[Mike K.]

Some members have asked that the Portland forum be returned back to the PacNW forum now that the SSP:L trial has run for a while.

Good idea, bad idea?

Only Portland forumers vote, please.

[MarkDaMan]

where do you vote?

I like some aspects of the format, it just needs less sub-forums. Maybe a NW forum like this?

[Okstate]

I think general discussion could swallow arts, culture, business/economy into one category. The suburbs are only used by a small handful of posters but it could maybe be linked with Portland infill projects?

[Mike K.]

Ah crap, the poll didn't load up for some reason. Ok, skip the poll and lets just discuss. This might work better, actually.

Ok, so you guys would like to merge some sections? That'd be cool. Now with respect to a NW forum with some sub-sections, what's the thought on that from the group? We could definitely try that as well.

[nwroots]

I prefer to revert back to the way it was. I liked to be able to view both Portland and Seattle threads on the same page. It seems that forumers from both cities were more involved with discussions and better informed on news because they didn't have to dig too deep for the information.

[Sekkle]

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I kind of like the Local format. It would be nice if it were combined with Seattle... maybe something like a Local format for the whole NW would be good.

The main problem people have with the Local format, I guess, is that you have to click on different sub-forums to see the latest news. But I like the organization of it. When there are threads for every building, every transit project, etc., it can make it more difficult to find the thread you're looking for. If it's an old thread (or even moderately old with as many projects as there are here), you sometimes have to search over several pages to find the thread you're looking for, whereas with this format, you are pretty sure to find it in the first page of whatever subforum.

It is nice to see what is going on in Seattle, too, and the more people that are involved in the discussion the better. And combining back into a forum for the entire northwest would bring Spokane and other smaller cities back into the mix.

Just my :2cents:

[sopdx]

Cleaning the section up some would do wonders - too many subcategories. I guess I like being able to click on Portland and just see Portland info. I guess I don't see the difficulty in clicking on the Seattle section, or any other section for that matter, to check on what's going on.

[PacificNW]

⇑ I agree, sopdx. Eliminating some subs would be ok. I always check on the Seattle section (since I moved from there last year). No difficulty for me and I'm and old man. :)

[zilfondel]

I like the Local format, but it seems to have too many sub categories.

Regarding Seattle, it seems like they all ran off to the general forums, or even skyscrapercity??? They seem to have given up on this website...

but I like how we have a downtown/central city section, a transportation section, an arts/culture section is also nice to have, biz/real estate...

But maybe it should be rolled into a PACNW section, instead of Portland & Seattle being separate. Lots of people just like to see the big projects in the NW, regardless of which city its in.

[Mike K.]

So there's a majority of you who would like less categories, which is completely understandable.

With respect to Seattle, the forumers were declining before SSP:L was launched and the change was touted as a "potential" solution. Obviously it didn't work. Although I have to say things aren't all that bad on the Portland forum. Seems like you guys took on the new format and just ran with it.

[rsbear]

No. I don't miss the city-versus-city "discussions" in the old format.

[PacificNW]

I agree with Mike K's assessment. I visit the Seattle forum daily, and even though they appear to have more construction going up there, there doesn't seem to be as many posts on that forum as here on the Portland forum. I do see that Seattle project updates appear to be more current on the Seattle SkyscraperCity site.

Fewer categories would be cool, imo. I, too, don't miss the city vs. city discussions.

[urbanlife]

I would say to have a northwest forum with two subforum categories, Portland and Seattle. No breaking it up beyond that. Anything involving any suburb development would go in the initial northwest forum.

I think the less divided it is, the more interaction it will get. As for the city vs city thing, sure that can be annoying, but it is better than a dead forum.

[Mike K.]

The big questions is why was Seattle losing forumers prior to making the switch?

Whatever has been attracting Seattle forumers to SSC is obviously lacking here and it could either be a combination of frequent posts by a select group of forumers or what has become a larger concentration of forumers over the years. Either way, I hope Seattle forumers jump back on this bandwagon.

[Pavlov's Dog]

I came here after the switch to local and have to say that I love things the way they are. There is always some tweaking that could be done but I'm really satisfied with the way things are here.

[2oh1]

As a frequent reader (but seldom poster), I have to say that this local version is great, but many of the subcatagories do more harm than good.

I'd vote for:
City
Suburbs
Transportation
...and that's it.

Or, better yet, just Portland and Suburbs.

Too many options lead to more places nobody uses, which then leads to conversations not had since there's nobody there to have them.

...just my $o.o2.

