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I appreciate the discussion and effort here, I think as subdivisions increase complications for new folks increase, they think they know where to post but really they don't, Boxster Spyder, what years? 987/981/718? all very different cars... I also believe there is a responsibility on a Porsche owner to know the nomenclature, i.e. what model do I own? I've been an air-cooled 911 guy for many years (unfortunately no longer) and believe me on the air-cooled 911 forum a day would not pass without a 996, 997, 991 posting.
Correct me if I'm wrong - I'm guessing you didn't follow the link to the Cayenne forum? And you didn't notice that the above-proposed name for each subforum HAS the year/model in it?
That works. Not only do the majority of people post in the correct spot, but due to the inclusion of the YEARS the different series were made and sold - even someone who never owned a Porsche, wants to learn a bit about one he might have seen for sale somewhere - finds their way to the correct forum. The 955/957 forum and the 958 forum both have stickied threads about "Thinking about buying a Cayenne?" - with some general advice and explanation of what to look for or what can be problem areas when considering one. I'd love to find that here - or in the other Cayenne forum... but it doesn't exist. At least not on Rennlist.
As far as having a "responsibility" to know the internal Porsche series numbers - tell that to someone just considering buying a Porsche and see how quickly he walks away from even considering one. Rennlist would like to be inclusive, not exclusive. If exclusivity is a goal - I think we may not be an ideal fit.
Forums are envisioned for people to help people. If you design a forum so only the "in-the-know" people can navigate it - I suspect you will have a very short-lived forum.
What I see against it (as a moderator, and someone who sometimes advises admin on how to structure the forums) is - we have two top-level "Water-Cooled" forums covering the Caymans, and one of those - this one - brings in the boxer too. The other one https://rennlist.com/forums/porsche-...nerations-126/ - has very little activity. When I first started thinking about picking up a Cayman I figured it would be easy to find info here on RennList - but I forgot how screwed up most of the forum structure is. It isn't particularly easy, and I actually see very little in the way of DIY writeups, which are one of the most valuable things a forum can have.
When I took the Cayenne forum under my care - I realized that the structure there was wrong. EVERYTHING went into one forum. I nudged the admin to rearrange it, then took on the somewhat tedious job of sorting out a large number of existing posts into the forum category that they belonged in. The only additional changes we've found necessary were to add in the 9YO subforum when the newest Cayenne was introduced about a year ago.
Since it's been around for a while, I very rarely now have to move a post to the correct forum. I've debated adding another subforum for "General - ALL ERA" Cayenne posts - a place where some of the "Lets see your Cayenne Pics" could go, and topics of general Cayenne interest, not-model specific.. but I've held off for now, still thinking about it.
So you have two Cayman Cayman/Boxter forums - I would suggest a structure a bit like:
TOP LEVEL Boxter and Cayman Under that would appear:
NEXT LEVEL:----Boxster - 1996-2004 (986)
NEXT LEVEL ----Boxster/Cayman 2005-2012 (987.1, 987.2)
NEXT LEVEL ----Boxster/Caymen 2012-2016 (981)
NEXT LEVEL ----718 Boxster/Cayman 2016-Current (982)
NEXT LEVEL ----Boxster Spyder
FINAL LEVEL ----Boxster/Cayman DIY All Models
I found the years of production in the forum title help guide new people (who don't know what a 987.1 is..) to the right forum.
Anyway - that's a rough read of what I could propose to the management. They actually asked if I'd look at the rest of the Rennlist structure for things like this at one point. Thing is - I don't have a Cayman yet - so my interest in the Boxster/Cayman might wane before I got to do all the sorting of existing messages. If anyone knows of a 2009-2012 PDK in a not dark color (I like white, yellow, blues, even greens, and some funky colors) and fairly well equipped, somewhere around $25-28,000 let me know. Be nice if I could see it (200-mile radius of 07762.)
Let me know what'cha think.
Agree with this plus adding a GT4 (981 and 982) Next Level and splitting the Spyder in two or three Next Levels.
But, even the GT4 sub title hasn’t been updated in five years so I don’t hold much hope for the above significant change/improvement.
Well honestly if we have a moderator as a proponent to making this change I think we all should be excited, up until now the mid engine forum has been largely ignored.
It doesn’t hurt to have everyone chime in with how to break this up into subforums so it’s organized and easy to find going forward.
What I see against it (as a moderator, and someone who sometimes advises admin on how to structure the forums) is - we have two top-level "Water-Cooled" forums covering the Caymans, and one of those - this one - brings in the boxer too. The other one https://rennlist.com/forums/porsche-...nerations-126/ - has very little activity. When I first started thinking about picking up a Cayman I figured it would be easy to find info here on RennList - but I forgot how screwed up most of the forum structure is. It isn't particularly easy, and I actually see very little in the way of DIY writeups, which are one of the most valuable things a forum can have.
