Cleaning up Gatherings?

[T.K.McTickleson]

Has anyone considered the possibility of cleaning up the General Gatherings section?
GLAT hasn't had a post since 2006.
North West Ohio Tickling hasn't had a post since 2013.
Italy has a SINGLE THREAD from 2013.

meaning that in Europe, the only area that's actually represented is the UK - is that intentional?

How many of the non-general events still exist?
In my area alone, I'm pretty sure GIG is defunct. The Southern Gathering no longer exists. These are just being used as overflow subforums for the General Southern Gatherings, which doesn't need an overflow.

Are other subforums in other areas similarly defunct?
Can we do something about this to make navigating the gatherings section somewhat meaningful?

 

[Myriads]

I've pruned them once before and got a lot of mail asking why I removed them and asking for put backs, so there is that...

I've always figured that the new posts active symbol would tell folks what is active. But I'll consider going thru and turning off any that have been inactive for a while.

Myriads

 

[T.K.McTickleson]

Most of the activity in the subforums I listed there have nothing to do with the actual events. e.g. if someone goes into The Southern Gathering and then makes a post about something other than The Southern Gathering, that's not exactly useful to anyone. and this pattern goes back YEARS.
Thanks for looking into it!

 

[chicago]

I feel like it's clear which is active and which isn't but FetLife has more events advertised there

 

[T.K.McTickleson]

I feel like it's clear which is active and which isn't but FetLife has more events advertised there

doesn't exactly make sense that people trying to organize events NOW have to compete for billboard space with past events that haven't existed for over a decade. It's a lot of useless old info to sort through, that isn't obviously old unless you make a conscious effort to look at the dates, which can confuse people who are looking for current events. Just look at the number of people who bump ancient threads thinking they're still current.

 

[chicago]

doesn't exactly make sense that people trying to organize events NOW have to compete for billboard space with past events that haven't existed for over a decade

Is there not enough space? If a thread hasnt been responded to, the new threads go to the top. I guess I don't understand the issue.

 

[T.K.McTickleson]

Is there not enough space? If a thread hasnt been responded to, the new threads go to the top. I guess I don't understand the issue.

I edited my post above...

because if you're a new or returning member and you say "hmmm! I wonder what's going on in my area!" (Southeastern USA in my case)
The real answer is: absolutely nothing

But the forum gives the impression that "Hey! There's an active group in Georgia!" "Oh hey! There's some massive southern group!" "I can't wait to attend their events!" when in reality both of these groups no longer exist, haven't posted in years, etc.

The Southern Gathering hasn't had a single thread, about the Southern Gathering, since 2002:
http://www.ticklingforum.com/showthread.php?21190-The-Southern-Gathering
yet this group exists, to confuse and divide people looking for events in the south.
It was clearly a subforum made for AN EVENT that no longer exists.
So why not merge it into General Southern Gatherings?

Gatherings in Georgia is now just a personals listing for Georgia.
Gatherings In Georgia, the group, hasn't had a single group-based thread since 2011
edit: oops, my bad, actually it was 2009:
http://www.ticklingforum.com/showthread.php?152961-SAT-is-now-GIG!!-Read-for-information!-1st-Post
If people in Georgia want a group personals section, great! but this ain't Gatherings in Georgia, because that official group no longer exists. now it's just individuals trying to organize tiny munches and events - which is great - but not GIG.

So as someone who's looking to eventually organize group events, that leaves General Southern Gatherings. which shares equal space with the defunct groups.

I'm sure many of the other groups are similarly defunct, including the ones I mentioned in the OP.

