Should an Atlanta Forum Be Formed?

[ironchapman]

If you have read my other post, Atlanta: A new idea for a forum, you'll know that one of the latest topics is "should ATL get its wn forum?"

Well, after some thought, some of the posters on that forum would like to see if some thing like that could happen.

It would end up with the Georgia forum becoming the Atlanta Metro/Georgia forum. This forum would have a subforum for all other Georgia cities under the title of "Other GA Cities".

In the Atlanta Metro/Georgia forum, you could:

-Discuss anything related to Metro Atlanta

-Any new laws, events, or other things that affect the state as a whole (like new interstates, the new driver's lisence law, etc.)

In the "Other GA Cities" forum, you could:

-Discuss anything related to the rest of Georgia's cities outside the Atlanta Metro

-Anything that relates the "Other Cities" as whole. (like City vs. City, the "Other thatn ATL best skylines in GA" topic, Project lists, etc.)

What do you think?

Take a look at my post a few posts down for more info.

[teshadoh]

Sorry, I have the same opinion - not enough forummers to support an Atlanta sub-forum.

[Florida]

I disagree... I think Atlanta should definately have its own subforum.

[Topher1]

While I think that Atlanta is gradually getting good representation, there's not enough volume to justify splitting the forum. City-specific forums are usually formed when one or more cities are so dominating that they push posts about the other cities out of the mix. So far, the Georgia forum does not exhibit this problem. If you want to find a post on one of the other cities that was made in the past week, chances are it can still be found on the first page.

[eastsider]

  Sorry, I have the same opinion - not enough forummers to support an Atlanta sub-forum.

I have to agree. I think the other cities will be forgotten if left in their own sub-forum. If you look at the numbers of topics/replies im the forum & sub-forums in the southern section you have:

Georgia - 5.64 avg. replies per topic

Florida - 11.37

-Jacksonville - 13.02

-Miami/S. Florida - 9.06

-Orlando - 15.48

-Other Cities - 7.19

-Tallahassee/Panhandle - 18.88

-Tampa Metro - 2.74

North Carolina - 14.95

-Charlotte - 19.75

South Carolina - 14.33

-Charleston - 10.73

-Columbia - 12.89

-Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson - 16.67

Tennessee - 12.63

Texas - 5.81

I'm not sure what you can do to generate more in depth discussions, probably just need more people involved. It seems that the topics of the threads are pretty good.

Maybe if you want to move things around you could do a transortation sub-forum. It could include all issues in GA including plans for highways, beltline, marta and other issues in general.

Or maybe you could have a sub-forum for specific developments in Atlanta (Cousins Buckhead tower for example), but leave general ATL discussion in the Georgia section until things pick up more.

Just some random thoughts. I would say be patient for a little while. It seems things have been picking up in the GA section the last couple of weeks. If it couninues, there should be no problem in splitting things up.

[ironchapman]

Forumers, let me ask you this, did you think that, should this forum not pass now, would you support it someday in the future?

Also, in response to the idea that an "Other Cities Forum" would die off, go look at the North Atlantic Seaboard. It has so many subforums that there are only two posts on the actual forum's page itself.

-The Tampa Metro Subforum has only 2.84 posts a day, yet it survives.

-The Australia subforum in the Oceania section, as of now, has not been responded to since April 28.

-The Oceania Forum itself only has 39 topics and 223 replies, but it survives.

-The entire Pacific NW forum has only 31 posts and 210 replies, and it is in the USA, where most of our forumers are from!

-Oregon's subforum is also very small, but it survives.

-Asia and Europe's forums are also very small (under 45 post each, I believe), but they survive.

I would like to see more forum posts information like eastsider has just given us.

I think that an "Other GA Cities" subforum would have the support, it just would be a slower grower than others. Having an "Other GA Cities" subforum might help stimualte growth in those areas. We should give it a try for a few weeks just to see how successful it is. Given time, I'm sure that a forum devoted to GA's other cities could grow.

If passed, the new Georgia forum would look like this:

Atlanta Metro/Georgia

The Peach State and Its Capital

Subforums: Other GA Cities

Outside the Atlanta Metro

...Or Something like that.

