Home › Forums › Archives › Community Center › Forum Support › Bug Reports › Squashed Bugs › Staff Room › From the demented mind of a mentor
- This topic has 31 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 17 years ago by Philip.
-
AuthorPosts
-
May 1, 2007 at 1:27 pm #160450SpikeMember
@David 217861 wrote:
The survey said move into web design–How? What is the best way to go about that, we don’t have many developers now, there isn’t any attraction.
Well, our web design department consists of… bronxy and that’s about it, so I don’t see a need to expand there, really. :p
I’ll admit I haven’t had the time lately to do a whole lot with the site (Work, School, and at the moment trying to produce a 20 minute video for school, among other things) which takes up a lot of my time. If we can hold off a month, though, after I’m out of school, I should be able to commit a lot more of my time (we’re talking days at a time here). But, really, life has just… happened. It’s not an excuse (detn8r), it just happens. A lot of our staff here are in their teens or 20’s, and a lot can happen in a short amount of time during those years. It’s not an excuse, unless you call life an excuse.
I’m just going to flat out say this because, well… it’s what I believe has to happen. We need to redesign BigBlueBall from the ground up. It has to happen. The current site has bits and pieces left over from other older versions and there are broken links and ads everywhere and it’s just messy in my opinion. We need to give BigBlueBall a new look with a new theme and new ideas (Whether they be IM or not… I’m willing to go out on some limbs here). I think we can do it; we have the talent here to accomplish something like this, but it’s the committment that I think is the problem.
May 2, 2007 at 5:03 am #160439detn8rParticipantThe commitment issue is obviously present. It’s been present for the past year. Since instant messaging lost it’s moment in the light, it’s obvious there is no need for our services any more. Sure we still get the odd people coming in asking questions, but nothing is unique. And because of that, everyone has lost passion, and no one gives a **** any more.
Sure, the site needs a new face. The site needs a new idea. The name of the site can be used for almost anything. Maybe we could turn it into a one big “general talk” forum with dozens of categories. Sports, government, active events etc. I mean, at least we wouldn’t be focused on one main thing, and that being instant messaging.
We still get a ton of traffic here, but why? Why are people still coming here? THAT is what we need to find out first. What makes people come back?
Two years ago, when the site was still in it’s prime it would be a very sad excuse for you to disappear. People made the time to come here. It was exciting. We had lots of people, lots of ideas and lots of fun. Now, there is nothing new, nobody new and because of that, there is nothing to do. When there is nothing to do, the website goes into a depression and everyone within caves.
I’m personally on the verge and saying f^%k it. But I don’t want to. It’s not fair. I want to try, but we need a solid ground here first. Obviously nothing is going to be done until the summer break for those still in school. Then there will be no worries for time commitments other than work and vacations.
There isn’t a choice, the site is going to wait. Are we willing to wait? Do we have an idea of what we are going to be?We all have to look into the mirror and find out what is reflecting back before we make any changes.
May 2, 2007 at 8:19 am #160463PhilipModeratorSpike;217929 wrote:I’m just going to flat out say this because, well… it’s what I believe has to happen. We need to redesign BigBlueBall from the ground up. It has to happen. The current site has bits and pieces left over from other older versions and there are broken links and ads everywhere and it’s just messy in my opinion. We need to give BigBlueBall a new look with a new theme and new ideas (Whether they be IM or not… I’m willing to go out on some limbs here). I think we can do it; we have the talent here to accomplish something like this, but it’s the committment that I think is the problem.detn8r;217942 wrote:Sure we still get the odd people coming in asking questions, but nothing is unique. And because of that, everyone has lost passion, and no one gives a **** any more.Sure, the site needs a new face. The site needs a new idea. The name of the site can be used for almost anything. Maybe we could turn it into a one big “general talk” forum with dozens of categories. Sports, government, active events etc. I mean, at least we wouldn’t be focused on one main thing, and that being instant messaging.
We still get a ton of traffic here, but why? Why are people still coming here? THAT is what we need to find out first. What makes people come back?
Two years ago, when the site was still in it’s prime it would be a very sad excuse for you to disappear. People made the time to come here. It was exciting. We had lots of people, lots of ideas and lots of fun. Now, there is nothing new, nobody new and because of that, there is nothing to do. When there is nothing to do, the website goes into a depression and everyone within caves.
