Suggestion: Getting The Most From Boards.ie Video

Doge

Greetings Boards Staff,

I think it would be a great idea if there was a boards.ie youtube video,
with tips and tutorials on how to get the most out of using the features of both the forum/website

(if such a thing already exists then maybe if it was more accessible, i.e on the front page it would be great!)

The forum is vast with all of its subforums, and sub sub forums!
And can take quite a while to master with the vast amount of content,
and links squeezed into the page.

For instance, I have only now stumbled upon the "Follow: Forum" function, which is really handy.

The video could also include:
thread subsriptions,
contact lists
**A quick overview of the different sections of the forum
Embedding Media
Using the Search


Boards is definitely one of the largest forums I've seen online in terms of sub-forums, which is impressive, but can be intimidating for new users to find their way around.


Maybe 1 video is not enough, and a video in a sticky for each sub forum might be even more efficient!

There are probably a lot more features that could be added, but this is all my brain can handle at 1am on Saturday night!

Just thought I'd share this feedback and not let it go to waste!

_AVALANCHE_

^^^ This is the only thing I missed, I was a good month here before I copped that. I must suggest it to Spear to add it to the Stickys. here and here.

Everything else you've mentioned is obvious if you just look around the pages.

minidazzler

There is no point in doing a video like that until the move away from vBulletin is completed in the next year or so.

But it would be a really good idea once that is done.

_AVALANCHE_

Who's gonna do the voice over? Text pop ups would be cheap looking.

KeithM89_old

_AVALANCHE_ wrote: »

Who's gonna do the voice over? Text pop ups would be cheap looking.

This guy

_AVALANCHE_

KeithM89 wrote: »

This guy

I can't help but read his posts in the Reggie characters voice from the Nutty Professor.:D

Spear

_AVALANCHE_ wrote: »

^^^ This is the only thing I missed, I was a good month here before I copped that. I must suggest it to Spear to add it to the Stickys. here and here.

Everything else you've mentioned is obvious if you just look around the pages.

I'd be hesitant to add that piece. It's just not frequently (or ever) asked about. Plus I don't want to fill the FAQs with too much stuff, it's hard enough to get people to read the basic info as it is.

Morag

For years this site had no staff and then when it did it was to answer letters and feed the hamsters. In all those long and many years boardsie did this sort of stuff themselves.

So why not start it yourself, waveform?

Dav

minidazzler wrote: »

There is no point in doing a video like that until the move away from vBulletin is completed in the next year or so.

Basically, this. The site is going to be completely overhauled and this has been on the cards since before I started working for the company, so we never tabled this as a project knowing it'd have to be done so soon.

Someone did do a series of tutorial videos for a college project, but until it was graded and completed, they couldn't be released. I'll look into that again and see what the progress is with them - I was flying solo in the office when last I heard from them and had no time to talk about it with everything else I had going on.

Doge

Dav wrote: »

Basically, this. The site is going to be completely overhauled and this has been on the cards since before I started working for the company, so we never tabled this as a project knowing it'd have to be done so soon.

Someone did do a series of tutorial videos for a college project, but until it was graded and completed, they couldn't be released. I'll look into that again and see what the progress is with them - I was flying solo in the office when last I heard from them and had no time to talk about it with everything else I had going on.

Thanks Dav. Have ye decided on the successor to vbulletin yet?

I saw your post from a few months back about re-structuring the categories, and was thinking it might be better to wait for that alright.

When the time comes, I'll try and come up with some better suggestions. Cheers.

Doge

Sharrow wrote: »

For years this site had no staff and then when it did it was to answer letters and feed the hamsters. In all those long and many years boardsie did this sort of stuff themselves.

So why not start it yourself, waveform?

I wouldn't make for a great presenter tbh!

But yeah, it could be certainly one for the boardsies, and I'm sure there are plenty that would be willing to do it, for the sake of experience in online broadcasting or trying out new recording gear or whatever!

Maybe even a free premium subscription could be offered for the best entry if people failed to volunteer!

There's plenty of ways to coax people into doing it hehe!

Boards.ie: Neil

waveform wrote: »

Thanks Daz. Have ye decided on the successor to vbulletin yet?

I saw your post from a few months back about re-structuring the categories, and was thinking it might be better to wait for that alright.

When the time comes, I'll try and come up with some better suggestions. Cheers.

The successor to vbulletin is the boards Api that we have been working on for the last 18 months (and continually work on).

I actually can't wait for us to start on the new design. After being on boards for the last 10+ years personally I'm looking forward to a design that isn't from the 1990's.

Morag

waveform wrote: »

Thanks Daz.

Avatar change needed in Aisle 3 Avatar change needed.

Doge

Sharrow wrote: »

Avatar change needed in Aisle 3 Avatar change needed.

Ah ****! Sorry!

And I knew it was dav when i was typing that post!

