Cr

[China Cat Sunflower]

Hi Brian.

I think that from a forum user's point of view it's natural to want to hang out where the action is. Look at it like a hotel. Everyone enters into a grand lobby, and a great many people will most enjoy meeting and greeting and conversing in that large space. When they get thirsty they can head into the lounge, but they may want to bring their drink back out into the lobby and continue hobnobbing. But some people will want to find a semi-private space for a more intimate or specialized conversation. That's where walled gardens should come in.

Being that Christianity, as a meta-topic, is where the most interest lies, I think that the problem has been that there is no large space, no lobby or rumpus room, where everyone interested in Christianity as a conversational entry point can hang out and discuss whatever without some pesky staffer trying to herd them off into one or another smaller venue. There needs to be a commons in regard to Christianity where all manner of conversation is permissible. That should be the large end of the funnel. From there break it down any way you want structure wise.

The fight over what is, and what is not legitimately Christian should occur several levels of specificity below the large space of Christianity Common. Those with an overwhelming itch to fight that battle should not control the larger conversation. They shouldn't control the rumus room.

Chris

[China Cat Sunflower]

Oh, and Brian...

You've got a really nice little forum here. Don't get obsessed with structure. You know, I've played a lot of strategy computer games. And I'm an aquarium enthusiast. When you're setting things up, wanting to achieve a pretty flow chart of how things will be structured, with x number of categories, each with x number of subcatagories, trying to make it so everything will work by itself, it's easy to forget about the users. People herd worse than cats. If the fish in your aquarium, or the mice in your maze don't want to herd the way you had in mind,the solution may not be to add more complexity to the habitat.

Management loves structure, but structure has to be ergonomic to promote harmonious growth. You gotta figure out what the fish want!

Chris