[teshadoh]

I don't think it's fair to force people that want to talk about Savannah to go to a sub-forum. I still would advise us all to just wait a little while longer - eventually there will likely be enough traffic for Atlanta's own sub-forum.

[Spartan]

Forumers, let me ask you this, did you think that, should this forum not pass now, would you support it someday in the future?

I think that an "Other GA Cities" subforum would have the support, it just would be a slower grower than others. Having an "Other GA Cities" subforum might help stimualte growth in those areas. We should give it a try for a few weeks just to see how successful it is. Given time, I'm sure that a forum devoted to GA's other cities could grow.

If passed, the new Georgia forum would look like this:

Atlanta Metro/Georgia

The Peach State and Its Capital

Subforums: Other GA Cities

Outside the Atlanta Metro

...Or Something like that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The creation of a new subforum may indeed generate traffic for Atlanta.

Hoowever, part of the problem is that we have tried an Atlanta subforum before, and it did not work. The system you suggest there is sort of an inside-out setup. The label itself "Atlanta/Georgia" implies that Atlanta is the more important area, though it does bring focus to the fact that Atlanta is located in Georgia. Having a subforum for the "other cities" (meaning the rest of GA) is simply putting them in the back of the line. I can guarantee that the "Other Cities" will get virtually no attention in a subforum, which is why I don't like your setup. If an Atlanta subforum was created within the Georgia forum, it would still get traffic because Atlanta is such a large city and has most of the development in the state anyway.

Sooner or later Atlanta will get a subforum, the question is whould it be now? So far the polls are showing no. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[ironchapman]

Spartan, teshadoh, you make some very good points.

-The forum could be Georgia/Atlanta, if you so desire.

-If you're saying that, by putting all other GA Cities in a single subforum under Georgia, that I'm trying to make them seem less important, in some ways, I am.

As cities, Atlanta is by far the most important one. As forums, I think they are just as important.

I'm only proposing a blanket subforum to cover the rest of Georgia's cities. I believe there is enough support for that. If that subforum is active enough, then we can branch off into subforums about other specific Georgia cities.

Whether or not the forums end up getting created, I believe there would be enough activity to support them. I don't think that there would be enough activity to support, say a Savannah or Augusta forum specifically.

You created an "Other Florida Cities" forum, too. However, it does get a lot of attention.

We should give the poll a few more days, then make a good judgement. It's too soon to make a definite decision.

P.S. Spartan, how ccould I change the "setup" to get attention to GA's other cities in your point of view?

[ironchapman]

I figured I'd add this:

This was my original idea for the forums;

Georgia

The Peach State

Subforums:Atlanta

The Atlanta Metro Area

What do you think of that?

[Florida]

Sounds fine to me for Atlanta to have its own. Just make sure the other GA cities have a special place too.

[ironchapman]

I figured I'd add this:

This was my original idea for the forums;

Georgia

The Peach State

Subforums:Atlanta

The Atlanta Metro Area

What do you think of that?

The Georgia forum in that setup would cover that.

Which do you prefer, the above, or:

Atlanta Metro/Georgia

The Peach State and Its Capital

Subforums: Other GA Cities

Outside the Atlanta Metro

Which do you like more?

[Spartan]

Spartan, teshadoh, you make some very good points.

-The forum could be Georgia/Atlanta, if you so desire.

-If you're saying that, by putting all other GA Cities in a single subforum under Georgia, that I'm trying to make them seem less important, in some ways, I am.

As cities, Atlanta is by far the most important one. As forums, I think they are just as important.

I'm only proposing a blanket subforum to cover the rest of Georgia's cities. I believe there is enough support for that. If that subforum is active enough, then we can branch off into subforums about other specific Georgia cities.

Whether or not the forums end up getting created, I believe there would be enough activity to support them. I don't think that there would be enough activity to support, say a Savannah or Augusta forum specifically.

You created an "Other Florida Cities" forum, too. However, it does get a lot of attention.

We should give the poll a few more days, then make a good judgement. It's too soon to make a definite decision.

P.S. Spartan, how ccould I change the "setup" to get attention to GA's other cities in your point of view?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What I want to see emphasized is the REST of Georgia. I do not want it relegated to the shed out back. I see no reason why Atlanta can't co-exist with the rest of the state. I mean, can you imagine the nightmare scenario if NC was located within a Charlotte sub-forum!?

