Which cpaptalk.com Upgrade Would You Most Like To See?
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- Site Admin
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Which cpaptalk.com Upgrade Would You Most Like To See?
Howdy cpaptalk'ers,
Now I know it has been said that you can't please all of the people all of the time; well, we at cpaptalk are going to have a go of it.
In the next few weeks we are going to be taking a look at what we can do to make this board a better place and I want everyone to have some time to give their input.
I hope this thread opens up a discussion on the topic! I'll be checking nightly and look forward to getting involved in the chat.
Above is a list of things I think would be cool to expand or add to the website. It's by no means a completed list, I'd love any suggestions ya'll would care to offer.
Lastly, the Respironics Interview is moving along nicely. I will post to our Product Interviews section when I've got a more firm date for release.
Thanks and bring on the suggestions!
Johnny
Now I know it has been said that you can't please all of the people all of the time; well, we at cpaptalk are going to have a go of it.
In the next few weeks we are going to be taking a look at what we can do to make this board a better place and I want everyone to have some time to give their input.
I hope this thread opens up a discussion on the topic! I'll be checking nightly and look forward to getting involved in the chat.
Above is a list of things I think would be cool to expand or add to the website. It's by no means a completed list, I'd love any suggestions ya'll would care to offer.
Lastly, the Respironics Interview is moving along nicely. I will post to our Product Interviews section when I've got a more firm date for release.
Thanks and bring on the suggestions!
Johnny
Last edited by forumadmin on Thu Dec 16, 2004 9:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- wading thru the muck!
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 am
Johnny,
Those are some great ideas. I voted for interactive CPAP user encyclopedia. What I would like to see is a database of user support info for each piece of equipment available. Adjustment instructions for cpap machines, instructions for interpreting the software for the various machines, List of error codes and what to do, possible solutions to typical problems such as rain-out, aerophasia, mask leaks, mouth breathing etc... Ted the Titrator posted some definitions recently that would be good to include.
You could set-up a list of topics each linking to the relavent info and then linking to member tips and comments on each subject.
I would love to have some comprehensive instructions on how to interpret my silverlining software and I'm sure others would like to know the same about their software and equipment.
I'm looking forward to an already great forum getting better...thanks
Those are some great ideas. I voted for interactive CPAP user encyclopedia. What I would like to see is a database of user support info for each piece of equipment available. Adjustment instructions for cpap machines, instructions for interpreting the software for the various machines, List of error codes and what to do, possible solutions to typical problems such as rain-out, aerophasia, mask leaks, mouth breathing etc... Ted the Titrator posted some definitions recently that would be good to include.
You could set-up a list of topics each linking to the relavent info and then linking to member tips and comments on each subject.
I would love to have some comprehensive instructions on how to interpret my silverlining software and I'm sure others would like to know the same about their software and equipment.
I'm looking forward to an already great forum getting better...thanks
Sincerely,
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
I've only been an "active member" of this "family" since October BUT I have really enjoyed my time spent here in the forums. I've met some really great people AND I have learned so much from the "Pros".
I would like to see a "Newby FAQ" section. Newbys come here with tons of questions...about masks, machines, headgear, humidifiers and so on. It would be nice to have a section for newbys to browse through.
Thanks
Rich Oh by the way......who funds this site? Is there ever a time when donations are requested ? I'm sure Muck would write you a check "on the spot" Ha !
I would like to see a "Newby FAQ" section. Newbys come here with tons of questions...about masks, machines, headgear, humidifiers and so on. It would be nice to have a section for newbys to browse through.
Thanks
Rich Oh by the way......who funds this site? Is there ever a time when donations are requested ? I'm sure Muck would write you a check "on the spot" Ha !
Re: Which cpaptalk.com Upgrade Would You Most Like To See?
Hi Johnny,forumadmin wrote:Howdy cpaptalk'ers,
In the next few weeks we are going to be taking a look at what we can do to make this board a better place and I want everyone to have some time to give their input.
...
