Member Survey

[Jon]

Hi all,

 

We are now up and running on the new server (although a couple of bugs are still being worked out...).

 

I have created a survey to ascertain your feelings towards the way in which the site is being run at present, what you would like to see improved, what you would do differently etc. As members, you are the ones who keep this site going, and as a result I greatly value your opinions.

 

This thread is for you to objectively provide critism/praise/suggests for any aspect of the site which you think needs it. You can say what you believe needs to be improved and I ask you to be as open and honest as possible. I am not saying that everything mentioned in this thread will be acted upon, however all opinions will be valued.

 

Now we have moved to a new server, this has opened up a few doors to us. We now have more space, more bandwidth and therefore more capacity. As a result, the following changes WILL be made:

 

- Forum Structure - a review of the current forum structure will take place, looking at those forums which are not used as much, and also looking at areas which might need to be subdivided.

 

- Picture gallery - a change to the structure of the picture gallery will be made shortly, dividing the albums into geographic areas.

 

 

I am also considering the following options. These have in no way been decided.

 

- The ability for members to add their own blog to the site. This could be used to create your own diary of your boat being built, your outings on your boat, or just about your life in general.

 

- An e-shop, selling a range of CWDF related merchanise (t-shirts, caps, window stickers, mugs), plus any books/publications (probably through one of the large online book shops).

 

- An 'enhanced' membership option. For a small fee (probably £5), members could become enhanced members, which would allow them access to additional features, including (possibly) the blog option above, private forums, access to resources/articles, discount on CWDF merchandise (if we go ahead with that) and other advanced features. Free membership would still be available, and none of the current service currently offered will ever be charged for.

 

- The ability to advertise, or 'sponser' the site. This would allow the advertiser to provide a banner add to be used on the forum, a free page on the site, the ability to add your company name in your signature etc. A nominal fee would charged for this, somewhere in the region of £10-15 per year.

 

Please note that any money raised from the above propositions will only be reinvested in the site. If a significant surpless is made, then a charity donation may be considered.

 

This thread will automatically close 1 week from today. (1 May). I would greatly value your feedback on the site in general, and any of the above suggestions.

 

Site Crew members are asked not to reply to anything mentioned in this thread until it is closed, unless the topic drifts away from the point. Members are asked to please keep this as focused as possible.

 

Many thanks for your help,

 

Jon

Edited April 24, 2006 by Jon

[Sir Nibble]

I enjoy participating in this forum and cannot see any obvious improvement crying out to be made, but nothing is perfect.

 

I really DO NOT like the idea of "enhanced membership" since in my opinion this could end up being devisive. We currently have a situation where non boat owners are quite properly treated as equals by boat owners, cruiser and narrowboat owners are equally valued and there is no "mine's bigger than yours" snobbery. Let's not spoil it.

 

I like the idea of merchandise and would happily display a window sticker, perhaps they could be made to order with our avatars on?

[bottle]

I understand costs are involved for Jon and until now he has carried these by himself.

 

To have sponsership is maybe neccessary to keep the rest free but of course we then have the problem of 'influence', actual or perceived.

 

Otherwise there is nothing that I would change the 'additionals' mentioned all seem good ideas.

[Amicus]

I'm not one of the "movers and shakers" round here but I echo Snibble's comments. Happy as she is.

edit Would gladly pay a fee, make a donation, whatever, nay problem. Wouldn't want to be part of something seperate tho. Popping in here has been of fiscal advantage to me.

If I do a boat that is

edit again could not participate in the poll Jon, the middle section does not give a "none of these" choice, so I get an error message.

Edited April 24, 2006 by Amicus

[Bullfrog]

I love the site and wouldn't want to be without it.

 

I would be happy to contribute towards costs, but agree about the possible divisiveness of different membership types. I certainly don't think it's right that Jon alone should be expected to bear the costs of this wonderful facility from which we all benefit.

 

Certainly some form of merchandising is a good idea - but Jon should be careful about the financial risk in stocking the stuff.

 

Why not just have the option to contribute, and a method for making it happen?

[Janet S]

I agree with Bullfrog, and would be happy if there was a way to contribute to expenses.

