Community Category Refresh - Request for Comment

[Drew_C]

Hello Everyone,
It's become apparent that the category options here on The Hub could be improved. During the development of GTAC Knowledge, I spent time working on the groupings used there and have since worked up a plan to better align the categories in our community with some of those used in GTAC Knowledge. Before I work to implement these, I want to give everyone a chance to comment and provide feedback on them.

What you see below are two slides I used to solicit responses internally on these topics.
Please have a look and let me know what you think.

Categories on the left are the existing set of options. The ones on the right will be what you see when you go to the Categories page, and will be your new options when starting new conversations. Some may not change at all, and some may disappear. The diagram below gives an indication of how this will work.

A few categories will be combined into a larger one, and others will be broken up and possibly replaced.

Here's the next challenge... how to implement them. This is another area where I'd appreciate your feedback!
There's no way for me to disable alert emails. As I move topics from one category to another, you could potentially receive LOTS of emails 😞
Here's what I can do:

1. I can post an announcement, apologizing for the email overload and let it be. Potentially hundreds of emails could be sent. OR
2. I can create completely new categories, some with the same name. Then I'd move all of the existing conversations from the "old" category into the new one, which won't have any followers yet. Nobody gets an email. The downside here is that everyone would have to re-follow any groups of interest to receive the desired email alerts for new topics, etc.

So, which would you prefer? Deal with emails and not have to re-follow categories, or avoid an email explosion and ask everyone to re-follow? Which do you think has the higher likelihood of keeping people interested?

Remember, this is your community. What do you think of the category structure I've proposed? Is anything missing?

Thanks in advance,
-Drew

[Drew_C]

Thanks for the feedback so far!
It sounds like the best thing to do for me to do will be to create new categories and move conversations into them. Everyone will have to resubscribe, but there won't be a ton of email going out. This also keeps us off any spam lists 🙂

Before deleting an "old" category, I'll post a message to trigger an email. The message will contain a link to the new category for users to re-follow. That should be best.
I'll be able to implement the new categories by this Wednesday, but may end up having to wait until the 2nd week of May to complete everything. I'll do my best to keep updates coming.

-Drew

[John_McNeil]

I like the new catagories - would prefer not to have hundreds of emails - but being new to the community neither one would be a big hassle.

[Frank]

I like the new structure. Will it still be possible to checkmark multiple categories? For instance "Extreme-XOS, Routing&Switching, and Scripting" (if the question pertains to all three)?

As to the email, I'm neutral. I can filter mass-mails just as well as (re) subscribe.

How about a growing "Configuration Examples" section, perhaps attached to the FAQs?

[Frank]

Configs: Yeah, that'd be a great spot.
I know, I'm spoiled with the gazillion examples from "that other router/switch manufacturer"