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Henrik
| | Posted on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 10:57 pm: | 
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. It's not like folks are hopping into the KV and saying "Who can I help today?"
Well, if I may toot my own horn (and many others as well) that's exactly what I do. Now if you'd do the same, wouldn't that be a nice way to help people out now, while retaining the information for future Buell owners with similar issues in a way that they could be found later on?
A more communal and less "I'm here to have fun and I'll do what I want gosh darn it" attitude would be a nice approach.
Like I've said before, learn to use the search function - it's no more difficult than changing your oil.
Henrik |
Jackbequick
| | Posted on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 11:20 pm: |
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There are two basic ways to read the BadWeb, those are are:
(1) - To log on, go to the Search page, and use "Messages since I last searched for new messages" feature to read all message that are new since the last time you searched for new messages. Or,
(2) - To log on, come to the opening page, and to then select one of the listed topics such as the General Discussion Board, the Quick Board, or the XB Board. What I call the opening page is the one that you come to after the log on page. It has no real name of its own, says "Please support our sponsors!" at the top, and lists the topics.
Those using method (1) see all new messages since their last visit to BadWeb on a Search Result page. The result is a chronological list of all new messages, sorted by topic and then thread. The results lists the date and time of the post, the poster's username, and a few opening words from the post.
Those using method (2) will see the topic selected, the thread selected, and any other threads they pursue using the previous and next links. To move to another topic, they can use the Topic link at the top of any page to move to another topic.
Those using method (1) are made aware of every new post without regard for the topic or thread it is posted to. The Search Results are arranged chronologically by Topic and thread and they can click on the topic, thread, or post they want to read and it opens in a new browser window. Closing that window returns you to the Search Result page and you can quickly and easily skip over posts/threads not of interest to you. When you get to the bottom you are done.
Those that use method (2) go to a topic (the Quick Board for example), see a list of the current threads on the Quick Board, and click on any thread to read it. From within a thread, they can use the previous and next links to move to other threads. And they can return to select another Topic.
But those using method (2) will not see any messages under a topic that they do not select and go to. I think that is what creates concern that no one will see or reply to a question posted to the KV. Those using method (2) want to post the question to an area they usually read.
Every post made to the KV (or any other topic) will be seen by everyone that reads the board using method (1).
Everyone needs to give using method (1) a fair trial by using it for a week or so. I cannot imagine that anyone that gave it a fair trial would not want to continue to use it. It is simple to use once you get over the terror of an unfamiliar page and a process that requires a few seconds of thought the first two or three times you use it.
Having technical discussions and details posted to the topic they most closely relate to is a good idea. It means info can be found by searching smaller logical chunks instead of having to search the entire board. Blake's desire to have us post to appropriate topics arises from his desire to make the BadWeb a better place. He listens to you, tell him what topical categories you want to see in the KV and it will happen eventually.
And you that are saying that you should be able to post anything you want anywhere you want, how many of you have given the New Message Search feature a fair and honest trial? "Tried it once and didn't like it" is not a fair trial.
Jack |
Dave
| | Posted on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 11:29 pm: |
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Good post Jack. Spot on.
DAve |
Tunes
| | Posted on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 11:37 pm: |
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Surveyor has made a valid point and great suggestion. The KV does not provide me with the definitive, boiled-down data I'm looking for. Just copies of discussions that once resided in other areas of the site. Therefore, I still must sift thru data... and read line after line of conversation instead of finding an answer, like I would find in a tech manual. Bring the power of the KV back by making it useful.
Ronlv, I agree with you and Spatten1. It was a lot more fun before. 99% of my activities are now confined to reading instead of responding... and I visit this site several times every day. |
Buellin_ri
| | Posted on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 01:55 am: |
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xb board is a melting pot
It worked for the United States. |
Blake
| | Posted on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 03:40 am: |
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I hereby nominate Jack for custodian status! Great explanation Jack. Thank you!
We do have plans for the KV that will make it even more useful. As I posted in a prior thread mirroring this same discussion, we intend to create a front door to new KV threads that will automatically queary the user's year and model of motorcycle and related subject matter, then put that into the thread title. It may be a while. I want to wait until after the version 5.0 of Discus is released and has been out there working well for six months or so.
"Looks to me like if we put everything in the KV there would be nothing to post on the XB."
An exaggeration but a lot of truth too. And THAT is a major reason for using the KV! Right now with folks posting tech and other KV type threads to the XBoard, the darn listing of threads for the XBoard includes sometimes only two days worth of recent content, with older threads falling off into the archives. Hardly anyone bothers to peruse the archives.
