LOL ya. This is fresh out of the box message board. Design, shoutbox, smilies, and maybe some hacks to come soon!
Next thing is the redesign and the first features added right afterwards are the ones mentioned in this thread.
Dont leave it too long, anyone visiting for the first time may not come back if they see the site in this shape
a shout box would be nice would the disadvantage is lack of posting. everyone would be tobusy posting in the shout box. it would not give the forum a real good activity boost.
The forum had a shoutbox ever since it was open. So the posters expect it. They mainly use it to play around. Hardly any fighting discussion was carried on in it.
im just saying they might get lazy and just use the shoutbox instead of posting. you should make the shout box usable only if they have a certain amount of posts. so you know they are active members.
Personally diplomat, I feel the way you do. But this forum has had a shoutbox so long, if posters expect it and come back for it, then we will give it to them.
oh of coruse you shall because they are so used to having all those features... i completely understand were you are coming from.
I completely understand Diplomat's point of view. However, my personal philosophy is simply to provide the best possible experience for visitors and not worry too much about numbers of pages and statistics. Content is great and shoutboxes provide slightly different kinds of content. I'm certainly mindful of SEO as well, but happy visitors trumps that.
The important thing is trying to regain the activity of some of the ex members, the shout is an important feature even if it is'nt used much at fitrst, it will get utilised eventually!
Shoutbox is installed, I think you guys are going to like it! It's on the sidebar above the online members list. If you click the title bar saying "Shoutbox", it'll go full screen. It's also linked from a tab at the top navigation. Good places for this? What do you guys think of it?
