What would you like to see on EC in future?

Agreed with the quotations. Otherwise, just to know when someone has posted after you in a thread or replied to your post in a thread.

 

Site Colors
Personally, I like the current colors. Color options like those in the settings page for each member to customize their member pages would probably be appreciated by some, though. I know of other forums that have 5/6 preset color combos and users can change between them at will.

Resources

Yes. It goes without saying that a review process would have to be instituted, so it's up to the higher-ups if they would want to take on the extra work.

Forums

Oooooooh. That'd be fun!

 

Site colours: I would love to see something more "modern". For example, I'm thinking about the new Apple discussions page (totally random ). Soft colors, highlighting what's important, etc. The page has "this thing" that makes it pleasing to the eye. http://bit.ly/gnFvXs

Logo: Yes!! I think the logo is claiming a redesign. How? Opening Photoshop and letting the creativity do the job :icon_wink I could try something by myself, but I don't promise anything xD

Resources: They could be improved in some way. I think the section is kinda forgotten, and should be one of the most important parts on EC

Forums: Adding more categories would be a good idea. If you want to see threads about "advice on coming out", you should not see them mixed with "advice on relationships", for example.
In addition, a notification system please! xD

I have more ideas, but they would suppose the change of the "vBulletin kernel", so better not

 

It's a good idea in theory (so are a lot of other things!), but I think someone explained to me the reasons this could happen. If I remember correctly, mods and other big guys/gals upstairs use quotations to help alert the system of someone they're looking into or something. The system, however, wouldn't be able to distinguish the difference between a quote from someone in a regular thread, or a moderator; so the person being brought to attention would be alerted that a mod had quoted them.

I looked into it, and I started a thread on this. It would have been handy to have been able to quote from another thread, though.

Yes, the latter is a suggestion.

 

Monster reply from me, here goes...

Site colours
I've been happy with the blue and grey for EC, only because they're neutral, although I think having the option to change the colour scheme for the user might be nice; as Nazo suggested, so everyone can have their bright and colourful, or their natural tones, whatever takes their fancy. Perhaps for those more ambitious, the ability to change the colours, like we can do on our profiles, though I'm not sure if that'll be possible.

Logo
To be honest, I've never really noticed the open door logo, only because it's blue and grey like the rest of EC, maybe a new version would be nice to update it? I've bookmarked the forum front page, but the actual front page of EC's nice I think, with those pictures down the left side.
I think the slogan's good, no change needed

Resources
I'm not a big user of the resource pages myself, but I certainly think they are useful. Just a thought, which itIsME already said, it's kind of forgotten, perhaps a new forum in the Support*Advice Area with the resources articles in them?
I think it'll be nice to have a place where members could submit their own articles and such like, perhaps to the hypothetical 'Resources' forum after moderation from the Higher Powers of EC; I know a couple of people have written papers or essays on various LGBT topics that they might like to just share. I think there's also a multitude of the more longer coming out stories hiding in blogs and around the site, but somewhere where we could post and read them all in one place / post excerpts and link further to one's blog, would be good.

Forums
I've watched the Artwork Forum discussion play out, and although I think it might be a quiet forum compared to the Fun&Games, say, it'll be frequented by those who would like to share and look at other's art, so I'm all for it, I would be interested in looking at art and photography personally

Debating forum, hmmm, I can see the appeal, because there have been News and ChitChat threads that have been somewhat taken over by a debate between one or more members, which either detracts away from the original post or might dissuade someone from adding a comment on the original post, but not wanting to disrupt the debate. Personally I find them a little intimidating, but that's me XD
If there was a specific Debate place, it might be good, as then there's a great focus for a good, proper and solid debate; perhaps we can set up motions with teams of two or three members speaking for and against a motion?

I think the current support categories are fine as they are, though perhaps make the sticky threads more noticeable; ie if we keep the current colour scheme, they appear as they do at the top of the page, but their background listing is a different colour, say yellow, something not white (if that makes any sense?)

As for the anonymous section, it's good, though from personal experience, when I want to show my identity on them, I've taken time to write a long response (which sometimes they require) and that little box is notorious at going unticked! Thinking about how to improve it, so we don't have the whole "^ that was me, sorry!" business, perhaps we don't have a 'submit reply' straight away but it goes into a 'preview' screen - that way there's one more chance to make sure you're Anon or you? Also, I've found on occation that along with the original poster who's Anon, there are other members who also are Anon and it can be hard to tell them apart, is there a way to automatically add "OP" in front of the original poster's further responses to the thread, just something simple like that?

And I second/third the idea for having an alert system which you can subscribe to particular thread, or when someone's quoted you, so you have your little "3 unread messages" at the top right under "Welcome -username-", and it'll have a new "1 reply to threads you follow" and "you were quoted in 2 comments" or something like that? Though of course, not everyone might be interested in every time they're quoted, so an extra tick-box in our settings so we have the option to be notified?

Also a final comment on replying to threads in general; I often find myself wanting to use the odd smilie that's not the or anything like that, things like the jaw-dropping one, but I can never remember the short-cuts for them and have to trawl through the pop up window for it; is there anyway we can have a small area under the Quick Replay message box (like the one in the 'advanced' one) only the user can customise it with similes they use often?

Phew, my fingers hurt! There's my many two-cents worth of input :lol:

 

Also how about if Full Members be given the option to remove the text box notice at the top of the page.

Resources could we have those updated with maybe more stories/letters.

 

Resources

I would love to see this section expanded to books, links, movies, even music. I think it should be a vital part to EC. Being that EC is a resource and guide to helping other come out and find themselves.

 

i double quote you on this

 

I would like to see a more seemliness design. Less corners, and better graphics. I think we need to give EC a unique look instead of the standard forum design.

Also (and I have no idea if this is even possible) maybe we can add a chat thing like facebook has.

 

I don't see how that could work with EC's current security protocols at all.

 

Definitively this forum is unique in the whole interwebz, really, I've searched...

I think having an "international" sub-section where people can seek help in their native languages might be a good place to start.

 

Some kind of better mobile support would be good, as the current mobile theme is targeted at WAP phones etc. and is very hard to use with a touchscreen device such as a modern smartphone.

 

I'm pretty sure he didn't mean connecting through facebook. He meant like the way you can see what friends are on EC and just start instant messaging and stuff, like the chat that facebook has. (hopefully that makes sense)

 

I don't know if this has been said, but maybe a cleaner/less buggy chatroom? There are a lot of times when it doesn't load at all or forgets my settings and all that.

And I am totally down with a cleaner layout overall.

EDIT:

There's something similar to that in the chatroom right now, the private chat. But I'm assuming you'd want to expand that feature to the entire site?

 

i still really like the artwork forum or sub-forum idea, techonogy isnt a widly posted in spot but it still contributes you know? if art is posted as of right now it has the tendency to get swallowed up by the rest of the threads. i think theres enough people who woud use it to justify it

 

Has the top thingy always been "Empty Closets - A safe online community for gay, lesbian, transgendered people coming out." Because I'm not sure if I'm going crazy or it was changed from emptyclosets. Please change it back, it's obnoxiously long.

---------- Post added 19th Apr 2011 at 10:36 AM ----------

Why not? You can private message in the chat room.

 

It's a recent change. It's rather annoying, because it appears in more than just there. It's on the tab title and all that stuff.

 

Ok good I'm not crazy. And I agree. That the problem exactly. It just appears very cluttered. I'm used to using it to get back to the forum.