Forum Improvements - User Poll

[DeanS]

If there's an instant image upload function, this forum will EXPLODE with pics....and not just be the leading discussion resource, but definately the leading boating pic resource I imagine.

 

CANT WAIT.

[luctor et emergo]

I don't get 'go stale'?

There is a lot of repetition of what has been discussed before. As you should know. The thing is you happy to do so. But not everybody is either. And some people prefer to write or read about purely technical issues.

 

But I think that for you, the biggest problem in the title of this topic is 'improvements'.. It implies change.

[Doorman]

Congratulations!

 

Richard

Does this mean that I've got to get my wedding tackle out?

[tillergirl]

Direct image upload . Otherwise am happy with the forum as it is.

[luctor et emergo]

If it is big enough, to get on a table, and wave it about like a proppeler, go ahead.

 

If it isn't, put. It away, and go home

[Doorman]

If it is big enough, to get on a table, and wave it about like a proppeler, go ahead.

If it isn't, put. It away, and go home

I meant my tuxedo you naughty man! (What's that in Dutch?)

[luctor et emergo]

Never mind the translation, is it big enough?

[Doorman]

On a serious note and under the section 'Other', I'd like a facility to subscribe to the upkeep of the forum, especially if it avoids the need for advertising in the future. If Daniel could calculate what his running costs are and say divide that figure between the amount of active forum members, then I would imagine that would be fair and equitable.

 

Never mind the translation, is it big enough?

Size 42" jacket and 36" waist. Is that big enough?

 

Oh, and size 2 in shoes! You know what they say about a man who has little feet, he wears little socks!

 

ETA if it's what you are alluding to it's filled three prams and you wouldn't like it as a wart on the end of your nose!

Edited September 1, 2013 by Doorman

[luctor et emergo]

Ah, never mind the socks, you should know that a real man goes Commando..

 

 

And the subscribtion is an interesting thought. ( 5? 10? 20??? Just for access? Advert free access? Increased gallery space? )

 

Your opinion is much appreciated.

[Doorman]

And the subscribtion is an interesting thought. ( 5? 10? 20??? Just for access? Advert free access? Increased gallery space? )

Your opinion is much appreciated.

Not just for access like the dreaded 'Pay TV' rip off, but a fair contribution towards the running costs accumulated by Daniel. I get a tremendous amount of entertainment and information from the forum, not to mention the friends that are made along the way and feel that an annual contribution wouldn't go amiss. Plus, it might just deter the Trolls that appear periodically simply to make a nuisance of themselves.

[luctor et emergo]

So, would you pay more for an advert free site, or would you be happy to see a small section of boat related adverts to one side?

[Guest]

There is a lot of repetition of what has been discussed before. As you should know. The thing is you happy to do so. But not everybody is either. And some people prefer to write or read about purely technical issues.

But I think that for you, the biggest problem in the title of this topic is 'improvements'.. It implies change.

Change is good luc...if it really means improvement.....

 

Been and done 'change' to death,

 

Seen no real improvement so far.....

Edited September 1, 2013 by The Dog House

[Doorman]

So, would you pay more for an advert free site, or would you be happy to see a small section of boat related adverts to one side?

It's an interesting point regarding boat related adverts. I think that I could cope with that as long as they didn't become a constant distraction on the page. Either way, it's about three years since I donated towards the forum costs and that was when Jill (Wigglefingers) volunteered to collect monies and forward them on.

[Guest]

Direct image upload . Otherwise am happy with the forum as it is.

 

If only people would take a bit of time to utilise existing forum features...

[RLWP]

On a serious note and under the section 'Other', I'd like a facility to subscribe to the upkeep of the forum, especially if it avoids the need for advertising in the future.

 

There is, somewhere, a link to the forum Paypal donation thingy

 

I wonder where it is?

 

Richard

[Doorman]

If only people would take a bit of time to utilise existing forum features...

That's quite true....

 

I only tend to use certain features and contribute/read certain sections. Typical old wrinkly git who's stuck in his ways! :-(

[koukouvagia]

It's an interesting point regarding boat related adverts. I think that I could cope with that as long as they didn't become a constant distraction on the page. Either way, it's about three years since I donated towards the forum costs and that was when Jill (Wigglefingers) volunteered to collect monies and forward them on.

Leave things as they are, I say.

We are all grateful to Daniel for this site and every so often he publishes accounts. He never asks for money, but quite a few of us bung in a few quid now and then when funds seem to be getting low. It’s now very easy to contribute via PayPal. The last thing I want to see is adverts – boat related or not. Mind you, I’d never see them since I’ve got an add blocker running.

Just out of curiosity I went over to the “other site” and took off my add blocker I was amazed to see an advert for Thai ladies!

[koukouvagia]

 

There is, somewhere, a link to the forum Paypal donation thingy

 

I wonder where it is?

 

Richard

 

Home>About Us>Site Information - at the bottom of the page.

[Wanted]

I like things how they are but also welcome any change that will ensure survival.

 

Suggestions for Merch.

 

[smileypete]

How about break the boat building and equipment forums down into some sub forums?

