GTA
All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => Back Room => Topic started by: oldpro on February 24, 2020, 09:42:50 PM
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Thought this would be a good time to get some feedback and suggestions from the Members on changes and suggestions.Please be constructive as being simply negative will get overlooked.
Things That have changed so far
1. purchased more forum space and upgrades
2. Started grip and video channel
3. Added Projectiles gate and Air archery gate and users Shooter1721, Hajimoto and ToFazFou plus News gate.
4.new logos and back ground.
5. Banner adds.
6. Hired full time IT guy.
Things I will be changing soon and am working on.
1.Donation , no need with vendors banners
2.Vendor gate, will delete all the gates and make it and open area for all vendors to put specials and news this will shrink the paging from top of forum to bottom by 25% and get rid of a bunch of vendor gates doing nothing but setting there.
3.Raffle gate and contributing members gate, No need once again with banners this will also help shrink down the site, we will however have raffles and giveaways those will be done threw Forum News gate.
4. GTA Road Trip!! This is a long term goal but I want to spend a full month or two on the road visiting our vendors making videos and just shooting in new places across the USA and posting it on our Youtube channel as entertainment for our members here
5.GRIP videos, already working with the gang and made several videos just waiting for Rick to edit them all.
6. So much more but thats the gist of the start of things
Please share thoughts and ideas for entertainment and forum improvements we can make this awesome site even better!!!
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Ok you asked and I will give you my best request. You have a vision and what you have clarified helps. Tell us your end goal your mission statement and announce a change well enough in advance before making it. I know you have done so on some things but others were like here is a change and here is a announcement about it, at least how I see it. I for one will not sugar coat it you are ticking off members some are vocal like me others are like well he said it i don't have to and wont the rest are for it or don't care. I get it you cant make everyone happy but the amount of turmoil going on here is speaking loudly and hence this thread. I have more to say but its not really relevant to the actual topic at hand and frankly it seems everything has been going off the rails.
I ask you announce a upcoming change and may take some suggestions before implementing it.
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I will ponder this for a spell and then make an appropriate comment. I don't want to run out of the gate being either too for it or against it. I have some ideas but will have to do some research before attempting to suggest them.
That being said, I think the number 1 priority should be transparency. As of now, the transparency is fairly satisfying, but not wholly.
Time to ponder.
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Could we add a feature that allows us to unsubscribe from a thread that has run it course for us?
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"Tell us your end goal your mission statement". I just did that. We dont need to make a lot more changes other than the GTA library that I need to spend a month on and organize. 2. Some things ill ask the forum some I wont nothing different than any other business or forum, I have to make financial decisions and fund events like the fun shoot etc. I dont think people care how I do it as long as it gets done just like keeping this beautiful place going strong. Big changes ill definitely keep everyone abreast of and ask advise but I dont see any more big changes were close to where we need to be.
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Could we add a feature that allows us to unsubscribe from a thread that has run it course for us?
Go to your profile, click on Notifications on the left. There you will see a list of threads and gates you are set to be notified of. Check the box and select unnotify on any you no longer want to see.
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That's a pretty intense schedule and some lofty goals... You leaving JSAR? Seems this is going to be a full time job with all you laid out above.
I like the idea of supporting vendors, in the sense they will actually contribute useful content and discount codes. My fear is if they pay for the right to be here and advertise here they will get an entitled attitude which may not be the best things for the members here. Some vendors don't take criticism of their products very well. As a member I want to know the good, bad and ugly of the products I'm considering. Having vendors who will try to quash or twist honest feedback, especially the negative, will do a disservice to the members here.
Same goes for the reviewers in the GRIP. It seems most of these folks receive products from manufacturers in return for reviews. I'm sure most of these products are either on loan or given to them free or at a greatly reduced price. Face it, these guys can't possibly pay full price for all the stuff they review. The problem here, once again is slanted reviews. No manufacture is going to continue to support a reviewer if they do too many negative reviews, even if they are warranted. So, facing the option of missing out on these freebies, great deals, or even getting first shot at the latest and greatest, are they really going to chance losing that for a bad review? Probably not, so again we end up with a disservice if these reviewers are afraid to tell a manufacturer they have an ugly baby?
Bottom line, when someone pays for something, they expect something in return. If this return is positive and constructive, we win, if it's just eye wash and subversion we lose...
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Travis, I hope you don't mind that I did some work on your original post. I did not change, add or delete a single word. I simply spaced it so it didn't all run together.
My suggestion? Hire someone to do text structuring for you.... lol
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Could we add a feature that allows us to unsubscribe from a thread that has run it course for us?
Cant you just unsubscribe? Cool if we could set a time limit like 1 week etc.
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Travis, I hope you don't mind that I did some work on your original post. I did not change, add or delete a single word. I simply spaced it so it didn't all run together.
My suggestion? Hire someone to do text structuring for you.... lol
I think thats a great idea but it would eat into my Taco money. LOl and Thank you!
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Could we add a feature that allows us to unsubscribe from a thread that has run it course for us?
Cant you just unsubscribe? Cool if we could set a time limit like 1 week etc.
When I click on "Show New Replies To Your Posts", it takes me to any thread I've participated in. Even if the new content of that post doesn't quote me.
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That all sounds good to me. I'm not sure why some of our members have their underoos in a wad over some of these changes. Grouchy old curmudgeons!
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I have a big request:
week-long bans for those who keep stirring the pot sowing dischord. It seems lately there's been a rash of people starting a lot of crud over political stuff. Second offense: month long ban.
Sadly, a lot of the pot-stirrers are from the US and it appears people are forgetting how to be civil and keep in mind these are International Forums with International membership and widely-ranging views.
I know I've kicked the hornet's nest several times myself, so I've been trying to keep out of the banner/ad/changes aspect of the recent changes for the GTA. I like how it was and I like how it is.
The GTA is still a great place; nobody made anybody join and nobody is making anybody stay here, either.
