Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Other subgroup subforums

Posted by Xespok on 27-04-2006 10:12
#1

Here You go :)

Paul, since we have have family forums for Asilidae and Syrphidae, would it not be easier if there would be subforums for some other main families like Tachinidae? You could also consider to set up a subforum for some other major subgroups like Nematocera or Calyptrata.

This would make it much easier to locate a thread of interest.

Posted by Paul Beuk on 27-04-2006 10:39
#2

The presence of the Syrphidae and Asilidae forums is historic rather than based on pratical reasons:
1. The abolishment of the old Asilidae mailing list was what actually made me bring Diptera.info online in its present form. The forum here was opened to give the subscribers of the list another platform for submitting queries and posting whatever kept them busy. The reason why the list was abolished was the low frequency of postings. Very few of the old subscribers visit the forum here and it has been taken over by the regular members at this site.
2. The fact that the Syrphidae mailing list did discourage attachments to post identification requests was the reason why the Syrphidae forum was started, so that subscribers to that list could post there images here. Again, the same thing happened as with the Asilidae list.

To tell the truth, I ahd not expected/anticipated that the site would take off as it did. If I has started afresh, these tow separate family forums would not exist but it would all be Diptera (adults) or Diptera (eggs, larvae, pupae). Creating additional separate forums for different families would require the transfer of many posts to a new forum and all links to posts in moved threads would have to be corrected. A few queries in the database might do that for this site, but all links placed on other sites would be broken.
Exactly for the same reason I have not merged the Syrphidae and Asilidae forums with the other forums yet.

Another reason not to create separate forums is the administration it would require to start moving new queries from less experienced users to the correct forum. Even now insects are placed in the wrong forum (with the few categories we have). I cannot even blame people when you see some of the Diptera! :D I guess that is the price we have to pay for offering something to both the inexperienced and the experienced users. Even I would be unwilling to put some of the images in a Tachinidae forum because I am not certain if it is. ;)

If you have any suggestions, be my guest.