Buckjumper Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 It's generally accepted in online forums that once a subject has been started, the original poster loses all control or claim to how the thread progresses. Perhaps, but historically RMWeb has been a little more civilised than than accepted convention. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold DaveF Posted October 14, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 14, 2009 That's interesting, David - are you viewing new content in "list" or forum" style? I chose "list" (as per the old forum), and I definitely cannot see who started a thread in this mode. I can when I search the threads via the main index, though. Forum style David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 The assumption there is that blogs are better than topics. But why? I haven't seen a convincing explanation. Certainly some things are better -- the "that's nice" comments don't interrupt the flow. But that seems to be a very minor gain when set against the several downsides -- the weird effect of trying to read a blog in reverse chronological order; the difficulty for others in making a substantive input to the subject matter; the problem of knowing when it's been updated; the difficulty of even finding it in the first place. I'm not at all convinced that the blog format is better. Others may feel the same way. So describing their valid choice of making a topic instead as a "no-brainer" isn't very friendly. regards, Martin. I see the 'Blog' and the 'Forum Thread' as two different tools for two different jobs. Which you would choose to use depends on your attitude and what you want out of it... The Blog is essentially an on-line diary, intended mainly as a one-way communication tool. The writer isn't wanting or expecting much feedback from the reader. There is a tendency to associate the blog with the 'look at me - aren't I wonderful' show-off mentality. (true in many cases but definitely not all before anyone with a blog complains ) The Forum Thread is much better suited if you want feedback, help, advice, constructive criticism etc and are happy for a multi-way conversation to develop around your work. Its a much more multi-directional tool, and as such should appeal to those who want more interaction with their audience. Given the choice, for me it would be the Forum every time??¦ As far as blogs on this site are concerned, the bugbear for me is that they are not really an ???integrated??™ part of the forum: it is in reality a separate tool which by use of a common front end shares the same login credentials/user profile (even the software publishers admit this!) It doesn??™t have, and is unlikely to ever have, full forum style navigation functionality (such as jump to earliest unread post in a blog, list your own posts etc) and never will be seamlessly integrated with the core Forum in the way some expect. In fact this implementation already has the blogs more closely integrated than the publishers demo site so I can see significant work has gone into try and make a workable solution out of it. At least search criteria are passed from one tool to the other so you don??™t have to re-enter your search in each section you just have to remember to check on the other tabs??¦ I still dislike some aspects of the operation of the new software, but If Andy will allow us the option of Layout and Workbench Threads in the Forum section, then I will live with the more awkward (to me) way of doing some things and will fetch across much of my content from the old forum. I ask for this because I believe it will actually get more exposure there, as it will appear in the main search list, is for me more easily navigable and I actually welcome the feedback and interaction it has previously generated??¦ Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.A.C Martin Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I'm not at all convinced that the blog format is better. Others may feel the same way. So describing their valid choice of making a topic instead as a "no-brainer" isn't very friendly. regards, Martin. I agree with your sentiments that the choice of blog over a thread could have been put much better. However, if I could point you towards my own blog here My RMweb Blog it offers a section to the right where people can see if any posts interest them particularly. Further it helps me to organise the blog so it becomes more accessible. I hated going back through pages and pages of threads to find the information I wanted - by using a similar system to mine, and "creative" or otherwise informative titles, you can help people to find the information they require from a blog faster. I.E trying to make to make it more direct. Perhaps the problem is that the updates are arranged as blog entries, which doesn't necessarily show the full content of the blog. If perhaps a thread which shows the titles of the blogs, and their links, with the descriptions we've given them in a popup underneath, could be introduced, it would help navigating between blogs as much as I feel the setup I've made for mine does for within the blog itself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 The server change seems to have changed me from a five blob member to a two .......along with loads of others. I wish to be re-instated to five blobs. How much will it cost? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 I wish to be re-instated to five blobs. Clearing up the droppings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 The Blog is essentially an on-line diary, intended mainly as a one-way communication tool. The writer isn't wanting or expecting much feedback from the reader. There is a tendency to associate the blog with the 'look at me - aren't I wonderful' show-off mentality. I'm really, really struggling to correlate the above point of view with what I read the blogs that are already started on this site. As I commented elsewhere, before the forum started to take off again: How we end up using these facilities will determine the tone... FWIW, I think the same as Paul and Martin of several external blogs - but not of what I've seen here yet. What's now in the blog section here reads, to my eyes anyway, the same as the same poster's forum topics. