How would you ensure it was just spam being blown away ;)?
Another vote “no” to a “like” button. I think too many people will get hung up on who as more “likes” on their posts.
[QUOTE=rivenoak;5960706]
I’m with Tamara.[/QUOTE]
I’m with Tamara and rivenoak. No to western; no to gaited. Yes to everything else.
Off-topic is fine for these.
Hey! I sometimes ride my guy in a western saddle; I sometimes ride him in a Jim Werner mechanical hackamore or occasionally a type of swivel cheek ported-swivel mouth curb. I sometimes “neckrein”.
I do not consider myself a western rider, and have no need for a forum devoted to discussing the glitzy crazed-pimp-on-acid costume parade of no-gaits (awa the HUS/English costume class for the WP horse).
Or artificial tails. Or my-horsey-wears-more-silver-than-your-horsey. Or black hoof polish: every hoof, every time! Or just look how FAST my horsey can run around 3 barrels, while I look so COOL losing my Cowgirl Hat and beating the living snot out of my horse as he is ALREADY running his fastest to the gate. Don’t even get me started on breeding halter horses or HYPP.
<climbs down from soapbox>
JMO. :winkgrin:
[QUOTE=RockinHorse;5962192]
How would you ensure it was just spam being blown away ;)?[/QUOTE]
It’s easy enough with certain word recognition…potential spam should go to a mod for review. It’s better to err on the side of two few than too many, though. Certain IP addresses should raise a red flag too.
How about the rescue forum everyone keeps talking about?
Quantity. If 50 people (making up numbers here) click the “report spam” button, the post either goes poof or it gets replaced with “this post has been marked as spam and is under review by moderators” and goes to the mods.
Sure, you CAN game the system if enough people are on board (or, I guess, if you have a whopping amount of alters), but it’s hard for one person to go renegade.
Let me just say that I really, REALLY like CoTH the way it is. I think that is looks very clean and sophisticated. For me it is easy to use but I’m just on a laptop (no smartphone- yet!).
[QUOTE=Curiously;5961503]
Here’s an example of what NOT to do:
- Avatars – UGH. More waste of space/annoyance factor. In the page I posted, they’re all relatively small, but avatars seem to have a miserable way of increasing in size and distraction level as posters seem to need to one-up each other and scream for more and more attention.
*Patterned background (autumn leaves, at the moment, in the example above) – hard on the eyes. [/QUOTE]
Please no avatars. I think they look so trashy. I don’t frequent too many other boards but when I follow a link to one that uses avatars and flashing graphics I think that I’m on MySpace. It makes me feel like I’m in Junior High and I would like to feel a little more grown up when I stay in on a Saturday night glued to the computer obsessing over a CoTH thread. :lol:
I understand the notion of less clutter (when someone quotes a huge post just to say “This”) but I don’t think we need a “like” button for the same reasons as above. I think it’s lazy and we do not need CoTH to turn into Facebook. Facebook has taken over enough of the world.
Thank you for reading our suggestions!
Instead of a “Like” button, how about a thumbs up icon to click so it’s not “too” much like FB. Does FB have their “Like” button idea copyrighted or anything??
I also vote YES for the western forum. It’s fun and interesting to read something different for a change, and the existing western boards out there are too slow, have too many graphics and pictures, or are otherwise too annoying to try to read.
The idea of so many “Report” clicks gets a post deleted is a great one.
NO to avatars or other fancy colors, graphics, pictures, scrolling moving stuff.
[QUOTE=RockinHorse;5962199]
Another vote “no” to a “like” button. I think too many people will get hung up on who as more “likes” on their posts.[/QUOTE]
Precisely.
How about making it easier to multi-quote? I know the risks inherent - that we’ll end up with one gigantic post of back-and-forth arguing with 35 quotes/responses. But perhaps you could put a limit on the number of quoted posts in a “quote chain”?
If we do get a “like” button, can we please also have a “not like” button.
Thanks for all the feedback–please keep it coming.
To put any of those concerns to rest, we will NOT be allowing avatars or blinking rainbows and other “flair” in signatures!! :winkgrin:
Also, re: the possibility of a Western forum, we’re considering it as there does seem to be a fair amount of interest, reining is an FEI discipline, etc. If we did add it, it would be on a provisional basis, as we don’t want to add further strain to moderation resources, so if it didn’t work for us, it could be removed. Also, it would likely be set up like The Menagerie, where threads from there wouldn’t appear in the New Posts search, so if it wasn’t something you were interested in, you literally would not have to come across any of the content in your regular use of the site.
