We've done this in the past...but it's a good time now to hear from folks. I've been asking for feedback here and there lately. We'll see what we can do.
- How can we make this forum and our help files better for you?
- What is the most difficult for you regarding Indexhibit (installing, customizing, etc)?
- Do you feel that you learn anything in this forum?
This thread is the official thread to make forum suggestions...
Possibly mentioned a few of the following points before. As I know Indexhibit's documentation will be improved in the future I'll focus on the forum...
Forum
- Updated thread notifications
Either by email or in forum whilst logged in (e.g. "View 3 replies to your thread", etc).
- Forum pagination
I understand it was only removed to speed up requests, but it is dearly missed
- Favourites
Though all favourited threads no longer show up under Favourites, they are still signified with the green ellipse, so I'm not sure if this is currently partially implemented or being phased out.
Forum for new users
- Unbiased list of compatible web hosts
Yeah, I know; you'd rather not actively advertise these things, but a page simply listing hosts that users have had success with (and ones they have not) could serve to encourage (read: - embarrass) them into providing more "standard" PHP environments.
- Helpful "Welcome" message
On a users first registered visit to the forum (and first post) a helpful message could redirect them to the forums rules and Useful Threads posts.
It could even appear until they manually acknowledge and dismiss it, hopefully cutting down on spurious queries. May be overkill...
The addition of a Google Custom search was a wise choice (even if temporary) BTW.
Peace.
The hosts list will be biased towards hosts who are up for supporting Indexhibit (and who can get the job done) - that's the bias. I'm talking to some now. Indexhibit needs some kind of funding - otherwise we basically have none. Really don't want to plaster advertising all over this site.
Yes, a welcome message is much needed.
The Google search is here to say..it's already become a big asset (I've been learning things from watching the keywords).
;)
Hey!
- Google search is a nice addition, it will help find directly the thread people is looking for.
- I agree with the updated thread notification, it will help keeping an eye to the updates of the multiple threads that sometimes you go through answering ... It will make it quicker to solve some "easy" problems.
- I also have some problems with the favourites, some months ago they stop to work. I click on a cross and it turns green, a mment after it desappear ...
- a list of known issues of webservers or a black-list of servers would help too ....
;-)
Luck!!
First, I would like to say that I love this forum, unless it's not perfect ; but neither me, so…
;)
What to add?
Everything which had been said before in this thread +
> a "share your theme" forum or category
> a list of all the plugins already available (I've just found a new one today!)
Favs? It seems that I have a max number of threads…
50 in fact. When I can't add a new one, I found an old, less important one, and erase it.
Ok, I don't need 50 favorites. But I'm like that.
;)
Favs? It seems that I have a max number of threads…
50 in fact. When I can't add a new one, I found an old, less important one, and erase it.
Ok, I don't need 50 favorites. But I'm like that.
@lemathieu/paucc: - Do your favourites display? I don't see anything under favourites, though articles I've previously favorited still show as such (green icon).
Yeah, I'm not sure what happened to favorites...they always worked for me and then the other day 'poof'. I'll check it out soon...
Agreed on Paginaton
Favourites stopped working on my old username here before I got this 7 one. And on here it works fine. Although I haven't racked up as many as 50 like you yet Matt ;)
Search the addition of Google is great although I'm so used to the old search I used to go by where things were on the list by using one vague keyword and now I can't find them. I was looking for that thread Vaska started about a bit of code telling people to upgrade to a newer version of IE the other day but now I've lost it in the power of Google's searching. So I thought another box below for a lite search or something ;) Probably overkill.
Releasing back to the community This is already an area planned I think? But I don't know, sort of a development area with unofficial things people can release back like the download page? Experimental plugins, guidlines to follow for what to include in these releases (instructions ala arsondpi's for the full screen plug, info, requirements etc). And custom themes users could relsease back.
