DPS Forums to Launch Publicly Shortly

[Darren Rowse]

I've just put an announcement up on the DPS blog (http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/digital-photography-school-design-upgrade/) indicating that the new design will be launched tomorrow.

Along with the new design we'll launch these forums publicly - so expect quite a few new users to sign up and start using the forums.

Before they all show up I just wanted to thank you all for coming along and testing the forums. In a sense you've 'warmed them up' nicely.

It is great to see that most of the categories that I set up are being used already and that some great discussions are already happening. I hope you all as founding members of this forum will continue to be involved and help me improve what we've already got.

Thanks everyone.

[hitkaiser]

You're welcome, just keep the great posts rolling in :)

[ptbelly]

Hah!
I was reading the post on DPS today about the launch and I thought, "Wow that should be happening about now" and when I went to click on a new article there I was, on the newly designed blog! It was wild.

*j

[mlai]

The grouping confused me for a while. The main forums page shows the various forum categories: technique, gear, assignments, chit chat. Clicking on one of them displays the forums within that category. Visit some forums, read/post/etc. Later clicking on "General Discussions" shows all forums grouped under their categories.

Sometimes I click on a forum and see the threads. Other times I click on the category thinking it was a forum, and see a smaller forum listing instead of postings. :confused:

It'd help me if the categories were more visually outlined than the forums. Maybe a different color or bold font.

[wulf]

Nice forum. I think it is easier to use than the group discussion feature over at Flickr, although it will probably take a bit more getting used to from people who aren't already familiar with this kind of site.

I have a question though - what is the plan for the Flickr group? To run both or to encourage people to move from there to here?

Wulf

[Darren Rowse]

Good question Wulf - I'm in two minds.

On one hand it'd be easier to have all our discussion in the one place and to close down the Flickr group

On the other hand I know there will be some who prefer to use the Flickr group because they are on Flickr everyday anyway. It's also a great place to find new readers.....

What do people think should happen to the flickr group?

[wulf]

I think it would be worth keeping the Flickr group - it provides another way in, set up and thriving in a place that attracts lots of keen photographers. It also provides the group pool, as well as all the other clever things that can be done because of Flickr's choice to develop an open API.

On the other hand, it would certainly be worth clearly pointing people over here for most discussion purposes - on Flickr, there is just the one forum, with everything bundled together; here, it can be much more granular (and will probably build a better resource over time).

Wulf

[Saralonde]

I think the flickr group should stay, at least for now. But I agree with Wulf about directing people over here for discussion. This is a much easier set-up for that.

[andy206uk]

Personally, I don't think it will help to keep the discussions going. Keep the pool going by all means but loose the discussions.

Perhaps the flickr pool could become one of those 'rate the picture before yours' style pools where people can learn where they've gone wrong, but with the focus being on actually educating people on how to make their pictures better...