Re: Request for A Beginnner's Board

[coh]

Is this search different than using the "advanced search", entering a keyword, then clicking "search google"? Seems to give the same results based on a small sample of tests (except the advanced search doesn't give you any ads).

[David D]

This may have been suggested but I think it would be nice to have some type of guide on what to post where. I have seen posts that didn't belong in certain categories , at least one by me when I first joined. The information and responses are very imprtant for us who are hours from the nearest club or more experienced person. I appreciate all of you who have given helpful suggestions to me and others seeking to better themselves and their trees. This is one thing that has always appealed to me about this hobby, the help and suggestions from others.

[John Quinn]

Chris, on a couple of test searches I ran it did seem to perform better, especially when using a phrase rather than a single word. Time will tell.

[fiona]

This may have been suggested but I think it would be nice to have some type of guide on what to post where. I have seen posts that didn't belong in certain categories , at least one by me when I first joined. The information and responses are very imprtant for us who are hours from the nearest club or more experienced person. I appreciate all of you who have given helpful suggestions to me and others seeking to better themselves and their trees. This is one thing that has always appealed to me about this hobby, the help and suggestions from others.

Hi David. Thanks for your suggestion and this will most definitely be factored in to any new set up we establish as it is always helpful to members if threads are in the correct location. (Saves us Moderators a lot of work too. ) Indeed one of the additions I have suggested is a "getting the best out of your forum" section which will help people place things correctly but will also give a ready guide to some of the features of the forum that members might not be aware of such as how to save your favourite threads etc.

[marcus watts]

hi,
its looking good Fiona - was your hard work fueled by Easter chocolate ?

One thing i'm never too sure off that would come under 'getting the most..." or "good forum manners" ! Once I search and find an older post containing the topic of interest but I have something more to add.... should I write on the end of the older post, even if it is months old, or start a new topic? .....I did see a moan from a longstanding member or two about multi page threads, but the same individuals seem to get annoyed by topic repetition ?? is that just grumpy old man syndrome do you think .

thanks for any ettiquette advice

Marcus

[fiona]

I know what you mean. I've seen some topics that are a year old resurrected in recent months - mostly a new poster asking how a tree posted ages back is getting on. Those were examples of threads whose resurrection really served no purpose and I think in most cases the original posters responded very politely that they'd post once there was something actually to show.

In general I think the answer must lie in how relevant what you have to add is to the original. If it's of direct relevance (i.e. follows up something already said in the post and is likely to keep the thread going in the same direction) then resurrecting the original might be the way to go. But what you'd have to remember is that often people a. don't read the earlier material and the whole thing runs the risk of getting confusing, and b. people don't look at the date of the original post and again the thread gets misinterpreted. I can't remember off the top of my head which one it was, but in the latter part of last year I had to step in and moderate because new posters hadn't realised the original part of the thread was an age old and were getting a bit irked because they assumed the original poster was doing something in the wrong season and doing too much at once.

One good way ronnd it of course would be to start a new thread but in your first post on the thread, cross-reference the original one with a link to it and maybe a brief synopsis. That way people can look at the original without resurrecting it and if the new information you're adding takes the thread in a whole new direction, then it won't matter.

Hope that helps.

[Guest]

Hi Kev/ Fiona.

My I asked if we need to re-post our work that were posted in the original "bonsai section" which a member might think that belongs to the Bonsai progression and advanced techniques? or the mods will do it for us. I think it will be quite embarrassing for some who will attempt this and then the works will be returned back to its original place.


regards,
jun

[Kev Bailey]

We are going to do some moving but it is a huge task, so if you have a progression that you are proud of or a technique to share that was already posted you can try moving it yourself. If it doesn't work, PM a request to one of Mods or me.

[Guest]

Thanks Kev.

[fiona]

As far as I know members cant move threads. We will be moving a fair few over the next wee while so please bear with us.

[Guest]

As far as I know members cant move threads. We will be moving a fair few over the next wee while so please bear with us.

Yes Fiona...I mean by re-posting old thread or tree progression photo series from the old "Bonsai Discussion" to the new "Bonsai discussion and Advance techniques".

[coh]

Do you want to start a thread for "bug reports"? Or post them here? Right now I am unable to search (except from the home page) or access any posting history, such as clicking on "find all topics started by user"...I get "You haven't got the rights to access this page".

Changes look good!

[fiona]

Thanks Chris. We are trying to shift away from the limited Search facility to the superior google site search. Kev is currently at a family event and I am half way thru a bumpy 7 hr car journey. We'll be back at the helm later today. A system bug thread is good idea if we cant get things sorted today.

[fiona]

It looks like modifying the Search facility is not as straightforward as first thought so Kev has reinstated the original version. You should now be able to Find posts started by... as previously.

[will baddeley]

Hello Fiona and Kev. Not sure if this is possible but I have loads of threads I can no longer find and was wondering if there is a chance they may be re instated?

[Kev Bailey]

Hi Will, no threads should have been deleted by me changing the names of some of the fora. Could be that your posts are in a different part of the board. The search facility should be working again, as it was before and there is a new Google site search facility on the home page that may help.

[DenisL]

People may not want this, but I will throw it out there...I can see who is on line when I log in, is the possibility of having a live chat an option? Or would that take way from the spirit of the "forum" and keeping the database flourishing? I was thinking that if someone is on line you can send them like an instant message and chat a bit back and forth and eliminate some of the "people think this is fluff and you should not post this" posts. Just a thought...maybe a bad one

[fiona]

One for a future debate perhaps. Poor Kev will be knackered enough with the current changes.

[JimLewis]

Besides, it is easy enough to set up a chat on a scheduled basis without pulling juice from the IBC. For years there was a regularly scheduled bonsai chat on STARCHAT. It may still be going on for all I know. When you get more than 5-6 people on at a time, it gets too confusing for my old brain cells.

And then, a lot of it ended up being in-group blather and meaningless to those who couldn't participate that regularly.

But my point being is that if a group wants to Chat, they have a lot of places they can go.

[will baddeley]

The European bonsai forum had chat on it and was only used once. The Cyprus bonsai forum also has it and it is also seldom used.

[Hans van Meer.]

The European bonsai forum had chat on it and was only used once. The Cyprus bonsai forum also has it and it is also seldom used.

The sadly past Bonsai Talk Forum had chat and it was a great sucses! I spend many of late nights, because of the time difference with most people on chat, talking Bonsai or regular stuff with people from all parts of the world! I made so many friends on there, that it got me actually going to the US to meet them and work with them in real live! Me and others helped many directly with there Bonsai questions and that was so valuable! Now I know that people will say that all that chat about Bonsai, is nice, but the info is lost for ever when that chat session is over! True, but the feeling of companionship among use was priceless and is even to day misted by many! So believe me when I say: chat can be a instant hit and a valuable form of direct communication with....well everybody who enjoys Bonsai and likes to chat! A change to realy get to know the person(s) behind the glass!
Could be a sucses! It was on BT!
Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

[Kev Bailey]

Thanks Hans. Unfortunately chat would be impossible to set up with this forum provider. However there is always the option of setting one up in Facebook, attached to the IBC's presence there, if someone would like to set it up to give it a go, let me know.

[will baddeley]

Little confused about the gallery. I didn't think it was about a series of progression pictures but more about the more finished tree. Am I wrong?

[coh]

My opinion/interpretation - each member can use his gallery thread as he sees fit. Finished trees, raw stock, whatever he (she) is working on.

[will baddeley]

Ah I see. So as much text as we want too?

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