CT Web Site and Forum Next Generation

[Beans]

1. New forum should be faster than current platform. Especially when using (windows) computer.

2. Easy ways of posting pictures.

3. Page layout of the forum better suited to its function.

[Clive]

Quoted from Beans-

1. New forum should be faster than current platform. Especially when using (windows) computer.

2. Easy ways of posting pictures.

3. Page layout of the forum better suited to its function.

Noted....

In fact I have been keeping an eye on all this. 

So far we have a specific list of Fori that people like (All triumph ones, happy to look at forums for other cars/bikes, or indeed any other forums at all, within reason!) So far we have mentioned Sideways, TSSC, TRR, 2000 register, all of which use the same basic software. The Triumph Experience is a rather older forum I think? And seems a bit "clunkier" to use.

Specific requests for functionality seem to revolve about speed, ease of posting pictures, and a simplified layout. Search function (seems to be sorted on the current forum) is important too, and seems to work on the other forums mentioned above.

One of my concerns with the current forum, and having looked elsewhere, is that having a lot of sections means traffic is often non-existent for some sections, this applies to just about all of them. I am wondering if many can be combined, leaving just a handful. OK, means things move down the list faster, but I doubt it will be a problem given the current volumes, or even if traffic increased to something akin to the TRR etc. And people like to see new posts in sections (or at least I think so, let me know if not)

Website is a more difficult problem. Can people please link to websites that they think are  good to use ( clubs or small organisations ) as again it is tricky finding a balance between simple/clear and providing too much information. All too easy to keep adding things. In fact I quite like the simplicity of https://www.trdrivers.com/  https://www.tr-register.co.uk/ and https://mx5oc.co.uk/  but more ideas are VERY welcome

[RobPearce]

I agree that we currently have too many subdivisions on the forum. I think there were fewer on the old one. The "Cars" section is currently divided by general model (Herald/2000 range/Dolomite range) but then each of these is sub-divided by specific model. I think the latter is redundant. The TSSC forum, I think, doesn't even have the former. If you're posting about the head lining of your 1200 Herald Saloon, you post in the "Bodywork and fittings" section!

Like you, I favour simplicity on web sites. All the "must have" gimmicks that web designers feel compelled to include... just make my life harder as a user.

[Clive]

Hmm, I can't seem to edit my post, but the lady wife has started looking and likes the MGCC site. All this is looking at front page and then how they link to the actual information within the site. So a list of "ideas"

• https://www.mgcc.co.uk/
• https://www.trdrivers.com/
• https://www.tr-register.co.uk/
• https://mx5oc.co.uk/

One thing that is essential is the ability to handle event entries online. Many sites do not have that enabled, but at the moment we are just after sites that are clear to use and quick.

[Howard]

IMHO Keith's web site doesn't need replacing. It does everything needed and has survived the Tsunami of entries for events without any serious issues, so why change it.

Cheers

Howard

 

[thescrapman]

I have never understood the need to have subsections that people then only frequent a couple of them, and almost seem to assume that you stick to a tiny section.

I know I have mentioned it before, but I only ever used the "view all posts" on the old forum, I would just go back to oldest post I had read and then read all subsequent ones, in chronological order, didn't matter what section any post was in, it just showed everything in order.

i had assumed that was what everybody else did, until it was pointed out

[Guppy916]

sub sections I don't use them, I always click on the "Spitfire" or "GT6", maybe we could have the sub bits then, Click on the GT6 then "engine", "Bodywork", This would cover all GT6 Models. And full page please.

I do like our new 'post list' for all new post, I quite often read about other models who appear to have problems with nothing to do with the car that i have,

If the forum is updated will we get all the old posts / threads back ? I have lost 4 years of the restoration on my car, that is a lot of lost information for others to use, and learn from my mistakes and skinned knuckles. I do like the TSSC forum

What I like now is the fact that we are all talking about how our forum should work, and I think we are being listened too, 

[Nick Jones]

Quoted from Howard-

IMHO Keith's web site doesn't need replacing. It does everything needed and has survived the Tsunami of entries for events without any serious issues, so why change it.

Cheers

Howard

 

Tend to agree.  While I've not had much dealings with the website, it does seem to do what is asked of it.

[Rubce]

The "website" section works well for event entry etc but the "forum" section is slow, and not user friendly which is illustrated by the dramatic drop in usage since it was introduced.

Bruce

[Clive]

I am no IT expert, but I believe the forum is part of the website and it would be best to replace both rather than attempt to keep the current website. No point is making suggestions to me about how to do that, I am just here to get ideas for what the members would like to see in the future. 

But I understand the main "gripe" is the forum, and the website itself is functional enough. So no massive changes required to format? I know it needs to be phone friendly, and a few tweeks may be required. 

And yes, suggestions are all being noted, will be distilled and presented to the committee for discussion.

[Hogie]

For many member the forum is the important area.

It is painfully slow.   Listen to the din of footsteps walking away to other clubs.

 

Keith has stated that he wishes to stand down from this project.

Without Keith the whole website has no future - it is bespoke and at best working at present.

 

If you want to bring back the old and new members it needs to be what one expects -

and slow is not that.

