Forum Input...

[dc]

I'd like to get your feedback on the newly adjusted front page. It breaks down the forums into their title topics (classes) and allows quicker access to specific forums. It will also make getting into class forums quicker for those readers who don't view the entire forum at one time.

When new users arrive at ApexSpeed.com for the first time, they may only see the forums at the top of the list, and never see that there are forums for FSCCA, Atlantics and others. I'm trying to figure out a good solution to this issue, as we have plans to possibly add new class forums to the site. We don't want to bog the main page down any more than it is, and this seems to be the best solution.

I know change is difficult to swallow sometimes, but this may not be too tough to adapt to. I know my first click in the forums is to "New Posts" and it gets everything new at one time. For users who only view their particular class, this may save scrolling in exchange for a link click.

Let's see how this works for a few days. We're interested in hearing how comfortable you are with the new front page. Nothing else structurally has changed, just the way you see the main page. Keep in mind, this is to reduce clutter when new forums are added to the mix.


doug

[Scott Gesford]

I like the old way. Much easier to quickly scan all the topics to see if any interest me for quick viewing. I don't like to use the net much at work so the old way is better for me to quickly see what's out there.

[TimW]

I agree, too many clicks to just see if theres anything I want to read. If you anticipate more forums coming and don't want the page length to get too long, allow users to expand forums they are interested in and cookie what those selections are so just those are automatically expanded upon arrival.

[Jerry Santucci 33]

hey doug....
either way is fine with me....... i, like you, go to new posts first. i never really see the front page.

[carnut169]

I also use "new posts".


The 1st thing I thought when I saw the new layout was that the site was down. Shouldn't the boxes have +'s in them, meaning it can be opened up...?

Perhaps a header with a welcome and instructions telling users to expand the area they are interested in...

[jattus]

Old way is much better. I'm having a tough time this morning with the new layout

[oh2winindy]

I was just getting ready to post a question about why my system was not showing all the post like the old way... I think the old way is better.

[Tom Sprecher]

The old way is better, but like Sean I use New Posts most of the time anyway.

[R John Lye]

I, too, prefer the old way - it was much easier to see where the new
posts were, and then decide whether I wanted to read them now or
later.

John

[dc]

Would you guys feel the same about the old style forum home page if you were a Formula Vee driver coming to the forums for just that section, and had to scroll through EVERY forum listing to get to your preferred section?

I'm just wondering, because most of who have responded are FF or FC guys who view the forums at the top of the listing. Would you feel the same about the old style if your forums were at the very bottom of the home page?


We just don't want a wall of over 80 different forums to be overwhelming to new or old users.

[oh2winindy]

Believe it or not, I actually look at all the post from all the sections... so it would not matter where the FC section was. I especially like the FA section (A guy can dream can't he )

[Dave Hopple]

Doug, I liked the old way, have you thought about reducing/combining the number of each classes subforums? Like only have 4-5 topic areas for each class then use the general sections more. I like to read and know about whats going on in the other classes and the easier it is to navigate the better IMHO.

But if you add a GT-3 forum, I'm quitting! No Fenders!! (kidding) -Dave

[carnut169]

One of the problems with the way it is now (as I see it) is that the new visitors have no idea how large the forum is. It appears to have no posts. At the very least I'd put the # of threads & posts by each heading.

Oh, and when you click on the [-] nothing happens!

[Purple Frog]

Doesn't effect me because all I use is "new posts" as soon as I sign on.
Doug, I see your point about newbies. Because of that, I back what Sean is saying... make the front page real new user friendly...'mouse overs'... hot buttons... etc. (easy for me to say... I'm not programming it.) Set the front page up for 'first-timers', us old-timers are going to blow right past it anyway.

[JHaydon]

I was also confused at first, but I am another "new posts" guy...

I haven't tried it today, but can you still specify in your profile which areas you want "open" and which ones you want "closed" when you come to the forums? If the "condensed" screen is just for new users, then I think everyone would be happy.

[Jim Garry]

I'm a "new posts" guy too. But I just went and took a look at the new front page and I think I could get used to it. Seems logical.

[dc]

The reason behind this test is that we are sonsidering adding other forums for FV, F500, DSR/CSR, S2000 and possibly a few others. This is not definitive yet, but many other boards out there are based in pro classes or free forum software that is difficult to manage and keep clear of hack attacks.

We'd like to be the definitive comminity for open cockpit amateur sports and formula car racing. We feel that there is potential for a large amount of growth and progression in the next year, and we are currently having talks about how we want to go about doing it.

What I definitely don't want is to have 120 individual forums that disconnect everyone here. A long, scrolling list of topics and forums is not what we think is best for this community. I have reduced the exisitng forums before, and that met with a lot of resistance. I'm not sure if I want to combine everything again, as I think they are at a good size now.

I want to work on making the front page a bit more intuitive and easy to use. I am limited slightly by the software, so I will be relying on what we can manage with cracking some of the existing programming. I think that the solution may lie somewhere in between the old and the new.

We're keeping the options open right now, but we'll see how this works for another day before making any decisions one way ot the other.

[EYERACE]

doug............first of all thanks for doing what you do for all of us......eye owe you another check soon too i'll bet. i liked it the way it was............but........if the thought of change is to accommodate more users of different classes then it sounds like a good thing. you can't please everybody but kind of you to ask us about perferences. also think......if you do change like it is now.....are we bunch of motorheads going to stop coming in here because we get upset about it ? - doesn't seem like it's any of my business to give someone a hard time on the topic you address.

[RussMcB]

The reason behind this test is that we are sonsidering adding other forums for FV, F500, DSR/CSR, S2000 and possibly a few others.

Be careful grouping cars with dissimilar performance. The speed differences could lead to unsafe conditions.

[oh2winindy]

Russ,

[Purple Frog]

It would be OK as long as we have separate practice sessions and split starts.

[Greg Mercurio]

Thanks for the trial, but I prefer the prior format.

[Scott Gesford]

I don't see what adding those other classes would bring to the forum. FV is slow and boring. F500's are just loud. S2000 guys are too busy fixing fiberglass to get on the net. CSR/DSR already has a good site. None of the above really mix well on the track, I doubt they would mix here as well.

[carnut169]

I don't see what adding those other classes would bring to the forum. FV is slow and boring. F500's are just loud. S2000 guys are too busy fixing fiberglass to get on the net. CSR/DSR already has a good site. None of the above really mix well on the track, I doubt they would mix here as well.

Scott, I respectfully disagree.
I frequent the sportsracer forum regularly and find the group very similiar to ours. They have a whole group of guys like Dave W, Pare, etc who would add ages of wisdom to our forums. Engineers, builders, and mechanics are regulars over there.
Your point about not being a good mix on the track makes an even stronger arguement for a merge. Perhaps relationships can be formed right here? Perhaps we can figure out a way to avoid problems... who knows. We do know that for now, and some time to come, we will be sharing the track regardless of whether or not we speak. Isn't the former a better solution?

Give it a try:
http://p081.ezboard.com/bdsrforum

[Scott Gesford]

Sean, I'm very aware of the CSR/DSR site and I read it a lot. Like I said, they already have a site that serves their needs.

[dc]

...that was also recently hacked (EZboard) and knocked out, like the archived FFU.

[Joefisherff]

Gotta have a split start with that much speed differential.....

I like the idea of adding some of the other open cockpit classes - the more minds the better plus when you are searching for a part there is alot of cross polination going on.