Personal Threads - extension of PM system

[RabbitWho]

How about if there was another sub-form where people could post threads for themselves and other people working on a project.
This sub forum could be set to be only readable by registered members and not guests (That's possible right? Loads of other forums have it) and therefore it wouldn't be indexed by google search spiders.
It wouldn't matter what threads were on the first page as this forum wouldn't be for browsing, these would be personal conversation and discussion threads for specific teams, and they would access them through their bookmarks.




[original post -undoable idea ]
If we're going to have groups of people working together on projects then PMs aren't enough.

Right now here are the different ways they can communicate

1. Main forum (too public, clutter)
2. PMs (max 2 people)
3. Instant Messenger Programs (Is skype the only one that allows you to share history on a conference? That's important!)
4. Google wave (It's still a glitchy and awkward interface)
5. Gmail (not everyone has it, and this isn't what it's designed for, other email services and you get re:re:re:re: lots of upside down text)

I assume everyone working in groups at the moment is communicating through skype or public threads?
Could you see an advantage in private threads in a private forum?
It would, like google wave and skype
- allow several people to talk together at once
- allow a new person to join to go back and look at all the history of the group and all the decisions that had been made.

It would, unlike google wave and skype:
- be possible to open the thread up to the public in the future
- be possible to embed pictures and videos and all that stuff which can help you illustrate your point and share information
- people could ad each other to threads instantly without having to trade contact information, and unlike skype timezones wouldn't matter a dang.
- be located on this forum so of course it's something all forum members are already signed up for.
- it wouldn't be search-able in Google and so this type of thing could be planned out
- it would make this forum the center for all activities and keep people here and keep their momentum up (we're used to a great atmosphere here)
- when an idea fails the thread could be made public and anyone who wants to take up a similar project can learn from their mistakes

How possible is it technically?

I know a board that has private forums, but none with private threads.
The LAST thing I want is a secret forum because this leads to an "Inner party/outer party" feel and can only lead to badness.

Is it worthwhile? Can you see the advantages over the public threads? Is it technically possible?

[MCPuppet]

I can see where you're coming from with this, and I agree that in a lot of circumstances this would be a good idea.
But also, Dan stated he would much prefer if people would hear each other's voices by means of Skype. However, I think doing both would be very beneficial, since the whole time-zone thing going on, and the ability to actually see your ideas.

[RabbitWho]

Aye, and people could still make special conversational youtube channels and post videos so they could talk face to face / voice to voice.

[Sean]

Great suggestion!

I don't think proboards have an option like that yet...

[Karson]

Its possible. But not practical. It would require someone to hide the thread via javascript every time a new thread was posted.


I doubt they would be willing to put this much work into something so small.

I agree it would be a nice feature. Not sure how it could be implemented though.

[mashuga31]

i like this idea... a lot

[Johncoyne]

I like this idea, but I'm not sure if it's necessary. It would be cool, though.

MCPuppet- we don't always have to agree with Dan. My triad tried vocal chat, but it was awkward and unprepared.

[RabbitWho]

Updated doable-ness of the idea. (Practicality is irrelevant on the internet where information can be duplicated infinite times and there are unlimited resourses, doablility is the only obsticle)

How about if there was another sub-form where people could post threads for themselves and other people working on a project or whatever.
This sub forum could be set to be only readable by registered members and not guests (That's possible right? Loads of other forums have it) and therefore it wouldn't be indexed by google search spiders.
It wouldn't matter what threads were on the first page as this forum wouldn't be for browsing, these would be personal conversation and discussion threads for specific teams, and they would access them through their bookmarks.

I think as the forum grows this will get more and more necessary.


My only concern is that it could facilitate the forming of sub-tribes, and I'm not sure this would be a good thing "The fantastic 5 hangout" type situation where people feel they have a group of like-minded souls and they no longer need to interact with the rest of the community.