Forum suggestion

[Daniel B]

Just a suggestion..how come you guys don't try to use another server or forum application (not much of a computer person so don't know the correct name)

Honestly one of the reason i hardly come here is b/c of the way its laid out..really hard to find things and to keep track if someone answers your question.

Just a suggestion for you guys



Beening that you want to try to expand..maybe upgrading the forum might attract more people

 

[Nick Barber]

I mentioned this too to the site owner and he said change is on the way.

 

[FlipTrac_511]

For now Daniel, you can change settings in the 'preferences' section. Disable 'organize by categories', so that you'll see the latest messages listed. Furthermore, you can also set your preferences to show the latest topics being posted or to show the ones with the latest replies. You can also do a 'search' on your user name (under author) for messages you've been involved in within the last 30 days.

 

[Bill V]

maybe upgrading the forum might attract more people

...or it might scare some people off. One reason I like this board so much more than many others around is that I find the forum format to be far easier to use.

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

The Forum is quite simple, really.



Click on "Preferences" (top right) and click on "Topics with most recent replies first".



Visit here more often, and you'll get more practice with the Forum.

 

[Daniel B]

I hope you are right Nick..lol..i spoke w/ Paul (Zabtech) and he said they are trying to get more activity in the other sections of the forum ie. explorer, expedition, f-150



Thanks Trac_511, didn't know about that option..but then again maybe its b/c i hardly came here.

Trying to get some more people on here to help out and make this an even better forum than what it is!



Really Bill? I agree its very different from any other forum i've seen but idk..for me personally i found it kinda of a hassle to navigate the site.

 

[Fudged Undies]

Sorry guys. There just isn't enough activity on this site to justify that type of change. Redundant questions comprise a fair amount of the traffic here, not to mention off-topic posts. A new layout(categorically) may work for a new guy coming along because that's the norm elsewhere, but if you take half an hour to go through this sites, you'll realize it works well. Moreover using the preferences allows sufficient customization to keep relevant posts on top of the forum. If your post isn't available on the front page chances are it hasn't been replied to recently or at all.



I and many are opposed to a category layout, and I believe there will be little benefit to it and it may just expose the lack of new, relevant posts. Those forums with categorical layouts tend to have one thing in common. <b> USE THE SEARCH</b> which though helpful can get annoying and give the impression the site is more dormant than it really is. Not to mention the instability of many site search engines(my experience) in looking for stuff that has been post but the search doesn't yield.



The site is under new ownership now and maybe that type of change is coming. I'll be disappointed to see it happen if it does. This layout is unique and quite user friendly if you give it a chance.

 

[user 64972]

I like the site and the layout! It mostly works for me.



I would like some way to either have a "favorites" file or a way to "flag" topics that I may want to look at later. I've learned to just print them and have a printed folder of items I may want to find later. Sometimes i don't have too much luck with the searches. But then, I'm a 55 year old Grandpa and am not as techno savoy as some of the younger members.



The site feels right at home to me and I hope the new administrators don't change it too much. I have gone to the Explorer, Expedition and F-150 sections and am suprised how much less activity there seems to be compared to the ST part of the site.



Thanks,

Gary

 

[EddieS'04]

I thank the administrators for keeping it simple. Some of the other forums confuse me. Iam like gary g, on that issue. I have never had a problem searching for what I need. When I couldnt, the good folks on here are very helpful. I like the family atmosphere that it creates..

 

[Todd Z]

We will NEVER go to a VB style... Period....



This layout is sooooo simple compared to the multi level and redundant layout of most of the other VB boards..



And to change over to a VB, you might as well start over, It is almost impossible to convert this site to a VB.... Everything would be lost, or have to be backed up and stored some where..



Also I am a member of some of the other Vehicle specific boards, and the "other" forums you speak of, I know we have more "Traffic" then them, more member, and more posts as well...



What most people don't see is the hits this site gets daily, Just because there aren't 300 posts a day does not mean there is no one around...



Todd Z

 

[Scott Heckler]

Thanks Todd. The site the way it is, is what keeps me here. I do not like the other site layouts. This one is so simple.

 

[Fudged Undies]

Todd, that's kinda my point. Maybe using the word activity rather than traffic would be better. I don't include "lurkers" in my comment about traffic, though I am completely aware that there are plenty of them. Many of us, including me lurked prior to joining. Moreover, when I joined, I spent weeks reading every single post until I got to the beginning of the forum. I'm sure I didn't read them all but I did all I could to take in as much info as possible.

 

[Shelby Crane]

Also I am a member of some of the other Vehicle specific boards, and the "other" forums you speak of, I know we have more "Traffic" then them, more member, and more posts as well...

To be fair, there may not be as much interest in those forums or may simply be newer like the other sport trac forum.



There are plenty of VB style vehicle forums that are very successful.

 

[2]

Another vote for liking it just the way it is.

 

[Tom Schindler]

We will NEVER go to a VB style... Period....

Boy am I gald to read that. I have tried to like VBB websites and I freaking hate them.





Tom

 

[Todd Z]

Thanks guys,



Iron, I am not saying all VB sites are slow, trust me I know some with over 50,000 members and it gets a ton of hits and posts every day.

Those are also not vehicle specific, they cover many models and years....



I just cant see 300 posts with subjects like "good morning" or I ate chicken for lunch today...

Yes it keeps the place moving, but it gets tooo of topic way to fast



Another thing is all the message categories that are set up, I am sure you could run the VB site with two categories, but that would look like junk...



Here you have 2 clicks to see all the posts...



Click on Sport trac Forums, Then click on Sport trac ( Which will be easier if the other forums are taken down) and then simply scroll down...

Cant be easier then that !!!!!!

hope you are right Nick..lol..i spoke w/ Paul (Zabteck) and he said they are trying to get more activity in the other sections of the forum ie. explorer, expedition, f-150

Dan, Remind me to smack Paul when I see him..... and it is Zabteck with a K



Todd Z

 

[Kevin Lang]

Could you please make the projects Non-Adobe? Adobe reader just plain sucks, and the html projects are more accessible, at least to me.

 

[Shelby Crane]

My point was: Switching to VB has nothing to do with traffic, number of members, or number of posts. Especially when you compare it to the other site.



A message board is successful based mostly on content.



I would not want to see this site changed to VB simply because of the loss of content alone. Plus, the format works very well for the number of posts.

 

[A K]

To be fair, there may not be as much interest in those forums or may simply be newer like the other sport trac forum.

Other one?

 

[Kevin Palmer]

I am with the others. I enjoy the format the way it is....



Gary G. Here is an easy way to keep or flag files or pages. Find one you want, then add it to your favorites. I suggest you start a new folder. Something like Trac Links. Then when it asks where you want the link saved sinply put it in the folder you created. also, name the saved link what you want to remeber about it. For example. If you name it Max Tire Size, you will know what is within the link.