Message board expansion
Sunday, December 1, 2002 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
Many tech sites have sprung up over the past couple of years.
And some of them have excellent message boards which I enjoy participating in. But at the same time, they always seem to attract a certain demographic of user that may not appeal to all people.
What I was wondering is, would there be any interest here in expanding the WinCustomize message boards to be much more useful as a larger discussion venue?
Or would you prefer to keep it the way it is where it's more of a smaller venue?
Either way is fine. The reason I ask is purely from personal experience, I like to be able to talk about software and technology based on merits and not whether it's free or cheap (example: I use Photoshop and Corel Draw, I don't like being yelled at for not going with a free solution or with PSP. I see that tendancy quite regularly where if it's not free, it's evil and I tend to value time over monetary cost).
I wrote an article on this actually:
https://www.joeuser.com/Articles/Timevs.Money.html
And some of them have excellent message boards which I enjoy participating in. But at the same time, they always seem to attract a certain demographic of user that may not appeal to all people.
What I was wondering is, would there be any interest here in expanding the WinCustomize message boards to be much more useful as a larger discussion venue?
Or would you prefer to keep it the way it is where it's more of a smaller venue?
Either way is fine. The reason I ask is purely from personal experience, I like to be able to talk about software and technology based on merits and not whether it's free or cheap (example: I use Photoshop and Corel Draw, I don't like being yelled at for not going with a free solution or with PSP. I see that tendancy quite regularly where if it's not free, it's evil and I tend to value time over monetary cost).
I wrote an article on this actually:
https://www.joeuser.com/Articles/Timevs.Money.html
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elvee
Reply #22 Sunday, December 1, 2002 12:10 PM
Reply #22 Sunday, December 1, 2002 12:10 PM
If you must change the board 
Please only two sections, General(The way it is now) and Tech. I really love the way our board is set up and if it starts to turn into a maze like DevArt...Well then it just will not be fun anymore 
So please...no more than two sections. I don't think that pictures would be a good idea. That would just slow the boards down, but User Icons might be a nice touch.
Please only two sections, General(The way it is now) and Tech. I really love the way our board is set up and if it starts to turn into a maze like DevArt...Well then it just will not be fun anymore 
So please...no more than two sections. I don't think that pictures would be a good idea. That would just slow the boards down, but User Icons might be a nice touch.
T-Man
Reply #23 Sunday, December 1, 2002 12:38 PM
Reply #23 Sunday, December 1, 2002 12:38 PM
I wouldn't mind seeing a second or third message board section but that would be about it. Getting beyond that makes things too confusing.
bmetelsky
Reply #24 Sunday, December 1, 2002 12:50 PM
Reply #24 Sunday, December 1, 2002 12:50 PM
I agree that DevArt's board is horrible to follow, but I don't think it is because of the number of sections. I think it is just the technology they use in their board. The one at www.ibelite.com is much better and fairly easy to follow. We wouldn't necessarily need all those sections, but it might be nice to have people check it out and see how it feels.
Koasati
Reply #25 Sunday, December 1, 2002 12:58 PM
Reply #25 Sunday, December 1, 2002 12:58 PM
I don't really 'like' the idea, but if there were no more than 3 (one being General, one for Help) I could get used to it.
Skinbase sectioned the board, and I can spend 20 minutes looking for a thread. Combine slow loading time (dialup + site is busy), with people not posting in the correct category, and you have a mess.
Concerning graphics, you'd have to implement some tight restrictions, as to file size as well as image dimensions, or it could be a disaster.
Skinbase sectioned the board, and I can spend 20 minutes looking for a thread. Combine slow loading time (dialup + site is busy), with people not posting in the correct category, and you have a mess.
Concerning graphics, you'd have to implement some tight restrictions, as to file size as well as image dimensions, or it could be a disaster.
Frogboy
Reply #26 Sunday, December 1, 2002 1:17 PM
Reply #26 Sunday, December 1, 2002 1:17 PM
Frogboy rubs temples..
For people who like it all as one big section you stil would have that with the [All forums] area.
What we are talking about is nothing like deviantART's system.
Stay with me here:
Imagine if the posts on this message board, right now, could be cagtegorized. Right now we could do that. The message board would look the same but we could classify things as "Tech" or "Skinning" or "General".
Now, imagine if you gave users the option to have the message board display ONLY the messages that are classified as Tech.
In the system we're talking about, the message board sections are just hard-coded SQL queries where it grabs messages that are ofa certain topic.
I personally like this because if I just want to look at everything, I still can from a single place (like now). But I can also go and find things much easier by going to the specific "section".
For people who like it all as one big section you stil would have that with the [All forums] area.
What we are talking about is nothing like deviantART's system.
Stay with me here:
Imagine if the posts on this message board, right now, could be cagtegorized. Right now we could do that. The message board would look the same but we could classify things as "Tech" or "Skinning" or "General".
Now, imagine if you gave users the option to have the message board display ONLY the messages that are classified as Tech.
In the system we're talking about, the message board sections are just hard-coded SQL queries where it grabs messages that are ofa certain topic.
I personally like this because if I just want to look at everything, I still can from a single place (like now). But I can also go and find things much easier by going to the specific "section".
WOM
Reply #27 Sunday, December 1, 2002 1:24 PM
Reply #27 Sunday, December 1, 2002 1:24 PM
That sounds ok, as you still have the option to have it the way it is. Your the Man. 
