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Author Topic: Feb 2019 Admin Update  (Read 49055 times)

Offline Xano

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Feb 2019 Admin Update
« on: 10:31:23 PM / 22-Feb-19 »
Hi Everyone,

I know the site has declined considerably since our heyday era after the first switch from IPBoard to SMF.  I don't know what the fix will be, but the site WILL be around for a long time to come.  It'll always be a personal love of mine to work on and administer this forum.  I do want to modernize this site at some point, but I don't know where the first place to start would be.  There's a possible idea of converting old forum tech documents and writeups to wiki format. However, there are plenty of questions that go along with that idea.

The Good News
  • I'm investigating Google/Facebook Single Authentication plugins.
  • You folks have kept the chat alive almost every single day.
  • Facebook seems to be on a decline.
  • Marketplace plugins are plentiful now for SMF.
  • Mobile Themes are readily available and could be implemented now.
  • Last but not least, I haven't forgotten you and I continue to pay the yearly server fees for this site out of my own pocket.

The Bad News
  • There is no way to allow mods to approve new members without opening full permissions and group control to them.
  • We've declined this far already, how do we come back?
  • How do we handle generating more users when our favorite car's simple existence is declining?
  • How do we locate the best tech articles to create a wiki style repository of S12 knowledge?
  • How do we generate new member registrations to increase content generation?

The To Do List
  • Fix the registration process.
  • Implement a true mobile view now that these things are more available.
  • Update the Member Rank Names (not changing the post counts for now)!

That having been said, I think we can overcome this slump if we work to drive more people here.  Try to drive the facebook posters to the site when you can (but not with "Did you check the stickies" responses).  I personally feel that having a searchable Wiki and both Wiki and forum sections for new content about the S110s, R31s, 280zs, Z31s and other similarly aged Nissan platforms would be an option, but I want to hear from the other ranking members of the site and even from you all on how well you think that would go over.

I'll work on the main things blocking our new members from joining and check back in with some kind of survey after those are resolved. 

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~xano


Offline JonB

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Re: Feb 2019 Admin Update
« Reply #1 on: 11:30:44 PM / 22-Feb-19 »
What do decals cost to get going? Would having them at shows like radwood help?

I dont really have any significant or well developed thoughts atm.

Offline Wonderingraven

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Re: Feb 2019 Admin Update
« Reply #2 on: 12:04:36 AM / 23-Feb-19 »

How do we handle generating more users when our favorite car's simple existence is declining?
-> We need businesses to arise that would provide support for our cars rather it be a small business (please be legit) or voicing a big companies to support our cars. We need aftermarket support again, including both VG and CA's (I get a ton of random messages on ca20's lately on yt over a video I've created on my process oddly and I always recommend them here)
-> We also need more community members to step up and start a better promotion of our car rather it be meets, car shows, and / or road racing (drag, auto, drift. etc...) 

How do we locate the best tech articles to create a wiki style repository of S12 knowledge?
-> best way to handle this is user generated content rather it is article based similar to how motoiq does theirs or a basic wikipedia.
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Offline Xano

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Re: Feb 2019 Admin Update
« Reply #3 on: 11:39:45 PM / 24-Feb-19 »
Update: About halfway there on the reactive theme.  Reactive/Responsive is a web stylesheet methodology that allows the page to resize itself to best fit various screen resolutions dynamically, including a menu drop down for mobile.  This will enable a true mobile view without the need for tapatalk or any other goofy apps or forum addons.
~xano


Offline iceageg

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Re: Feb 2019 Admin Update
« Reply #4 on: 08:42:45 AM / 25-Feb-19 »
> There is no way to allow mods to approve new members without opening full permissions and group control to them.
There is no recovery unless new users can sign up.  This should be #1 on the list before anything else.  I am not web dude so I can't contribute anything on the "how", but a group that can't invite new members can't last.

> We've declined this far already, how do we come back?
Short answer, modernize existing content and diversify.  The tech threads we have here are invaluable to the community in large part because of the conversations.  The problem is, without already knowing most of the answer they are looking for it takes a new person a huge amount of reading and effort (by today's instant gratification interwebz standard) to find what they need.  A more modern Wiki style setup would fix a great deal of this.  Particularly a section specifically for known compatible parts, common conversions, and their sources.  All with links back to the detailed threads where the information came from.
We already acknowledge that our already niche car of choice is diminishing in numbers so overlap with other vehicles is an obvious place to start.  Engaging the international community could help too but I know there is some historical beef there.  Always directing people here from farcebook is good practice as well.

