Does Somersoft need a botox injection?
- Thread starter reeco
- Start date
agreed
good things are simple then they get overdone and turn to ****
eg. win XP - Vista
KISS - Keep It Simple Sim
were all here for the information not how cool it is
KISS - Keep It Simple Sim
were all here for the information not how cool it is
Another vote for simple and easy to operate. Nothing is worse than fixing something that doesn't need fixing. Remember that we have forumites that span from teens to 60's-70's. This is an information site, not a site for young trendies.
The only 2 changes I would like are an wide screen option and ability to change the background color.
Other than that I find it easy to use and read unlike so many other forums.
Other than that I find it easy to use and read unlike so many other forums.
if it aint broke...
Thanks for making this happen people, im lovin it here.
my only gripe is the smilies dont really cater for every possible emotion
Thanks for making this happen people, im lovin it here.
my only gripe is the smilies dont really cater for every possible emotion
Sim
Administrator
Widescreen option is already there - at the bottom left corner of the page is a drop-down box where you can choose some other styles. Try "Somersoft Wide".
You can also set this in your preferences to store your settings in your forum profile rather than using a cookie:
http://somersoft.com/forums/profile.php?do=editoptions
Look for "Forum Skin" in the "Miscellaneous Options" section.
Well that's better
Can't believe I missed both boxes all this time. Went looking for a themes section in the options several times
Not that I scroll down that low ever to have seen the drop down box.
Happens alot. Im guilty. Im pretty sure a lot of others are also but wont admit. Thats why im hoping for a redesign. Not in the eye candy department (though it never hurts to please the eyes!) but more in the layout/UX department.
Ive read good things about Xenforo. Believe it is going to be a great fit for Somersoft. Psychologically, It will be a very typical change for everyone.
First there will be the complainers....
Very typically they'll usually say something along the lines of "I liked the old Somersoft. So much easier/better/simple/etc etc than this!"
Which ill find funny since the new system will be all of the above, just not in the eyes of the old.
Then the haters....
Just as typical and a penny for every person who will use this very line "This new site is terrible/sux/worse/confusing etc etc! If it aint broke dont fix it!"
The leavers....
Bound to happen "Somersoft just isnt the same anymore, i dont know how to do any of the things i use to do, just cant be bothered learning a whole new system, I only just learnt this one and it took me years! Im outta here!"
They say "The only constant is change" yet im always perplexed at the need to fight it like all is lost and that nothing is gained.
One of the oldest (to my mind) and most dedicated forums in Australia. I hope people get over it quickly. Life is rather short to worry about such small things like a re-design
I am obviously very blond
I have just joined today and wasted 1 1/2 hours trying to find out how to ask a question on this site. I have given up but thought I would post here hoping someone can enlighten me....
I have just joined today and wasted 1 1/2 hours trying to find out how to ask a question on this site. I have given up but thought I would post here hoping someone can enlighten me....
I have just joined today and wasted 1 1/2 hours trying to find out how to ask a question on this site. I have given up but thought I would post here hoping someone can enlighten me....
Hey Out on a limb,
Welcome to the forum
Click on blue 'Somersoft Prooperty Investment Forums' link at the very top of the page. Then select the forum e.g. Adding Value. Then press the button which says 'New Thread'.
Thank you angel13
You can tell I'm a visual, need the demo video
Thanks anyway
You can tell I'm a visual, need the demo video
Thanks anyway
Me too, I completely understand.
Sim
Administrator
Hi @Sim
What happen to the big change that was suppose to happen so long ago
Lawyers happened.
There was a long legal battle between the current owners of the software we use at the moment and the developers of the software we want to change to, who also happen to be the people who wrote the software we currently use but who got retrenched and went to start up a competing business.
During the last 18 months of the case, no work was done on the software (the guys had to go do contract work to help pay the bills!), but now that it is over, they are back developing it, several major releases have been made.
