Solution for Progress 'Threads'?

[Simop]

Everyone wants to write about their progress with their car, but often you dont want to see hundreds of comments about what you've written. Often when reading, you dont want to sift through hundreds of comments to get to the next update.

A while ago, I launched the Saxperience Blog to allow you to put your 'progress threads' in that section. The main advantages of this are: -

- Your updates are stored as separate entries, each of which can be skipped between using previous/next type links, instead of scrolling through LONG forum threads.

- You can decide whether people are allowed to leave comments or not.

- If you dont like someones comment, YOU have the ability to delete it yourself. You have moderator permissions for YOUR Blog.

- You can setup multiple categories to keep your postings organised. So if you have a red car and a black car, setup two categories, so people can follow each car's progress separately.

- You can setup custom side bar links and pages... so you can link to things like technical specification info, your E-Garage page, your photobucket album, Saxperience member albums of your car pics, etc, etc.

- Your Blog is automatically added to your User profile pages, so people can access your progress blogs in many ways.


The Blog was launched quite some time ago and its features/benefits listed, but for some reason people have chosen not to exploit its uses. Trust me, IF you use this for your cars 'progress thread', it will be much easier for both YOU and the READER to navigate through your progress.

Currently only Premium Members can author a Blog, but if there is a lot of interest and this sorts out the current 'progress thread' issues, maybe this can change?

So that you can see a live demo, I've re-typed my VTS's history article and put it into Blog-style. Since I've done this, I've realised I've got loads of updates I haven't blogged... I need to get that sorted over the next few days.

>>> Take a look at this here <<<

Here's a screen shot for those of you who can't be bothered looking

[Paulp]

I'm just used to the progress threads if i'm honest.

Its not that the blogs function isn't 'better' its just habbit to click on the threads instead.

The blogs do look alot easier and well set out. Saves doing contents page like i have on my 'thread'.

Might have to have a look into it, but i'm not a fan of change

[bluenotesmiley]

Good idea. Is there anyway you can list the blogs in a forum format within the actual forum itself? I think that's probably why people don't use it as there is no hub that lists everyones progress showing the ones that have been updated recently.

[Simop]

Resisting change isn't healthy

The Blogs show updates in just the same way as the forum does. Recently updated blogs appear at the top. You can subscribe to blogs so you get notifications when people update them.

There are loads of ways to integrate the blogs more with the forum, but Ive never done this, as basically nobody is using the Blogs. lol.

If a handful of members were willing to make the leap and try this out, Im sure most people will start to see the benefits. We can then develop the Blog area to give you want you want out of it. Or... leave it as it is and it'll get removed as part of an update later this year as it's tumble weed central.

[bluenotesmiley]

I think if it was integrated directly with the forum most people would probably use it. It just seems as though it is external to the forum at the moment.

[wigansaxo]

sounds good, will give it ago soon, i really like how you can moderate your own blog and decide who comments, imo you should be able to moderate your own threads to a certin point like when a mod locks there thread in the forsale section when they have sold something, would stop people bumping up 6 mounth old threads asking if its still forsale,
butprobs another shit idea by me lol

[J222JRA]

Hmmm......maybe its time i give the blogs system a try.

[Daniel09]

i agree 100% with you simo

[JamesRm]

I use the blog system more for everyday things lol

I just have my prog thread with a contents at the start

[yorkie]

i will look into when i have more time to do it lol soon tho lol

[Alanaponep]

I have mine up and running since i joined but the blogs don't get anywhere near the views that a thread would. maybe needs advertising more that a blog is for your progress reports and the threads are for the rest of it all... only problem is alot of people have threads now so it'll take a while to migrate all there info over.

I think its an awesome idea though and mine i up for people to view, links in the sig.

[MR_N]

Was going to start my new progress thread in a few days but i may have to do this instead.

[Chr15]

Mine doesnt get '100s of posts' as I dont ASW the titles like some people do.

Then again, I havnt done much like some have lol

[Simop]

Well, I'll leave this one upto you peeps. The features are clearly better in the blog section for progress-type threads, but if you dont want to use it, it will never get popular.

If 'some' people do begin to use it more, I'll integrate blog updates and a few other bits into the main forum... but if its not used, this will just be clutter we can do without.

Thanks for reading

[Mochachino]

I think it would be more popular with it on the main forum somehow. Its just something ese i overlook and only rmember when someone mentions it.

Possible to do a week trial or somthing?

[djmartin]

tbh I cant eve nsee where your supposed to open up a blog lol. I know it says Blog at teh top next to FAQ but I click it and I see nowhere saying start your blog now (sort of button) all I see is latest entries then a list of other blogs.

[Mochachino]

Originally Posted by djmartin

tbh I cant eve nsee where your supposed to open up a blog lol. I know it says Blog at teh top next to FAQ but I click it and I see nowhere saying start your blog now (sort of button) all I see is latest entries then a list of other blogs.

IRC its for the prem members, us working class mambers cant afford to buy into the blog scheme

[djmartin]

Originally Posted by db_sax

IRC its for the prem members, us working class mambers cant afford to buy into the blog scheme

good point db_sax

so why did you simo post it here lol
post it in the prem area HAHA!

or is this an insentive to make members sign upto premier or renewel there membership .


personally you should just edit the progress section so we members can all moderate our own progress thread. i've already had to ask Craig to delete some posts from my progress thread and also asked James once my car is fully done to delete my progress thread so I can start a new one with all the pics and video's in the first post so people dont have to go through page after page trying to find random updated pictures!

it comes down to logic and common sence really!

[Mochachino]

Originally Posted by djmartin

good point db_sax

so why did you simo post it here lol
post it in the prem area HAHA!

or is this an insentive to make members sign upto premier or renewel there membership .


personally you should just edit the progress section so we members can all moderate our own progress thread. i've already had to ask Craig to delete some posts from my progress thread and also asked James once my car is fully done to delete my progress thread so I can start a new one with all the pics and video's in the first post so people dont have to go through page after page trying to find random updated pictures!

it comes down to logic and common sence really!

Yeh think its an insentive!

I read a good point someone brought up the other day, like you clikc a box or somthing and all posts other than the OP are hidden. Only solves half the problem, but would be decent for us non prem members i guess?

[Morgzc]

Think it would be good if you could intergrate this into the progress threads. Like on facebook pages where you can see all comments or just selected ones from the thread author, you could select posts containing updates and have a button on the page to view them only or all comments?