What's coming - and Suggestion Box: Let me know what you'd like! (NOT bugs)
 

Lots of you have spent a lot of time here, as well as used other boards - what have you seen that would be useful/cool to have here? Where did you see it? (I need to see it too!)

What HAVEN'T you seen that you've always wanted?

Let us know!

A rough list of what is planned for the next 6-9 months:

Your Photo Gallery
Your own webpage on HU
Tire comparisons, by you!
Bike reports, again by you!
Upgraded blogs for big trips
More Trip Reports - an easy bike trip report - suggestions?? I have lots of ideas - what do you WANT?
News from Travel sites in other languages
Improved Events Registration system where you can track your own registration etc
Improved Ezine subscription management
Improved everything we already have, including

• shipping database
• border crossings
• GPS Routing
• Community Mapping - where are they?
• MC Words Translation table - yes there is one now! But you'll be able to add to it, and add languages.
• Top 50 words in every language
• Easier to add links
• Easier to add books
• Adding to already created webpages on such subjects as - well, just about anything on the left menu! This should much enhance the static information that everyone wants to know.
• Much more in the Bike Tech section.

And what would you like? :)

Some ideas on what you'd like the above to look like would be useful too!

Grant: How about a Chat forum :confused1:

Humberto

Exactly what do you mean by a Chat forum? I have my own idea, what do YOU (all) think it is?

Well, some spot where we (all) can be on line, realtime, to exchange faster.
Maybe all topics or different forums, one for each related topic.

Could be interesting

Humberto

I was afraid that might be what you were thinking.

1. our webhost won't allow chat forums - way too much bandwidth.
2. that means we have to use an externally hosted solution, and that costs and is harder to setup properly integrated with what we have.
3. I'm not really in favour of them anyway for OUR purposes - too much GREAT information will get lost instead of being permanently archived here.
4. PM's are kind of a halfway solution - I still think we'll lose some valuable info, but I think the tradeoff is worthwhile.

So I guess that means, for now at least, no chat forums, sorry.

I HAVE been considering a shoutbox - (one small box anyone can type in at any time - sort of a chat forum but tiny and only the one.) Will continue to consider. :)

Options to change appearance of web page. I preferred the previous background colour over the new white. Found it easier to read.
regards
Ian

Feedback
 

Grant,

My welcome text states that my last visit was in 1969, please don't make me any older!

Corrected for next time - please check next visit.

:wheelchair:
Grant :angel:

suggestion
 

Hi Grant!
Maybe include a bike rating area, where people can give a (honest!) rating for long trips on bikes they had (say from 1 to 10 -> and the page showing the average). Also listing the weakest points (what goes wrong more often for that type of bike). For example reading through hundreds of threads (!) and blogs I found out the BMW F650GS is not that good on rear shock and lots of complains about the clutch cable braking often… Getting such a compilation in one place could be helpful to know before buying a bike or just to get prepared before a long trip….Basically a summary of essential information, by contribution from HUBB members so that we can have a clear picture of a chosen bike and be better prepared. But not sure how easy it would be for you to do that….?

Feedback
 

Grant,

I always thought the homepage was a bit too busy, although I know you want to show people what is here and give room for ads. How about if the colored boxes in the left sidebar could roll up so only the category showed and then people could click to roll down a given category for the subcats. I know there are javascripts that do that. It looks like you might need to edit a php script but I don't think it would be difficult. Oh, just noticed that you have that feature for the forum main themes.

Also, when you say GPS routing is in the works what exactly does that mean.

I think this is a perfect site for a database of GPS routes. If you have the space you could create a directory for people to upload files. This could be integrated into a google map that someone will eventually finish. :))

Grant:
Since the new "look" I have been thinking that the HUBB will be much more a picture oriented site, plus the traditional rich text and ideas contents.
I love the "spirit" or character that the site has by itself, indeed very different to others and that, really makes the difference.
But, I don find where to fit short threads of themes like "My latest trip report and photos"
I will love to have a place where I can see and post this kind of material.
Does it has to be in a new forum or in one that already exists.
"Motorcycle events around the world" seems more oriented to anounce comming events and I don´t find another where I could post or find those stories.


What do you think?

Humberto

Hi Grant

Would a "New Posts Since Last Visit" option be a possibility please? I'm a complete computer numpty but other sites which appear to be based on this model support it.

