Website Ideas and Feature Requests

[Liquid]

GO GO Google Gadget Search.

[Astroboy]

"I would love to see a section on how to's and projects.

From simple guides on changing oil filters to converting to carbon fibre or big turbo projects."

What he said!

[ed]

I think the search function needs to be improved.  Can you incorporate Google into the site at all.  I've seen other sites where they have a little google bit you can search their site with.

I have been using Google desktop for a while now and it's so much easier to find information on my computers now.  2 and 3 letter words should be easier to search for expecially given the amount of acronyms people use in relation to cars.  "My Z32 AFM with PFC doesn't work."

Thanks.

good idea.

having google search would take some load off the server too.

[djluko]

What about a script which accepts pictures emailed from camera phones, and a web frontend that displays them on the site? Then allow people to comment on the pictures etc?

Think how handy it would be to be able to quickly snap a picture of something on your phone when you're out, and post it to the site instantly.. i wrote something like this for my personal site (php/mysql) and would be happy to donate the code..

obviously people would need to register first, and there may have to be some sanity checking or a grace period involved. but it's a unique idea and I don't think anyone else is really doing it..

[wynode]

good idea.

having google search would take some load off the server too.

Actually a search puts a lot of strain on the server........especially if you have the minimum length set to 2 letters!

[PranK]

Actually a search puts a lot of strain on the server........especially if you have the minimum length set to 2 letters!

Current search takes up a fair whack of resources, but Google search uses its engine and so will be much less intensive to use.

Guys, check http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/sh...026#post1291026

Christian

[funkymonkey]

i added GTR, R32, R34, R33 etc and other common TLA's to the list of "allowed search terms" about a couple of weeks ago. Might increase that list.

Definitely keen on making the forum spider friendly so that we can have google snapshot the pages for a search. It'll bring more hits to the site and also allow faster and easier searching.

[NoToRiUs_PAPpA]

Hello Hello

Well i see everyone else has added their two cents so i might aswell put mine in aswell ... lol

The Skylines Website is awsome don't get me wrong but has anyone honestly compared it to all the other imported car website's like www.nissanexa.com the formats are exsactly the same ....

layed out with the diffrent area links up the top leading to Gallery an Forums that gets boring once you have looked at it at about 10 diffrent websites

also skylinesaustralia doesn't really show of the awsome vehicle that is the Nissan Skyline ... pictures are very select an few unless you enter the gallery of course .... but maybe initiate a flash picture gallery or even little flash games throughout the site ..

also maybe use diffrent colour's instead of the blue in the mainpages

anywho Pupz signin off

[NewKleer]

pm read receipts are meant to be optional

what purpose is there for denying a pm receipt though?

just because its an option doesnt mean it has to be used - many other sites have mandatory pm read notifications and none of those ever have issues with people wanting to hide the fact theyve read a pm

[Diggidy Dave]

can we possibly have the prices and locations listed in the menues in the for sale section. It would make finding what u want to but allot quicker rather than having to click on the item to fing out how much it is and where it is located. Other than that the site is tops and improving it will not be an easy task

[MAX007]

I like the concepts put forward by GTaaargh, the other thing that as a novice I find confusing is the "in house" terms ie OLd Whoretown, this may have meaning but what.............also some of the writers like to use initials for meet here or other things, how about for the uninformed some kind of reference section so the uninitiated can understand the jargon??????

regards Max

[JCMarshall_Law]

Make info on SAU membership easier (possible) to find.

How about products review section, It would be a great way to limit, the "what are these intercoolers like" threads. I know there is plenty of reviews I'd like to write on products I have used and plenty of times I wished there was a review section.

Just make sure it is easy to search - suggestion: have some set format for the title of the review. Make sure all the reviews are in one thread and dissallow any chat or questions in the reviews threads. Only people who have actually used the product should be allowed to review, not just "I had a mate who heard these turbochargers are crap" - Obviously there will have to be some trust on the maturity of the members here.

Keep download times low - limit the bling.

Make info avaliable on how to use features of the site, eg:

How to:

1) post pictures in threads as attachments and between text.

2) add pictures or annimations into your signature and AVATAR

3) Add images to your gallery - this may be a member privlige - not sure.

4) Use other features I don't know about.

These are things I would like to know - could someone PM me to tell me or point me to this info?

This is a big one - not sure how big but just putting the idea out there. How about a file sharing program from SAU (something like Bear share or Napster) so members can eaisly share info, pics, and random stuff related to skylines. I know there is a lot of tech info out there on peoples computers that I would love to get hold of.

I'm no expert on computers so not sure if I just asked the impossible, but I think it would be sweet.

