A few starter sub-categories

[dawg]

Alright, let's give it a go.

I suggest a set of forums (or "fora" if we're being posh).

*Introductions/Noob safe zone/10 commandments on a sticky
*Recruitment FAQ Questions (just build up a list of common questions people have)
*General Cadet questions (for once you're in... like food/accommodation, uniform/PPE tips, tricks, and anecdotes.)
*Engineering/ETO Questions (once you're in, any questions for these streams... to be filtered depending on how it goes... like sums and how stuff works)
*Deck Questions (same for deck... how do you tie a reef knot with yours and your cabinmate's foreskin)
*Financial Questions (All discussions about what you get, how and when you get it, claiming for things, and how to legally enjoy tax)
*General News (the state of Britain today etc...)
*Shippy/Offshore Industry specific News (for tryhards and boatspotters)
*Off Topic/Ranting/Banter/Flaming etc... (what the internet is for; once the porn is taken out of the equation)

How's that?

Can we have some more interesting smileys? What about avatars?
Seriously... allow the thing to grow some character... deck-officer.com is like a mortuary.

Have a deek at http://www.teakdoor.com they've got some good 'uns.

over and out.

[CharlieDelta]

Re: A few starter sub-categories

Some good suggestions there - will try to sort out at some stage this week.

Thanks!

[Steve]

Re: A few starter sub-categories

Please, minimize the number of sub-fora. On a relatively quiet new forum it's a nuisance to have to scan through multiple sections for new posts and it makes the place look even quieter. Once you've got some business, and say a day's activity rolls onto more than one page, consider expanding into sub-fora.

Start lean, expand later.

[dawg]

Re: A few starter sub-categories

Yeah, good point Steve.

jumping the gun a bit wasn't I.

still, can we have avatars and flash on please?! and some more interesting "smilies"?

Maybe a more nautical theme/colour scheme and logo would be nice.

[CharlieDelta]

Re: A few starter sub-categories

I've evened things out a bit.

Now we have:

- The Hello forum.
- The Wannabe forum.
- The Current Cadets forum.
- The Suggestions forum.

As Steve has suggested, once things pick up more can be added.

If anybody would like a private forum specifically for their sponsoring company or college, I'm open to this, as long as the person requesting is able to prove that they belong to that company/college and are willing to vet those requesting access

Chris

[size4riggerboots]

Re: A few starter sub-categories

I reckon it would be useful to have a sub-fora for each of the colleges, with stickys at the top giving info about food, accomodation, what it's like in general, and all the usual ****e they ask. I got so fed up on deckofficer of all the noobs who kept asking the same questions. I copied my answer to about 6 different threads before I gave up trying to help people who couldn't be arsed to look through previous threads

[dawg]

Re: A few starter sub-categories

I think there are dormant sub categories for things like Sponsors and Colleges... to early to activate them.

I think it's possible to have these as hidden forums that aren't visible on google searches and that only members of them can see to read and post on.

The good thing about a wiki is that you can have a massive searchable "FAQ" in it and keep the forum free of repetition... either you get a new question to add to the wiki, or have a sticky to search the wiki (which rhymes!)

[size4riggerboots]

Re: A few starter sub-categories

If you know how to work a wiki- I'm presuming you're on about having a wikipedia entry of some kind?? Unlike the rest of you chaps I am not particularly savvy on these things, though I know I'm better at it than a fair percentage of the population. My point being, it needs to be idiot proof, otherwise we'll lose 'em before we got 'em.

Keep It Simple Sailor!!!

[dawg]

Re: A few starter sub-categories

I've got my own personal wiki... I've been playing with it for months now... I've tried a few out, and my favourite at the moment is http://www.pmwiki.org - you can make it look like wikipedia if you want, but there are many other options...
(I think there'll be a few things we could pilfer off some wikipedia pages along the way... )

[size4riggerboots]

Re: A few starter sub-categories

Well I've learnt something new today!!

[kayak]

Re: A few starter sub-categories

If you want to make it look like wikipedia then surely using mediawiki would be better, as that pretty much IS wikipedia!

[dawg]

Re: A few starter sub-categories

It's not as good as PMwiki - a lot fewer features, and a pain to set up... that's why I use PMwiki. I've tried several... got bored trying to make them work... always return to PMwiki - it just works!

[Steve]

Re: A few starter sub-categories

Do we have more categories than actively posting members yet?