Some more 'minor' changes.

[Kyle]

I support the creation of the new Lego section.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Griffin's creating an Empire!!!

[GoktimusPrime]

Um, maybe because there isn't an AUS Lego forum

So wouldn't it be the ownus of Australian Lego fans to form their own community? I don't see why it becomes our responsibility to cater for Australian fans of other toylines that don't already have an online community in this country. And where would you draw the line? Would you also include sections for other popular toylines which don't have an online Australian forum afaik? Examples might include:
+ Macross
+ Gundam
+ Gobots
+ TMNT
+ WWE
+ G.I. Joe (I Googled "G.I. Joe fan forums Australia" and didn't find anything).

...I just think having one "non-TF toys" section is more than enough and then maybe you could arrange the more popular threads such as Lego into stickies.

And then what about non-toy-collecting hobbies like animé, manga, comic books, scifi movies, sports et al? Are you going to make sections for all those if they become popular enough?

While it's nice of you to want to help out Lego fans on this board, I just don't think it's a good idea because:
a/ It lowers the integrity of the board as a Transformers forum by further diluting it with irrelevant sections.
b/ You're establishing a precedent that may lead to further dilution.

I personally think it was fun just to have one section for all non-TF related discussions and people can just make threads there. I started the martial arts discussion and Doctor Who discussion threads there and any time I want to discuss either of those issues I'll just go post on those threads. I don't feel the need to have dedicated sections. If I wanted to discuss them in further depth I'd go join or create specific boards on those topics.

In fact, you'll remember that's precisely what I did in 1999 when I created the first Planet Sabretron board - specifically to get away from all the unmoderated mayhem on most other boards like the BWTF boards at the time, and that board became the unofficial AusTrans (OzFormers) board for a while until you created the OzFormers forum around 2002/3? Anyway, it wasn't as if I demanded Ben Yee to create a section on his boards just for Australasian fans - I just went and made one (although I did allow some international users like FawnDoo, CheeToy etc.)... and then we made #transformers on austnet where we were mostly Australian fans but had a few foreigners there too (including Ben Yee and Rob Jung on a rare occasion). But the point I'm making is that I went and made my own forum rather than expecting someone else to do it for me.

[jacksplatt11]

Let's do a poll, we don't do enough polls on OTCA...

To be honest, I'm not fussed, I don't feel it "lowers the intergrity of the board" or anything like that, because OTCA is still the main Aussie TF board (I think it's only OTCA and TAAU? Is your forum still up Gok?) and I believe it will continue to be so for the unforeseeable future, whether we have a sub-forum, or just a thread, for Lego or not. Also, those other topics you listed don't really get discussed quite as much as Lego on here, apart from perhaps Gobots for obvious reasons, so are quite able to be contained in their own threads, but I get the point you're making, Gok, and it's quite valid. They're just my thoughts anyways

Also, Griffin does all the work and everything and maintains the board etc apart from delegating the moderation, so he can pretty much do whatever he wants haha

[Sam]

Hey Griffin, I really like the use of the Autobot logos to mark posts, it looks neat!

And whilst I consider myself a LEGO fan (I have a cupboard full of LEGO), and understand many people here also enjoy collecting LEGO, I too think that it should go under the "Toys" sub-section.

I understand that you want to make it easier for most of the fans here, and that's really very kind of you, but I think it may cause unnecessary misunderstanding in the future because some newer fans may then think that other non-TF interests/hobbies should also have their own sub-sections, therefore creating more workload for you.

But ultimately I think the issue is about maintaining the "TF-ness" (I know that's not a word) of this board. This is first and foremost a TF forum for TF fans, and so I think non-TF stuff should not have special treatment other than going into a non-TF section or "other toys" sub-section. I know none of us is against other hobbies, just that I believe they should go in their own appropriate sections.

Sorry if I seem to be making a big fuss, but I think it's important to set the distinction right at the start, so would like to respectfully request that you consider moving the LEGO thread into the other "toys" sub-section.

Thank you, cheers.

