IS no Farscape thread, I'll mention my observation on Natter and add a paragraph of bitching (and, hell, probably throw a couple more subjects in there for good measure) --voila, one post instead of two, or three for that matter. I think having threads for high traffic subjects is needed or it will be too overwhelming, but folding much smaller threads into each other sounds very workable.

This is an xpost, and then, I'd ask that we move all discussion on how to improve board health to BBaBB, dicussion on consolidation and deletia in this thread, and banning ita in Bureau. All this cross discussion? Likely unneccessary server waste.

So here's my last xpost.

Why not move ALL closed threads off this board? Leave them up for ONE WEEK, no more than that. Then we put the in "The Attic."

We could have them hosted by Fangeek, at a pretty minimal price (I know da owners, I'll haggle). That should lighten the "click through" load on the server, substantially. The threads would be available for read only, just not on this board.

They don't have to be here.

What about -- and I know it's something people said they wouldn't like, but there don't seem to be any easy solutions -- rolling LOTR into Movies?

With the DVDs now coming out for TTT, the extended ones down the line, and then the third flick in December, I'm not sure that would be very helpful right now. Also, it might be counterproductive - are there folks who hang out in LOTR but not in Movies or vv? (I used to be one, though lately I've only been checking out the LOTR thread every couple of weeks or so, and movies hardly at all.) I imagine LOTR talk is going to increase soon anyway, but if I and others are going to the movies thread to talk about it, that's a lot more fodder for discussion for people who are now only catching one side of it.

I'm coming more strongly to the position that since we don't really know what our problem is, I'd prefer not to eliminate or drastically change threads that are currently active. I think we're getting a little beyond "housekeeping" with some of this. DS is small, but fairly regular. Smallville seems less so, but that will probably change soon. LOTR certainly has its devotees. Those aren't just administrative changes.

ETA:

Why not move ALL closed threads off this board? Leave them up for ONE WEEK, no more than that. Then we put the in "The Attic."

Huh. Would that cause problems for people who hadn't gotten all the way through the thread yet, with finding where they left off? I'm thinking mostly Natter or Bitches here, especially for non-daily folks. But it seems like an ok idea to me, if it would help.

And now I'm starting to feel like one of the Atlantic Canadians stumbling across a proposal that we don't need that thread.

There's the rub. I have flat out stated that if we have to, I'm okay with seeing Farscape dumped, and I stand by that.

But when push comes to shove, I really do want to keep my space to discuss Farscape, and think maybe we should just leave the three threads alone. They're obviously not contributing heavily to the problem, considering the volume of traffic there.

I mean ultimately, if we really want to do something about the problem, we need to cut Natter.

Flat out, yo.

Okay, I'm going to be a dick.

Everyone has damn fine reasons for keeping threads. Where you gonna keep 'em when the board goes KA-FUCKING-BOOM next month?

Cutting down on threads, consolidating them, is going to make some people unhappy.

I love the Minear thread. I really do. But you know what? Get rid of it. If it'll help, delete it.

I sincerely believe that we have to tighten our belts now, so we can enjoy the board for a long time.