Should Denver split off from Mountain West?

Cirrus · #1 Posted **May 6, 2014, 3:51 PM**

The suggestion has been made that Colorado split off from Utah/Idaho and create its own more local subforum. This could be either a Denver-only "SSP local" subforum, or a Front Range regional subforum.

This is a non-binding poll to gauge reaction. I don't have the administrative powers to make the change on my own, so even if you all vote unanimously to split, I can't say it will definitely happen. But there's no harm in getting some feedback on the idea.

Pros: Less clutter from other cities for everyone to sift through.

Cons: Probably none of us will ever read another thread from another city again.

FrancoRey · #2 Posted **May 6, 2014, 3:58 PM**

Not like I come on here a lot anymore anyways, but I still don't think we're active enough to be our own thread. If we want to separate ourselves from the 'others' in the MW, that's what the cities threads on the home page are for. And if no one's noticed, it's dead.

Maybe a perma-link to that thread within the MW section would be nice. Then we could get our loudspeaker for the rest of the site, AS WELL as our special little 'Denver only' link in the forum.

Cirrus · #3 Posted **May 6, 2014, 4:02 PM**

A permalink to what thread, specifically?

seventwenty · #4 Posted **May 6, 2014, 4:06 PM**

Heh. By splitting Front Range off, the rest of what is currently Mtn West would become the de facto Wasatch Range forum.

wong21fr · #5 Posted **May 6, 2014, 4:13 PM**

There's not enough traffic in the Denver threads to justify it's own section..... much like there's not enough bike traffic along Brighton Blvd to justify a dedicated lane.

bflatflat9 · #6 Posted **May 6, 2014, 4:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirrus

The suggestion has been made that Colorado split off from Utah/Idaho and create its own more local subforum. This could be either a Denver-only "SSP local" subforum, or a Front Range regional subforum.

This is a non-binding poll to gauge reaction. I don't have the administrative powers to make the change on my own, so even if you all vote unanimously to split, I can't say it will definitely happen. But there's no harm in getting some feedback on the idea.

Pros: Less clutter from other cities for everyone to sift through.

Cons: Probably none of us will ever read another thread from another city again.

Salt Laker here, don't post much but read often. I totally get why you may want to split off from the flotsam and jetsoms of the forum. I mean you've got forums for any Aunt Bea development that could be kept in the larger forum.
And forums for places much smaller than Mayberry, where they MIGHT be renovating jail space for Otis. Whichever way you go with this, I feel ya.

RyanD · #7 Posted **May 6, 2014, 4:41 PM**

Do I need to notarize the divorce papers? I am a notary after all...

PLANSIT · #8 Posted **May 6, 2014, 4:49 PM**

The notion that Denver doesn't have as active of a following as other cities, is entirely false. The MW subforum is currently the most active (USA) with some 140k posts. That's 30k higher than the next subforum (Pacific West). Given that there are basically three main cities in the MW subforum, Denver/Colorado probably accounts for 30-40% of that total. Quick math says that Denver/Colorado, conservatively, has some 30-40k posts. For reference, Portland, one of the more active Local subforums, has roughtly 40k posts.

That's only one measure of activity. Another is "viewers". Currently, the MW subforum has 112 active viewers, the most in the USA subforum. The next highest total is Pacific West (notice a theme) with 71 active viewers. Portland, one of the more active local subforums, has 45 active viewers right now. We can't break out viewers at the MW city scale, but a quick look at active "members" present in the MW subforum (25 total), Denver/Colorado has about 10 (40%). So, it may be safe to assume that 40% of the active viewers are Denver/Colorado - 45 active viewers. Same as Portland.

That being said, I'm not married to the notion that we HAVE to split off. I am, however, convinced that we have to do a better job of organizing and facilitating discussion. Whether that's here in the MW or in our own subforum, I don't care.

I know, especially in the message board world, that change is difficult. Shit, when we moved to this new version of Bulletin (or whatever it was) people almost lost their minds just from the avatar moving from center-left to top-left in the post.

wrendog · #9 Posted **May 6, 2014, 5:00 PM**

Don't leave us all alone here with just Boise!!!

