Status Updates Past, Present & Future

[bradl]

I initially wrote this post as reply to a status and realized there were several statuses addressing the same topic. 

To be clear, there is nothing wrong with having or expressing thoughts-of-the-moment in a status update. That's their purpose. 

However my urge to respond and engage in a larger discussion about the topic is symptomatic of a problem that has worried me for a couple years now — since statuses were introduced they have gradually been replacing forum posting in many instances where a forum topic would be appropriate.  As an example, this subforum was itself created not just as a place to ask and answer questions about forum features and functions but to contain meta-discussion about the forum itself. 

I'm not sure what the answer is, but I hear you loud and clear. Statuses were more accessible and convenient to view on the front page sidebar.

I am trying hard to figure out the best way forward.  Since version 4 was released there are some technical drawbacks to the way statuses work when placed in a block on the front page. Some may yet be improved in a future release.  At least in today's separate page format we don't have to bounce back and forth between each individual profile page just to add a comment to a status.

There is a paid plugin that can help mimic the older version 3 format somewhat but I'm reluctant to dig an even deeper financial hole to purchase a plug-in that may facilitate the effect of reducing forum activity and growth   

If moved back to prominence on the front page I sometimes wonder if should tighten permissions so that only subscribers and the members+ group — folks who have posted many times and have presumably developed perspective on the status-vs-post distinction —  could view or post status updates.  That would stop the frustrating phenomenon of folks registering (yay!) and then posting statuses that should have been forum posts (sad trombone).  I'm not particularly fond of the idea beyond its brutal efficiency, but it's a technical option.

Forum posts are visible to guests and search engines and members and help the forum grow. Statuses are closed and internal,  not searchable from outside, accessed by a limited subset of members, and don't add to the publicly accessible body of knowledge (and opinion, and photos, and humor, and compassion). For every person who finds us via search link to a past post, or shared link to a topic, no one finds us via status updates.

All that said, I like the personal, easy, casual nature of statuses; they are a nice perquisite of membership. Arghh, this is a conundrum.

How can we keep statuses as statuses and still prevent them from subverting the purpose of having a forum in the first place?

[hheldorfer]

I see your conundrum, Brad.  I understand (and agree with) your point that a status update is often posted when it truly belongs in a forum discussion.   In my opinion if keeping the status updates in their own section (as is currently the case) helps to increase topic postings and engage new users, I'm all for it.  As much as I enjoyed seeing the status updates on the front page, the greater good of the forum is more important.

Thank you for taking the time to explain this and, as always, thank you for being our kind and benevolent leader. 

[Autumn & Lola]

I agree with Helene about the greater good of the forum, and that I, too, liked seeing them on the front page. IF they return to the front page, and a comment is made that would be more appropriate as a forum topic, maybe one of us could just jump in and say to the OP, "Hey - this would make a great forum topic - how about re-posting there?"

[Hillscreek]

 I also thought there was increased numbers of comments on the status update that would be better in a forum. Thinking this might be because new members don't know their way around yet. Sure don't want anything done that adds extra expense. Commenting like Autumn suggests has some merit but to me it seems hard to determine the point when a comment should really be a posting. That should really be up to Brad maybe and that's asking a lot of extra work for him.

I'm not really complaining - just wishing, because I forget it if it's not there. Perhaps because it is an extra perk and not essential like the forum posts are. I will just try and be more attentive when I log on

I know and appreciate Brad that you do all you can to keep this wonderful forum to the high standard it is. Willing to go along with whatever you think the best way forward is.

 

[bradl]

"What is a status" is a fair and important question, though.  And as usual one that doesn't seem to have a perfectly clear answer. I tend to think of statuses as differing from posts in several ways, even when they sometimes have similar subjects

• a status is a transient, one-to-all broadcast, stands on its own, and typically requires no response
• a post is loosely targeted (by virtue of forum organization) and invites comments, opinions, answers, or contributions related to the subject of the post
• a status is a declaration
• a post is a potential conversation (which could be premised on a declaration) 
• a status acknowledges or reports a state of being 
• a post addresses a state of being for purposes of sharing, understanding, resolving, celebrating, etc.
• a status can be wildly off-topic
• a post should fit at least loosely into one the broad categories of the forum

Those aren't *rules* (other than the last one) that's just how I tend to think of them  There's nothing particularly wrong about using your status as a shopping list reminder if it comes to that  

[Hillscreek]

Good definitions Brad. I go along with those.

Beating heart caught my attention at once!! The movement does it.

 

[Lupinegirl]

Hmm... I personally don't need a front and center status report thing. I miss seeing it on the older version of the forum, as it was something I checked every time I got on, but I don't need it. I've gotten out of the habit of looking and I haven't checked them in a long time.  Out of sight, out of mind I suppose.   I didn't even know new members were posting there, lol.

All I look at when I log on is the most recent topics/posts that are front and center on the page.  I click on the titles that interest me and that's it.  i used to post personal status updates, like how we fared during the blizzard, or a recent scare or praise report about my dog. I probably would still post temporary stuff like that as status updates but if I want more than a cursory glance at my post, then I search the forum to see if anyone else has posted something similar and either add to a thread, or start my own.  I don't usually post any kind of status update when I add new pictures to my gallery. I don't feel like I need to call attention to them, unless it's a particularly precious or funny picture I think people would enjoy commenting on.  

[bradl]

For anyone who hasn't tried the activity streams, I highly recommend them. They are a great way to see what's been happening in a pretty comprehensive way. 

• Activity → All Activity  is a nice summary view of … uh, daily activity
• Activity → Unread Content catches you up on anything you haven't looked at

Sometimes people just bookmark a stream they like in their favorites bar and that's their landing page on a site. I prefer a more browsing-oriented experience but then I live here  For anyone in a hurry the activity streams do a pretty nice job of condensing things down.

I also have the habit of hitting the Gallery tab from time to time just to see what's new and enjoy a random selection from the albums.

[sanford]

I'm practically a life-long member of this forum and this new info from Brad prompts this question for other members:

How do you use the forum? I pretty much exclusively look at Cairn Life and Behavior and Health. Only if there's nothing new there, do I remind myself to look at Dog Park or Galleries.

Maybe I'm limiting myself and missing out on some good features... Perhaps others can describe how they use different features of Cairn Talk and inspire me to branch out!?

Edited May 6, 2016 by sanford