 

Like engine & propulsion, interior fit out, coachwork & windows, plumbing and heating, refrigeration, electrical, solar, IT and net access, and so on. Bound to be a bit of overlap here and there but that's unavoidable.

 

At the moment if someone wants to find out about say paint or solar then they have to wade through 2 monolithic forums. OK there's a search facility but it doesn't seem to get used and might not be a lot of help if you want to find out about '3' for example.

 

ETA how could I forget, and a sub forum on TOILETS AND SANITATION o yes!

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited September 1, 2013 by smileypete

[Québec]

re: Change

 

Funnily enough I'm doing a whole load of work with a number of organisations around change, and these are just some observations:

 

There's the 'adapt or die' mantra (which in a fast changing world is probably not a bad mantra)

 

Thus it follows that 'Leaving things as they are' is normally not an option. Things are changing anyway, so change will happen whether you like or not or. That change may well be entropy or stagnation...unless you adapt.

 

There are three aspects to change: more, different, or better.

'More' usually means just more of the same (could apply to CWDF);

'Different' usualy appears in the guise of 'things are going to be very different round here'....which can mean worse as much as better (often worse!)

The one to focus on is 'Better'...which could mean all sorts of things including stopping doing some things, improving some things (the 'search' facility?),adding new things.

 

Having some idea of all the various ways individuals use the site - the clichéd but essential 'user experience' - ought to be the starting point for thinking about how to enhance it. If other similar or related websites are anything to go by, then the ways individuals use the site can probably be broken down into no more than half a dozen major categories - if that.

[wrigglefingers]

How about break the boat building and equipment forums down into some sub forums?

 

Like engine & propulsion, interior fit out, coachwork & windows, plumbing and heating, refrigeration, electrical, solar, IT and net access, and so on. Bound to be a bit of overlap here and there but that's unavoidable.

 

At the moment if someone wants to find out about say paint or solar then they have to wade through 2 monolithic forums. OK there's a search facility but it doesn't seem to get used and might not be a lot of help if you want to find out about '3' for example.

 

ETA how could I forget, and a sub forum on TOILETS AND SANITATION o yes!

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

I think some of the larger and more active sub-fora could be broken down. I seem to remember that the idea was resisted in the past for fear of losing forum identity and cohesiveness but we are much bigger and the knowledge-store far greater. As Pete points out the difficulty of wading through vast numbers of threads is daunting to forum greybeards, let alone newcomers. Moreover, there could be specialist moderators for each sub-fora to reduce the workload on moderators.

 

If you'd like to see how well it can work, Richard mentioned Ravelry up thread, on which I act as an editor and mod, which must be the exemplar of how to run a vast forum (over 3 million registrations and nearly 2 million active in the last year). The forum is split into special interest groups that are moderated individually, you can call someone's attention by 'earburning' them and the knowledge-store is vast and carefully indexed and searchable. Direct-loading of images is available for $5per year to pay for the increased costs but otherwise it's's free. There are small banners advertising forum members businesses at the bottom of the index of threads but these are unobtrusive and have to conform to the house-style. If anyone would like to look at the forum as a member (visitors only see a fraction of it) drop me a pm.

 

Finally, a sub-section for lavs is an excellent idea and then all the folk who like sleeping and eating on slurry tanks can be smug together. Incidentally, has anyone noticed a pump-out Johnny ever offering to empty a casstte after they've filled it?

[Ange]

For me deffo task number one is to put the donate button in a prominent place. We're united in that we're fairly demanding but united that we don't want advertising.

 

We had a thread recently that, I hope, raised a few pennies for the forum, but that thread's gone now. If I decide to send some pennies I know I'd remember DeanS started it and the rough time frame so I'd find it. For a newbie or someone who hasn't seen that thread they wouldn't know how they could contribute to this amazing resource.

 

Please, Daniel, find a way to put a donate button somewhere really easy to find - what I'll do is every time this forum makes a difference to my life I'll donate some money - even if it's only £1 a time I can promise you that money from all of us will add up.

[MtB]

We already have 'direct image upload', surely? We can put photos in our gallery.

 

The reason 'direct image upload' is winning so far is that linking to images in our own gallery, already hosted here, doesn't work. Why on earth not?

 

MtB

[Caprifool]

Lovely donate button in full view in menu bar, or some other eye catching location.

 

Perhaps area with a few usefull functions (scripts?) like, power audit (fill in your watts one appliance at a time and usage in hours per day and get a suggested amount of watts for solar panels or size of battery bank), standardised contracts (private sell, work, quotes etc.), monthly cost calculator (fill in blacking every X years, services X times per year, oil changes, fuel, paint job every X years, insurance, certificates, mooring costs etc. press a button and get your average monthly costs or what you need to save for when the costs arrive. Diesel price thingy (Listed diesel sellers, enter the latest price you payed, click and it sorts who's the cheapest) Paint or blacking calculator (enter boat length and paint tin size, press and get how many tins you need. Just thinking out loud. I bet the rest of you could think of some nifty calculator you would like.

 

A press area to download a selection of printable stationary, logos for putting on stickers, documents or posters to pin up on bil boards advertising say, a banter in X village. A non computer savvy boater in the area might be very happy to join the fun.

 

I'd quite like a big ass CWDF tea mug :-)