Author Topic: New Mortar and Cannon forum (Read 2545 times)

Double D · « **on:** March 26, 2006, 03:20:33 AM »

Tim (CatWhisper) and I have been talking for some time about expanding the Black Powder Mortar and Cannon board. We have approached Graybeard and reasonably so he suggested we talk with our sponsors first and then poll you folks on the board. We did talk with sponsors and they all agreed it was a good idea.

Right now our little board is part of Graybeard Outdoors Black Powder Forums listing. We are one of several boards related to Black powder shooting in that forum

What we are proposing is that we have our own listing as Graybeards Black Powder Mortars and Cannon Forums. Under that heading will be our own boards

Here is what we came up with for boards:

General Discussion(This board will simply be the old board and all its posts)

Original and replica Black Powder Mortars and Cannons

Toy, Firecracker and Micro Mortars and Cannons

Building you own Blackpowder Mortar and Cannon.

The titles are pretty self explanatory. These are ideas for new boards. What boards we end up with will be based on your feedback

What will it mean to have four boards? You will have to visit each board separately to see the topics. Basically instead of one Cannon board to visit, if we go with the suggested boards you will have 4 to visit. If you make a post on micro mortars it wonÂ’t buried down the list of posts by a bunch of other post on other cannon related subjects. Your post will be at the top of your appropriate and related cannon shooting board.

Tim and I will continue to be the Moderators. After the new Forum is set up Tim and I will set up the rules for each board. We will move some of the more recent posts into the new related board to populate them and guide everyone on what goes where.

We have heard the sponsorÂ’s ideas. We have given them some feedback. We are not going to post their ideas. We will let them post their ideas for you to hear and explain themselves, if they wish. They have some very good ideas. Feel free to ask them and us questions. We also want to hear your thoughts and questions.

The Poll will remain up for a week. If the poll is in the affirmative, Tim and I will post the results on the moderator board. After that the decision is Graybeards.

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** March 26, 2006, 06:55:27 AM »

In the terms that I use what is being proposed is that the current forum be pulled from the Section it is in and a separate section for cannons and mortars be established. That section would have one forum that is the same as the current forum plus a few others as listed.

I assume the Advertisers have all signed on to this plan?

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #2 on:** March 26, 2006, 07:12:21 AM »

I, for one, am looking forward to the expansion.

Further expansion may be warrented down the road, but for now I think we'll see what YOUR feedback is on doing it, and if it flies we'll see how it works.

Double D · « **Reply #3 on:** March 26, 2006, 07:17:13 AM »

Quote from: Double D

Tim (CatWhisper) We have approached Graybeard and reasonably so he suggested we talk with our sponsors first and then poll you folks on the board. We did talk with sponsors and they all agreed it was a good idea.

Yep sure did and they all liked the idea!

Graybeard · « **Reply #4 on:** March 26, 2006, 08:07:11 AM »

OK. I voted no just so I can see the results of the survey by opening the thread. That is my normal policy so I don't affect the results of surveys. In most posts to set up new forums I look only at the yes votes. Here I might look at both but for the most part if you guys want it and the sponsors agree I sure don't care.

The only tricky part is making sure when I close the current forum and move the data to the new one I do it when the site is working real smooth so no hang up happens. Then Matt will have to make the banner work on the new forum as it does now on this one.

GGaskill · « **Reply #5 on:** March 26, 2006, 08:12:39 AM »

Obviously I am in the minority (No votes) here, but I have gone through this kind of a division of a forum before and eventually, it had the effect of segregating the community and keeping experienced contributors from seeing the questions of the splinter forum posters because they had no specific interest in that branch.

Double D · « **Reply #6 on:** March 26, 2006, 09:08:25 AM »

George that is exactly the kind of input we are looking for and it is a very valid point.

If your interest is Micros. you are less likely to visit the full scale board and vice versa.

How many times have you seen a post that is not realy a topic of interst to you but it had an interesting title and you opened and learned something new

George's point is very valid.

One thing you can do is from the Graybeard Outdoors Forum Index click on the Forum header such as Black Powder Forums and it will close the listing of all other forums leaving just a list of the boards in the selected forum open. Save that to your favorites list. Then when you wanted to come to t he board you click on the link to the forum and it would show you a list of the boards and which has new post. Not as good as seeing the list of new posts.

Only problem is if you want to save other Forums list on GBO you would h ave to make separate folder and save them there. You Mozilla/Firfox types are on your own.

Double D · « **Reply #7 on:** March 26, 2006, 06:40:03 PM »

108 views and only 14 opinions.

Sponsors your opinions an Idea's. You had some good ideas toss them out here.

You don't have to be a regular reader to comment or to take part in the poll.

If you aren't regular visitor we would like to also hear your ideas, what would you like to see on the Cannon boar that would make you a regular here?

