Suggestions for Forum Improvement

[Pizzasgood]

Several people have suggested that this be linked to in addition to the forum-based search:
http://wellminded.com/puppy/pupsearch.html

That uses Google and also searches a couple other Puppy sites (like the wiki).

Incidentally, I recently made a search-plugin for Firefox that can use it:
install page
forum thread


It would be a good idea to keep the forum-based search too though, as it offers some features that the google one doesn't, such as searching specific sections of the forum, or for posts started by certain people, etc. Those can be handy sometimes.

[perixx]

Hmm.

I don't like Google having every piece of problem I post here in its databases... not that I'm afraid of it, but I don't see the necessity why - when I'm doing a plain forum search.
Besides, Google has become much too nosey for my taste.

That doesn't mean the forum itself mustn't improve, of course.


perixx

[edoc]

If one goes to puppylinux.com (still not restored to a live link)
Then select News
Then select Click here for latest Developer News
One is greeted with a Not Found [404] Error
"The requested URL was not found on this server."

ONE MUST INSTEAD

Go to http://puppylinux.com/
Then select Developer
Then select My News Blog
Then select http://www.puppylinux.com/blog/

[perixx]

Guys,

it's nice of people writing nice and detailed How-to's - but they were MUCH more useful if not stuffed all together into on single endless folder, but if they were sorted into certain categories, like the rest of the forum is!


perixx

[Flash]

Guys,

it's nice of people writing nice and detailed How-to's - but they were MUCH more useful if not stuffed all together into on single endless folder, but if they were sorted into certain categories, like the rest of the forum is!


perixx

I agree! Who will volunteer to read all of the threads in order to decide what categories are needed, then put the howtos in the right category?

I think the Beginners sticky index is something like what you have in mind. Unfortunately the forum software is just not meant for such a thing. See also the sticky indexes in the Additional Software forum.

[perixx]

Hi Flash!


You're right, reading and sorting all those threads would be quite some work... well, actually not THAT much - 17 pages. Maybe the community could be involved in helping to quickly sort things? I mean, who's supposed to ever find all those treasures buried in the depth of the forum's How-to category?

4-5 main-categories with some 2-5 subcategories each should possibly do the trick. E.g.:

Code: Select all

1 -- Installation/booting 1a) partitioning/Grub 1b) HDD/frugal 1c) CD/USB 1d) ram/network 1e) other
2 -- Solving hardware probs 2a) mainboard/cpu 2b) graphic-cards/monitors 2c) printer 2d) network 2e) other  
3 -- Software-problem-solutions 3a) Office 3b) graphics 3c) CD/DVD 3d) games 3e) other 
Besides, I've just discovered your Beginner's forum index - impressive work!
4 -- Customizing Puppy 4a) Desktops 4b) adding/compiling Applications
5 -- Miscellaneous....

By the way, I've just discovered your Beginner's help forum-index... impressive work!


perixx

[Aitch]

Hi
I'm with perixx, for the idea that's most needed

The Forum needs some sort of linker by type/topic/date/w.h.y
to create a database of sorts, with user select variables
There are many posts I come across which seem to trace back by topic or idea to some very early page,
where the links are broken because a server has moved
/been updated/ or gone offline
If a user could save favourites, like firefox, but within the forum,
returning to the forum would enable you to browse your favourites
/by date/topic/post author, etc

Or am I dreaming?
and google is the way forward?

I have a friend who is working on a language recognition program,
which he may be able to adapt,
but how/where to access the existing info?

Aitch

[ttuuxxx]

What I think is that this forum is the most excellent resources we have for puppy linux, BUTTTTTTTT The Idea i have, is that my forum is based on phpbb just like this one and basically all images and files should be located in 1 folder specified by the forum creator/web-designer. It would be excellent if we could have an area where we could could look at the files which have been uploaded, Man that would save me so much time trying to find things, and relieve the server of some searches. Imagine if someone posted a lib around 2yrs ago and i had to search for it. I would have to look at like 50-100 pages, but if i had a address to where the files were being store, Just one click and scroll up and down or do a search via the browser on that page, how simple and time saving would that be???????
just an idea.
ttuuxxx

P.s Also i would like more inbox space, I like keeping my messages, Always nice to look back. I have 38 message with no pictures and my attachments is 0% full, but my INBOX is 76% full really if you splice all the messages together you would have about 3 pages of typed notes, Most messages are 1-4 Lines.

[SirDuncan]

Cool idea Ttuuxx. I second that.

