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Clarification on Group & Post Changes

Hello everyone! ๐Ÿ–๏ธ
[b]We'd like to quickly clarify the purpose of the recent changes many of you may have noticed.[/b]


The recent announcement regarding today's changes to Similar Worlds:
https://similarworlds.com/100-Admin-Announcements/3431898-Updates-to-Groups-Posts-Hello-Similar-Worlds-The



Directly relates to this old announcement of [b]"SW Group & Category Re-Structuring"[/b],
which we have also referred to numerous times as [b]"Group Consolidation"[/b]:
https://similarworlds.com/100-Admin-Announcements/2149687-SW-Group-Category-Re-Structuring-Feedback


Where we discussed proposed improvements to Similar Worlds, with regards to the Groups and Categories that have existed* on SW since its launch.

[b]The goal is to [c=#800000][u]move Away from[/u]:
โ€ข The disorganized collections of "Groups" that were originally imported from EP.

โ€ข Having Questions exist in separate "Categories", completely unrelated to other posts.[/c]


and instead, [c=#005E2F][u]move Towards a more organized, Topic-based structure[/u].[/c][/b]


Instead of having to create Stories in oddly named groups like:
[c=#004A59][big]โ€ข I Love Animals Also People That Loves Animal[/big][/c]


Users will soon be able to post in better categorized topic areas;
for example:

[quote][c=#004A59][big]Animals & Nature ยป Pets ยป Dogs[/big][/c]

[c=#009E4F][b]โ€ข [u]Isn't my new Puppy cute!?[/u] ๐Ÿถ

โ€ข [u]I have a funny story to share about my dog today![/u] ๐Ÿ˜†

โ€ข [u]What type of pet dog do you recommend for me?[/u][/b][/c][/quote]


Here we can see, that both Stories and Questions sit side by side, in a very natural, relevant format,
under the same Sub-Topic / Group, called "Dogs (Pets)"

This way, [b]Relevance on SW will be Greatly Improved[/b],
as users will be able to find topics they are interested in, much better grouped together than they currently are.

The same will benefit users who would like to [b][c=#800000]Block certain Topics[/c][/b] as well.

[sep]

The recent changes we have made to Similar Worlds, was done [b]in preparation for the full restructuring of Groups[/b], which is something most users have been requesting for a long time.

To facilitate a smoother transition into the newer coming groups structure, we figured it would be best to release the changes in stages.

You should expect to see further improvements to Similar Worlds over the coming weeks,
leading towards a full change, into the new, organized, topic-based format we have been discussing with members for a long time.


Thanks and best regards!
[i]-The SW Team[/i]
DeluxedEdition ยท 26-30, F
are you guys still considering making an app?
SW-User
I love you Andrew!
This message was deleted by its author.
ProfessorPlum77 ยท 70-79, MVIP
@sspec [c=#800000]I concur. [/c]
Temporallube ยท M
โ€œ The same will benefit users who would like to Block certain Topics as well.โ€

Iโ€™ve been saying that for a while! I am glad youโ€™re giving members that function ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿฝ
Temporallube ยท M
@MarkPaul youโ€™re my number one fan โ˜บ๏ธ
MarkPaul ยท 26-30, M
@Temporallube OMG. You want credit for that too?
Temporallube ยท M
@MarkPaul I deserve it ๐Ÿ™„
BlueVeins ยท 22-25
Thanks for de-cluttering the groups section. I don't love the merging of the two sections, but it's worth it.
RopinTexan ยท 31-35, M
While I like the fact that you merged questions and stories into simple โ€œposts,โ€ Iโ€™m not a huge fan of moving away from the groups. The โ€œquestionsโ€ were virtually pointless, since half of these so-called โ€œquestionsโ€ werenโ€™t even questions at all. However, I like the structure of groups. Itโ€™s a way to connect with others with the same experience. If I want to meet others who love to sing, I can go to the โ€œI love to singโ€ group and see all the posts from others in that group.

I do understand the need to move away from the disorganized and grammatically incorrect group names, but it seems like you could just monitor that yourselves. For example, if thereโ€™s one group called โ€œI love to singโ€ and another called โ€œI love singing,โ€ you could just merge those two into a single group.
DeWayfarer ยท 61-69, M
Off topic really.

