Suggestion/First Impressions: Too many forums for similar subjects.

First things first, I really like this place and its members. You guys are all really helpful and friendly and thats fantastic!
 
My observation is that this board has a lot of overlapping forums that make it difficult to follow for new-comers. For example; Where to read/ask about what to with some pepper i grew - Hot pepper talk, cooking with peppers, hot sauce making, recipes, test kitchen, food & beverage, beer and wine... etc. It could go (and does go) into any of those. Its too easy to miss someone tweaking a great hot sauce recipe with photos and techniques because it was in another forum; or someone who brewed a habanero beer but put it in Recipes-Other sub forum. In my experience, the more active you can make a single forum, the easier it is to participate. 
 
Just my 2 cents.

i only really use fiery foods / hot pepper / classifieds, i do agree all the stuff about cooking could be more consolidated (in the kitchen,bbq,alcohol all don't need their own section do they? just combine them into fiery foods?) 
Also the informal hot talk and hot pepper talk are pretty much the same thing

Don't worry, you'll adjust. 

I think this topic was covered in a different thread in another forum.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Maybe the issue is people not posting in the correct forum, Pepper I.D. belongs in the "Pepper I.D." forum. etc etc etc.
 
Other threads you want to follow if someone is making a sauce, you can click "Follow this topic" (white button) in the upper right of the thread window, (even this one).
 
I use the "View New Content" (red button) above that one and anything posted in the last 24 hours shows up in list form newest to oldest. You can filter it if you don't want all the "Welcome" posts, etc.
 
Once you have posted in a thread, click on your name in the upper left, then click "My Content" it will show all of the newest posts only the threads you have participated in.
 
Just my .2¢

It's actually been suggested we expand, and have a place for pesticides and bugs, organic, etc. Too many, too little, it's a juggling act and the way it is now is intuitive enough to where no one should have a problem.
 
With 22 posts in, I'd say, give it a shot, and pretty soon you'll have the hang of it.
 
However when something is the same way a long time you can become blind to it, so I will take a look. Thanks!

I see THP kinda like a favorite magazine. I pick it up flip threw some pages, read a few articles, check the sections I like, and enjoy the overall feel of a good read.

I agree with Scovie that you can filter your way through, but for me I enjoy stumbling on to the gold nuggets that find by chance.

My 2¢

The Hot Pepper said:

It's actually been suggested we expand, and have a place for pesticides and bugs, organic, etc. Too many, too little, it's a juggling act and the way it is now is intuitive enough to where no one should have a problem.
 
With 22 posts in, I'd say, give it a shot, and pretty soon you'll have the hang of it.
 
However when something is the same way a long time you can become blind to it, so I will take a look. Thanks!

Click to expand...

 
All with a  grain of salt, this is just my experience with building these things.
 
I think a simple forum called "gardening" or "growing peppers" would be perfect to encompass all those subjects. We're all interested in all those topics and aspects of growing our own veggies.
 
As with a simple forum called "Cooking with fire" that would gladly house all the topics about fermenting and canning and flavor profiles and BBQ and sauces and all the other kitchen related subjects. I personally like the separate sub-forum for confirmed recipes. 
 
Lots of pennies in this thread!

I think every post should be a new forum and only grouped when someone shares the same IP. 

Scoville DeVille said:

Maybe the issue is people not posting in the correct forum, Pepper I.D. belongs in the "Pepper I.D." forum. etc etc etc.
 
Other threads you want to follow if someone is making a sauce, you can click "Follow this topic" (white button) in the upper right of the thread window, (even this one).
 
I use the "View New Content" (red button) above that one and anything posted in the last 24 hours shows up in list form newest to oldest. You can filter it if you don't want all the "Welcome" posts, etc.
 
Once you have posted in a thread, click on your name in the upper left, then click "My Content" it will show all of the newest posts only the threads you have participated in.
 
Just my .2¢

Click to expand...

 
These are all good points and things a message board rookie should be aware of.
 
I'm speaking more about the topics of discussion in the vast number of separate forums with similar content that is being duplicated of missed thus causing participants to move on and potentially away from this awesome group of people!

Rymerpt said:

I see THP kinda like a favorite magazine. I pick it up flip threw some pages, read a few articles, check the sections I like, and enjoy the overall feel of a good read.

I agree with Scovie that you can filter your way through, but for me I enjoy stumbling on to the gold nuggets that find by chance.

My 2¢

Click to expand...

 
Hmmm... Ok imagine you're reading the paper (if they still make those lol)... and you want to know about the pre-season NFL scores - You flip to the "Sports" section, right?
 
Of course you're also going to see headlines there (threads) for the local track team winning the regionals, some golfer getting mad, and scores for tennis... but all those things are sports related and part of your interest. Maybe you read a few of those along with your scores.
What would the readers do when presented with a paper that has a Sports section, a Football section, an Athlete section, NY Giants section, NFL section... where would you think to look for your scores?
 
Now lets say you've grown and now have 20,000 new articles (posts) a month about "Sports"... Ok we can justify separate sections for Football, Baseball, Soccer... etc. you get the point. 
 
Hopefully that makes more sense. Its something thats tough to see and you really do "get adjusted" and become "blind" to it as time goes on... you kind of just know where things are without realizing its counter intuitive. "Been there tried that bought the t-shirt".
 
Regardless, I'm just happy to be here and trying to soak up as much knowledge as possible cause i'm having a blast burning my face off!

With all that said, I tend to enjoy a slower paced world where ya just dive in and read it all. If I need a specific answer or thing I either do a search or start a thread and ask.