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Culture? (film, music etc)

Russ

for some it might be obvious but i would suggest promoting the search engine facility..... often we come up with new ideas which are not that new and maybe if we searched first and then added to a new thread a lot of repetition might be saved.....

i would add a category for all of us that think we are too clever for the place and have a rubbish response area so that you can move any of our postings which are more to show how clever we think we are than to help the poster.... maybe it might cause a few of us to think before we post....am sure i will add to this occaisionally..... and it might lighten things up a bit when it all gets a bit out of hand

in all honesty i hope it continues to provide me with lots more fun.....and info... and thankyou again for providing what is essentially a very friendly and interesting forum

[QUOTE=adriatica]

i would add a category for all of us that think we are too clever for the place and have a rubbish response area so that you can move any of our postings which are more to show how clever we think we are than to help the poster.... maybe it might cause a few of us to think before we post....am sure i will add to this occaisionally..... and it might lighten things up a bit when it all gets a bit out of hand

in all honesty i hope it continues to provide me with lots more fun.....and info... and thankyou again for providing what is essentially a very friendly and interesting forum[/QUOTE]

Quite agree, John..but whoever can you be talking about.... ;)

I'd like to agree with John - The forum seems to have gone from strength-to-strength and long may it remain a place where users can ask questions and get friendly responses. We are all here because we love Italy (in its own particualr, curious way) and want to find out more.

Keep up the good work, Ronald

Russ

[QUOTE=Gesturi]Culture? (film, music etc)

Russ[/QUOTE]

I think this would be a valuable addition, possibly also a gardening/agriculture one as there have been a fair few queries relating to agricultural issues of late.

brilliant idea, definately think the Gardening/agriculture is a winner.

What about Health ( and safety) ?..bit boring but would free up General and most of us need doctors at some time !!!!

I think that the use of 'sticky' posts would be good too; this would allow 'master class' posts to be kept at the top of the post listing..... it may also stop repeat questions.

Promoting the search facility would also be good to!

adriatica I appreciate your honesty :) and you are right about the search engine facility - what I should really do is write a small guide to the forums for all newcomers.

so let me try and some up the categories -

-------
Travel and Holiday Advice

½ûÂþÌìÌà Utility Services

Employment Questions

Culture & Entertainment

Gardening & Agriculture

Health & Safety
-------

Finally the sticky post idea is a good one although sticky posts take up valuable screen real estate - which gave me another idea - perhaps what we need is a part of the website dedicated to aggregating the collective wisdom of all of you. That part of the site would eventually become quite a useful collection of How to guides - by and for the Italy Magazine readers.

Thanks to all of you for the suggestions and please keep them coming.

Any chance of doing something by 'Area' and Major Cities?

Those of us not [so much] interested in Umbria, La Marche and Tuscany (and especially Abbruzzo) could then concentrate on other areas of interest.

{I appreciate that 'Chiantishire' and its surrounding areas probably hold the majority of Italy Mag 'members, but there are others out there as well, you know.}

Dear Alan,

you are right about this but I am afraid that right now numbers are simply working against us. Being in Sicily myself I am more than happy to support other regions of Italy outside "chiantishire " but I fear the result will be forums that resemble ghost towns in western films with a ball of hay rolling down the main high street - (a very real possibility for a molise or the valle d'aosta forum...).

Also quite a few people are not very sure at all about which are they would like to eventually visit settle in.

So I think region subforums is one for when we are closer to 2000 members :-)

All the best,

Ronald

Ronald...

How about adding a category that covers the cost of living in Italy. A lot of people seem to ask about how much things cost (in addition to utlities).

Ohh ohh, I feel a burst of negativity, Please be careful of not becoming one of those forum groups which become so loaded with forum headings that you are simply boggled by choice... Ducking below a parapet yelling "INCOMING"

[QUOTE=ronald]So I think region subforums is one for when we are closer to 2000 members :-) [/QUOTE]

Ronald,
How many members do you have?
And what percentage are active posters, rather than lurkers - do you know?