Why does SW put PM messages in requests?

I have no filters at all specifically because I want something rather than nothing at ALL!

I just found one message from a month ago and really didn't know about it. Person is still here yet no longer active.

If people want their PMs filtered that's fine. Yet I can filter far better myself than ANY bot can.

I have no blocks either!!!


There really should be an option box at the bottom with all the other filters to turn that off.

You can leave it as a default. Yet at least let us turn it off!

I rarely get messages and therefore can filter them myself better! Not like I get more than 1 message a month! Heck sometimes every 3 months.
DeWayfarer ยท 61-69, M
@Virgo79 or complain a little too hard. I was a bit miffed that I couldn't find a certain post because the featured post symbol was too small. I thought the featured post was a regular post. Latest post on top.

So they outline it.
Virgo79 ยท 61-69, M
@DeWayfarer it would take several and most like it this way๐Ÿ˜’
I can't stay up with it.
DeWayfarer ยท 61-69, M
@Virgo79 I am not a petitioner either. In fact I am highly against it for whatever reasons large or small.

What I did was more of a personal rant with someone that few actually saw. The post was long out of the new post que. So I was surprised that the outline happened a couple of weeks later.
bookerdana ยท M
It seems counter productive to put long stories into the main feed which was short questions and takes away the ability to distinguish between the two..I think the end result will be even less stories
Zoranna ยท F
@bookerdana Like black armbands. lol Nah, they'd just think we're all crazy. Don't answer that! ๐Ÿ˜†
bookerdana ยท M
@Zoranna Exactly and it could work but not without widespread motivation..which seems lacking..still it seems a shame to waste such an idea

[image deleted]
"I was tortured in the SW jail"๐Ÿ™„
Zoranna ยท F
@bookerdana ๐Ÿ˜จ Just a bit extreme. I did say I was [b]slightly[/b] exasperated. lol
DeWayfarer ยท 61-69, M
Sorry if I am repeating anything already answered. Just don't have the time to go through all the replies from the links you have listed.

[b][u]Wow a lot of changes all at once![/u][/b]

[b]Q: how will this effect our old group followings if at all?[/b]

I had over 6 thousand group followings and almost all the question categories. Just wondering how these will be merged together on the awards.

[b]Q: Would you consider a feed of everything posted? [/b]

Sort of an "All" or "Everything" feed or perhaps make that a group by itself. Just make it something that you have to select purposely not as a default.

This would make it so much easier for any new person that hasn't gone through over 6000 groups as I have. It took me years to go through all that.

[b]Q: would you consider a custom feed option like on Reddit? With multiple feeds you can select?[/b]

Where similar group posts as a single feed? This I am certain would be liked by many, perhaps everyone. And just might make these changes more tolerable.

[b]Q: Would consider making changes to the edit box? [/b]

I really would like to add clickable links. It might alleviate all some of the YouTube only video problems some new people are having.

[sep]

Wish we had more warning on all this. Like a couple of weeks at least. ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿปโ€โ™‚๏ธ

Yet thanks for trying. At least you folks are trying to change. ๐Ÿ˜
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DeWayfarer ยท 61-69, M
@geoam1 more concerned about the awards.

It took me years to go through all that. And as Nuno said on one of the replies on the first link, 70% of those groups are safe for work type groups.

Sometimes I am just not interested in "Everything".
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Longpatrol ยท 31-35, M
Great work Andrew & Team. Always good to see that SW is one of the few sites with active and passionate mods that are still invested in user satisfaction.
texasborn89 ยท 31-35, M
You should combine groups that have similar names into just 1. We dont need several groups that say the same thing
SW-User
Oh great thanks for explaining I thought the site was having problems ๐Ÿ‘
bookerdana ยท M
@Zoranna I was going to ask if that were to [b]extreme[/b]๐Ÿ˜ฌ
But surely you must know how hard it is to get the right "bag"๐Ÿ˜‚

