"Filer" threads

[Fandango 1,439]

Believe it or not, people actually bounced plenty of excitement off each other before the 'filer' threads. So there's really nothing 'evolutionary' here. There's just more separation.

The "Search" feature here has always been woeful. Using it won't change until it's more user friendly.

The timeline function, if modified, could give people the 'monthly' data they need. Although, why they want it, I have no idea. They'd be much better served looking at data for their Service Center and/or Consulate (at K1 stage) or District Office (at AOS stage).

But that's YOUR opinion, Becca....and speaking as someone who has participated in the filer thread, and one who's going through this now....I like them. Apparantly a lot of other people do too. You didn't have them when you were going through, but that doesn't mean they're useless. They serve a purpose. It's evolution.

I have to say, for you to come in all 'Get rid of them' seems a bit misguided as well as '#######?'. If you don't like them, don't read them. But there's no need to kill the joy that the rest of us get from them.

[Captain Ewok 1,857]

I just took a look at the AOS forum and it seems like there are only four of the twenty threads that are "month filer" related. Is it typically worse that this? Creating a sub-forum for only a few topics wont help much unless typically there are a lot of them. The K1 forum is a good example where the filing forum seems to stack up quick while leaving the main forum on topic and useful.

In any case if we want a sub forum for AOS for status threads than we need to make sure it will have critical mass first. Please let me know on if this exists.

[Captain Ewok 1,857]

One nice tip as well is that people can search for all the posts made by people from their home country in particular forums to find useful information. For example. Here is a list of all topics started by people related to Brazil taking in the Embassy Forum:

http://www.visajourney.com/portals/index.p...zil&ppage=5

[trueimage 0]

Why should we deny these threads to those who want them?

You're correct in a friendly, philosophical way.

My only concern is the PURPOSE of the community. Which is finding information.

I wholeheartedly believe friendships and support can be had here without sub-categorizing everyone.

I just went into the K1 subforum & boy is it a mess. I would never know where to look for anything useful!

There are 2 May filer threads, one July filer thread, an April filer thread, a Feb filer thread, a March filer thread, 3 approval threads, a SEPARATE VSC filer thread, & a pot thread .

I do frequently visit the normal K1 forum though, and appareciate how much more informative it is.

Exactly, that was the subforum, not the main thread.

[rebeccajo 14]

Believe it or not, people actually bounced plenty of excitement off each other before the 'filer' threads. So there's really nothing 'evolutionary' here. There's just more separation.

The "Search" feature here has always been woeful. Using it won't change until it's more user friendly.

The timeline function, if modified, could give people the 'monthly' data they need. Although, why they want it, I have no idea. They'd be much better served looking at data for their Service Center and/or Consulate (at K1 stage) or District Office (at AOS stage).

But that's YOUR opinion, Becca....and speaking as someone who has participated in the filer thread, and one who's going through this now....I like them. Apparantly a lot of other people do too. You didn't have them when you were going through, but that doesn't mean they're useless. They serve a purpose. It's evolution.

I have to say, for you to come in all 'Get rid of them' seems a bit misguided as well as '#######?'. If you don't like them, don't read them. But there's no need to kill the joy that the rest of us get from them.

Is it 'misguided' and '#######' because it's my opinion? I bet if it were yours, it would just be calling it as you see it.

"Monthly" date time-tracking serves no useful purpose to the site. No worthwhile data can be obtained from it. During petition processing, it's more useful to compare your progress to other people who filed at your same Service Center. During AOS, it's more useful to compare people going through your same District Office.

The only purpose of the "monthly filer" threads is comraderie. There's nothing wrong with that at all unless useful information gets buried. I think Laura's suggestion that informational posts within those threads be 'split' from the filer thread is the best solution.

Edited July 30, 2007 by rebeccajo

[rebeccajo 14]

Some of the discussion is going in a circle here:

Having filer threads makes information more difficult to find.

Google search works much better than the forum search we used to have.

We don't need filer threads for people to find a connection with other members.

The filer threads are how some members find that connection.

There's no harm in some members using the filer threads, and they have value for some people.

We agree that the purpose of the forum is find information and to connect with other people who are or have been in our situation. We can have both, with or without filer threads, but the filer threads help some people.

Can we accept that all of the above is true?

So all should remain the same then?

*shrugs*

It's no wonder that new members get confused and post right off the bat, rather than researching a bit. The overall layout of this place is very very confusing, IMO. Every once in a while, I take a look at the whole picture and pretend I don't know squat - that I'm trying to find an answer. (Heck, sometimes I don't even have to pretend if I'm looking into an situation that's new to me.) I humbly believe it's much more difficult to locate information on VJ than it was 3 years ago.

I'd just like to see things around here be simple and easy to use. You know - KISS? Keep It Simple, Silly. It's starting to remind me of a bureaucracy - getting bigger and bigger all the time, adding more and more useless layers.

[no name 1]

Why should we deny these threads to those who want them?

You're correct in a friendly, philosophical way.

My only concern is the PURPOSE of the community. Which is finding information.

I wholeheartedly believe friendships and support can be had here without sub-categorizing everyone.

I just went into the K1 subforum & boy is it a mess. I would never know where to look for anything useful!

There are 2 May filer threads, one July filer thread, an April filer thread, a Feb filer thread, a March filer thread, 3 approval threads, a SEPARATE VSC filer thread, & a pot thread .

I do frequently visit the normal K1 forum though, and appareciate how much more informative it is.

Exactly, that was the subforum, not the main thread.

And where is the control/order in there? There isn't any! Defeats the purpose, no? And there is no reason why a pot thread should even be in there.

[rebeccajo 14]

And there is no reason why a pot thread should even be in there.

LOLOLOL.....I think that's a great thread. I'm moving it to consulates............

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Pot thread??? maybe i should go have a read at this

[rebeccajo 14]

Pot thread??? maybe i should go have a read at this

Hahahaha....we've had the conversation around here many times before. Useful to resurrect it occasionally, I'm sure.

[no name 1]

And there is no reason why a pot thread should even be in there.

LOLOLOL.....I think that's a great thread. I'm moving it to consulates............

it seems to be more about evading authorities than consulates...

[~*Maria*~ 1]

I'm sure you do i've just never noticed it before, maybe i should pop into this part of the site more often then

And there is no reason why a pot thread should even be in there.

LOLOLOL.....I think that's a great thread. I'm moving it to consulates............

it seems to be more about evading authorities than consulates...

More than likely devilette

[~Nini~ 2]

For the most part I've avoided using the filer thread for myself because I got the feeling that I would have a bunch of angry, jealous responses if I said anything encouraging. But I've also noticed that other people seem to get a sense of camaraderie and togetherness in those threads while they're waiting for their approvals or whatnot.

Does that mean that we should obliterate filer threads altogether? I don't believe so - if it helps someone feel better that there's at least twenty or so other people out there waiting for similar approvals, then great, go go community.

But in the same token, do I think they're getting out of control? Yes, definitely. It seems like people are using the filer threads as a way to get their information "spoonfed" to them, not to mention that there are more and more of these quasi-hysterical "omg i didn't get my noa2" threads.

[no name 1]

But in the same token, do I think they're getting out of control? Yes, definitely. It seems like people are using the filer threads as a way to get their information "spoonfed" to them, not to mention that there are more and more of these quasi-hysterical "omg i didn't get my noa2" threads.

Esp the OMG WHERE'S MY NOA2 threads....

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Biometrics threads....maybe we could have a sticky in the AOS forum

Edited July 30, 2007 by MariaDane