FAQ: How New Forums are Created

[Kelly B]

A new forum for a given language (or language pair) will most likely be created when ALL of the following conditions are met:

1) There is a steady flow of serious discussions in the Other Languages forum demonstrating consistent interest in and commitment to the language (or pair) in question.
2) Many active users - who are not just native speakers discussing their own language - are frequently submitting a fairly large number of posts about the language (or pair) on a regular basis.
3) We have one or more good moderator candidates who meet(s) the requirements specified here.

WR will not create a language forum under these circumstances:

A) In the hope or the expectation that a forum will create activity.
B) As a result of multiple requests for a forum here in Comments and Suggestions.

Again, when there is enough existing traffic that demonstrates a serious interest in a particular language or pair, Mike Kellogg (WR administrator) may choose to create a new forum.

 

[TrentinaNE]

And regarding the request for other types of forums, such as general discussion, here is Mike's "definitive" response:

I understand the desire to have more forums covering other needs of the community here. Announcements, literature, poetry, pen pals, even off-topic chat. These are all areas that many people would enjoy having here, and many of them are good ideas in general.
I'm Sorry, but I have no plans to open any of these forums anytime soon. First, there isn't sufficient moderator manpower nor willingness to moderate such forums. Second, these forums are growing at at amazing rate (+50% more posts compared to September). We want to concentrate on doing general language forums and continue doing it well without distraction by other ideas. Third, some of the suggested forums (like literature) are outside of the WR Forums' core purpose, which is basically vocabulary, grammar and other linguistic issues.
I also want to add one more note. I have seen quite a few references to democracy in the forums here. I just want to politely remind everyone that WordReference is a business, not a democracy. Like any good business it listens carefully to suggestions, of course.
And thanks for the suggestions,
Mike

Opening more threads in the Comments and Suggestions forum to plead for this type of addition to WRF won't change things.