if you like this forum please read.

i would first like to start off by saying things have not been going very well on this forum.. first the rushed effort to merge pclub on to here might not have worked so well. while the mods here were attempting to do something good it may not have been looked upon as such and that is understandable. change is hard for everyone and it has been just as hard on the mods here and the admins.
i am neither a mod nor a admin.. but like many people on here i have learned alot i didnt kno about my car, found people with common interests, met some totally awesome people and have found a wealth of knowledge.
everyone is on this forum either looking for people with a common interest, info or to share stories.. some are here to share products for a car that doesnt really have an after market.
maybe im lucky.. most of the people i have interacted with on this board i have gotten along with. yes there have been some disagreements and arguements and i might not like everything on here but u take the good with the bad.
i have been reading alot about trying to clean up the msp section and the msp people getting upset. im not trying to flame or start something but this is what i have seen.
i know everyone here instead of making smart ass posts and arguing back and forth can offer some form of constructive criticism on where this forum should go, so it is better for everyone.. think about it. just a few days ago we were all laffing at the same s*** in off topic and now we are at each others throats.. i have a few ideas on where this forum could and should go but i was hoping for some feedback.
i think the forum should be split into a few sections
1st gen
2nd gen
3rd gen
protege 5
mp3
mazdaspeed

audio / video
rims/tires
auto x
track times
flamewars
how to
offtopic
forsale
pictures/videos

then i think these should be broken down like this im going to use the 5 as an example because that is what i have.
protege 5
warranty
suspension
performance
exterior/interior
registry
general parts reviews

i cant think of the others but im sure you guys can help me
then maybe under say general parts review someone with a injen could take some pics and post a review. that way when someone asks they could be forwarded to one section and politely asked to use the search button.

we all have to understand.. sometimes search doesnt bring up what you want and honestly for the first 3 months i was here i had no clue where the search was..

these are my ideas for the forum please do not leave a message ripping them apart with no idea of your own on how u want it.. if you like it awesome.. post an say it.. if you dont.. awesome.. post and say u hate it an you think it should be this way..

i think everyone really needs to chill out.. pclub vs. us, the mods vs. msp people, unpatient people vs vendors, all of these things are not healthy to helping our protege community grow.

there are a few people i would really like to get some feedback on here from, tease, razor, uclap, steph, enry, antoine, my jdm brothas, shawn if he ever comes back on here, rishie, joe, alex, boost is good, pdhaudio, spoolin, hiboostguy, linux, pirana, slamdp5, 1st mp3, slug 420, dexter, the man, bruce from pclub, gro harlem (sorry if i spelled that wrong), melicha, tex, mazdaspeed zoom.. s*** anyone i didnt name.. read this and post something. tell me you hate it.. tell me its a good idea.. flame me and call me a ******* b**** for trying to keep the peace i dont care.. just everyone say something..

so please. if you hate it.. offer something constructive.. if you think its a good idea and just needs some improvements list them and we will build on it.

if we all spent time contributing and not bickering think how kick ass our forum would be?

please take this into consideration.. you notice i used no smart ass smilies in here because i am really trying to get us somewhere positive..

worse case.. just give it a bump so people can at least give it a once over

i appreciate your time
John

PS. i posted this in help feedback because i am trying to help this forum get back together. if it needs to be moved. .please move it then bump it back to the top

thanks

I dig your idea, I wish it was mine. Thanks for the effort, looks good to me.

to the top where it should be.. read this.. sleep on it.. post in the morning.. gnite everyone

I've been on here almost every day since January. I'm not even at 900 posts yet. I don't post a reply with "use the search" because it is a waste of my time and the person asking the questions time. I don't post just to be negative. If you are in a pissed off mood, and you are going to post a reply that can or will be taken negatively, simply hit the clear button. You all can see what the negativity has done to the forum as a whole. All the finger pointing, "you know who you are" comments, belittling people has really brought us down. Will it hurt you to bite your tongue even for a few days? Get the morale of the forum up, and everyone will be happier...Maybe it'll even stay that way....
New forums aren't needed...they won't solve the negativity. We just need to be nicer to each other.

i concur.

here is my suggestion. i have given it plenty of thought. i believe this will be best IN PRACTICE, in otherwords, not the ideal. i think it accomidates our very um... boistrous msp community and organizes everything well. Deliberatly ommited - FLAMEWARS- if it deserves to be in flamewars it deserves to be deleted.