SuperheroCanadian
Reply #28 Sunday, December 1, 2002 1:27 PM
Reply #28 Sunday, December 1, 2002 1:27 PM
thats a great idea, just a way to catagorize what we are all talking about, some of us can be offly confusing at times
elvee
Reply #29 Sunday, December 1, 2002 1:32 PM
Reply #29 Sunday, December 1, 2002 1:32 PM
Yes if i can keep it the way i wish through customization, then yeah that would be a cool idea, but what about images and icons? I say Nay on pictures and Yay on User Icons(50x50) 
Koasati
Reply #30 Sunday, December 1, 2002 1:41 PM
Reply #30 Sunday, December 1, 2002 1:41 PM
How would you get newbies to post in the correct section? Or are you saying the site would catagorize a thread?
JamMeister33
Reply #31 Sunday, December 1, 2002 2:46 PM
Reply #31 Sunday, December 1, 2002 2:46 PM
I love Frogboy's idea and I also love the user icon idea!!
Jafo
Reply #32 Sunday, December 1, 2002 3:17 PM
Reply #32 Sunday, December 1, 2002 3:17 PM
OK...so if the sections are nothing more than a filtration process...not a problem...particularly if it's optional as well...
Doreen
Reply #33 Sunday, December 1, 2002 5:03 PM
Reply #33 Sunday, December 1, 2002 5:03 PM
If it's not broke don't fix (sure everyone has heard that)
I think the way it is right now is the Bestest...
I think the way it is right now is the Bestest...
SuperheroCanadian
Reply #34 Sunday, December 1, 2002 5:06 PM
Reply #34 Sunday, December 1, 2002 5:06 PM
modified phrase
"if its not broken make it better"
"if its not broken make it better"
Aqua.
Reply #35 Sunday, December 1, 2002 10:27 PM
Reply #35 Sunday, December 1, 2002 10:27 PM
I say split the board into just two sections:
Part 1: General
Part 2: Help
Part 1: General
Part 2: Help
Angel_Wings
Reply #36 Sunday, December 1, 2002 10:37 PM
Reply #36 Sunday, December 1, 2002 10:37 PM
I agree with Jobeleca, 'General' for the main discussions of the day and 'Help' for skinning questions etc. etc. etc.
Maybe Brad can try a few changes and save the 'old way' if the 'new way' doesn't gel. Change can be good...guess we'll wait and see.
Maybe Brad can try a few changes and save the 'old way' if the 'new way' doesn't gel. Change can be good...guess we'll wait and see.
Griffinme
Reply #37 Monday, December 2, 2002 2:32 AM
Reply #37 Monday, December 2, 2002 2:32 AM
NO ICONS
The reason I don't frequent DA boards is because it takes forever for the stupid icons to load. (56k handicapped) >
Along the same lines I would like a version of the site that used a minimum of graphics. The previews could stay but the rest... The differant skins look great but, well see above comment.
More then anything I would like to be able to edit my posts.
I would go with about three differant sections.
The reason I don't frequent DA boards is because it takes forever for the stupid icons to load. (56k handicapped) >
Along the same lines I would like a version of the site that used a minimum of graphics. The previews could stay but the rest... The differant skins look great but, well see above comment.
More then anything I would like to be able to edit my posts.
I would go with about three differant sections.
adni18
Reply #38 Monday, December 2, 2002 3:24 AM
Reply #38 Monday, December 2, 2002 3:24 AM
"General" and "Help" categories in the same Message Board is fine!
The Sorting is missing!
With the explorer option of sort them out by date or Category or by messages the user have post an answer to a thread it will be great! (User Posts ?)
Also the option to find out if someone have wrote something which includes "key words" that any user can specify in their "Edit Account", for example their name, their interestings e.t.c. That will be GREAT!
The Sorting is missing!
With the explorer option of sort them out by date or Category or by messages the user have post an answer to a thread it will be great! (User Posts ?)
Also the option to find out if someone have wrote something which includes "key words" that any user can specify in their "Edit Account", for example their name, their interestings e.t.c. That will be GREAT!
feline
Reply #39 Monday, December 2, 2002 8:52 AM
Reply #39 Monday, December 2, 2002 8:52 AM
i think i spend to much time on this board, so making it better is GOOD
the ability to see just threads of one type is nice.
presuming 4 groups "general", "technical", "skinning", "help"
i would like to say "show me all posts in one list, except for the help ones" for the days i don't want to be helpful
keeping the categories clear, simple, and not to many sounds like the key to success.
the ability to see just threads of one type is nice.
presuming 4 groups "general", "technical", "skinning", "help"
i would like to say "show me all posts in one list, except for the help ones" for the days i don't want to be helpful
keeping the categories clear, simple, and not to many sounds like the key to success.
feline
Reply #40 Monday, December 2, 2002 8:56 AM
Reply #40 Monday, December 2, 2002 8:56 AM
"html support"
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE can we have some more crayons???
feline promises to be good if we can
given the selection of background colours, how about just 3 alternate fixed "colours"?
they will be different on different backgrounds so they still show up.
this lets you have a conversation with yourself SO much more easily!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE can we have some more crayons???
feline promises to be good if we can
given the selection of background colours, how about just 3 alternate fixed "colours"?
they will be different on different backgrounds so they still show up.
this lets you have a conversation with yourself SO much more easily!
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Reply #21 Sunday, December 1, 2002 12:04 PM