Thanks and bring on the suggestions!
Johnny
From an ab initio perspective, I think a CPAP for Dummys FAQ divided into such sections as:
What is CPAP?
What kinds of CPAP machines are there?
Possible Problems
etc.
Rob
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Thanks! Keep the coming!
Greetings,
I'm glad I started this thread. I am very pleased with the suggestions.
It seems that whats needed initially is a basic "lay of the land" explanation of CPAP that people on the board can refer to. I'm going to try to put forth a list of proposed documents, by title and get feedback on them.
After that has been established, there should be some sort of editable, searchable database of terms, problems, etc that the community at large can add to but that will be maintained and spearheaded by cpap.com phone support. In this way, everyone can add content where they feel it's lacking, but the quality of the content can be monitored by the experts.
Adding the CPAP noise levels to the CPAP Compare Charts is a good idea. We've done experiements in the past where we tried to record noise levels and they've not met with success. It's very hard to do! None the less, it's something many are concerned with and we need to take a look at trying again.
My favorite feature of this board has been the PB interview. I'm really excited about the coming Respironics one. However, interest in these seems lower than it should be. If anyone has read through this long post and is interested in giving some frank and honest input on why the interviews, I'm more than open to that as well.
Please keep the comments coming. Thanks for your efforts, I will see that they are used to make this a better place for everyone who visits.
Regards,
Johnny
I'm glad I started this thread. I am very pleased with the suggestions.
It seems that whats needed initially is a basic "lay of the land" explanation of CPAP that people on the board can refer to. I'm going to try to put forth a list of proposed documents, by title and get feedback on them.
After that has been established, there should be some sort of editable, searchable database of terms, problems, etc that the community at large can add to but that will be maintained and spearheaded by cpap.com phone support. In this way, everyone can add content where they feel it's lacking, but the quality of the content can be monitored by the experts.
Adding the CPAP noise levels to the CPAP Compare Charts is a good idea. We've done experiements in the past where we tried to record noise levels and they've not met with success. It's very hard to do! None the less, it's something many are concerned with and we need to take a look at trying again.
My favorite feature of this board has been the PB interview. I'm really excited about the coming Respironics one. However, interest in these seems lower than it should be. If anyone has read through this long post and is interested in giving some frank and honest input on why the interviews, I'm more than open to that as well.
Please keep the comments coming. Thanks for your efforts, I will see that they are used to make this a better place for everyone who visits.
Regards,
Johnny
- rested gal
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- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Tennessee
I'd like to see:
1. A dictionary of common abbreviations - DME, AHI, EDS, etc. I'm not a big fan of "stickys", but I'd put that dictionary as a sticky post at the top of the apnea board posts so that it's easy for newbies to consult while they're actually reading other posts on the board....not linked way off somewhere. A second sticky, an "apnea FAQ" (as several others have mentioned) would be good, too.
2. Do away with the separate section for "Introductions". Move all the existing introductions posts to a single topic on the main apnea board itself, so they won't be lost. There have been soooo many interesting introductory posts - it's really a shame that they languish in a separate section. Yeah, I know there's now an instruction that they should post their questions on the main board, but they're still not going to receive as much help (or the welcome) they'd get if all posts, including initital posts, appeared on the main apnea board.
3. One more sticky - heh... while you're pruning, also make the "New Products" be a sticky at the top of the main apnea board. It will be noticed a lot more there than as a separate section. And noticing the new products is the point, isn't it?
Three stickies in all - Dictionary, FAQ, New Products, right at the top of the message board posts, where they can be easily found.
I suppose what I'm getting at is...I'd put all the posts in one forum - where people won't miss them. That one place should be the main apnea board itself. The board that the majority of readers read and reply to; and often bookmark in the favorites so they can go straight to it.
Imho, dividing apnea stuff up into separate forum sections risks having a lot of really good info get lost in the shuffle. IMHO, one really hopping solid forum location is better than subdivisions when it's all about one subject anyway - apnea.
