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"And now that the legislators and do-gooders have so futilely inflicted so many systems upon society, may they finally end where they should have begun: May they reject all systems, and try liberty; for liberty is an acknowledgment of faith in God and His works." - Bastiat
"It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere." - Voltaire
I would suggest a section in a Rand Paul forum where we can make suggestions to candidates RANDPAC should endorse and spend money to help elect in 2016 throughout the country.
Rage against the tyranny of too many oppressive subforums.
Only one we need is "Kelley is HAWT"
Last edited by Jamesiv1; 04-25-2015 at 08:00 AM.
I see what you mean. Food for thought: Are online polls important? If so, who are you hiding coordination from? Why?
'New Posts' is how I use the forum. I go to the forum index page about twice per year to get to the site guidelines forum. There could be 1000 subforums and it wouldn't change the way I use the forum at all. This is an issue that has been discussed before. Everyone uses the forum differently. One cannot expect 'new posts' and tags to be used efficiently by random internet user, unless a major overhaul of design is undertaken to make those usages prominent and obvious. Therefore what is the best catchall strategy for all ways of using the forum?
My philosophy is to breakout a subforum when it is handy to have a type of thread together for reference, but a tag doesn't suffice. For instance, gossip. It's handy to have it together because it's handy to have it out of the way of the rest of discussion. A tag 'discussion' doesn't work because it applies to every thread on the forum. Therefore subforum.
This is all good, the neon signs are vital. People will not use the most efficient path without it. If tags become 'the' way to find things, vs subforums, a major design change is necessary, or we'll just end up with people who can't find anything.
This is a place for tags IMO. Then a massive VIDEOS button.
I'm a moderator, and I'm glad to help. But I'm an individual -- my words come from me. Any idiocy within should reflect on me, not Ron Paul, and not Ron Paul Forums.
Less = MORE
There is already 25+ subforums on this site. The interesting stuff will stay at the top. The stuff thats not will fall by the wayside. Almost an analog for capitalism.
Last edited by orenbus; 04-24-2015 at 08:54 AM.
It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. -Samuel Adams
I think most users by default are going to come to a forum and think one thing, where is everybody?
They will look for the subforum that has;
1. The most current users viewing
2. The most most recent posts in an active forum
3. a forum that has a title called "general" or something specific to the overall topic/theme of the forum
Then they set up camp and stay there for a very long time until they realize they can hit "New Posts". But using the "New Post" link is for the hard-core forum users that can manage keeping track of a number of threads going on at the same time, the ones that are going to be clicking it 20+ times per day to see what is going on, a lot of users aren't interested in that they are fly-by members that come maybe a few times a week if that to see if anything "new" is happening. Also Some (most?) never realize they can click "New Posts" so they stay in that most active forum forever, or unless another forum area takes it's place, then back to 1,2,3,wash,rinse,repeat.
Last edited by orenbus; 04-24-2015 at 09:16 AM.
It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. -Samuel Adams
Obviously there are much more important things. But with the family leader poll, we had our reasons for not talking openly about our elimination strategy. Other candidates supporters were following us. Its not that big a deal at all, it was just an example. Food for thought.
I don't mean for tags to become 'the' way to find things, just special-use. Like finding policy discussions on a Presidential candidate. The point being you can have things in 5 different subforums, all organized perfectly, and some noob who just wants to read about "guns," can.
I agree with this. Otherwise, I'm not all that excited about subforums. If you do go that way, I hope you will keep an open general forum, too.Originally Posted by William Tell
Is there any demand for a members only Rand strategy/whatever sub-forum? There have been a few times I wish we had a private forum in addition to the spin chaff flak forum. If no one else wants one there's no point setting it up though. Just throwing that out there.
Also, I hope there will be a way to keep out trolls and also to keep this a forum for people who are 100% Rand supporters. That's why I signed up here. I can go to a lot of other places if I want to read about Ted Cruz or read about how Rand is not libertarian enough, or conservative enough, or not good enough in some way.
After that, they may investigate a subforum that is of particular interest to them, to see what it offers.