[Pizzasgood]

There is a separate "saved messages" box that gives a little more space, but yeah, there's not a whole lot of room for PMs.

[SirDuncan]

I suppose that I should clarify that I was talking about the uploaded files. The message space has not become an issue for me yet.

[Flash]

It's John Murga's forum, and he set it up. I don't know if there is an option for more PM storage. In any case I suppose the idea is to encourage people not to leave useless stuff on the server. I know I would tend to do that if I had more storage.

[wingruntled]

With all the security issues lately it seems to me that John may want to upgrade phpBB to the new 3.0 version released on Dec 13 2007.
This is a list of some of the things that have been added to 3.0 that this current version doesn't have.
UTF-8 Support:
Search Engine spider Handling:
Temporary Bans (Suspension):
Paid Security Code Audit:
Type Aware Parameter Handling:
Suspensions:
Warnings:
User Logging:
Report Posts:
Set min/max Username Length:
Disallow Non-Registered User Memberlist Viewing:

And a whole bunch of new Moderator control Panel options like:
Banning by Username:
Banning by IP Address:

And a lot more Admin panel options too.

http://www.phpbb.com/about/features/?si ... be135e5749

[bobwrit]

I second the request for the new phpbb. The features it has, I've used and find them usefull.

[maddox]

what about Semantic Web for searches on the forum or even further out ?
This is what Wikipedia has to say -> here

a bit of info about Semantic Web
or Case Studies
Guides to RDF are here
and Tools are here

seems usefull stuff for all users,
well just a thought ... but very interesting, taken from my magazine scientifi.. America...dec-2007

maddox

[Aitch]

maddox

I suppose it depends whether you are a believer
that Tim Berners-Lee's ontological concept has come of age,
in an open format, or this is the beginning of the closing
of the loop on 'machine intelligence system database' -
otherwise known as 'big brother'
I concede that it's interesting, though,
but think the suggested improvements to the bb
take priority in my book



Aitch

[ttuuxxx]

Increase Upload limit, I've seen people upload 2mb files to rapidshare come on guys, I increased my forum from 1MB to40MB a file, max. Even 3-5MB per file would be great. And maybe once a month have someone sort the files and try to make some sort of software achieve. A nice theme would be cool. Maybe one of those "shoutboxes" or a live chat.
I often wonder why we don't have a puppy newsletter sent to my email?
Or like server reports, I would find it interesting the amounts of puppy Linux iso's downloaded in a week. And have it graphed on a timeline compared with release dates.
ttuuxxx

[Aitch]

@ttuuxxx

And maybe once a month have someone sort the files

OOH yeh - I can do that!

Oh how I've been crying out for a bit of file organisation

Maybe we could even have, 'select files by date/type/poster/topic'

perish the thought!

I often wonder why we don't have a puppy newsletter sent to my email?

But Pleeeze, whatever is done, not at the expense of mail shots/advertising [ads beginning to creep in]
I'm just about to remove myself from a list due to 'linuxluvvies' bombarding me with the latest ideas/gripes/repeats/cr*p/how to organise the next meeting/do we need wifi, etc .... that I don't NEED
If I request it, fine, but at least the choice!

Aitch

Edit:
Don't know what's happened
When I came back the post I replied to has gone/changed?

[ttuuxxx]

How about "Puppy in the Post" for a newsletter name and might be like.
Page 1 "latest fixes" sorted by series,with a professional summary and download links.
page 2 "Breaking News puppy 4.0 almost beta" and list the fixes and links
Page 3 "Puppy Here and Tomorrow" A look of puppy projects and where they foresee the near and distant future of puppy development.
Page 5 "Latest Puppy Packages" List of latest release by users and developers
Page 6 "Puppy rescue" Basically help wanted on certain project with links to the projects forum.
Page 7 "Puppy Want adds" what users are looking for in puppy, maybe a driver, software, a new variant etc

Well its an idea anyways, I couldn't do it because my literature capabilities are lacking.eg I suck at spelling.

It could be weekly, monthly and best of all just posted on the forum where we could download it and not have it sent to emails, save on spam !! Since it should be well and truly under 1MB
ttuuxxx

Or even a little program that retrieves it once once you click on it, or could be set to download from a server once a week or month, with a desktop Icon that says "Puppy News"
you click and then it pops-up like a pdf or html, rtf.

[Aitch]

@ttuuxxx

can I add:- [on any page where there's room]

Wish list//puppy/non puppy

Donated hardware/offers

'Dot on a map', to show global puppy distribution/user by country

Aitch