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i would like to see a button/option to thanks someone for their comment without having to make a post just to do so . it is done on some other forums i enjoy and they show a list of names under the post that liked/thanked them .
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"Tell us your end goal your mission statement". I just did that. We dont need to make a lot more changes other than the GTA library that I need to spend a month on and organize. 2. Some things ill ask the forum some I wont nothing different than any other business or forum, I have to make financial decisions and fund events like the fun shoot etc. I dont think people care how I do it as long as it gets done just like keeping this beautiful place going strong. Big changes ill definitely keep everyone abreast of and ask advise but I dont see any more big changes were close to where we need to be.
I have read what you stated first then you edited for easier reading and thanks for that bit was kind of had to get through. I don't think I have made myself clear on how I personally think the direction and mission statement should be presented, no bigs. Now to me I would like to see something clearly posted for all to see without being buried in posts or an announcement gate thread, and it can change that's ok too just say so. I know you have used the global announcement and it works and works good, albeit on a mobile its best way to put it broken. I do appreciate the announcements however like I said it was here it is vs here is what we have to look forward too.
We want you to get it done we want you to succeed but man you have to understand there are bunch of us who don't take to rapid change well. I think if you buffer that some this turbulence will all but go away.
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Could we add a feature that allows us to unsubscribe from a thread that has run it course for us?
Cant you just unsubscribe? Cool if we could set a time limit like 1 week etc.
Or even a post count limit. When that limit has been reached the final post could link to a "sequel' thread a Mod starts on behalf of the participants who wish to continue posting..?
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i would like to see a button/option to thanks someone for their comment without having to make a post just to do so . it is done on some other forums i enjoy and they show a list of names under the post that liked/thanked them .
+1 to that! There's a lot of time I just like what someone posted but don't necessarily have anything to add. A thumbs up or smiley to say thanks would be nice!
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i would like to see a button/option to thanks someone for their comment without having to make a post just to do so . it is done on some other forums i enjoy and they show a list of names under the post that liked/thanked them .
I like that one and would click a Like or Thanks if there was one. LOL
There is a Rate Topic for a THREAD but not a single post. Hmmm....
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i would like to see a button/option to thanks someone for their comment without having to make a post just to do so . it is done on some other forums i enjoy and they show a list of names under the post that liked/thanked them .
I like that one and would click a Like or Thanks if there was one. LOL
There is a Rate Topic for a THREAD but not a single post. Hmmm....
Absolutely agreed! Some other forums I frequent have a thumbs up or a thanks button. I would love to have that implemented!
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i would like to see a button/option to thanks someone for their comment without having to make a post just to do so . it is done on some other forums i enjoy and they show a list of names under the post that liked/thanked them .
love that idea! ill get Our IT guy on it
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I think we talked about a "like" button before and the result was that it requires a programming change that costs money. At the time we were operating on member donations and the funds were not there to do it...
Things may be different now... if it's possible, I'm all for that one.
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I think we talked about a "like" button before and the result was that it requires a programming change that costs money. At the time we were operating on member donations and the funds were not there to do it...
Things may be different now... if it's possible, I'm all for that one.
we can do it now if possible. Those banner adds buy us a lot of freedoms
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I think we talked about a "like" button before and the result was that it requires a programming change that costs money. At the time we were operating on member donations and the funds were not there to do it...
Things may be different now... if it's possible, I'm all for that one.
that was my understanding as well. An active like or unlike button takes up space. I do not see it as necessary at all. All I see of this, is that each and every comment can then be liked and disliked, only leading to more of a riff on the forum.
Bad Ju Ju
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size of banners. Before someone says it I am shrinking them a little and moved some inside the gates so it doesnt look bad on a mobile device.
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I think we talked about a "like" button before and the result was that it requires a programming change that costs money. At the time we were operating on member donations and the funds were not there to do it...
Things may be different now... if it's possible, I'm all for that one.
that was my understanding as well. An active like or unlike button takes up space. I do not see it as necessary at all. All I see of this, is that each and every comment can then be liked and disliked, only leading to more of a riff on the forum.
Bad Ju Ju
only a like button we dont need negatives here plenty of that in the real world.
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I think we talked about a "like" button before and the result was that it requires a programming change that costs money. At the time we were operating on member donations and the funds were not there to do it...
Things may be different now... if it's possible, I'm all for that one.
that was my understanding as well. An active like or unlike button takes up space. I do not see it as necessary at all. All I see of this, is that each and every comment can then be liked and disliked, only leading to more of a riff on the forum.
Bad Ju Ju
I would implement only the opportunity to give positive feedback. Whether it's clicking "like", "thanks", or a thumbs up icon, there should be no opportunity to offer negativity.
Edit: Beat to it by Travis
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I think we talked about a "like" button before and the result was that it requires a programming change that costs money. At the time we were operating on member donations and the funds were not there to do it...
Things may be different now... if it's possible, I'm all for that one.
that was my understanding as well. An active like or unlike button takes up space. I do not see it as necessary at all. All I see of this, is that each and every comment can then be liked and disliked, only leading to more of a riff on the forum.
Bad Ju Ju
only a like button we dont need negatives here plenty of that in the real world.
Fair enough. That being said, I still don't like it. We can already rate the thread, why go further than that and dive into the comments? Who really cares what is like and isn't? this site is all about sharing knowledge and learning. No need for that extra jazz.
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I think we talked about a "like" button before and the result was that it requires a programming change that costs money. At the time we were operating on member donations and the funds were not there to do it...
Things may be different now... if it's possible, I'm all for that one.
we can do it now if possible. Those banner adds buy us a lot of freedoms
It might be good, or like anything it might be bad. Just depends on how its used. Iv'e been on enough forums with this feature to see, that despite the well intentions... It can also be used... Poorly. Like when an overly harsh criticism, or even a insult no matter how carefully worded, is thanked by a load of people who couldn't be bothered to actually write a response of their own. Iv'e seen this feature used more times than i can count as a defacto mechanism for establishing "cliques". Just something to consider...