I picture this:

Georgia

The Peach State

Subforums: Atlanta

The Georgia Metro

The term "other cities" just seems arrogant to me. But if that is the term that we use, then it should be set up like this:

Georgia

The Peach State

Subforums:

Atlanta

The Georgia Metro

Other Cities

Non-Atlanta Cities

I would like all of Georgia's cities to have their own subforum too. Savannah seems to be the next likely place after Atlanta. Another option would be to have it set up in regions like North GA, Middle GA, South GA, and the Colonial Coast.

[Neo]

I'm going to have to disagree with being for this arrangement. Two dedicated supporters will NOT do much in stirring the threads in the Atlanta section, let alone the rest of the state of Georgia. We need quite a few more supporters before this would be beneficial, I see no reason to allow it to happen right now, it just doesn't make sense, no matter how much you try.

[ironchapman]

Neo, I agree with you there. If the arrangements like those above are going to be amde, we'll need to have more than two dedicated supporters. I have been trying to get people to become at least frequent visitors to the Georgia forum as it is now.

I'll admit, I'm not quite ready for a new forum arrangement to be formed tomorrow or the next day. I just don't want to wait as long as some of the other posters have suggested.

I know there are more than the current number that have voted of Georgia supporters out there. Maybe they just haven't paid much attention here.

As for the polls, I'll say what I said before, we should give it a few more days (perhaps 2-4 days) for definite results. That would give news of the poll time to circulate around the site and give a chance for anyone interested to vote.

Spartan, that first suggestion you had about making Atlanta the subforum was my original idea when I formed the last topic, Atlanta: A New Idea for a Forum.

Sooner or later, most GA cities will end up with a forum. I would especially like to see Savannah and Atlanta get this.

As I have said before, there would probably be enough support if Atlanta had its own subforum. The rest of Georgia should stay under the main topic until it gains enough support. The Georgia forum (without Atlanta) would take a while to boom, but it'll get there. There are enough recent posts on this board to allow a Georgia forum without Atlanta to operate, even if slowly at first.

Georgia

The Peach State

Subforums: Atlanta

The Georgia Metro

If the setup was done this way, could you support it or at least agree with it, Spartan or any others out there?

By the way, when was the last time you tried an Atlanta subforum?

P.S. Why does GA not get as much attention as SC or NC? Do people not like this state or its forumers? SC has a little over half our population, yet they have enough support for three subforums and the regular forums, and those forums are always booming. NC has almost as many people as us, and their forum, much like SC's, is also booming. What's wrong with this forum?

[teshadoh]

I'm not meaning this to start any fight - but Neo & monsoon started this site partially due to the ill feelings between Charlotte & other forummers on other sites. For NC & SC forummers, this is an excellent site, as I appreciate the large base of fellow SC forummers & of course for my default hometown of Charlotte (Rock Hill now being considered a suburb of Charlotte). So - as activity is high at other forums for Atlantans, it hasn't grown too much here.

Hopefully all the petty rivalry (as I admit I got involved with a Charlotte forummer this week) will somehow find a resolution. Particularly because this is actually a wonderful web site & Neo & gang should be proud of their accomplishments.

(again - nothing negative intended by what I said)

[ironchapman]

For NC & SC forummers, this is an excellent site, as I appreciate the large base of fellow SC forummers & of course for my default hometown of Charlotte (Rock Hill now being considered a suburb of Charlotte). So - as activity is high at other forums for Atlantans, it hasn't grown too much here.

Just out of curiousity, teshadoh, why does your Location say "Asslanta", yet you just said you appreciate the large group of fellow SC forumers here?

By the way, no offense taken from your post.

The only reason I joined this site is because it discussed cities and urban issues and the fact that it looks a lot more sophisticated than Skyscraper-whatever-it-is.com.

