Benefits

[Jeff Miller]

While I reserve judgement on the subthreads issue until I can see how this new format will change the "feel" of the community, I thought it would be a good idea (and fair to Sean's efforts here) to list things that we really like about the new site. For me, they are:

Membership list- it's great to see who's using the site, and occasionally get in touch with some old lost aquaintances. Also, if the user has posted their URL's, it gives us the opportunity to find out more about these people that we've been trading ideas with for years.

Number of posts per member - interesting to see how active a member is on the boards.

Number of looks at and replies to a post - even in the infancy of this site, these are far higher than I would have expected. I am very impressed with the popularity and strength of this community we have here. Also, this feature gives us an idea of the activity level on each thread, including interest levels by non-posting lurkers. I have always found it frustrating to post something, get few or no replies, and have no idea if anyone had even bothered to read it.

Private messaging - this is great as well; I've already been contacted by an old college associate via this feature. This is a valuable way to make yourself available without advertising your email address to the spam-farmers.

Or, you can advertise your email address and URL, such as my public@mardibrass.com ,and jeffreykmiller.com.

Anyway, I think all in all this is a good thing. I wasn't too keen on everything the old site community had evolved into, and I welcome the potential for greater abuse/annoyance control.

Thanks again Sean for all your hard, unpaid work on this project.

[Leland]

View New Posts Since Last Visit.

Being informed of when someone posts to a thread I'm participating in, whether it's just for fun, or I need to learn something, or I'm trying to sell something (or watch if it's sold before I can pony up the cash).

Being able to read the thread I'm replying to at the bottom of the page.

Being able to open up a thread of twenty posts with one click.

Being able to resurrect a thread from the past because I have new information.

Stickies! Imagine being able to post, once and for all, How To Post Images, or How To Clean Silverplate, or Recommended Retailers.

Polls in which the participants don't have to make their own posts OR email somebody for them to compile all the results.

Worthwhile search function.

No tuba talk cluttered up with Off Topic posts; no off-the-wall conversations interrupted by "Keep this tuba related, please."; no eBay auctions getting in the way of regular For Sale posts.

No more spam from Chinese companies offering plumbing & gasoline engines.

Being able to click through six pages to read seventy-five posts instead of having to click through SEVENTY-FIVE ENTIRE SEPARATE PAGES.

I could go on and on...

[windshieldbug]