Oh - #4. Increase the default size of the text. Users who don't know the quick trick of holding down Ctrl and spinning their mouse wheel (or know how to choose text size in their browser) are probably squinting like crazy right now!
Cool message board. Lots of great info. Thanks for making yet another source of info available. Slowly but surely, awareness of OSA is growing, thanks in large part to good message boards like this.
rested gal
1. A dictionary of common abbreviations - DME, AHI, EDS, etc. I'm not a big fan of "stickys", but I'd put that dictionary as a sticky post at the top of the apnea board posts so that it's easy for newbies to consult while they're actually reading other posts on the board....not linked way off somewhere. A second sticky, an "apnea FAQ" (as several others have mentioned) would be good, too.
2. Do away with the separate section for "Introductions". Move all the existing introductions posts to a single topic on the main apnea board itself, so they won't be lost. There have been soooo many interesting introductory posts - it's really a shame that they languish in a separate section. Yeah, I know there's now an instruction that they should post their questions on the main board, but they're still not going to receive as much help (or the welcome) they'd get if all posts, including initital posts, appeared on the main apnea board.
3. One more sticky - heh... while you're pruning, also make the "New Products" be a sticky at the top of the main apnea board. It will be noticed a lot more there than as a separate section. And noticing the new products is the point, isn't it?
Three stickies in all - Dictionary, FAQ, New Products, right at the top of the message board posts, where they can be easily found.
I suppose what I'm getting at is...I'd put all the posts in one forum - where people won't miss them. That one place should be the main apnea board itself. The board that the majority of readers read and reply to; and often bookmark in the favorites so they can go straight to it.
Imho, dividing apnea stuff up into separate forum sections risks having a lot of really good info get lost in the shuffle. IMHO, one really hopping solid forum location is better than subdivisions when it's all about one subject anyway - apnea.
Oh - #4. Increase the default size of the text. Users who don't know the quick trick of holding down Ctrl and spinning their mouse wheel (or know how to choose text size in their browser) are probably squinting like crazy right now!
Cool message board. Lots of great info. Thanks for making yet another source of info available. Slowly but surely, awareness of OSA is growing, thanks in large part to good message boards like this.
rested gal
How about owners manuals.
For all makes and models of cpap machines and masks etc. Some of us are airheads and lose and or misplace things. From what I read yesterday, a huge % of cpap users being treated for apnea, also have attention deficit disorder etc. So while we might be traveling, or away from our homes, with the cpap machine, and a problem occurs, the manuals, locations for emergency repairs, and phone #s should be easy to access. As most know you can usea computerin a library, internet cafe, etc. CNN ran a story on cpap use yesterday. Airhead
feeling stronger everyday...."Chicago"
- rested gal
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- Location: Tennessee
Frank and honest? Well, I guess I'd have to say I'm not particularly interested in reading what a manufacturer's rep says in an interview because I figure it will pretty much consist of advertising-style canned responses - one long infomercial touting a new product. Mainly specs and info one could get just as easily from the manufacturer's website. To be expected, of course. That's what the rep's job is - promoting a new product.Johnny wrote: My favorite feature of this board has been the PB interview. I'm really excited about the coming Respironics one. However, interest in these seems lower than it should be. If anyone has read through this long post and is interested in giving some frank and honest input on why the interviews, I'm more than open to that as well.
Every once in awhile, though, a rep surprises me by mentioning something that one might not ever read about on the companies' websites. For example, in the PB interview I was amazed to find out a bit about what they call "product testing" on actual customers. It seems their testing consisted of interviewing a "small group", as they put it.. (3, 5. 10?) and instructing them to try out the new bipap for at least 30 minutes. Wide awake, maybe? LOL! I think one person was asked to trial it at home for a week. That's not to say the machine isn't wonderful, but that little nugget was a most interesting eye opener into how much time at least one company (likely all of them) spend on getting actual user feedback on a new design, be it machine/mask/whatever.
At least the "product chat" infomercials on another apnea message board offer door prizes - makes the pre-prepared answers worth sitting through.
