Feature Requests for Auszcar.com

[gav240z]

So in this thread I'm going to try and keep track of feature requests for the website from users and things I need to do.

Display User Location Next to Posts - Done
Add community graphic to home page to increase new member sign up - In progress
Add Total PayPal Donations $Amount Next to PayPal Donation Button - In progress
Create event newsletter facility - So members can be reminded via email of events they register for
Create classifieds section that automatically can renew ads / disable comments / pay for priority listings etc..
Experiment with Adsense advertising units and layout to drive additional monthly revenue to cover web-hosting expenses


Please feel free to add to this thread with feature request ideas. I'll let the community vote on what they think is best. No guarantee I can do any of these feature requests but will do my best.

[Lurch]

User Locations are back! W000000000000000000000000!

[620Z]

Great to see user locations back. Helps me a bit.   
Cheers

[stevo_gj]

Sweet! how about: Make location a compulsory part of new member registration?

[FLEXZED]

Sweet! how about: Make location a compulsory part of new member registration?

+1

[stevo_gj]

Also, not sure if its just me, but I find using the search function to be quite frustrating. I find I don't get many results for a given topic and it can be difficult to look up past information unless I know word for word what someone said in the thread. 

[gav240z]

Also, not sure if its just me, but I find using the search function to be quite frustrating. I find I don't get many results for a given topic and it can be difficult to look up past information unless I know word for word what someone said in the thread. 

Yeah thinking about using Google Custom Search Engine...

http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=006316614305386914108:fxnj-uq5qge

[chris240]

Gav, lurch
can we have a "sticky" somewhere  for transport/couriers/deliveries, & generally  guys travelling interstate who can deliver parts to each other..they can post where & when they are travelling..

[gav240z]

Gav, lurch
can we have a "sticky" somewhere  for transport/couriers/deliveries, & generally  guys travelling interstate who can deliver parts to each other..they can post where & when they are travelling..

Good idea..... Done.

http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/topic,7046.0.html

[gav240z]

Sweet! how about: Make location a compulsory part of new member registration?

Can try and do this with some javascript. Server side would involve hacking forum software.

[Lurch]

Gav - any chance we could have a 'dribblebox' at the top of the page for live chat?
Or would it chew too much bandwidth?

[sexual_sushi]

I know we have talked about the search function before and how it is quite limited. I have noticed Steve has been onto new guys telling them to search for info that they are asking for but I tried searching for some of the things people were asking about and I couldn't get any results (I even knew the pages that should have come up from those searches).

Assuming we had a fully functioning search tool...
I don't know if it would be possible, but could there be a check box to mark a thread that shouldn't come up in the "main" search. Ie I'm looking for info on say triple carbs, there are some project threads with a heap of people saying i want to put triples on yada yada yada, so that wouldn't come up in the search but something about someone installing a set of webbers does. There would also be an option to search "All" threads or just "Technical" threads maybe. THis could maybe even be something that people who make the thread can choose to set.

I guess in practice it wouldn't work out to well because a factual thread can start out useful and then turn to crap or sometimes a useless exchange can turn into something quite relevant and interesting (ie that thread about edwardlee selling cars on ebay ends up having a heap of useful info at the end about the 432 etc from hs30). Anyway, just a late night idea that could be developed somehow

[gav240z]

Gav - any chance we could have a 'dribblebox' at the top of the page for live chat?
Or would it chew too much bandwidth?

It wouldn't chew the bandwidth at all, it's something to consider in future. Although with facilities like facebook, gmail chat, msn etc.. It might be a bit redundant? I know other forums have implemented them before and I've rarely seen people using them. Anyway definitely something to try out in future.

[gav240z]

I know we have talked about the search function before and how it is quite limited. I have noticed Steve has been onto new guys telling them to search for info that they are asking for but I tried searching for some of the things people were asking about and I couldn't get any results (I even knew the pages that should have come up from those searches).

Assuming we had a fully functioning search tool...
I don't know if it would be possible, but could there be a check box to mark a thread that shouldn't come up in the "main" search. Ie I'm looking for info on say triple carbs, there are some project threads with a heap of people saying i want to put triples on yada yada yada, so that wouldn't come up in the search but something about someone installing a set of webbers does. There would also be an option to search "All" threads or just "Technical" threads maybe. THis could maybe even be something that people who make the thread can choose to set.

I guess in practice it wouldn't work out to well because a factual thread can start out useful and then turn to crap or sometimes a useless exchange can turn into something quite relevant and interesting (ie that thread about edwardlee selling cars on ebay ends up having a heap of useful info at the end about the 432 etc from hs30). Anyway, just a late night idea that could be developed somehow

You raise some good points and I totally agree. Search Sucks!

Possible Solutions:
1. Replace the search box with a Google Custom Search (this might be a good short term idea).
2. Migrate the forum under Drupal CMS (which currently powers the homepage). There are endless benefits of moving away from our current forum software. However there is also significant work in doing so. My attempts to build a Drupal powered site have been somewhat lacking (see www.vintagejdm.com) but I'm looking to take a new approach to this in future and as my understanding of developing with the CMS improves I plan to migrate over.

I noticed the other day that http://www.zcar.com/ is now powered by Drupal. Which is interesting. In fact try out their search function.

My biggest issue here is time. I find myself with less and less time lately. However I'm hoping with a bit of planning and time management I can start to work on my websites again.