 

I suspect I'm not the only one who is immensely grateful for this site!

 

Janet S x

[Jon]

Thanks to all those who have answered/replied so far.

 

I notice that a number of you have voted for good but could be better. Please could those people specify how they would like it to be improved.

 

I will not comment on anything said specifically until after 1st May.

 

Thanks again,

 

Jon

[Catrin]

What if you want to vote for more than one of the options in the second, "what else would you like to see", section? This only allows one option, is it possible to have "tick boxes" instead of "option buttons", please?

 

Catrin

[DaveR]

This site, and the good folk who contribute, is of huge value to anyone with a boat.

 

I have mentioned before that I am more than happy to help financially to ease the burden, goodness knows I have gained enough information / help and feel I could give something back.

 

Enhanced membership, no I don't think so, additional fees for additional services - no problem.

[Jon]

Sorry, the software doesn't allow for tick boxes, but if you add the 2 you like in a post, I'll take it into consideration.

 

Jon

[AnnC]

Jon

 

I think this site is great.

 

Could you think about a chat room, I would certainly pay towards an enhanced membership.

 

I get so much out of this site it would be like putting something back in.

 

Ann

[Sunlion]

How about a seperate section for each Canal and Navigation. It may be time consuming setting up these seperate sections, but it could be useful in terms of posting peoples experiences within those canal systems and Navigations relating to all aspects within those navigations.

 

Good and bad experiences, things to watch for, new developments, good and bad practice, services, etc. These things are constantly changeing, sometimes for the best sometimes worse. Being a Forum peoples expectations and or perspectives may vary, giving a rounder view of each Canal system, Navigation etc in a dynamic way, which is what forums like this are very good at.

 

Of course one must have a clear idea of what the forum is, or what it is to become. Is it to stay as is, with some extra features, or become a wider database for a greater ammont of useful information.

 

I myself have found it a mine of very useful information already in my short time here. And kudos to everyone who has been part of creating such a vaste array of useful information that is helping me and must have already helped many, and will continue, I am sure already to benefit the NB community.

 

Steve

[Golden Duck]

I found this site

 

 

http://www.auluk.freeserve.co.uk/boats/index.htm

 

 

and while I don't really like newsgroups and wouldn't subscribe to it, I thought the ability to enter a lot more information about owners and boats was quite interesting.

 

Could there be a larger scope on the members profile section.

Obviously, completion would need to be optional as a lot of boaters like their privacy, but I noticed that a few forum members were already listed on the index. I feel its quite interesting to know boats ex-names, types of engine, dimensions etc if people are prepared to show that kind of detail.

[NB Willawaw]

My mum always told me to keep out of chat rooms, Ann !

 

Seriously though, its not a bad idea.

 

A few of us already use MSN as our canal community chat room.

Its a lot quicker if you are trying to sort something out which needs

a lot of feedback.

 

Mark

 

Jon

 

I think this site is great.

 

Could you think about a chat room, I would certainly pay towards an enhanced membership.

 

I get so much out of this site it would be like putting something back in.

 

Ann

Edited April 25, 2006 by NB Willawaw

[Jon]

Thanks for your comments. Please keep them coming

 

Jon

[DHutch]

I too am against the "enhanced membership" option.

- On several forums i post on it doesnt create a sort of "you, and them" sort of atmosphere.

- Also, i have never paid to become an "enhanced member" , simply on principle, and i dont feel its in the spirt of it. (would pay it here either)

- However, i would be quite happy to a (or several) one-off donations to the running of the site, and to a certain extent to pay for you your time input, say around the £5/10 mark.

 

 

The idea of a integrated chartroom is an interesting one.

- I dont use chat rooms very much, as i have yet to fine one really like, with people who i want to chat to.

- However, i use MSN extensively to talk to a huge number of people (i have about 120 contacts, and regualry have 30+ contacts online at any one time) including about 6/8 canal world members. Might be worth noting however that when the Pug306 forums added the offered chat service (parachat?) which i think it quite new to there invision power board it was a total mess and basicaly took the site down for a week to sort it out and revert back to not having it, might be worth waiting till the next release.