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I think we talked about a "like" button before and the result was that it requires a programming change that costs money. At the time we were operating on member donations and the funds were not there to do it...
Things may be different now... if it's possible, I'm all for that one.
we can do it now if possible. Those banner adds buy us a lot of freedoms
It might be good, or like anything it might be bad. Just depends on how its used. Iv'e been on enough forums with this feature to see, that despite the well intentions... It can also be used... Poorly. Like when an overly harsh criticism, or even a insult no matter how carefully worded, is thanked by a load of people who couldn't be bothered to actually write a response of their own. Iv'e seen this feature used more times than i can count as a defacto mechanism for establishing "cliques". Just something to consider...
Very fair statement.
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size of banners. Before someone says it I am shrinking them a little and moved some inside the gates so it doesnt look bad on a mobile device.
I have posted a SS off my phone of the global announcement where it is all wonky that I think the IT guy can fix. It is late and I probably wont remember but it is like here is the announcement and the actual threads in that gate were hammered over to the left and was hard to navigate.
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Keep up the good work Travis. From what I have seen, you are a trailblazer of sorts. I can tell you have a very progressive way of thinking and a very colorful imagination. Not everyone is going to like the changes around here. What I just noticed is the ads are not as intrusive and that is a prime example of what I'm talking about. You took the time and energy to listen and then followed through and did something about it. My hat is off to you. I'm sure the GTA has experienced growing pains in the past and this stage of growth will be no different. Keep up the great work Mr. Whitney.
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Keep up the good work Travis. From what I have seen, you are a trailblazer of sorts. I can tell you have a very progressive way of thinking and a very colorful imagination. Not everyone is going to like the changes around here. What I just noticed is the ads are not as intrusive and that is a prime example of what I'm talking about. You took the time and energy to listen and then followed through and did something about it. My hat is off to you. I'm sure the GTA has experienced growing pains in the past and this stage of growth will be no different. Keep up the great work Mr. Whitney.
Chris you made my day. Thank you.
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Keep up the good work Travis. From what I have seen, you are a trailblazer of sorts. I can tell you have a very progressive way of thinking and a very colorful imagination. Not everyone is going to like the changes around here. What I just noticed is the ads are not as intrusive and that is a prime example of what I'm talking about. You took the time and energy to listen and then followed through and did something about it. My hat is off to you. I'm sure the GTA has experienced growing pains in the past and this stage of growth will be no different. Keep up the great work Mr. Whitney.
Chris you made my day. Thank you.
And poor Travis needs his day brightened more often. He has to deal with me the rest of the time! :D
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Could we add a feature that allows us to unsubscribe from a thread that has run it course for us?
Go to your profile, click on Notifications on the left. There you will see a list of threads and gates you are set to be notified of. Check the box and select unnotify on any you no longer want to see.
For my two pesos, we do need a feature to unsubscribe from a thread after we've posted in it.
And no, the "click notifications" is not that feature. This entire issue was discussed in detail on another thread on this forum.
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Keep up the good work Travis. From what I have seen, you are a trailblazer of sorts. I can tell you have a very progressive way of thinking and a very colorful imagination. Not everyone is going to like the changes around here. What I just noticed is the ads are not as intrusive and that is a prime example of what I'm talking about. You took the time and energy to listen and then followed through and did something about it. My hat is off to you. I'm sure the GTA has experienced growing pains in the past and this stage of growth will be no different. Keep up the great work Mr. Whitney.
Chris you made my day. Thank you.
And poor Travis needs his day brightened more often. He has to deal with me the rest of the time! :D
I hope so Chris. Glad to be here.
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Could we add a feature that allows us to unsubscribe from a thread that has run it course for us?
Go to your profile, click on Notifications on the left. There you will see a list of threads and gates you are set to be notified of. Check the box and select unnotify on any you no longer want to see.
For my two pesos, we do need a feature to unsubscribe from a thread after we've posted in it.
And no, the "click notifications" is not that feature. This entire issue was discussed in detail on another thread on this forum.
I will look into it. I will try and find thread
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Could we add a feature that allows us to unsubscribe from a thread that has run it course for us?
Go to your profile, click on Notifications on the left. There you will see a list of threads and gates you are set to be notified of. Check the box and select unnotify on any you no longer want to see.
For my two pesos, we do need a feature to unsubscribe from a thread after we've posted in it.
And no, the "click notifications" is not that feature. This entire issue was discussed in detail on another thread on this forum.
I will look into it. I will try and find thread
Here you go:
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=168749.msg155894900#msg155894900 (https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=168749.msg155894900#msg155894900)
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Here Ill help you with finding that thread as I started it. I want it to be simple as in I post in a thread then I lose interest in it and don't want it to show up any more then i opt out. This is when I click on show new replies to your posts. Any post I comment in will show up there no matter what and frankly I don't want to waste my time on them anymore, facts of life... So as I see it those who may have a data limit it is a waste of their bandwidth and those that have unlimited its their time. Say a thread goes off the rails and they are fed up it will save them from the frustration of thoughts of us who are passionate about that topic, they can opt out from any and all updates.
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=168749.0 (https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=168749.0)
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Re: Product Reviews
I don't mind if the person reviewing a product has some financial interest in the product so long as that financial interest is divulged. I just hope that the person reviewing the product devotes some money into improving their production values. Nothing is worse than watching some dude with a monotone voice droning on about some product that I might want to buy but can't really afford.
Re: Banner Ads
I just hope that they work for the vendors. I've been in a sport where there are a small number of focused participants and the sport died because the vendors could not earn enough to sustain themselves and thus the sport.
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Just something to think about regarding a post rating system ... thumbs-us/thumbs-down... +1/-1... like/dislike... etc.
I am a member of another site unrelated to airguns which has a post vote rating system. It is nice to see good informative posts rewarded with mostly "like" votes. However, some people vote "dislike" just because they have their own agenda or some personality/brain malfunction. Some do that to attack other site members they don't like or agree with. Other folks create TONS of posts with little or no valuable content just to try to gain popular votes. It becomes a competition or obsession with some people.
