Of all the gin-joints in all of the worlds.... where are YOU

[SevenT]

How does one go about creating a new survey/poll?

I would like to see an anonymous one about where Oolite users are from.

Just current Oolite users - not original Elite ones.

To explain that - I used Elite on the Amstrad CPC6128 in England.... but I am now playing Oolit in Canada - so I would tick the Canada box rather than the Engrish one.

Anyone else think that this would be a fun project?

[Cody]

We have a pin-map here... but not all users are represented (just as they wouldn't be in a poll).

[SevenT]

We have a pin-map here... but not all users are represented (just as they wouldn't be in a poll).

Yup it is very cute - but not exactly what I was thinking of.

How about an anonymous survey to see where most of us live?

I am sure that Canada, America, The EU and Australia are not the only people who populate the OOniverse.

[Commander McLane]

The most recent poll is here: https://bb.oolite.space/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12670

Also, please note that the "Suggestion Box" is exclusively for suggestions for the game Oolite. That's why it says

An area for discussing new ideas and additions to Oolite.

on the Index page.

Feel free to post general ideas and musings in the "Discussion" forum, although the best place for everything not directly related to the game itself is actually the "Outworld" forum. Incidentally you will also find every old thread about geographical or age distribution of the forumites (and there are a couple of those) in "Outworld", where they belong. I encourage you to browse through the forum.

[SevenT]

The most recent poll is here: https://bb.oolite.space/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12670

Also, please note that the "Suggestion Box" is exclusively for suggestions for the game Oolite. That's why it says

An area for discussing new ideas and additions to Oolite.

on the Index page.

Feel free to post general ideas and musings in the "Discussion" forum, although the best place for everything not directly related to the game itself is actually the "Outworld" forum. Incidentally you will also find every old thread about geographical or age distribution of the forumites (and there are a couple of those) in "Outworld", where they belong. I encourage you to browse through the forum.

Ahahaha.... Brilliant! This just reinforces the argument for a slightly more welcoming frontispiece to this BB. It would save "noobs" like me having to look like "nobbs" to you!

People need to know this stuff straight away when they get here... Can you imagine how embarrassing it would be to go into your local curry-house and order a Big Mac? To go into your local house of "ill-repute" and order the latest "Bare Naked Ladies" track only to be confronted by several humongously-chested females with no clothing? How about going into a chip-shop and asking for some freshly-fried chips only to be offered a bag of soggy Z80's?

No.... things should be properly labelled and directions need to be properly signposted.

Currently this BB is a smaugersboard of mish-mashed directions... there is no "Arrival" docking point... nor an FAQ (which would have circumvented this message in the first place.)

A new user to this site is left to their own ingenuity and "worldliness" to decipher what goes where and who to ask...

Seriously (as a new member) this BB is long due for a structural overhaul.... it's like something out of the late 90's... (not the software running it but the layout of the forums and threads!)

I hope one of the mods is taking note of this.

[Commander McLane]

No.... things should be properly labelled and directions need to be properly signposted.

I understand where you're coming from, but proper labeling and signposts is one thing we do have.

Here's a screenshot of the main page of the boards:


Each of the subforums is not only labeled with a title (like "Expansion Pack" or "Fiction"), but also with a short explanation of what the label means.

[Smivs]

A new user to this site is left to their own ingenuity and "worldliness" to decipher what goes where and who to ask...

Which is exactly why it works so well!
It prompts new members to explore the board for themselves, and in doing so they will not only become very familiar with it but also find lots of good stuff that they otherwise wouldn't. And you can ask about anything and before long somebody will be along who can help, and the help can sometimes come from unexpected places.

[SevenT]

No.... things should be properly labelled and directions need to be properly signposted.

I understand where you're coming from, but proper labeling and signposts is one thing we do have.

Here's a screenshot of the main page of the boards:
....
Each of the subforums is not only labeled with a title (like "Expansion Pack" or "Fiction"), but also with a short explanation of what the label means.

