Scratch

Chefdude548 · 2007-07-03 22:47:20

I am asking, on behalf of most of the Scratch community, that there be sub-forums under a new forum called "Advanced Development" such as "Games" (duh, games), "Animations" (another obvious one, animations), and "Interactive Programs" (turtle art and the like). Other sub-forums are acceptable, those are just Ideas. "Development" would be more basic questions, however still based on implementation of code.

I suggest this because many topics are titled similar to helP m3 wit dIS junk!!1!! or i nEed helpp or something vague like that. Many people that would help, simply cannot go through forums FILLED with topics like that, and others still wish to ask questions but don't want them lost in the flood of lesser amalgamations of chat- and l33t- speak, which shouldn't be acceptable in this forum anyway.

Merely one soul's input...

~Chef

DrJim · 2007-07-04 12:09:48

I think this is basically a great idea - for example I'd like separate forums for "Suggestions" and "Advanced Topics." I would suggest doing this slowly and with lots of user inputs, however, (I'm sure that won't be a problem) so that the additions are really helpfull. I have seen this type of "simple" change yield more confusion than benefit if it is done poorly.

Last edited by DrJim (2007-07-04 12:10:15)

andresmh · 2007-07-11 10:21:08

Good suggestion. I see the benefits of splitting Suggestions and Advanced Topics into two different forums.

I am not sure about having a subforum for each type of projects (games, animations, etc). I am afraid people would not follow the rules, or that sometimes is not easy to know if something is a game or an interactive animation, or that sometimes tips for a game are useful for an animation. I can can be convinced otherwise and I welcome more input.

As DrJim said we need to get more input from users before making a change. Also, remember that the forums are used by kids of all ages so things simplicity is important. Adding more categories makes things less simple.

Thanks a lot for you feedback.

kevin_karplus · 2007-07-11 14:17:08

I like having an "I need help" forum for people to ask how to do things.
I like having "Suggestions" for improvements to scratch and the web site.
I'm not sure what "advanced topics" means as a forum.

DrJim · 2007-07-11 21:31:39

My first though is that an "advanced topic" would be one that would involve subjects and/or concepts that would be unfamiliar (and thus potentially confusing) to a typical user in the Scratch 8-16 year old target group.

I think the present setup actually does this sort pretty well - the main thrust of my early comment was to separate "suggestions" from general discussions.

natalie · 2007-07-23 17:00:17

Based on your suggestion, we have now separated "Advanced Topics" and "Suggestions." We're working on shifting the Suggestions over to the correct forum now.

DrJim · 2007-07-24 11:08:25

Since I was one of the ones suggesting this, I obviously like the change. What is really great, however, is how responsive the Scratch team is to suggestions and also how you obviously think things out before making changes.

Great job, guys. smile

andresmh · 2007-07-24 11:51:22

I am glad you like it smile

natalie · 2007-07-24 18:08:33

Hi all--If you earlier left a message on "Advanced Topics and Suggestions" and can't find it here in Advanced Topics, it should now be in Suggestions.

I decided to stop showing "Moved" messages since they were cluttering up this Advanced Topics forum.

--Kevin Karplus, do you think the description of the Advanced Topics (on the main forum page) describes it well enough?

--And thanks ,DrJim, for your thoughtful message!

kevin_karplus · 2007-07-24 23:50:04

The current description of "Advanced Topics" is "Talk about technical aspects or advanced features."

While that is clear to me, I'm not sure it will be clear to beginning scratch users, many of whom will see very simple scratch questions as "advanced". I think that there may be some need to move threads around between the advanced and all-about forums. I don't see a way around that though.

You might want to consider "Talk about technical aspects or tricky use of existing features" (if that isn't too long) to better separate "advanced features" from "suggestions".

DrJim · 2007-07-25 01:01:14

Perhaps "novel and creative" would be a better description than "tricky".

I think just starting the description with "talk about" distinquishes this from the other forums, so "advanced" probably isn't needed in the description and, as Kevin says, the distinction it seems to try to make may not be clear.

Graham · 2007-07-25 01:09:35

'Complicated and Advanced Topics' would be a good name.

Scratch

archived forums

#1 2007-07-03 22:47:20

Subforums for development and advanced development in Scratch

#2 2007-07-04 12:09:48

Re: Subforums for development and advanced development in Scratch

#3 2007-07-11 10:21:08

Re: Subforums for development and advanced development in Scratch

#4 2007-07-11 14:17:08

Re: Subforums for development and advanced development in Scratch

#5 2007-07-11 21:31:39

Re: Subforums for development and advanced development in Scratch

#6 2007-07-23 17:00:17

Re: Subforums for development and advanced development in Scratch

#7 2007-07-24 11:08:25

Re: Subforums for development and advanced development in Scratch

#8 2007-07-24 11:51:22

Re: Subforums for development and advanced development in Scratch

#9 2007-07-24 18:08:33

Re: Subforums for development and advanced development in Scratch

#10 2007-07-24 23:50:04

Re: Subforums for development and advanced development in Scratch

#11 2007-07-25 01:01:14

Re: Subforums for development and advanced development in Scratch

#12 2007-07-25 01:09:35

Re: Subforums for development and advanced development in Scratch

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