Some changes to the site ...
I could blog yet again today about the digital wind which is raging
at increasing pace through our industry: Barnes & Noble (the
well known US bookstore chain) has just put itself up for sale,
hoping to find a buyer in possession of a magic wand.
But instead, a word about the digital wind which is about to rip through our site ... causing some very slight rearrangements to the furniture. You know that "News" tab at the top of the site? I don't think anyone has ever used it, so instead we're going to start syndicating a whole lot of blogs from the most interesting literary world bloggers. (And yes, that certainly includes Emma and Debi.) I'll mention these again when we've got them properly online, and we'll go on adding excellent blogs when we come across them - and will always be open to suggestions of course.
And since change is in the air, what else should we be doing? We're not omnipotent, alas - many of the things we'd like to do, we just can't do given the functionality of the software we use. (So I'd love it, for example, if you could send bulletins to friends, or group leaders could send bulletins to their groups ... but we can't enable that function without also enabling global bulletins, which are simply an invitation to spammers.) But let us know. If we can tweak things to make you happier we will. What would you like to see? And which blogs would you like us to syndicate? If we can, we'll do it.
But instead, a word about the digital wind which is about to rip through our site ... causing some very slight rearrangements to the furniture. You know that "News" tab at the top of the site? I don't think anyone has ever used it, so instead we're going to start syndicating a whole lot of blogs from the most interesting literary world bloggers. (And yes, that certainly includes Emma and Debi.) I'll mention these again when we've got them properly online, and we'll go on adding excellent blogs when we come across them - and will always be open to suggestions of course.
And since change is in the air, what else should we be doing? We're not omnipotent, alas - many of the things we'd like to do, we just can't do given the functionality of the software we use. (So I'd love it, for example, if you could send bulletins to friends, or group leaders could send bulletins to their groups ... but we can't enable that function without also enabling global bulletins, which are simply an invitation to spammers.) But let us know. If we can tweak things to make you happier we will. What would you like to see? And which blogs would you like us to syndicate? If we can, we'll do it.
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13 Comments
One thing I've always thought would be incredibly useful for everyone is more expansive profile page. For example, like the Blogs list that automatically links to postings, the same for other things posted, like Critiques. Personally, I would have appreciated a profile section where you could see one line of all comments you've posted on other writers' work, but that's probably too much for most.
With so many more contributing on the site now - and if it's relatively easy to do - a one-line index of Blogs going back (just title and poster) in the Blogs section. 50 indexed per page, say, would make it easier to quickly scan through and select what's been posted in the past few days. Generally, a most recent 5 of things is too few - 10 at least, please.
Keep up the tremendous work.
Also, I agree about the "news" as I've occasionally clinked on links there and they are rarely news at all; just waffling features and reviews from places like the Guardian website that people can read by themselves if they're into that sort of thing.
Also, can we please have the word cloud graphic back for the top of the site? (perhaps members could design one as a competition?) The hand holding the pen is a bit old fashioned and cliched, I think.
Other than these opinions, I really like the way the site looks and operates.
What you have decided to do with the 'News' tab, sounds like a good plan to me.
Hats off to you!
I'd like to see the chat feature back if that's possible. I have looked at the news items once or twice, but pertinent blogs would definitely be preferable. Oh, and I like the hand holding the pen, but then I'm old fashioned.
The News tab has now changed to Opinion, and we're starting to get some bloggers on lin there. It's more interesting already.
The other ideas (chat feature, blog index, etc) are all ones for our software people, but we'll pass them on. I think they're good ideas too, so we'll push them if we can - but no promises.
And thanks for the nice words about the site. We're blushing ... but really you should be, cos it's you wot makes it!
I have visited a particularly well laid out web-site in the past (don't laugh at the subject please, it's the way that the different topics are handled that is particularly effective)
For your interest: http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/index.php
One thing I miss from being on other sites is a User Control Panel. Here you can watch a topic on the forums and you'll get told every time somebody posts to that topic, but other sites have a User CP where you can easily choose to 'subscribe' to a topic. You get no notifications clogging up your wall/e-mail, instead you click on the User CP button and it shows you your subscribed threads that have new posts. Then you can just click the link and see what's new.
That's all I can think of for now, as this site is so good anyway:-)
Hope I don't come across like I'm listing complaints, this is overall an extremely useful and valuable site.
Other than that the Cloud is just perfect =]
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