Reenacting Forums Survey

CivilWarTalk

Lieutenant General
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Managing Member & Webmaster
Joined
Apr 1, 1999
Location
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Hey Guys and Gals!

So, I had a pretty good idea in my head about how the Reenacting Forum and the Events Living Histories, & Reenactments Forum should be used, but I can see by the posts in each of these forums that it's not as obvious to all of you. I think you all had your own ideas, and maybe I had the wrong ideas in the first place.

The posts in these two forums are well, fairly well mixed. I bet it's a toss up when you go to post a new thread, and that's not the best experience. I could probably merge these forums and I don't think it would really hurt anything at the moment.

I'd like to clean this up, and reorganize the Reenacting forums, but before I do that, I want your input! I have a few ideas, but I want to hear yours first!

Please answer the following questions:

1) What's the most annoying part of the CivilWarTalk reenacting forums?


1b) If you were in charge, how would you fix this problem?


2) What's your favorite part of the CivilWarTalk forums?


2b) Could this part of the forums be improved further?


3) Is there a feature that you've seen on another forum or web site that you'd like to see in our Reenactor Forums?


4) Are there any types of discussions that you would like to see put in their own section, and not in the general Reenacting Discussion?


4b) Is this because you don't like this type of discussion, or because you believe this discussion deserves it's own private discussion area?


5) What do you think of the current level of reenacting discussions at CivilWarTalk? Do we have too many? just enough? too few?


5b) Would you say that's because the number of reenacting members is too few, just right, or too many?


6) Open Ended - If you have anything else to add, let us know!


Feel free to reply below, but understand everyone will be able to read your survey response!

Otherwise, send your survey response to me via the Conversation System... Click Here: @CivilWarTalk
 
1) What's the most annoying part of the CivilWarTalk reenacting forums?
Self-designated experts claiming bottom-line authority on a topic


1b) If you were in charge, how would you fix this problem?
An occasional mod reminder that "expert is a relative term, and short of a formal degree, be modest or at least more precise in claiming the actual level of personal expertise you feel qualified to represent"


2) What's your favorite part of the CivilWarTalk forums?
Unlike other, and now defunct CW forums, CW talk accommodates the passion of its subscribers. It handles cases of seemingly intense disagreements with levels of oversight. And it allows posters who've overstepped a bit of cooling off space, rather than just immediate and permanent banning.


2b) Could this part of the forums be improved further?
It seems to be in a continuous improvement mode already (as with this survey) so I would say "carry on"


3) Is there a feature that you've seen on another forum or web site that you'd like to see in our Reenactor Forums?
A calendar view to reference events for the year and following months, based on input from reenactors here only, and not claiming to be CWtalk verified (This forum can't be expected to maintain a reenactment calendar per se)


4) Are there any types of discussions that you would like to see put in their own section, and not in the general Reenacting Discussion?
Living History, though a sort of reenacting and often associated with it, should perhaps be called out for its own section. I realize that "Living History" is sometimes shorthand for civilian impression, which already has a section, but I would embrace military LH in its own right, perhaps both "Civilian" and "Military" as subsets of "Living History."


4b) Is this because you don't like this type of discussion, or because you believe this discussion deserves it's own private discussion area?
As full-up reenactments seem to be on the wane, more events are resembling living histories more than reenactments. Having a specific Living History section will wean out some of the confusion -- particularly for new folks approaching the hobby generally.


5) What do you think of the current level of reenacting discussions at CivilWarTalk? Do we have too many? just enough? too few?
About right. I think "vacations" from certain topics is a brilliant idea, as long as that never turns into a forever ban on certain topics.


5b) Would you say that's because the number of reenacting members is too few, just right, or too many?
That's a quality vs quantity discussion. Many reenactors are fine with small events and don't judge them by how many attend, but rather how well they are run. And yet, in my experience, most reenactors want at least one large scale event (a "national") every season


6) Open Ended - If you have anything else to add, let us know!
CWtalk participants have a finely-tuned (shall I say sometimes deliciously wicked) sense of humor, making a visit to the site worth it for that reason alone at times.
 
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I think it works pretty well as is. If I'd change anything to simplify it maybe merging it into two sub forums, one for impressions and one for events. I know we have that already but then we have the main part of the reenactors forum. Or maybe just do away with the events sub forum and post things about events in the main reenactors section. I do believe having the impression sub forum is helpful to people with a question to have a specific place to go. We don't get much action in the Sutlers discussion section. I think this could be merged with the impression section. Most of the impression questions and discussions usually include sutler recommendations and such. And keeping the sutlers/classified section there is helpful.
 
I'll just say I don't think it would be a good idea to merge the events or sutlers forums with the others. I think it's very good how it is and I don't really think it needs improving. Those are two forums that I never visit. I think it would be a little annoying to keep seeing announcements for events I'll never attend or ads for things I'll never want to buy. They should just be in a separate forum so people who are interested in that can easily find them.
 
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I'll just say I don't think it would be a good idea to merge the events or sutlers forums with the others. I think it's very good how it is and I don't really think it needs improving. Those are two forums that I never visit. I think it would be a little annoying to keep seeing announcements for events I'll never attend or ads for things I'll never want to buy. They should just be in a separate forum so people who are interested in that can easily find them.
If you're referring to what I said I totally agree the sutler/classified section should stand alone. I was talking about the other sutler discussions sub forum that gets very little action. Usually those type of discussions break out when people ask a question in the impressions sub forum. That said I also like the way it is also, just thinking out loud if Mike wanted to simplify something.
 
to me there is just too many different sub folders that is never used and could cut some of them out. I see the need for the section for people to promote a certain venue so people who live in that area to come out. Or for people who are unable to come out for whatever reason to be able to see the pictures of the event. Also, if one event did something good another event could try to put that into there event. It will also help people to ask certain questions on where to find certain items for to complete their gear. i am on many of the facebook reenactment groups and it nothing but bashing that it makes me sick. From what i have seen on here and post some events it way different from the FB groups.
 
to me there is just too many different sub folders that is never used and could cut some of them out. I see the need for the section for people to promote a certain venue so people who live in that area to come out. Or for people who are unable to come out for whatever reason to be able to see the pictures of the event. Also, if one event did something good another event could try to put that into there event. It will also help people to ask certain questions on where to find certain items for to complete their gear. i am on many of the facebook reenactment groups and it nothing but bashing that it makes me sick. From what i have seen on here and post some events it way different from the FB groups.
Yes, well, I’m trying to avoid a lot of the things that happen on Facebook!
 
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