Just a few notes…thanks!
Mod 1
New smilies: I’d love to see the existing ones upgraded a bit, and a few new ones added.
“Like” button for posts: It’s about time! I’d actually like to see that expanded into more of an “agree” “funny” “educational” buttons, and make it so you can search for i.e. posts labeled educational.
Reining/Western forum: I’d really like to see this, and see the COTH community grow! Western folks don’t bite ;).
I’m still not sure the possible premium features are enough to get me to buy in.
I’d caution against the sub-forums upon sub-forums, as they tend to get slow when interest is low (i.e. garden in the winter). Instead, what about expanding the Around the Farm, it’s already spun off Menagerie, but maybe more of an ‘Around the Stable’ as well for trailering, other horse-specific farm questions etc. issues, and leave around the Farm for other livestock, like companion animal, etc. issues.
The round-the-clock off-topic sounds like a recipe for disaster, but at least it would only be premium members :lol:. What happens on O/T weekends when the regular chumps move in and swarm on long-ago resolved issues the premies got into? Moderation nightmare…
[QUOTE=Janet;5962690]
If we do get a “like” button, can we please also have a “not like” button.[/QUOTE]
and maybe a "bite me " button ?? :lol::lol::lol: wouldn’t that warm up cold winter evenings 
Tamara
Inline images and embedded video would be great. A mobile app would be great.
I am ANTI like button. Quite vehemently.
I also don’t want a permanent off-topic forum. The board noticably slows down on OT days and I hate it. Maybe it would be different if it were there all the time, but I still have no desire for an off topic board.
I also don’t really think we should have a western forum, but I’d rather have that (at least it’s horse related) than an off topic forum.
I think Nes’s idea about agree/funny/educational buttons is brilliant! I think it would be less like FB but still allows readers to submit opinions easily.
modifications
I
[QUOTE=Moderator 1;5960023]
Potential new features for all users:
- COTH mobile app [B] Another reason for people to stare at their smart phone screens while riding, teaching, driving the tractor or trailer..[/B]
- New smilies :) [B]Everybody loves new 'art.'[/B]
- "Like" button for posts [B]Meh[/B]
- Reining/Western forum [B]Yes[/B]
- Universal log-in system for all Chronicle sites (this will be implemented after initial upgrade is complete) [B]Good idea[/B]
Potential new features for Premium users:
- New forum allowing discussion of business-related questions, brags, market research, employment opportunities and some other "borderline" topics previously restricted due to advertising policies.
- Permanent Off Topic forum (also open to rest of community on occasion as we do currently)
- Photo Albums
- Embedded video in posts
Yeah, those things could def get you more premium users. I love the idea of a ‘business related only’ section where folks not willing to pony up $ are not allowed to yack. Weed out the rail bird/know nothings.
We appreciate your input and ongoing interest in the site—you make it what it is!
Mod 1[/QUOTE]
- COTH mobile app -[B]YES, Android[/B]
- New smilies :) - [B]YES[/B]
- "Like" button for posts - [B]YES[/B]
- Reining/Western forum - [B]YES[/B]
- Universal log-in system for all Chronicle sites (this will be implemented after initial upgrade is complete) - [B]YES[/B]
[QUOTE=7HL;5963076]
- COTH mobile app -[B]YES, Android[/B]
- New smilies :) - [B]YES[/B]
- "Like" button for posts - [B]YES[/B]
- Reining/Western forum - [B]YES[/B]
- Universal log-in system for all Chronicle sites (this will be implemented after initial upgrade is complete) - [B]YES[/B]
can I like this? lol
[QUOTE=rivenoak;5960706]
I’m with Tamara.[/QUOTE]
I concur.
I’m against having a permenant off topic forum - This is a horse related board and should mostly horse related. The off topic days should remain a treat - plus someones posts about commiting suicide might get lost in all the fluff of a permenant off topic forum and people might not respond to help. Just my $0.02.
I personally like having Off Topic as a treat for the holidays of course there are some really dry months without holidays and the locals get restless.
I am against the Like button. its just as simple to insert a smile face. I would love more smilies.
People are saying that they want spell check…people use google chrome as your browser it has a spell check in it.
I love the catch-all that is the menagerie, a catch-all for western riding would be nice too. I personally will not use it, but that is up to me.
Having breed specific/gait specific would be too much. They can go to breed specific forums.
Thanks for asking for our input:D
