Hi All

One thing that could prove interesting is if the forum allowed the admin to post an announcement to all forums with a single click. This would permit the admin to make sure that all forums viewed his/her important message.

So, for instance, let's say that the admin wanted to warn everyone with something like the following:

"Quick, get under your beds. The sky is falling!"

Okay, now when the admin writes this, there might be a set of radio buttons indicating which type of announcement this should be. One of the options would be "Make Universal Announcement" or such.

If the admin clicks that radio button, then this announcement is posted at the top of all forums.

This type of thing could even have a timing element that could be configured for days, weeks, certain months, seasons, or whatever.

Okay, there's another 2 cents...

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Or how about a multiple select box or something so you could select which forums to post to.

owwwwwww

let's take this a step further.

since "the sky is falling" and not all folks take the time to read "announcements/stickies" ... make the announcement a redirect/refresh.

so you get
main screen -> click forum -> simple message with meta-refresh -> regular programmed station
or if user's have booked marked a forum
click bookmark -> message with meta-refresh -> regular wanted forum

cool idea.

I definitely want stickies too

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openoffice + gimp + sketch ...

This meta refreshing idea was not catching my mind.
But I like idea of Paul, to be able to select which forums we want to post announcement.

Just one more idea. We should be also able to select how long we want an announcement to be displayed: XX hours?, XX days?, XX week?

Best regards,
Webmaster33

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yeah ... but DogTags did mention that he wanted to warn everybody and not just those who would per chance happen to read the main announcement.

hehe .. addind functionality is always a plue.

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openoffice + gimp + sketch ...

If he would want to announce everybody, then he could select all categories, to display the announcement, so everybody will be able to read it.
It is that easy.

Best regards,
Webmaster33

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yes, I agree with what you're saying since many boards already have stickies as a feature.

But speaking from experince, I rarely read those announcements.

So how do you get your point to your users?

Which is why I mentioned a forced view when entering a forum with a meta refresh, could even cookie it so you only see X times, per admin setting.

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openoffice + gimp + sketch ...

Oh, I'm getting it.
You mean a red announcement text, which would be displayed on the center of a big blank white screen, with medium size characters. Then after a few second it will automatically go to the clicked link (e.g forum).

Not a bad idea. I heard about advertisements, which are working this way, and are sold as very expensive ad spaces...

So, I'm changing my mind, and I say it is interesting idea.
But would not be too disturbing for the users? I personally (as a forum user) would very hate this kind of announcement.

Best regards,
Webmaster33

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>>
You mean a red announcement text, which would be displayed on the center of a big blank white screen, with medium size characters.
<<

Mmm talk about tacky

If people don't want to read the announcement they shouldn't be forced. A sticky thread with a bold subject line is more than enough IMO....if people choose not to read it, then so be it.

I wrote:

I did not accepted the idea, just understood, and wrote it it an interesting idea.
But as I wrote, personally I would (very) not like it...

Best regards,
Webmaster33

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Ugh. This idea sucks, IMO (of course).

I've seen this on a forum where every time you hit the 'New Post' button you are presented with screen of posting guidelines before it is refreshed with the posting box. That really sucked.

- wil

Now if it was a different naked lady on every click then we may be onto something.....

Behave! ;-)

- wil

Yeah, it's tacky and what not. I would hate it myself, but ...

If it was cookied or something to to have it time-out / enter-out then it wouldn't be so bad.

I wasn't thinking of using it for guidelines but more of a general 1-off announcement.

Having it controlled by an admin setting.

lol ... for tacky sites then they could plug banners or what not in. ( a little of something for everybody )

lowest case denominator ... it's just an idea. And if nothing else, all of ya got a chance to pick on me thereby having to think up other ideas. hehe ... devil's advocate in a sense.

Besides, I'd really like to see G-Forum catch up to the other boards in "ahemm" optional hacks / functions.

hmmm ... if the refresh was fast enough you could pass subliminal messages.

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openoffice + gimp + sketch ...

I think that there are many good uses for a doorway page to a forum. Especially if controlled by an
"X times" viewed cookie.

*Terms and Conditions


*Special Offers


*System Announcements

*Advertising Space

*Feedback Requests

*and much more.



I dont know about the white page and red letters though...

I don't think it is a good idea to have the following displayed on a temporary page:
*Terms and Conditions:
(requires user interaction, that they must accept it. Not good for intermittent page.)
*Special Offers:
(it's more like advertising, so I would not treat this separately from advertisements)
*Feedback Requests:
(also needs user interaction, so why to display it as intermittent page?)


Following would be possible:
*System Announcements
*Advertising Space

But don't forget, many people don't enable cookies. So they will get displayed each time.

Best regards,
Webmaster33

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