When I took the Cayenne forum under my care - I realized that the structure there was wrong. EVERYTHING went into one forum. I nudged the admin to rearrange it, then took on the somewhat tedious job of sorting out a large number of existing posts into the forum category that they belonged in. The only additional changes we've found necessary were to add in the 9YO subforum when the newest Cayenne was introduced about a year ago.
Since it's been around for a while, I very rarely now have to move a post to the correct forum. I've debated adding another subforum for "General - ALL ERA" Cayenne posts - a place where some of the "Lets see your Cayenne Pics" could go, and topics of general Cayenne interest, not-model specific.. but I've held off for now, still thinking about it.
So you have two Cayman Cayman/Boxter forums - I would suggest a structure a bit like:
TOP LEVEL Boxter and Cayman Under that would appear:
NEXT LEVEL:----Boxster - 1996-2004 (986)
NEXT LEVEL ----Boxster/Cayman 2005-2012 (987.1, 987.2)
NEXT LEVEL ----Boxster/Caymen 2012-2016 (981)
NEXT LEVEL ----718 Boxster/Cayman 2016-Current (982)
NEXT LEVEL ----Boxster Spyder
FINAL LEVEL ----Boxster/Cayman DIY All Models
I found the years of production in the forum title help guide new people (who don't know what a 987.1 is..) to the right forum.
Anyway - that's a rough read of what I could propose to the management. They actually asked if I'd look at the rest of the Rennlist structure for things like this at one point. Thing is - I don't have a Cayman yet - so my interest in the Boxster/Cayman might wane before I got to do all the sorting of existing messages. If anyone knows of a 2009-2012 PDK in a not dark color (I like white, yellow, blues, even greens, and some funky colors) and fairly well equipped, somewhere around $25-28,000 let me know. Be nice if I could see it (200-mile radius of 07762.)
I'm obviously for a revised forum structure and I do like the level suggestions....but I question why you would lump the DIY into all models and put that in another sub-forum.
I'm more accustomed to having the DIY inside each sub-forum and typically referenced by using a single sticky at the top of that sub-forum. As REALLY good DIY threads pop up, you add a link to that thread in the sticky.
For example, I don't need to see five threads about someone changing their brake pads, but one very well photographed and documented thread of step by step instructions that can be quick referenced is a nice. I don't know for sure, but I would assume that Base and S model brake pad changes are different, and I would also expect that 986 and 987 brake pad changes are different. Putting all DIY in one forum means I have to comb through all of those models to figure out which one applies to my car.
Of course, now that I think about it....there isn't a reason not to have a single DIY forum if you use a well organized sticky by model numbers to point you to the right thread.
Here's an example of a sticky that references model specific tech threads by topic. Each of the orange text entries is the link:
Of course, now that I think about it....there isn't a reason not to have a single DIY forum if you use a well organized sticky by model numbers to point you to the right thread.
The reasons for a single higher-level DIY forum are several. Googles spiders will rate a higher level forum as more valuable than a lower level one (simple fact of Google spiders) - so the topics get more exposure. Some of the DIY threads apply to more than one series of Cayenne. Having one sticky for the subject is a lot easier to keep it current and up to date. The original posting that inspired the DIY continues to exist in the model specific forums - and is open to commentary. In general (one or two exceptions I may soon change) - the ones in the DIY forum are not open to user commentary or additions.
The DIY forum also doesn't allow users to post new threads. Only the moderator (me) can do that. I generally edit the DIY's, take out peanut-gallery comments, check grammar and try to somewhat standardize the layouts. I also very specifically name each DIY so it will sort correctly when the forum is displayed (note they are not sorted by date as a default - they're sorted by Subject/Title.)
The reasons for a single higher-level DIY forum are several. Googles spiders will rate a higher level forum as more valuable than a lower level one (simple fact of Google spiders) - so the topics get more exposure. Some of the DIY threads apply to more than one series of Cayenne. Having one sticky for the subject is a lot easier to keep it current and up to date. The original posting that inspired the DIY continues to exist in the model specific forums - and is open to commentary. In general (one or two exceptions I may soon change) - the ones in the DIY forum are not open to user commentary or additions.
The DIY forum also doesn't allow users to post new threads. Only the moderator (me) can do that. I generally edit the DIY's, take out peanut-gallery comments, check grammar and try to somewhat standardize the layouts. I also very specifically name each DIY so it will sort correctly when the forum is displayed (note they are not sorted by date as a default - they're sorted by Subject/Title.)
Weeding out the peanuts is HUGE. Nobody wants to scroll through 18 pages of “wow! Looks great!” Comments in a DIY. Better to just have thumbs up on posts.
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