Forum topics are inadequate
As I understand the new guidelines, we are supposed to use the forum instead of emailing the list server except for purely factual ride information posts. In effect, that limits use of the email server just to ride leaders, cutting out the greater portion of our membership.
But having just a few official forum topics also tends to bury whatever people post to them. And why limit forums to six pre-chosen subjects? For example, several people currently have items for sale--could a Forum be added for this purpose? Even though the Forum page says "Submit Forum Topic", what I'm submitting here is really just a new post under "Other Discussions" . I do like that new posts are visible on the home page, but having a barely functional forum and stringent posting rules for the list server are combining to squelch member participation. This is a sad state of affairs for the club.
Better organization
The system that we use is designed to provide high-level Forum categories that are defined by site administrators. Within those categories, anybody can start a new discussion. Consider, for example, the structure of the Forums being run here:
http://drupal.org/forum (FYI, we use Drupal).
The real issue here is that the Forum topics we have were defined (a) by me, in a few moments of thinking, and (b) are not well structures. We should fix it.
So, here would be a great way to re-jigger the Forum topics. But that requires input, and suggestions.
Got any?
I agree
With a club that boasts of 200 members there is hardly any communication within. There are other clubs with less members that have better communication. For Sale, WTB, For Trade, are standard generic topics as well as off topic posts of recommendations of equipment, shops, and even restaurants.
We meet, we ride, we hardly socialize, It would be nice even it if is only on a forum.
Unfortunately, the forum layout itself isn't the greatest. I know that the site is run by volunteers and they have done a great job. Maintaining a website at best is a PITA but maybe the format itself needs to be looked at as well.
Bill