Mudcat Design Suggestions

Subject: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Feb 01 - 04:26 PM

I happen to know that Max has been tweaking things over the last day or so. You'll notice a big change at the top of the Help Forum. I thought I'd start a thread and ask people if there's anything they'd like to see. So, post away!

Here are some suggestions I'd like Max to consider:

• Rename the Help Forum to "Technical Help Forum" so people don't request lyrics there
  (or maybe just a statement under the title "For technical problems only - music questions go here (click)")
• Do something to make the green links at the top of the page look more like links - frame them or make them look like buttons or something
• Add a "PermaThread Index (Reference Information)" link to the top of the list of threads
  (or maybe should it be a Mudcat Index, a site map that would serve as a general directory for Mudcat?)
• Index the online Digital Tradition by title, so we can access songs by title and not only by a full-text search of the lyrics
• Develop a consistent way to link to songs in the Digital Tradition, so all the song links we post don't expire every time a new edition of the DT is released

Here are some features Max is already playing with. There's no need to suggest these, because Max has already started experimenting with them:

• Doing away with the need for line breaks in Forum Messages
• Putting personal messages on a separate page, or on the top of the Personal Pages, so people can access PM's quicker
• Making the information at the top of pages more compact, so a reader can see more without scrolling down
• Many very nice refinements to SuperSearch
• Expanded editing features for JoeClones

Any other ideas people might like to suggest? I know that many people think we need more signs and links to direct people around. That can be helpful, but I think that every sign and caveat we add, adds to the clutter and can make things more confusing. Generally, Max has designed things with an uncluttered look, and I think that's very good. People may stumble a bit when they first visit us, but most people seem to find their way quite easily. -Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 24 Feb 01 - 04:40 PM

The "Quick Links" box tends to get overlooked.  It might be particularly useful to have a link to Alan's Mudcat Midi Pages visible on the main page, now that they have expanded into a considerable resource in their own right.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: catspaw49
Date: 24 Feb 01 - 04:42 PM

Delete tha "What's On" and add the "Perma-Thread Index" so we can find and or point to them easily......I like that one Joe. Reducing the page size at the top would be nice and the others don't sound bad either. The Perma-Thread thing would be a lot easier.

Also, CLETUS just asked, "Whut about sum pitchers uv nekkid wimmen iffen ya' cud seez yur way kleer?"

Right then.......

JOE....I'll get to the Instrument Links transfer...PROMISE!

Spaw

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Feb 01 - 04:47 PM

How about making the Quick Links bigger or more noticeable? I like all of the other ideas, too, they all sound great, esp. the no need for line breaks...you'll have to give us JoeClones more to do, 'casue that'll wipe out half our work!**BG**

Thanks for all that you do, Joe, and you, too, Max! It is still the best and most elegant site on the net.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Feb 01 - 04:49 PM

Forgot, tho it's been mentioned before...the abillity to delete a PM immediately after reading, rather than having to archive first. I have so many PM's 'cause I just don't take the time to go through all of them to see which ones to keep and which to dump. That would make it a lot easier and clean up some clutter, too.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Feb 01 - 05:18 PM

RED PermaThreads.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Feb 01 - 07:56 PM

you mean.."Teal away, teal away to...." (sorry it just came over me)

I would like to see the links at the top look more like buttons, so folks would use'em.

There is one funny technical thing I have mentioned before...when I do a forum search, I get a list of threads..for example, when I searched on 'flamingos' I got many message links..and I saw the one I wanted.

http://www.mudcat.org/Detail.CFM?messages__Message_ID=40800 ...very nice. But if I decide to go to the THREAD from there, I get this address:

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.CFM?threadID=6798

..which gets me a blank screen and a legend at the top that says 'GIF image 32x32 pixels' !!!...it took me months to realize that in order to go to that thread, I needed to change it so that 'threadID' was all in lower case 'threadid'. This address:

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.CFM?threadid=6798 ..gets me right where I wanted to go...

I have NO idea why this is a problem, or whether it happens to others... Max mused on it briefly once, but never seemed to resolve it, as there are always more pressing problems. Still.........

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Amos
Date: 24 Feb 01 - 11:09 PM

Multiple checkbox-selection of PMs so you can batch delete or archive them. And I would LOVE to be able to somehow do a batch save-as on a selected group of PMs. AND sort 'em by heading (From, to, Date, Topic) to enable you to save only certain sets.

And do the same on selected messages you have pulled up by author or subject.

A

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Max
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 12:49 AM

I always thought to ask God: "Why begin an endless task?"

Thanks Joe, and everyone else. Yes, great changes to come. The biggest of which is the numerous Harry Fox Agency banner ads. You'll have to scroll a lot and accept 7 cookies, but I think that's a fair tradeoff.

Oh, and I think you are gonna love the new black background and yellow text. Really Jumps off the page. Prints almost white, which the HFA really likes.

