Ultimate features at Hypo

[Tormod]

We are working on the design and coding of an improved portal for Hypography, and eventually fuse the portal and forum together into one, large site again.

 

(The "portal" is not the forum portal page but the old portal at http://www.hypography.com - getting a bit old now).

 

One goal is to make Hypography more "sticky" for people - a place where you can hang out not only to chat, but also read more articles, contribute things, vote for papers, publish your own stuff etc.

 

So I'd like to ask:

 

Which Top 3 features would you want to see at the new portal?

 

Ideas: Friends lists, group blogs, team pages, competitions, better subject sorting of our content, keyword tags, user photos, your own bookmark lists, e-mail reader, RSS readers (ie read your own feeds at Hypography), link from your forum profile to your personal blog...

 

Feel free to suggest anything - but keep the list to the top 3 wishes!

[Mercedes Benzene]

I based my top 3 choices on the hope that Hypograhy will become more of a personal place where we can all get to know one another better. Therefore, I think the more intimate features such as a personal blog would make for a good addition to Hypo.

[Jay-qu]

Better Profile pages, Group Blogs and a better rep system :hihi:

 

I also voted other, it would be cool to see multi-variable polls ;)

[theblackalchemist]

Group blogs, Better rep system and a chat invite system

TBA

[freeztar]

I'm curious what a "better" rep system would entail. Does "better" denote refinement or reconstruction?

 

Anyhow, I voted for values similar to those expressed by MB in this post from above.

1 - Group Blogs

2 - Favorite Pages List

3 - Ratings of Interesting Science Sites (preferably a rating of many aspects, including credibility)

[Tormod]

I'm curious what a "better" rep system would entail. Does "better" denote refinement or reconstruction?

 

We've had a couple of discussions about it (I guess you can find them in the Suggestions forum) but basically it's something other than just handing out negative/positive rep based on the amount of "rep power" that you have. We're looking for example at ways to create a system for giving "credit" (or whatever you call it, say "good karma") based on things like quality of a post, number of articles posted (in a new publishing system), number of links posted etc. The "credits" could then (in theory) be used in a "marketplace" of sorts...but these are vauge ideas still and something that will take a while to implement.

[Boerseun]

Will it be possible to have another sidebar like the "Users Currently Online" one, that says who's busy chatting at the moment? I love the chat feature, but it doesn't get nearly the exposure it deserves.

[Jay-qu]

There is a 'whos online in chat' at the bottom of the forums index - so Im sure it could moved to a more prominent position.

[Chacmool]

I voted for member photo galleries and ratings of science sites and I would like to add competitions.

[InfiniteNow]

How about a better search engine? The one right now, well... How about a better search engine? B)

[Queso]

How about a better search engine? The one right now, well... How about a better search engine? B)

 

I second the notion. :)

[Tormod]

How about a better search engine? The one right now, well... How about a better search engine? B)

 

Define better, please! What features do you want?

[Queso]

Well it's not very accurate...

For instance it won't find words when I know the words are there.

And when it does find words it finds them everywhere and doesn't narrow down the search.

 

It's weird.

[Tormod]

Well it's not very accurate...

For instance it won't find words when I know the words are there.

And when it does find words it finds them everywhere and doesn't narrow down the search.

 

It's weird.

 

Have you tried the Advanced Search and selecting the "Show results as posts"? I find it to be pretty accurate, but I agree it's far from perfect.

[InfiniteNow]

Define better, please! What features do you want?

 

I think the discussion about improving the search engine (or, more specifically, what are the problems with the existing one) could be it's own thread. B)

 

In fact, I just searched for a post CraigD made on the search tool, but nothing returned (one possibility as to why this happened, however, is that maybe the post he made was in the moderator forum, and I no longer go in there...).

 

 

Overall, though, I've just found it very clunky, not very useful, and limited. It does not align at all with the search methodology I've learned using the rest of the world wide web.

 

One key feature would be to do exact string matches using quotes. Right now, words like "and" "or" and the like seem to be left out... but that's just one.

 

 

Like I said... It's just clunky. Michaelangelica can probably speak to the issue better than I since he's incredibly diligent about trying to avoid opening duplicate threads, but I know Orb and I are not the only ones who may feel this way.

 

<cough><cough> SPEAK UP YOU LURKERS!!! :):hihi:

 

 

If I knew more about search engine programming, I could speak more specifically to your question. All I have to offer presently, though, is anecdote.

 

 

;)

[Boerseun]

I have to agree with the Search Engine issue.

 

For instance, I can type in the exact name of an old thread, and have to go through pages of results to actually get the proper thread - if at all, sometimes. And no, it's not spelling - I checked!

[Michaelangelica]

How about a better search engine? The one right now, well... How about a better search engine? B)

Um . .I would like a search engine that works.

How about a better search engine? B)

 

I found the look, design and some of the features of this envirotalk forum well-done and interesting.

There might be some ideas to pinch there( here?).

Envirotalk -> COMMUNITY

 

I would like a way of accessing VERY old posts and old threads just to see what was said and revive them if appropriate.

 

Unfortunately video posts will be with us soon; this may be something you need to consider.B)

 

B)

More smilies. B) I like smilies.B) Not enough angels for example. Could they please load faster?