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted October 14, 2009 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 14, 2009 What's now in the blog section here reads, to my eyes anyway, the same as the same poster's forum topics. I think that's inevitable, bearing in mind that the majority of users here will have come from a non-blog writing background. I think as they get used to the idea then the blogs will become more personalised, and less thread-like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmg Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I agree with your sentiments that the choice of blog over a thread could have been put much better. However, if I could point you towards my own blog here My RMweb Blog it offers a section to the right where people can see if any posts interest them particularly. Further it helps me to organise the blog so it becomes more accessible. I hated going back through pages and pages of threads to find the information I wanted - by using a similar system to mine, and "creative" or otherwise informative titles, you can help people to find the information they require from a blog faster. I.E trying to make to make it more direct. Perhaps the problem is that the updates are arranged as blog entries, which doesn't necessarily show the full content of the blog. If perhaps a thread which shows the titles of the blogs, and their links, with the descriptions we've given them in a popup underneath, could be introduced, it would help navigating between blogs as much as I feel the setup I've made for mine does for within the blog itself. Firstly, I am deeply indebted to those who have taken the time to explain the function of a blog. Secondly I am also deeply indebted to the team that has transformed the appearance of RMWeb. I really like the new forum. Very clean and fast. However my vote remains undecided. Why? Maybe it??™s because I still cannot see why blogs are needed. Simierski points us to his own blog and sure enough it reads very well indeed. But then so does his website. So what??™s the blog doing that the website isn??™t? I actually preferred reading his website. So maybe that??™s the answer. For competent authors, where little or no feedback is needed, all we need is a link to their sites. It might save them a lot of typing. For those where feedback or interchange of ideas is sought then maybe the traditional topic in the forum is preferable. Alternatively I might still have got it all wrong. As you can tell I??™m no computer expert. I??™m enjoying my new learning experience. Thanks Andy and by the way, I??™ve sorted browsing on the iPhone. Nice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 This I find interesting. Where does one locate "List" and/or "Forum" style? If as you say "List" is like the old forum, then I'd like to have a go. Thanks again Martin. I followed your advice re Search Settings and tested both the 'Show Results like a forum' setting and the 'List' Setting. I've set it to the latter now as I prefer the colour tone differencial between threads. I've spent the best part of 20-odd hours on this new site over the past week. Whilst I wanted to throw the computer into a skip for the first few days and have balded slightly (the PC was poorly and eventually went away for a big upgrade), I'm now almost fully at home with the new style RMweb and my vote can now be altered to "I like it". My sincere thanks go to everyone who responded to my cries for assistance, and especially to Martin Wynne who sent easy-to-follow illustrations. Finally to Andy Y who gave his valuable time when it was most needed. Sincerely, Larry G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Blackdog Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 After a few days, i have changed from a 'may grow on me' to a 'I like it' B) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calnefoxile Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Agreed with Blackdog, after using it for a few days and getting used to it, it is now growing on me big style. Only a very small criticism, much preferred the old Layouts thread than the new Layouts Blog, sorry Andy I just prefer the old way............ Maybe it would be possible to have a Layout thread and the Blogs, but combine them in some way????? Regards Neal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted October 15, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 15, 2009 Agreed with Blackdog, after using it for a few days and getting used to it, it is now growing on me big style. Only a very small criticism, much preferred the old Layouts thread than the new Layouts Blog, sorry Andy I just prefer the old way............ Maybe it would be possible to have a Layout thread and the Blogs, but combine them in some way????? Regards Neal. It does seem possible. Have a look at Kenton's blog and see how he has integrated it with a help query. It seems to use each bit of the forum for what it is intended. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Growing here to, just takes some of us more time than others, but werrre getting there!! (good advertising slogan in there somewhere!!). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugsley Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 many idiosyncrasies were coming in with General forum becoming a sub forum of SWAG for instance Yes, another territorial grab plan foiled.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted October 21, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 21, 2009 Not wishing to sould like a naive fan-boy here, but: I go back to the old forum and I think "OK, here I am in a forum". I come here and I think "Hey, this is a real community! A community with different streets and squares I can go to, and favourite hang-out places and different ways of exploring my hobby on-line". For me that is the positive change with the new software, and a feeling I just didn't have with the old style forum. Which also makes me wonder whether it is in fact necessary to strive towards a greater integration of the different parts of the forum. I wonder if this would just bring us back to where we came from? For me it is the individual community members who tie the different community neighbourhoods together (ie the people moving from one street to another). So if I see an interesting post from someone in the forum section, I can click on his profile to see his (or hers!) blog, his galleries etc. Sure, finding your way around a community can be a bit difficult at first, until you learn the map - but that's life, right? And to navigate I've got several controls to help me: I have the blue control box at the top (I wonder if everyone has actually discovered the functionality of this yet, certain posts suggest not), and the "view active/new content", and the "tracking/favourites" box (perhaps those three controls could be integrated into one single personalized control panel, but that's all the integration I need). Just my thoughts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted October 21, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 21, 2009 Just my thoughts. Andy's too methinks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wollastonblue Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I've got to say I love the new RMWeb format. I've been a member of the forum for nearly 12 months now, and while I found the old forum superb, this new one has surpassed anything I have ever joined. I love the layout blogs, I have found that it has kicked me up the proverbial to get on with my modelling, as a layout post can go stagnant, where as a blog you feel more inclined to keep updating it, especially as I share my blog on my facebook page. Top Work from Andy Y and all those involved, thank you so much for making my modelling life so much easier. If your at Warley, Andy and Co.? We should all buy you a pint. