Ideas for the Debates Section

[Apple]

First of all I'd like to say that I think Dan is doing a great job so far as the Debates Leader, however I think some things could be improved.

So at the moment there is only one active official debate, this debate in particular seems to of quietened down to the point that people aren't really posting anymore as most points have already been made. So these are my two suggestions:

1) Instead of debates lasting 2 weeks, perhaps 10 days would be a more appropriate amount of time so the debate doesn't go on long enough for people to lose interest or the debate itself to completely die out.

2) Have 2 official debates going at any given time rather than just 1.

And that's pretty much all I have to say as everything else is great!

[GommeInc]

I usually go by the idea that debates shouldn't need to be official. Members should be encouraged to post their own interesting topics, which you already get in the "Member Created Debates". Official ones tend to not be anymore interesting, so I've never really seen the point. Having more than one "official" one couldn't hurt though.

[Grig]

As a former debates leader, I disagree with your points; 10 days is too little time to gather the best amount of responses you would like in a debate. Some people are still debating over a topic by the last day of the debate- if anything we are generous with 2 weeks, they used to run for a month or even more.

The debate section always was SUPPOSED to be 2 debates at any given week and that's how I always ran it. These debates were always updated Sunday and worked out very well.

If this changed, then what happened- unless Dan does it another day of course. Although, Sunday is most sufficient as it is the start of a new week.

[Mr-Trainor]

I think it would be a good idea to have 2 debates open at once but I thnk that the 2 weeks is ok for now. It just depends on what the debate is and how much people have to say about it

[Grig]

If it's one debate per fortnight, might as well close the whole section down and just leave it to members debates.

[Nixt]

I usually go by the idea that debates shouldn't need to be official. Members should be encouraged to post their own interesting topics, which you already get in the "Member Created Debates". Official ones tend to not be anymore interesting, so I've never really seen the point. Having more than one "official" one couldn't hurt though.

The idea of leader ran debates is that top quality debaters can be given a reward (VIP). It's supposed to be another way of having something fun in place for the members, kind of thing! They are also supposed to be slightly more structured and moderated than member ran debates.

I think they're fine as it is, don't want to inundate the debates forum.

[Shar]

I think Dan is doing a fine job as debates leader and that the debates forum is doing just fine, however it might need to be advertised a bit more just to make it more popular.

[Hecktix]

There will be two debates running per fortnight, the day has changed from Sunday to a Wednesday, a debate will start each wednesday and last for two weeks therefore there will be two debates going at any one time.

Those of you who are observant enough will have noticed that Dan only got the job last week, therefore that's the reason only one debate is running - a second will start on Wednesday.

[beth]

i swear immigration comes up in the debates so frequently. ;/

[GommeInc]

The idea of leader ran debates is that top quality debaters can be given a reward (VIP).

But you get other awards for other forum activity, yet you don't need a "manager" for them, especially one that makes the threads. The member created ones seem far superior than the official ones. It's a debate section, it's meant to be taken seriously (serious as in, some thought going into an argument) and it seems the member created ones are taken quite seriously too.

Finding top quality debaters can't be that hard, unless you're really that lazy to go around the threads finding out the best debates and who's behind them. The forum has lost activity in the past, I can't see it being that feasible to keep it and is only being kept alive for some unknown reason, like the council, the welcome committee and a few other past features that weren't that amazing to keep alive.

Just my two cents at least :/