Making New Posts a heckuvalot easier to 'discover' may help some with that.Then they set up camp and stay there for a very long time until they realize they can hit "New Posts". But using the "New Post" link is for the hard-core forum users that can manage keeping track of a number of threads going on at the same time, the ones that are going to be clicking it 20+ times per day to see what is going on, a lot of users aren't interested in that they are fly-by members that come maybe a few times a week if that to see if anything "new" is happening. Also Some (most?) never realize they can click "New Posts" so they stay in that most active forum forever, or unless another forum area takes it's place, then back to 1,2,3,wash,rinse,repeat.
I have others too, like promoting various subforums on a rotation for highly specialized and valuable discussions.
Yeah,or a big old button right up top for Today's Posts might be even better.Making New Posts a heckuvalot easier to 'discover' may help some with that.
I think I was here about five years before I even knew there was a Today's Posts button
Inspired by US Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, this site is dedicated to facilitating grassroots initiatives that aim to restore a sovereign limited constitutional Republic based on the rule of law, states' rights and individual rights. We seek to enshrine the original intent of our Founders to foster respect for private property, seek justice, provide opportunity, and to secure individual liberty for ourselves and our posterity.
A police state is a small price to pay for living in the freest country on earth.
Another chance to expand on my theory (I am also somewhat serious about this):
SOCIALIST FORUM THEORY
Forums, sub-forums and forum threads on the internet are based on socialist model. This forum is socialist. By that I mean that means of productions (threads) are owned by workers (forum members). Moderators are equivalent of secret police - . We all know what happens when everyone owns everything- no one owns it and no one is responsible. This way we get activism threads where there is no activism or different people are doing same thing and wasting time.
How hard would it be if person who is interested in starting some project is given ownership of that project thread? He could make it public or private; he could invite people he trusts and needs for the project or he could keep it open for all; he could delete posts that he thinks are useless or dont contribute to the project...
If someone gets kicked out he can start his own version of that project in his own thread that he will own.... and we get competition.
Can we transform this forum from socialist one into free market, liberty, personal responsibility, ownership one. Imagine the chaos, anarchy, explosion of unknown and prosperity if people could create and own their own threads...give liberty a chance on this forum. I have no idea where it would lead us but I have faith in it.
P.s.
All of you who dont agree with me are socialists.
Today I decided to get banned and spam activism on this forum...
SUPPORT RANDPAULDIGITAL GRASSROOTS PROJECTS TODAY!
http://i.imgur.com/SORJlQ5.png
For more info. or to help spread the word, go to the promotion thread here.
I don't have a lot to add here but on the subject of new people coming here to read up on Rand's positions ... this forum is a terrible place to do that IMO.
if they're searching for info like that then they are probably not hardcore libertarians and most discussions that take place probably won't win their vote.
I'm probably more sensitive to this than most but I think a lot of discussions that go on publicly should be members only.
I think two forums - a news and general discussion forum and a an activist discussion and strategy forum (for members only).
try to keep the open forum "average republican primary voter friendly"
If you guys are gonna switch up the age and start some members only $#@! I want my little stand with rand logo under my name by my posts. What do I have to do to get one of those? lol
I kind of agree about not adding any forums until the need becomes much more clear. There was perhaps a need for it for about the first week after Rand announced, but that has passed and it may not get that hectic again for a while. It's good to start thinking about this and get the discussion started though.
Yes, there were thread prefixes in Ron Paul Grassroots Central during the 2012 campaign. I didn't like them for several reason. The bright colors across the rainbow spectrum and bold text were a distraction to the eyes, and the prefixes took up space in the title field which often cut off titles when viewing New Posts. The prefixes were also very often applied improperly and/or inconsistently. And I don't think many people actually used them for what they were intended for, as a way to filter posts.Didn't we use prefixes in 2012? I'm wondering what the argument would be against using them? Perhaps we can have both the general Rand discussion forum like we have now, and allow thread creators to assign a prefix from a drop down menu of categories and have those threads with reference links redirecting them in the specific subforums to the actual thread so that they are in both places (general and sub). For those that want to look at certain category of threads for organizational purposes they can, for those that want to see everything in one view (which will be most people) they can. This way important threads that should get eyeballs can continue to through bumps in the general forum, i'm thinking activism threads as opposed to gossip garbage (that unfortunately generates more traffic).
