[Big Mac]

Upon contemplating useful potential pursuits, it came to me that a really great new MacNN forum could be Hardware and Software Reviews. Such a forum would focus ideally on third party hardware and software reviews; posters would provide objectively written pieces on a wide variety of products. As I envision it, replies to each thread of the forum would consist predominately of reviews, rather than back and forth discussion, thereby limiting noise. Each thread participant could limit him or herself to one post, making additions through edits if necessary. The posting etiquette and enforcement thereof would be left up to the moderator's discretion.

I feel such an area would be of great utilitarian value, especially if the forum were kept intelligible. Not only would general rules for reviews have to observed, but topic posting would also have to be regulated as to avoid redundancy. As an example, said forum could contain threads such as "Firewire CD-RWs," "Word Processors" and "Desktop Publishing," yet, consequently, redundant threads such as, "Plextor v. Toshiba," "MS Word," and "Quark or InDesign?" would be disallowed.

We're the ones who actually use these products on a day-to-day basis; we're the informed Mac users; why not have a forum dedicated to reviews? Many great reviews are posted all the time, but there's no way to access them effectively when they are truly needed. The main purposes of the MacNN Reviews Forum would be to a) consolidate and centralize disparate knowledge, b) reduce bantering/vitriol that sometimes slows other threads and, finally, c) to inform and empower fellow Mac users. I sincerely hope others see the need for and benefit of this hypothetical forum.

[ 02-16-2002: Message edited by: Big Mac ]

[rjenkinson]

this is a good idea. but there should also be some FAQs to reference when people asked the same old questions.

-r.

[Cipher13]

There used to be a forum (News and Advoc, no?) where revirews were posted... at one stage all there was there was reviews.

[Apple Pro Underwear]

where did they go then?

[SofaKing$]

Still available here: http://forums.macnn.com/cgi-bin/ulti...&SUBMIT=Go just not linked from the main forums page, so no one ever visits anymore.

[Timo]

I think this is a great idea. At the very least it would narrow any searches for review and basic product info.

[gorgonzola]

Yes, I agree- this is a good idea.

We're planning on relaunching our reviews.macnn.com hardware/software reviews soon, and this forum would nicely complement that.

Coming Soon.™

[Big Mac]

Thank you so much for the compliment, gorgonzola! Very cool indeed.