What should the ICU website do?

reunion

HaraldSchmidt wrote: »

A friend of mine mentioned that this thread could be seen as a criticism of Mark Orr's work.

I don't think anyone has said Mark has done a bad job or critisised the code that's been written.

Rather, potentially the layout and some terminology. Nothing major really (in my opinion)

Tim Harding

One minor thing I would recommend is that stale news is removed promptly e.g. announcements of events that have already taken place (like the City Of Dublin) can still be seen if you scroll down the main page of www.icu.ie

Most of the stuff that's there should probably be in a News sub-menu.

I agree that "Shop" is wrong. That should be "Join" or something similar.
"Sign Up" should perhaps be "Register".

Paying a GM to annotate games, as has been suggested, is a waste of money. You cannot compete with the likes of Chess24.

Of course the irishchessunion.net site should be closed down, though if the ICU does not own it that could be troublesome?

Finally, if the icu.ie official site implements any kind of comment feature (which is doubtful) it would need to be very carefully moderated with a lawyer's eye.
It should absolutely NOT be possible for anybody (as happened last month on the .net site) to post derogatory comments about anyone, and especially not under the name of a member who didn't even write that message. The site should keep strictly to facts.

pawntof4

Tim Harding wrote: »

Paying a GM to annotate games, as has been suggested, is a waste of money. You cannot compete with the likes of Chess24.

I wasn't suggesting that we try to compete with those sites. The annotation of games from ICU tournaments by a GM could add something to the tournament, especially for lower rated players. I can't see any games from Drogheda's minor section ending up on Chess24

Tim Harding

pawntof4 wrote: »

I wasn't suggesting that we try to compete with those sites. The annotation of games from ICU tournaments by a GM could add something to the tournament, especially for lower rated players. I can't see any games from Drogheda's minor section ending up on Chess24

Fair enough but you don't need to pay anyone, least of all a GM, to annotate the best game from the Drogheda minor. There are probably a few 2000+ players who would do it occasionally if asked nicely. Of course if the notes chiefly consisted of engine variations there wouldn't be much point.

zug_zwang

I think the website should be a tool for promoting chess in Ireland both as a portal for Irish chess players, but also information for those who may become chess players.
The website should contain information about forthcoming tournaments, events, reports from tournaments in Ireland and from Irish players who have played internationally, information and links to the provincial unions, chess in schools, and events in world chess. Articles on chess players from interviews or indeed on chess clubs could be interesting for chess players and clubs to share their story. Also historical information on previous Irish chess figures and tournaments hosted here.

I however do not think it should be a forum for washing your dirty laundry in public, what impression must this give to the non Irish chess insider who would view the website.

GaborHorvath

Tim Harding wrote: »

Fair enough but you don't need to pay anyone, least of all a GM, to annotate the best game from the Drogheda minor. There are probably a few 2000+ players who would do it occasionally if asked nicely. Of course if the notes chiefly consisted of engine variations there wouldn't be much point.

As a 2000+ player I wouldn't mind analysing a few games occasionally if asked nicely. Say, a few games from every bigger tournament. I am sure there would be more volunteers.

iriship

Just to say, I do think the website needs work to navigate better. BUT its hard work and there will all way be some who thinks its wrong.

A BIG THANK YOU to all who do the work.

sinbad68

HaraldSchmidt wrote: »

What should the ICU website do ?

The ICU website should remind the new crowd in ICU, that they have forgotten all about the Irish women championship this year!.

Tim Harding

sinbad68 wrote: »

The ICU website should remind the new crowd in ICU, that they have forgotten all about the Irish women championship this year!.

