SAF Special Features "Wish List"

patentesq

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5-Year Member
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Jan 6, 2011
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Let's start a thread of features that would be beneficial for paid membership or future freebies. I'll start it off (append your own thoughts to mine and re-post):

1. Larger PM storage space.
2. Longer time to edit your own posts before it goes "permanent"
3. Ability to delete your own prior posts in their entirety.
4. Customizable home page, where only forums you care about are within view (with most current 5 threads can be readily seen).
5. Added functionality for "friends", which may be contact information or a private discussion board that only "friends" can see.
 
3. Ability to delete your own prior posts in their entirety.

I'll leave the others for now, but this one can't happen in the context of having a successful forum. If posters are allowed to delete posts then that can throw off the entire conversation that follows and can also potentially remove viable information.
 
Probably right. Here's an updated list.

1. Larger PM storage space.
2. Longer time to edit your own posts before it goes "permanent"
3. Customizable home page, where only forums you care about are within view (with most current 5 threads can be readily seen).
4. Added functionality for "friends", which may be contact information or a private discussion board that only "friends" can see.
 
TacticalNuke, there does not seem to be an overwhelming demand for adding additional features. Congrats to you and everyone else on SAF for reaching near perfection!!!
 
patentesq - I strongly agree with you on numbers 1 & 2. I get so tired of always having to watch my PM box and cut and paste into word various messages I'd like to keep so that I'm constantly not near my limit. I also hate the short editing time on this board compared to most others I'm on. Actually, I'm not on any others that I know of that don't allow you to correct or delete at any time. However, if you do so after a few minutes, it will show that you corrected it with the time and date. So you can't claim you were misquoted originally when you changed your post. I find it frustrating though when I do a quick reply, then have to leave to go rejoin the "real world" :wink: and by the time I return and get a chance to reread my reply, find some glaring grammatical error.

I don't see why even your original #3 isn't possible as long as it showed as "post deleted". It might be an issue in some of the Off Topic threads which seem to turn more into debates, but most of the informative threads within the regular Academy-specific forums wouldn't run into issues a lot of the time in my opinion. Although one of the forums I'm on has as it's #1 unwritten rule that if you're the first person to respond to a somewhat controversial post, you MUST quote their post in its entirety, so they can't go back and change the context, etc. If any thread gets heated and someone removes a significant post, the first question would be "Why wasn't the RULE followed?" :biggrin:
 
I appreciate the candid input on the forum in this thread. I'll continue to read the comments here and post as necessary. Please know that we'll look into all of the suggestions made here.

I'll address the suggestions made so far.

patentesq said:
1. Larger PM storage space.

I will look into this and try to determine a way to make it happen.

patentesq said:
2. Longer time to edit your own posts before it goes "permanent"

patentesq said:
3. Ability to delete your own prior posts in their entirety.

I'll address these two as one unit. First, there's a reason we limit edit time the way we do. The way we view this forum is perhaps different than other staffs view their forums. We consider our forum a continuous discussion and sharing of viewpoints. We like to see that discussion evolve over time and the only way to ensure that happens is to set limits on editing posts.

We have the time limit for editing posts set to one hour. After 5 minutes, the "last edited by" shows up. We consider these reasonable periods of time for editing posts while ensuring that conversations flow as posts are made.

As for permanent post deletion. We have the policy in place of not allowing members to delete posts in order to preserve the information on the forum. This site is an excellent database of information for our members and allowing post deletion would detract from that purpose. It would further detract from the conversation nature of the forum.

patentesq said:
4. Customizable home page, where only forums you care about are within view (with most current 5 threads can be readily seen).

Unfortunately, with the current software this is not possible. The latest posts are available by clicking "New Posts" in the Navbar between "Calendar" and "Search".

patentesq said:
5. Added functionality for "friends", which may be contact information or a private discussion board that only "friends" can see.

There is some possibility to add functionality for friends. However, one of tenets on this forum is open discussions viewable by all. Both members and guests can view the entire forum and this ensures that we are able to fulfill our mission of getting information to all of our members and guests. It is my opinion that private conversations, outside of PMs, will detract from the overall benefit offered by the forum.

I hope this answers some of these questions. I appreciate the feedback and will investigate further in the areas where I think we can improve the user experience. I look forward to hearing more from our members.

Thank you for your time.

-TN
 
An "Awesome!" or "Cool!" button (similar to the "Like" button on Facebook) would also be useful and would cut down on the number of posts saying basically, "Congrats!" Just a thought.
 
I wish,,,,, when I go to touch a thread to read ( always use iPad or iPhone) that I wouldn't hit the authors name with (or instead of the thread title) sending me to the public profile of the thread starter. It makes me ffel like such a creeper when really I had no intention of going there. I have the same problem with texting. I am considering thumb texting implants to solve my flat thumb problem. Gee,wonder if there is a DODMERB waiver available for that one, Larry M.?
KP2001, apparently there are not thumb pad implants yet, your a doctor let's create the next big thing!
Also, how come when I want to browse the smiley page ( for that perfect smiley effect) it kicks me out? :smile:
 
I wish,,,,, when I go to touch a thread to read ( always use iPad or iPhone) that I wouldn't hit the authors name with (or instead of the thread title) sending me to the public profile of the thread starter. It makes me ffel like such a creeper when really I had no intention of going there. I have the same problem with texting.

Wow - I TOTALLY do the same thing (also reading on iphone much of the time) and have actually considered posting a public apology to everyone whose pages I've clicked on accidentally! :redface: Usually I'm trying to click on the thread below it and end up of course on some poor junior's thread about "what should I do now" and can just see them looking at their profile going "Why are they looking at my page?" :shake:
 
I appreciate the feedback on the smart phone browsing. One thing we're looking to add in our next upgrade is a skin for smart phones that is automatically applied when one is detected.
 
I appreciate the feedback on the smart phone browsing. One thing we're looking to add in our next upgrade is a skin for smart phones that is automatically applied when one is detected.

That would be very cool! I have the same problem regarding smartphone (only I don't feel like a "creeper").
 
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