Pharmacy Lounge? (fka "Multiple off topic threads")

[bananaface]

There are a ton of off-topic threads popping up lately. We have an upcoming organizational partnership which may involve and RSS feed and they won't want all of the off topic stuff included. What do you all think of the idea of putting a pharmacy lounge in? It would provide a place for social conversation that does not involve shipping threads outside of the pharm forums.

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[Jbuprepharm]

that sounds like an excellent idea

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Yeah, definately a good idea. This thread I just started is gonna be HUGE. Like Priapism's ego.

My only worry is that nobody would come to this forum anymore.

 

[nerv12345]

great idea

 

[Caverject]

yea! another forum to check!

I like it the way it is...

Don't we already have RSS feeding already?

Sounds like SDN is being bought out....will i get to keep my donor status?

 

[RxWildcat]

I vote yes.

 

[pinkyrx]

I think it's a VERY good idea as long as the "pharmacy lounge" is kept within the pharmacy subforums.

 

[njac]

because not all of these threads start as off-topic threads there may be a fine line on where some threads should be moved. What if something starts with correct, pertinent pharmacy information but then evolves into something off-topic? Someone looking for the information may miss it in the off-topic forum.

I do agree on the "ugh. more places to check" sentiment. I don't have time for that!

 

[FruitFly]

because not all of these threads start as off-topic threads there may be a fine line on where some threads should be moved. What if something starts with correct, pertinent pharmacy information but then evolves into something off-topic? Someone looking for the information may miss it in the off-topic forum.

I do agree on the "ugh. more places to check" sentiment. I don't have time for that!

Point n click.

 

[iphetamine]

I support the idea, we need a lounge, go for it!

 

[bananaface]

Yeah, definately a good idea. This thread I just started is gonna be HUGE. Like Priapism's ego.

My only worry is that nobody would come to this forum anymore.

I can set it up so that it is linked to from Pharm and Pre-pharm but doesn't show up on the main page. That way people would have to come to the one of the pharm forums to get to it unless they bookmarked it. It would also be cool in that pre-pharms would be more likely to hang out and get to know some of the current students and practitioners better.

 

[bananaface]

yea! another forum to check!

I like it the way it is...

Don't we already have RSS feeding already?

Sounds like SDN is being bought out....will i get to keep my donor status?

I only know of one area where the feed is currently being used and that is the podiatry forums.

You can keep your donor status until at least 01-17-2010.

 

[bananaface]

because not all of these threads start as off-topic threads there may be a fine line on where some threads should be moved. What if something starts with correct, pertinent pharmacy information but then evolves into something off-topic? Someone looking for the information may miss it in the off-topic forum.

I do agree on the "ugh. more places to check" sentiment. I don't have time for that!

The mods have the ability to "split" threads and put off topic posts into their own thread if need be. But, I think the off topic-discussion would have to be significant (have developed into a topic, not just random comments) for that to happen.

 

[medicalCPA]

A lounge sounds like a great idea.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

I can set it up so that it is linked to from Pharm and Pre-pharm but doesn't show up on the main page.

How?

 

[RxWildcat]

Voodoo magic?

 

[MountainPharmD]

First whats an RSS feed? Second, I like one all encompassing forum. Sure we have some serious stuff to post and sometimes we get off topic...how cares? I figure if you don't want to read off topic or pharmacy unrelated posts...then don't.

 

[cycloketocaine]

Didn't we have a lounge at one point??

I agree with Cavvy and Mountain.....it is just one more forum to visit. I like the one-stop shop feel.

 

[Caverject]

Picture of the national cathedral

 

[PharmDstudent]

Two cherries with foliage

(website)

 

[bananaface]

How?

Remember The Boardroom that we used before the meeting last year? Like that, then put links into pharm and pre-pharm. It would show up as a subforum (link).

Didn't we have a lounge at one point??

We never had a pharmacy lounge. We had (and still have) an All Students Forum where all off topic threads are supposed to be moved. We had been letting the off topic stuff slide for awhile because there were only a few threads and people felt very strongly about keeping them in forum. But, lately there seems to be an explosion of off-topic stuff and it will be a problematic if our content is being channeled onto someone else's site.