[blackie]

a/ It lowers the integrity of the board as a Transformers forum by further diluting it with irrelevant sections.
b/ You're establishing a precedent that may lead to further dilution.

you use the word dilution...... but im not sure if that's what you mean. do correct me if im wrong

People will post regardless of weather there is a lego section or not. The only thing it may 'dilute' is the post counts, slightly i might add. All its doing IMO is bringing a few threads together and placing them in an easier to access place. Considering this is primarily a transformers board, i doubt many if any people will join just to intersect in the lego section, because even though it now has its own 'section' as it were, its essentially no bigger than it was last week.

I would also like to hear how you think this would "lower the integrity" of the board. If, because we now have a lego 'section' we are lowering our integrity, then we've been 'doing' it for as long as my short stay, because there has always been 2 lego threads since i joined.

just my opinion, please if you have a problem with it, do retort

[jaydisc]

Hey Griffin, the new, smaller logo is a big improvement. Cheers.

[blackie]

Hey Griffin, the new, smaller logo is a big improvement. Cheers.

+1

[GoktimusPrime]

Also, Griffin does all the work and everything and maintains the board etc apart from delegating the moderation, so he can pretty much do whatever he wants haha

Of course. I'm merely voicing my opinions about some of the changes made. Speaking of which...

Hey Griffin, the new, smaller logo is a big improvement. Cheers.

I agree. Still not a big fan of the black background though. Would it be possible to make it "clear" or possibly bring those green and gold stripes back as the background?

People will post regardless of weather there is a lego section or not. The only thing it may 'dilute' is the post counts, slightly i might add. All its doing IMO is bringing a few threads together and placing them in an easier to access place. Considering this is primarily a transformers board, i doubt many if any people will join just to intersect in the lego section, because even though it now has its own 'section' as it were, its essentially no bigger than it was last week.

I would also like to hear how you think this would "lower the integrity" of the board.

As Sam said, it's about maintaining the "TFness" of the board. If OzFormers is meant to be a Transformers community then any threads not related to TFs are irrelevant - quite frankly if people want to discuss non-TF issues they can do it elsewhere. I think griffin has already been very gracious in the past by giving us Unicron's Non-TF discussion section... that was already more than adequate and I know that even some fans argued against having that section there - but I thought a single section was adequate for members to discuss their non-TF thoughts and interests.

But the more non-TF sections we have then the less of a TF board this place feels like.

If, because we now have a lego 'section' we are lowering our integrity, then we've been 'doing' it for as long as my short stay, because there has always been 2 lego threads since i joined.

There's also 2 threads about Doctor Who as well. But those threads were in one non-TF section. My point isn't about the number of non-TF related threads in the non-TF section - there are lots.

I think the Lego forum is great. It is more of a reflection that there is a big group of Lego fans here.
And I don't get the big deal. It's not like you are being forced to look at it or it's posts, so it doesn't really effect you.

It has a passive effect on my board experience as it makes me feel like I'm more on an Australian toy-collectors board rather than a Transformers board.

Plus there is an advantage. Since non-registered users can post, they could find this place, through the Lego forum and join to be part of that, and then get a liking for Transformers and join that fandom too. It has worked pretty much the other way around so far with people stumbling into the Lego topics and getting interested in it

What about people who are Lego fans who are not Transformers fans? I think it could be confusing...

And there are plenty of other non-TF toy lines which seem to be quite popular amongst members here including: Gobots, G.I. Joe, Macross, Robotech, Gundam, TMNT, WWE etc.

To me, having a TF board with a Lego section is like walking into a Japanese restaurant and seeing Laksa on the menu. And before you laugh, there's actually a so-called Japanese restaurant in Blacktown which does have Laksa on their menu. Now that's not to say that it's not a popular dish nor a delicious dish... but it's so not Japanese and when I see people eating Laksa at a Japanese restaurant... yeah. Might as well walk into a Chinese restaurant and order Souvlaki. (-_-)

[jaydisc]

So what dictates what appears at http://www.otca.com.au/ ? Is it a manual process?