[Dougall5505]

my idea: I definitely would keep the Local format but consolidate more of the sub-forums to generate more discussion and banter between different issues. IMO the recent addition of the recent posts at the top of the page helps, but I would also like to see what time the post was made so I'm not visiting a thread I already visited a day ago or something.
combine: photos, arts/culture, buisness, and maybe even urban design issues all into general discussion.
combine portland with the suburbs
and keep transportation by itself

lets see what the rest of you guys think because of course this is a democracy

[sopdx]

I think that is a good layout.

[PacificNW]

Here is a quote from Hoodrat in the Seattle forum:

"I vote to have them all in one SEATTLE section. That can include Bellevue, Tacoma, et al. Just keep in Oregon on a separate page please. I hated having to sift through all that crap in Portland when the two cities were co-joined in the old Northwest forum."

Are you guys sure you want to go back to the old format? Portland, Vancouver, WA and the other suburbs, are large enough (and growing) to support their own section. Most of you guys are a lot younger than I am so I doubt you really have that much of a problem working the "mouse with your nimble digits" to navigate over to the Seattle section when the desire arises. Just my opinion.

[MarkDaMan]

Okay, here is my idea (please feel free to tear it to shreds)

SSP: Northwest Forums

Construction:
City of Portland
City of Seattle
Cities and suburbs of the Northwest

Misc:
Transportation projects
Life in the Northwest (econ,politics,culture,urban/rural issues)
Other discussion
Photos

[WonderlandPark]

local forums experiment has failed. Please go back to the old forum.

I know I check in a city thread even though I have not been there or don't live there. Just out of curiosity. I comment on Austin's buildings and so on.

But isolated in these city threads, the only who post are the handful of locals.
Some threads go forever without any new posts. Or longer.

Just get rid of this failed experiment already.

[sopdx]

How difficult is it to click on the Seattle section if you want to look. It is right next to Portland under forums? Or other NW cities - it's right there. For those like me, who don't really care, you don't have to click. easy peasy

There were some great people when we were combined and some who were threatened by anything Portland. It got annoying.

Simplify the forums, reduce the subcategories.

[joeplayer1989]

Okay, here is my idea (please feel free to tear it to shreds)

SSP: Northwest Forums

Construction:
City of Portland
City of Seattle
Cities and suburbs of the Northwest

Misc:
Transportation projects
Life in the Northwest (econ,politics,culture,urban/rural issues)
Other discussion
Photos

that is pretty solid

[James Bond Agent 007]

The big questions is why was Seattle losing forumers prior to making the switch?

Whatever has been attracting Seattle forumers to SSC is obviously lacking here and it could either be a combination of frequent posts by a select group of forumers or what has become a larger concentration of forumers over the years. Either way, I hope Seattle forumers jump back on this bandwagon.
I hadn't visited SSP as often for several months (or more) before the switch, but for me, that had nothing to do with the NW section, which I probably frequented as often as ever.

I prefer urbanlife's idea, just a NW section with 2 other sections - Seattle and Portland. If the Portlanders want to sub-divide up their section, that's up to them. But I think you'll find that Seattle forumers just want one section with all the threads in there.

[James Bond Agent 007]

Okay, here is my idea (please feel free to tear it to shreds)

SSP: Northwest Forums

Construction:
City of Portland
City of Seattle
Cities and suburbs of the Northwest

Misc:
Transportation projects
Life in the Northwest (econ,politics,culture,urban/rural issues)
Other discussion
Photos
Nope, still too many sub-sections, and too much clicking. That's what killed this current format. Wouldn't solve any problems.

[Black Box]

I hadn't visited SSP as often for several months (or more) before the switch, but for me, that had nothing to do with the NW section, which I probably frequented as often as ever.

I prefer urbanlife's idea, just a NW section with 2 other sections - Seattle and Portland. If the Portlanders want to sub-divide up their section, that's up to them. But I think you'll find that Seattle forumers just want one section with all the threads in there.

I like this idea. How has the change affected the NW section (without Seattle or Portland)?

[James Bond Agent 007]

I like this idea. How has the change affected the NW section (without Seattle or Portland)?
Right now the NW section is mostly comprised of some Spokane threads plus the NW Weather thread and the NW Economy thread. Which is actually an OK arrangement IMO.

[bgwah]

The Seattle activity on this forum declined after SSC created a Seattle section. The Local format was a death blow, though.

[Black Box]

Bond, your idea seems best to me. I like the idea of having a NW section with the two cities having their own section. I like sharing the weather and economic threads, but since this new format, I usually forget that it's there. How do you Portlanders feel about this? We would be together, but autonomous.

