Because in my opinion, the coffee shop is the place to comment. That's always been the attraction here at the "modelrailroadforums.com". I can make multiple comments in one place, at one time. For example comment on the weather, what's going on in my neighborhood, health matters, respond to multiple posters, include photos of my layout and or prototype railroads, or fire trucks, all in one post at one time and all without deviating the topic. In a specific topic forum, I can only comment concerning the topic....then go to another topic for an additional comment. I don't bother with specific topic strings, because to me they are inconvenient. There are numerous categories available for those who like that way, and the coffee shop for those that prefer Free Form. Personally, I don't see a problem with the way it was, and someone's need to upset the apple cart and piss so many people off.
Ok fair enough, I have no idea if there was a complainant about that and I agree to a point, but and I stress this is
NOT a complaint, merely an
observation, and I'm going to use Willie as an example, so sorry Willie.
Willie I think we can all agree is an excellent modeller, his layout is comprehensive and very diverse,with varied scenery, building's etc. he has spent a lot of time and energy to get the layout to where it is, and is still not complete.
Now, Willie only post's in the coffee shop, I know he post's in other thread's with his extremely diverse knowledge of American RR's and advice on other topic's, but his layout as far as I can find, can only be found in the shop.
Now as someone who loves his work, in order to follow this work, I have to trawl thro' a myriad of post's concerning the weather, Cooking tip's, the NBL NFL, BBQ sauce Gravy etc. etc. which is fine, that is what the shop is all about, I get it, but I have little interest in most of it as it's either of no interest or it's happening a couple of thousand miles away, but if something catches my eye I'll comment as you know.
I would
myself, (again this is my opinion) prefer Willie to have his own thread for his layout, where someone like myself can follow ask question's about his work, without trawling thro' 101 post's to get, to my mind, the ONE golden nugget of his layout.
Now I know you'll probably say "well scroll past till you get to what you want" My answer is I can't, the coffee shop is locked away every month, and by the time I find something I want to ask Willie about, in a post say 18 months ago, by the time I've returned to present day, I'll probably have forgotten.
Now Willie has been a member for 12 years, so if I want to go back to the beginning, assuming he started his layout post's soon after becoming a member, how many thousand of previous post's do you think I would have to trawl through.