Forum changes - your views please

[administrator]

Hi All,

As I have mentioned in a few other posts, we are going ahead with an upgrade to V4 of vbulletin and I have already set up a test environment and carried out an upgrade to a backup of the system. When we put the new version live I would like to make changes to the forum, introduce new categories where it will be useful, and add any other features you think are worthwhile.

Ideas so far are an FAQ section for new users to the forum where we can have stock answers for the likes of "Should I go Ltd or Umbrella", "Can I claim for my Xmas party", "Do agents need my NI number" etc.

Sub-fora for Umbrella Companies, Contracts, Contract Opportunities.

I like the General forum as it is. There have been calls for it to stick to its title of "General issues affecting and of interest to contractors." but I think a lot of the contracting issues are covered in other sections.

The terms and conditions of use are dated and we don't stick to them. I don't have a problem with people calling each other "cretin" or "twunt" but this kind of behaviour really only has a place in General and Light Relief.

Let me know what you would like to see on the forum, whether you think General should be cleaned up or left as-is, etc. Will be inviting user-testing in a week or two as well once the test site has your suggestions incorporated so send me a PM if you would be interested in looking over the new version before it goes live.

Many Thanks,

Admin

[Troll]

Let me know what you would like to see on the forum, whether you think General should be cleaned up or left as-is, etc.
Many Thanks,

Admin

Will there be a poll?

[AtW]

this kind of behaviour really only has a place in General and Light Relief.

Analogy: General to CUK is like what Taiwan is to China...

[Sockpuppet]

General is getting pointless. Partly the reason I don't post as much as I used to I can't be arsed with wading through page after page of crap.


Better than maybe a FAQ section which is a PITA when stuff changes would be a wiki section. Just limit any changes to approved by mod only and may be a bit better for the FAQ format becuase as regs change its easy to update the page.

[BolshieBastard]

Will there be a troll?

FTFY.

[NotAllThere]

In General, I'd like to see General left as it is. I'd propose an "Introductions" forum, so that newbies can post a "Hi, I've just turned up here" kind of post. ( Can that be enforced in the new version, I seem to recall it can ). At least that way, they wouldn't be savaged on their first post.

- will a "Contract Opportunities" subforum be hjacked by spamming agents? Or is it for contractor <-> contractor networking?

[Troll]

FTFY.

Trolls are for life - perhaps we need a split in the forums to accomodate all posters - General I retitled "For Real Men Only" and a General II for the rest of the namby-pamby bed wetters titled "For Sensitive Types"


Females can be honorary blokes in either

HTH

[Troll]

I'd propose an "Introductions" forum, so that newbies can post a "Hi, I've just turned up here" kind of post. ( Can that be enforced in the new version, I seem to recall it can ). At least that way, they wouldn't be savaged on their first post.

My guess is it will turn into a dating site - expect Lola & paula to make lots of visits

[northernladuk]

In General, I'd like to see General left as it is. I'd propose an "Introductions" forum, so that newbies can post a "Hi, I've just turned up here" kind of post. ( Can that be enforced in the new version, I seem to recall it can ). At least that way, they wouldn't be savaged on their first post.

- will a "Contract Opportunities" subforum be hjacked by spamming agents? Or is it for contractor <-> contractor networking?

Have to say not a fan of this idea. Why do we need a post like this. I believe CUK is a bit different to other 'community' type sites. This is a way of life to us and how we earn our cash. This doesn't lend well to a public/social community board. Just cause we contract doesn't mean we do the same job or have similar interests or anything. I don't really care who or what someone is, I will find out as they start to post interesting and factual content.

The fact people are using this as a social forum and not putting any effort in to the actual content this board is for is one of the reasons it has gone belly up recently IMO.

[HairyArsedBloke]

Can we have a sub-fora where AtW can be kept safely? At the moment he wanders around and leaves mess everywhere.

May I suggest the sub-fora be called 'AtW world of delusion'? We could pop in rattle the cage to check on him and then we could re-join the real world.

And.....

Can we have more smilies?