Not saying we would have the same negative issues here. Just be aware that like any tool it can be used for both benevolent and malicious purposes.
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I would like to see the picture size increased. Recently my computer updated itself and i lost the feature to resize jpegs.
This may not seem like a big deal, but i have a terabyte of jpegs from a pesting job at the Playboy Mansion i was going to post.
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Small thing, I wish the spot where you choose the page you want in a thread was a bit larger, and that there was a "next page" arrow or button. On touch screens I find the existing one difficult. Maybe it is a non changeable part of the forum software, ok.
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Could we add a feature that allows us to unsubscribe from a thread that has run it course for us?
Go to your profile, click on Notifications on the left. There you will see a list of threads and gates you are set to be notified of. Check the box and select unnotify on any you no longer want to see.
Thanks Dave, i didn't know this. I just delete 11 pages of notifications that are irrelevant now.
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Instead of getting rid of the vendors gates, how about eliminating or archiving all the inactive ones. By inactive, I mean where the vendors rarely, if ever, start a thread, or rarely answer. There is so much information archived there, it would be a shame to lose it.
On another subject, change. Change for change sake is rarely good. Change with purpose is mostly good. I have found that it takes a short time to become accustomed to whatever changes happen. Some changes around here, I like. Some. I don't. I will acclimate. Travis, keep up the good work.
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A thumbs up button can be nice but not required. I am fine either way. There is definitely no need for a negative vote button on this forum. It is not who we are. Go surf Reddit and you will see what i mean.
It seems the mid thread banners are gone and therefore I have turned off my Ad Blocker. No ads would be great but I cannot fund the forum myself. I don't mind seeing the names of vendors especially when they are new to me. I find that useful at times. What I am seeing today I do not find obnoxious or intrusive. It would be a shame for all of us to block all ads because we can't stand the look of the site, the vendors quit advertising and we start all over again. Moderation in all things.
I don't do any social media beyond this and a few other forums. I would not like to see this forum look and feel like Facebook etc.
I like that this forum has not looked and felt very commercial and would not like to see it go that way. I have my concerns with the GRIP on that. Of course if I do not like it I do not have to click there.
OH, just thought of this! Unless I am missing something, when I type a post, unless I triple space between paragraphs there is no space at all when it actually displays even though it previews correctly. I know I am not the only person having this problem.
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i would like to see a button/option to thanks someone for their comment without having to make a post just to do so . it is done on some other forums i enjoy and they show a list of names under the post that liked/thanked them .
I do like this idea, thanks!
edit: I now see that motion has already been seconded, never mind .....
This may require further contemplation, hmmmm?
nothing up my sleeve.......
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I finally turned off my ad blocker to see what the commotion is about. I really like the ad space at the bottom of a thread, gives a good look at everybody. The featured ad toward the top of the page would be better if moved to the very top, less scrolling to get to the content we are after. I really don't mind seeing ads, especially ones that inform about new products or sales going on.
As others have mentioned, there's always the concern of being overly influenced by a large sponsor or posts being censored due to honest feedback (not the childish type) on a sponsor's customer service or product. I haven't taken the time to see if there are any policies in place to mitigate those concerns, so it could be a moot point.
Streamlining the vendor's gate sounds like a great idea. The GTA Road Trip you mentioned could be both educational and entertaining, I'd love to watch something like that.
Lastly, thanks for stepping up and filling in the position, it isn't a easy position, and it is worse in the beginning. I hope we are all committed to preserving what matters most to all of us here in spite of the changes that have to be made to move forward.
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Thanks for all the fish.....
On some other forum, I’ve started using the “thanks” button. It has been called several things. Wasn’t real sure what it was I was thankful for.
So, I now think of the “thank button” as an acknowledgement that I have read your contribution and thank you for taking the time to post. I may or may not agree w/you but I did read it.
So far, I’ve thanked 744 times and have been thanked 10. No doubt I’ve awoken the dead. Tough crowd though, thankless lot! ROI<2%
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It's been interesting to watch the new format unfold. I can see incremental changes, it's getting better day by day.
I must admit that I have been a little bit worried about the GTA in the past when it was mentioned that some wanted upgrades were unaffordable, and when the site host raised the rent.
I don't know how the new ads generate revenue, but it's not as bad as many websites.
I am curious though, there were some advertisers on the old format that I don't see anymore, like pyramid air, baker,and others.
I can't understand why Crosman, Air Arms, and a whole bunch more don't have that visibility.
I know that some businesses have a larger advertising budget, while some are on a tight budget. Perhaps you could consider having several levels of site presence. In this way some of the smaller businesses could still get exposure. Premium support buys a business large ad, while the smallest would get occasional inclusion in the banner at the bottom of the page.
I will post again If I can offer any constructive thoughts.
Hunter
p.s.
I did like the suggestion that the "go up" and "go down" could be replaced with "next page" and " previous page".
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Way to many gates that hardly ever get used, plus the springer guys should get their own forum.
Airgun Nation has a nice organized and clean format but all those folks talk about is FX this and FX that. LOL
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Way to many gates that hardly ever get used, plus the springer guys should get their own forum.
Airgun Nation has a nice organized and clean format but all those folks talk about is FX this and FX that. LOL
you mean thread?
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Way to many gates that hardly ever get used, plus the springer guys should get their own forum.
Airgun Nation has a nice organized and clean format but all those folks talk about is FX this and FX that. LOL
Amen to that!
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Travis, you are doing one heck of a job. I have been a lurker in this forum for quite a while, and not all that active until a few months ago. I have seen most of the changes you have made, and I don’t see anything but positive with any of them. I am excited to get more active as time goes buy and see the direction it ends up.
There are lots of people that don’t like change and I respect that, but things in life that don’t change and keep up with the times end up dying off. I think you are doing a great job listening and reacting to the comments of the masses and making meaningful changes that make sense.