- wading thru the muck!
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- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 am
I like how you slid in that angle on some free new equipment.rested gal wrote:At least the "product chat" infomercials on another apnea message board offer door prizes - makes the pre-prepared answers worth sitting through.
That gave me an idea regarding a potential new feature for cpaptalk. How about if a group of us equipment junkies get to try out new products and write a review/ratings to be posted as a reference for forum browsers.
Sincerely,
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
- rock and roll
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I very strongly agree with rested gal, you might consider making her head of her own column I really can't improve on her suggestions. I know of the door prizes on the other forum and it is a good idea, but I can never participate in them because of work issues. Contests would be a cool idea.
I voted for the encyclopedea like Muck, because it seems that all newbies are looking for answers. I personally would like to see more information of how to deal with DME's and insurance questions.
I also woould like to combine all the forums, I miss a lot because I forget to check in my power keyboarding. I think all the ideas on your intro were good and had there been a spot that said all the above I would have voted it.
I think this forum is the best of them all. I have participate in many others and this is the best. I also like the factg I don't have to put cookies on my Mac.
I voted for the encyclopedea like Muck, because it seems that all newbies are looking for answers. I personally would like to see more information of how to deal with DME's and insurance questions.
I also woould like to combine all the forums, I miss a lot because I forget to check in my power keyboarding. I think all the ideas on your intro were good and had there been a spot that said all the above I would have voted it.
I think this forum is the best of them all. I have participate in many others and this is the best. I also like the factg I don't have to put cookies on my Mac.
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- Site Admin
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Re: Suggestions
Howdy All,
The idea for a content search is a good one. There's one that'll let you search the forums currently, but it's a little hard to find and doesn't seem to function too well.
One day I'd like to have one search that searches content on our Encylopedia, Starters Guide, Forum Posts, and Archived Articles. I don't believe we're as far away as one might think!
In terms of the interviews, keep in mind that these aren't sales reps we are interviewing, they are product managers. They've had a good deal of control over their current product offering and even more importantly they will have influence over the NEXT project (if this one sells well!). This means that questions in the form of suggestions, as many people ask now, can communicate to a products designer what he or she will need to keep in mind next time around. I think there's a power there that is positive for this forum as well as for the entire CPAP user base.
I suppose though it's a bit like voting, as long as the CPAP products coming down the line are ok, then not too many people demand to have their voice heard. That being so, like democracy, the best I can do is to keep holding elections and hope that people who are affected by the votes turn out.
In terms of door prizes, it's been considered as have other alternatives of positive incentive for users to hang out here. As we grow and become a mature board, that issue will garner more attention than it does now. Right now though, I believe the most valuable thing we can provide is clear, acurate, easy to get to information and that has to be our first focus.
How's that for a "canned response"?
The idea for a content search is a good one. There's one that'll let you search the forums currently, but it's a little hard to find and doesn't seem to function too well.
One day I'd like to have one search that searches content on our Encylopedia, Starters Guide, Forum Posts, and Archived Articles. I don't believe we're as far away as one might think!
In terms of the interviews, keep in mind that these aren't sales reps we are interviewing, they are product managers. They've had a good deal of control over their current product offering and even more importantly they will have influence over the NEXT project (if this one sells well!). This means that questions in the form of suggestions, as many people ask now, can communicate to a products designer what he or she will need to keep in mind next time around. I think there's a power there that is positive for this forum as well as for the entire CPAP user base.
I suppose though it's a bit like voting, as long as the CPAP products coming down the line are ok, then not too many people demand to have their voice heard. That being so, like democracy, the best I can do is to keep holding elections and hope that people who are affected by the votes turn out.
In terms of door prizes, it's been considered as have other alternatives of positive incentive for users to hang out here. As we grow and become a mature board, that issue will garner more attention than it does now. Right now though, I believe the most valuable thing we can provide is clear, acurate, easy to get to information and that has to be our first focus.
How's that for a "canned response"?