Poll: Possible Forum Merger with E-On?
Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:09 pm
Hi guys. You might have seen this on Twitter last night and this morning, or heard it on Saturday Night SEGA, but I've been having hypothetical conversations with AAUK of Sonic Wrecks regarding a possible forum merger between ourselves and SW's Entherial Online forums (titled E-On from here on out). It's quite hard to describe the full situation in 140 characters or less on a social networking site, so allow me to outline just what we would do in the eventuality that this was to happen.
First of all, the forums would stay here, on RadioSEGA's domain. In conversation with foreversonic, it was noted that if the forums were to move onto SW, we'd need a second login system so that you could actually request music and leave comments on the new website. Personally, I think that's something that just cannot allow, so the forums would stay on RadioSEGA, where they have always been. In short, E-On would come here, not the other way around.
We also use vBulletin currently, which is something SW have been looking at doing for a while. As E-On would be hosted here, you would not have to re-register, your user details would stay the same. Also, we would be having a little bit of a cleanup forum wise, and obviously adding in new subforums for the other community sites on E-On (SW, SEGA Media & Emerald Coast). Of course, using vB means that, instead of using a generic E-On forum skin, we could offer seperate ones for RS, SW, SM & EC. Website identity on the forums wouldn't be compromised by this move.
I know a few people right now might be wondering why we'd want to do this. Simple: take a look at the forums right now, and look at how many people post. Not many, right? With E-On, and the combined viewership of five websites, activity would increase, and hosting on RadioSEGA would help the site as well, as they'd all be able to request music on the site. You may not know this, but this was an idea we weren't too far away in implementing a couple of years back, with the SEGA Media Network. If you hadn't heard of that, RadioSEGA was looking into a Network merger with FastFeet Media, TSsZ, Sonic Cage Dome and a couple of other sites, with SW lurking on the outside. And yes, we would have shared forums. FFM's rebranding to SEGA Media was a direct result of this network idea.
Now, I'm not trying to push this idea through because we tried it before and fell down as nobody could agree on a common ground. Not at all. I'm wanting to give you guys the facts, and I want you guys to agree on a decision, one way or the other. If there's an overwhelming yes, then we'll look at implementing it, and if there's an overwhelming no, then we'll agree to stay as we are. Likewise, if there's issues you have with the idea, then by all means voice them.
You'll notice there's a poll at the top. There is one last thing I ask - could you please state your reasons for voting either yes or no. It's no good to us if you click one of the buttons and then don't state your reasons for doing so. We don't want a load of no votes purely because your reason is "I don't want to" or "I don't like change". Again, if you have a problem, tell us. We need to know.
Oh, and if you're afraid I'm going to look at a massive negative vote and go ahead and do it anyway, don't be. I'm leaving this decision in your hands because I feel that this is a community decision. I look forward to reading your responses.
First of all, the forums would stay here, on RadioSEGA's domain. In conversation with foreversonic, it was noted that if the forums were to move onto SW, we'd need a second login system so that you could actually request music and leave comments on the new website. Personally, I think that's something that just cannot allow, so the forums would stay on RadioSEGA, where they have always been. In short, E-On would come here, not the other way around.
We also use vBulletin currently, which is something SW have been looking at doing for a while. As E-On would be hosted here, you would not have to re-register, your user details would stay the same. Also, we would be having a little bit of a cleanup forum wise, and obviously adding in new subforums for the other community sites on E-On (SW, SEGA Media & Emerald Coast). Of course, using vB means that, instead of using a generic E-On forum skin, we could offer seperate ones for RS, SW, SM & EC. Website identity on the forums wouldn't be compromised by this move.
I know a few people right now might be wondering why we'd want to do this. Simple: take a look at the forums right now, and look at how many people post. Not many, right? With E-On, and the combined viewership of five websites, activity would increase, and hosting on RadioSEGA would help the site as well, as they'd all be able to request music on the site. You may not know this, but this was an idea we weren't too far away in implementing a couple of years back, with the SEGA Media Network. If you hadn't heard of that, RadioSEGA was looking into a Network merger with FastFeet Media, TSsZ, Sonic Cage Dome and a couple of other sites, with SW lurking on the outside. And yes, we would have shared forums. FFM's rebranding to SEGA Media was a direct result of this network idea.
Now, I'm not trying to push this idea through because we tried it before and fell down as nobody could agree on a common ground. Not at all. I'm wanting to give you guys the facts, and I want you guys to agree on a decision, one way or the other. If there's an overwhelming yes, then we'll look at implementing it, and if there's an overwhelming no, then we'll agree to stay as we are. Likewise, if there's issues you have with the idea, then by all means voice them.
You'll notice there's a poll at the top. There is one last thing I ask - could you please state your reasons for voting either yes or no. It's no good to us if you click one of the buttons and then don't state your reasons for doing so. We don't want a load of no votes purely because your reason is "I don't want to" or "I don't like change". Again, if you have a problem, tell us. We need to know.
Oh, and if you're afraid I'm going to look at a massive negative vote and go ahead and do it anyway, don't be. I'm leaving this decision in your hands because I feel that this is a community decision. I look forward to reading your responses.