I also agree that a like/thumbs up option would be great, but a negative feedback/dislike feature would not be recommended in my humble opinion. Just my .02 cents, and that’s about all it’s worth.
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I would like a squelch button scoring individual posts, as people click on a comments "squelch" button it begins to add up causing the post to fade more and more until it's barely visible at all.
Not as harsh a popularity contest as like/dislike, just a general slide into the abyss.
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I would like a squelch button scoring individual posts, as people click on a comments "squelch" button it begins to add up causing the post to fade more and more until it's barely visible at all.
Not as harsh a popularity contest as like/dislike, just a general slide into the abyss.
i see a dislike button as only causing hard feelings . if bad info is given i'm sure the members here would offer accurate advise to of set it as i see done here sometimes and yes sometimes it has been to correct me . of course some will take offense if their post doesn't get the likes they think is due .... but that's life ..... this forum isn't a place to have egos fed .
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/W2eZXYSJcCQ/maxresdefault.jpg)
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Feedback, OK, here's my honest feedback. The vibe has most definitely changed here with this new ownership. PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP. All these changes touted in the first post...all PCP. I feel like an "old school" member such as myself is nothing more than an annoying fly buzzing around this new owners room. I'm just proud I'm still allowed to log in. Next time you need $$, ask all these new PCP buddies/vendors/reviewers/trick shooters to reach into their back pocket. That GTA vendor road trip? Make sure to leave with a big check for all that PCP advertisement, 'cause you're not getting any more $$ from me.
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A thumbs up button can be nice but not required. I am fine either way. There is definitely no need for a negative vote button on this forum. It is not who we are. Go surf Reddit and you will see what i mean.
It seems the mid thread banners are gone and therefore I have turned off my Ad Blocker. No ads would be great but I cannot fund the forum myself. I don't mind seeing the names of vendors especially when they are new to me. I find that useful at times. What I am seeing today I do not find obnoxious or intrusive. It would be a shame for all of us to block all ads because we can't stand the look of the site, the vendors quit advertising and we start all over again. Moderation in all things.
I don't do any social media beyond this and a few other forums. I would not like to see this forum look and feel like Facebook etc.
I like that this forum has not looked and felt very commercial and would not like to see it go that way. I have my concerns with the GRIP on that. Of course if I do not like it I do not have to click there.
OH, just thought of this! Unless I am missing something, when I type a post, unless I triple space between paragraphs there is no space at all when it actually displays even though it previews correctly. I know I am not the only person having this problem.
I agree about the formatting of posts. For ease of reading, I like to double space my posts. It is VERY hard to do now with how the editor/forum script forces text to be single spaced.
Also, a simple Like (per post and/or per thread) is something that would be beneficial (imho) to the GTA. The only thing I can find that does this on the SMF forums is SMF Likes Pro (https://www.smfpacks.com/likes).
If you would like to see it in action, look at this forum: https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php (https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php)
There is no negative. It allows folks who simply LIKE what is posted to indicate that without having to post a reply.
Simple.
ps
It costs $19-$29 per year as far as I can tell, depending on whether or not you mind the CopyRight notice being displayed.
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Feedback, OK, here's my honest feedback. The vibe has most definitely changed here with this new ownership. PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP< PCP. All these changes touted in the first post...all PCP. I feel like an "old school" member such as myself is nothing more than an annoying fly buzzing around this new owners room. I'm just proud I'm still allowed to log in. Next time you need $$, ask all these new PCP buddies/vendors/reviewers/trick shooters to reach into their back pocket. That GTA vendor road trip? Make sure to leave with a big check for all that PCP advertisement, 'cause you're not getting any more $$ from me.
I am with you Mike even though I shoot pcps there is nothing like sitting down with a good springer and a tin of pellets and plinking, No air no hoses no filling just old school shooting and some of these guys that shoot pcps including myself . A springer is in a league of its on to shoot. David
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I too have noticed the increased PCP traffic. But... We still have our springer gates. I wonder if the influx of new members are PCP oriented, thus giving the impression that the board is shifting as a whole to PCP. A possible solution is for us springer guys to become more active. Comment of fellow springers threads, and continue to start more of our own. In regard to springer related content; it will be what we make it...
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Simply a sign of the times...
Pretty sure most of us have also noticed the influx of entry level and mid priced PCP to the marketplace. It stands to reason that more and more folks can afford to jump on the train. It therefore stands to reason the "buzz" will get louder.
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I too have noticed the increased PCP traffic. But... We still have our springer gates. I wonder if the influx of new members are PCP oriented, thus giving the impression that the board is shifting as a whole to PCP. A possible solution is for us springer guys to become more active. Comment of fellow springers threads, and continue to start more of our own. In regard to springer related content; it will be what we make it...
Reading this it occurs to me that as springers are mechanically simpler than PCPs and have been around longer or at least for the masses, that much of the learning, tweaking, experimenting etc. has already happened to a great extent. Not that there is not more to learn, try, discuss but there is so much more design differentiation between PCP models than springers there will naturally be much more to discuss.
That being said, I have a few springers and I don't expect to ever give them up. As Mike and David said, there is nothing like sitting down with a good springer and a tin of pellets. I feel that I have a pretty good understanding of spring/ gas ram guns and can shoot them at least acceptably however I have a lot to learn and read many threads on them.
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Way to many gates that hardly ever get used, plus the springer guys should get their own forum.
Airgun Nation has a nice organized and clean format but all those folks talk about is FX this and FX that. LOL
I certainly hope you mean a dedicated gate for springers instead of wanting us to leave GTA and go to another forum or start our own forum as you post suggests.
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First off I'd like to thank all the admins, moderators and volunteers that dedicate their time to keeping GTA the best airgun forum.
You don't get enough credit for that so Thank you very much!
I'd also like to be able like to turn off notifications of threads that I've posted in and no long have interest in for whatever reason. This is not the same as the notification sub page in our profiles.
And a small FYI; I see double ads at the bottom of my web pages in Chrome on my Windows 10 pc. I've included a screen shot. I don't know if it's only on my pc or a small coding error in the web template.
