# Discourse Observations fr a Programmer & Auto Enthusiast

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-observations-fr-a-programmer-auto-enthusiast/12106>\
**Category:** Praise\
**Created:** [January 21, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-observations-fr-a-programmer-auto-enthusiast/12106 "2014-01-21T21:47:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 3

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**Author:** ![raysspl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/raysspl/32/107903_2.png) [@raysspl](https://meta.discourse.org/u/raysspl)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 11:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-observations-fr-a-programmer-auto-enthusiast/12106/3 "2014-01-21T23:25:19Z")

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I actually have no immediate problem other than what I listed in a separate topic: **[category and sub-category relation](https://meta.discourse.org/t/category-sub-category-relation/12095)**

I’m thinking out loud without my developer/designer hat on. I have many auto enthusiast friends who are non-technical [non-engineers] and they all understand folder/directory forum layout well. My concern is that the homepage of any Discourse forum may be a bit too visually loaded..?

For example private and commercial commerce are very popular functions in automotive forums, as I’m sure is the same for some other forums, and I’m not too sure if category **private sellers** with many sub-categories such as **FS: wheels & tires** visually look appealing when I created a similar category **commercial vendors** with many sub-categories such as **FS: wheels & tires**. The commercial vendor sub-categories hardly have any differentiation from the ones under private sellers; color being the exception.

One way I suppose is to include a visual cue in the subcategory such as **Commercial FS: wheels & tires** and **Private FS: wheels & tires** to differentiate them. If I do take this route, this essentially will make them parent categories and there won’t be a need for sub-categories, which is not bad and kinda awesome, I suppose.

I surmise you folks continue to think about this critically and I’m really just thinking out loud for non-technical users of a Discourse forum. I’m all ears for any suggestions on how to make it ‘visually appealing’

Here’s [ft86club.com](http://ft86club.com). A very popular car forum dedicated for the Toyata/Subaru FRS/BRZ. Easy to spot points of interest in the home page. It’s on vBulletin. I’m thinking maybe a Discourse forum home page should land in the category page?

 ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/2X/8/8a6321d0f9774cf31cfa2915fed8497ff01bcae1.png)

PS: I think I may just go use **Private FS: wheels & tires** and **Commercial FS: wheels & tires** as parent categories thus negating the need for sub-categories! [I’m still all ears for any suggestions, though!]

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