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Post by postscript on Jun 30, 2007 20:45:45 GMT
I hope Roger has sufficiently recovered from his self-inflicted shock treatment of suggesting I should elaborate upon a passing comment I made.
It was in response to southernfan, being new to us, puzzled as to how he could best find his way around the forum while keeping up with what was going on.
My observation was that those who manage the mechanics of the site and many other old hands absorb a subconscious knoweldge over time. With a rate of posts having doubled over recent weeks, perhaps it is time to make a positive effort to view how the site works for new people visitng for the first time. How does everything relate?
Are we approaching the time when we need to display a site map, with suggestions as to how one might find one's way around the site, depending upon how you want to use it? This could be derived from a simple assimilation of previous individual responses to enquirers. Perhaps a 'Finding your way' thread where all individual tips are co-ordinated?
Beyond these shared thoughts I have no immediate suggestions. I merely felt that perhaps it is time for a step back and re-look from first steps. On that basis, I open a discussion.
Peter S.
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Post by roger on Jun 30, 2007 21:07:25 GMT
Hi Peter, I hope Roger has sufficiently recovered from his self-inflicted shock treatment of suggesting I should elaborate upon a passing comment I made. Er, no, not yet. And the tablets aren't working either!  Mmm, a site map of the ever-changing forum? Sounds like an enormous undertaking to me. Actually, the Front Page which contains each board, in conjunction with the Index pages of each of those boards should, in theory, serve as a site map. If you think of the Front Page as a Contents of a book, it should direct you to the chapter of your choice. Once there, every topic included in that chapter is listed. Admittedly, they are not in alphabetical order but it wouldn't help if they were because every new post brings that particular topic to the top of the page. Other than that, I'll have a think (which also takes quite a while!) and get I'll be back with any further thoughts. Management Team, where are you?  Roger |
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Post by mariannek on Jun 30, 2007 21:16:53 GMT
Hi Steve and Stuart,
Your photos are magnificent !!!Thank you so much! Love, Marianne 
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Post by grant on Jun 30, 2007 23:29:47 GMT
A very interesting topic Peter and everyone.
I.ve been active for almost a year now and I'm still learning some of the technicalities! However, for most of the time it hasn't been a problem because it seems that there is always someone there to offer a helping hand.
Trying to understand Proboards instructions, to me, was a nightmare and I gave up, but, generally speaking, as I felt my way around and wondered "How do I do that the?" well ask the question in a post or a PM and someone will give you an answer!
I'm still doing that a year on but to try to answer all the questions likely to be asked in a thread? Aren't we going to end up with a thread of rules to unwieldy to be useful?
We are all friends here so, got a problem - ask a friend!
Best wishes
Grant
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Post by Richard on Jul 1, 2007 8:42:03 GMT
Hello Peter and everybody!  I can't think of any way to simplify the navigation of this forum. The Home page is indeed the site map, and the boards are organised into logical areas and topics. We also work hard to keep individual threads on topic, but occasional off-topic asides are impossible to avoid completely. Personally I have no problems finding my way around, but I've been here since January 2005. Best Wishes, Richard  |
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Post by postscript on Jul 1, 2007 8:58:56 GMT
Actually Roger, you raise what you and others might regard as an obvious point but one which had to be explained to me as specifically as you have just stated in post #1. I recollect seeing at least two or three other posts in same vein to different people from other moderators over time. Why the boards change sequence and aren't in alphabetical order.
I think it important to clarify my main objective. Matters here are developing most enthusiastically and proliferating at a rate of knots. Therefore, as a principle, before we change from an 'A' road to a motorway through sheer momentum, it wouldn't do any harm just to have a sit back and re-assessment. We may well find we conclude we got it right in the first place. I don't think such a conclusion invalidates the exercise.
Peter S.