First whats an RSS feed? Second, I like one all encompassing forum. Sure we have some serious stuff to post and sometimes we get off topic...how cares? I figure if you don't want to read off topic or pharmacy unrelated posts...then don't.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rss_feed

We don't have an all encompassing forum; we already section content into areas of interest such as Residency and L&E.

The alternatives to an in-forum lounge would be to find some other place for blatently off topic stuff (read: move to existing designated areas - already known to be an unpopular idea) or to pass on the RSS feed. The latter is not something I want to consider as we'd be turning down a good opportunity for exposure for SDN.

 

[MountainPharmD]

I guess I do not understand what an RSS feed has to do with anything?

My next question is what is on topic and what is off topic for this forum? The heading is Pharmacy For current PharmD students and practitioners. I see no list of restricted topics. To me the pharmacy forum is a general all encompassing forum. A place where those of us who are students and practitioners can talk about what ever we want, be it pharmacy related or not.

It sounds to me what you are wanting to do has already been done with the creating of sub-forums.

 

[bananaface]

The potential RSS feed is what is prompting me to look into an alternate location for off topic discussion.

Pharmacy is the forum topic and "for current students and practitioners" is a qualifier. If a thread is not related to pharmacy (ie: random) or not of interest to current students and practitioners (ie: better placed in pre-pharm) then it is off topic.

What I want to do has not already been accomplished. Ideally, I'd be able to set it up so that another site can pull topics from the pharmacy forum for use on their site without also pulling over the off topic threads. I mentioned the subforum because that is how a Lounge would appear. It would be a subdivision just like Residency and L&E.

 

[Jbuprepharm]

I can set it up so that it is linked to from Pharm and Pre-pharm but doesn't show up on the main page. That way people would have to come to the one of the pharm forums to get to it unless they bookmarked it. It would also be cool in that pre-pharms would be more likely to hang out and get to know some of the current students and practitioners better.

but prepharms are annnoooyyyiiiiiinnnnggggggg (like the way I just said the word)

 

[bananaface]

but prepharms are annnoooyyyiiiiiinnnnggggggg (like the way I just said the word)

I guess you don't want to moderate said potential subforum then.

 

[Jbuprepharm]

I'd be happy to mod the potential sub forum

as long as I can kick people out for asking if their stats are good enough to get accepted

 

[MountainPharmD]

The potential RSS feed is what is prompting me to look into an alternate location for off topic discussion.

Pharmacy is the forum topic and "for current students and practitioners" is a qualifier. If a thread is not related to pharmacy (ie: random) or not of interest to current students and practitioners (ie: better placed in pre-pharm) then it is off topic.

What I want to do has not already been accomplished. Ideally, I'd be able to set it up so that another site can pull topics from the pharmacy forum for use on their site without also pulling over the off topic threads. I mentioned the subforum because that is how a Lounge would appear. It would be a subdivision just like Residency and L&E.

Okay....got it. So I guess you could make a sub-forum for all off pharmacy topic stuff...Then I fear no one would post in the pharmacy forum any more.
I kind of like it the way it is....Call me old fasioned I guess....

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Remember The Boardroom that we used before the meeting last year? Like that, then put links into pharm and pre-pharm. It would show up as a subforum (link).

Yeah, but subforum (links) still show up on the mainpage. You'll get a link where a subforum would be under pre-pharm and under pharm. Takes up the exact same amount of real estate as a real subforum. Under pre-pharm it would be the only "subforum" showing. Under pharm it would join the other three in the list making four subforums total.

There is no way to put a subforum/link INSIDE a main forum without having it display on the main page. I've already tried (Gold Standard Premed Subforum).

 

[bananaface]

I realize all of that. It would be better as as a subforum under "Pharmacy Forums" than as a subforum of either pharm or pre-pharm or its own full forum, which is why I'd set it up as a non-visible child forum for that area and put links in pharm and pre-pharm.

