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Topics of concern - Naming

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16:16 / 07.02.07

I'd go further and say that many have not actually read the site. It would have to go into the applications page or the applications email.

I want to second this, strongly.

More of an "applications" thought, but yes. I suspect this whole discussion about names and brands is really about those prospective applicants who recognize name/brand and don't look at what's inside the wrapper. The key would be getting them to look inside the wrapper.

Phex: Dorset Doom

19:49 / 07.02.07

Meaning I suppose- and this is probably something that crosses over with the Applications thread- that at some point during the application process we should be saying to applicants- 'Look, if you're here to wax Morrisino's dome until you can see your face in it then this isn't the place for you- read the site (all of it, not just the Comics and Temple forums) and read the Wiki before you jump in'.

(You know, I can't help but thinking that we wouldn't have this problem if Grantmorrison.com had it's own forum section ala Brynerobotics and Millarworld)

Phex: Dorset Doom

20:34 / 07.02.07

I seem to be double-posting a lot today...

One thing I wanted to bring up- 'Subcultural engagement for the 21st century', 'Underground', 'A new type of community'. It sounds a bit utopian, a bit nineties 'teh Interweb is teh global concousness' and I think, as much as anything, this may play a part in attracting the sort of people who end up trolling the board after finding out we're mostly nice normal people.
Really, if we're rebranding (not a word according to spell checker) then we might need to reconsider this type of thing, both on the frontpage and in the blog. Let's be honest here, much as I love this board we're not any more democratic or revolutionary (as a board/social space etc.) than InsaneClownPosseforums.net or GaiusBaltharSlashfic.com . We are fairly unique (if SomethingAwful's Weekend Web is anything to go by) in that we expect and for the most part get a higher standard of discussion here
than one fines anywhere else. That should be what we're putting across, on the frontpage, in the FAQ, in the admissions process and everywhere else. Anything else is just misrepresenting our brand and preventing a broad spectrum of applicants from joining.

Less searchable M0rd4nt

21:45 / 07.02.07

read the site (all of it, not just the Comics and Temple forums) and read the Wiki before you jump in'.

Dunno about Comics, but some of these guys certainly don't bother to read the Temple either. I'd kick less furniture if they did.

17:40 / 08.02.07

I suspect some of them are incapable of reading, only writing- their brainswitch is permanently stuck on TRANSMIT.

23:03 / 08.02.07

I think what MattShepherd said (and Eggs initially responded to) remains to be a useful place to do some looking. grant touches on it as well.

MattShepherd:
I'm wondering if there's a kind of a hunger for renewal at work under the surface

grant:
I suspect this whole discussion about names and brands is really about those prospective applicants who recognize name/brand and don't look at what's inside the wrapper. The key would be getting them to look inside the wrapper.

I mean, it's a major theme behind all of these Topics of Concern threads, is it not? It feels like it's time to reexamine the board, fix what we can, explore other potential avenues and reposition it again.

What needs the most work are the bits that are presented to the general public and a more usable and accessible format for the rest of us. A focus here would probably entice a more diverse group of applicants since they are being presented more variety at the door.

I'm thinking about this in more practical terms, like keeping the design (it's the best incarnation I can remember) and doing more with the front page of the site. Beyond its inviting rainbow palette and limited information in the forum subtitling, it's a monolith one has to pass to start finding the good stuff. Each forum then goes off along different paths.

From a functionality stand-point, it's probably not too difficult to present what is going on under the hood on a new front page... especially considering that a previous version of the board (don't mind the background images not holding up) was able to achieve it by showing interior threads. "Recently updated threads" at the top of each page begins to do this, but threads are still an extra click away. I think that there's some benefit in taking a look at elements like this.

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