Also for convenience sake (and as a courtesy for our newer members) all insane members' posts will appear in pink italic bold. I made a research coop deal with the University of Indiana Cognitive Science Department. I give them special access to the discussion forum and they provide me with pharmaceutical grade LSD for my work on the time machine.

Since I actually got out to a few festivals, gatherings, sings and whatnot last year, and I realized that many of us that enjoy traditional music are illiterate. I think its elitist to have the Mudcat in mere written words. And because our fundraising for the year 2000 reached such an extraordinary level, we can now afford a staff of real-time-readers. Simply connect to our real audio server and choose from the many available voices. Men, women, and in many of your favorite accents including Icelandic, Irish, Scottish and Finish.

Over much discussion with dick, we've decided that Hip Hop lyrics will be added to the DT. Also, we've done a search and replace in the DT to replace any reference to Gordon Bok with Johnny Cash. So NIGHT RIDER'S LAMENT will be listed as written and performed by Johnny Cash. Conversely, All Johnny Cash references will be in pink italic bold. All references to Max will be replaced with "God of Love and All Things Cool".

All Catspaw posts will be in pink italic bold.

We'll be selling your email addresses to anyone and everyone with a dollar.

All credit cards on file to date will be charges a one time fee of $25. Charges on your monthly statement will appear as "Hard Core Porn, Inc.", "Cigarettes for The Homeless Campaign" or "George W. Bush".

And last but not least, we're using the last of our 2001 budget (already) for a Brewmeister in my office. Keep that auction going, we're gonna need a new keg in no time.

Thanks again everyone for supporting the Mudcat and furnishing my new penthouse apartment, I really appreciate it. It may take some time to get used to the partnership with The Harry Fox Agency, but they promised that the transition will be more like a broken neck than a festering gut wound.

Happy surfing everyone.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 01:01 AM

Oh, I guess that means a search function for user name only would be too much for the PM's?? How many banner ads would we have to add for that?

And, can I have my postings in purple? I really don't look very good in pink. Will the University be wanting us to visit and meet with them? Do they know about the NYCFTTS? Do we get to keep the jello pit?

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 01:34 AM

I suppose I will have to find out what I will look like in this new color scheme sooner or later. What I really want to know is whether there are any of us here who won't end up in pink italic bold. Jon

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From:
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 07:17 AM

Thanks guys. It looks like it'll be nice. Will bet everyone will love it too.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Jeri
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 09:07 AM

Damn - Jon got to it first.

You shouldn't have mentioned the Brewmeister. How many guests can Mudcat Radio handle? OK, everybody start heading to the Mudcat Tower. Party at the penthouse afterwards...

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Morticia
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 09:47 AM

Oh damn, I was afraid this might happen

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 09:57 AM

Just in case we have any members too sane to qualify for pink, I had better find out what they will look like. As far as I understand it, they are yellow and don't get treated to bold and italics. Jon

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From:
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 10:09 AM

Wow! I didn't realize it would be like that! Looks nice, I think! Oh well, let the games begin! Whoo! This is going to take some getting used to. Glad I don't use the GBS too often (Graphical Browswer System). 8-)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Glad I don't get changed around like Jeri or Jon. Don't think my heart could take it.

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Jeri
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 10:26 AM

Apparently the pinkification script is malfunctioning. Do one of the other JoeClones want to change George's message to pink, or shall I do it? (Just kidding.)

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 10:36 AM

Where the sanity of a member is yet to be determined but insanity is suspected, the posts will mysteriously change to orange to mark the expected transition from yellow to pink. Jon

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 10:52 AM

Thank goodness I am totally sane and will never be confused with all the other strange people around here...Max has made life SO much easier! Bill

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Amos
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 12:26 PM

 

Mad!  Mad!  You're all stark raving MAD!!! Regards,   A

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 01:29 PM

re-reading Max's post, I see he needs the RA reader...*grin*..wonder what colors HIS future posts will be.

" your favorite accents including Icelandic, Irish, Scottish and Finish. " some of the accents around here would 'finish' ME!

"replace any reference to Gordon Bok with Johnny Cash. So NIGHT RIDER'S LAMENT will be listed as written and performed by Johnny Cash. " Gordon Bok didn't write that..tsk!

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Amos
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 02:53 PM

I propose a theme song for Max's new regime, where opinions about other peoples' sanity is the rule of the day and judgemental colored brands are worn by the convicted, rightly or wrongly, for all to see. Come to think of that didn't we try that back in Plymouth Colony or some such backwater?

Regards,

A

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Mark Clark
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 03:56 PM

Many folks have already submitted their suggestions in Max's thread from last September called "Mudcat Changes Coming, Suggestions Here". Folks who posted there will certainly remember that they did so, others may wish to read that thread to see if their ideas have already been suggested.       - Mark

Subject: RE: Mudcat Design Suggestions
From: Kernow John
Date: 25 Feb 01 - 03:56 PM

Got to agree it's big of Max to use the Cornish national colours. (The Gold on Black looks great George.
KJ