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Author Topic: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)  (Read 10480 times)

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Offline Yoda

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FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« on: November 20, 2017, 07:53:15 AM »
Hello Everyone

With the ever growing use of Social Media sites like Facebook etc... we want to be able to
make improvements to the fx-sabers site and forum in order to better serve the community.

We would like to hear your opinions and what you'd like to see moving forward so please post
your suggestions here so we can try to implement those things that will be beneficial for all.

I want to thank all the members here for for their continued support over the years and hope
to be able to keep serving the community in the years to come.

(please note this is not meant as a complaint or help desk topic)

MTFBWY
always
YODA

Offline Darth Brooks

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2017, 08:46:28 AM »
I actually don't have any personal gripes or complaints about anyone here personal. But I also would love to see more action here on a daily basis! It wasn't even til recently that I was aware that there's tension and in fighting and old grudges and all that kind of stuff... it's stuff I'd personally rather not know about. I have fun on multiple forums and when someone does something great I like, promote and post and show to others.

Maybe a way to get a lot more action is asking guild members and other popular builders who are using their own websites and FB have their main contact be thru FXS so people who don't bother checking the forums and are only on FB will be directed this direction.

I do in fact love the fact that this site goes above and beyond to try too keep scum and villoni out of here!

However, my only real personal experience was I don't use FB (I also don't appreciate all the insults and negativity) but I really wanted to get in on the Tusken Slayer run from Watto's junkyard. This was "after" their Google preorder sign up had been taken down. The only way I could contact them was thru this site! I got one coming so, huge victory in my opinion.

But they said they haven't really checked in and out and posting updates here because they're still waiting for approval to do saber runs here so I felt kind of disappointed about that... non the less, I was able to get an email to them thru here and that's great!

I don't know about internal politics so to speak but it seems like that's a good group (Watto's Junkyard that is) doing some great stuff!

It should probably be easier for a good group like that to break in for some of the great stuff they offer...

So other than that I do really like stopping in every day. I guess I'd like to see more action from the big players just in what they happen to be up too? New videos of builds and that kind of stuff, new ideas they're working on and the like. I think that always generates good conversations amongst other posts and rabbit trails get chased down and new threads get started and it also encourages others to post videos and pics they might not otherwise and just frankly show off a bit, I wanna see peoples stuff.

It generates further great ideas...

It's not dead, people are stopping they just aren't signing in and posting. But I think this thread alone is a great step in the right direction!

Thanks Yoda...

Offline profezzorn

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2017, 01:02:01 PM »
Personally I don't understand why people go to facebook for this stuff.
It's darn near impossible to find things on Facebook. :(

I think there is a lot of things that this forum could do to attract more users though, but not all are simple.

First of all, the picture posting problem needs to be solved. Without pictures, people will just move elsewhere.
Second, an RSS feed would be nice so that I could pick up new stuff in Feedly. (Other Android/iOS app integration might also work.)
Third, a focus on howtos and helping new users and information will attract new users. Maybe pair up the forum with a Wiki?
Fourth, the "unread posts" feature should to be fixed, half the time it shows the wrong thing because I moved from one computer to another.
The "Media" and "For Sale" sections of the top bar seems useless, can we either use them or remove them?
Make it possible to pay for a higher mailbox quota.

Oh, and I'd like a pony!




Offline Darth Brooks

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2017, 03:08:27 PM »
Lol! For crying out loud! Will someone get profezzorn a pony!!!

Offline jbkuma

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2017, 04:01:23 PM »
Thank you, Yoda, for your fine work and your openness and willingness to improve the community.

I think the forum could use a section for open source development.  Currently these efforts have been relegated to the "new ideas" section simply because there's no better home.  Projects such as LightSaberOS(now FX-SaberOS) and TeensySaber have now been around for over a year and pioneered an popularized pixel blades and other features now found in commercial solutions. 

Obi_1 and I have lively interactions supporting FX-SaberOS with a multinational user base that is growing and maturing.  I expect profezzorn has similar experience with his excellent TeensySaber development.  These are often users that can't afford $3500 shelf dandies, but have an eagerness to innovate with creative solutions unique to those with more desire than means.  There has been a couple recent posts lamenting the loss of that kind of energy. Things have improved lately, but historically we've often been told that development is a distraction that doesn't belong here.  For this reason, at least for FX/LSOS, we've intentionally kept discussion mostly elsewhere, recently encouraging users toward Facebook.

