you need quite a head of steam to sustain a forum. Probably comments works best. Only in unusual circumstances do your comments run away with themselves (Maltby). For most of us it’s convenient to see comments connected with their initiating post (your thoughts O wise Peter!)
How would it ‘sit’ with other forums? The three samples you give on the link are endlessly debated on Anglican Mainstream to no end at all; I bet you would simply get the same people rehearsing the same arguments. Fulcrum seems to have a much wider appeal, and exhibits a bit more ‘sanity’ than AM. Faithspace, like AM, seems to be dying a bit at present, simply because people have been over the same old same old over and over again.   Thinking Anglicans, whilst clearly from a different standpoint to your own, is probably my favourite way of doing things and seems to combine forum/comment/reaction to Anglican affairs in a most coherent way.Â
I think the question of whether you want to end up moderating a forum is the one you need to answer?   Thankless task…..    Â
 I spend to much time online as it is, so wouldn’t want to get involved in a forum. The current method works fine (especially with email alerts to new posts).
A forum would be a very interesting and no doubt useful addition to your blog, which I read with great interest every day.
Thank you for your good and helpful work.
Dear Peter,
you need quite a head of steam to sustain a forum. Probably comments works best. Only in unusual circumstances do your comments run away with themselves (Maltby). For most of us it’s convenient to see comments connected with their initiating post (your thoughts O wise Peter!)
Regards,
JF.
I think I’d want it for occasional threads rather than ongoing chats – a place to discuss a particular theme in more detail.
But yes, one does have to ask what purpose it achieves above and beyond the interaction on the comments.
How would it ‘sit’ with other forums? The three samples you give on the link are endlessly debated on Anglican Mainstream to no end at all; I bet you would simply get the same people rehearsing the same arguments. Fulcrum seems to have a much wider appeal, and exhibits a bit more ‘sanity’ than AM. Faithspace, like AM, seems to be dying a bit at present, simply because people have been over the same old same old over and over again.   Thinking Anglicans, whilst clearly from a different standpoint to your own, is probably my favourite way of doing things and seems to combine forum/comment/reaction to Anglican affairs in a most coherent way.Â
I think the question of whether you want to end up moderating a forum is the one you need to answer?   Thankless task…..    Â
I simply don’t want to repeat something like Anglican Mainstream or Fulcrum or similar and I certainly don’t want to get into moderating a forum.
Looks like we’re coming to a “not really, thanks” conclusion. Anybody else want to contribute?
You do need to have steam to run a forum. It takes a lot fo work. I am sure if you do your homework you’ll do well.
 I spend to much time online as it is, so wouldn’t want to get involved in a forum. The current method works fine (especially with email alerts to new posts).