Category (SQL Server version)
-- Forum (TSQL, replication, etc.)
This one does nested categories rather than forums inside categories.
We really have two options here. The first is a category for each version of SQL Server and then dynamically creating tags for various topics: TSQL, admin, replication, ssrs, ssas, etc. That's the way it is now.
This will give us a few high level categories but users will certainly forgot to tag posts. Or not know to.
The second option is categories based on TSQL, admin, ssas, ssrs, high availability, etc. That would lead to a lot more categories. We could then use tags for the version of SQL Server. Many posts wouldn't need to be tagged. For example, a generic question on SELECT probably wouldn't need the version.
I'm really torn on the best way to do this.
Thoughts?
(And I'm really afraid we may not know the answer until we've been doing it for a while.)
I'd like to be able to "ignore" certain categories / tags. For example SSRS and SSIS about which I know nothing. If there is a means of doing that which favours one way over the other that would suit me. I the old forum when looking at New Posts I had to keep an eye open to avoid posts in those forums, something that automatically "ignored" them would suit me well.
I'd also be keen on anything that forced the O/P to tag a new thread. For example what version of SQL and perhaps some idea of what it is about (along the lines of the old sub-forums). If you could force two picklists - SQL Version and Sub-category - I reckon that would do. I would prefer that the user just "posts" and then having constructed their question is required to choose "SQL Version" and "Sub category". Don't know how easily other contributors could set/change Tags on existing threads, or add more (as StackOverflow does)
I suppose the "SQL Version" picklist could include "Site discussions" and other Top Levle Categories that would not be SQL versions per se
There is a GREAT way to mute categories. Click on your Profile link (in your case the K) in the upper right corner and choose Preferences. Near the bottom there's a text box for "Muted". Click in there and you can select Categories to mute.
I'd also like forced tagging but right now it's optional. I'm going to see if that can be changed but it's not up to me.
Are there any moderation options? For instance, if there's no tag, pop it into a category for moderators to review? Kinda like how Ask SQL Team used to work?
Not that I want to do that again but something that makes it easy to find untagged posts so moderators can tag them.
I have no wish to be a moderator, I'd be useless at that, but I would be happy to fix spelling in titles, add tags, anything like that which might improve the "quality/consistency" of posts. I see it as a two edges sword on StackOverflow - Nazi-editors changing things, O/P changing them back, Rinse&Repeat!!. Of course on StackOverflow you gain that Editor privilege the moment you hit a certain number of points ... if it was a Privilege granted by Graz/Mods then it could be taken away too
There are ways that high post users can update posts. I'm still working through the settings on that and whether its automatic or I have to configure. There are LOTS of configuration options I'm working through.