I’m personally on the verge and saying f^%k it. But I don’t want to. It’s not fair. I want to try, but we need a solid ground here first. Obviously nothing is going to be done until the summer break for those still in school. Then there will be no worries for time commitments other than work and vacations.
There isn’t a choice, the site is going to wait. Are we willing to wait? Do we have an idea of what we are going to be?I agree wholeheartedly with Spike and Graham’s comments. In order to survive, BBB has to evolve into a more general-purpose oriented website (I’m 100% behind Graham on this) Sure, we can still focus on IM (which is one of our strongest points) but we need much more than that to attract people now, AND to make them keep coming back for more. Look at what the competition is doing, for example Neowin. Look at their General Discussion sections. There are so many sections to post there! And their Polling Station beats our Polls flat out. Look at our Off Topics section, with over 3,000 topics and 28,000 posts! We could make this into one helluva section. Have a look at what this forum is doing.
BBB has to be overhauled or refurbished, no question about that. Maybe a newer name too, like Our BigBlue Ball or BigBlueBall +? The layout should also allow some customization on the member’s part. And giving out incentives like a BBB T-shirt to a lucky member every month, just to encourage people to post. We have to act like a business!
As far as I’m concerned, the Premier Members section is a big joke. 43 Topics, 370 Posts (as of May 2, 2007) And this is the Premier Members section? :sick: No offence, Sarah.
I might get banished for this, but I think if our Site Owner doesn’t do anything at all, BBB is going to implode on itself, soon. And I would be very sad if that were to happen…:eek: because it would take us all with it, and this is really a great community.
Here are some quotes to ponder over:
- Speed of the boss is the speed of the team.
- Ideas, like time and tide, wait for no one.
- You can’t do things differently until you see things differently.
- Nothing dies faster than a new idea in a closed mind.
- Make the decision. If it’s right, well and good. If it’s wrong, you’ll find out soon enough.
- Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.
- Don’t be afraid to take a big leap if one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm with two small jumps.
May 4, 2007 at 11:50 pm #160457NessaParticipantJust thought i’d drop in and state that i’m still willing to help out as much as i can. I have been extremely inactive this past month but it’s because my net has been down plus i started my externship (8-5, sometimes even till later) and now that i’m done with my externship i got hired so am working (Yay!). So since i’m working with surgeons so it’s a very fast paced place to be but i like it, even though i get out of work so so so so tired. 😮
But getting back to the point!, i’d still like to participate more like before and help in any way possible. Also i will have full net access for now, so if i can be of use in any way what so over, just ask! 😛 (and sorry i can’t code!)
May 4, 2007 at 11:57 pm #160460PolarBearNPRParticipantwb Vanessa! Great to see you here and great to hear about your job! We knew you’d be back when you could and this is perfect timing! The Yahoo area has been jumping lately so get ready to roll up your sleeves and dig in.
May 5, 2007 at 1:31 am #160453Jon8RFCMemberI think BBB should expand into areas that are popular (cell phones, service, and tips/tricks), new (VoIP, nation-wide wifi; xbox 360, ps3, wii), and not well-supported (whatever that may be). Snag some popular things that people want to discuss and learn new things about; new things will help BBB become one of the originals; not well-supported will help BBB to become the one and only…then they’ll see all of the other sections!
That’s my small brainstorm. It’s not intended to be any solution, just something to put out on the table.
May 5, 2007 at 2:42 am #160464PhilipModeratorThanks Jon, for your thoughts and ideas. Now we gotta get da man to have the last word on that.
May 5, 2007 at 11:37 am #160455MrEggsaladParticipant@Jon8RFC 218022 wrote:
I think BBB should expand into areas that are popular (cell phones, service, and tips/tricks), new (VoIP, nation-wide wifi; xbox 360, ps3, wii), and not well-supported (whatever that may be). Snag some popular things that people want to discuss and learn new things about; new things will help BBB become one of the originals; not well-supported will help BBB to become the one and only…then they’ll see all of the other sections!
That’s my small brainstorm. It’s not intended to be any solution, just something to put out on the table.
Actually, as far as expanding BBB, those sound like great places to expand it to. I love it.
May 5, 2007 at 11:52 pm #160444DavidParticipantMoving into the Cellular Communications area is a great idea, its a nautral step for IM too, since so much is related around instant communication now.
A few things from all the posts above..
> a t-shirt is a lame incentive to post on a website, that won’t attract as many people as you’d think. Contests where you can influence your chances of winning are far more fruitful. Something along the lines of “Whoever can find a solution to this problem wins an iPod nano” work well.
