[!info] READ BEFORE VOTING: Any member can mute any category they like by going to that category, clicking on the notification bell, and selecting Muted.
It will then be hidden from the Latest page, but still accessible in Categories.
My question is, do you think topics in The Lounge category should be hidden from the Latest list globally, by default (but still available in Categories)?
The main reason for doing this from my own point of view as site administrator is that I would prefer new visitors to the forum—such as those arriving from search results—to see philosophical topics at the top of the home page. It might be significant for search engine optimization (SEO) as well.
UPDATE: Turns out there’s a solution for that, which is to hide the category from visitors who are not logged in. I’ve done that now, and this poll is thus rendered mostly irrelevant.
I believe the lounge is also a nice and intriguing place to share ideas and views with the rest of the users. Perhaps it might not hold deep and serious conversations about philosophy, but it helps to get to know each other better.
When I see what you are listening to or watching right now, I also learn from you. I discovered, thanks to the lounge, new jazz bands and very good films.
Let’s not forget that having a place to relax with a cup of coffee is also important.
I agree entirely. But voting “No” doesn’t necessarily follow from this. That is, one can agree with everything you say and still believe that The Lounge should be hidden globally by default.
It’s true that people can hide it themselves, in their own personal settings, but the question is if we want Lounge topics to dominate the Latest page as viewable by people who are not logged in (who we want to sign up) and by search engines.
With the Lounge showing on Latest by default, there will be many times when new visitors will just see Lounge topics at the top, instead of philosophy. This would give the wrong impression (or at least an impression I wouldn’t want to give )
I don’t have strong feelings, but for what it’s worth, I rarely went to the lounge in the old forum. That was mostly because the posts there rarely got much in the way of responses. This would change that, but it also might clutter up the front page.
)
A brief excursion into the admin panel revealed this poll was unnecessary: I can hide the Lounge from guests (non-logged-in visitors).