What I am offended about is that so many people don't like Atlanta on this site. It seems a little odd that so many people just can't stand the city. Sprawlopolis it may be, but I love living here and can't stand to see some of the hate or intense dislike that so many forumers here seem to have. I can take a few people who don't like the city...there always will be people out there who don't like certain things, but sometimes I think that the number of people who don't seem to like or care for Atlanta on this site is ridiculous. The way most Atlanta and Georgia forumers act about their city doesn't help much either. They seem to be a little too involved with boosterism of the city...almost like an advertisement saying "I want you to come live here!!". I will be a booster for my city on occasions, but I know it has many faults.

[teshadoh]

Well - it was my intent not to offend Neo or monsoon, I have long learned I don't care what Atlanta forummers think

But I do like Atlanta quite a bit - I'm a Rock Hill SC native & I'm glad I chose Atlanta over logical options. But I have no intent on staying here forever, though I've already been here for 15 years, compared to 18 years in SC.

As for the attitude regarding Atlanta - it's a kick / shove problem. An asshole Atlantan will make a negative comment about Charlotte & they in turn will do the same. Or in most cases it is just a matter of misunderstanding - at least I hope that is the case with me But it's hard for me - I like both cities & want both cities to succeed, I just don't think it's neccessary for forummers to negatively remark other cities in order to justify their own views.

[ironchapman]

As for the attitude regarding Atlanta - it's a kick / shove problem. An asshole Atlantan will make a negative comment about Charlotte & they in turn will do the same. Or in most cases it is just a matter of misunderstanding - at least I hope that is the case with me  But it's hard for me - I like both cities & want both cities to succeed, I just don't think it's neccessary for forummers to negatively remark other cities in order to justify their own views.

That's something I try hard not to do.

[Neo]

I'm not meaning this to start any fight - but Neo & monsoon started this site partially due to the ill feelings between Charlotte & other forummers on other sites.

(again - nothing negative intended by what I said)

No negativity taken! I'm certainly happy and will welcome any Charlotte and Atlanta forumer on here. But there has always been a rivalry between Atlanta and Charlotte, either on the Internet or off. It's unfortunate that is the case and hopefully UP can bridge the gap that has distanced the two cities for years.

We used to go about creating new forums here for cities or regions based on the "build it and they will come" principal but that method failed to work consistently. The process we use now is a tiered breakdown. If a region becomes active we will knock it down a level until it gets to the city level in which case if it required doing so, we would break it down further. This has worked far more consistently than other methods we have tried which is why we do it the way we do it. We try to make moves carefully, like chess pieces, because we are becoming more and more a source of information and wish not to ruin our audience because of one bad or wrong move.

[ironchapman]

So, the dream of an Atlanta forum won't fully die if this poll is unsuccesful? (and from the looks of the poll now, there isn't much hope)

[eastsider]

Just curious, does anyone know how many sites are out there with Atlanta forums. It does seem odd that ATL isn't better represented here. I know Dallas-Ft. Worth and Houston each have sites with very active forums. I never looked for Atlanta specificly, so I'm not sure how much is out there.

[ironchapman]

About ATL's forums on other sites: You're right eastsider, I believe SSP has an active Atlanta forum.

[monsoon]

I'm not meaning this to start any fight - but Neo & monsoon started this site partially due to the ill feelings between Charlotte & other forummers on other sites. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually that really wasn't the case. We wanted a place where we could discuss cities in peace without endless pissing contests that you do find on SSP. For the most part we have achieved that goal as we get compliments all the time on the good will and maturity found at this forum compared to other sites. As Neo mentioned we gladly welcome any Atlanta forumer who wants to post here.

Back to the real point of this thread. Should we separate Atlanta from the rest of Georgia? I can see the argument of separating off the smaller cities so they won't be buried in Atlanta discussions. But do we have the need to do that now. Will that be something useful to the GA forumers?

[ironchapman]

monsoon, do you think the topic accurately describes what we're trying to do here?

Or should someone form a new poll?

When I designed this poll, I thought that the setup of the proposed forums would look like this:

Atlanta/Georgia

(The Peach State and Its Capital)

Subforums: Other GA Cities

(Outside the Big Metro)

Now, it seems like most forumers prefer something like this (also, it was the original plan I had in mind when I started the other topic on this a few days ago):

Georgia

(The Peach State and Its Cities)

Subforums: Atlanta

(GA's Big Metro)

I have to admit, I like the second idea.