A couple of suggestions (trying to be helpful)

[tbadiuk]

(EDIT: could someone please move this to the suggestions forum? thanks)

First, I think the new site is great. The speedup alone and no crappy adds already make it better. However, I do have a few (hopefully helpful) comments, which others may or may not agree with.

1) Registering a new account- could you make it so that the fields all retain there values (except maybe password fields) when you forget the captcha or get it wrong, instead of blanking out. I had to re-enter my address details 3 times because they kept blanking out. Speaking of which, I am not putting in the 'required' address and phone# info with real personal info. I think that is a bad idea, could allow someone to make a "Where shall I steal myself a 3000GT today?" route map! Nobody needs to know where I live!

2) sub-forum names - Might want to bring them in line a bit more with the 3si ones, just to make people more comfortable. Of course, improving on the 3si scheme is good, but you don't want it too different, plus getting it right ASAP is always a good idea.

3) Forsale / wanted sub-forums? Maybe I'm just not seeing them.

PS: I mss my 1999 join date from 3si! LOL

Ted

[Alan92RTTT]

sales is on the menu bar "sales/sponsors"

moving to suggestion forum.

[Polygon]

Which really does a lot to clean things up.

[tbadiuk]

Ooohh! Nice, that really does help make the sub-forum list manageable!

[green-lantern]

PS: I mss my 1999 join date from 3si! LOL

Ted

Noob!

:)

jk

Good suggestions!

[FF_Knight_84]

Noob!

:)

jk

Good suggestions!

Join date in August!? I just got my email yesterday and signed up here at work.

[Geordon]

Join date in August!? I just got my email yesterday and signed up here at work.

Forget those August beta testers :) Look for members with July join dates -- those are the real insiders!

My suggestions:

1. Why is it not obvious to me that a Paid Membership option is available, and how to sign up for it? This should be front and center on the site and welcome posts to encourage membership.

2. There seems to be some browser incompatibilities with this forum framework. Under Chrome, my top menu is horizontal (nice), but the scrolling banner ad covers up the bottom part of the text. Under IE6, the top menu is vertical, which eliminates the problem, but all the top ads and pictures are vertical down the left side, taking up a lot of space (not nice).

[David Trife]

1. Why is it not obvious to me that a Paid Membership option is available, and how to sign up for it? This should be front and center on the site and welcome posts to encourage membership.

But that would be following the "Corporate Fat Cats" model for a forum. I thought this site would be more focused on being a free resource for GTO and Stealth owners. I hope you don't go this route or this all seems like a silly exercise for nothing.

[Geordon]

But that would be following the "Corporate Fat Cats" model for a forum. I thought this site would be more focused on being a free resource for GTO and Stealth owners. I hope you don't go this route or this all seems like a silly exercise for nothing.

I have no problem with the site being free. I didn't pay for 3si nor any other non-sports forums. I just thought it would be nice gesture to show my support to Alan's efforts to contribute a one-year membership dues. Some forums only offer free classifieds to paying members or charge an insertion fee for non-paying members. I am not saying 3sgto should do that, if they don't need the money to operate. Same as the site membership.

[green-lantern]

Forget those August beta testers :) Look for members with July join dates -- those are the real insiders!



http://www.bawcforums.org/vbb/images/smilies/UhYeah.gif

[David Trife]

I have no problem with the site being free. I didn't pay for 3si nor any other non-sports forums. I just thought it would be nice gesture to show my support to Alan's efforts to contribute a one-year membership dues. Some forums only offer free classifieds to paying members or charge an insertion fee for non-paying members. I am not saying 3sgto should do that, if they don't need the money to operate. Same as the site membership.

I'm just saying. He crucified them for the same thing in the email he sent us and is actually charging for features that are FREE on 3si. I always play devil's advocate when stuff like this goes down. It gives insight to what is really going on when we can have an open discussion like this.

[Geordon]

I'm just saying. He crucified them for the same thing in the email he sent us and is actually charging for features that are FREE on 3si. I always play devil's advocate when stuff like this goes down. It gives insight to what is really going on when we can have an open discussion like this.

Fair enough. I guess I should have just asked how to voluntarily pay, and not suggest putting it in an obvious spot.

[stealthee]

You don't get it. He's not getting rich off this. Running the server isn't free and its already been stated that all proceeds will go back to the community. Alan wont make a dime.

And while I am here a suggestion to help the look, I would center the banner at the top of the page as well as the banner ad of forum sponsors.