-----------------------------
Mazdaspeed (mp3 +msp)
-general/ community
-performance/ turbo
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/

3rd gen
-general/community
-performance
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/
-FI
-Nitrous

2nd gen

1st gen

---------------------------
All mazdas

mazda3

mazda 6

rotory/ rx-8

miata
---------------------------
How- to

Advance Tech Discussion

Electronics/ AV
-------------------------

Help/ Suggestions/ Feedback

Off Topic

Humor

Car Meets

---------------------------

Raffles

Vendors

Parts/ Vendor reviews

For sale
--------------------------

Regional Chapters

-----------------------------------

frankly, all the susp, FI, performance, appearance really belongs to the 3rd gen, so it makes sense to put them under the 3rd gen heading.

msp owners find that they have specific susp, FI, perf and would like specific responses, which i can understand, so they get their own.

1st gen, 2nd gen, and the rest of the cars without subdevisions really arent active enough to warrant them.

i really REALLY like my idea. (self centered arent i? )

I like UCLAP5's ideas with a couple of changes.

Here's my take:

-----------------------------
MP3
-general/community
-performance
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/
-FI
-Nitrous

Mazdaspeed
-general/ community
-performance/ turbo
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/

3rd gen (Sedan + Protege 5)
-general/community
-performance
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/
-FI
-Nitrous

2nd gen
-general/community
-performance
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/
-FI
-Nitrous


1st gen
-general/community
-performance
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/
-FI
-Nitrous


---------------------------
All mazdas

mazda3

mazda 6

rotory/ rx-8

miata
---------------------------
How- to

Advance Tech Discussion

Electronics/ AV
-------------------------

Help/ Suggestions/ Feedback

Off Topic

Humor

Car Meets

---------------------------

Raffles

Vendors

Parts/ Vendor reviews

For sale
--------------------------

Regional Chapters

-----------------------------------

MP3
-general/community
-performance
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/
-FI
-Nitrous

Mazdaspeed
-general/ community
-performance/ turbo
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/

3rd gen (Sedan + Protege 5)
-general/community
-performance
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/
-FI
-Nitrous

2nd gen
-general/community
-performance
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/
-FI
-Nitrous

1st gen
-general/community
-performance
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/
-FI
-Nitrous
---------------------------
All mazdas
mazda3
mazda 6
rotory/ rx-8
miata
---------------------------
How- to
Advance Tech Discussion
Electronics/ AV
-------------------------
Help/ Suggestions/ Feedback
Off Topic
Humor
Car Meets
---------------------------
Raffles
Vendors
Parts/ Vendor reviews
For sale
--------------------------
Regional Chapters
-----------------------------------

Click to expand...

I think this one would work. It encompasses everything that everyone has been talking about, yet is very organized. Don't forget about a racing section, however (one each for street, drag, road course/auto-x ?)

Racing/Motorsports
-AutoCross/Road Course
-Rally
-Drag

I do like Linux's layout, but I still don't like having a separate MP3 and MSP section, isn't that a bit too much? It's tough, though, because no one wants to merge with the MSPs and be part of that mess and the MP3 is still limited edition, unlike the other 3rd gens.

For those two I propose:

Limited edition
-MP3 general/community
-MSP general/community
-performance
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/
-FI
-Nitrous

This way there's a separation for those two, which have the same suspension specs, but still gives each their own space with the separate general/community. Thoughts?



