Very off topic this, but maybe you can help...

Posted by: Top Cat on 29 March 2001

Hi folks.

I'm currently working on a forum for business users, written in COM/ASP and with a SQL Server backend.

As a regular user on this forum, I've picked up a lot of ideas for my own forum, but would like to basically borrow a minute of your time to form a picture of:

* what people like about this style of forum
* what people don't like about it
* any features or improvements you'd like to see
* any features you think are a waste of space

...and any other useful comments (leaving the actual content out of it). As it's a purely business portal that I'm developing, it won't be remotely interesting to many here smile but nevertheless I value your opinions. And, just to round off this request, I'd just like to say Mana.

Whoops.

John

Posted on: 30 March 2001 by Derek Wright
I prefer the newsgroup methodolgy so that I can download all the threads and mesages and read and reply to them offline

Then one can use a newsreader to select which messages are new and which messages one wants to use - I use ProNews/2 which is realatively cheap.

- Perhaps this forum can be downloaded?

Derek Wright

Posted on: 30 March 2001 by Top Cat
...someone must have some ideas or opinions?

Please?

J.

Posted on: 30 March 2001 by Top Cat
...sorry, our posts must have crossed.

Okay, anyone else have any ideas for me?

John

Posted on: 30 March 2001 by Cheese
I guess the present formula of the Naim forum is so good that few people have any ideas to make it better ...

FMOP, the former naim forum was way too messy, but it had the advantage of the e-mail notification for all replies to the threads you've created (is reportedly supposed to be soon integrated in the present forum).

BTW, I am also working in the computer branch - as a writer of teaching books (not in english, as you might notice), so I surf quite a lot to get information. IME, the Naim forum is by far the most practical - the possibility to save every single thread in the Bookmarks is also impressive.

I agree with Derek with his love for Newsgroups - but IMO, newsgroups have a somewhat dusty image
and many users don't even have a clue what a newsgroup actually is. Maybe I've understood him wrong about the possibility to save threads - but AFAIK the possibilities in the Internet Explorer are the same in this respect, as every page can be saved on the harddisk to be read offline at a later date.

The only thing to avoid under any circumstances is the use of gimmicks like Macromedia Flash elements and the like. I still regard the Web as a source of information - don't need any TV effects.

Good luck

Bernard

Posted on: 30 March 2001 by Derek Wright
To chip in again - on the commercial side of the business Lotus Notes can provide a good information and news exchange service using a Team Room database. Each user can either have a local replica of the data base and replicate peridically through out the day or can dial in and pick up the latest information.

Or the user can access the central server copy of the database.

RE the mention of an MS product - I don't do windows

after all - Friends don't ask friends to do windows -

Derek

Posted on: 30 March 2001 by Top Cat
Urm, yeah, that's me (assuming we're talking the bigger of the two Ed. based retail banks)! I'm doing some work there for a while. How did you draw that connection?

FWIW, the project I'm asking about is completely unconnected.

John

Posted on: 30 March 2001 by Andrew L. Weekes
Ups.

Poster of msg is clearly displayed.

Formatting detail is easy to add.

Downs.

Posters details consume too much screen estate.

Formatting information added in the middle of a post is placed at the end.

Inability to follow 'thread-within-a-thread' discussions

Email notification is currently absent

A watch list (in addition to email notification) could be useful (maybe a 'my homepage' style)

Andy.

Andrew L. Weekes
alweekes@audiophile.com

Posted on: 30 March 2001 by Ron The Mon
John,
To quote a popular American DJ, "content,
content, content". Readers of this forum
(members and non-members) come here because of
the content and continue to visit because of
the content. There have been many sites on the
net that try to get people to visit by paying
them and entering them in contests. This forum
is successful by having visitors pay
thousands of dollars to become members and
after visiting, they want to spend thousands
more. Now that's a concept!!

As an example of the importance of content,
start a thread under a different user name with the title "I tried Mana and it Sucks Bigtime"
and you'll quickly get more people reading your thread.

BTW, forums I avoid are ones where you must register, even to lurk.

Ron The Mon

Posted on: 30 March 2001 by Ron The Mon
After reading Arye's "boring?" thread I was just reminded that I visit forums that have a "joke a day" or "trivia" question related to forum topics. They're cheesy but hard to resist.

Oh yeah, and if you're in search of getting uptight businessmen to visit your forum, pictures of nude girls helps.

Ron The Mon

Posted on: 30 March 2001 by Derek Wright
Bernard - No not a Mac user but an OS/2 user - and a happy user - also with access to all the apps I need, even a free PhotoShop clone


CHeers

Derek

Posted on: 30 March 2001 by matthewr
There are only two possible scenarios under which you would consider writing such software from scratch.

1) You are on an hourly rate and your employer is particularly gullable.

2) You work for a retail bank.

Also, as the target audience is business users the preferred solution should look good and have lots of features that seem like a good idea if you only think about them briefly. If they are predominantly in marketing then you can forget the second bit.

Put these facts together and one possible answer is literally staring you in the face.

Matthew

Posted on: 31 March 2001 by MarkEJ
John;

If you want to do a forum with the strong points of this one, but without any of its, er, anomalies, have a look at Web Crossing.

Apple Computer have their entire discussion area done in Web Crossing – its fast, good looking and functional. If you want to try it, go here, and create an ID (its very quick and no hassle).

I can also mail you some screenshots if you like.

Web Crossing are here.

Best;

Mark

(an imperfect
forum environment is
better than none)

[This message was edited by Mark Ellis-Jones on SATURDAY 31 March 2001 at 10:41.]

Posted on: 01 April 2001 by Chris Brandon
John,

Always remember the old saying ..........

"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools !" smile

Regards

Chris