Indexhibit of the Day or week. or month. ongoing blog type thing. ;)
I could add the Title Search back. But, the Google Search is so successful it has reduced forum traffic overall - which is a super great thing.
So many things...after I finally finish my move to Africa we'll see what I can get done.
The whole point of doing all of this, including the forum being custom, was such that we could do any and all of these things in the future. I still stand by my decision on this approach...even if it's taking some time.
@LeslieOA Yep, the favourites don't show either in the "favoutites" menu but the threads appear with a green mark.
@LeslieOA: My favourites shows well, green and all.
Another forum feature which can be easily implemented is the baility to jump to a specific post in thread.
It's already implemented (partially?) for the last comment in a thread as <a name='last'> but would make linking to a specific relevant post in a long thread.
@Vaska: - As you're already outputting post IDs (e.g. <div class='post' id='post_31802'>) you could add anchor names to your loop: -
<div class='post' id='post_#####'><a name='post_#####'>…...or if you'd prefer, use JS/jQuery with the current post IDs (similar to this same page demo).
P.S. If cooties are anything like lurgies then Pau and Pindaros are in my (secular) prayers.
Yeah, it was planned but I never got around to it. I will someday.
Actually, I would love to scrap this forum for a whole new idea I have...but I have zero time for that.
Hi Vaska!
- It would be great if a thumbnail or screenshot could be displayed with all the participant's list.
- And it would be cool to develop a mailing list plugin (enter your e-mail and name) to keep people update...
They are just ideas :)
Aloha!
Always happy to hear them...been thinking alot about the forum the past couple of weeks.
This morning I was thinking about posting a thread about this subject, luckily I didn't start a new one!
That's exactly the point: after a while I'm around this forum I've noticed that a lot of people are asking things that have already been discussed many times before. Basically the most useful tool -google search- is not being used as much as it could be.
I guess that this behaviour is caused by the fact that users come to the forum most of the times when they get a problem to solve, being anaware that the solution is often already there. Simply they don't even notice the search box.
To improuve the use of it I have a couple of ideas:
1. an alert message appearing the first time a user types in, sort of:
- make sure to ask the same question in the search box on your left before posting! -
2. make the google search box more evident, moving it from the actual position, either to the right top corner (in front of the "Vaska said" header) or in a new fixed footer, right below the posting box
(btw: I'm using a 1024x768 monitor and the search box falls out of sight...)
Oh, yes, I've also experienced that favourites' behaviour mentioned before, and I also guess there is a limit in the number of it. No limit would be better...
Ciao :-)
What to add?
Everything which had been said before in this thread +
> a "share your theme" forum or category
Funny that I already said it…
Search box on the top of the menu, before "Participants" ?
Hey folks, give your feedback !
We're definitely reading these things...this is not just another random thread.
;)
Hey folks, give your feedback !
Already have. What's likely to be implemented?
Regarding the search box... Seriously thought this would've been a no-brainer.
Everything except Leslie's ideas will be implemented at least three times over.
;)
@Vaska: -
I just knew I should have suggested legible black text on a white background, functioning 'single click' hyperlinks, the ability to post with any modern browser and a non-pseudo-random site URL... Bugger.
*shakes fist*
Hey Mr. Fistshaker!
Good enough (the new search location)? I'm trying to make it stick out so it's at least a little visible...
If I was being more ambitious and visual I would swap that submit with a much nicer button (image) but I need to have a beer or something now.
;)
And I'll add, I don't know if you ever noticed that little piece of text next to the forum title? I believe you have this option as well...one of our silly toys around here.
User names clickable to see their previous posts.
Richard, why do you think this is useful? Just looking for your thoughts on it...
- So I can further explore what an interesting contributor has brought to the forum.
- So I can click on my own name to recall what questions I've asked and what answers I've been given (and thus remember which lines of code I played with in index.php, for example). I'm forgetful. I've asked a few questions this week, and I've had to bookmark each one to avoid losing any pearls of wisdom.