Curious of Cumbria and Calabria

Sorry,
Wandered off topic a bit with my previous post (not the first time :) ).

One of my first posts was re car hire and it wasn't until someone mentioned that it had been talked about many times before and suggested I did a search that I even thought about doing so.

So as you say, new members probably need an introductory 'how to use the forum' and 'how to look and see if your query has already been asked' guide.

Lesley
(This forum is much more interesting than the work I'm supposed to be doing so is becoming a little addictive....)

Having seen alot about shopping for various things in the forum, perhaps a section on that would be good - the likes of good DIY shops, furniture shops, sporting shops, and car hire (although that can be found from the local airport sites). Maybe a DIY section in itself for the likes of wiring, plumbing and solar heating/power which we would like to take advantage of down in Puglia when we finally get over there!

As for the search engine would it be worth using the google search engine?

iwanttobeinitaly,

Right now, according to the members list, there are 802 members.

It doesn't tell you how many lurkers there are (i.e. how many people are reading posts and not posting anything), but the members list does show that 3 times as many people (around 280) have become members and never posted, than have posted 10 or more times (my arbitrary definition of an 'active poster').

I therefore think it is safe to say that there is plenty of lurking going on.

[QUOTE=adriatica]i would add a category for all of us that think we are too clever for the place and have a rubbish response area so that you can move any of our postings which are more to show how clever we think we are than to help the poster.... maybe it might cause a few of us to think before we post....am sure i will add to this occaisionally..... and it might lighten things up a bit when it all gets a bit out of hand[/QUOTE]

John,
While I understand from where you are coming from, I am opposed to all forms of censure, it tends to stiffle the free flow of exchanges of opinions. And, who will be the judge, to decide what is kosher and what is not. Having said the foregong, I am not opposed to the permanent removal of any post, which by all accounts is purely insulting, and where we all can agree it is so.

At the risk of starting something, I suggest, ANECDOTES as another category.
What say you?

[QUOTE=ronald]adriatica I appreciate your honesty :) and you are right about the search engine facility - what I should really do is write a small guide to the forums for all newcomers.

so let me try and some up the categories -

-------
Travel and Holiday Advice

½ûÂþÌìÌà Utility Services

Employment Questions

Culture & Entertainment

Gardening & Agriculture

Health & Safety
-------

Finally the sticky post idea is a good one although sticky posts take up valuable screen real estate - which gave me another idea - perhaps what we need is a part of the website dedicated to aggregating the collective wisdom of all of you. That part of the site would eventually become quite a useful collection of How to guides - by and for the Italy Magazine readers.

Thanks to all of you for the suggestions and please keep them coming.[/QUOTE] What a great idea, it is getting rather unwieldly and needs subdividing.
Our post on English books got lost very quickly. Would that come under culture and entertainment??
Seriously looking for others preferably in Italy to exchange reading material with. so when there is a smaller forum section that will cover books Will try again.

OK, so now we have more categories, with sub divisions than active poster's, errrrm, could I suggest reverting to Ronald's original list, the idea is a good one, but, if mis used, the forums will become difficult to navigate, people WILL have problems with posting in the wrong sections, and whatever "general" section you have will bacome as full as the current one, Newbies will be intimidated too, restricting the forums to a small number of people... :confused:

[QUOTE=FrancisM]John,
While I understand from where you are coming from, I am opposed to all forms of censure, it tends to stiffle the free flow of exchanges of opinions. And, who will be the judge, to decide what is kosher and what is not. Having said the foregong, I am not opposed to the permanent removal of any post, which by all accounts is purely insulting, and where we all can agree it is so.[/QUOTE]

Hi Francis :)

I also see where John is coming from and tend to agree that censoring is a dangerous thing (who guards the guardians?). Anyway, I don't think John is after that anyway. It's only my personal opinion, but I feel that censoring should really only be done as a last resort when posts are offensive or outright rude. It is fair to say, though, that members should take care to re-read their posts before they send them to avoid offense. It seems to me that sometimes people 'react' to what they think is an offensive remark that is in all probability inncoent, though there are some who are sometimes a little too severe in their replies. Anyway, in 99.9 per cent of cases this is never a problem - we tend to play nicely- but it does happen. The last thing this place should be is a forum to show off or go on an ego trip. I joined this forum to find out about Italy and share my experiences and long may that continue for us all.