I like tags a lot better than thread prefixes. An "activism" tag might be useful for activism threads. And then a link could be provided underneath Rand Paul Forum, clicking on would display all of the threads tagged with "activism". It would be the same as how is done underneath the 2016 Presidential Election - each candidate has their own thread tag filter link. I wouldn't want to go crazy with a bunch tags either, but if there was at least one for activism threads that might be worthwhile, since that is the most important type of thread.
Last edited by jct74; 04-26-2015 at 04:51 PM.
The thing I dislike most about the layout of these forums is that all of the subjects are fragmented into so many categories that I miss a ton of news trying to dig out articles from each of the many categories. And if I post a very hot topic, its usually thrown into some sub-category where nobody can see it.
I think the best way to fix this is to have a main general discussion where you can post anything, and after it dies out then move it to a smaller category. This is the way that the best forums I visit do it. That way everybody can see the hot topics in one place.
Here's a question. I'm new and I don't see a general discussion/info forum for this type of thing.
I was in my local Best Buy a few days ago looking for a new laptop. So the sales associate was going over this model I was interested in and we needed to run a bunch of things to see what it could do. I selected a conservative site that I go to everyday to see how things are going. Not really Rand Paul, guy who runs it is pretty establishment, but also plenty of Cruz supporters and some Rand supporters. Anyway, we needed to play a video so I selected a clip of Megan Kelly doing her thing on Fox. Well, you must realize, I live in an extreme left wing, progressive town, so when I selected Kelly he couldn't contain himself..yes, he interjected politics into the sales pitch! ( He thinks Rachel Meadow is "brilliant"). Anyway, I said I had more of a conservative bent and I said I supported Rand Paul, period. He said, and I quote, " I like Rand." Bingo!! Rand is connecting with the left. I said well I think he could win the general election (guy looked surprised) but would have the harder time winning the GOP nomination. Then, get this, I said I liked Ron Paul also, and he said he liked him, too! Kind of cool....if only people like this guy voted in the Republican primary.
Show them this article.
I know a couple of actual italians living in italy. They like rand paul. They recognize part of italys illegal immigration and asylum problem is because usa is leading the group the mess around in middle east and northern africa. The conflict and destruction we cause make these migrants flee to eu and italy.
They see rand as the least likely to go to war, less dicking around in those regions and causing issues for italy
Yeah, the Today's Posts button is very useful. There are many occasions where I would like to see New Posts past the time that the forums were last marked read, which the Today's Posts button provides. And sometimes the cutoff point that New Posts uses is not quite accurate; it will leave off one or two threads that should be displayed according to the time that forums were last marked read. So I almost always use Today's Posts instead of New Posts actually. A more prominent location for Today's Posts would probably be beneficial, such as next to New Posts in the red bar along top.
Use New Posts or Today's Posts so you don't have to waste time navigating to a bunch of different forums. I prefer to use Today's Posts (see post above).
Everyone sees it in New Posts (or Today's Post), unless someone has chosen to specifically exclude that particular forum.And if I post a very hot topic, its usually thrown into some sub-category where nobody can see it.
I felt one of the most valuable subforums on this site when Ron was running was the Grass Roots one. I forget exactly what it was called, but it was part support group and part educational. It would give me ideas on how to get the word out and actually make a difference to help Ron while also encouraging me in doing so.
I think there's already too many sub-forums, to be honest
A savage barbaric tribal society where thugs parade the streets and illegally assault and murder innocent civilians, yeah that is the alternative to having police. Oh wait, that is the police
We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.
- Edward R. Murrow
...I think we have moral obligations to disobey unjust laws, because non-cooperation with evil is as much as a moral obligation as cooperation with good. - MLK Jr.
How to trigger a liberal: "I didn't get vaccinated."
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