But I can also see an argument against having clickable names (apart from the hassle of setting it up). The way it is now, it feels nicely anonymous; low key. The bad advice I gave someone yesterday will be forgotten by tomorrow.
To be a bit more specific, as a beginner I'd like to further explore posts by participants whose contributions have already proved very helpful. For example, Ed Nacional with his commented css, or Ross Cairns with his expanding menu.
Richard, I had the same thought a couple of times, but I ended up asking to the google search: it isn't as smooth as grouping together by username, still it works...
You're right, Ricky. I withdraw the request.
Using the google box for 'richardn' and 'rickykappa' seems to bring up all our posts.
'Ross Cairns' and 'Ed Nacional' require a bit more detective work, as they're mentioned more than they post. Once I found their user names ('rcairns' and 'ednacional') I googled and discovered that they had only contributed to one thread each.
Yeah, the search can provide those things as well.
It is something we wonder about from time to time...and we have some interesting other ideas on this as well. We need some deep thinking on it though.
Thanks for the notes.
@Vaska: - Yeah, I know; just holding off from updating it until I can come up with something entirely absurd/humorous.
+1 richardn's idea (and the potential issues).
Good enough (the new search location)? I'm trying to make it stick out so it's at least a little visible...
If I was being more ambitious and visual I would swap that submit with a much nicer button (image)
some more thoughts...
I read from LeslieOAAnother forum feature which can be easily implemented is the baility to jump to a specific post in thread.
It's already implemented (partially?) for the last comment in a thread as < a name='last'> but would make linking to a specific relevant post in a long thread.
@rickykappa: -
Decent idea regarding prominent search box, though the title and forum navigation would have to come with it (which works).
'Jump to last post' already exists (it's what happens after you submit a post).
The ability to jump to a specific post may well be difficult to understand for some, but we'd (e.g. contributors/helpers) use it to link people directly to the information they need, rather then encouraging them to read through whole threads (which I've noticed is a major turn-off and at times no more helpful then whispering "RTFM").
Not hard to implement in (JavaScript/jQuery) and we're halfway there (e.g. #last).
"Permalink Post"...it works.
Should it be called something else though?
I want the google box back over on the left! Always available. If you put it under 'Support Indexhibit', Ricky will still be able to see it on his little screen. (I think position:fixed would look ugly here - though it would make it highly visible).
Sorry, it's done and moved. No design by committee around here...can't afford it.
@Vaska: - Wait, it's already b--what the fu--
...I think I just had an accident in my drainpipes... Twice.
*bravo*
Edit: - P.S. I think "Permalink Post" works. Just add a title text with a brief explanation for the curious unless someone comes up with a better name.
Decent idea regarding prominent search box, though the title and forum navigation would have to come with it (which works).
right, that was part A , just didn't want to make it too long...
yes, the forum navigation would have to be fixed as well (the whole idea is to let people -especially newbies- easily understand where to go and what they're doing).
After all what kind of navigation is it if the nav it's scrolled up?
'Jump to last post' already exists (it's what happens after you submit a post).The ability to jump to a specific post may well be difficult to understand for some,
Part B: following from the previous, maybe I didn't explain myself well enough in the other post: the "navigation bar" (with the col headers), now is:
Thread & Category Started By Last Post Posts
could be easily understood & used like that:
Thread & Category Started By Last Post Link to Last Post Posts
or call it whatever you want... Go to / Jump » ; / Permalink
btw: the new Permalink Post is it already working? don't know if it's only me, but when I click on it nothing happens...
well... (I've posted in the wrong thread, which eventually was the first in the google search!)
so
just another (useful?) idea: what about grouping the user favorites in a new dedicated category?
I like the idea...when we get to renovations will certainly think about it.
Yeah, I need to add a 'closed' tag on the closed threads - we don't need more than one suggestions thread...and this is the one.
;)
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