Jokes!

seventwenty · #10 Posted **May 6, 2014, 5:00 PM**

Right, but how many of those posts are just us shooting the shit or arguing for the sake of arguing?

Besides, when can we have a Pueblo forum?

PLANSIT · #11 Posted **May 6, 2014, 5:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventwenty

Right, but how many of those posts are just us shooting the shit or arguing for the sake of arguing?

Besides, when can we have a Pueblo forum?

Uh, how many of the Portland posts are just them shooting the shit or arguing for the sake of arguing?

A Pueblo subforum, without Eeyore, is unpossible.

seventwenty · #12 Posted **May 6, 2014, 5:16 PM**

Dunno. They said I'm too square to approach their forum.

But if we're just going to keep shooting the shit in a single thread, no matter where that thread is, then what was the point?

utenation · #13 Posted **May 6, 2014, 5:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PLANSIT

The notion that Denver doesn't have as active of a following as other cities, is entirely false. The MW subforum is currently the most active (USA) with some 140k posts. That's 30k higher than the next subforum (Pacific West). Given that there are basically three main cities in the MW subforum, Denver/Colorado probably accounts for 30-40% of that total. Quick math says that Denver/Colorado, conservatively, has some 30-40k posts. For reference, Portland, one of the more active Local subforums, has roughtly 40k posts.

That's only one measure of activity. Another is "viewers". Currently, the MW subforum has 112 active viewers, the most in the USA subforum. The next highest total is Pacific West (notice a theme) with 71 active viewers. Portland, one of the more active local subforums, has 45 active viewers right now. We can't break out viewers at the MW city scale, but a quick look at active "members" present in the MW subforum (25 total), Denver/Colorado has about 10 (40%). So, it may be safe to assume that 40% of the active viewers are Denver/Colorado - 45 active viewers. Same as Portland.

That being said, I'm not married to the notion that we HAVE to split off. I am, however, convinced that we have to do a better job of organizing and facilitating discussion. Whether that's here in the MW or in our own subforum, I don't care.

I know, especially in the message board world, that change is difficult. Shit, when we moved to this new version of Bulletin (or whatever it was) people almost lost their minds just from the avatar moving from center-left to top-left in the post.

Looking at the 2 pages of threads in the MW forum, there are 86,793 replies. Obviously this doesn't count the deleted stuff and I'm not sure where the total of 140K is coming from but I think it's more accurate to look at what's actually on this forum now. Even some of this is very old matieral.

Of those 87K replies. Denver/Colorado has 28K or 32%. SLC/Utah has 44k replies or 51%. I don't think anyone should move but Denver certainly doesn't have a case for being the big dog in the forum needing it's own section based on volume.

I enjoy the Denver/Colorado threads personally. I'm curious where the notion of needing to "split off" is coming from?

seventwenty · #14 Posted **May 6, 2014, 5:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by utenation

I enjoy the Denver/Colorado threads personally. I'm curious where the notion of needing to "split off" is coming from?

Appears to be coming from MGMT wanting to force us Denver bros to stop mega threading everything.

PLANSIT · #15 Posted **May 6, 2014, 5:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventwenty

Dunno. They said I'm too square to approach their forum.

But if we're just going to keep shooting the shit in a single thread, no matter where that thread is, then what was the point?

Organization and facilitation of more than one discussion? When you're sharing space, threads that aren't "the most active" tend to die slow deaths - they get bumped down to page 2 and after awhile, people forget they even exist. So, naturally, they just post the topic, whether its the appropriate thread or not, in the Denver catch-all (Development Thread). Important information gets lost in the shuffle. It happens all the time.

Again, not saying we HAVE to split, just that we need to better organize and facilitate discussion.

Maybe an additional Denver/Colorado focused moderator could help?