GeorgeS is right, too. There is a danger with too many topic headings that it becomes confusing and posts don't get their fair 'air time' as they may become hidden or buried within the system. So in that case the more general (and fewer) the catagories the better.

p.s. Francis, will get thinking on the anecdotes...i'm sure there must be lots about my mother-in-law! :eek:

How about a photo album; I know this is slightly outside what 'we' normally do, but having just read about the sheet lightening in Sardinia, the ripening figs and the olive harvest, why not?

It could even be turned into a competition; Images of Italy. We post them up, moderators hack them around & then the 'selected ones' are voted on.

.........you might even get a few more 'homely' ones for the front cover of the magazine.

[QUOTE=tuscanhills]How about a photo album; I know this is slightly outside what 'we' normally do, but having just read about the sheet lightening in Sardinia, the ripening figs and the olive harvest, why not?

It could even be turned into a competition; Images of Italy. We post them up, moderators hack them around & then the 'selected ones' are voted on.

.........you might even get a few more 'homely' ones for the front cover of the magazine.[/QUOTE]

Good suggestion!

[QUOTE=tuscanhills]How about a photo album; I know this is slightly outside what 'we' normally do, but having just read about the sheet lightening in Sardinia, the ripening figs and the olive harvest, why not?

It could even be turned into a competition; Images of Italy. We post them up, moderators hack them around & then the 'selected ones' are voted on.

.........you might even get a few more 'homely' ones for the front cover of the magazine.[/QUOTE]

I agree it would be nice. I suggested a photo gallery to Fiona some time ago and I think she liked the notion, although she was worried about the weight of the photographs that could slow down the leading of the site.

Ronald...what do you think?

Would it be possible to link to a separate site for the gallery - would reduce the time it takes to load the main site.

It shouldn't be too much of a killer; there are ways to limit the size of uploads.

I'm sure there's a computer whizz out there who can help?
:-D

[QUOTE=tuscanhills]It shouldn't be too much of a killer; there are ways to limit the size of uploads.

I'm sure there's a computer whizz out there who can help?
:-D[/QUOTE]

On another website I visit they do have a photo gallery and have set a limit on the photo size. The site loads up at about the same speed as this one, so that might be the solution. They also limit the number of photos that each member can upload, so when you have reached your limit, you have to prune off the older pics to put new ones up - that might also be an idea.

Just like to add our vote to the suggestion of a photo gallery - great idea.

.......do I get a prize for the suggestion ;0)

[QUOTE=tuscanhills].......do I get a prize for the suggestion ;0)[/QUOTE]

...no, but you get one step closer to being a Praetor... ;)

Sounds like a great idea, though. Be nice to share our places and see where it is we all call home.

Russ

as most probably the only one replying to this posting that has been censored by ronald..... and rightly so..... forgive the dots.... if you have a public place of runbbish it is far more than censoring..... it is withdrawing the heat from those new members which are told straight off by someone that their posts are stupid...... it has happened time and time again..... thankfully i have never been censored for this...just for being arguementative..... and dots....lost and lots of them....capitilisation...lack of.....

anyway its better to turn rubbish into a joke..... if i did not have the cofidence in knowing i have lived here a fair time...have lived in europe a lot...and have an italian family in italy for the last god knows how many years i would be intimidated too if i was just starting off in the world of interest in life in italy via this forum by some of the more arrogant replies....... arrogant i might well be guilty of..... arguementative surely.... and a pain in ronalds peaceful life ...i guess so.... but i hate bullying tactics from anyone ..... and if i have replied in a way that offends i will often post my apology..... because i realise that sometimes i do go on a bit...such as now...

i think ronald the search facility is obviously not well understood.... no offence about google ...but this forum has its own very efficient search facility which scours all postings for the subject you put in... and also has a more detailed subscreen much as google so as to narrow down things... just look at the search button at the top of all the screens

anyway.... enough.... apart from that george maybe has reason.... too many...too much...too little input.... and if nobody bothers looking... a s say in the sports section..... they ll try and post in the more popular bit....

