I just modified CathInfo so that I can switch on/off each subforum from appearing in the Recent Posts, Recent Topics page, and the front page Recent Topics.

Right now, I turned off "Flat Earth" topics from appearing in these places.

But since I wrote this modification "the right way", I can easily add any other subforum(s) to this "2nd class" status in the future.

This seems like it will be a significant improvement.  Thank you.  I am looking forward to seeing it in practice.

You won, Jayne. Congratulations. :applause:

Now you can focus on topics that really matter, instead of being stuck in the flat earth ghetto most of the time. 

Great upgrade! 

Good move!

.
Forums don't pay bills, they are a bill.

CathInfo, being a successful, well established forum, at least pays its own expenses. But it barely qualifies as a side income at this point. It earns enough to pay the Internet bill, and part of the electric bill. That's it.

The income is about 40-50% of what it once was. Note I didn't say traffic, I said income. I'm not exactly running a blog or website that talks about technology, visited by gadget freaks with money to donate, spend, etc. :)

Even Indult or Novus Ordo Catholics have better incomes, more money, and are more worldly (as a group) than the "serious, 7-day-a-week Trad Catholics" I target here on CI.

Trads are notoriously old, broke and un-materialistic as a group. Keep in mind, Trads don't practice birth control, and they are more likely than average to believe in, and practice, traditional gender roles (read: SINGLE INCOME HOUSEHOLD). Serious Trad Catholic beliefs close off many (more lucrative) employment opportunities which a Novus Ordo Catholic wouldn't have a problem pursuing. Long story short, Trads usually have many other goals besides "make as much money, and live as well, as I can!" They know when to say "enough" where money is concerned. They are more likely to homeschool (which costs money). I could go on with many other reasons why Trads are statistically poorer than most.

If I was looking for a way to earn money, I should have chosen ANY OTHER MARKET than the Trad market. Obviously this group is close to my heart (because I'm part of it) or I never would have bothered.

That's why I have to laugh at the idiots here and there who claim it's all about the money for me. They have no idea how little CathInfo earns, or how much time & trouble it has cost me over the years. They are simply ignorant and don't know what the ...heck... they're talking about.

Honestly,  I don't think it's going to help to attempt to "hide" the overwhelming popularity of the flat earth topic.

From my perspective, it's not about hiding this topic.  There's an entire subforum dedicated to it; it's easy to find and go there whenever you want.

This change is more about giving the "little guy" (i.e. the random, odd, or unusual topic) a chance to be seen in the "recent" list.  Some people don't spend the time to go through each forum to see "what's new", so this is a way for new threads, which might die under the old rules, to live another day.  Which will hopefully spur more traffic and varied conversations and more unique posts. 

Great move. 

Part of the electric bill and Internet bill, huh? Lots of time into this. Looks like my second online job ain't so bad.

Brilliant upgrade, Matthew!