Regards, Luddite Mick

In the works - you've got some good ideas too and we'll be sure to include them!

thanks - exactly the type of thing I wanted to hear, :D

Grant

1. Yep - busy - working on that.

2. Rollups - actually I'm opposed to the gratuitous use of javascript - not everyone has it enabled, so it complicates everything. And rollups hide stuff ffrom people - you wouldn't believe how often people asked, on the old forum about carnets - when all the time it was right there - on the left in a link that was VISIBLE much less rolled up. BUT at the same time I am looking at rollups - if I can find a good solution, yes - but be aware that there are a thousand things in front of it...

3. GPS routing - a database of routes, as you guessed! It's already started, there is a place to submit routes, but it hasn't been found by too many people - yet.

See:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tri...utes/index.php

Yeah, I'm looking forward to that google map, when it's done! :) With ability to choose wht is to be displayed, e.g. communities, or GPS routers, or Favorite roads etc. Cool! :D

The next stage I'm working on is a full-on CMS as a backend for the rest of the site. I already have it working with single-sign-on integrated into the HUBB - in otherwords, you're already logged into the new backend - but there's a LOT more to do yet! All the rest of the main new features will be built on that. Coming...

Did you vote for the HUBB Classic? If there is enough interest I'll do jsut that, otherwise - and also see my response to Morocycler re monitor brightness. I think that's in another thread in this forum.

Country fact files
 

Hi Grant! Me again!

The story of Peter and Katherina made me think a lot and scared me! A lot! I thought a "Country Fact file" zone could be good, but not only about safety!
The rough guide or lonely planet provide very useful info on each country, but nothing specific to bikers. The "Country fact files" could list what are the "unusual" rules on biking, like what the law say about filtering for example, or police controls on the road stopping foreigners for easy "fines" (and what best course of action then) , what type of robberies/scams are more frequent in this country, thieves disguised as cops (and advice if possible!) etc….Just to have an idea of what *could* happen. The more prepare we are before setting off, the safer.
Again building from input from travellers (with a date to ensure info is not too old). Actually in this you could also include others bits that are already existing scattered through the HU (like carnet info on which organism/address/email to contact to get one), friendly accommodation etc….

Cheers,

Maria

Yep - you're doing well- hitting all we're planning - this is something we've been wanting for some time! BUT it's a monumental amount of work, and all by hand. WE MAY eventually get this in a useable form, but it will be some time - and it may be as an e-book, that you can buy for $5 or $10 per country or region. I don't know - we're trying to figure out how to do it, without hiring all sorts of staff and making the costs of running the site silly.

Volunteers who are doing this sort of thing on their own in order to research a trip, could be VERY helpful, :helpsmilie: and we'd be happy to work out a sharing of profits on the e-book sales. We could provide a standardized format and a database/form to make it all easier. OR a wiki style input system. :confused:

Again - it's definitely going to happen in some form, but time and cost is unknown.

What would YOU - or anyone - pay for an e-book like this? Thoughts appreciated!

Thanks for the detailed input on what YOU want!

Grant

Country fact files
 

Hi Grant!
A wikipedia style would be a good idea.
On cost terms, nothing comes free in this world and I think that soon or later (I am not going to make myself popular with this!) *gasp and horror* maybe you should consider an annual membership fee. After all, all clubs and associations do require a membership fee for running costs. The HU is absolutely unique and provide invaluable information. It could take that if you are a member you can access some restricted areas (like the countries files ) etc.. Maybe non -members could pay a bit more for the HU meetings than members... Maybe you should start a thread on this or do a survey.... Asking a membership fee of say 10 quids is nothing for most people and could make a difference for the site? Not sure what the feeling of other hubbers is on this....

The Katrina and Peter story got me a little freaked also, btw, but this really is not new. Anyone who is considering this kind of trip is irresponsible unless they do their research (This is not to suggest anything about Katrina and Peter).

There is plenty of information out there and LP, Rough etc are some excellent resources on which even foreign correspondents rely. One problem is that rolling into the pueblo on your foreign motorcycle loaded will more stuff than the locales own at home makes you an easy mark. Contacting the embassy in each country you visit is also a good idea.

Grant- I would be willing to help on this as it is something with which I experience, but as you say it is HUGE and it will always be out of date to some extent.

Wow, never saw that before! Even knowing about it I couldn't find it from the home page. Is it one of the links under Planning? I think that many people miss it because they go straight to the HUBB.

Hi Grant

Sorry to harass you so mercilessly, but is the "Get All New Posts" meant to do this, or am I being thicker than usual? I just selected that option and got 497 posts but there have only been about 175 since my last visit.