> People still visit due to the backlog of content indexed by search engines.
> Moving into the gaming community might not be the best place to go, although perhaps a good one, it competes with GetGamer.com, but also there is quite a bit of coverage for that already.
May 5, 2007 at 11:57 pm #160456MrEggsaladParticipantWell maybe for us we look at stuff like different sites created for the Wii, or more in depth stuff for Linux on a PS3 or whatever. We could cover gaming from more a “using this is a tool” instead of a gaming thing. Although, we should still cover the games somewhat too.
May 6, 2007 at 12:05 am #160445DavidParticipant@MrEggsalad 218060 wrote:
Well maybe for us we look at stuff like different sites created for the Wii, or more in depth stuff for Linux on a PS3 or whatever. We could cover gaming from more a “using this is a tool” instead of a gaming thing. Although, we should still cover the games somewhat too.
I agree, having a board dedicated to every console out there isn’t helpful, but a board dedicated to console and/or PC games would be a good idea.
May 6, 2007 at 12:09 am #160446DavidParticipantOn another note..
How about we reduce the number of forums? Part of the reason some sites have fewer boards is so prohibit people from specialization and increase activity that would not have otherwise existed.
For example, say I only care about one small aspect of the Off Topic forum–the music room. I’m only going to look there, I won’t look anywhere else. I’ll also be upset with the lack of activity. If it was lumped into the general forum–I’d be ‘forced’ to look there and read through the thread titles…meaning more exposure to diversity–I’m a lot more likely to see something I wouldn’t have before.
It’s too easy to find a niche here, and thats killing us.
May 6, 2007 at 1:22 am #160465PhilipModeratorDavid;218058 wrote:> a t-shirt is a lame incentive to post on a website, that won’t attract as many people as you’d think. Contests where you can influence your chances of winning are far more fruitful. Something along the lines of “Whoever can find a solution to this problem wins an iPod nano” work well.Excuse me for saying this, David, but giving out a t-shirt is a “lame incentive?” Every time I wear the BBB t-shirt here in Malaysia, there will be somebody who asks me what BBB is all about, and I get the perfect opportunity to tell them. It’s also a walking publicity campaign for BBB.
Of course, the idea of winning an iPod sounds fantastic, but how many iPods can BBB afford to give out? One a month? Every six months? Every year? And will this apply for international members like myself?
May 6, 2007 at 1:27 am #160447DavidParticipant@Philip 218075 wrote:
Excuse me for saying this, David, but giving out a t-shirt is a “lame incentive?” Every time I wear the BBB t-shirt here in Malaysia, there will be somebody who asks me what BBB is all about, and I get the perfect opportunity to tell them. It’s also a walking publicity campaign for BBB.
Of course, the idea of winning an iPod sounds fantastic, but how many iPods can BBB afford to give out? One a month? Every six months? Every year? And will this apply for international members like myself?
It’s cool because you know about it and like the site. It won’t attract a potential member. The shirt isn’t lame, the idea of giving just a shirt away for a contest is. A t-shirt won’t inspire competition like an iPod would.
As for when to give something away–I don’t know how BBB does financially, so that’s not up to me. I think a few per year is pretty reasonable, and why wouldn’t it work for internationals? if UPS or FedEx can ship it, then why not be able to participate?
May 6, 2007 at 3:41 pm #160436Jeff HesterKeymasterI think t-shirts are great for established members. The iPod thing is certainly a possibility as well, but international shipping makes me nervous. I’ve had too many problems, both with BigBlueBall and in other pursuits.
I hate to say it, but if we do a contest for an iPod, we might have to limit who can win to the U.S.
I’m amused that so many of you feel that there is nothing new going on in the world of IM. There are entirely new sites devoted to IM and VoIP technology, and some of the other “general” sites have better IM coverage than BBB.
Consider this review of Pidgin 2.0 on Ars Technica. It’s an in-depth, four-page review with screen shots, analysis and advice on how to get Pidgin to communicate with Twitter. It’s exciting and new.
When we can’t even match that coverage on ONE topic (instant messaging) what makes any of us think we can compete by covering MORE topics?
Having said that, I think there is a big difference between news/reviews/tutorials (which should NOT be in the forums as they are now) and forum discussions. The forums could cover a much broader range of topics — I’m fine with that. For the actual news/reviews/tutorials type material, I think there is plenty to do with IM, VoIP and related technology.
My $0.02 worth.
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.