The announcement of the Women's Championship (to be held after Christmas) is still on the main icu.ie news page, but you have to scroll down to find it below other stuff which is now out of date and should be moved to an archive page.

vigos

As an adult beginner just starting to look into how to get started with the basics it was one of the first sites that came up but found nothing useful, on the other hand this forum has thrown up some useful threads

Tim Harding

vigos wrote: »

As an adult beginner just starting to look into how to get started with the basics it was one of the first sites that came up but found nothing useful, on the other hand this forum has thrown up some useful threads

The Irish Chess Union site should certainly offer something for local beginners - how to find your nearest club for example - but cannot be expected to provide lessons for beginners. They chiefly need generic chess sites where they can play games, watch master tournaments and find coaching information.
I recommend chess24.com and I expect other forum members can suggest their favourites also.

historian

I realise that those charged with administering the ICU website have had their hands full recently, However, now that they appear to have managed to wrest control of the domain name back from the cyber squatter, perhaps they might address the quality of the front page (news). The last 15 news postings have been terse one- or two-liners. Could some consideration be given by those responsible (Webmaster, PRO, Chairman) to the current dire nature of the news items.

For instance, this news item http://www.icu.ie/news/1270 on forthcoming events links to this article http://www.icu.ie/articles/516. As the article is only 125 words long, it is clearly redundant and could simply have been a news item.

There are a number of news items in those 15 posts advertising various events, either completed, underway or still to be held. Could an editor provide some context for these in the news items or failing that ask the organisation being advertised for an adequate exposition (even 100 words would be something) of their event.

sinbad68

historian wrote: »

The last 15 news postings have been terse one- or two-liners. Could some consideration be given by those responsible (Webmaster, PRO, Chairman) to the current dire nature of the news items.

For instance, this news item http://www.icu.ie/news/1270 on forthcoming events links to this article http://www.icu.ie/articles/516. As the article is only 125 words long, it is clearly redundant and could simply have been a news item.

The current structure is superior to previous one, when 2 or 3 articles used to fill up the whole news section on homepage. Much more info and articles can now be fitted on homepage using two liners, if you are interested in the event or the info, you can click on the link and read about it.I totally disagree with you about your complaint.

boy98

What should the ICU website do?

be working

sinbad68

ICU having a facebook page is a positive development,well done to executive, but it should have a permanent link on ICU homepage, if you look for it in facebook search, several accounts with similar names shows up and can be confusing.

sinbad68

ICU homepage has become very dynamic and now has a link for facebook account which is great, Many tournaments are advertised and you can comment there, If you post comments under a tournament there, do organisers read & respond there or Not ?

I am going to Gonzaga next, was checking the event on ICU facebook

https://www.facebook.com/events/1670494693209316/

Why does it say, they hope to top the 123 turnout last year when 152 players played last year ?!!.

I played in gonzaga last year , the top section was split and put in 2 separate small rooms away from the main playing hall, presumably for more peace and quiet, But this was simply a case of from frying pan into the fire . The doors of these rooms would slam close with a loud bang anytime anyone was entering or leaving the room ( basically every minute)and caused great nuisance, don't take my word for it, ask our current ICU PR who spent a few minutes trying to fix it, I put a folded piece of paper beside the hinge of doors in both rooms , so the doors would gently land on their frame without slamming close but clueless individuals kept removing it. Keeping doors wide open would expose rooms to cold and noise from corridor.It would be good if organisers do something with doors and if they won't, then bring top section to the main hall as it much easier to desensitise to constant chatter & mild noise in the background than...... silence ....BANG....silence...BANG !.

Tim Harding

sinbad68 wrote: »

I played in gonzaga last year , the top section was split and put in 2 separate small rooms away from the main playing hall, presumably for more peace and quiet, But this was simply a case of from frying pan into the fire . ..

I wish it had been fire. The two rooms were cold, especially the comparatively empty one with fewer boards. I was almost shivering on the Sunday and when it wasn't my move went to the main room where there was some heat.

