Feedback needed (portal and last 20 posts)

[Andy R]

I am working on a few things and would like to get your feedback.

The first is a portal interface that shows the last 30 discussions that have been posted to. This allows a quick view to what's going on and could be used as our home page. In the left hand column I can add links to all the important features of the site so they are not buried.

Here is a temporary link to the portal I was working on. Please note the Navigation Block on the left site. That is where I suggest we load it full of easy link to various parts of the site.

If you all like this format, it's possible to add a left column to every page so that those links are always easy to access. Then as I continue to add features (based on your feedback) I can add links there for easy navigation.

The second thing I installed that I wanted to show you was the Last 20 Post (Live Feed). This feed will show you the last 20 posts made to all the forums with a preview of the post. It refreshes every 7 seconds with new posts made so it will continue to show you new posts being made as they are posted.

Please post your thoughts, comments, feedback, etc about these two features here. If these are tools that you all would like me to roll out, I can tweak them based on your feedback and then roll these out ASAP.

Regards,

Andy

 

[Coach]

Andy, I like the portal prototype. I've been content with the "New Posts" button and will probably continue reading that way, but I can imagine the portal being popular.

Coach

 

[bssc]

It is a good entry point. For the Recent Threads section, would it make sense to add what forum it came from?

 

[Andy R]

For the Recent Threads section, would it make sense to add what forum it came from?

Things get a bit tight but I can play with some layout options to add that in. If you all think it would be beneficial then I think we should add it.

Do you think the thread starter adds any value in the column on the left? What about number of replies, last post time and last poster?

FYI - I am trying to find out how I can make it so I can add the icon to jump to the last place you read in the specific thread from this page. That way you can come see a discussion and then click once to be taken to the right place in the thread.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I liked it. I think based on what was said about the s/w conversion crowding the screen that some people with smallish monitors might have issues with the extra content packed in.

 

[spncity]

Hi

Looks nice.

A question.

If the live feed is refreshing every 7 seconds - doesn't that slow my connecting time down ? Or is it refreshing "only" if I'm on that page?

I live in the country - and am on dial-up with no prospects of DSL or cable coming to my house. It stops a couple of miles away and there are so few houses here, I don't see them making the investment to bring it here

Thanx.

 

[Martha]

I have a pretty small screen on my lappy, and it works ok for viewing the prototype. I like it as well.

With respect to the recent posts, I wish there was a way that the entire posts could appear in the list to do a quick read of those posts. The one problem I find I have with this site is too much clicking. Am I lazy or what? But really, sometimes it is nice to scan the recent messages fast to see what catches your eye.

 

[Andy R]

If the live feed is refreshing every 7 seconds - doesn't that slow my connecting time down ? Or is it refreshing "only" if I'm on that page?

I live in the country - and am on dial-up with no prospects of DSL or cable coming to my house. It stops a couple of miles away and there are so few houses here, I don't see them making the investment to bring it here.

This would actually be a good interface for you since it's not refreshing the whole page, it just pulls up the newest threads which is very little to load compared to the whole page.

Also you may want to Google "Google Web Accelerator" it's a nifty caching tool they provide free. It will help speed up the web for you.

 

[kcowan]

The second thing I installed that I wanted to show you was the Last 20 Post (Live Feed). This feed will show you the last 20 posts made to all the forums with a preview of the post. It refreshes every 7 seconds with new posts made so it will continue to show you new posts being made as they are posted.

I would prefer that you removed the left-hand column. It adds little for me because most of the 20 are all going to be new posts and I can recognize when I get to repeats.

 

[donheff]

I like both features. But my participation has fallen way off on the new site since the RSS feed only shows initial posts. I loved it when the RSS feed included responses. Often I would not initially be interested in a thread but would jump in when a response caught my eye. If there is any way you can set the forum to permit a full RSS feed, please do so.

By the way -- I will probably miss resposnes to this thread since they won't show up on my reader. I will have to specifically pursue them to see foloow-ups. UGH

 

[Andy R]

I loved it when the RSS feed included responses. Often I would not initially be interested in a thread but would jump in when a response caught my eye. If there is any way you can set the forum to permit a full RSS feed, please do so.

PM sent for more details. I will find a way to do this...

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I'd like more access to the vbulletin stats. Top 10 threads by post and read count were interesting, who the top ten post starters are is also interesting.

All it shows now is that i'm the top poster. Whoop de doo. :

 

[Andy R]

I'd like more access to the vbulletin stats. Top 10 threads by post and read count were interesting, who the top ten post starters are is also interesting.