A section where we could list these projects would be very helpful both to the developers and user base.  The fresh blood and ideas can only serve to strengthen the community at large.

(edit: if you need someone to moderate such a section I guess I just volunteered)

Offline DARTH VADER

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2017, 06:36:27 PM »
First of all, the picture posting problem needs to be solved. Without pictures, people will just move elsewhere.
Second, an RSS feed would be nice so that I could pick up new stuff in Feedly. (Other Android/iOS app integration might also work.)
Third, a focus on howtos and helping new users and information will attract new users. Maybe pair up the forum with a Wiki?
Fourth, the "unread posts" feature should to be fixed, half the time it shows the wrong thing because I moved from one computer to another.
The "Media" and "For Sale" sections of the top bar seems useless, can we either use them or remove them?
Make it possible to pay for a higher mailbox quota.

to address your issues (since they are technical issues, not social or management issues)
1- How should we resolve "the picture thing"?  We've always had people use external pictures - because Yoda can't afford to pay the bandwisth and storage to become a new photobox. There are some possibilities (like maybe people pay a small fee to get access to the use the gallery, etc) but I leave that decision to Ypda, since that ia a management decision. :)   but the simple solution to the picture issue is "find another site that will let you host picture" :D

2- There is an RSS feed.   See the RSS icon up at the very top right corner of the screen (next to the facebook icon)

3- There is an FAQ and a Knowledgebase (see the main menu)  If people are willing to write how-to articles, they can be added to either of those sections.

4- I am unsure what you mean by the unread posts feature needs to be fixed.  It works exactly right...  How is it not working or you.

5- The media and for sale sections are sections that Yoda has not decided what to do with yet...   They will eventually be used once he decides how he wants them handled.  If they are not going to be used, then they will indeed be removed, but, as we all lead busy lives, it may take some time to work out the details.


6- as for the pony...   Nope. no pony for you.  I only have this one horned goat.

Offline profezzorn

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2017, 08:15:46 PM »
First of all, the picture posting problem needs to be solved. Without pictures, people will just move elsewhere.
Second, an RSS feed would be nice so that I could pick up new stuff in Feedly. (Other Android/iOS app integration might also work.)
Third, a focus on howtos and helping new users and information will attract new users. Maybe pair up the forum with a Wiki?
Fourth, the "unread posts" feature should to be fixed, half the time it shows the wrong thing because I moved from one computer to another.
The "Media" and "For Sale" sections of the top bar seems useless, can we either use them or remove them?
Make it possible to pay for a higher mailbox quota.

to address your issues (since they are technical issues, not social or management issues)
1- How should we resolve "the picture thing"?  We've always had people use external pictures - because Yoda can't afford to pay the bandwisth and storage to become a new photobox. There are some possibilities (like maybe people pay a small fee to get access to the use the gallery, etc) but I leave that decision to Ypda, since that ia a management decision. :)   but the simple solution to the picture issue is "find another site that will let you host picture" :D

2- There is an RSS feed.   See the RSS icon up at the very top right corner of the screen (next to the facebook icon)

3- There is an FAQ and a Knowledgebase (see the main menu)  If people are willing to write how-to articles, they can be added to either of those sections.

4- I am unsure what you mean by the unread posts feature needs to be fixed.  It works exactly right...  How is it not working or you.

5- The media and for sale sections are sections that Yoda has not decided what to do with yet...   They will eventually be used once he decides how he wants them handled.  If they are not going to be used, then they will indeed be removed, but, as we all lead busy lives, it may take some time to work out the details.


6- as for the pony...   Nope. no pony for you.  I only have this one horned goat.

1. Mostly I think it's finding a site that works, recommend it and write a tutorial.

2. Yay, I've looked for that for over a year without finding it....

3. The FAQ seems to be about the forum, not about how to make sabers.  The knowledge base seems to have nothing in it. How do I write a knowledge base article?

4. I'm not sure what the problem is, but sometimes it show very few unread articles so I have to click "show all unread".

5. Well, either use them or hide them until he figures it out, right now they are just confusing.

6. Doesn't hurt to ask... :)



Offline profezzorn

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2017, 08:24:09 PM »
Hmm, the RSS feed is pretty limited since it clips all but the shortest posts.
Is there a way to fix that?


Offline IceSaber

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2017, 03:21:55 AM »
I keep watch on this site but it's definitely been very slow to be updated with things and facebook just easier. You'll never really get around that but many of the suppliers listed here will post on their respective facebook pages more than here. For that reason you're always 1 or more steps behind with the information and products here.