 

I am also funny in support of the creation and sale of merchandise.

 

 

Daniel

[Roy n paula]

I enjoy participating in this forum and cannot see any obvious improvement crying out to be made, but nothing is perfect.

 

I really DO NOT like the idea of "enhanced membership" since in my opinion this could end up being devisive. We currently have a situation where non boat owners are quite properly treated as equals by boat owners, cruiser and narrowboat owners are equally valued and there is no "mine's bigger than yours" snobbery. Let's not spoil it.

 

I like the idea of merchandise and would happily display a window sticker, perhaps they could be made to order with our avatars on?

 

In total agreement with Snibble,I used to belong to a 4x4 site but that split and is not the same any more,this site is informative,friendly and as already said treats everyone as equals,please keep it that way

[Janet S]

I'm definitely against "enhanced membership", but would certainly be happy to contribute to the running costs of the site, whether by buying merchandise or by a donation.

 

Where else can you get so much valuable (and free) information, laughs and Snibble?

 

Janet

[nbtafelberg]

I would like to be able to link to my own websites in my sig.

[Supermalc]

It's a very good forum Jon.

 

The presentation is excellent, and the layout very good. I notice many reply with a quote, so you get a lot of repeating. This could? be down to the reply button on the bottom next to the quote button. I took a day or two at first to work this out. Can the quote button do both jobs, as in many other forums?

 

I also think links in signitures to person websites should be allowed.

 

Otherwise one of the most enjoyable forums around

[DHutch]

I would like to be able to link to my own websites in my sig.

Yeah, i think many people would although i would say ones enough?

 

I notice many reply with a quote, so you get a lot of repeating. This could? be down to the reply button on the bottom next to the quote button. I took a day or two at first to work this out. Can the quote button do both jobs, as in many other forums?

Yeah, thats true actucally.

- Often newer members get into diffculty with the whole reply/quite thing.

 

Which i guess is most likly to do with the possition and aperence of the varous buttons.

- With most Vb boards the two buttons at the bottom right of each post are "(reply with) quote" and "fast reply" (which can be with or without a quote)

- However on here the buttons are labled " +quote " (multiple) and " "reply " (with quote)

- With then "add reply" at the base and foot of each page (vB is on the left, CWF on the right)

 

I quite like the multiple-quote button, as it saves splicing quotes together copy-paste style, or rely in on your next post to auto-merge (which occational is doesnt, if some else posted, or you took over 10mins)

- I think the best solution would be to maybe alter the " "reply" to ""quote"

- Which i think makes it clear, and i think " +quote " and " "quote " are still diffrent enough, espcailly as the are always together anyway with a simple 'reply' (without quote) at the bass of the page.

 

 

Daniel

[Amicus]

Only one gripe and that is also about quoting.

Please make it impossible for pictures to be included in quotes

Or make a course in editing quotes obligatory. <-----(note smiley)

Edited April 29, 2006 by Amicus

[DHutch]

Only one gripe and that is also about quoting.

Please make it impossible for pictures to be included in quotes

Or make a course in editing quotes obligatory. <-----(note smiley)

I am personaly very much against this.

 

I agree it is occational annoying when people quote 400lines of text and 250pictures, when the one small paragraph they where referring to would have been suffecnt.

- But you get this on all forums.

- Its a combilation of lazyness and lack of knowhow i guess? But neather of thoese can be totaly overted. lol! Im certianly as guilty as most and freely admit it, somtime i just cant be arse, or dont have time

 

 

Daniel

[Amicus]

Im certianly as guilty as most and freely admit it, somtime i just cant be arse, or dont have time

Daniel

Iffen the pictures were deleted automatically then the work would be done for you and you could be as lazy as you like? No?

[DHutch]

Iffen the pictures were deleted automatically then the work would be done for you and you could be as lazy as you like? No?

But its not always a bad thing have the pictures there. Espically if the post is on the page before or a fiar bit up its often nice to have it there for reference, and atleast you done have to read it.

- I dont think its really somthing you can get a computer to do as they have no judgement.

 

Daniel