I'm asking to have these consolidated so they no longer pry eyes away from the actual events and meetups, rare as they may be, that are taking place outside of NYC. (I know NEST is the only event anyone cares about 'round here, but for those of us who aren't able to attend, throw us a bone by not making it MORE difficult for us to organize.)

edit 2:
another great example: Tethers and Feathers?
http://www.ticklingforum.com/forumdisplay.php?116-Tethers-and-Feathers
Does this group exist today? probably
Is it active on the forums? no, not for several years
Does it need an entire subforum? no
So what about this subforum is important?
1) they have a thread about where to find them on FetLife
http://www.ticklingforum.com/showthread.php?252752-Just-letting-everyone-this-group-still-exists
2) they have a post about what to expect at their gatherings
http://www.ticklingforum.com/showthread.php?263281-What-to-Expect-at-a-TickleSIG
Absolutely nothing else is of use!
solution: merge Tethers and Feathers into General Eastern Gatherings, pin the only 2 threads that matter from the group so they remain on top, thereby clearing yet another useless subforum from the Gatherings list

 

[chicago]

Thanks for clarifying, sorry for misunderstanding.

I agree. Don't see a reason keeping some of these subforums, or at least not moving them.

And hey, there's way more events than NEST lol

 

[dvnc]

Like Myriads said, if we pull a section, it riles some. Is anyone finding it's tough to locate an event in their area? Tough to organize one?

I ask because I still organized and help others, and get a reasonable response even now, in a new region (Omaha). Some seem to find it useful, but I'd welcome feedback.

 

[T.K.McTickleson]

And hey, there's way more events than NEST lol

I know! I'd like to be able to see which ones are active, as well as organize more effectively, without having to sift through the out of date nonsense.

Like Myriads said, if we pull a section, it riles some.

I don't see the problem here. If their subforum is inactive, they should be advertising in the general sections just like everyone else. They have only themselves to blame for the lack of activity and subsequent loss of special privileges (which is exactly what these group-specific forums are).
"Who cares if they stick around?" The problem is that by including them in the listings, at the subforum level, it reduces the visibility of other active group and posts, and further confuses people when one or more of the "groups" in your area doesn't actually exist.

Is anyone finding it's tough to locate an event in their area? Tough to organize one?

The only person I have talked with about it is someone in Atlanta. It seems to be very slow going from what he's said. I'm sure it doesn't help that you have to scroll past all the inactive subforums to even see his most recent posting, in one of the THREE subforums where his post could reasonably go. (He put his in The Southern Gathering, which is the least sensible place for it, probably because he, too, is confused by the overlapping groups.)

I ask because I still organized and help others, and get a reasonable response even now, in a new region (Omaha). Some seem to find it useful, but I'd welcome feedback.

There's little confusion about where Omaha falls when it comes to groups. Imagine that in addition to the Midwest Gatherings subforum, there was a separate subforum called "The Midwest Group" based around an event in Kansas City 15 years ago. People from Nebraska, confused by whether they should post in Midwest Gatherings or The Midwest Group, post in both! Worse still, among the few posts that are made, people are bumping threads about an event that hasn't taken place in over a decade, further confusing people. On top of that, add another subforum for a group based in Des Moines called "The Iowa Meetups". This group disbanded several years ago and also no longer exists. But random people from Iowa and elsewhere now post here, asking "hello? is anyone there?" thinking that there's still a group of some sort since the subforum is titled The Iowa Meetups - like it's still an official thing.

This is the situation we have in the Southeast when it comes to the General Gatherings (with The Southern Gathering and Gatherings in Georgia having no reason to exist), and perhaps you would be similarly annoyed if that were your arrangement. In the North (your area), North West Ohio Tickling and GLAT are just taking up forum real estate in a similar manner.
edit: Add FROST to that list, because the whopping 24 threads there, with no new posts in almost 2 years, should be merged into Canadian Gatherings.

 

[dvnc]

The mods and admin will discuss. Thank you for bringing this up. Like Myriads, I hesitate to do this solely on my own whim, but it seems that, perhaps, a tidying is in order.

 

[T.K.McTickleson]

The mods and admin will discuss. Thank you for bringing this up. Like Myriads, I hesitate to do this solely on my own whim, but it seems that, perhaps, a tidying is in order.

Thank you for looking into it!