Stuff the website needs

Darïna · April 13, 2011, 13:18:20

Quote from: Bill C on April 13, 2011, 10:05:36
The new combined swims and quotes section: is it readable by anyone or is it only readable by logged-in members, as with the general banter section?

Only by logged-in members.

Eoghan · April 13, 2011, 16:21:05

Quote from: Peegor on April 13, 2011, 10:46:03
A kayak game perhaps?

Leading on from the news headlines idea, what would you think about weather forecast and showing what the level of the precipitation will be for the coming week? It gives everyone an idea if there'll be rain.

Also, why not put up information about the rivers that we run. A couple of photo's and a bacground on them. Decription of the features that they have etc etc

I wouldn't mind even doing this section!!!

yeah definitely, and when wwe had the dates of the trips we could put them in so people had a very vague idea as to the trip being on and could sort out logistics - getting the weekend off etc...

Quote from: Matt on April 13, 2011, 12:54:57
A Links section with links to sites like Met Éireann and Met Check for weather and Irish Whitewater for river guides would be good for that, I think.

yeah if they were hosted on the side of top of the forum or some other page could be cool...

i agree about the signatures (i'm not really pushed either way) but certainly if, at the beginning of the year at least, they were removed to make life easier for freshers trying to figure out the board..

Mark · April 13, 2011, 16:35:40

Quote from: Bill C on April 13, 2011, 10:05:36
The new combined swims and quotes section: is it readable by anyone or is it only readable by logged-in members, as with the general banter section?

Logged in only. Good thing you asked me that, would have been impossible for you to check

kmck · April 13, 2011, 16:55:07

You want a calender function similar to the one on canoeing Ireland. Basically as you lock down dates you can have them in a calender. Basically you know when you've freshers and kerry. Colours are decided between you and Trinity. Varsities is decided by whom so ever is hosting. Easkey is the bank holiday in June and Achil is the august bank holiday.
Then you'd add training weekends when you've them planned.

Maryanne · April 13, 2011, 17:07:01

Big clickable links on the homepage to the facebook page, Twitter account and blog!

A list of past committees, FOTY, Dee Cup recipients, results at varsities would be really cool.
Photos and videos on flickr and vimeo also cool.
Ooh, this could get exciting

As for the introduction for freshers section, we could have a section aimed at freshers (like Kayaking, General Banter but adding one that's called Calling All Freshers! or something similarly obvious) That could be a good place for basic information (what is a thermal/weils and similarly useful beginner info, maybe basic descriptions of the rivers we run, trips we go on, to pique interest) this way new members could focus on one area to begin with as the forum can be a bit overwhelming at first.

Matt Flood · April 13, 2011, 17:25:22

I dont wanna go overboard on polo here buuuut.... we have two teams atm and if polo gets enough attention/interest next year we might have more people playing and training - especially with the pool....
So how about a polo section? It could highlight DCPL games, training, rules and video features, Summer Competitions like docklands etc. etc. etc....

Evan · April 13, 2011, 17:41:51

Quote from: Matt Flood on April 13, 2011, 17:25:22
So how about a polo section? It could highlight DCPL games, training, rules and video features, Summer Competitions like docklands etc. etc. etc....

Can the kayaking section be divided up within the section? Or maybe start putting team stuff in committee announcements and then have a general polo rules/events thread as a sticky in kayaking

Maryanne · April 13, 2011, 17:44:26

Quote from: Matt Flood on April 13, 2011, 17:25:22
I dont wanna go overboard on polo here buuuut.... we have two teams atm and if polo gets enough attention/interest next year we might have more people playing and training - especially with the pool....
So how about a polo section? It could highlight DCPL games, training, rules and video features, Summer Competitions like docklands etc. etc. etc....

Yeah! I think there'd be enough use of it!

At the moment we have one section called "Kayaking" given that we are a kayaking club, that is a bit general.

We could experiment with more focused titles
"River Running" "Polo" "Freestyle" and "Whitewater"
or "Competitions" "Training" "Private Trips"

Hmm, some configuration of the above...
I'd be in favour of trying the first combination, we wouldn't want to have sections that aren't used, but having sections dedicated to specific disciplines could encourage more activity and interest, maybe give a bit of a boost!

Mark · April 13, 2011, 18:06:22

Yeah, you have to be careful with that stuff, boards on forums always live on a balance - too specific and the forum will die, too general and stuff can get lost.

I think on balance the best solution here is to put polo events in the announcements section. Different boards for ww / freestyle / polo / k1 / dinghy waterfall decents will make for too much fragmentation.

In fact I am more inclined to merge boards where possible (like i merged for sale and wanted into a buy and sell board, and merging the funny quotes and swims section)

Matt Flood · April 13, 2011, 18:18:32

In terms of free space left on the board, do we really need archives like the intervarsities and alps from the days long gone?
Would it benefitial to us to get rid of them? Make the board quicker to load or something??? I could be talking shite, but I'm sure you computer guys will know if it makes any sense....

Evan · April 13, 2011, 18:30:14

Just for reference, the trinity board has a polo & competitions section with only 60 threads in over 2 years. And that includes slalom comps and things like colligan/wacko. Their general banter has over 1,800 threads, but in 6 and a half years.

I like it as mark has it now, except I'd maybe put the announcements/saturday trips at the top.

kmck · April 13, 2011, 18:46:45

For freshers you've a series of pages off the main board, perhaps sticky threads. Introductions, What to wear when kayaking, general advice on what gear to buy and when. Then you try to build up the resources i.e the alps bible, Kerry plans and the Kilkenny diaries. For those of you now scratching your head, the Alps bible was created from a number of trips to the alps and provided a framework for doing a large trip to the alps. The Kerry plans was a series of threads which would have lists of rivers and potential other new years destinations. The Kilkenny Diaries were more of a satirical reoprt on freshers.

Mark · April 13, 2011, 19:23:10

Quote from: Matt Flood on April 13, 2011, 18:18:32
In terms of free space left on the board, do we really need archives like the intervarsities and alps from the days long gone?
Would it benefitial to us to get rid of them? Make the board quicker to load or something??? I could be talking shite, but I'm sure you computer guys will know if it makes any sense....

Hehe, that wouldn't effect load times on the board at all, and in general its nice to hold on to archived posts!

Matt Flood · April 14, 2011, 00:59:52

Quote from: Mark on April 13, 2011, 19:23:10
Quote from: Matt Flood on April 13, 2011, 18:18:32
In terms of free space left on the board, do we really need archives like the intervarsities and alps from the days long gone?
Would it benefitial to us to get rid of them? Make the board quicker to load or something??? I could be talking shite, but I'm sure you computer guys will know if it makes any sense....

Hehe, that wouldn't effect load times on the board at all, and in general its nice to hold on to archived posts!

Awww I feel so stupid now. Knew I shouldnt have said anything....

Quote from: Evan on April 13, 2011, 18:30:14
Just for reference, the trinity board has a polo & competitions section with only 60 threads in over 2 years. And that includes slalom comps and things like colligan/wacko. Their general banter has over 1,800 threads, but in 6 and a half years.

I like it as mark has it now, except I'd maybe put the announcements/saturday trips at the top.

I hear ya, but it all honesty, there are no slalom competitions for colleges and rarely any in general. TCD also never played polo properly until now, so theres likely to be no posts up in that section. But we've 2 teams and are much more proactive (or at least plan to be next year..... cough*training officer*cough)

Oh, and the clock which tells you when the post was posted is an hour slow...

kmck · April 14, 2011, 08:16:54

Trinity won the varsities Polo in 2009, so they've been playing polo seriously since they got their pool!