I have done some thinking about the matter, and looked at a couple of other forums I frequent.
First, I do think that the IGKT forum has reached at point where it is relevant to divide it into sub-sections. If nothing else, the number of threads is now so high that at least I find it a little hard to look up a specific old thread.
Derek has a very good point of “the Foyer”. However, I do not think of it as a section where you actually post questions. I think of “the Foyer” as the page that meets the visitor. In “the Foyer” you find the basic information (“Read this before posting” and such), and this is where you get directions where to go next. Simple, clear, inviting, informative – that is how I picture Derek´s idea of “the Foyer”, and I certainly agree!
I like to think of the forum as “areas” with “sections” - not because I believe that is necessarily The Best Structure TM , but simply because a couple of forums which I like and which seem fo work well, are done that way. A Swedish forum about Living History and Historical Reenactment has five “main” sections, with several sub-sections, for example:
Equipment – subsections: Clothes & textile, Leather & shoes, Housing & living
Arms & battle – subsections: Armour, Weapons, Martial Arts
(I think you get the idea. It is at http://www.historiska.se/histvarld/forum/ if you want to look at the design.)
We should avoid dividing into too small categories, though! Let´s start with some major, and if need be, they can later be divided. Note: The “areas” are only headlines, not sections in which you actually post!
I think we should be careful about what “signs” we put on the “areas” and sub-sections. Labels that may be obvious to “old” knotters but not to newcomers should be avoided as far as possible! In my opinion the labels should (ideally) be so obvious that a newcomer who can hardly tell a bowline from a slipknot can find out in which section his/her question belongs! As far as I´m concerned, the forum should have a design that will attract the interest of potential users “passing by”, enable them to easily find their way around, and - hopefully - return.
“Decorative” and “Practical” have been suggested, and to me, they sound as “areas” They are good, simple to understand, and fairly obvious – at least if you add a little comment under the headline.
For example:
Decorative: Knots and knotwork that is done purely or mainly for decorative and ornamental purposes
Practical: The focus is on knots in practical use – what you may call “working” knots
Possibly (but I am not sure about these) we can also have:
Science: Knotting theory, physics, etc.
Media: Books, internet sites, instruction videos, etc.
The section which was in part the spark that ignited this issue, “Forensic and medical knotting” might be a suitable subsection in the area “Science”.
I strongly support the idea that there should be a section of “chit chat”. There are always some little issues that we like to chat about things that may or may not be knot related, and which does not fit into the other categories. Such a section is needed (and often fun!), and helps keep the other sections “cleaner”.
I would like to add that the sorting Dan has done of some threads and where they might be put is a good example of the thinking I am after. I may not agree on what he calls the headlines, but I do agree that the threads he has put in groups belong together!
I think we should keep discussing this issue with as little personal prestige and quick conclusions as possible. After some time we may reach some kind of consencus, and/or pick the best ideas from different inputs.
Still, I for one need a little input as to what is technically possible and (perhaps more important) not possible to do! In this discussion it seems that a structure is already beginning to take form - and we do not know if it can be done!
Lasse C