Also, for the Racing/motorsports section, we should also include:
Racing/Motorsports
-AutoCross/Road Course
-Rally
-Drag
-Other

That gives a place for those "Just killed an SRT-4 with my MSP" type fables. But really, all those street kills need a place to go.

Can someone point out a board setup that has successfully created main forums for each model and then added sub forums...like below

Model A
-general/community
-performance
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/
-FI
-Nitrous

Model B
-general/community
-performance
-appearance
-handling (suspension/ tires/ breaks/
-FI
-Nitrous

The problem I see with that is it's spreading everything thin....it maybe more organized but it's like a parking lot with 20,000 spots and only 5000 cars...lot's of wasted....empty space...?

The way I see our current setup is that having a central performance forum (among others) creates more of a community...for example a p5 guy can see what a turbo mp3 guy is going through....more cross platform info / experience can be shared...with out these central forums...there would be little or no crossover...no strong community feel and without that family vibe...we would loose what is so unique about this forum...we may not be as large as other boards but our stats and donation rate indicates that the members of Mazda Forums are the some of the most dedicated and sincere people I've ever met online...no BS.

You can't force people to post/reply in specific ways...It is very easy to upset the peaceful balance on this site by rapidly shifting everything around and I'm starting to see that balance shift...I think some of you are getting over zealous...everyone wants to implement there own ideas...I want to work with you guys on this but let's take it easy here...we have to identify what problems are really problems...this maybe be more delicate and less straight forward then you think

Why is everyone raggin on the MSP forum.dont go there if their posting style bothers youwhat I like is that each forum has a unique overall PERSONALITY and are not just generic multi model forums.

What is your main motivation to organize the forums in such a way? What things do you think it will achieve? Please...feedback appreciated

it feels good to wake up and see some post actually moving in a positive direction.. thank you all for your imput and more is always welcome. Antoine i appreciate you taking the time to come in here. honestly with most of the other forums i have looked at this has had teh largetst wealth of knowledge.. and not that i think of it maybe some things are posted more than once because people have different oppinions of things? is there anyway to merge posts like if someone asks what a injen intake is you link them to a few post thru a pm and then close thier link and then they can post in one fo the injen threads? that would save on alot of time and space.. and i think would seem more polite than use the search button.
id still like to get more imput but it makes me happy to see people putting their heads together to try to actually work something out.
John

ps.. sorry to all the people i pmed and hit up on aim with links to this at like midnight / 1 in the morning my time.. i just wanted to get some feedback because i am tired of all the bickering -=)

I like uclap's and linux's models. I think either way they willl definetly help the board out. We DEFINETLY need to revamp the board because we are knee deep in worthless posts and bulls***.

I whole heartedly agree, a revamp of the forum is in order. I also think a Noob guide thread, THAT IS MANDITORY TO POST IN, SHOWING YOU READ, BEFORE YOU POST "WILL AN INTAKE VOID MY WARRANTY" THREAD, to learn about the SEARCH button, and have a directory of links to all the FAQ's.

ok so far we got a pretty basic idea of how things maybe should be set up.. and i do think there should be a new user guide.. because like i said.. for the first 3 months.. i dindt really wanna post cus i didnt know where the search button was.. -=(

I agree on the new user guide...we need one...who wants to handle that...I need someone (pm me) who can collect suggestions, sort, edit and create a guide that anyone can understand.

I will work on a way to dispense it....maybe a board wide campaign...banner, all mods have a copy to pm or e-mail...and a sticky copy in the help forum.

Get cracking and Keep the feedback coming...

id be willing to help with the new user guide if you want. anyone want to give me a hand? always better if u have someone to bounce suggestions off of -=)

Yes a team would be ideal... mypfizzle see if you can assemble a solid...mature group to handle this. I look forward to seeing a rough draft...

ok

gj fizz...nice ideas everyone

Fo shizzle my Nizzle. Hit me up on AIM later. we can bounce some Ideas back and forth. Ill also work on a more detailed Warranty FAQ topic too. Seeing as that is my least favorite question.