Chief Delphi Website Suggestions?

[logank013]

I've been on Chief Delphi for a little over a year now and have thought about making this thread for a while. I've looked for a thread like this but was unable to find it. I'm going to ask this one question:

In regards to the design of the Chief Delphi Website, what changes would you make (if they are possible or not)?

I have no idea how websites are run so I'm not sure if any of the changes that we would suggest are actually able to be implemented. I'm going to start off the list and we'll see how it goes.

1. Make reputation a number- this would make reputation actually mean something to veteran members who have filled bars. Obviously, many people would still not care about rep but it'd be interesting to see the reputation number rather than 11 bars.

2. Mark Thread Read Button- on the portal page, there is an option to mark all threads read. Sometimes, I want to mark a thread read because I want to stay updated on the new posts in the thread and don't really care about the old posts but don't want to visit all the pages to make the thread title not bolded.

3. Reputation Notifications- I'm not really driven by reputation but always find it interesting when I get new rep. Every once in a while, someone will also make a legit comment using the neutral rep button so it isn't a PM or a public post. I also would like to see those as soon as possible. So just like PM notifications, if a notification box could just pop up when new rep is received and would link the user to their user cp page, that'd be great.

EDIT 1: 4. Unlimited Neutral Rep- Neutral rep lets me comment on a post in private without it being a PM. Unfortunately, you can only give rep to the same person a second time after giving rep to 15 more people before the second rep.

Please add to this list. Just another side note, this isn't to talk bad about CD. CD is amazing and the moderators are great. These are just meant to be ideas that could add to CD and make it even better.

[asid61]

Make the buttons on the orange bar on the top larger (like the "portal" button). You can't expect me to maneuver my mouse so precisely!

EDIT: Also +1 to the neutral rep thing. I give a lot of neutral and I would like that limit to be lifted for neutrals.

[Chak]

Originally Posted by logank013

1. Make reputation a number- this would make reputation actually mean something to veteran members who have filled bars. Obviously, many people would still not care about rep but it'd be interesting to see the reputation number rather than 11 bars.

I think this is treating rep too seriously. Would you really trust someone with 12 bars more than someone else with 11?
I suppose it would be interesting, but it's not worth sticking the rep number on every post in a thread, and "ranking" people and their posts by rep (it's gonna happen unconsciously, at least for me. I don't like that). Maybe CD can make it privately available to someone purposely looking for it.

Anyways, I would love a good CD phone app.

[smitikshah]

I have been super hesitant to post on CD just because of getting red dots or opposition from the popular big named people on here. This has led to me reading thread after thread and wanting to post something, but not doing it out of fear someone won't agree and penalize me for my opinion/thought. If there was a warning method for the rookies first few posts or some other method than redding right away, it may attract a bigger variety of people to start putting their thoughts out there. I remember seeing the thread on getting rid of rep point system - but I think all we need is to find a way to have a smooth transition for first time posters.

In addition ( don't make websites so I don't know if this is possible) how about a way to keep people from posting on a thread until they read every single page. I don't appreciate people that obviously don't read entire threads before posting their comment/question as it may have been brought up already.

Just a couple thoughts from a novice poster

[TheMilkman01]

In my opinion, Chief Delphi's User Interface has always seemed linear and, frankly, unwelcoming. I realize the site's format is functional if you learn how to use it and become accustomed to it, but aesthetically... it's just not that great. Also, if CD were to go through a UI change, it would doubtlessly be met with people not appreciating it – rightfully so – similarly after FIRST's official website page changes. It's probably not likely either way, but I'd appreciate a revamp and more pleasing UI.

[thatprogrammer]

Originally Posted by TheMilkman01

In my opinion, Chief Delphi's User Interface has always seemed linear and, frankly, unwelcoming. I realize the site's format is functional if you learn how to use it and become accustomed to it, but aesthetically... it's just not that great. Also, if CD were to go through a UI change, it would doubtlessly be met with people not appreciating it – rightfully so – similarly after FIRST's official website page changes. It's probably not likely either way, but I'd appreciate a revamp and more pleasing UI.

Brandon Martus (The Webmaster!) has said we will be changing to a flarum UI soon [http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...7#post1498207]

[TheMilkman01]

Originally Posted by thatprogrammer

Brandon Martus (The Webmaster!) has said we will be changing to a forum UI soon [http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...7#post1498207]

Thanks for sharing that thread! It's refreshing to see that Brandon's in touch with the site and looking at keeping it updated and spiffy in the future.