Yup I get that - but have you ever thought, although that's good enough for long-users of this site, something more friendly might be useful? For example when I drive up to Burlington on the local interstate I get billboards saying "Welcome To Burlington" and then signs flagging me off to "Lakeshore", the "Museum" the local Tourist centre and best of all... the parking spaces...

That's how modern BB sites work... I have given you two examples - and even they are somewhat past their sell-by-date but much more friendly than this site initially appears to be.

Yes! It IS the friendliest BB this side of Phobos - the members are not the problem - it's just that the organisation of the subforums are confusing to a new member... and I am talking as a new member!

But perhaps my opinions as a "new user" aren't that important?

Perhaps it's just a case of "The Emperor's New Clothes"...

If no one else can see it - then perhaps I should keep quiet!

[Diziet Sma]

But perhaps my opinions as a "new user" aren't that important?

They are.

Perhaps it's just a case of "The Emperor's New Clothes"...

If no one else can see it - then perhaps I should keep quiet!

Sometimes it's a case of people get so used to the way things are, that they don't see how it could be made even better..

[SevenT]

But perhaps my opinions as a "new user" aren't that important?

They are.

Perhaps it's just a case of "The Emperor's New Clothes"...

If no one else can see it - then perhaps I should keep quiet!

Sometimes it's a case of people get so used to the way things are, that they don't see how it could be made even better..

Ummmm.... yeahhh... I don't want to come across as "pushy" or "trying to impress" but I was just speaking as a "new user" of this site.... I found it "new-user" unfriendly and alas long-time users like Commander McLane just make me want to shut the fugg up.... perhaps I should?

It seems that the format of this BB is immutable and that I should just keep my mouth shut.

I almost feel like apologising for having registered on this site in the first place....

My gosh... if that's how I feel after only a few days on here then do you wonder why people are reluctant to register on this board?

[Smivs]

I really don't think is is that user-unfriendly. Commander McLane summarised the navigation quite succinctly a few posts further up, and I'm sure he didn't suggest you 'shut up'. I think he wanted you to listen.
And we do appreciate positive input. The problem is it's very easy to come into something and conclude that things could be done better differently. Fresh pair of eyes and all that.
But what actually makes better? My better would be different to your better. But if nobody else agrees, is it? Sometimes you just have to accept that your Big Idea is not a runner and forget it.
This board runs very smoothly and everybody on it gets a lot out of it with very little in the way of problems. It's like a big new Sofa, a bit firm here, a bit soft there. After a while it changes with time and your IronAss sat on it. Within a few weeks it's perfect and you wouldn't want it to change one little bit.

[SevenT]

Absolutely - and I am not trying to tread on anyones toes... just trying to offer up my humble opinion as to how this web-site might be made more "user-friendly" as a "noob" to this site.

Of course the "regulars" to this site won't see it from my perspective... because they probably helped build it - which it is why it appears so logical to them.

I will reiterate - once again - that I am a "Noob" to this particular site and yet I found it particularly difficult to "integrate" with.

Now I am not a newbie when it comes to BBs but I was a "Noob" on this site.... If I found it intimidating then shouldn't that be screaming out a message to the BB Mods currently administrating this site?

This is not a criticism of the people who run the site, nor the contributors but merely a suggestion as to how this BB might be reduxed into the 21st Century.

[another_commander]

Topic moved to Outworld.

[Yah-Ta-Hey]

As a member of this group, I am no longer a "noob" but I still am finding jewels in my reading. The link to the map is great. I have entered my coordinates so I am no longer a voice in the wilderness. I am in conflict with SevenT as to the location and finding of these gems but that makes lurking so much fun. SeventT's rants remind me of the flame wars on some other bbs groups that I used to visit. I hope that he/she will understand that some of the older more established people are really doing their best to provide a great site. Sure it is not perfect but some things ya just gotta do on your own ... keep up the good works guys.

[maik]

SevenT, so what structure would you choose for the board? I think it is easier to discuss specific proposals than just a general "more user-friendly" and "like site xxx". Also "have my welcoming post moved to top-level" is too minute a detail if you are talking about a complete restructuring (because everything is so ninetyish).