I do agree that OVER segmentation has been a big problem. I really encountered it in the production forum. It got so segmented that there was nothing left. There is one new thread a week over there in production, it is a joke.
But, I also don't think we need to go to a totally flat system either. That would be annoying. I've never really gone to general because there were too many random self motivated (spammy) people there. I've always really enjoyed production and the snh because there has been a steadier group of people, as well as just generally good people. I am concerned that diluting the forum regulars amongst the drive by spammers could be the final blow for dsf. If our interactions become too diluted, no regular, positive users will remain.
About harassing new people - I think dsf got that reputation during the brostep wave. I don't know if you ever read the forum, or just cash the checks, but this place was assaulted with the vilest, pimple flecked wastes of human beings. In all honesty, if good people didn't put those people in their place, this forum would have been destroyed. I know you want to see big numbers but those were the wrong numbers. And where we are now, as a kind of wasteland, I find that the forum regulars are slobbering on new people, just to get some new blood around here. Occasionally someone will turn up with some type of personality disorder and try and cause problems, and those people are harassed and ultimately sent packing. I think you should appreciate regulars who do fend off the trolls, as we're your immune system, keeping this place usable.
And let me take this opportunity to thank you, Dubway, for this forum (and to all the mods who make it possible, except you suckle). It has been absolutely central in my musical life, I've learned about so much new music, I basically learned how to produce from some of the now ascended production forum masters, I've gotten professional work out of the forum, and I've had just a great time over the past 7 years. And as sad as it may be, on some dark days, dsf is all I've had, or needed to bring me back up into the light. So thank you!
BUT
I think the underlying problem is not the forum layout, or forum segmentation, or the (nonexistent) harassment of new members, but simply the collapse of dubstep as a genre. Way fewer people are interested in dubstep, so way fewer people are coming here. IMO you should be actively marketing dsf as an electronic music forum. I'd look to form relationships with events, other forums, and musical publications. There is a lot that could be done to drive traffic here, good traffic, traffic that sticks. You have to remember that we, your users, are all that you really have to offer. We create almost all of the content for you, and therefore produce almost all of the value of dsf. I've seen dsf lose really good members, because there just isn't enough going on, and not a high enough level of discussion taking place.
I don't know Dubway, I think you and dsf are in a very difficult position. IMO, you're at a make it or break it position. You don't have superficial problems, forum layout problems. You've got deep fundamental problems. You need to drive new GOOD users here (pull them out of facebook) or dsf will collapse entirely. Yes flattening and centralizing will help concentrate and foster user interactions, but too much flattening, and it will dilute meaningful interactions and further alienate your remaining user base.
Just purely for my sake, I really hope you make the right choices now.
