Ron (and anyone else that is interested), I'm beginning to take a rather dim view of compartmentalizing particular topics. Obviously, it is easily enough done, but what then happens to the personal interaction of a discussion forum, once there's nothing left to actually discuss?

Let's take for instance a forum about Smalltown, USA. It is a general discussion forum about what Smalltown has to offer its residents and visitors. It has been decided to separate all of Smalltown's offerings into individual forum sections, to make it easy for the forum visitors to locate information. There is a Restaurant Forum and it lists the location, hours and menus of Smalltown's three eateries. There is a Grocery Forum and it lists the two places to purchase bread and milk. (We didn't set up a Mortuary Forum, as there is only the one and people weren't dying <GROAN> to talk about it anyway.)

Now, when a new guest comes along, all he or she has to do is look in the Restaurant Forum and they know where to head off for dinner. No need to actually communicate with any of the other forum members, because all the info is already there, in black and white.

Rather smacks of a static Web site, doesn't it?

Yes, we can set up a page about dealing with dress codes, a page outlining what tartans you are "allowed" to wear, a page explaining that what a man is wearing 'neath his kilt is his own business, a page reminding everyone to visit Stirling Brig whilst in Alba and a page that defines legal recourse for those that have been inappropriately kilt-checked.

And if we do that, there won't be any need for a database, for memberships, site rules or for forum staff members, as there won't be any discussions, so things just got easier for everyone.

Does that really sound like a plan to you?

That being said, the topic of adding some static pages to this site is currently being tossed around. But I don't anticipate the forum taking on the look of an instruction booklet, even if they are added.