TheLoveBandit
Indefinite break from BL - contact other admin
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2000
- Messages
- 39,032
The admins thought we ought to keep you guys aware of what's going on, and more importantly what's coming up. However, as this is a volunteer site, and even the admins are working on a volunteer basis, things are done at a pace where people have the time and interest, so not everything dreamed of can easily become a reality ![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")
So, where are we now? What have we done in the past year? What evil plans for world domination do we have on drawing board? And how can we possibly hope to get things done in a timely fashion? To start, we've added more people to the smod positions and asked for them to help out in the forums, then extended an explanation in SUPPORT to help clarify the role for members and staff. Next, we're posting this recap and heads up - so you are aware, and invited to help wherever you can
We'll put a thread in SUPPORT for your feedback on this and any other suggestions you might have for us going forward.
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As much as we remain a non-democracy, the fact remains we want everyone's input in helping us decide the best direction for the site going forward. Above is what's cooking, and we wanted to get your feedback. In part, we were trying to show what's been done to date (not just sitting on our asses), but a bigger part is wanting to make sure the everyone is aware of where the site is heading, what plans are in store and where they might be able to help. Any comments or suggestions you might have would be very welcome in the Heads Up and Member Feedback in SUPPORT.
So, where are we now? What have we done in the past year? What evil plans for world domination do we have on drawing board? And how can we possibly hope to get things done in a timely fashion? To start, we've added more people to the smod positions and asked for them to help out in the forums, then extended an explanation in SUPPORT to help clarify the role for members and staff. Next, we're posting this recap and heads up - so you are aware, and invited to help wherever you can
We'll put a thread in SUPPORT for your feedback on this and any other suggestions you might have for us going forward.I. Global Fit
- A. Research and Studies
- DONE! We have opened up our DRUG STUDIES forum. Your help on this is invaluable. We hope, over time, to increase the relationship between scientists and end users, for everyone's benefit.
- B. Relationships with other sites
- Other than existing relationships between our mods and other sites, we haven't put the time into improving the status quo. Our thanks to those already making the effort on their own, but we still want to do this as a SITE, more than as individuals. We'll start with PR and explicitly defining our relationship with them. We still have hopes of improved relationships with other sites and encourage those of you who visit other sites besides BL to keep track of good ones to work with (erowid, etc). Realistically with our other projects this may not get touched until late 2008, but we're planting the seeds now with you.
- C. Advertising
- We've considered working with google ads, banner trading with our sister sites, etc. And while we are still in the idea stage with limited resources, it is on our list of things we'd like to do.
II. Technical and Engineering
The next major upgrade of our site software has been released, and the sr. staff have started working on a practice site. We're exploring what new features may become available, and which of those make sense to implement on our site.
- A. Review header and footer links in general
- Not just the BLUA, but our current layout, our practices with forums, etc. Right now the site has a hodge-podge of what each forum has atop their threads. The idea of posting DS "Current Studies" up there has brought to light the need to investigate how the site overall presents its forum headers. We're looking for a bit more consistency, and a way that best serves the public.
- B. Updated WARNING list
- DONE! We have created new and better offenses to choose from. One of the additions was the blanket "BLUA Violation" which is the default right now, this should help us some in conveying to the member what went wrong, but we encourage you to put a little thought into that when issuing a WARNING, rather than just leaving it to whatever the default is. We've had confused, and even irate, members who didn't argue they deserved a WARNING but what WARNING was issued. We've put the effort in to clarify this with better choices, please use them. Also, as the Soup Nazi is the one sending out the notice, you are encouraged to put your name at the bottom of your comments so the member knows exactly WHO it was that warned them, thank you.
- C. Custom vB codes
- DONE! While we have made a few, the long term vision is not to create a bunch of code that has to be rewritten every time the site gets upgraded. forgotten made some, which are all visible via the "Posting Rules" link down at the lower left of your window. Click on the "vB code" link to get a full listing. You already know about the "yt" under discussion here in TPH. You may also find use for the "search" when dealing with UTFSE opportunities for members
III. Presentation
- A. Front page
- While the contest fizzled, the concept got kicked around SO a bit longer and isn't dead. We may just hold off and incorporate a new splash page with the site upgrade, then allow for members to offer replacements to keep it fresh and interesting.
- B. Gallery content and visibility
- DONE! The dicksizing in the GALLERY has been minimized, and the random (regrettable) pics have been eliminated from the front page. Yay, team!
- C. Possible restricted access/visibility of forums (Lounge?)
- After several discussions, we've decided we don't want to hide any of our forums from lurkers and n00bs, since they need to see all we are when deciding to join and participate. However, with the way newer members have been treated at times in some forums (the LOUNGE in particular) we've decided to prevent them from posting in that forum. This has the intended effect of preventing someone from stumbling into an ass rape, and makes GLers earn their BLer badge before being able to participate in the melee. The added bonus effect is it ought to cut down on the desire of members to create an alias specifically for LOUNGE trolling purposes. We'll also acknowledge that the much maligned LOUNGE forum has been improved over time in this regard, but we've decided to try out this restricted access for a bit and see how it works for us. Anyone can read, only BLers can post to that forum. [EDIT - There are currently NO forums blocked to Glers, this was a suggestion for discussion and is not currently in effect!]
- D. Policy
- Member friendly campaign - less hostile, more informative when closing threads, etc. Yeah, we covered it within the staff forum awhile back, and many of the mods you took it to heart. But with the changeover of staff we've had in the past months it would serve us well to both remind everyone of this concept and to ensure everyone works for the best interest of the site. Keep in mind, even when you participate in discussions as a member, you wear the staff badge and are viewed as representing the STAFF, help us keep member respect and that ever helpful image we've got
- E. Wiki schtuff (including handbooks)
- We're working on a way to incorporate a wiki for the site to hold our FAQs and member guides (for example the GreenlighterGuide). The intent is to improve staff tools now, but later to extend this for public use.
- F. Smod Role
- DONE! We've added a lot of superb mods into this position and they've already made an impact on the site operations. Part of what they've been tasked with is to outline the role (updated definition in the Greenlighter Guide) so all the mods and members know what to expect with a smod.
- G. Bridge the forums
- There is an effort to bridge the forums at the member level, to encourage more cross-forum interaction and get members spreading their wings to explore more parts of our site. A simple start to this would be travelling threads. For example, a GBL thread could spend a week each in EADD, AusDD, NADD, and the related FOCUS and DRUG forums. Likewise on the social side, a 'Pic from your window' could visit EADD, AusSoc, NAS, SO, etc.
= = = = = = = = = =
As much as we remain a non-democracy, the fact remains we want everyone's input in helping us decide the best direction for the site going forward. Above is what's cooking, and we wanted to get your feedback. In part, we were trying to show what's been done to date (not just sitting on our asses), but a bigger part is wanting to make sure the everyone is aware of where the site is heading, what plans are in store and where they might be able to help. Any comments or suggestions you might have would be very welcome in the Heads Up and Member Feedback in SUPPORT.