The first priority is to consider the member and what they want. Thankfully it looks like that is what is being done now.

 

Roger

[GTRoger]

3 Things the CT forum needs:

1: Speed

2: Speed

3: Speed

 

This is really what me holds back from using the forum, the low speeds for uploading the pages. I'm no IT expert either, though I guess this has to do with the server now being used.  So find a faster server first!

I would suggest separating the forum from the website and changing it to a more functional format with better futures. Have a look around, there are many forums that do work,all based on standard templates. I think the forum at the moment is a bit over designed and therefor slow and complicated. 

Also change back to free posting for non club members. It will allow new people to join in and eventualy become a club member. 

Would love to see the CT forum alive and kicking again. Keep on going, I'm sure you'll work it out. And last but not least, a big thank you to Keith for all the hard work he has done to make it all happen so far. 

[Richard B]

I agree with Rob's points (did i really say that ) 😀

 

But please, make it faster.

[Fizzy]

I hope I'm not butting in here as I've been away a long long time. but that puts me in a bit of a unique position. I'd say it's been 7 or 8 years since I was last on this forum, and upon coming back to get some info, my initial reaction was one of confusion. the layout seems all over the place, not very clear. I had to go through the 'forgotten password' action and it was fiddly and a bit ambiguou

I'm browsing on my phone, and from what I remember of the old forum, it now seems very slow, old fashioned, out of date and not a user experience that one expects in 2020.

definitely feels like a backwards step since I was last here. I never used to use the website so cant comment on that, but I remember the forum looking fresher, busier, livelier, more streamlined. clearer to navigate.

the content of the forum was always second to none, as was the general 'feeling' around the users. for new, or maybe even returning users, the layout,speed and working of the forum could easily be enough to just say "cant be arsed with this I'll look on Facebook"

[Clive]

Wow, a real blast from the past! Hope you are well, I remember you were off with a Capri? and stuff.

Anyway, thanks for the contribution. A high level meeting at a secret location will be happening shortly. (OK, we will be on our sofas using zoom) and this stuff will be discussed. I have posted a few ideas somewhere on this thread, and appreciate what you have said. Being straight about this is important.

As are suggestions of forums that work well and feel modernish/easy to use

[Bish]

I use both https://forum.retro-rides.org/  https://forum.triumphdolomite.co.uk/index.php

The forums work well on my pc, tablet or phone. I guess they are old style in format but they work for me. I don’t come here much because it just all feels a bit odd and unwelcoming. I don’t know a thing about IT so I take my hat off to you all who make this happen for the club.

I’d say           1: Keep it simple to use - simple search function & easy to upload photos.

                      2: Make it full screen width.

                      3: Make as fast as you can afford to.

I don’t do Facebook and enjoy forums because I have always found them to be friendlier environments - this one included. I look forward to having a user friendly forum back here and thanks to everyone who is putting in the effort to make it happen. 👍🏻

 

[Matt306]

Privacy on the site, I cant block a user, or at least find the option. Also entry lists for events are published for members and non-members alike, surely this should be limited to entrants only at the minimum. 

[Clive]

Quoted from Matt306-

Privacy on the site, I cant block a user, or at least find the option. Also entry lists for events are published for members and non-members alike, surely this should be limited to entrants only at the minimum. 

Comments noted Matt. And will be added to the discussion list.

[Hogie]

Hi Clive,

how is it going. Is there light at the end of the tunnel.

 

Best of luck

 

Roger

[Clive]

A dim glow!

Things are taking longer than we all anticipated. Just like everything else at the moment.

So bear with us, we are slowly getting there. But we also now realise that the existing website/forum  is very bespoke and very clever bit of kit. 

I am sure news will make its way out via the magazine or secs notes.

Cheers

Clive

[Hogie]

Many thanks Cliff

 

Roger

[PeteStupps]

I've got a suggestion, or at least a question.

Several times I've written out replies to threads and pressed 'Post', only to discover that the session has timed out and my well-crafted (!) text has all been lost.

Does this happen to anyone else? Is there a way of stopping it? Other than writing posts out faster...

Pete

[Baxter]

Pete, that happened to me the first couple of times I posted on here. Frustrating! Now, if it's taking me more than a minute, I do regular 'select all' and 'copy all' commands, so I can paste it back into a new forum post window if need be.

[RobPearce]

I've not had it happen here but there are some sites where it does. For a while I had "Lazarus" installed, which automatically saved anything you typed in to a form and offered it back to you if you had to reload the page, but I think that got broken at some point.

[PeteStupps]

Quoted from Baxter-

Pete, that happened to me the first couple of times I posted on here. Frustrating! Now, if it's taking me more than a minute, I do regular 'select all' and 'copy all' commands, so I can paste it back into a new forum post window if need be.

yeah I usually remember to do that, but not always!

I have a habit of writing a bit, then messing around checking some info or wotnot, then come back to finish the post. Then it evaporates. 

 

Quoted from RobPearce-

I've not had it happen here but there are some sites where it does. For a while I had "Lazarus" installed, which automatically saved anything you typed in to a form and offered it back to you if you had to reload the page, but I think that got broken at some point.

Thanks Rob, that might work with my home laptop but not the work one (can't install anything).