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[fluked]

So much info is in this forum, and I jokingly mentioned simplified website.

But how about a Long FAQ list. Great one just came up, you fit a tow bar with the lower valance, for example.

[Problemchild]

if the topics of the threads are good enough its prob not needed as the areas act as the contents page and the thread titles are the index

JJ

[CrazyG]

I agree with JJ.
The forum would be a lot easier to navigate and search through
if the newer members actually read through and took note of the
first paragraphs of the 'NEWBIE's and ANYONE WISHING TO JOIN'
thread that is posted as a 'sticky' in the General Smart Chat section
of the forum.
http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2230.0

This basically asks members to ensure that the subject they wish to
start a new thread about has not been covered elsewhere on the forum.
In other word's...do not duplicate.

I spend many hour's going through thread's and either merging or
deleting duplicate entries wherever possible. Believe me, it's
not a simple or easy task by a long way, as the dates of posts in
each thread do not allow them to be merged without it all loosing
context or being jumbled up as they would be out of sync in time
order. I do my best though, which is why sometimes you will see
other members posts that have something like
« Last Edit: Today at 01:12:15 by CrazyG » showing on it, ok.

But anyway, the gist of this all is...that if everyone followed the
guidelines that are laid down, then the forum would be more
compact and possibly easier to use/look through/search through.
But...I think all of us understand that this won't happen overnight..
if at all !
So we have to make the best of what we have, and forgive me
if I blow the strident trumpet for both JJ and myself by saying
that I think that between the pair of us, what we have created
and maintain here is, I think, one of the best forum's around
for it's members.

[Problemchild]

I think there is a max of 4 pages in the technical guides so scanning through isn't hard.

Then the search function (if used from the front page) is pretty good. (Gets a bit flakey if you are searching within topic areas as door handles cool be interior or exterior)

With searching - typing "my door handle won't open and I'm stuck in the car" is not as good as "door handle broken"

But that's egg sucking 101 right there (unless you are my wife)

Anyhow - it's a good idea (if there was an auto way of generating the list) but G and I really put a lot of time into keeping the site compact and useable and with between 20 and 40 new members signing up a week... all needing to go through the Spammer checking we have to do.. there is a lot to do)

Hopefully it's not too hard to use the site at present?

JJ

[FireFlower]

Small improvements can be always thought and made.

I have very little problem using current search function but it is a bit hidden with its more advanced settings.
1. Click magnifier next to search bar (this page here)
2. Open "Choose a board to search in, or search all" tab
3. Select area/s where you might think the answer is

I am fine with current layout because I have got used to it, only small problems are broken new post icons (doesn't load them) and new users are more used to other forum layouts.

Well generally:

• New post icon broken
• Some image host websites don't work
• No automatic image size cropping (manual input for parameters)
• Old forum version (security updates etc)
• Some odd default BBS codes (like lists)
• Old BBS version doesn't support new and neat features

But I am totally fine with current layout, a few improvements here and there can be made but generally layout is good, some functions are just a bit hidden.

[Problemchild]

the [new] post icon works for me.

and i'm pretty sure my images get cropped to size...... e.g. most of my images have img width=800 height=600 up front.

JJ

[FireFlower]

Just got an idea, could this thread topic edited to be "Small & Quick questions"

Basically one thread where you can ask very simple question and anyone can answer it with link or in general

Like I have a feeling that I saw here a self service guide but I cannot find it

[CrazyG]

JJ and I started work on the website forum way back in Jan 2010,
and after some mad months of panic and hectic late night working
we had managed to load all of our then current HowTo's etc into it
in time for the grand launch on 1st April of the same year.
(April Fool's or what ?)

Since then we have seen it grow and grow, with new Categories being
added by us as n when they were needed. As it is now, the list of
topics/sections that we currently have already means that users have
to scroll down to view them all....and, believe it or not, that is not good,
according to a lot of research. Adding more categories is therefore not
really an option.
(Forums; for the uninformed; are not like Windows. You cannot have
 folders upon folders, with sub folders upon sub folders ad infinitum.)

