Site problems

[YYZ]

I often have trouble navigating my way around the site and thought I would share these issues in an attempt to help improve the site.

1) Somewhere along the top of the page should be a link back to the main forum. You could add it to the left of "My Albums". I realize there is a link further down along the left, but it's missing from the main navigation area, which is weird. If you're not registered, logged in, or ever been to the site - it's hard to find your way to the forums. I think it's also why we sometimes see things in the shoutbox that inexperienced users mistakenly think they are posting on the forum itself.

2) The main page login issues are still there. The .php function seems to call up the wrong 'include'. I used to maintain several forums but never an IP.Board, so I'm not sure how easy it is to hack your .php files... but it seems like a hack that went wrong. I can log in from anywhere on the site, except on the main page. It has nothing to do with username vs nickname etc - the script seems flawed.

3) I often try to use the "view new posts" link, rather than surf the whole forum. Often this works ok, but only from the main page. I was just in my IM Box and after sending a PM, tried to use the "view new posts" link and it failed. I was given a "search flood control" error and had to wait 20 seconds (see pic). Thing is, whether I waited 10 seconds or 40 (I counted), it still didn't work. I don't think the flood control on most areas of the forum are necessary and I would just shut this off or set to zero. The only place flood control really helps is making posts, but even there, it can be very frustrating when you try to make a quick edit of a spelling mistake in your own post, only to be told to wait - so you go back (often losing the correction you made) do it again and then wait... and even then it doesn't always work and you get the same flood control message.

4) Speaking of the shoutbox, it seems to have disappeared - which is good.

There's other stuff, but these are the drawbacks that most quickly come to mind.

5) It also seems that there are many new users who are not forum savvy and have a hard time finding their way through a lot of the addon modules or clutter. I think if on the main forum pages - in the blue headers - you could add some instruction like "click on a link to view forum" or "click on a link to view a thread" it would help a lot of the newbies contribute.

[Erik Sine]

I agree with you on this Marko, I need to take some time off and make this site a little easier to navigate for the n00bies. I don't understand however on your log in issue on the front page? I can log in everywhere just fine, which section are you referring to?

Also, I did not know you have a "My Albums" oddly enough, I do not have that to the left of "my Blog"

[manuellynch]

Would suggest a smaller (shorter) graphic at the top of the page so you dont have to scroll so much...just a suggestion.

[YYZ]

I don't really understand the login issues either. Like I said - it seems like a php hack that doesn't work fully.

See the attached pic - this is what I see when I come to the site if I am not logged in (and how I assume a first time visitor sees the site): When I try to log in at the upper right, I get that funky error popup that is empty. If I log in at the lower left (or anywhere else), it works fine.

Further to my previous list - while making this last post, I uploaded the new image and clicked "preview post" to see what it would look like (if the pic was correct) and it didn't actually give me the preview. It seems like it refreshed the "post reply" page (and I think it removed the uploaded image).

Edited August 21, 2008 by YYZ

[manuellynch]

I don't really understand the login issues either. Like I said - it seems like a php hack that doesn't work fully.

See the attached pic - this is what I see when I come to the site if I am not logged in (and how I assume a first time visitor sees the site): When I try to log in at the upper right, I get that funky error popup that is empty. If I log in at the lower left (or anywhere else), it works fine.

Further to my previous list - while making this last post, I uploaded the new image and clicked "preview post" to see what it would look like (if the pic was correct) and it didn't actually give me the preview. It seems like it refreshed the "post reply" page (and I think it removed the uploaded image).

The logon issue is the same thing I told you about before - the one on the bottom works - the one on the top doesnt. On another board like this it has the same problem.

[Erik Sine]

Thanks for posting Marko, I did not even know the Guest Message was still up, hence the reason for double "IF YOU'RE NOT LOGGED IN YOU WILL NOT SEE CURRENT ACTIVE THREADS".

I always come logged in and fail to see a few things it appears.

On a side note, I'll be upgrading the board again and there will be some more changes. Here is a sneek peek to the new board appearance.

[YYZ]

Thanks for posting Marko, I did not even know the Guest Message was still up, hence the reason for double "IF YOU'RE NOT LOGGED IN YOU WILL NOT SEE CURRENT ACTIVE THREADS".

I always come logged in and fail to see a few things it appears.

On a side note, I'll be upgrading the board again and there will be some more changes. Here is a sneek peek to the new board appearance.

You could just as easily re-skin this board. Most of the color, background, outline setting are in the CP. The few images that are used for buttons and such, you could download for free or make your own - though this takes more time than it's worth to you. It's hard to make changes or upgrades since the whole site is powered by the forum software and not being a code-head, it's not easy - nor a priority - to make it THAT good. You can even use theme packs for other forums like phpBB if you go through and rename some files.

[Erik Sine]

It's going to be a custom skin from a known programmer. Also, I'm thinking about rotating the header image skylines from different city's from all around, instead of just the San Diego Skyline, which i'm sort of impartial to

[manuellynch]

It's going to be a custom skin from a known programmer. Also, I'm thinking about rotating the header image skylines from different city's from all around, instead of just the San Diego Skyline, which i'm sort of impartial to

Do the Google concept and have all the artist on this board submit you artwork for the top - get some creativity going.

[Erik Sine]

That's a good idea

[Erik Sine]

Flood Control should be gone

[YYZ]

One other thing I noticed... I clicked "edit" to add stuff to one of my posts, but after a minute (or whatever your threshold is) it prevented me from doing so. If it's a quick spelling fix it's fine, but with a more thorough post it's not possible to edit. I can understand no wanting people to go back and edit things out in certain cases (though oddly enough those arguments have disappeared with certain people), but I think a longer edit window (say 1 hour?) makes some sense.

Just a thought. It takes forever to get boards tweaked the way you want them...

[manuellynch]

One other thing I noticed... I clicked "edit" to add stuff to one of my posts, but after a minute (or whatever your threshold is) it prevented me from doing so. If it's a quick spelling fix it's fine, but with a more thorough post it's not possible to edit. I can understand no wanting people to go back and edit things out in certain cases (though oddly enough those arguments have disappeared with certain people), but I think a longer edit window (say 1 hour?) makes some sense.

Just a thought. It takes forever to get boards tweaked the way you want them...

And it takes longer to get customers, vendors, and spouses even longer to get them the way you want them...