While we're at it, the blue tabs immediately below the spanking new logo...do we need them all?

I'm thinking we should simplify it to make it easier for new members to navigate and delve in.

I propose removing the NEWS tab as non of the drop downs are used recently. Also THE ZONE tab, the only sub-section that appears to be used is the Media Zone for uploading videos, this could be replaced with the new YT sub-forum. Finally the SEARCH tab; the search tab searches only the forum whereas the search box just to it's right searches the area of the site you are on ie. if you are on the forum it searches the forum content, if you are on any other area of the site it will search the rest of the site .

Thoughts?

Yes, I agree.

I like the idea of the Zone one for bartering & giving stuff away, but it hardly ever gets used, and it'd be easier to make a sticky thread for the purpose if anyone wants to get it moving again, imo.

I think getting rid of a few of them is a good shout. Make it look a little easier on the eye

I do like how easy it is to find topics you've made with the buttons below though.


Have you considered moving forum software? Something like IP.Board, PHPbb or Vbulletin for instance.

Greencard wrote:
The ones below will stay as is.


Not my area! Trying my best to get to grips with what we got now.

Gilly wrote:
I like the Zone one too and had a plug about why didn't we use it more just before christmas....maybe now with increase in membership it will take off?

oioioi wrote:
Good news
oioioi wrote:
Once we have a few more members I think it will get more and more important. You'll hit the limits with this software very quickly once you've got a couple hundred active users. I'm guessing this would be psketi's area?

Greencard wrote:


No.

It's Novum who helps us out with that stuff, Greencard.

angelchemuel wrote:
I'm not proposing getting rid of all features (yet) just the tabs. They can be linked to via a forum link to keep the content.

Although my thinking with the features is to remove the ones not used for sometime then if there is a demand reintroduce them as the demand requires. I think everything potentially useful was put on when SZ started, however I think as a result some good features have been overlooked. If they are reintroduced one at a time the merits and drawbacks of each feature can be focused on hopefully encouraging it's wider use.

No probs with that...bit like tidying up unused icons on ones desktop!


PS...Ha....just investigated The Zone market a bit more, and lo and behold I can stick piccys straight from my lappy on there without having to send them to Tinypics or the like first. So, how come that facility is not available on the general forum as it was at the old Sanctum?

Think I might be busy sticking ads in there today!

Delete everything all we need is recent tab. You can do it your self with some masking tape.

angelchemuel wrote: The main reason is the site soon becomes heavily laden with all those images using up bandwidth and increasing the cost of the hosting, hence the massive popularity of off-site image hosts such as photobucket, imageshack, tinypic ect.

Regarding the OP.

I've always been a fan of streamlining things. I'd argue that most users never leave the forum area so threads are are ultimately more likely to be used than satellite features.

The other advantage is that if someone posts something in a Buy/Sell/Free post it gets bumped up for everyone's attention right away.
If an item is advertised in a rarely visited site side-alley it may be available/wanted/needed but never, ever seen.

I like that idea Feather....shall I start a thread....oh, hang on I can't....haven't started photobucket thingmy!

Greencard wrote:
This is a joomla based site, forum is Kunena.

Both have been proven to work just fine with heavy traffic, logged in or not.

Here is the kunena forum, exact same forum/software as this... it has 38 thousand guests online as i post this post www.kunena.org/forum/index

ive seen other kunena forums with hundreds of logged in users.

If there ever was an issue due to traffic it would likely be because of hosting/server issues (being inadequate) or something that needed fixing, not because the software cant cope, from what i have seen and read.

Plus its open source (free) so less bills.

novum wrote:
When I said limits I meant more not having x feature, or not having y plugin, or not being as secure as the others mentioned.
Sounds like you know what you're doing though so I shall wind my neck in :p I was just wondering was all.

Greencard wrote:
Course he does...he and our sainted facilitator team are the wind beneath our wings.











Don't tell sketti I said that...

Abs, y'big snugglepup!

Off-topic, I've been meaning to ask you what M.A.F. means.

Gilly wrote:
At the risk of offending some of our newest members...I'll PM you. I've been meaning to take it down actually.

Ab Origine wrote:
I don't know how to add something there - can you do it yourself, or do you have to get a facilitator to do it for you?