Northwestern States
Portland and Metropolitan Region
Seattle and Metropolitan Region

[PacificNW]

Doesn't matter too me.....I like the current setup but I am open to more change...as long as I can get my daily SSP fix.

[zaphod]

I am not really a poster here, but I lurk virtually everyday. I want to move to PDX once I am done with college.

Anyways, I think if everyone hates this layout, then the lack of activity becomes a self-fufilling prophecy. That's a good enough reason I think to change. I like Black Box's idea the best. Have 3 boards w/o subforums.

[zilfondel]

On second thoughts, one of the nice thing about the subcategories is that I can actually find older threads, as they don't drop off the "end of the forum" (world?)

I hadn't visited SSP as often for several months (or more) before the switch, but for me, that had nothing to do with the NW section, which I probably frequented as often as ever.

I prefer urbanlife's idea, just a NW section with 2 other sections - Seattle and Portland. If the Portlanders want to sub-divide up their section, that's up to them. But I think you'll find that Seattle forumers just want one section with all the threads in there.

Sounds like a great compromise! Each city can have its own customized section.

[Black Box]

^Yes, that's the idea I'm supporting. I think that maybe Seattleites would like to keep it simple, if it becomes a need to add another sub-forum, then that can be accomodated, but you can still approach the Portland section with more sub-forums. Is there a way to bring others in on this discussion, so that a vote can take place to make this change happen?

[Mike K.]

I thought Portland was in favour of keeping some elements of SSP:L? It's getting bit confusing now that some Seattle forumers have started posting about SSP:L Seattle in here.

Last thing we want to do is mettle with what people like about this forum layout because of misunderstood comments. For simplicity's sake, I think we should focus on Portland in this thread and focus on Seattle in its respective thread in that section :)

So if I understand correctly, barring any confusion from the last day, Portland forumers would like to keep SSP:L but merge several sub-forums together? If that's right, that can be done. Dylan will have to double check to insure nothing will compromise the "new thread" display and once he's given the ok we can make the changes. That is, if that's what the group wants?

[Black Box]

^My apologies if I came off as mettling. I agree, this is a Portland thread, etcetera. I'll just cut to the chase and say that Seattle should eliminate the Local format and well, Portland, good luck with what you all decide to do.

[Mike K.]

No no, don't worry abut it, but if we could keep the two discussions (SEA and PDX) separate that'd help a great deal.

[tworivers]

How do you Portlanders feel about this? We would be together, but autonomous.

My vote is a resounding yes for this.

[2oh1]

So if I understand correctly, barring any confusion from the last day, Portland forumers would like to keep SSP:L but merge several sub-forums together? If that's right, that can be done.

I think it's really handy having a separate forum for Portland, as it is now. In my opinion, the sub categories are unnecessary. If that's what you're saying, then add my vote to the YES crowd.

Or, even better (if it's what the others here prefer):

I prefer urbanlife's idea, just a NW section with 2 other sections - Seattle and Portland. If the Portlanders want to sub-divide up their section, that's up to them. But I think you'll find that Seattle forumers just want one section with all the threads in there.

YES!!!!!!! I love that. A NW section with one forum for everything Portland and one for everything Seattle.

[urbanlife]

just a washington and oregon subforum would be nice, just to divide things up a little bit and make them more manageable.

[joeplayer1989]

guys everything is fine how it is, i think we should all just grow into this new format

[zilfondel]

So if I understand correctly, barring any confusion from the last day, Portland forumers would like to keep SSP:L but merge several sub-forums together? If that's right, that can be done. Dylan will have to double check to insure nothing will compromise the "new thread" display and once he's given the ok we can make the changes. That is, if that's what the group wants?

I vote yes on this

[MarkDaMan]

^yeah, that's what I'm talking about too. I don't want to eliminate SSP: Portland. I just think there are too many subcategories, at least at this time. I don't want one thread for all of Portland discussion unless we have NW subforums to allow some separation of topics.

[Mike K.]

Have you guys decided how to group some of the less busier sub-categories? :)

[MarkDaMan]

I don't know there is an overly agreed upon feeling here on what should happen.

Maybe it should be left alone for another three months when news, project announcements and the such should start picking up? That way we can see what isn't being used...just my opinion, maybe others feel strongly otherwise?

[PacificNW]

I am fine with the present layout.

[urbanlife]

I like the Seattle's current layout.

[Mike K.]

I don't know there is an overly agreed upon feeling here on what should happen.

Maybe it should be left alone for another three months when news, project announcements and the such should start picking up? That way we can see what isn't being used...just my opinion, maybe others feel strongly otherwise?

Sounds like a plan. So let's leave it for a while and come back to tweak it, if need be, in the summer.