Should we add more categories/sub-categories to the forum?

I first threw this idea at Sri while chatting a few weeks ago. And then mentioned here in a reply to Binoy's post. I present it in detail now and would appreciate your feedback on this.

The idea is to have a few more categories/sub categories in the forum. There are forums which are doing really well and need further segregation in order to make data more structured. I propose following changes:

• Let's discuss cars to have two sub-categories i.e. Indian Car Market and International Car Market. Or should we just remove Let's Discuss Cars and have these two categories instead?
• Do something to Spares & Accessories, Maintain Your Car and Performance Modifications categories. There is a lot of overlap and one can hardly segregate the three. Maybe a merger? Maybe start a new major forum e.g. Car Oweners' Club like Shoppers' Zone and put all of them together? Maybe have separate categories for Modifications, Maintenance, Tyres, Car Audio etc?
• Widen the category Formula 1 to Motorsport.
• Rename General Discussions to Offtopic Discussions and break it into various subcategories e.g. Gadgets, Movies & Music, Books etc. Sri feels it will ignite non-sense discussions, my take on is, it will help us know each other better and connect better.
• I also plan to have segregation on the basis of car names. So, There would be categories by manufacturer names and these categories will have subcategories by car model names. This classification would be virtual. It means, all the posts will be posted in the mainstream categories but they will be labelled as these car names. It will make navigation easier for people looking to read specific car discussions.

What do you guys feel? What else can be done to the categories? Do you think current categorization is fine? When you start a thread everytime, do you feel there is some category missing? Is my proposal appropriate or would you like to do some ammendments to it?



CarWale Android App is launched. Download by searching for CarWale in Android Market on your phone or using this link: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.carwale

Expansion is the way forward-all the points are well appreciated.

Here is an opinion

'Indian cars' can be renamed- 'Discuss cars' and have subsections of 'Indian cars and 'international cars'

Spares and Accesories-can be delinked from the 'Shoppers zone' and made into a main section-with subsection on
 
-tyres and rims
-Audio
-Seats and trim
-auto lighting..etc

'Technical gossips'-can be renamed 'Technical corner' and have sub sections on
-maintenance
-modifications
-car problems...etc

Segregation along brand would be great but at this stage without thread post moderation may lead to complexity and scare the initial user away from the site-keeping it simple is one of the USP's of Carwale-so guess we should maintain that.

All said an done-new user thread start and posting rules should be made sticky in all sections-so they will know how to post..
an example Mr Arora-a typical new user did not have much idea were to post his query and hence he has posted it in all these places-this is todays post!
1)

2)

3)
Banwari kudos on the great work here-wishing all the best-do give your views on the above-thanks

General Discussion sud be def renamed in no time...as i hv suffered personnally..i tuk general to personnal...sri is also write ki it will lead to nonsense topics..and u r also write..bcoz one's interest is nonsense for others..so yes def everyone can connect to each other..
u can make sub forums for spares & accessories in da form of Car Audio,Tyres,Alloys,Spoilers..atleast da things dat r most frequently asked like des can be mad in sub forums..
regards  To BL Sharma 4m another Sharma



YVES LAROCK drew me & da whole Pune in his Anthems.

 

General Discussion Section, as defined, is (quote)… “This is the place for all off-topic discussions. Discuss anything from mobiles to laptops to shaving creams to your favourite books to apparels... Discuss anything you want to discuss, except cars”.

 

So it covers everything.

 

But, there’s a difference between ‘general discussion’ & ‘personal discussion’ and between ‘discussion’ & ‘chat’.  Renaming ‘General Discussion’ to ‘Personal Discussion’ is unwarranted for obvious reasons.

 

However, there is no harm in having remarks/comments/references off the topic (personal/general) - not only in General Discussions but in all sections/threads/ discussions – provided it's like a pinch of salt (& in good humour).

 

Only those who have not gone through the rules of the forums, or have not followed them, have ‘suffered’.

 

@Kartik, no personal offense taken or meant.

Honesty is not a Spare Wheel that you pull out when in trouble. It's a Steering Wheel that keeps you on the right path throughout the life's journey.

 

That's the bottomline - all changes are otherwise welcomed.

Honesty is not a Spare Wheel that you pull out when in trouble. It's a Steering Wheel that keeps you on the right path throughout the life's journey.

@Banwari, I've high regards for CarWale – you in particular.  I’m not being critical but the following is out of my concern & love for CarWale…

 

I’m here for over a year (less 3-4 months in between).  During my stay, one thing that I have noticed since beginning is that there have been such discussions & suggestions in the past too (directly or indirectly) but somehow only a few have come through.  

 

I sincerely understand your constraints of being overloaded with various other responsibilities – but then, as you would appreciate, good & valuable suggestions mean nothing unless implemented.

 

We know each other quite well… I trust you will not take it otherwise.

Honesty is not a Spare Wheel that you pull out when in trouble. It's a Steering Wheel that keeps you on the right path throughout the life's journey.

thnx for da rules link....not personnally taken or meant....


YVES LAROCK drew me & da whole Pune in his Anthems.

Making too many categories and subcategories will only leave a more of a confusion ( my honest personal feeling ), but ofcourse making a creating a some categories and Subcategories will certianly help but not many!

As i said earlier i would like to See - Indians cars , International cars, rather than Lets discuss or Discuss cars!

and in acesories i thinki i wud be good if it remains like that and separte category shud be introduced for parts( spares ) , so Accesory will be a diffrnt category and also the spare parts!

Regarding Genral Discussion ---

1) gadgets
2) local news
3) anything Other , i.e - Misc

Will also see for other changes i wud like to see and then give my suggestion! till then

Cheers,
Sri

yes i agree with Sri!!!..too many sub categories will make more confusion!!....

Guys, thank you very much for the suggestions. Here are my explanations and/or reservations:

@ Kartik, it's not possible to provide a Personal Discussion category in a public forum. Later, we can introduce personal messaging service, though.

@Binoy and Sri: I accept your suggestions.

@Pankaj: Very true about implementation. But I promise that it won't be just talk this time. I will get them implemented soon.

Also, I will give a few features to moderators. These features include report for reported (abuse) posts, facility of merging two threads and facility to split a thread into two.



CarWale Android App is launched. Download by searching for CarWale in Android Market on your phone or using this link: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.carwale