Wishlist for this site in 2008

[Mike]

I am looking at doing some necessary updates to this software in a few months. There are some pretty nice enhancements coming too, which is built into the forum software as part of the upgrade. I will announce these at a later time.

But, while I am making a list of things coming, what do you want to see? Here are a few examples.

Blogs
Photo Albums
Classifides
Video Chat
Better Customization of user profiles
More tutorials/site movies
Better use of our chat system

Lots of things here have been placed here based on requests from the small changes, like spell check and more smilies all the way to the larger ones like a better arcade.

your wishlist.....?

[lupe]

Sometimes, i read a post and want to respond, but might not have time. Then on the chance that I do remember I wanted to respond to something, I have to remember what thread it was I wanted to respond to and what forum it was under. Most of the time it just goes forgotten

So, it would be nice if we had a way to mark a thread as unread so we can see it in our unreads again and remember to come back and revisit the thread.

Or maybe a "bookmark" or something of that nature? I don't think using the subscriptions would work either because some people subscribe to a lot of threads and they'd still have to sift through to find it.

[Ashley]

I agree with Lupe. On my email there is a way to star any items that I want to refer back to so maybe something similar to that.

[kjbogart]

Kind of like a bookmark for the post??

[grunties]

how about a check box that says you've read the post but don't have to go into it? I always have to go into a post that I may not have any interest in because I want it out of my "unread" posts......

[lupe]

Originally Posted by grunties

how about a check box that says you've read the post but don't have to go into it? I always have to go into a post that I may not have any interest in because I want it out of my "unread" posts......

There are a few ways to deal with this already. 1) You can ignore the thread - find this under "thread tools" 2) After you have read items you ARE interested in, you can go to the forum that has unread items and again, under "thread tools" click on "mark this forum read" 3) Or, you can take care of all the forums/unreads in one swoop by going to the "get posts" menu item on the dark blue main menu bar, you can click on "mark forums read."

I'm sure there are a few more ways to handle unreads you don't want to read.

[izzys_dad]

theres also a "subscribe" to a thread option I've seen as a feature in other places.
that way you can always keep track of the treads that you want, and get emailed when ever someone posts something on that thread.

[izzys_dad]

ooops.

didnt read your post earlyer Lupe

[mike_d]

1. Ability to go to first unread post directly from the "Unread posts link" I don't like having to open a thread and then click "goto first unread"
2. Ability to delete/mark as read unwanted posts out of my unread posts list with a check box
3. Ability to mark a post so I can come back to it later, or reference it later.
4. Make the PM function send the entire message to my email and let me respond directly to that person from my email without logging on.

[grunties]

Originally Posted by mike_d

1. Ability to go to first unread post directly from the "Unread posts link" I don't like having to open a thread and then click "goto first unread"

see the little blue box with the check mark in it next to the title of the thread? click on that and it will take you to the first "unread post"

[mike_d]

No, that takes you to the last post which is what I usually use unless there have been many posts then I have to scroll up to find where I left off.

Originally Posted by grunties

see the little blue box with the check mark in it next to the title of the thread? click on that and it will take you to the first "unread post"

[lcitech]

I would like a way to locate my own posts to rejoin the threads I've posted in before and see replies after mine, which is a feature I see on other forums but not here. Also, other software lets you get alerts on any additional replies or posts after yours. If the feature is here, it apparently isn't intuitive or I am a complete idiot. Probably both are true.... :-)

[lcitech]

Well, that's confirmed, I am an idiot. I found the way to find my own posts, I have to click on myself in a message above and "find all posts from....." The email alert feature would be nice...

[Mike]

We have the e-mail alert feature. It is called subscribe. You have, in your control panel, many options for controling email. Look in Control Panel>Edit Options. You will see the option for Default Thread Subscription Mode. Early on during testing I defaulted that as being on for all users, but the flood of requests to take it off was such, that I default it to no email. Thus, you pick what you want to follow. When you create a new post, you can automatically subscribe to it, via control panel, or just turn on the option on certain threads that you create.

When you create a new post, look below the button that says Submit New Thread. You will see options for getting all replies via e-mail. The default is Do not subscribe. This is where you change it. Then, if you choose to get emails, you will get emails on all replies to your thread. With the text sent in email.

If you just choose to get an email on all topics you post (Either start yourself or reply to), your control panel options indicated above, will do the trick. I think we have as many e-mail customizations as you can have, Fitting anyone's desires.

I will address some of the other requests above, in later posts.

How about a simple "back to top" button at the bottom of each page? I hate having to scroll back to the top after I read a long post.