Of course if I wanted to be tricky I could make PCAT a subforum of Pre-pharm and put the link as a subforum of PCAT and L&E. Then it'd be in both forums but not on the front page. Subforum links show, but sub-subforums do not.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

I realize all of that. It would be better as as a subforum under "Pharmacy Forums" than as a subforum of either pharm or pre-pharm or its own full forum, which is why I'd set it up as a non-visible child forum for that area and put links in pharm and pre-pharm.

Yeah, but that's still going to be visible from the main page, which is what you said you were trying to avoid:

I can set it up so that it is linked to from Pharm and Pre-pharm but doesn't show up on the main page. That way people would have to come to the one of the pharm forums to get to it unless they bookmarked it. It would also be cool in that pre-pharms would be more likely to hang out and get to know some of the current students and practitioners better.

Of course if I wanted to be tricky I could make PCAT a subforum of Pre-pharm and put the link as a subforum of PCAT and L&E. Then it'd be in both forums but not on the front page. Subforum links show, but sub-subforums do not.

This method would be one way to accomplish your stated goal of it not being visible from the mainpage. It would also be inconsistent with how we have our other major professional areas set up (MCAT, OAT, DAT, etc. have their own forum and are not subforums).

The other option is to have it invisible or linked from stickies.

 

[loo]

Information overload.

Head exploding.

I'm such a luddite---please make it simple for the old folk?

 

[bananaface]

Yeah, but that's still going to be visible from the main page, which is what you said you were trying to avoid:

This method would be one way to accomplish your stated goal of it not being visible from the mainpage. It would also be inconsistent with how we have our other major professional areas set up (MCAT, OAT, DAT, etc. have their own forum and are not subforums).

The other option is to have it invisible or linked from stickies.

I offered that possibility as a way of addressing WVU's concern that no one would come through the pharm forum anymore. I personally don't have an issue with a link showing on the front page. I just don't want a full forum there.

The latter part of my post was simply to show you that there are ways to keep a link off the front page if we felt strongly about it. Anyway, a hand edit is also a possibility.

 

[Jbuprepharm]

just make it, let me mod, you won't be sorry muahaha

 

[bananaface]

I'm going to put up a poll so that we can see how many people are really for/against this idea.

 

[Farmercyst]

As long as it doesn't turn into Dr's Lounge.

 

[MountainPharmD]

That is one of the things that is cool about this forum. Stuff starts out pharmacy related then goes 20 different ways. Sometimes it stays off topic other times it leads to other questions and comments. In my opinion this forum is for pharmacists and students to talk about what ever they want. You start breaking things up into sub forums and it becomes to sanitized. I personnaly am not going to click on 10 different sub-forums just to see whats going on.

Its not like you are forced to read any so called "off topic" stuff. I like one general pharmacy forum.

 

[GatorRxGirl]

I don't like the idea of checking another forum. Maybe there can be a special label for off topic threads so you don't have to check it if you don't want to.

 

[Caverject]

who is to say that current threads in the pharmacy forum won't get off track...then the mods have to move the thread again and again and again....

 

[All4MyDaughter]

I don't like the idea of checking another forum. Maybe there can be a special label for off topic threads so you don't have to check it if you don't want to.

This could work. I've seen it done on other forums. A special icon, or a thread tag or [Off Topic] in the thread title.

I would also prefer to see the fun threads remain in this forum.

 

[Allure]

If we do that, I think the pharmacy forum will be dead. It's already dead as it is since not a lot of people post "useful" questions/comments

 

[PharmDstudent]

If we do that, I think the pharmacy forum will be dead. It's already dead as it is since not a lot of people post "useful" questions/comments

One of the most notorious trolls came back to reclaim his turf...

 

[MountainPharmD]

If we do that, I think the pharmacy forum will be dead. It's already dead as it is since not a lot of people post "useful" questions/comments

Oh, and you do?

 

[bananaface]

The Admins in general have decided they do not favor having an additional lounge area put in place. So, I guess this who thread/poll is sort of moot. I'm going to close the poll.

 

[njac]

wtf? why did all of those get locked?