DmanDmythDledge

New layout on the ICU homepage is a great improvement.

sinbad68

ICU facebook is great, personally speaking, I think only ICU members should be allowed to post comments ( by becoming friends of ICU facebook account)and we don't get spamming as we are getting now. Putting events in chronological order would also help and once event is passed, it goes to the bottom of page, I'm busy now but hope to create a facebook account where I will discuss my thoughts on chess without having my posts snipped and deleted, Sinbad didn't cross the seven seas to come to this island to have his freedom of speech curtailed by a keyboard warrior !.

sinbad68

ICU Calendar is one of the most important features on ICU site , why is the tab removed from the top of site and stuck under "upcoming events " with far less visibility?. Thumbing up & down is also an unnecessary gimmick on the site. ICU site has gone under revolutionary changes and greatly improved but perhaps time has come to rest it on the table for a while instead of constantly fiddling with it.

HaraldSchmidt

Calendar is back on the menu.

sinbad68

HaraldSchmidt wrote: »

Calendar is back on the menu.

Yes I see it now , we both must have had an old cache in our PC's, that why we couldn't see it earlier.

sinbad68

Several events are now being advertised in ICU calendar in Irish language . This is Ireland and it's perfectly fine to advertise events in Irish language if organiser chooses to, but many ICU members can't read Irish and it would be good if organiser/ICU were more inclusive and English translation was also available so all members could understand, Also there is NO info about the format of advertised competitions, you need to ring a mobile phone number to get info!. I think webmaster should have a quick look at material sent to him to be posted in calendar section and if Not enough info as in this cases ( entry fee, age sections, time format, number of rounds ) the event should Not be advertised until sufficient info is also provided in the organiser's link.

I don't want to get into politics of it, but the fact that English is the primary language spoken on this island has been great help economically to the people of this island, being fluent in English has helped countless Irish emigrants to integrate & secure jobs overseas, Lots of students & tourists come to Ireland every year for study/holiday because English is the primary language here. I also doubt many of the multi-nationals would have moved their base to Ireland and created all those jobs if English was not the first language, certainly Sinbad would not have been here in first place ( may be a good thing for Ireland ?:rolleyes: )

HaraldSchmidt

The events are junior events for players who go to Gaelscoileanna, where Irish is used to teach all subjects apart from English. It is also expected that Irish is used as the main language during the events. As such, you are not one of the people who could play in such an event.

sinbad68

@HeraldSchmidt . thanks for clarification. When you don't speak the language , you don't know what is going on, little info there anyway, If The couple of lines you've typed above was available where I clicked on ICU calendar link, it would have been great, talking languages someone with a username like yours must be fluent in German?.

HaraldSchmidt

Sinbad: You will find that translate.google.com will automatically recognize Irish and do an excellent job translating it.

We live in a multilingual country, where one language, English, is completely dominant. I find it quite amusing when people complain that another language has been used instead, especially when this is the normal situation for people who prefer to use a language other than English.

I am quite sure that you can speak more than one language, and that you should appreciate the beauty and wonder of that ability.

sinbad68

HaraldSchmidt wrote: »

I find it quite amusing when people complain that another language has been used instead

If you read my comment again, you'll see, I did NOT complain that a Language other than English was used. merely that it would be good if English translation or explanation was also available so everyone could understand, I also pointed out to the lack of info about the event.

sinbad68

Many tournament organisers have chosen to use ICU site for payment options, The problem, ICU site is geared towards ICU members, if Non-ICU members decided to enter for example Bray Rapid, they would have difficulty entering on line, their entry should also be facilitated .

reunion

sinbad68 wrote: »

Many tournament organisers have chosen to use ICU site for payment options, The problem, ICU site is geared towards ICU members, if Non-ICU members decided to enter for example Bray Rapid, they would have difficulty entering on line, their entry should also be facilitated .

You do raise a valid point for members of other federations who wish to enter. I gather that could be sorted via an email first. Not-ideal but the payment facility offered by the ICU is a new concept (for the ICU).

The ICU facilitates payment for it's members. It is up to the organisers to faciliate payment for non ICU members to enter their tournament (if they are permitted to enter). The payment facility is new, it should be aimed initially at ICU members and then expanded (if it works).

sinbad68

I think it is only fair for the previous poster on this thread to know that, as he is on my ignore list, Boards.ie lets me see the name of the poster but can't read the post ( to be aware, in case he is talking to me ).