Again thank you All for all you do!
Taso
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First off I'd like to thank all the admins, moderators and volunteers that dedicate their time to keeping GTA the best airgun forum.
You don't get enough credit for that so Thank you very much!
I'd also like to be able like to turn off notifications of threads that I've posted in and no long have interest in for whatever reason. This is not the same as the notification sub page in our profiles.
And a small FYI; I see double ads at the bottom of my web pages in Chrome on my Windows 10 pc. I've included a screen shot. I don't know if it's only on my pc or a small coding error in the web template.
Again thank you All for all you do!
Taso
Try refreshing page and restarting the PC and let me know that’s not acceptable
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Way to many gates that hardly ever get used, plus the springer guys should get their own forum.
Airgun Nation has a nice organized and clean format but all those folks talk about is FX this and FX that. LOL
I certainly hope you mean a dedicated gate for springers instead of wanting us to leave GTA and go to another forum or start our own forum as you post suggests.
Nobody wants anyone to leave please don’t put words into our mouths that’s not right. I’m looking at all options to improve this site but I have to first finish what I’ve started then we can work on the rest. Than you again for your input as always
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First off I'd like to thank all the admins, moderators and volunteers that dedicate their time to keeping GTA the best airgun forum.
You don't get enough credit for that so Thank you very much!
I'd also like to be able like to turn off notifications of threads that I've posted in and no long have interest in for whatever reason. This is not the same as the notification sub page in our profiles.
And a small FYI; I see double ads at the bottom of my web pages in Chrome on my Windows 10 pc. I've included a screen shot. I don't know if it's only on my pc or a small coding error in the web template.
Again thank you All for all you do!
Taso
Try refreshing page and restarting the PC and let me know that’s not acceptable
Travis,
Thank your for the response but it's been like that since the ads were added and multiple computer restarts and page refreshes.
Taso
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Travis,
Old folk don't like change ....
That said, change is inevitable as we progress forward. It's a lot of work, and we all appreciate the effort and time invested! We'll all adapt and get used to it.
If anything, my main gripe would be the GIANT top page banner that takes up the first screen of anything. The scrolling (rolling?) banner at the bottom is good and gives a quick link to suppliers.
Keep up the good work! This place is a great learning and sharing airgun site! I know I learned a lot, and am always grateful to everyone who has helped.
Cheers
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Let me tell you something Mr AKM this forum wouldnt be here if it werent for springers. Way back before you even thought about a airgun when this place first started there was very few pcps here. If some of these guys think they can shoot strap on a springer sometimes. David
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I propose you make the top banner ad the same height as a single bottom banner ad. The bottom banner ads are appropriately sized. They are unobtrusive and invite curiosity.
The top banner ads are obnoxiously huge and make this place look like an ad landing space. It's like the vendor is slapping me in in the face every time I open a page. JSAR, Neilson, and Air Tanks Plus are three logos I never want to see again.
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I like MOST of the changes. Where have all the vendors gates gone? Lots of info there that needs to be archived or something.
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.... Where have all the vendors gates gone? Lots of info there that needs to be archived or something.
Lots of great stuff from Mac1 in the old vendor gate. Where is it now?
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.... Where have all the vendors gates gone? Lots of info there that needs to be archived or something.
Lots of great stuff from Mac1 in the old vendor gate. Where is it now?
Its archived till we have time to process all the data to see what is salvageable.The vendor gate was a huge waste of space and resources very little goeing on there and of all the vendors I emailed before the changes took effect 2 replied. The new venue will allow vendors to put specials and adds up at will, hopefully we will see more use of it as the old gate was pretty much neglected.
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.... Where have all the vendors gates gone? Lots of info there that needs to be archived or something.
Lots of great stuff from Mac1 in the old vendor gate. Where is it now?
Its archived till we have time to process all the data to see what is salvageable.The vendor gate was a huge waste of space and resources very little goeing on there and of all the vendors I emailed before the changes took effect 2 replied. The new venue will allow vendors to put specials and adds up at will, hopefully we will see more use of it as the old gate was pretty much neglected.
The biggest resource hog on the GTA are the Chinese Bots that are still indexing the forum.
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.... Where have all the vendors gates gone? Lots of info there that needs to be archived or something.
Lots of great stuff from Mac1 in the old vendor gate. Where is it now?
Its archived till we have time to process all the data to see what is salvageable.The vendor gate was a huge waste of space and resources very little goeing on there and of all the vendors I emailed before the changes took effect 2 replied. The new venue will allow vendors to put specials and adds up at will, hopefully we will see more use of it as the old gate was pretty much neglected.
The biggest resource hog on the GTA are the Chinese Bots that are still indexing the forum.
YES!!! A constant harrasment from them and the Russian Bots,,, Its crazy how much time and money is being used to fight these attacks. We have a good staff and multi step process to be a member here. The War is real, its silent to the members but very loud to the admin and staff.
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I have a big request:
week-long bans for those who keep stirring the pot sowing dischord. It seems lately there's been a rash of people starting a lot of crud over political stuff. Second offense: month long ban.
Sadly, a lot of the pot-stirrers are from the US and it appears people are forgetting how to be civil and keep in mind these are International Forums with International membership and widely-ranging views.
I know I've kicked the hornet's nest several times myself, so I've been trying to keep out of the banner/ad/changes aspect of the recent changes for the GTA. I like how it was and I like how it is.
The GTA is still a great place; nobody made anybody join and nobody is making anybody stay here, either.
Well said.
I hate to admit it but I have been thinking about this too.
You and I don't quite see politics or etc the same way but other than that we've got an aweful lot in common.
And I, too, have kicked the hornet's nest as you well know. But I'm getting old and tired I guess. Enough is enough.
I think you are on to something here. Temporary suspensions handed out more readily than a ban.
Because they are very careful to ban a member here and I am grateful for that or I may well been banned long ago. But if you could suspend somebody they may come back and play nice.
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A suspension would allow the stirrer some time to miss the forum and hopefully correct unwanted behavior.