PLANSIT · #16 Posted **May 6, 2014, 5:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by utenation

Looking at the 2 pages of threads in the MW forum, there are 86,793 replies. Obviously this doesn't count the deleted stuff and I'm not sure where the total of 140K is coming from but I think it's more accurate to look at what's actually on this forum now. Even some of this is very old matieral.

Of those 87K replies. Denver/Colorado has 28K or 32%. SLC/Utah has 44k replies or 51%. I don't think anyone should move but Denver certainly doesn't have a case for being the big dog in the forum needing it's own section based on volume.

I enjoy the Denver/Colorado threads personally. I'm curious where the notion of needing to "split off" is coming from?

It comes from the United States Subforum Page - and clearly its not an end-all way of measuring activity. For instance, Denver is on its 5 (about to be 6th) iteration of the main Development Thread. SLC is on its 3rd (about to be 4th).

And regarding being "top dog", no one said we were. Just making point that Denver has a very active following. When Phoenix left the MW subforum years ago, they weren't the "big dog" either. Not the point.

wong21fr · #17 Posted **May 6, 2014, 5:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PLANSIT

The notion that Denver doesn't have as active of a following as other cities, is entirely false. The MW subforum is currently the most active (USA) with some 140k posts. That's 30k higher than the next subforum (Pacific West). Given that there are basically three main cities in the MW subforum, Denver/Colorado probably accounts for 30-40% of that total. Quick math says that Denver/Colorado, conservatively, has some 30-40k posts. For reference, Portland, one of the more active Local subforums, has roughtly 40k posts.

I'm not sure about Denver/Colorado capturing 30-40% of the posts. The Denver Development Thread is by far the most active Denver thread and it roughly keeps pace with the SLC Development Thread in terms of postings. But, the Utah folks also keep several other threads running with a good number of posts as well (the thread on the latest McDonald's in Provo is quite fascinating

). I'd say that the share split for Denver/Colorado is more likely in the 20-25% range.

The MW is the one region section that doesn't have any city sections to siphon off postings which explains it being the most active section. I don't think that the tendency of the SLC crowd to create multiple threads is a bad thing and the con of not getting as many outsiders checking out the Denver threads, and vice versa, is a pretty big one IMO.

PLANSIT · #18 Posted **May 6, 2014, 5:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wong21fr

I'm not sure about Denver/Colorado capturing 30-40% of the posts. The Denver Development Thread is by far the most active Denver thread and it roughly keeps pace with the SLC Development Thread in terms of postings. But, the Utah folks also keep several other threads running with a good number of posts as well (the thread on the latest McDonald's in Provo is quite fascinating

). I'd say that the share split for Denver/Colorado is more likely in the 20-25% range.

The MW is the one region section that doesn't have any city sections to siphon off postings which explains it being the most active section. I don't think that the tendency of the SLC crowd to create multiple threads is a bad thing and the con of not getting as many outsiders checking out the Denver threads, and vice versa, is a pretty big one IMO.

Again, not true.

GO HERE, look to your right.

"City/Local" Subforums are counted in the "Regional" totals.

I do like reading about SLC/Boise happenings. Just as I like reading about Portland, Austin, Seattle, etc.

PLANSIT · #19 Posted **May 6, 2014, 5:43 PM**

And I realize I'm losing the argument (and trolling a bit). That's fine. I'm just trying my hardest to impersonate Bunt and his anti-bike sentiment (losing battle).

bunt_q · #20 Posted **May 6, 2014, 5:52 PM**

I think it's a fine idea, but I don't really care either way. I am all for exposure to peer cities and what they are doing - that's a very good thing. But since Phoenix left us, I don't think I have clicked in another city's thread more than half a dozen times. There's frankly nothing we can learn from SLC or Boise, and nothing happening there that interests me - all they are to me is clutter that I have to look through to get to what I want to read.

Also - trolling is not the same thing as disagreeing. I'll have you know that a majority of Americans are closer to my sentiment on bicycles than yours. Arguably, I am mainstream, and you folks are the quack urban liberal trolls.