Forum-Specific Suggestions ?

[DHC]

Is there any place to make suggestions to the Owner/Administrator for improvements to the forum?

I imagine most, or all, of these have been suggested in the past - and most fora have a dedicated 'area' for suggestions - but here are the things I'd be interested in seeing:

* First and by far the most significant improvement would be the ability to directly attach images and reports to a posted message. This would make it vastly simpler for people to submit a report they would like help with interpretation.

* Organization of the forum so that certain similar topics are focused into their relevant area. It would allow much quicker navigation to topics of interest, AND it would probably reduce the use of the 'Search' function which is probably a major drain on the server resources at the moment.

Knowing a bit about the script used here, I know these improvements are simple and straight-forward to implement, if others feel as I do that the user experience would be improved with the small changes.

[Wulfman]

Is there any place to make suggestions to the Owner/Administrator for improvements to the forum?

I imagine most, or all, of these have been suggested in the past - and most fora have a dedicated 'area' for suggestions - but here are the things I'd be interested in seeing:

* First and by far the most significant improvement would be the ability to directly attach images and reports to a posted message. This would make it vastly simpler for people to submit a report they would like help with interpretation.

* Organization of the forum so that certain similar topics are focused into their relevant area. It would allow much quicker navigation to topics of interest, AND it would probably reduce the use of the 'Search' function which is probably a major drain on the server resources at the moment.

Knowing a bit about the script used here, I know these improvements are simple and straight-forward to implement, if others feel as I do that the user experience would be improved with the small changes.

Yep. Someone comes along about once or twice a year and tries to make suggestions on how to "improve" the forum. Then it turns into 10 - 20 pages of people posting as to why those suggestions NOT be made. It's all been discussed many times before and the consensus is to leave it the way it is......and for damn good reasons. I'm in that camp.


Den

[DHC]

Is there any place to make suggestions to the Owner/Administrator for improvements to the forum?

I imagine most, or all, of these have been suggested in the past - and most fora have a dedicated 'area' for suggestions - but here are the things I'd be interested in seeing:

* First and by far the most significant improvement would be the ability to directly attach images and reports to a posted message. This would make it vastly simpler for people to submit a report they would like help with interpretation.

* Organization of the forum so that certain similar topics are focused into their relevant area. It would allow much quicker navigation to topics of interest, AND it would probably reduce the use of the 'Search' function which is probably a major drain on the server resources at the moment.

Knowing a bit about the script used here, I know these improvements are simple and straight-forward to implement, if others feel as I do that the user experience would be improved with the small changes.

Yep. Someone comes along about once or twice a year and tries to make suggestions on how to "improve" the forum. Then it turns into 10 - 20 pages of people posting as to why those suggestions NOT be made. It's all been discussed many times before and the consensus is to leave it the way it is......and for damn good reasons. I'm in that camp.


Den

Sorry. I did not mean to create another "10 - 20 pages" on a topic that has been addressed repeatedly. BTW - I am owner of a forum that has 'Big Board' status and have been through a few of these issues, hence, I thought the suggestions might be of value. I also know how frustrating it is to constantly have to repeat the same 'ol things for newbies time and time again. In fact, that was one of the reasons for one of my suggestions (to reduce that somewhat) - but I can certainly live with things the way they are.

Cheers!

[chunkyfrog]

I see you are not registered-(oh, I guess you are) FYI, this forum has been working very well for several years.
Too often, I have seen upgrades that made the very site they were supposed to 'improve', make it LESS usable. (Instructables, etc.)
I believe that the sponsors of this forum are very wise in being conservative.
Although suggestions such as yours may have been considered in the past, the forum remains in this format.
If you were to browse this forum and check out the various tools, you may find it to be much more functional than at first look.
As for me, I'm suspicious of anyone who wants to 'move my cheese'.

[DHC]

I see you are not registered-(oh, I guess you are) FYI, this forum has been working very well for several years.
Too often, I have seen upgrades that made the very site they were supposed to 'improve', make it LESS usable. (Instructables, etc.)
I believe that the sponsors of this forum are very wise in being conservative.
Although suggestions such as yours may have been considered in the past, the forum remains in this format.
If you were to browse this forum and check out the various tools, you may find it to be much more functional than at first look.
As for me, I'm suspicious of anyone who wants to 'move my cheese'.

I already apologized for raising a topic that, apparently, has been raised ad nauseum previously.

My motive was nothing other than to help.

Using this very topic as an 'object lesson' - I am very experienced with internet forum scripts, including the one used here. One of my forum sites is among the 'Big Boards' and I have faced these same issues - including retiscence to ANY kind of changes from the established members - even in the face of significant improvements. There is no doubt that some organization of topics would be an improvement - at least for the new members. Taking this very topic - if there was a dedicated area for "Forum Suggestions" (or similar) I would have known to look there and likely found those ad nauseum suggestions for improvements - quite possibly preventing me from posting this topic. The alternative is to use the forum 'Search' function - which works, but at a cost to server resources and can be overly sensitive to spelling issues and other vagaries rendering it less than optimum as the default reference (as it is used here). I would point out that organizing things topically would allow 'stickies' to be placed in various forums that act as a ready reference AND helps with enabling the old-timers to be less involved with answering newbie questions incessantly.