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 My first reastions, very positve. I like the way it seems more structured and things are easier to find ... ... except the layouts/WB area. I don't mind the blog format. However, as one who has campaign (albeit quietly) for the old layouts area to be split down by scale to make things easier to find, i think merging it with workbenches makes it harder. Don't get me wrong, i still admire the skill of modeller XYZ who can build a gauge 1 9F out of papermache and toothpicks, but i'd rather not have to trawl through hundreds of such things to find what i'm interested in. Why have DCC, Modelling Media and Products been broken down further, and things are easier to find there, and yet layouts are harder? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nile_Griffith Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Well I kind off took the view that possibly the best thing to do was ween myself of my daily fix of RMWeb and let Andy and his troop of Munchkins get along with their work in re-homing the site. I guess like many, I have encountered some fairly annoying snags with logging in, viewing and just generally finding my way around. To be honest some of the snags are still there. Viewing images seems to be the big one at the moment. Which is a great shame as I think the visual side of the old site was the driving force. Browse through the images and get drawn into the narrative, it's an age old formula! So it's a bit disappointing that having waited patiently, I'm still having to wait. Yes I realise that as some have posted, you can right click the link pat your head and face the rising sun to see the image, but it would be a whole lot preferable that it was there in the first place. Now I am very appreciative that Rmweb comes to us as a labour of love and good work fella's too. So I am certainly not going to take anything away from the mammoth efforts that have gone into this, but I'm kind of left thinking.......... Is the new site doing stuff because it can, rather than because it should? I can well understand how the old platform was a bit limited in growth potential and possibly a bit unwieldy in it's ability to manage chaff. But with the new site, is it all a bit too much a bit to soon. Could we not have retained a degree of the old style with this fresh new face and the security of fairly steady running, letting the site and the user base evolve. Rather than a bumper harvest of new style, new potential and new operability..... but with some off putting lumps, to welcome us. Again I do appreciate that you guys have worked very hard on this and you have more 'go' than I could muster. But an old mentor of mine told me that you have twenty seconds to sell a product to a buyer. If they can't buy in within twenty seconds you've lost them. Unfortunately it takes more than twenty seconds to get the essence of the site. Yes I am sure it's all there, but the beauty of the old site was that for us (unlike you guys), it wasn't hard work. This new look is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve with the Hat Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Hi Nile, You may have noticed since your post that a Layout Topics forum has been created to allow those for whatever reason 'uncomfortable' with blogs to post as on the old site. With regard to your image concerns, I'm sure your disappointment with the current state of the site pales next to Andy's boiling fury as a service he is being billed for continues to be unavailable and unfixed. cheers Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John C Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Having given time for the new forum to settle down I have now posted my vote on the new forum. I don't like it, but I will have to get used to it as it is a vast resource of knowledge and information and if Andy thinks this is the way to go who am I to disagree. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craw607 Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Having only been a member since August and only on the old forum for a short time I feel this one is easier to navigate through once you get the hang of it.Suppose it like all new systems can take a while then it becomes second nature. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nile_Griffith Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Hello Steve with the hat. With regard to your image concerns, I'm sure your disappointment with the current state of the site pales next to Andy's boiling fury as a service he is being billed for continues to be unavailable and unfixed. I did in fact in my posting express my gratitude to Andy and his Munchkins (as I put it) for all the work and efforts he goes through to get RMWeb out there into cyber world. Regards Nile Griffith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hilton Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 you may have noticed since your post that a Layout Topics forum has been created to allow those for whatever reason 'uncomfortable' with blogs to post as on the old site. I really love the new forum - the layout and arrangement in the forum is clear and I find it just as easy (different to the old one but still easy) to navigate, use and contribute. I wanted to say how passionately I like the new blogs - these are the sort of step in technology that will make the community even stronger. I'm treating mine as if publishing in a magazine or such, rather than the ramblings of a thread - and I notice some others using it in the same way. If the quality of contribution is driven up by such new technology it's got to be good for the forum(club). I look forward to posting a few more blog updates in the coming week - a lot in draft at the moment! Thanks Andy (and mod team/early adopters) for enabling the switch. 100% positive from my point of view - even the downtime gave me extra modelling time! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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