Dim, I probably are not gonna make your life easier by raising this one, but have you considered implementing: Thread Tags (http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=579)

Everyone prefers to use a forum in subtly different ways. But what is a navigation improvement for one, can be the exact reason why someone else stops using the site, and picks an alternative that is set up more to that user's liking.

I am sure that the more elaborate "forum - subforum - childforum" set up here is really welcomed by some (I certainly have heard the requests for something like that in my own mod days, and it addresses certain "issues" well, easy of content location, and it helps to keep audiences with different "goals" apart). However, it also creates a downside, that maybe isn't as obvious, initially: it increases the requirements on the user to navigate more to locate the content he/she is after. It hides content further down the line, and splits it up further.

Clear layout and navigation address that downside to some point, but there is a real danger here that the amount of tree-nodes that are being created will be off-putting to the type of user who prefers to have a smaller amount of broad overviews over a larger amount of more refined ones (and -for argument sake- let's start at the assumption that the overview of all new posts is simply too unwieldy -if not now, than certainly when it gets busy).

There are two ways for a successful site to go:
- find an inflexible sweet spot.
- find a flexible way to cater to individual requirements in different ways.

The site is still rapidly changing, and there are still several tweaks that can be made to increase all users experience and enhance intuitive navigation.

The one thing that will be much harder to change in months to come is how you let users find the threads/areas that interest them, and how a user must interact with the fabric of the site to reach this content.

But I am increasingly convinced that the static tree forum is only (still) here because that is how they evolved. But, increasingly, modern Content Management Systems are dropping the static approach for a more user-focussed flexible one: Thread TAGS!

Clever use of tags can create highly user-specific experiences through powerful and creative filtering. Not only do they find "their stuff" quicker, they also find the wrapping more appealing.

A clever way of tag creation and management defines how it is implemented (a discussion on its own). A clever way of tag "navigation" allows far more direct, personal, tailor-made and intuitive access to content than any defined tree structure can ever hope to accomplish. Plus it has thousands of other potential side-benefits and content presentation.

Sites with decent content that implement Tags are far more likely to become user-magnets and also are more likely to survive competition from similar, but more inflexible user-experience sites. Successful Tag implementation is another story, and if it is an admin thing, a user thing, or both, etc... all points to be debated.

But if you want to go down the path this site has embarked upon, by creating a more elaborate tree structure than a fair group will find workable from their point of view, by sticking threads further and further down more paths, be prepared to be experienced as a bit off-putting to some, who will find places that are simply "less work".

I think there is a huge argument for letting a user determine how they want to locate their content, and how they want to group it. Even with a few tags, well managed, and a good tag-filter-interface, you can create a site with much more appeal to many more people.

But if you want to go down that path, this is the point to set it up (and the mod exists, and velorooms-specific additional scripts and features can always be created).

If you need to go down that path, that is the real question. How far, and which version, the next.

But if people are finding that they are hunting around a bit before having determined if the sort of (new) stuff that would interest them is actually there, or suddenly locate a brilliant thread that totally escaped them but has been going for a couple of days (even with the embryonic content that we have), maybe all the little things that the site offer to find this content are a bit too cumbersome, or not intuitive enough, for some.

I do walk into that from time to time. Some of it is simply because of out-of-the-box set-ups that are likely to improve, and the way folk are throwing themselves at it, sooner rather than later (cheers!).

But I already know of people who have come, but are finding this the very stumble block that makes them a bit stand-off-ish, or expect this to be the reason to drift away. Others love it, I am sure. And neither approach id good or bad, it is simply personal preferences. But it is an issue that is flagged up already, and not one easy to address once things are bedded down. That should be food for thought.

I genuinely think that if you set up a forum now, one that you want to be meeting expectations of people in two years time, you are missing a trick by not embracing tags. Not sure if a new, small but ambitious forum can afford that, to be honest.

Well willing to discuss the nitty gritty or give examples, if folk find this a bit vague. Also willing to be involved with some of this, or give more structured advice, Dim, time permitting.

Just wanted to raise it now, rather than regret not having done it, in a couple of months time.

Thank you for all your advice (and thank you everyone else as well).
A week ago I wasnt sure if this would work, now I know it will work, but I think it could end up better than ever expected. I really cant beleive how far its come in a week.