[lupe]

Originally Posted by kimocan

How about a simple "back to top" button at the bottom of each page? I hate having to scroll back to the top after I read a long post.

there's a "back to top" button at the bottom right of each post.

[lifetimemarine]

I also wish you had current weather...

Originally Posted by lupe

there's a "back to top" button at the bottom right of each post.

See it was so simple that I didn't even notice that! Grassy ***!

[Marge]

Here's some of my thoughts:

- A 'Home' site that would provide some sort of a bulletin of what going on in Eastvale, such as:
* Weather
* Local news
* School news/activities
* Important reminders/alerts (i.e. Planned outages, etc.)

- The same site would display a one stop location which would provide a link to:
* Unread post (in addition to what we have)
* Threads I posted on that has new replies
* Alerts for my inbox (in addition to what we have)
* If someone is in the chat room and who is it

- Quick links to contact information for:
* Sheriff services
* Jurupa water
* Etc.

- An improved profile page (kind of like a mini-myspace page)

- An option for people to have this page as their opening page or the page we open to now.

- Capability to send a quick IM for someone you see is online (with their permission of course) to tell them [for example] to go into the chat room.

- In addition to the business reviews (or an added enhancement) a list of businesses and the number of people who recommend. Could be similar to eBay where a user has a certain number of positive comments but without the comments just a number of stars or what ever. Or it could be like the product reviews when you do online shopping where a vendor could get 1 - 5 stars for their business.

[Mike]

I addressed Marge's requests in red, inside her quoted text.

Originally Posted by Marge

Here's some of my thoughts:

- A 'Home' site that would provide some sort of a bulletin of what going on in Eastvale, such as:
* Weather
* Local news
* School news/activities
* Important reminders/alerts (i.e. Planned outages, etc.)

This is here already. I am playing with the format and will release it when it when I have what I am looking for, but very very much like what you are asking.

- The same site would display a one stop location which would provide a link to:
* Unread post (in addition to what we have)
* Threads I posted on that has new replies
* Alerts for my inbox (in addition to what we have)
* If someone is in the chat room and who is it

I will integrate this too. Probably sooner than the front page portal. It will enhance the forums navigation and give us the ability to BOOKMARK threads for later review . There will be a side column on the left. Honestly, I have the setup for it now and am just seeing if I can integrate it and play with it without members seeing it too While I test it.

- Quick links to contact information for:
* Sheriff services
* Jurupa water
* Etc.
Coming too.

- An improved profile page (kind of like a mini-myspace page) - Coming with the new release of the Forum Software. I am testing it too. Nice enhancements to the forum.

- An option for people to have this page as their opening page or the page we open to now. - Right. There will be a Forums link on the portal

- Capability to send a quick IM for someone you see is online (with their permission of course) to tell them [for example] to go into the chat room. We do that now, but the users online is at the bottom. I look at it, but many people do not. I will being that up towards the top (in the new left column). When you see someone, you can just PM them, as it is pretty instant anyway.

- In addition to the business reviews (or an added enhancement) a list of businesses and the number of people who recommend. Could be similar to eBay where a user has a certain number of positive comments but without the comments just a number of stars or what ever. Or it could be like the product reviews when you do online shopping where a vendor could get 1 - 5 stars for their business. Our business review/services will be looked at at somepoint next year.

Marge, terrific requests as always. Here are some things coming as well. Remember, when you see these ideas and features pop up on other Eastvale Sites, remember where you heard them first .

Photo Albums in Profiles (with new release of forum software)
Community Blogging (with new release of forum software)
Social Groups (with new release of forum software)

A more flexable Banner ad system to assist with announcements, local events, etc.

An interactive Crime log system that feeds from this forum into the Riverside Sherrif. This is in the works, but still working on this and testing database software now. I see it as a model for "Virtual Crimefighting" for communities.

Re-Skinning of the Forums. The only time frame I have for this is the 1 year anniversary (April/May 2008) of Eastvaleresidents.com as a birthday gift. We officialy launched last week in April. This is a project I am handing off to a custom designer. The logo will not change, but the forum will be designed around the logo color scheme.


Of course, all this get's done as time permits. Family, work, sleep. But lots of nice stuff will be in the next version of the forum software, which is sometime in Feb/March. But here is a rough order of things.

1. Left Column navigation improvements for the forum.
2. Portal Page
3. Crime Database
4. Vbulletin Software update with the aforementioned improvements.
5. Theming with new colors.
6. Something with the Review Database/Services, etc.

Of course, all I ask of you all is patience. The performance and stability of this forum has been rock solid. But as I integrate features, there may be hiccups, but may not be.

This post was by no means to end the discussion for feedback. I am glad to see that what I have planned seems to be inline with what you all have been requesting.