[image deleted]
bookerdana ยท M
@Zoranna Sigh......I was thinking of posting two stories but to post them in this anti-vaxxer,racist effluent stream seems like a waste of time๐Ÿ˜ญ
Zoranna ยท F
@bookerdana Yep, it probably is but post them anyway. You never know.
bookerdana ยท M
@Zoranna I might,,but if I do it will only be under a protest avie like a red cross...or a nice leather bag!๐Ÿคญ
SW-User
[big]What do we want?[/big]
[i][big][b]Dark mode![/b][/big][/i]
[big]When do we want it?[/big]
[i][big][b]At your earliest convenience! Thank you for making this website awesome![/b][/big][/i]
NeuroticByNature ยท 41-45, F
@SW-User ๐Ÿ˜„
NeuroticByNature ยท 41-45, F
Thank you guys for your efforts. It is appreciated.
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quitwhendone ยท M
Will the Groups/Topics be organized into categories?
quitwhendone ยท M
@Andrew Can you explain the difference between "Popular" and "Active" groups?

What about "Recommended?" How do groups get recommended?
ShaneMckay ยท 41-45, M
@Andrew So, YOU will decide what topics are suitable. Hmm. Kinda like Bejing does. I see.
NerdyPotato ยท M
@ShaneMckay yes, but that's not being introduced by this update. SW always had rules against things that are illegal in many countries.

And that's not unique to SW or even social media either. Stores and restaurants have house rules too.

Most people even have rules for visitors. When your neighbor asks you to take off your shoes at the door or not to take a dump on the coffee table, do you draw the comparison with censorship in Bejing there too?
User41 ยท 36-40, M
Andrew!

Can I please please please have best comment!?
User41 ยท 36-40, M
You shush, I asked Andrew!

@MarkPaul
Longpatrol ยท 31-35, M
@User41 this was not unexpected lol
User41 ยท 36-40, M
Expect the unexpected




@Longpatrol
SW-User
Thanks @Andrew.

Just a question for people like me that use Friends & Groups filter on their feed.

Will that migrate to Friends & Topics in the fullness of time?

I like that feature as it means I avoid topics I've no interest in and avoid being upset the way I see some users get seeing what they feel are posts they'd rather not.

I'd just like to put I a plug for retaining that kind of feature as you move sw forward. Thanks for all the hard work of the team.
SW-Admin ยท Admin
@SW-User Yup - that feature is to stay. Whether it's called "Groups" or "Topics", we'll definitely keep this filter for people who only want to see contents from Groups/Topics they follow. Have a great day.
I just figured out how this site works and now it's changing. Lol. Cool.
StellaBlue ยท F
I LIKE the CURRENT groups, ON EP we USE to be able to make NEW GROUPS. I LIKE the Quirky groups and the different groups for the same thing. i.e. I may only [b]LIKE[/b] a musical artist, or [b]LOVE[/b] another, therefore I am given many options about a topic. I am asking you please do not delete all the GROUPS, it's going make SW boring. IF Sooo will SWEEPS be able to make GROUPS again?
FaeLuna ยท 31-35, F
Ooh, I'm actually really excited for this!
curiosi ยท 61-69, F
Thank you for keeping us updated.
DudeistPriest ยท M
It's got a hierarchical structure that makes sense. I recall at EP people would haphazardly create group names that now make little natural sense as imported here. I like its logical nature and can see it growing in many directions soon.
ProfessorPlum77 ยท 70-79, MVIP
Great idea!
gregloa ยท 61-69, M
๐Ÿ‘
DesiDudeJ04 ยท 26-30, M
I didn't get EP point.
Though I was on EP and I have imported my EP thing here when I joined this site.
ShaneMckay ยท 41-45, M
So, what you're saying is, " All change is good, even if it harms the original idea." Am I wrong?
ShaneMckay ยท 41-45, M
" . . .Block certain topics." This isn't going to be CENSORSHIP, is it?
NerdyPotato ยท M
@ShaneMckay No more than blocking/muting people or filtering your homepage down to only groups and categories you follow, which has been available for years.
DDonde ยท 31-35, M
[quote]
The same will benefit users who would like to Block certain Topics as well.[/quote]
Hurrah
bijouxbroussard ยท F
Okay, that sounds good, then. ๐Ÿ™‚
ImperialAerosolKidFromEP ยท 46-50, M
I've been waiting for blockable topics for the better part of 10 years! I've also been wanting to block EPpers/SWeeps who [i]belong[/i] to certain groups

 
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