[Rant] What's the point of Slackware-Installation sub forum

A couple of questions to myself:

1) Why does almost everybody (including senior posters) post installation related questions on the main Slackware forum and not on the Slackware - Installation? Is there some sort of taboo on this subforum?

2) Why does one get more feedback on the main forum and not on the subforum?

I remember the times when the Installation forum was as busy as the main if not more, now it's almost dead. In which better remove it.

The sub-forum suffers from visibility issues and has done so for a good while now.

I asked the question 4 years ago:
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...eeping-740003/

Maybe merge it into the main forum?

Moved: This thread is more suitable in LQ S&F and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

Thanks for the feedback. As mentioned in the linked thread, the form was explicitly requested by Patrick.
Reporting install-related threads so they can be moved is still the best course of action.

--jeremy

Originally Posted by XavierP Moved: This thread is more suitable in LQ S&F and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

With all due respect, I completely disagree! It belongs in the main Slackware forum.

Any feedback about the site itself really does belong in the LQS&F forum.

--jeremy

I suspect that Pat originally requested that layout in order to be able to quickly identify requests for help with installing, without them getting lost in all the noise that goes on in the main slackware forum. Somewhat ironically, as few people remember to look in there the chances are that putting the posts in there actually decreases their visibility instead of increasing it.

IMO it would probably make more sense to have instead a slackware-current sub forum to separate all the development/testing talk from the requests for help with installing or using the stable releases; but as Jeremy says: it's the way it is because Pat wanted it that way.

A data point, fwiw: I don't think I've ever noticed that there was a subforum. (I probably have a quick skim of the Slackware forum every day or two to see whether anything important is happening.)

I think web forums in general have a problem with subforums fragmenting everything and giving you too many places that you have to check, too many places that you...fail to notice with any regularity.

How can I make a formal request to merge the two forums?

Originally Posted by GazL IMO it would probably make more sense to have instead a slackware-current sub forum to separate all the development/testing talk from the requests for help with installing or using the stable releases; but as Jeremy says: it's the way it is because Pat wanted it that way.

+1

That would clearly separate problems someone might have with a stable release from the testing ones.

Originally Posted by GazL IMO it would probably make more sense to have instead a slackware-current sub forum to separate all the development/testing talk from the requests for help with installing or using the stable releases; but as Jeremy says: it's the way it is because Pat wanted it that way.

If this is something Pat is interested in, we'd certainly be willing to consider it.

--jeremy

Thanks Jeremy. I don't know what Pat thinks one way or another on this one. I've given him a ping to make him aware of this thread so if he's interested in any of this I expect we'll hear from him.

I think a -current forum is a very good idea, because, at times, you get a spike in -current related threads (e.g. some new kernel update) and other threads get buried.

Also the installations forum is like a "back room" and many new users won't notice it and will just post in the main forum (meaning more needless reporting, moving, etc) and as already mentioned, people forget to check it. -current users will have no trouble finding their sub forum and if they can't there is always the classic answer "if you can't find the -current subforum then you probably shouldn't be running -current".

Well, rats.

I guess I haven't been paying attention and I don't know if I have ever visited the Installation Sub-Forum. However, that's my fault and I will start going there to look. If I can look at the Slackware Forum everyday, I can surely look at the Installation Forum as well.

That means, I don't think it needs to be merged back into the Slackware Forum. Now that I've payed attention, it makes perfect sense to have this sub-forum. Its up to us to use it for what is its intended purpose.