I wonder if we could clarify what we're actually talking about? I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out what the actual proposal is here - what we're going to be voting on.

I didn't realize until yesterday that the conversation/proposal started because of a joke:

I also joked that I wanted to rethink the bucket threads, which was seconded and thirded, and you see where that has gotten us.

If this conversation is worthwhile, then that's good, but I really dislike the idea of voting on a change to the board's structure that started as a joke.

Well, a joke in that I hadn't really intended to make a formal proposal, but I have been thinking we should have the conversation for a while, which is how I framed the initial proposal. I was planning on threadsucking today and seeing if anything concrete can be wrangled out of the discussion.

I don't think it's a problem that it's not always obvious, and that you sometimes find parallel discussions or have to ask where to find something.

Okay, but if you ask, and you get several different answers, then what? This began because Cindy asked where Cupid should go. All the posts I dug up earlier involved people giving different answers to "what goes where" questions.

If asking means days of debate every time... then I think the answer to "Is it really that scary to ask?" is probably "yes."

There's obviously a number of problems we won't solve to everyone's satisfaction. However, I do think the listing idea proposed by omnis, Scrappy, and (way back when) Strega has a lot of merit.

Could we come up with a system where every 4 months (May, September, January) we modify slugs to reflect what's being discussed? Then people can see everything on the Film and TV page.

Here are the current slugs and headers:

Procedurals 1: Anything You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You.
Slug: Thread for discussion of procedural television shows. [NAFDA]
Header: This thread is for procedural TV, shows where the primary idea is to figure out the case.

Comedy 1: A Little Song, a Little Dance, a Little Seltzer Down Your Pants
Slug: Thread for discussion of comedy television shows. [NAFDA]
Header: This thread is for comedy TV, including network and cable shows. [NAFDA]

Boxed Set, Vol. V: Just a Hint of Denial and a Dash of Retcon
Slug: Discussions of sci-fi/fantasy shows we watch. Smallville, Due South, Farscape, Stargate, BSG, etc. May contain HoYay.

Header: A topic for the discussion of Farscape, Smallville, and Due South. Beware possible invasions of Stargate, Highlander, or pretty much any other "genre" (read: sci fi or fantasy) show that captures our fancy. Expect Adult Content and discussion of the Big Gay Sex.

Whitefont all unaired in the U.S. ep discussion, identifying it as such, and including the show and ep title in blackfont.

Blackfont is allowed after the show has aired on the east coast.

This is NOT a general TV discussion thread.

Cable Drama: Still Waiting for the Cable Guy to Show Up with the Thread Name...
Slug: Thread for the discussion of original cable drama--but not scifi/fantasy (that's Boxed Set!) or pay-to-play (that's Premium Cable!). Psychics, detectives, surgeons, and firemen welcome. [NAFDA]
Header: To be determined... (but it's definitely [NAFDA])

Premium Cable: The Cursing Costs Extra Slug: Discussions of HBO and Showtime original programming. Deadwood, Entourage, Big Love, Brotherhood, Weeds, Dexter, etc. [NAFDA]
Header: A thread for the discussion of all HBO and Showtime original programming.

This is NOT a general TV discussion thread.

Non-Fiction TV: I Reject Your Reality and Substitute My Own
Slug: Thread for discussion of non-fiction television, including documentaries and reality shows. [NAFDA]
Header: This thread is for non-fiction TV, including but not limited to reality television (The Amazing Race, Survivor, Top Chef), documentaries (The History Channel, The Discovery Channel), and sundry (Mythbusters, Ghost Hunters), et al. [NAFDA]

Could we come up with a system where every 4 months (May, September, January) we modify slugs to reflect what's being discussed? Then people can see everything on the Film and TV page.

Is that your proposal? Because I don't think that's something that needs a vote.

I'm not really sure what needs a vote. Maybe just the concept that they would be changed every X months? And that the actual decision about what goes in happens by BS consensus either 1) in thread or 2) in bureaucracy.

I'm imagining slugs that look more like the one in Premium Cable.

The 4 months thing would enable us to handle the shifting TV seasons more.

So, under this system, we would have theoretically decided in January where we would be discussing Cupid now. Is that the idea?

No, any show could go in whichever thread was appropriate for that show. The slugs wouldn't be all-inclusive. This would just be a system to keep them more current and helpful than they are now.

So, if Cupid is starting to be discussed now in Boxed Set we could change the head this time around to reflect that. It could be more often than 4 months, but that might be crazy making.

I'm happy to volunteer to be the reminder on whatever schedule is decided on.

So, just a periodic review of the slugs. That sounds reasonable.

If asking means days of debate every time... then I think the answer to "Is it really that scary to ask?" is probably "yes."

Well, I'm sorry I asked, if that means anything.