Here is my dilemma!

I want to improve the Landscape a bit.

Too many stickies!

So, taking a page from EQ Traders - they set up a Staff Posting Area.

Basically this format allows them to post w/o cluttering up the main forums that most people read.

- In the Circle Forums you will see "The Nine" at the bottom of the List, which I will probably merge with the Policy area.

EQ Traders has this area above everything.. this allows people to read these announcements, help, status etc.. this especially helps newer posters for that much needed information/help or new rules being set down.

I like to do this myself, but I want to hear from you!

This means VOTE. (I MEAN IT TOO!)

I know this stuff isn't important to most, but it is to me and getting news out helps you all.

So please think about it first before you vote.. in the end I will leave it in your hands.
<hr>
Bonus! (Sobe wanted to "save another sticky spot")

Are you reading the Newest Post on the First Page? Are you use to reading Oldest to Newest Post? - You can change this in your User CP!

Go to User CP --> Options and find the Thread Display Options --> Change Thread Display Mode to Linear -- Oldest First

Pic Below:
http://www.thedruidsgrove.org/images/dg/correct.gif

I went to look but the EQTraders site has a "bandwidth limit exceeded" sign up. Looks like we either blew it or the holidays did. Are you saying you just want to post all stickies in a new forum for stickies only?

http://mboards.eqtraders.com/upload/index.php

Note the announcement forums are the first thing there.

From the Denmother's Corner

"Wow.

We actually did excede our bandwidth for the month...

205067.66 Megabytes

we have a 200000 megabyte limit... this is the first month since we we got the last 50 more than a year ago... that we have exceded it.

I am going to have to talk to Denmom about it, and she is asleep... so it may be a bit.

(The first time this happened in november was a bug... it exceded at 50000 megabytes... a bug... this time it is real...)"

as tempting as 'more stickies please' was.... only concern with putting it above the other forum sections i can see is that i really dig being able to see all forums at once without having to scroll down... so.. how big would this announcement section be?

Well if its merging with "Policies" then the size won't change.. just the position.

Will vote when I can make an informed decision.

As it stands I think it works fine as it is... people are lazy. I only visit a few of the forums, and I'm sure there are those who only visit General. Stickies are easily visible and with an informative subject header they catch your eye easily (like this one!)

If it was in a separate forum, I probably wouldn't have read it.

Or, how about a list of current announcements (a scrolling ticker or similar) and a forum for archived announcements? ISTR ezboard used something like that.

Will vote when I can make an informed decision.

As it stands I think it works fine as it is... people are lazy. I only visit a few of the forums, and I'm sure there are those who only visit General. Stickies are easily visible and with an informative subject header they catch your eye easily (like this one!)

If it was in a separate forum, I probably wouldn't have read it.

Or, how about a list of current announcements (a scrolling ticker or similar) and a forum for archived announcements? ISTR ezboard used something like that.

This would be more for things like the Druid Chat Channel - and post that need to be here a long time, Help and FAQ stuff I get emails on all the time. The newer post will show up like the rest of the forums and if you use the "new post feature" you will see it there also.

I won't say we won't have sticky’s on important subjects. As you know we try to rotate and keep them under 5 (thats my rule, but we seem to be breaking it a lot now).

Would it be possible to write a plugin/hack to vBulletin that would allow you to put a box in between the header and the posts/forums lists with a link to the forum with the announcement as the header of the box and inside the box would be links to the recent postings in that forum. Only the title of the posts would be visible, with the possibility of 2-3 topics per line or something so that it takes very little screen space?

Possibly instead of going by recent postings, only list stickied topics or if you have some other way of discerning posts?

Something like this, used the Front Page News forum to try to show it:

<table width="80%" border="1" bordercolor="#000000"><tr bgcolor="#B4F3BD"><td colspan="3"><a href="http://www.thedruidsgrove.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=25"><strong>Front Page News</strong></a></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#D8FED6"><td><a href="http://www.thedruidsgrove.org/forums/showthread.php?t=6003">EQ2 skill trees revealed!</a></td><td><a href="http://www.thedruidsgrove.org/forums/showthread.php?t=6001">From EQLive : Upcoming Updates</a></td><td><a href="http://www.thedruidsgrove.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5976">Front Page is active.</a></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#EAFFEE"><td><a href="http://www.thedruidsgrove.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5934">www.thedruidsgrove.org</a></td><td><a href="http://www.thedruidsgrove.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5876">Good Luck Alan! Welcome Alan!</a></td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr></table>

Rahjeir would have to answer that one - he's currrently working on the front page, as for something that highlights it - I am sure something could be done, just don't want to overpopulate the landscape, just use the forum that basically holds only 2-3 post at this point.

Alright - the update was done - those that wanted to vote.. voted and I appreciate the direct feedback - if you have anything more to add - now is the time - we will test this out .. give it some time for adjustment and see if it works - thx all !!

I was thinking about this after "I wrote" the last post.

One thing about the Grove is this!

We try to limit our area's for one reason. Many people like the simplicity of the boards.

To many area's means hell for the Mods, and quite frankly for you.

As you can see depending on your screen size resolution, The Circle Forums basically fit on one page when you are at The Druids Grove Forums (top level). - Each section basically holds the information most of us look for.

The Search Feature allows you to search for what you need within that forum or from the top level. Keywords help alot.

New Post Feature allows you to see all new post that have been posted since you last visited the Grove.

The one thing we are trying to do is keep it simple. Any ideas or needs we try to discuss them as a community, vote on them As a community. Yes some changes we make directly, but major changes such as The Nine - I ask you, its your community! Just don't get bent if it doesn't go your way, make your "complaint" known even if its against the masses.. we have no problem hearing what you have to say.