There is more - but the first couple of responses are clearly indicative that y'all wish no changes - even if they might improve things for new members. OK. I can live with that. The folks here, with only a very few exceptions, are extraordinarily generous of their time and knowledge, and there are few sites anywhere that are as supportive as this one.

[Wulfman]

There are some "educational" advantages to having an uncategorized forum......everybody has the option (at least) to read a variety of posts about different problem/issues without having them stuck away in different subcategories. That amount of exposure to the various aspects of this therapy is very beneficial.
There ARE the three "stickies" in the "Announcements" section above the "Topics".
Also, as an uncategorized forum, it's easier and faster for people to get responses to their questions. It's a rare post that slides very far down the page before it gets a response. If it DOES happen, it's probably because nobody knows the answer. There's a huge diversification of knowledge on this board......lots and lots of very smart people from many fields.


Den

[rested gal]

Right now it's a bit complex to follow threads or to quickly find info via Search when threads are all over the place in topics and time.

If this has been thought of before and discounted for some good reason, my aplogies.

My reply then is what I'd still say now: No need to apologize, Mtnviewer. That's a perfectly reasonable suggestion.

Quite a few people would like categories. Quite a few wouldn't.

It never hurts to ask. I kind of like the forum as it is, but then I'm pretty used to it. I can well understand how it is for people who have recently come here and are trying to find something specific.


There've been some good pro/con discussions about "categories":


viewtopic.php?p=456847#p456847
Mar 2010 - topic started by pokerjah
Forum Suggestion - Topic Sections

viewtopic.php?p=429353#p429353
Dec 2009 - topic started by GerryK
suggestions to Johnny for the board

viewtopic.php?p=394780#p394780
Aug 2009 - topic started by SleepNazzi
OT - Forum Suggestion

Any value in Creating New Forum Subjects?
Feb 2009 - topic started by Mtnviewer
viewtopic/t39122/viewtopic.php?p=342140#p342140

Board suggestions
Feb 2009 - topic started by 40 Winks
viewtopic.php?p=340618#p340618

Please Rethink The Big Pot Design
Sept 2008 - topic started by OldLincoln
viewtopic.php?p=296770#p296770

Do you think adding some forums to separate content would make this site more user friendly?
May 2007 - topic started by SleepFitness
viewtopic.php?p=169484#p169484

Any chance of sub-forums being added?
May 2006 - topic started by tom2112
viewtopic.php?p=80429#p80429

Topic started by forumadmin -- Should cpaptalk Be Divided Into Categories or Subsections?
Aug 2005
viewtopic/t4149/viewtopic.php?p=33395#p33395


This next thing isn't about categories, but might help some new readers:

A suggestion about doing searches (thanks to blarg and College Girl) -- if the Advanced Search button at top of the forum's main page doesn't find what a person is looking for, or comes up with a mish mash of things that aren't useful, another way to search this board is to do a Google search.

In the Google search box, type what you want to look for, written as in the examples below. Be sure to include the words that are run together (and the colon) in that final emphasized phrase:

oral mask site:cpaptalk.com

Cflex A-flex EPR difference site:cpaptalk.com

DME definition site:cpaptalk.com

[Junebug999]

thank you for the info rested gal....i like this forum like it is also. I go to another forum that is huge and very categorized, and that's okay, but I have found it much easier to navigate around this one and find the info I need.

[Goofproof]

The only thing that would come in handy, Install a "Change Forum Knob" at the top of the page, then take a hammer to it and break it off. Jim

[carbonman]

We're ready this time.

[Wulfman]

We're ready this time.

Now you went and made me hungry for some.......


Den

[snnnark]

I do agree with point 1

* First and by far the most significant improvement would be the ability to directly attach images and reports to a posted message. This would make it vastly simpler for people to submit a report they would like help with interpretation.

I'm sure this has been discussed but I can't remember why we cant attach images directly into our posts. Some really useful diagrams and pics have been lost because the photobucket or flickr image has expired or been moved.

[chunkyfrog]

The photo issue is very valid.
I'd also like to be able to have a link to hcpc codes

[DHC]

I do agree with point 1

* First and by far the most significant improvement would be the ability to directly attach images and reports to a posted message. This would make it vastly simpler for people to submit a report they would like help with interpretation.

I'm sure this has been discussed but I can't remember why we cant attach images directly into our posts. Some really useful diagrams and pics have been lost because the photobucket or flickr image has expired or been moved.

I suspect the issue might be the server space occupied by attachments - though that seems like a relatively minor issue with space being so inexpensive now.

The current process of linking to images and URL's hosted elsewhere is a significant deterrent to those less familiar with the 'net - AND - it also represents a security risk for the host.

FWIW