Also being from the UK, this place isn't the best source of local sabers for me and it costs more so I prefer to follow certain companies closer to home who also post more on facebook than on here.

Theres also a bunch of behind the scenes politics which ive come across fairly recently and it doesnt really inspire much confidence in the people who see themselves at the forfront of the saber industry (not you Yoda, you've been great).

I'd suggest having a "european/uk" section for those outside of the US so we know where to get parts from easier, and cheaper due to customs costs if we were to import from the states. I'd also possibly combining or renaming some of the more less active areas of the forum as they really don't seem to add any value. I posted in 1 or 2 other sections (near the top) and barely got a reply, if at all.  Those areas just seems quite convoluted. It's much more effective to post in specific dedicated areas for manufacturers. Many of these manufacturers have their own websites and they update those more often than post on FX sabers so providing links would be nice for newbies.

Another thing I've noticed is in relation to saber "runs". They're often posted in the manufacturers own section and a user has to find it manually. Why not have a "Current runs" (name can be changed lol) section that contains all of the active runs? It makes them all so much easier to monitor. Also on this topic, they are often left for months and months with no updates too but it's difficult to maintain if the owner of that product isn't very active or is away. I mean how many times have you seen "is this still happening?" on a "run" thread? I've seen it a lot.

A personal issue I have with this place is it's largely focused on its own little affiliate community and theres very little info on anyone who isn't "in the club". For this reason Facebook is a much more neutral platform for me. Granted there are different affiliations within many of the groups there too but there are just as many, if not more who have zero affiliation and are there purely for the hobby alone. You wont ever really break down this barrier without being more open to other saber smiths imo. Times are changing and forums are a dying breed when everyone has a much more commonly used platform like Facebook. I still emjoy using dedicated forums and I was a very active member of a car club for years, until they upgraded the forum to a new design which just didn't work very well, and also life took over for me. Then I found sabers and found myself here. It has a lot of info but over time it's just been very.. quiet and facebook has become much more active for me and many manufacturers.

I know theres not much to be done here but when things are for sale, people are asked to donate to the forum. I understand why and I don't really mind but as a point to note.. facebook is free. No charge, but also I understand it comes with a degree of uncertainty. You can better trust the forum has members who aren't going to scam you, but as somebody whos usually very careful about such things, facebook suits me fine.

Something I'd very much like to see is a section that is dedicated to each particular type of movie saber or weilder. I.e Graflex, Obi-Wan, Vader, etc. Maybe even if they were under an umbrella section called "Movie Sabers". It took me a while to figure out what saber was what, and who sold each type. Much of the info is already here but its all over the place.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2017, 03:30:24 AM by IceSaber »

Offline Darth Brooks

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2017, 09:35:32 AM »
If this works I'll start another thread... but this is a picture test.

My wife and I discussing all the benefits of the Dark Side and considering a career change with Kylo Ren


Offline Darth Brooks

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2017, 09:37:09 AM »
Ok, the file is high def and made a huge pic... not sure why yet I'll figure something out and come back!

Stay tuned boys and girls

Offline Darth Brooks

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #11 on: November 21, 2017, 09:49:49 AM »
Here's a lower res pic test


Offline Darth Brooks

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #12 on: November 21, 2017, 09:51:05 AM »
Pics from this source are huge! I'll figure something out later...

But I'm on to something

Offline profezzorn

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #13 on: November 21, 2017, 10:10:46 AM »
Pics from this source are huge! I'll figure something out later...

But I'm on to something

I just see "image not found" though.
Btw, I think image hosting services would be a lot happier if we used their supported embeddable image widgets instead of just links to raw images.
(Kind of how youtube videos work.)

Not sure which services provide these widgets though.

Offline Darth Brooks

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Re: FX-Sabers Forum / Site (suggestions for improvements)
« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2017, 10:35:47 AM »
Pics from this source are huge! I'll figure something out later...

But I'm on to something

I just see "image not found" though.
Btw, I think image hosting services would be a lot happier if we used their supported embeddable image widgets instead of just links to raw images.
(Kind of how youtube videos work.)

Not sure which services provide these widgets though.
I actually deleted the images from the site I was on so thinking that may be why you can see them? But maybe not? Cause I can still see them? I posted from a Galaxy S6 Active not sure if that has anything to do with it either?

But the files were in high res and it won't break it down to a smaller res so I don't think at this point it's a viable option unfortunately?

I'm sure it has something to do with some sort or formatting though cause these same images work on TRA?

 

retrousse