How should XMTS grow and improve?

**Riverkilt** · 8th March 09, 09:47 AM

Sorry, I remain committed to "Gooder." The outpouring of wisdom here is evidence we can tweak things for the good.

None of us would be kilted today if we hadn't sought something "gooder" than bifurcated.

"Gooder is gooder."

Even the continental plates shift...the only constant is change. Gooder change is best.

Ron

**Ancienne Alliance** · 8th March 09, 10:06 AM

I agree with you Ron,

Best,

Robert

**Panache** · 8th March 09, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

I am amazed at the outpouring of wisdom on this thread in the past two days. Thank you Mods for not quashing it.

Ron,

This thread was posted by a Moderator (i.e. me) with the site owner's blessing. The subject is ways for our forum to grow and improve.

The responses have been thoughtful and positive and have already given the staff much to think about.

Why on earth would the Mods "quash it"?

The only problems that arrive with these sorts of discussions is when individuals take advantage of them for their own ends and not the betterment of this forum.

This forum works so well because of our members, the Ladies and Gentlemen of X Marks the Scot.

Lets keep the thread going, lets keep it positive, let's keep it constructive.

Cheers

Jamie

**Sylvain** · 8th March 09, 10:57 AM

I do not thing XMTS has to grow. I can barely read 5% of what is posted here. If it grew, I would simply miss more.
One suggestion: put more explicit titles. You know, a title like «A question» doesn't tell what the post is about...

**Alan H** · 8th March 09, 03:16 PM

I would beware of adding too many individual sub-fora. For example, breaking down the DIY forum into fora like this:

The Targe DIY Forum
The Traditional Kilt DIY forum
The Contemporary Kilt DIY forum
The Sgian Dhu DIY forum
The Knitting DIY forum
The Making Your Own Formalwear from Recycled Bedsheets forum

etc. etc just means that there will be many days in between updates to each individual forum.

Just my 2 cents.

As for a more positive idea, I'm all in favor of making straight-ahead information easily available. I think an FAQ.."The ten most commonly asked questions about kilts" or something along those lines, written up by volunteers and so on, might be a great idea.

**Panache** · 8th March 09, 03:52 PM

Something that I think would be a good addition to, but not a replacement for, the tutorial section would be a "Read Only" Kilt Information Resources forum.

This would be the very top forum anyone would see and divided into three sub forums:

What you show know about kilts

How to wear the kilt

DIY for Kilts and Accessories

In these areas we would either link to existing threads /articles or copy them.

For instance in the DIY forum I would like to cover Jacket conversions, so we would put a link to Alan H's kilt jacket conversion website and copies (minus comments) of jacket conversion threads by David Dalglish, Sydie7, and the F-H.C.A.G.

It would make finding these great tutorials very easy and the Mod Squad could update them easily. When a really great thread comes up members could suggest that it be added to these read only threads.

I think that trying to keep the number of these threads down to just the really good ones / ones that cover the basics would be most useful.

Cheers

Jamie

**fortcollinsjerry** · 8th March 09, 04:41 PM

How about organizing a kilted holiday to Scotland? I just paid a bunch of money to British Airways & Elderhostel for an 8 day tour of Edinburgh including the Tattoo. I'm going to slip down to Glasgow some afternoon and visit the kilt shop for some more attire.

**Rex_Tremende** · 8th March 09, 05:53 PM

Alan's suggestions above triggered a thought in my mind, which Jamie further elicits, of the impressive collection of past threads on some topic (the memory does not work so well) that Ted posted once. He had accumulated all the best, most useful threads and presented them as a package. This memory connected to the experience I've had on about.com, which has "guides" on a particular topic, keeping it fresh and on target.

Rather than tell the newbies "USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION," maybe a better idea would be to have an XMTS Classics section on certain topics, each having a bit of editorial preamble and very short summaries of the relevant threads with links. Each could have one or more appointed keepers or minders, who would be permitted to update it periodically. I would suggest that both open and closed threads be included if they were particularly useful in some way ("Can Women Wear Kilts?" is one such subject that would have some of each example, for instance.)

Just a thought that probably goes along with all the others that have already been mentioned.
Rex.