Ok after getting a few .. from Joe i think maybe:
It could be for newbies but also for updaters having extra subtopics for problems that only by [fresh install], and others by [updates].
While there one but often same failure could causing more problems / questions in once, but also in "one" overview readers and support could see OK more of same kind of problems only with Fresh install, or Update...
Also subs for different versions / releases? . And subs for the aplications parts, all together ore separated?
I hope you understand what i meaning to tell. You have such kind of own topics and subtopics very good in your documentation, why not more subdiversion here in support form. I did find a lot wen searching but found a complete forest while looking for that one tree.
Oyea then it could be also more handy for overview to have for that separate topics a sticky linking to the docs/faq for these topic/parts only. ( pointing her more direct to the mostly missed things, hoping again reading follow links could safe some support time)
Support/Joe delete this post after reading it, as it makes sense then, and changes i will see itself.
I actually think we need fewer categories in the forums. A lot of users, especially new users, don't know where their problem belongs, and so even with the number of categories we have now, posts are miscategorized as often as they're categorized correctly. Adding more categories will just divide it up even more without providing any new information.
I could see there being an "Installation Problems" forum category, and I believe that would be useful...even new users can probably understand that if the problem happened during or immediately after installation it is an "installation problem" while any other problem ought to go elsewhere.
I'm not going to make any forum changes right now, but in the new forum (which will come an indeterminate time in the future) I will juggle the forum categories a little bit, getting rid of unpopular ones by merging them into one (like Blue Skies and Developers can go together). And, I will make a note to consider adding a category for "Installation Problems".
I don't think we should delete your post, as it's a useful discussion to have with the whole community, or at least anyone who wants to help steer what the forums look like in the future. They will be getting an overhaul, so telling me now what you want it to look like is great! Mostly people just tell me that they really hate Drupal forums and that I'm a damned fool for choosing them, but constructive criticism would be more productive. ;-)
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Ok i also understand that mail problems for example could have a lot off very different causes, So understand your point also, if possible then the most important version nrs virtualmin, webmin, config maybe install script for topic starter with a dropdown but forcing to post them, needed a stickey somewhere how to find these, and hopefully ore the database of drupal could sort them out for you supporting.
TIP: After a while / future then if more "AI" is possible maybe automatic pointing to solution, so starting asap with such kind of extra labels could be helpfull for the future i think. ( service desk/support software whatever, yes or no in combi with a kind of bug tracking)
DRUPAL they maybe have something but don't know if a working solution yet while it tooks them a long time. https://www.drupal.org/node/1290740
How to label, aggregate and expose issues, docs, forum posts and groups to Topic pagesJOE you know you're only a damn fool to spend your time here for community, and that is a compliment!
i Gues you use this kind of? https://www.drupal.org/issue-tags
Then a idea to when something seems to develop ass issue in support forum part to move 1 to issue and to connect the other same tagged/labeled forumtopics automatic update with this link to it. ( then same thing get a same issue automated id link if possible should be a nice thing for support ) ( so example all: sasl virtualmin versionxx topics has then a link to the same issue automaticly, and topic starters could check if this solved their problem, also a overview then from these "same kind of" could created)
This while not everyone is succeeding to search / read / find forum related topics that could be the solution, makes thing more simple after integrated. ?
I hope i'm clear: So more same kind of poblems from different users, Virtualmin support say/create then only 1 issue then all that users automaticly pointed to even if they open a new topic in support forum for same problem, then if that is not solving the problem the user can react ofcourse.
If not automated possible, then at least to make / set some off these things manualy (extra tagid in the table) so it tooks less work for you guys, and if then a possible overview could be created also handy for readers topic starters.
This while topic starter most of the time only follow his/here topic and so misses probably a solved for it, waiting and waiting postings asking again and so on could be prevented this way