Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

ADMINISTRATION & HELP => ADMINISTRATION FORUM => Topic started by: BjornBee on November 19, 2010, 12:41:23 pm

Title: So why not make it automatic?
Post by: BjornBee on November 19, 2010, 12:41:23 pm
Seems every person signing in either does not add their location, or are quickly asked to do so when they first post.

Can't you just make it part of the process that they either list their country, or for those in the U.S., their state when signing on as a member. Nobody's privacy will be in jeopardy. But it might be better than the multitude of demands asking all new member to fill in their location.

Title: Re: So why not make it automatic?
Post by: lakeman on November 20, 2010, 11:32:27 am
I second that statement, a person should not be able to post without giving a general location (listing the state does not make a person easy to find), when you read a post you could then possibly know at once, that the subject matter would not apply to your own location in many instances, being a big help when seeking information.
Title: Re: So why not make it automatic?
Post by: beemaster on November 20, 2010, 12:40:22 pm
Don't either of you think if it were an option in the SMF forums to have location a mandatory field that is would be checked? When we used the BBS software, there was a fix for that (an add-on) but SMF for whatever reason doesn't see the need.

Trust me, it hasn't been fun for years asking people to post where they are from. I have it in writing in at least 4 posts throughout the forum and usually by time someone has posted 3 or 4 times, someone gets on their back about it.

If I were told NO - it is none of your business, then having them as a member here would be short lived. It is a simple thing to ask, just a general area of the country or world, but dome paranoid people think everything is a conspiracy and we are all BIG BROTHER just waiting to grab another chunk of their identity.
Title: Re: So why not make it automatic?
Post by: Kathyp on November 20, 2010, 01:12:13 pm
most of us are not shy about asking  :-D  what about some kind of big sticky at the top of the welcome/intro page?  i have not looked at the new member stuff, so i don't know if you have already thought of/included that kind of message.
Title: Re: So why not make it automatic?
Post by: beemaster on November 20, 2010, 02:15:33 pm
Kathy:

Hope I didn't sound GRUFF in my reply, I surely meant not too. The location issue has haunted me a very long time, and I even posted where if you don't add "A" location by X number of posts that it could be a problem . Questions are always welcome as suggestions, most of the forum categories are from suggestions.

Hope you caught the posts I did last night on Movies and my latest web-video. I mentioned my wife got me a Flip Nano (super thin HD cam through points on a credit card) to replace my larger flip which USB dongle died. The video I uploaded was from the cam, but the software I used, I forgot to change the resolution on and it didn't come out HD. I'll replace it out when I think of it.

Got to say, the Flip's are limited, there real strong points are size, resolution, easy of use and built-in software that load into any computer it connects to, the Mini recharges through USB only - no interchanable batteries if it goes dead and direct connect to HDTV for easy play without PC.

The down fall is all the other stuff: poor X2 zoom, no motion smoothing, no low light vision (although it does well in that) no removable memory - although you get two hours record time and being all digital it transfers the files in minutes.

But in WebVideos, my alter ego (I think I was bitten by a vampire at Bud's house) comes out - it was fun and a continuous rant once I got into character :)

Off to work, Peace.
Title: Re: So why not make it automatic?
Post by: BjornBee on November 20, 2010, 06:24:01 pm
Don't either of you think if it were an option in the SMF forums to have location a mandatory field that is would be checked? When we used the BBS software, there was a fix for that (an add-on) but SMF for whatever reason doesn't see the need.


BBS, SMF, MF, BSS, BS, BSMF.....no, I have no clue of the capabilities or what is, or is not an option. Just asking a simple question, that seemed reasonable.
Title: Re: So why not make it automatic?
Post by: beemaster on November 21, 2010, 02:18:18 am
Yeah Mike... I totally understand, I'm lost at all that too. Again, as much as I preach about adding your location, I surely would have it manditory if the software allowed - then none of us would have that question on our minds.

sorry if it sounded rough, just like you were answering a simple question, I was trying to answer one - right now (as state elsewhere) fighting bots is the big issue, Robo is making great strides, I'm lost at the techy stuff, so I just cross my fingers and hope he brainstorms gems.
Title: Re: So why not make it automatic?
Post by: Mardak on November 21, 2010, 05:10:52 am
Well Beemaster,

I for one down here in Australia appreciate what your site has to offer and share with other bee keepers around the world. Quite a bit of your source material and others contributions are well received and used where appropriate. Sure beats watching TV most nights.

Regards.
Title: Re: So why not make it automatic?
Post by: Robo on November 27, 2010, 09:29:29 am
Yes it is possible, but there where too many potential issues involved so the decision was made not to.  For one,  it would require a hit to the core code which would require removing it each time a update is released from SMF and then reapplying,  or manually modifying each update before applying.  It could also open a security hole with the database if not done properly as well.   All in all, there where a lot of if's and too high of a potential for things to go a muck.

User defined mandatory fields are a feature of SMF 2.0 and when/if we migrate to it,  it will surely be used.
Title: Re: So why not make it automatic?
Post by: Acebird on December 17, 2010, 01:20:41 pm
Personal opinion ...
I think you guys are making too much of it.  No one hates filling out forms as much as I do although I did fill out my location.  When you first sign up for any forum you don't know if you will like it so the easier it is to join the more members you will get.

Each person gets a confirming email (I assume automatic) when they sign up.  A simple phrase like "For a more enjoyable experience please fill out your location in your profile.  Members will ask you anyway."  This shouldn't require any code updates just a change in the auto send email template.
Title: Re: So why not make it automatic?
Post by: Bee Happy on December 17, 2010, 10:08:43 pm
<---- there's about 100,000 people in the area I've sort of specified; it's not saying what town you're from that people who know the trick find you with.
People who know the trick to finding a web surfer can find about 95% of anyone down to the house number even if they have never breathed a word of what state they are in online. I don't know the trick, but I've seen it done.