Time to end this subforum?

[sTeamTraen]

In ten days time, this subforum will be two years old. Might that be a good time to archive it and move the 2 or 3 active threads to Weighty Matters?

It seems to me that the main reason why the subforum was created was because the sheer number of threads was overwhelming other sections of the site, and that seems to no longer be the case. Having an extra section requires more clicking for some people to get through the relevant areas of the site, depending on their usage pattern.

These things always seem to be harder to finish rather than to start. French airports had signs about H1N1 flu from 2009 to 2019, which didn't convey a very positive image. ISTM that closing this subforum would be a sign that the mods are actively looking after the relevance of the forum as a whole.

[Martin_B]

Not an unreasonable suggestion, although there's some good information in here. Would that be reasonably easy to access still, if 'archived'?

I think I'd rather the threads be moved back into Weighty Matters (or Nerd Lab or Relaxation Station as appropriate) where they can still be accessed if needed.

[lpm]

Keep it open, ready to welcome the next pandemic.

[dyqik]

Keep it open, ready to welcome the next pandemic.

Have we had a Pi variant yet?

Mmmm pi.

[shpalman]

What "more clicking"?

This subforum avoids that we had a covid megathread in Weighty Matters.

[El Pollo Diablo]

Oh right, I forgot this subforum was here.

[Bird on a Fire]

Not an unreasonable suggestion, although there's some good information in here. Would that be reasonably easy to access still, if 'archived'?

I think I'd rather the threads be moved back into Weighty Matters (or Nerd Lab or Relaxation Station as appropriate) where they can still be accessed if needed.

I don't think the forum software actually has an archive feature. The mods would have to move all 292 threads individually.

Round here we still wear masks on the bus and my office is still a vaccination hub, so I'm not feeling like it's ancient history just yet.

[Woodchopper]

Seems a bit early to close this part of the forum as people are still posting here.

[shpalman]

The only reason to actually close it would be if people were still posting here and you didn't want them to. What's the problem with leaving it even if nobody posts to it? Does it get in anyone's way or use up server space or something?

[El Pollo Diablo]

I propose replacing it with an invitation-only striptease subforum, with jdc as the only dancer for hire.

[Stephanie]

The only reason to actually close it would be if people were still posting here and you didn't want them to. What's the problem with leaving it even if nobody posts to it? Does it get in anyone's way or use up server space or something?

I doubt it. The only reason given so far is that it "doesn't convey a positive image".

[Bird on a Fire]

The only reason to actually close it would be if people were still posting here and you didn't want them to. What's the problem with leaving it even if nobody posts to it? Does it get in anyone's way or use up server space or something?

I doubt it. The only reason given so far is that it "doesn't convey a positive image".

Don't forget the extra clicking, for people who navigate subforum-by-subforum rather than clicking New Posts. Although you can see if there are any new posts from the Board Index anyway, at least on the theme I'm using.

[snoozeofreason]

Round here we still wear masks on the bus and my office is still a vaccination hub, so I'm not feeling like it's ancient history just yet.

My mum is in a care home, as is Mrs. Snooze's mum. The care homes are loosening their rules a bit, but Covid is not ancient history to them so it isn't to us either.

[sTeamTraen]

The only reason to actually close it would be if people were still posting here and you didn't want them to. What's the problem with leaving it even if nobody posts to it? Does it get in anyone's way or use up server space or something?

Well then, why not have a subforum for Ukraine, one for climate change, etc? Only two threads (apart from this one) have received traffic in the past 10 days.

It seems to me that the creation of this subforum was in response to a very specific set of circumstances (lots of threads on the general topic of Covid, plenty of overlap between those threads, etc), which no longer hold. The style of the forum seems to be to have a small number of sections, each with different rules (e.g., Relaxation Station being definitely not Googleable). There can be reasons to go against that philosophy - Covid was clearly an emergency situation in all senses of that term - but it seems to me that inertia is not a good one. It's always easier to press the "+" button rather than the "-" one, but a willingness to do the latter from time to time, in a general sense is necessary to prevent the accumulation of cruft.

[Chris Preston]

The main argument against ending this subform is the amount of work required to move all the threads. While I think this subforum will become an anachronism, those who will have to do the work are all volunteers and I am willing to let it drift for a while. I don't think there is much harm done by doing that.

[Bird on a Fire]

Look, let's do a Kickstarter and once it hits a few hundred euros I'll move the threads

[dyqik]

Look, let's do a Kickstarter and once it hits a few hundred euros I'll move the threads

Ten euros per thread.

Of course, there's nothing to stop people, particularly green ones, from starting new threads here.

[shpalman]

The only reason to actually close it would be if people were still posting here and you didn't want them to. What's the problem with leaving it even if nobody posts to it? Does it get in anyone's way or use up server space or something?

Well then, why not have a subforum for Ukraine, one for climate change, etc? Only two threads (apart from this one) have received traffic in the past 10 days.

Would a subforum on either of those subjects fill up with 250-300 threads? Do either of these subjects have a >250-page megathread which is descending into unfollowable bickering? (No because sheldrake isn't here anymore.)

It seems to me that the creation of this subforum was in response to a very specific set of circumstances (lots of threads on the general topic of Covid, plenty of overlap between those threads, etc), which no longer hold. The style of the forum seems to be to have a small number of sections, each with different rules (e.g., Relaxation Station being definitely not Googleable). There can be reasons to go against that philosophy - Covid was clearly an emergency situation in all senses of that term - but it seems to me that inertia is not a good one. It's always easier to press the "+" button rather than the "-" one, but a willingness to do the latter from time to time, in a general sense is necessary to prevent the accumulation of cruft.

It seems to me that messing about with something which seems to be fine, just because you're bored and don't have anything better to do, is a generally terrible idea.

[Stephanie]

Yes the creation of the subforum was because there were many threads created all about covid - it was a pandemic after all. I don't see anywhere near the same level created for ukraine or climate change.

I don't mind moving threads, since I moved them all originally, but only one person wants me too, so... happy to wait and see.

[bob sterman]

I don't think this subforum is doing any harm here - and we don't want to tempt fate!

[Woodchopper]

The only reason to actually close it would be if people were still posting here and you didn't want them to. What's the problem with leaving it even if nobody posts to it? Does it get in anyone's way or use up server space or something?

I think that if people stopped posting for some time that would be a reason to tidy up. But there are several active threads so I don’t see any reason to do that.

Anyway, Covid is still around and shutting down the sun-forum now would seem to tempt fate. Doing so might be mentioned in years to come as an example of complacency.

[dyqik]

I don't think this subforum is doing any harm here - and we don't want to tempt fate!

Given the rate that cases are increasing here, there's definitely not an argument for closing this subforum

[purplehaze]

Had the joy of being on holiday to celebrate two birthdays with my family.

First birthday was my mum who is 97! Well done her.

Second was my sister who has had Covid, Omicron, and a mild stroke shortly after testing negative which took 10 days to clear - it was a clot on the brain but suspected micro clots in blood.

We are of no doubt that her clot and stroke was a direct result of Covid. She's great but still has a lopped gait and when tired slurs her words.

[shpalman]

Northern Ireland has decided it can't be bothered anymore so I suppose a couple of hundred people aren't testing positive and 1-2 people aren't dying every day anymore.

This however does screw up the idea of a report for the whole of the UK, which had already passed to Mondays and Thursdays only because Scotland couldn't really be bothered either.

(Scotland had about 1000 cases per day and 5-10 deaths per week).

I mean, if you can't be bothered to update the stats when there aren't many cases or deaths i.e. it's relatively easy, you're screwed if it ever goes up (and you won't know).