Per your request, I have installed a new product for stats. You can see the link here:
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/misc.php?do=cybstats

Please post your thoughts and ideas for others stats that would be useful to show. Based on Nords' recommendation, I plan to add info about top members being ignored in the near future.

I also need to find a good place to post a link to those stats, ideas?

 

[Khan]

Per your request, I have installed a new product for stats. You can see the link here:
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/misc.php?do=cybstats

Please post your thoughts and ideas for others stats that would be useful to show. Based on Nords' recommendation, I plan to add info about top members being ignored in the near future.

I also need to find a good place to post a link to those stats, ideas?

A 'Stats' button next to 'Portal'?

 

[Andy R]

A 'Stats' button next to 'Portal'?

That's kind of what I was thinking but I don't want to see that area get super clogged with links. I think it would be better to make more drop down menus and put more links in those. That way we can keep that blue bar simple and offer lots of links to other places from drop down menus.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I plan to add info about top members being ignored in the near future.

An interesting stat, but I could probably tell you the top 5, in order

I also need to find a good place to post a link to those stats, ideas?

Theres a 'stats' box on the portal page already, but it only shows top poster. A stats link right there in place of that?

 

[Andy R]

Theres a 'stats' box on the portal page already, but it only shows top poster. A stats link right there in place of that?

Perfect, done.

 

[Moemg]

[quote, I plan to add info about top members being ignored in the near future.

]

Unless there is an obvious troll I think this info my be hurtful .

 

[Khan]

[quote, I plan to add info about top members being ignored in the near future.

]

Unless there is an obvious troll I think this info my be hurtful .

I agree: a very bad idea.

 

[Andy R]

^ Interesting, I had not thought about any possible downsides from showing that list. I have a super busy week with getting servers turned on and tested at the new data center, so I won't have time to work on that for a little bit. Before I do, I will post the idea in a thread and we can discuss the pluses/minuses of that.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

(sigh) it can be bad and it can be good. Generally half the people being highly ignored dont realize it and its a good signal that they may want to review how and what they post.

Its probably not a big surprise to the other half.

I'm saying all this with a high confidence that I lead the list. By a high margin.

When I've seen this instituted on other boards, theres usually a "WHAT?!?" reaction at first. After that it turns into a nice indicator that usually results in some effective self moderation. "Whoops, after my crazy tirade last week about b33ver che3se I ended up getting on the top 5 ignore list!"

 

[Nords]

(sigh) it can be bad and it can be good. Generally half the people being highly ignored dont realize it and its a good signal that they may want to review how and what they post.
Its probably not a big surprise to the other half.

I can think of a few situations where the ignore rankings would be very useful.

The first is a poster like H0cus or JG who sounds very reasonable and even articulate at first. A newbie thinks "Hey, this guy is funny and right on. Great advice, too!" After a while that poster's revealed to be relentlessly pounding a one-key piano and is just plain wrong in a number of areas. Yes, we still have a couple active posters in that category.

The second is the poster who doesn't really seem to talk much about ER but who uses the board to rant about current events & pet peeves. It starts out cute, like Gilda Radner's "Never Mind Lady" on SNL's Weekend Update, but after a while it all turns into Rosie O'Donnell. I can get that in real life anytime-- why would I want to see it on E-R.org? If you're trying to solve a problem and you need advice, great. But if the sole purpose of your post is to breathlessly exclaim "This is unbelievable!!!", well, maybe you need to find a better outlet for all that angst.

Then there are the few who drop by once a month (just before their page rankings are checked against their advertising rates) or whenever they're [-]banned[/-] bored at another board. They're just here to flog their blog or to raise a ruckus before they go away again, usually after a moderator PM or a public ban warning. Putting them in the top-five "Ignore" rankings may not cure them of their behavior problems, but depriving them of an audience may inspire them to go [-]over to M*[/-] somewhere else.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I suggest the "ignored" information go to the moderators only. It is raw data which can be very helpful when deciding how to handle a problem poster. It's not always a bad thing, but my suspicion is that many of the most ignored posters will have offended their former readers.

Of course, it could also apply to someone who only posts on subjects in which the most members have no interest. Or both.

 

[Nords]

I suggest the "ignored" information go to the moderators only.

Now there's an incentive for new moderator volunteers!

 

[Andy R]

Well here's a twist on this (just brainstorming). What about having ignore reasons, so you could put things like rude, off topic, political, etc. That way we could understand why someone is being ignored.

Also, what do you think about splitting this thread (with the posts about top ignored members as it's own thread). I am pretty much shell shocked and don't dare use a single editing tool at this point because I don't want to be put in front of the firing line. How have you all handled this in the past? Just let it go and remember where to find it later?