[QUOTE=adriatica]as most probably the only one replying to this posting that has been censored by ronald..... and rightly so..... forgive the dots.... if you have a public place of runbbish it is far more than censoring..... it is withdrawing the heat from those new members which are told straight off by someone that their posts are stupid...... it has happened time and time again..... thankfully i have never been censored for this...just for being arguementative..... and dots....lost and lots of them....capitilisation...lack of.....

QUOTE]

John, I like the dots and lack of capilization! Makes life easier - eassier to type and easier to read longer pieces !

In terms of the stupidity question, I wholeheartedly agree. It is easy for any of us to seem arrogant but rudeness is a different matter. There is never any excuse for trying to make a poster feel bad by pointing out inadequacies in what they've written or the type of request they've made. This is just plain wrong. We can argue, sure. That's always healthy and often a bit of fun but I really get cross at the snideness that sometimes sneaks into some of the postings.

Russ

ok... quite a few suggestions... will have to do this again... sometime... have a call that is.

new headings shortly....will appear.... the picture blog.... is something I would really like to get going.... let me think...

(actually the "adriatica style" is harder than what it looks - I don't know how adriatica does it. ;))

[QUOTE=adriatica]as most probably the only one replying to this posting that has been censored by ronald..... and rightly so..... forgive the dots.... if you have a public place of runbbish it is far more than censoring..... it is withdrawing the heat from those new members which are told straight off by someone that their posts are stupid...... it has happened time and time again..... thankfully i have never been censored for this...just for being arguementative..... and dots....lost and lots of them....capitilisation...lack of.....

anyway its better to turn rubbish into a joke..... if i did not have the cofidence in knowing i have lived here a fair time...have lived in europe a lot...and have an italian family in italy for the last god knows how many years i would be intimidated too if i was just starting off in the world of interest in life in italy via this forum by some of the more arrogant replies....... arrogant i might well be guilty of..... arguementative surely.... and a pain in ronalds peaceful life ...i guess so.... but i hate bullying tactics from anyone ..... and if i have replied in a way that offends i will often post my apology..... because i realise that sometimes i do go on a bit...such as now...

i think ronald the search facility is obviously not well understood.... no offence about google ...but this forum has its own very efficient search facility which scours all postings for the subject you put in... and also has a more detailed subscreen much as google so as to narrow down things... just look at the search button at the top of all the screens

anyway.... enough.... apart from that george maybe has reason.... too many...too much...too little input.... and if nobody bothers looking... a s say in the sports section..... they ll try and post in the more popular bit....[/QUOTE]

John,
As I was reading your post I was overcome by the same feeling the postman had, when the poet told him a poem about the sea and the waves, as they were seating on the beach. To follow, my mind was bouncing on your words and tempo, and I felt a little sea-sick also. Perhaps all these dots contributed to this feeling; who knows?

I just love the way you write!

[QUOTE=adriatica]i think ronald the search facility is obviously not well understood.... no offence about google ...but this forum has its own very efficient search facility which scours all postings for the subject you put in... and also has a more detailed subscreen much as google so as to narrow down things... just look at the search button at the top of all the screens[/QUOTE]

The suggestion of using the Google search engine comes from the facility to embed this into a web site/forum such as this and is familiar to the majority of people both members and browsers, just a thought rather than people having to learn to use another search facility and if you look into the google engine there are some very useful facilities try "define: adriatica" in the search bar and you will see what I mean ;)