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Post by Richard on Jul 1, 2007 9:06:08 GMT
There is something that I find annoying. When viewing the last 30 posts or using the search function, there is no navigation tree, so I can't tell which board each post is on. If this could be added, it would be very helpful. Richard |
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Post by postscript on Jul 1, 2007 9:11:57 GMT
Your reply #3 might well be the answer, Grant. Or perhaps a combination of both. A simple guide in a panel (but would that be too simplistic?) combined with a reassurance, 'don't feel a ninny by asking in an ordinary post'.
I say 'ordinary' as while the Mods are there with the greatest of expertise and to some extend provide a consistency of response, by making it general it takes the pressure of the Mods and helps us (the general mob) to help out on the easy bits.
Peter S.
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Post by roger on Jul 1, 2007 9:33:52 GMT
Hi Peter,
To have the threads in alphabetical order may sound sensible but I don't believe it would work for two reasons:
1. For any board containing more than one page of threads, a new topic which begins with X, Y, or Z, would end up on the last page and would never be spotted by anyone using the New Post indicators.
2. Everyone would need to know exactly what any particular thread is called. In the majority of cases, there is no "right" title and is therefore left to the member who begins the thread.
Richard, the navigation tree is part of the default setting and cannot be added to other pages where it doesn't currently appear. I imagine this is because it tells you the page you are currently viewing which, in the case you describe, would be the Last 30, regardless of which board any particular post belonged.
Roger
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Martin
Global Moderator
HWI Management Team
Posts: 3,339
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Post by Martin on Jul 1, 2007 9:57:31 GMT
I find the search tool a bit cumbersome but I suspect we have no control over this software provided by Proboards.
It would be useful though to be able to deselect an entire category without having to deselect each sub-category within it.
Martin
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Post by roger on Jul 1, 2007 10:25:33 GMT
Hi Martin,
If it helps, you can deselect everything, and then reselect those boards of your choice.
Roger
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Post by Richard on Jul 1, 2007 13:35:09 GMT
Hello Roger! I'm sure the recent posts and search functions used to give details of the board each post was on, before the software was upgraded. It may have been in the same format as on Hayley's official forum, where the posts are displayed with headings like this:- Now we only see the topic, but I suspect Proboards may have changed the format when they introduced the sub-board facility. Best Wishes, Richard |
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Post by roger on Jul 1, 2007 14:49:01 GMT
I'll take your word for that Richard. I have hardly ever used the Search button. Well, because I don't use it, I forget where it is and I have to search for it! Roger |
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Post by postscript on Jul 7, 2007 12:25:59 GMT
Under HWI Milestones, post #44 HERE (Now that bit in green is showing off, Grant!). By the by, the foregoing is a little banter bewteen Grant and myself HERE Grant published that we had reached 2,500 topics. [By the by, to be fair to Richard, this all rings a bell as to some help he tried to give me very early on here, clearly I missed something because it didn't register with me at that time! Thank you too, Richard.] My initial reaction was simply to riposte: 'No wonder it is so difficult to find things'! However, if it works, I thought I would use my new-found knowledge from Roger's excellent accumulation of essential information for finding your way around the site, link to Grant's post but cross-refer here to the correct thread and ask the question, is there a way to index rather than use the search facility which is somewhat limited in flexibility? Musing aloud, perhaps it is a matter of using windows to do a search in thread title for key words, not to gather posts but to gather appropriate possible existing topics, to save duplication and refresh previous subjects with the latest thinking or news? Am I raising an issue for debate, or am I simply a lost sheep looking for a shepherd? Baaa! Peter S. Lamb's tail note: But for some reason that did not link to the post but merely to the thread! Any Moderator comment, please--other than a wolf on the prowl!? |
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Post by grant on Jul 7, 2007 13:01:12 GMT
Hi Peter! We're getting good at this aren't we? However, to tidy things up a bit if you add in front [ then url= and a ] at the end type what you want to appear HERE then [ and /url] with no spaces, you get HEREI know, I'm just showing off!!  Best wishes Grant |
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