Well, I think you have mainly yourself to thank there Dave, for the speed with which this baby has hit the road.

You (with some equally appreciated hands-on help -ta L'Arriviste) are throwing yourself at it for the love it it, and with a dedication that isn't matched by several people who are paid handsomely for it, so good on ya!

What I add? It is simply great to know that the (frustratingly little) I am able to chuck in right now (a pov), is going to very fertile ground, and an appreciative host. You are welcome, in the true meaning of those words.

Hitch, I think Dim changed the settings a bit a couple of hours ago, reflecting the sparse content for some of these subforums, at this moment. We are finding the content, and there are certainly arguments why they are useful, and liked, but there is some evidence that newcomers are not as successful in navigating the forum to locate their desired content quickly. There will be plenty of changes to come 'before our launch', but there is a good argument for keeping diffusion of thread and forum traffic to a minimum, for now.

He anticipates he will re-install that type of sub-forum when it gets more traffic, mainly for the period where one of those subforums is very active because of imminent racing, and topical threads might swamp the normal board.

It is very easy to put those subforums back in the open, and move threads between them (old and new). And it is up to our input too, how and when that happens.

It might well be that all that will be handled completely differently, by the time the Giro comes around. Isn't "flux" a lovely state to be in

He'll be making some big code changes to the site's set-up tomorrow.

Swear word filter needs improving.

I always find personal user smilies funny.
We need more smilies and especially this special breed.

This would be mewmewmew13



that looks sh*te. they have a backgroundframe. or it's the colour. don't know, but they work for most forums

have you.. ooh



oh thats pretty. doesnt work in opera, but works in ff and chrome nicely

but interestingly opera doesnt blow things up big after youve viewed them in lightbox

I will check the fancybox code and make sure there arent any errors in it.

I prefer them all in the one forum, for now at least. Another thing you can do is use coloured markers in forumview.

yeh, for now they are all together. It may be for instance that during the Tour de France a Tour section gets added either as a sub forum or a main section, the tour threads all go in there, and then after the tour they go in general road racing again and the section is removed. The great thing about being in control is we can be fluid about how we do these things and make changes quickly

Now that I've finally gained access to The Pharmacy, I would like to suggest that a link Dopeology.org be made a sticky in that sub-forum. It would seem that having such a resource at everyone's fingertips would not only be beneficial to the overall doping literacy of those interested in the topic but might also prompt more intelligent and well informed discussions in regards to doping.

After all, isn't the type of info contained on Dopeology one of the main reasons people tend to visit such a sub-forum anyway? The present state of things in cycling is so inextricably tied to the past that having an accurate and indisputable record of that past closely associated with any discussions on the topic would seem to be invaluable.

Btw, this has not been a paid advertisement.  ;D

Apologies if this has been requested, but I wonder if there is a way to make it more obvious as to which threads we have already posted in? The tiny icon presently in use evaded me for some time.

Theres an icon to show if you have already posted in a thread?????

I didnt know there was, i dont know where it is either. If the font size changes I will manually resize all of the icons.

As for the other thing, either click on todays posts and you will see all of todays posts, or if you look on the right hand side of the screen in the default or black theme you will see a little white V shape. Toggle that and on the left will be your avatar and two options.

Show unread posts since last visit.
Show new replies to your posts.



edit: I see the icons you mean. They dont show for me as admin, when i log on as a normal user i see them. I can either resize them a bit bigger across the board (they are currently 16x1 so maybe 20x20) or do some new icons. The icons in the black theme are a bit better they have little stars on. Will add that to my to do list
http://velorooms.com/index.php?topic=51.msg293#msg293

It's a tiny smiley face on the left icon, way too hard to bother looking for!

yeh, i dont see it as admin. Will have a look at those icons over the weekend.

For the moment ive put a slightly more distintive set on. The green tick shows threads you have posted in. These will only show up in the default blue curve theme at the moment.

I swear that those post numbers in bold weren't there before. ???

Either that, or I'm losing it......which is always possible.

Dim, I refer you to my as yet unanswered question in post #157 above.

there is a mod, but its not released for 2.0.2 yet