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i'll suggest a month long ban for folks sending harassing/bullying pm's .
if they've been reported by others and therefor have a history of it maybe a ban would be in order ?
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Probably a ban for stalking forum members and bullying them in threads as well.
Because you and I well know you are stalking me in the forum as I have blocked your messages Jeff.
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Anyway thay up there^ is because I know who Jeff is but I can't remember his handle.
He is a banned member perusing the forum on a new account, and stirring up trouble.
And, I will prove it it is just a matter of time.
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we are working on a anti bullying system in the admin area, we will update policies soon. Thank you for the continued imput everyone it will make the GTA experience much more fluid and enjoyable.
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Anyway thay up there^ is because I know who Jeff is but I can't remember his handle.
He is a banned member perusing the forum on a new account, and stirring up trouble.
And, I will prove it it is just a matter of time.
Thats enough guys we will work this out in the admin area not here!!!
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dude , it's a open forum , i'll post in any thread i please .
i'm sure the mods here can access our accounts and see who is doing what .
i've posted in this thread a few times so it shows up in my replied post .
boy , you have a serious case of paranoia along with a too healthy dose of self righteousness
thanks , travis . nothing else to say here
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I'm flabber gasted by why people would purposely join a forum, take time to visit the forum,and then proceed to harass other members of said forum. I just don't get it. I guess that's probably a good thing for me. And it's a good thing no one has tried that stuff with me. It's nice to see everyone has calmed down. It was staring to look like WW3 around here last weekend. I think the changes are progressing along quite nicely Travis. Only speaking for myself and my very limited knowledge and exposure to the vendors gate, it really did seem like a dead horse. I do not say that to offend anyone and I apologize if I have offended. This is just my perception and perspective. Most people can either do a search and find said companies websites and contact them directly or they can utilize the forum and reach out to other members or start a thread. Any way you slice it there was definitely room for some improvement. And if it frees up space for new or better things to come then I'm all for it.
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I'm flabber gasted by why people would purposely join a forum, take time to visit the forum,and then proceed to harass other members of said forum. I just don't get it. I guess that's probably a good thing for me. And it's a good thing no one has tried that stuff with me. It's nice to see everyone has calmed down. It was staring to look like WW3 around here last weekend. I think the changes are progressing along quite nicely Travis. Only speaking for myself and my very limited knowledge and exposure to the vendors gate, it really did seem like a dead horse. I do not say that to offend anyone and I apologize if I have offended. This is just my perception and perspective. Most people can either do a search and find said companies websites and contact them directly or they can utilize the forum and reach out to other members or start a thread. Any way you slice it there was definitely room for some improvement. And if it frees up space for new or better things to come then I'm all for it.
Thank you Chris! I don’t do anything without looking very hard at it from all perspectives plus I ask the admin as well. That said I can’t please everyone but I can do my best to try.
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Right on!
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Im around. About had enough of some of this . David
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I would like an area where items that aren't airgun related could be sold. Things like pocket knives, fishing reels, stereo equipment, etc, etc.
Allow firearm talk in "The Back Room".
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This is a airgun forum peroid. David
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This is a airgun forum peroid. David
Agreed
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could a knife section be added ? game has to be field dressed/cleaned . or would it not be considered an accessory like range finders , slings , shooting benches , chronys etc. ?
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could a knife section be added ? game has to be field dressed/cleaned . or would it not be considered an accessory like range finders , slings , shooting benches , chronys etc. ?
Negative...airguns only
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are we still going to be allowed to discuss range finders , slings , shooting benches , chronys etc. ?
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are we still going to be allowed to discuss range finders , slings , shooting benches , chronys etc. ?
Just the same as the past
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are we still going to be allowed to discuss range finders , slings , shooting benches , chronys etc. ?
Knock it off.
You know (or at least Should Know) when and where to apply some common sense and stop trying to push the staffs "buttons" and/or boundaries.
This is getting very tiring,
and I guarantee that some of our patients,
("our",... being the staff, ... who has to do all the "babysitting"),
has been worn VERY THIN over the last couple of weeks.
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Please do not try to harass or bully me for asking the owner a simple question to get full clarification . If the owner didn't have a issue I don't understand why anyone else would . Have a nice day .
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We actually had it for a very SHORT period of time and then vanished.
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are we still going to be allowed to discuss range finders , slings , shooting benches , chronys etc. ?
Knock it off.
You know (or at least Should Know) when and where to apply some common sense and stop trying to push the staffs "buttons" and/or boundaries.
This is getting very tiring,
and I guarantee that some of our patients,
("our",... being the staff, ... who has to do all the "babysitting"),
has been worn VERY THIN over the last couple of weeks.
You are a patient man and ought to be a moderator.
Even your forum picture tells me to calm down and shut my "dang" mouth.
Some of us need that sometimes
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Im not so patient as Travis the staff or the members will not be disrespected. There will be others he may need company so please treat people with the respect you deserve if you cant I will ask you to kindly leave if not I will show you the door. David
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Why are the vendor gates gone? This was the main reason I come to this website. I Follow closely the developments of AMERICAN made products. Lots of good info on those threads. I know there were some gates that were inactive. Seems to me should have just done away with those and left the active ones alone. Like Nielsen and JSAR.
Just my opinion,
Chris
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They will still be here just not in the same place, most of those were very inactive but some were to a extent, they will be here before long. David
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Another tweak that could be beneficial, would be to allow “larger” pictures to be posted. When I say larger I’m referring to whatever restriction that requires me to send the picture to myself shrunken, before the format will allow me to post it to the board. Phones, and their cameras have come a long way, the board could benefit from keeping up with the tech. I’d wager many if not most of us use our phones to take the pictures we post here. And sending them to yourself, resizing them, saving the resized version, coming back to your post then going back to your pics to unearth the resized version to insert in your post... It’s a rather cumbersome process...