More secure registration for traders on SAU, two ideas:

Private sellers: only allow people to sell over SAU if they have been members for +3? months, and made more than 50 posts. They should also have to provide SAU with a fixed line phone number, address and real name. Thse details should be kept private, but made avaliable to the buyer if there is a problem - similar to the ebay system.

Business': Only allow people to sell if they make avaliable all of their details, inc - Name (trade and personnal names), address (office location), phone number, ABN. These should be made publically avaliable and should be displayed on all for sale posts.

Anyway I'm no lawyer or computer wiz but they are my ideas.

cheers.

[MKGTS4]

Hi,

:singer:

1 - I agree with some member galleries where we can see each others rides and maybe some sort of contact details for the local club in each state??

2 - Maybe an Items for sale listing section with pictures?

3 - sub sections for Skylines (R32s, R33, R34 etc)

GOOD LUCK

[sigsputnik]

what purpose is there for denying a pm receipt though?

expectations management. i may read a pm and then need some time to think about an answer. a nervous user may then expect a reply immediately upon receipt.

also, i don't want the sender to read anything into the delay. i'm not dodgy, i just need time to think, or check things out.

think about what happens when you call someone's mobile and it's switched to 'silent'. think about your immediate reaction - why is their phone off? why don't they want to talk to me? what are they doing? aren't i important?

mandatory pm receipts are just not necessary - we've been living with snail mail without mandatory read receipts and email without the same for a long time. what about registered post? if that's what you want, use that instead.

[gtst4d]

you guys are doing a great job just wondering on how fianances are going. Is it a struggle to fund this sort of thing , would a small volenteer membership help at all say $2 to $3 dollars year, buy say 10 000 members that pay $20 000 to $30000 a year would that help i.e. do you guys need the funds. I know that i get alot more than a couple of bucks out of sau and would happly pay for the privelige and say for a faster server if this has been a problem at times, sorry if this has upset a few tight assed people just a thougth. :Oops:

[CerealKiller]

less forums and less "wasteland" style threads. Sure they're both huge reasons why the forums are slow at times.

[sigsputnik]

i do a lot of work with knowledge management and useability, so here is 2c from my brain:

1. this forum is one of the best on the planet. good colours, decent layout. well done prank and all the others who put in their hard work to make it happen. thankyou so much.

2. i note that quite a few people are calling for 'improved searches'. this is fair enough, but the real problem is 'context'. the search function, as it stands, accepts just a few keywords and this is never enough to fully describe the problem. does 'turbo NA' refer to adding a turbo to a gts, buying a new turbo, fixing a broken turbo, insurance costs fo NAs and turbos? the average user expects the search engine to 'just understand'. it's important to note that this is the sort of thing huge firms like IBM have been dealing with for years without success.

3. can you get around this? yes, by constantly updating posts with some sort of 'value' measure (like 'guru points' mentioned above), and by refreshing old posts which are no longer relevant (pre 15-year announcement advice, for example). this puts extra load onto moderators and general users.

4. the suggestion of a google search is admirable but there are good points and bad points. good: takes processing load off sau, proven useability, familiar interface. bad: google only understands 'popularity', not 'context', so its famous clever search ability may be hampered, rebrands output as google traffic, redirects user attention away from sau.

5. right now the best antidote to being unable to find things is organisation. localising off topic posts into the postwhore threads is a good idea, but as others have mentioned, having the equivalent setup for 'useful' posts is also essential. examples include Danny's (DAN00H) posts about DIY compliancing.

6. there are some users you just can't help, and won't bother searching, learning, looking, finding. also, some users like projecting an inability to find things (apathy = cool).

my suggestions

--------------

- establish a library/repository of useful documents, maybe in pdf format.

- establish sticky faqs for relevant boards (nb few people will read these in the short term).

- reconcile which forums should be kept and which don't get enough traffic to warrant work

- keep the wasteland/postwhore threads - then it's easy to see when a post is off topic, and redirect it. you need a rubbish bin or it piles up on your desk!

- think about appointing 'knowledge moderators' to spy good question/answer combinations and collate them.

- restrict the size of what can be used as an avatar/signature image

prank, if i can help in any way, let me know.

[WooHooMobile]

im with funkymunky.

im on dialup and it takes toooo long for me

so i stay away.

[wynode]

im with funkymunky.

im on dialup and it takes toooo long for me

so i stay away.

Fixing that is just a matter of setting up a less graphic/bandwidth intensive style.

[FURIOUS85]

hey guys

i recon the changs we would need is:

Send Private PM to a user it took me like a while to find how to send private msgs

and

we need like a thread where the translated FUSE BOX thing is like in ma car i dunno wats for wat all in jap so that be really help full

thanks

Alex