"Like now most of the threads would be in the KV."
Halelujah, praise the lord! I think you are onto something!  Once all such threads are posted appropriately to the KV, the users who visit the KV will increase. I've already seen a big increase in my last push to get folks to post threads there. What jack posted about the "New Messages" search is so true. If you aren't using it, you ARE missing out BIGTIME on the absolute best and easiest way to browse BadWeB. I wish there was a way to impose that on users, make it the home page by default, but I only know to tell folks about it.
"Why not let people post their questions and solutions here and after it is over and done with then put it in the KV."
WAY too much work! If you want me to do stuff like that, you'll need to start paying me, a lot.
"...sometimes change is good."
Yes it sure is. Please note that I am trying to change the sloppy posting habits of some here on BadWeB. Oh, YOU didn't want to change. You want ME to change. heheheh.  You sound a lot like me.  Seriously though, thanks for helping out.
Henrik,
Thank you for your help and support, yet again. That you continue to take time to share your councel is one of the reasons I keep at this non-profit labor of love. Still a lot of pain for me here. Thanks for sticking around. If not for me, then definitely for all the other Buell enthusiasts. May God bless you good friend.
Come on guys, give the "New Messages" search utility a go and help me keep/get the place better organized, okay?
Even if we ever do create separate KV's based upon bike model, we will still need to post there, instead of here. Plenty of threads here that don't belong in the KV.
It may be possible to customize the XBoard and other model specific topics to also display links to active topics in the KV. In fact, I think that is a darn good idea. Will add that to the "to do" list.
Tunes,
If you or anyone else would like to take on the task of distilling the contents of the KV into a concise higly organized tech tips creation, I'd be very happy to support that effort.
And FYI, I really like what Henrik had to say. I too peruse the KV posts to see if I have anything that might help folks there with questions or issues they see fit to post.
Can I get everyone else to do the same?
I'm thinking long term. That makes a difference.
I remember when all we had was the general discussion board. LOL. Yeah, change is good.
Additionally, more folks using the "New Messages" search will significantly cut back on our bandwidth usage. Everytime someone visits the XBoard topic page for instance, poof, 100KB of bandwidth. That is another major reason for using the "New Messages" search utility. If everyone did so, the bandwidth usage would be much reduced. We're serving up and pumping out over 100GB per month now.
Search for Messages Since I Last Searched for New Messages. Simply click on the "Registered Users" radio button and enter your username and pw. When next you visit the site, simply click on th "Registered Users" button and your username and pw should already be filled in. Unless maybe for some reason you are wiping out your BadWeB cookie. That is an option in the user preferences of your profile.
Click "Perform Search".
Easy as pie.
Thanks to everyone who is willing to help and give the KV a shot. Once it is THE place for tech and related info, it will absolutely make the BadWeB a much more valuable resource.
(Message edited by Blake on October 22, 2005) |
Tunes
| | Posted on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 10:58 am: |
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Tunes, If you or anyone else would like to take on the task of distilling the contents of the KV into a concise higly organized tech tips creation, I'd be very happy to support that effort.
Blake - Sorry, I already perform this task for the International Norton Owners Association.. and being president and newsletter editor of the New England Norton Owners M/C prevents me from taking on any further tasks. You can see the results of my organizational and writing skills in the INOA Tech Digest ver 3.2. Maybe when I stop the Norton thing... |
Jackbequick
| | Posted on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 07:53 pm: |
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Thanks for the kind words, Blake and Dave. I don't think I want to be a custodian though.
This place is so good, and getting better. And its a lot of fun too.
Jack |
Henrik
| | Posted on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 08:09 pm: |
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Blake - my pleasure.
Henrik |
Blake
| | Posted on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 11:25 pm: |
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If anyone knows where Tunes lives, there's some good money in it if you can remove from his concern, the whole Norton thing.
Jack,
Honorary custodian then. ![: ]](http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/clipart/proud.gif) If you change your mind, let me know. |
Dana P.
| | Posted on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 11:27 pm: |
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Sheesh what does a guy have to say or do. |
Blake
| | Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 12:06 am: |
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First of all, not double post. |
Blake
| | Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 12:06 am: |
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Second of all, figure out how to delete one of the posts. |
Blake
| | Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 12:07 am: |
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Third... prove yourself worthy. |
Dana P.
| | Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 12:33 am: |
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Blake did ya have to post 3 times to tell me that when ya could have in one?? Sheesh!!! |
Blake
| | Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 01:58 am: |
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Fourth... don't aggravate Blake. |
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