Evil Dog · « **Reply #8 on:** March 27, 2006, 04:43:07 AM »

I'll have to side with George and also vote no. I would much rather look at one big board rather than having to go through a bunch of smaller ones.

jeeper1 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 27, 2006, 05:51:15 AM »

Quote

108 views and only 14 opinions.

Don't believe the view count. Each time there is a new post made I read what is posted and in doing so add to the view count. By myself, I probably account for 10% of the views.
I also try to read every link and save almost every picture.

Tropico · « **Reply #10 on:** March 27, 2006, 07:52:54 AM »

I cant give an opinion without more info.

Will this new board be on the same server?

Will there be one log-on for all these forums?

Will the log-on name be the same as the rest of Greybeards GBO Forums?

And will the forum board be of the same software giving the user the same basic "Feel" as this board., this board is pretty user friendly.

Will it be strictly Cannon & Mortar ?

Double D · « **Reply #11 on:** March 27, 2006, 08:35:36 AM »

Quote from: Double D

Right now our little board is part of Graybeard Outdoors Black Powder Forums listing. We are one of several boards related to Black powder shooting in that forum

What we are proposing is that we have our own listing as Graybeards Black Powder Mortars and Cannon Forums. Under that heading will be our own boards

Here is what we came up with for boards:

General Discussion(This board will simply be the old board and all its posts)

Original and replica Black Powder Mortars and Cannons

Toy, Firecracker and Micro Mortars and Cannons

Building you own Blackpowder Mortar and Cannon.

.

Same Graybeards Outdoor same, log on, same everything just more forums all about cannons and mortars.

guardsgunner · « **Reply #12 on:** March 27, 2006, 08:38:56 AM »

I would agree with GG. I think topics being segregated may cause a division in the group in general. It is easy enough to look at one page and pick and choose what you want to read and respond to. Some area's would soon be skipped if they were in differnt areas.

Will Bison · « **Reply #13 on:** March 27, 2006, 09:16:10 AM »

I think I'll have to go along with GG's comments. I like the variety here. I know I've picked up a great deal of info about machine shop procedures, an area I am very weak in.

Also, I like to see all the guns, large or small.

Bill

Cpt Ed · « **Reply #14 on:** March 27, 2006, 09:50:08 AM »

I will have to agree with GG, Evil Dog, and the others that I to like the variety here. As well as the opportunity to pick and choose what I want to read. And yes I also agree with Â“guardsgunnerÂ” that some areas would soon be skipped if they were in a different location. So I will have to vote No.

Graybeard · « **Reply #15 on:** March 27, 2006, 10:39:17 AM »

Rooks lak the tide is turning against change. Matters not to me, whatever makes the most folks happy.

To answer the specific questions asked by one member I offer this:

Quote

I cant give an opinion without more info.

Will this new board be on the same server?

Yes

Quote

Will there be one log-on for all these forums?

Yes, sale log in as for the entire GBO forums site.

Quote

Will the log-on name be the same as the rest of Greybeards GBO Forums?

Yes it will just be a Section of the Current Forums. Just as today it is in the section with all the other Black Powder stuff it would just be a new section of it's own place right above the section it is in today.

Quote

And will the forum board be of the same software giving the user the same basic "Feel" as this board., this board is pretty user friendly.

Yup exactly the same, it will still be right here in the midst of the other GBO forums.

Quote

Will it be strictly Cannon & Mortar ?

As opposed to adding what?

jeeper1 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 27, 2006, 11:07:38 AM »

Let me see if I understand this.
Say I have four firearms each in a different caliber and I keep all the ammo for all four calibers intermingled in one box (what we currently have here now).
I want to load one or more of the firearms so I have to pick thru all the ammo in the box to get what I need.
What has been suggested here would be as if the ammo has been separated into boxes by calibers making it easier to access the ones I need.
I don't see what the problem here is.
The reality for me is I read every word posted here and it doesn't matter where it's placed. However, if I want to look up something in particular it would be if I didn't have look thru the entire forum for what I need.

Kuntrykouple · « **Reply #17 on:** March 27, 2006, 11:36:10 AM »

Im going to have to agree with jeeper if I were looking for something in particular I could go right to it as opposed to sifting through all of the things that dont interest me and I'm sure it wount require any more effort than a few mouse clicks to access all of the " divisions" of the forum. I am all for the change like DD said for those who have a particular interest it would be easier to access, and I dont see that it would be more than lifting a finger to visit all of the forum catagories and very well may cause using the search function much faster!

Rickk · « **Reply #18 on:** March 27, 2006, 01:45:29 PM »

There currently seem to be only a half dozen or so posts a day. The search feature works pretty well if you need to find something. Many of the posters seem to have a variety of interests, and there seems to be overlapping applicability anyway. That being said, I kinda like it the way it is.

Blaster · « **Reply #19 on:** March 27, 2006, 03:21:21 PM »

I'm with all who vote "NO". The way the forum is set up now, I read each and every thread unless the photo/videos are wayyyy to long for me to download and those I merely skip and hope everyone else is enjoying em.