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Not really sure but I think that the upload size right now is already 650k, I use flickr and imgur quite often for showing pic's but occasionally I'll upload photo's and after using a suitable photo manipulation program I can get photo's down to 650k pretty easy that look really nice. Photos do take up a lot of space for sure in full format or even less.
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Not really sure but I think that the upload size right now is already 650k, I use flickr and imgur quite often for showing pic's but occasionally I'll upload photo's and after using a suitable photo manipulation program I can get photo's down to 650k pretty easy that look really nice. Photos do take up a lot of space for sure in full format or even less.
Yeah I'm not too tech savvy,.. It was just an idea. Posting pics gan give me fits sometimes, when having to go through the aforementioned process, or even worse a picture hosting site like the photobucket debacle. If it can't be done; it cant be done. I dont know much about such things. I just know it would be easier for me, and others to just upload the photo directly from the phone it was taken on.
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Gimp is a really easy to use good program and it's opensource to boot, you ain't gotta spend an arm or leg to buy it cause it's free. The price of Photoshop is unreal.
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Not really sure but I think that the upload size right now is already 650k, I use flickr and imgur quite often for showing pic's but occasionally I'll upload photo's and after using a suitable photo manipulation program I can get photo's down to 650k pretty easy that look really nice. Photos do take up a lot of space for sure in full format or even less.
Yeah I'm not too tech savvy,.. It was just an idea. Posting pics gan give me fits sometimes, when having to go through the aforementioned process, or even worse a picture hosting site like the photobucket debacle. If it can't be done; it cant be done. I dont know much about such things. I just know it would be easier for me, and others to just upload the photo directly from the phone it was taken on.
I have an Samsung S7 (android) I use an app to resize my pictures. Lit Photo
Super simple.
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Another tweak that could be beneficial, would be to allow “larger” pictures to be posted. When I say larger I’m referring to whatever restriction that requires me to send the picture to myself shrunken, before the format will allow me to post it to the board. Phones, and their cameras have come a long way, the board could benefit from keeping up with the tech. I’d wager many if not most of us use our phones to take the pictures we post here. And sending them to yourself, resizing them, saving the resized version, coming back to your post then going back to your pics to unearth the resized version to insert in your post... It’s a rather cumbersome process...
I take all the pictures I post with my phone. From actually taking a photo to copying one, to a screenshot. Many are HUGE and if they were not compressed I couldn't post them. I have to compress most of mine and I visit and post on GTA 95% of the time from my phone. You should try the Lit Photo app.
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Another tweak that could be beneficial, would be to allow “larger” pictures to be posted. When I say larger I’m referring to whatever restriction that requires me to send the picture to myself shrunken, before the format will allow me to post it to the board. Phones, and their cameras have come a long way, the board could benefit from keeping up with the tech. I’d wager many if not most of us use our phones to take the pictures we post here. And sending them to yourself, resizing them, saving the resized version, coming back to your post then going back to your pics to unearth the resized version to insert in your post... It’s a rather cumbersome process...
I take all the pictures I post with my phone. From actually taking a photo to copying one, to a screenshot. Many are HUGE and if they were compressed I couldn't post them. I have to compress most of mine and I visit and post on GTA 95% from my phone. You should try the Lit Photo app.
I'll give it a look.
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They will still be here just not in the same place, most of those were very inactive but some were to a extent, they will be here before long. David
Thanks David, that is encouraging to hear.
Chris
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A thumbs up button can be nice but not required. I am fine either way. There is definitely no need for a negative vote button on this forum. It is not who we are. Go surf Reddit and you will see what i mean.
It seems the mid thread banners are gone and therefore I have turned off my Ad Blocker. No ads would be great but I cannot fund the forum myself. I don't mind seeing the names of vendors especially when they are new to me. I find that useful at times. What I am seeing today I do not find obnoxious or intrusive. It would be a shame for all of us to block all ads because we can't stand the look of the site, the vendors quit advertising and we start all over again. Moderation in all things.
I don't do any social media beyond this and a few other forums. I would not like to see this forum look and feel like Facebook etc.
I like that this forum has not looked and felt very commercial and would not like to see it go that way. I have my concerns with the GRIP on that. Of course if I do not like it I do not have to click there.
OH, just thought of this! Unless I am missing something, when I type a post, unless I triple space between paragraphs there is no space at all when it actually displays even though it previews correctly. I know I am not the only person having this problem.
I agree about the formatting of posts. For ease of reading, I like to double space my posts. It is VERY hard to do now with how the editor/forum script forces text to be single spaced.
Also, a simple Like (per post and/or per thread) is something that would be beneficial (imho) to the GTA. The only thing I can find that does this on the SMF forums is SMF Likes Pro (https://www.smfpacks.com/likes).
If you would like to see it in action, look at this forum: https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php (https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php)
There is no negative. It allows folks who simply LIKE what is posted to indicate that without having to post a reply.
Simple.
ps
It costs $19-$29 per year as far as I can tell, depending on whether or not you mind the CopyRight notice being displayed.
P.S.
I believe the cost is for continued updates to the script and not for anything else.
It seems to work well on other SMF forums without issues.
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I can say one thing about the internet experience is it's so much nicer if a person has a desktop computer. I retired from the electronics repair business and all computers can be a big pain to repair and that's mainly that people don't take care of their computers, the hardware parts were always easy to replace, it's the software that people neglect, a person that owns any computer needs to stay right on top of it, especially people that use the Microsoft operating systems. Even the notebook type computer's aren't too awfully bad as far as replacing hardware because pretty much all of them a person can get the manuals for disassembly right here in the internet. Sorry for being a little off topic but this does pertain directly to resizing of pic's especially, a big keyboard beats the heck out of a tiny laptop however even on the laptops you can plug in a large keyboard if you like.
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Mentioned it before and it might already being worked on so apologies for being a pest, but combine the Entertainment and Review Gates under one heading and then put the whole thing under the main discussion Gates. Most of us (at least I do and seen others mention the same thing) tend go through all the main discussion Gates to see what's new, then wander to the reviews and see what they're doing.