Yes, the forum does have a few minor shortcomings (very few in fact),
but it works, and works well I'd say.  We have discussed 'upgrading'
the exisiting forum to a later version, but it would require a lot of
testing. But that in itself is an issue.
We do not have the luxury of a 'test' system.
We do not have anyone with time to spare to test it.
We did upgrade once before in the early days, and we lost the lot !
 (thankfully we had done a back-up, and were able to roll back the
   program/aplication and load the back-up data !)
What we have runs and works without any issues/problems, so...
why try to fix something that isn't broken ?

What about a change to a new forum 'program'.

That costs money, plus if we ever did change the 'software' it would take
a tremendous amount of time, work and energy to test it before we could
'release' it. (Consider the nightmare if it went wrong!)
The main thing is, the forum is free to all members, it is a 'neutral'
forum as we do not entertain direct or even indirect advertising.
That has always been the case, and will remain so unless or until
it becomes a neccessity to have advertising. We'd rather not.

So what about more 'childboards'...?
I had seriously thought of adding more 'childboards' within categories,
such as within Lighting. But, if I did create new childboards, say on the
lines of 'Interior Lighting' and 'Exterior Lighting', then the main/starter
or header that is currently used for 'general' questions for all the
lighting queries etc would no longer be used as the questions would
be posted by members into the Interior Lighting and Exterior Lighting.
The main category 'section' would therefore be empty and it would be
a complete waste of a section on the forum !
But....the other factor is that there is a control 'protocol' in the forum
that only allows the childboards to be seen by members.
The main/general board of each section can be seen by anyone,
so if it is empty, the non-members have nothing to see/read, and
believe it or not, by having posts in there encourages non members
to join up ! Why ? Because  they see and read similar questions to
the one's they may have, and they soon realise the answers are
here...AND that we have 'HowTo' guides that they can see/use
to fix their cars as there are no workshop manuals available...but
only if they join the forum. (The bonus for them is that it is free !)

Re: a new 'Quick' Q&A  or FAQ section...
I'll look into this, but do not expect anything overnight.
It will require a lot of time and effort, AND...it will also need
more time and effort as it goes along as JJ and myself would quite
possibly have to checking and adding links to various posts that
are already on the forum !  (see 'what we do' further down)
However, IF the SEARCH function/facility was used properly,
then anyone should be able to find what they are after...but that is
only IF the right parameters (word or words) are used. Ok, that's
easier said than done, especially if English is not your native language.
(Example:- the plastic panel under the front of the engine bay...
 we in England would call it either an 'undertray', or 'a splash guard',
 or an 'engine compartment shield'. But in Germany..MB call it an
 'anti-noise capsule' ! !   It sure gets complicated, right.)

What the Admin 'twins' (myself and JJ) do....
JJ works full time and has a family. As for me; I may be retired;
but even I find mself spending 2.5hrs or more a day on here !
We both check and authorise the new member applications, we
monitor posts, merge and split posts when required, delete old
sold/for sale items as well as sending chaser PM's or emails to
sellers etc to see if old items are still 'available', as well as all
the other emails and PM's we get, plus trying to organise events
etc etc etc.  And then there's also various people/businesses
we get in touch with to try to oranise group deals, printing of forum
stickers, as well as trying to extract/squeeze info out of tradesmen
and 'indies' so that we can answer members questions (if necessary)
or for info to update/add to the HowTo guides that we have or new one's
we are trying to compile.
Basically what we do is like a full time job, except we don't get paid !

[Problemchild]

What he said

A quick post area would be a nightmare tbh as G and me would forever be moving the answers to the relevant sections anyway and if we didn't, people would only post in 1 area and that area would become hundreds of pages long and even harder to find info so more duplication within duplication.

It's good to have suggestions from members as you guys put a lot of your knowledge in and me and G can sometimes be too close to see the obvious.

But - as it's broken down at the moment I think it works as everything has it's place. So many forums do not capture guides etc and we do that well where we can.

Keep them coming

JJ