[PayneTrain]

Can we get free pizza on Wednesdays?

[bkahl]

Originally Posted by thatprogrammer

Brandon Martus (The Webmaster!) has said we will be changing to a flarum UI soon [http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...7#post1498207]

"Soon"...

That post is over 2 years old.

[thatprogrammer]

Originally Posted by bkahl

"Soon"...

That post is over 2 years old.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...7&postcount=74
This was the post I was referring to. This post is from less than 1 year ago and specifically notes that Brandon was planning to do the shift after build season if Flarum came out of beta near it (I believe it is still in beta.)

[synth3tk]

Originally Posted by bkahl

"Soon"...

That post is over 2 years old.

Try this one: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...=5#post1498207

BTW, Flarum is still not out of beta yet.

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by logank013

1. Make reputation a number- this would make reputation actually mean something to veteran members who have filled bars. Obviously, many people would still not care about rep but it'd be interesting to see the reputation number rather than 11 bars.

Rep is already a number, it's just not displayed as such on every thread. If you go to the usercp and look at your Latest Rep Received, you can see the number in the top right. If you go to the member list, you can sort by reputation, which I have to assume sorts by the number, not just the dots.

Leaving it at just dot's for the posts helps keep things from getting out of hand. We don't want people posting with the sole intention of gaining rep, or being so afraid of losing rep that they don't post! Having it be a displayed number like that would create such a culture. In fact, I'd like to see rep removed from posts all together, leave it as something in the usercp that I can go look at for a more private way to judge how I'm doing.

Sure, the rep bars are a good way for someone new to see who the popular posters are, but I have to wonder if its really valuable. If I come here as a new poster and ask a technical question, I may get a quick reply from someone will good rep... but how do I know if they earned that rep by giving good technical advice, or by being witty and making people laugh? With rep being almost completely arbitrary, what use is it? I've received both green and red rep for the same post before!

2. Mark Thread Read Button- on the portal page, there is an option to mark all threads read. Sometimes, I want to mark a thread read because I want to stay updated on the new posts in the thread and don't really care about the old posts but don't want to visit all the pages to make the thread title not bolded.

To mark a thread as read, you only need to visit the last page in the thread, view the last post. That's it. Go ahead and skip the previous 20 pages if you want. You can also mark an entire forum as read through the "forum tools" in the top of the forum header, if you want.

3. Reputation Notifications- I'm not really driven by reputation but always find it interesting when I get new rep. Every once in a while, someone will also make a legit comment using the neutral rep button so it isn't a PM or a public post. I also would like to see those as soon as possible. So just like PM notifications, if a notification box could just pop up when new rep is received and would link the user to their user cp page, that'd be great.

I would actually like to see this as a notification as well, and making it just another line under the Private Messages in the top right would work well. I've gotten good feedback (meaning something useful, not just green dots!) through rep before, and not seen it until months later because I just don't check that page very often.

Originally Posted by Chak

Anyways, I would love a good CD phone app.

And I'd love for that popup about Tapatalk to stop showing up on my phone. Seriously, I see it a few times a week, and ignore it every time. I tried the app, I don't like it and much prefer using just the website.

[logank013]

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

To mark a thread as read, you only need to visit the last page in the thread, view the last post. That's it. Go ahead and skip the previous 20 pages if you want.

This actually doesn't work from what I've experienced. If I read page 1 and 3 but haven't read page 2, it still marks the thread as unread. I just did this an hour ago. That's actually what caused me to finally post this thread. Either that or it just didn't register me reading page 3?

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by logank013

This actually doesn't work from what I've experienced. If I read page 1 and 3 but haven't read page 2, it still marks the thread as unread. I just did this an hour ago. That's actually what caused me to finally post this thread. Either that or it just didn't register me reading page 3?

I tried it just now with two long threads I know I haven't visited before, both were marked as read after I only viewed the last page. Perhaps a new post came in to the thread while you were reading it?. I've had that happen plenty - i'll read something, go back out to the portal and see it as unread because there's already a new post! Or post something, and have it marked as unread because someone else posted while I was coming up with my reply.

[evanperryg]

Make a mobile site. I shouldn't have to pay for a buggy app to make this site semi-user friendly on my phone.