> How do we handle generating more users when our favorite car's simple existence is declining?
Focus on expanding content about other vehicles with compatible parts.  Try to get some of those communities to dabble in ours as well.

> How do we locate the best tech articles to create a wiki style repository of S12 knowledge?
We already have the content.  Not sure how to consolidate them into a Wiki format.  Web dude I am not.


The To Do List
I am still willing to do basic 2D CAD work for folks here who are designing custom parts.  That includes reproducing any decal/sticker that somebody can provide a picture of.  My core skill set is more aviation based but I can source damn near any custom part for those willing to pay aircraft prices.  I still have three teenagers in the house and 2 jobs so funds and free time are not things I have available in abundance but I am still happy to help the site and community however I can.
I was afraid all the five gallon buckets of pain stacked four high were going to fall over

Offline Xano

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Re: Feb 2019 Admin Update
« Reply #5 on: 12:33:40 PM / 25-Feb-19 »
I placed the new theme above all else because other things such as switching Captcha/Are you a Human? tests will require some theme modifications in my experience.  The registration and user approval abilities are next on my list after that for that reason.
~xano


Offline weitrhino

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Re: Feb 2019 Admin Update
« Reply #6 on: 08:20:11 PM / 25-Feb-19 »
I don't know that I have anything valuable to add to this thread, but I'm following.

Offline Wonderingraven

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Re: Feb 2019 Admin Update
« Reply #7 on: 10:39:01 AM / 01-Mar-19 »
ever thought about a potential discord group you should be able to do sometype of bridging.

Or a link to discord, if there is a potential issue with smf allowing new memebers we could use discord as both a forum and voice / video stuff that.
https://discord.gg

extremely usefull tool.
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Offline DjayS12

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Re: Feb 2019 Admin Update
« Reply #8 on: 07:31:21 AM / 02-Mar-19 »
Me inputs on the matter:

-it's going to be very hard to get new members. The forum era is on a major decline not just here but on every car forums.

-there is tons of valuable information here that is "lost". Not that it isn't here but there are too many posts and conversations all around to make it easy to find. We then end up with questions like "what parts do I need to convert to s13 front suspension" on the Facebook pages. The idea of a wiki based website is a must I believe. I personally am willing to participate, as I'm sure some other members are. The nice thing about wiki pages is the fact that everyone can correct/validate/add info.

-aftermarket parts availability: with less and less cars on the road, it's just getting near impossible to make it profitable. The best we can do is: include a list of readily available aftermarket parts on the wiki page, with links to the vendors to make it easy to find/purchase these parts. Maybe try to negociate deals for cs12 forum members?


Offline Thatmint200

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Re: Feb 2019 Admin Update
« Reply #9 on: 07:18:29 PM / 10-May-19 »
The registration process is the most important i think. It took me 3 emails and joining the facebook group before i could get an account made on the forums. Just being able to make an account from your Facebook login information would be super helpful for capturing new users.
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Offline Xano

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Re: Feb 2019 Admin Update
« Reply #10 on: 09:58:18 PM / 22-May-19 »
Thanks for the extra input everyone.  Keep it coming!  The registration process is now my primary focus based on feedback.

I lowkey like the idea of the Wiki but with a Garage (with garage posts/comments) being a big set of components.  Sort of a wiki with a throwback to cardomain but make specific and not horrible. 

I'm still working on things but work is slow as I work to implement a new AWS based ticketing system (Amazon Web Service, Amazon Linux EC2s, RDBs, and a VPC mainly) at work right now. Not to mention I'm raising two kids under 3.

Unrelated note: Just paid the hosting for the site up for another 2 years.  This new host has been incredibly stable compared to our last three and I'm even going to hype them a bit.  A2Hosting is who we're going through now.  There may be potential to migrate to an AWS instance later in life for elastic redundancy and backup capabilities depending on price as I learn and gain more experience in that arena.
~xano


Offline sideways_s12

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Re: Feb 2019 Admin Update
« Reply #11 on: 04:23:33 PM / 19-Jan-22 »
I know this is old and Xano is busy with life. but if you or Arro can fix my account so that I can delete spam accounts from the registration page that would awesome. I am reluctant to add any new members because I can't tell the difference between the spam and the real there are so many now. before this happened I was able to keep up I was adding new members once a week and was on top of the spam accounts it's gotten out of hand now, and is overwhelming.