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Thread: New Competition

  1. #21
    Annamarie
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    Noticing the number of repeated queries e.g. availability of WW1 records, would it be possible to consolidate all Stickys into one thread perhaps named Research Guide? Due to the number of sub forums and the difficulties navigating B-Gen for new users, Stickys are often missed. As a relatively new member of B-Gen I am still discovering valuable research tips contained in these informative threads. New Users could be directed to read the thread. The Sticky's may need to be edited as some of the links no longer work.

  2. #22
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    1. I would also appreciate a "mobile" version of the site. I believe there is a mobile version of vbulletin. But I suppose it costs.

    2. The best "no cost" change to this site would be to completely remove the "Brick Wall" forum. Too many people use this instead of spending a few seconds to decide the best place to put the question. A "brick wall" in genealogy is not just something you can't find. It's something blocking progress to the next generation. There's nothing in the "Brick Wall" forum that wouldn't happily live somewhere else.

  3. #23
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    I would like to suggest the addition of a "Threads updated since last visit" . This is a feature available in some other forums I use personally I think it's much better than the "Todays Posts" since once you have read a thread you don't see it again in the list.

    Tom.

  4. #24
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    I would like to suggest the addition of a "Threads updated since last visit"
    Isn't that functionality provided by the "What's New" button?

  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Goodey View Post
    Isn't that functionality provided by the "What's New" button?
    No Peter,

    What new shows post in the last N minutes or hours. If you read a tread like I did to see your post and then click whats new you still see this thread.

    If I'm away for a a few days it's nice to be able to see all of the threads and updated threads since your last visit.

    Tom.

  6. #26
    Super Moderator Sue Mackay's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tomg View Post
    No Peter,

    What new shows post in the last N minutes or hours. If you read a tread like I did to see your post and then click whats new you still see this thread.

    If I'm away for a a few days it's nice to be able to see all of the threads and updated threads since your last visit.

    Tom.
    I think it might depend on whether you log out when you leave the forum. I always do, but have my computer set to remember me so that I don't need to type my password when I log back in. If I go on holiday, then Today's Posts will give me the last 24 hours only but What's New will give me all threads posted since I last logged in. Granted if I press the back button after reading a post then I will see exactly the same list, but if I click What's New again instead of the back button then any threads I have read will not have the symbol to the left.
    Sue Mackay
    Insanity is hereditary - you get it from your kids

  7. #27
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    What "What's New" seems to be doing for me is to list threads which have been updated since my last forum activity. I'm happy with that.

  8. #28
    Colin Rowledge
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Goodey View Post
    1.


    The best "no cost" change to this site would be to completely remove the "Brick Wall" forum. Too many people use this instead of spending a few seconds to decide the best place to put the question. A "brick wall" in genealogy is not just something you can't find. It's something blocking progress to the next generation. There's nothing in the "Brick Wall" forum that wouldn't happily live somewhere else.
    While i agree with Peter, to some extent, I have used various forums to search for particular information on specific individuals/familes and then, when I hit a brickwall in going further back, I then use this forum. To eliminate it, would in my opinion anyway, would stop us from putting our information together from various threads/posts and then outlining how we can proceed, rather than posting several posts to existing threads and thereby being 'accused' of duplicating threads.

    Having a family from Norfolk, who were Mormons, emigrated to the USA in the 1860's, their multiple marriages etc. produces questions that not one forum is specifically appropriate to. So, I believe, the Brickwall forum should be retained, but Adminstrators/Moderators in their respective roles [if appropriate and after contacting the original poster] should move posts to more appropriate forums within the site.

    Colin

  9. #29
    thewideeyedowl
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    Post Replace 'Threads' with 'tags'

    The problem/idea that comes up again and again is 'search' - where to put what/where to look for what. Why not abandon the existing system of 'threads' and 'forums' and introduce 'tagged posts'? I think that would save the moderators the task of moving posts around (if deemed necessary) and a lot of head-scratching by all.

    I envisage a system like this:

    You type your post - a statement of known facts/request for information or whatever - and then add 'tags' (descriptive words or phrases that are the essence of the post). A system of tags is used in many blogging platforms, e.g Wordpress, Blogger. Then when a searcher enters a matching word in the 'Search' box at the top - which will be new, bigger, enhanced - your post will come up, most probably along with others that are tagged in a similar way. Any reply to your post must have its own tags and will also, by association, include your original tags. In that way, personalised 'threads' will develop and there will be no need to shoehorn a query into the straitjacket of an existing forum. I think this system would solve the problem of the over-use of the Brickwall forum.

    There would, though, probably be enormous problems in introducing such a system: what to do with the years of existing posts on BritGen, because they would not fit in with the new way of doing things. Also, I suspect, that many folk just would not like it - (I'm thinking of all the kerfuffle back in March!) - and it would take a bit of getting used to.

    Well, time to swoop off again...

    The Wideeyed Owl

  10. #30
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    Another improvement to the site would be to encourage all users to sign their messages with a proper name - even if it's only a forename.

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