[Todd Gibson]

Hello everyone. We’re starting to make plans for a set of improvements/enhancements to the forums. We want to make this place even more of a community, and we have some ideas of things we could add to do that.

But before we get too far along in the planning process, I wanted to open the topic up for all of you. What would you like to see us do to enhance the forums to make them a better, more useful, and more enjoyable place for you?

I can’t promise we’ll be able to implement everything, but go ahead and throw in your two cents. We’ll definitely look at every idea contributed.

[Maggie]

I wish that when I opened a thread, it would jump to the newest posts. Some of these posts are many pages, and I just want to check for updates.

In general, I really appreciate the forums and all the wonderful people who post great information and suggestions.

[Jane]

I’d like to be able to make (and see) profiles of others. I enjoy reading the blogs and seeing the pictures from others but sometimes I can’t match up who is who with profiles on Flickr and names here and blogs that I click on. It’s be nice to be able to click on a user and see their profile information (if they wish to share) so I can put “names w/ faces” so to speak.

Jane

[Sarvi]

Agree with Maggie — also, personally, I am interested in two pieces of information — both who started a thread and who posted in it last. It gives me two ‘handles’ by which to remember where I saw something and whether there’s been a reply.

A way of integrating images would make it more social, probably also having avatars/icons. It’s easier to connect with a little picture than with just a username. It’s funny, because you *can* post images here but there’s a culture of using flickr and a lot of investment in that group. Once discussion was closed there, it seems as though only part of it was rerouted here — the discussion of specific projects people have made (which I think is where a lot of the emotional investment lies) still happened in the comments on each photo. If there were a way of bringing those conversations back to this site, that would make it more social.

Maybe a troubleshooting/suggestions thread, here, where you could post a photo of works in progress and get ideas from the community? Maybe also a challenges forum — a pattern bust thread, a fabric bust thread, a new technique thread, a sewing-for-yourself thread, etc.

Also, based on my previous experience with online communities, it’s the off-topic parts that see the most action. Humans are social creatures with a keen interest in each other’s lives.

[Nicole]

I am nervous about people posting photos ONLY because I then have trouble loading pages.

I think the forum is great and I love the topic notification emails.

[Masha Richart]

I found O+S after you all had already moved over here, so I’m used to the way things are divided. I have been on Flickr for longer than I have been here, and when I joined I didn’t realize that there was a Flickr pool, so I am one of those with two different usernames. A profile here with avatar would help people identify those, like me, who didn’t have the foresight to duplicate usernames 🙂 I also agree that I’d like to jump to the last post in a forum when I click on it.

[Sarvi]

Oh, that’s a good point, Nicole. I wonder if there’s a way to keep the section with the photos separated, so you could choose to look at it at times when you had a faster connection, or skip it when you had a slower one, so it wouldn’t slow down the other areas of the site?

[Nicole]

Sarvi, another forum I am involved with has a link you click (they call it spoiler tags) and then the photo pops up.

If people have posted a small picture, no problem, if they have posted big sizes or multiple ones, the guinea pig gets tired.

I do like the concept though, I love dishing out designing advice.

[with love Heidi]

I third the idea of a discussion opening to the last page!

[Sarvi]

Guinea pig, that’s adorable! Mine is coal-burning 🙂

[Jess M.]

I do love the minimalistic feel here…..we get right down to business! Maybe have an option where each person can “turn off” photos?? And maybe if a photo had been placed in a post there would be something there (even just a “[photo]” to indicate a photo is there for those who decide not to include them so they can pick and choose?

I’d love to be able to either tag someone if I have a specific question for them, or be able to reply to a specific post.

I also love a bit more of a profile! I know many of you from the Flickr Group, but realize that many may not recognize me since my name is completely different here.

And I am in agreement with everyone about the discussion opening up to not necessarily the last page, but the last page I’ve READ. 🙂 Also, when I first come here, it’s basically a smorgasbord of all the newest posts regardless of what forum they are from. I’d love to be able to go back further than just the top 10?

[with love Heidi]

How about a “challenges” section, so we easily find things like the pattern bust thread. Also some way of marking “favrouites” so we can find them easily to refer back to.

[Nicole]

Heidi, if you click on your name, that will take you to your profile. I think you can set favourites.

[with love Heidi]

Thanks Nicole, I didn’t realise that.

[Nicole]

Up the top. Where it will say Welcome Heidi.