The version I was waiting for was released only a couple of weeks back - it fixes a lot of the limitations of the first version in regards to its ability to manage spam-bots and provider better tools for moderation and user-management. For a small site, these are fairly minor things, but for a large and busy site like ours, these are quite critical to the daily operation of the site.
As an added bonus, the new software is now fully responsive and works well on mobile devices of various screen size.
Now I just need to find the time to do the work on the migration. Not as simple as just running the migration script - there's a lot of work to do behind the scenes before the new site will be ready to go.
Will be a couple of months away yet - I still have to pay the bills
Perfect timing really.
A couple months would put you right in line with the holiday period. Assuming there's a correlation between business times and online activity, The typically slow period of the year should makes things a 'little' easier no?
Good time to do a controlled beta test as well. Symbolically if you launch Somersoft in the New year (on the dot then that would make the occasion that much memorable.
Can you believe this site has been around before the advent of the iPhone. Wow good stuff. Bring on the smartphone compatibility! Finally
A couple months would put you right in line with the holiday period. Assuming there's a correlation between business times and online activity, The typically slow period of the year should makes things a 'little' easier no?
Good time to do a controlled beta test as well. Symbolically if you launch Somersoft in the New year (on the dot
then that would make the occasion that much memorable.Can you believe this site has been around before the advent of the iPhone. Wow good stuff. Bring on the smartphone compatibility! Finally
I still have to pay the bills
Im sure you've thought about it
...monetize the site. People need to be respectful of the time you commit to this place. You may have plans in place but one community i think pulls of that ever cautious balance between the need to make a living and the need to genuinely help people is www.flyingsolo.com.au
Offer a pro membership service. Im sure many would jump at the chance to backlink or have there company details appear in the footer of there comment replies etc etc. Many way's to go about it with out being intrusive(dont make me use adblock!)
Best of luck with the new site whatever choices you make with the new design
I hope it goes well!
reeco, if anything, I would propose a simple (and visible) "donate" button in favour of advertising/pro memberships etc.
1) We don't want to dilute the trustworthiness of the information posted here with ads, nor open the can of worms of people whining about the advertisers, questioning their appropriateness, bad mouthing them and other potential headaches
2) Pro memberships can divide posters. It's much nicer with everyone on level ground.
3) I imagine, given the amount of wealth behind keyboards on SS, it wouldn't take many donations to keep things afloat.
1) We don't want to dilute the trustworthiness of the information posted here with ads, nor open the can of worms of people whining about the advertisers, questioning their appropriateness, bad mouthing them and other potential headaches
2) Pro memberships can divide posters. It's much nicer with everyone on level ground.
3) I imagine, given the amount of wealth behind keyboards on SS, it wouldn't take many donations to keep things afloat.
Hi Richard
All good points
1) The information remains the same with or without the presence of smart advertising. Would you say that past content you or i have consumed here is of a lower quality because an advert appeared?
2) Depends on what you mean by divide. Nothing wrong/new or special about providing users with more value. Many quality forum sites aren't based on some perceived, type of class bias. Providing pure and simple added value is fundamental and achieved usually via membership levels.
3) Good luck trying to manage something like that. #conflictinterest #fairshare
Again you mention some very solid points. I've seen many of those in action. However regarding donations....not the most stable of foundations to build a product/service. Not "save the children" stable anyways
All good points
1) The information remains the same with or without the presence of smart advertising. Would you say that past content you or i have consumed here is of a lower quality because an advert appeared?
2) Depends on what you mean by divide. Nothing wrong/new or special about providing users with more value. Many quality forum sites aren't based on some perceived, type of class bias. Providing pure and simple added value is fundamental and achieved usually via membership levels.
3) Good luck trying to manage something like that. #conflictinterest #fairshare
Again you mention some very solid points. I've seen many of those in action. However regarding donations....not the most stable of foundations to build a product/service. Not "save the children" stable anyways