Cannonmaker · « **Reply #20 on:** March 27, 2006, 07:29:07 PM »

When I was first approched about the change as a sponser I was concerned about the limited time some of us have. Will this take more time? I decided no it will not really add to the time. Yes with limated time we may skip some of the fourms, although we can spend our time checking that of interest. Would be best to not have too many different fourms, just enough to seperate certion subjects. Eather way, I think there should be a list of maxamum recamended loads and saftey for people to see. This would be a great place to post pictures of remains of gun tubes when the loads are execeded. From doing the gun shows I have met a few who are luckly to be alive.

Double D · « **Reply #21 on:** March 30, 2006, 04:10:27 AM »

This poll will run until Sunday.

entsminger · « **Reply #22 on:** March 30, 2006, 06:52:27 AM »

I'm no expert on forums but I like the forum very much as it is now. I like to see a variety of items talked about so long as they don't stray too far from cannons and mortars, powder etc. The first thing I click on every day is this cannon /mortar forum. In fact I hit it at least 5 times a day hoping for more info. It seems to work well for me and I'm most impressed in the great responces I keep getting from all the people who use this forum. A really friendly and helpfull and knowledgable bunch of guys. I do use other forums such a the NVRHA forum which is a very narrow interest group of relic hunters and sometimes I get 150 people who read my post and get no replys or some wise cracks. I guess you could say," if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

Scott

Dictator · « **Reply #23 on:** March 30, 2006, 12:11:13 PM »

I want to thank Tim & DD for all their efforts and for thinking of how to improve a great board, but I will have to vote no with GG and the others. I like looking at all the posts because you never know what you might pick up. I fear I will not look at multiple boards consitantly and thus possibly miss some good ideas.

Joe

Powder keg · « **Reply #24 on:** March 30, 2006, 01:49:17 PM »

GG, I was under the understanding that the forum would be moved, not split. There would be only one forum, not two, to split people up. I think the new forum proposal would be more organized and easer to navigate and find things.

My idea for the new forum was to have an area to post plans that people can easily access. The way it is now, they are hard to find.

I am in favor of the new forum.

Rickk · « **Reply #25 on:** March 30, 2006, 02:03:55 PM »

50-50 gunna have to count the chads and get the supreme court to decide on this gun issue.

:grin:

GGaskill · « **Reply #26 on:** March 30, 2006, 02:31:32 PM »

GG, I was under the understanding that the forum would be moved, not split. There would be only one forum, not two, to split people up.

It is my understanding that there will be four forums (fora) in place of the one we have now. One essentially the same as this one; the others with specific themes which would get separate material from the general forum.

The Home Machinist board where I moderate the Gunsmithing forum created a separate forum for 3in1 machines, which had been posting questions on the General forum. 3in1 users tend to be newbies who have no machining experience and this split ended up having them asking each other questions that would have been better served by being on the General forum where the really experienced people were. Most experienced people hold 3in1 machines in very low regard and didn't read the 3in1 posts, thereby depriving the 3in1 people of their expertise.

I am not opposed to dividing the Mortar and Cannon forum into separate fora, but I think we would see the same segregation of experience because some material will be posted where other people will not see it.

jeeper1 · « **Reply #27 on:** March 30, 2006, 03:19:54 PM »

Since it looks like this forum won't be split, what's the possibility of just having a separate section for plans and maybe of picture of the finished piece. No unnecessary comments, just a drawing, data and a picture.
Maybe as a sticky although we have too many now.

Powder keg · « **Reply #28 on:** March 30, 2006, 03:32:12 PM »

I see what you are saying. The people that shoot Toy cannons might be thought lesser of by the people that shoot full sized cannons and the Toy shooters might be left out of the loop. I for one don't think that would happen. This is a great group of people, and I don't think any here would let that happen.

Double D · « **Reply #29 on:** March 30, 2006, 04:01:55 PM »

Quote from: jeeper1

Since it looks like this forum won't be split, what's the possibility of just having a separate section for plans and maybe of picture of the finished piece. No unnecessary comments, just a drawing, data and a picture.
Maybe as a sticky although we have too many now.

We do have one place for you to post your finished product. The Cannon board photo album. I haven't had a request from anyone to add a photo in a long time. BPM&C Photo album links and Picture posting instructions[/color] The album is structured so the pictures are all are formatted the same size and have limited the number of picture per album page to make it easier to open. The album pages are not discussion pages and with it locked we can maintain that structure

We probably need the photoposting and Photo Album posts broken up again so folks can find them. A stickied post of cannon plans is the least we will have from this poll. Look for that to happen.

But what about the stickies. I am off the opinion we have to many know. Which stickies would you combine or even delete.

Poll

Do you want GBO Blackpowder Mortars and Cannon board to become its own Graybeards Black Powder Mortars and Cannon Forums

Author Topic: New Mortar and Cannon forum (Read 2545 times)