Doge

Boards.ie: Neil wrote: »

The successor to vbulletin is the boards Api that we have been working on for the last 18 months (and continually work on).

Now that's impressive! Can't wait either.

_AVALANCHE_

Boards.ie: Neil wrote: »

The successor to vbulletin is the boards Api that we have been working on for the last 18 months (and continually work on).

How much different is it gonna be though? Any site live at the minute that's like it?

minidazzler

Boards.ie: Neil wrote: »

The successor to vbulletin is the boards Api that we have been working on for the last 18 months (and continually work on).

I actually can't wait for us to start on the new design. After being on boards for the last 10+ years personally I'm looking forward to a design that isn't from the 1990's.

So, how much are you dreading the typical facebook style of completely retarded responce calling for the old style back and people saying the new one is IMPOSSIBRU to use.

Release all information on people who do, I'll take care of them, I really really hate people who complain about progress, especially since it's needed so badly here (presuming you guys aren't lying about vbulletin being crap for boards size :pac:)

_AVALANCHE_ wrote: »

How much different is it gonna be though? Any site live at the minute that's like it?

IIRC they haven't really started on the GUI yet, which is what the site will look like, the API is the actual internal workings of the site because boards is literally too big for it's boots.

Though, I'm making the presumption that the new search will be what the general layout will be like, simple and non-invasive.

_AVALANCHE_

waveform wrote: »

I wouldn't make for a great presenter tbh!

I still nominate waveform!! (If the college ones are a no-go)

:P:P

http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.html I think is the recorder used in most of the Youtube Tutorials I've watched....has a free trial.



Make the yellow circle nice and big wave!:D

Boards.ie: Neil

_AVALANCHE_ wrote: »

How much different is it gonna be though? Any site live at the minute that's like it?

It's going to be a totally bespoke solution both in how it looks and feels. There will be no site that is currently out there that we will be "copying"

minidazzler wrote: »

So, how much are you dreading the typical facebook style of completely retarded responce calling for the old style back and people saying the new one is IMPOSSIBRU to use.

I'm not dredding it at all but it's in the backs of everyone in the office minds. We'll just have to use adverts.ie as a case study. That got a lot of slack when it was redesigned but suffice to say it's going really well now. You'll always get people who will complain though.

Release all information on people who do, I'll take care of them, I really really hate people who complain about progress, especially since it's needed so badly here (presuming you guys aren't lying about vbulletin being crap for boards size :pac:)

We boards people joke about a lot of things, vbulletin being unsuitable for scaling a userbase is definitely not one of them.

IIRC they haven't really started on the GUI yet, which is what the site will look like, the API is the actual internal workings of the site because boards is literally too big for it's boots.

Though, I'm making the presumption that the new search will be what the general layout will be like, simple and non-invasive.

We have started to look at the GUI but its a long process that involves designers and iterations upon iterations.

As to how it will look well I have no idea :pac:

Dav

I wonder what the "Dav Doorstep Challenge" might be...?

Anyway, Camtasia is probably what I'd be using for new video tutorials - very nice bit of kit and simple to use, have done a few bits and pieces with it (recording Skype interviews being the most frequent).

As for the UI and so on, well I'd started this thread to gague people's thoughts on how we organise categories etc as a pre-cursor to re-designing. We have also hired a new guy to work on UI/UX (User Interface/Experience in case you're wondering) and this will be a big part of what he's doing.

I have all sorts of mad-cap ideas of what we could do, but until such a time as they've been sanitised and made safe for public consumption, I shall have to keep them to myself

Doge

_AVALANCHE_ wrote: »

I still nominate waveform!! (If the college ones are a no-go)

:P:P

http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.html I think is the recorder used in most of the Youtube Tutorials I've watched....has a free trial.



Make the yellow circle nice and big wave!:D

I had something fancier and more personal in mind like this:

Except with Screen recordings also, perhaps playing a projeced image behind the Host, pointing like a weather lady (or person) at the various features or whatever!


But i guess a plain old screen recording with narration would be okay too.

Or you could have both, with the host in the corner of the screen like this.....

minidazzler

Dav wrote: »

As for the UI and so on, well I'd started this thread to gague people's thoughts on how we organise categories etc as a pre-cursor to re-designing. We have also hired a new guy to work on UI/UX (User Interface/Experience in case you're wondering) and this will be a big part of what he's doing.

As a matter of interest, is the new guy a long term boardsie? As in someone who knows the site and what people want from it? I (obviously) don't need or want to know who he is, but knowing he is a (semi-)longterm boardsie would definitely put my mind at ease that he knows what he's at

Psst I made this suggestion two years ago.

shameless stealing of potential credit

:pac:

Doge

Deleted User wrote: »

Psst I made this suggestion two years ago.

shameless stealing of potential credit

:pac:

I'm just surprised it's not asked every month tbh!