Regards, Mick

p.s. Squidbrain is meant to be ironic.

another feature
 

On the Triumphrat.com website, i can nip into my profile and it lists my last 15 posts, so I can click on them to see if there has been any follow up. It is easy to forget that you have replied or to which thread... I find this a useful feature.

G'day Grant

I like Old Bmw's suggestion, but I was wondering if it was possible once the front page of Horizons openned to go to the Hubb with one click not two. At the moment you get the Intro page or 24hr posts page and have to go from there. I would like to go direct to the Hubb list of topics if thats poss.

cheers

alec

Thankyou for a fantastic website.

One small detail I'd like to see changed is to extend the yellow preview window that pops up when you hover your mouse cursor over a thread link. It would thus be possible to read a few lines of text of the first post, rather than just a few words that do not really say anything about the thread. I hope this all makes sense.

Once again, thanks for a wonderful motorcycle resource

Newbie section
 

Just thought of another thing...

How about having a Beginner's section, including a New Members Introduction area?

It's already possible - click on the Forums graphic and that takes you where you want to go. :D

the graphic on all menu listings takes you to the index page for the section.

Good idea - but I just had a quick cruise looking for ways to change that, and didn't find it. I suspect it can, but will have to do more research on it.

(puts it on the back burner... )

later...

Sounds like a good idea - but can you please elucidate... (the less thinking I have to do the better ;) )

Interesting idea, I like it - but triumphrats.net is running different software, so it may not be easily possible here - but I review this thread regularly and will see what I can find for something similar.

(put's it on the backburner...)

Note that here you can subscribe to a thread, which may give you similar results, albeit a different route.

Hi Grant, here is how to do it:
1. From the main forum admin page, click on vBulletin options in the top left corner.
2. Click on Forum Display Options (forumdisplay) in the dropdown menu.
3. Change "Length of Thread Preview Text", I think 150 works well.

Best,
Toby

No probs :). It could simply be a small section on the website, perhaps at the bottom below the "All Miscellaneous questions" section? Users simply post a new thread after joining, tell a little about themselves and their relationship to bikes, and get a warm welcome from the other members!
When I joined the IndiaMike forum (a great forum about India travel) I posted in their "Introduce yourself" section and it made me "get into the forum" pretty quickly. Their section is at http://www.indiamike.com/india/forumdisplay.php?f=76 if you want to have a look.

With all the great personalities with various approaches to life gracing this forum it would be interesting to find out a little bit more about people and what they do. How did you get in to biking and why do you travel?

You're hired! :) thanks! :)

Contact me direct - anyone who is interested - and we'll work it out.

Thanks Toby! Done! I'm learning.

Good idea - Will do when I have a few minutes - next week. remind me if I forget!

Grant

Yes - go to Trip Planning, then on the left the TP menu will have expanded considerably - lots more stuff there.

RE many people miss - yeah I know - but am at a loss as to how to get people to visit the other areas of the site more - there is a lot of info there!

suggestions appreciated!

I think it's coming... :thumbup1:

Hi, hope this suggestion box is still open :)...

May I suggest a decrease in the amount of posts required before you are allowed to send a PM. For the moment this is set at 15, perhaps this could be set at 10 or lower? I have PMs I cannot reply to because my post count is still not high enough.

Best,
Toby

Toby, maybe you should post this 'comment' several more times (and make a few repies on you're own post)....:wink3:

minimum posts required to pm
 

This thread is very much open! :)

Re pm restrictions:

I had to set it somewhere, and not at 0 as some would like. :)

The reason for it in the first place is to stop the spam scumbags from posting spam pms to you. And believe me, they do with pm systems. This seems to be the only reasonable way to stop them. It's actually recommended to set it at 20.

Spam (and I'm not talking about email spam, that's another whole subject, but only spam on the site) has been a big problem for me, taking up a lot of my time to remove it and prevent it. Form spamming is a huge problem, I have had to close the guestbook, and stop commenting on the blogs to fight it. The blog comments were getting over a hundred spam a day, and spread out over 125 blogs and thousands of pages currently on the site, that's a giant pain in the :censored: to deal with.

I hope the pm restriction isn't too onerous, but I need all the help I can get fighting spam!

NOTE: IF I find someone spamming, they WILL be blocked and banned! Please report all spam to me asap.

thanks for your understanding, Grant

Now that is quite the sneaky idea... I would never think of doing something like that. :innocent:
[Post 13 and counting...]

No problem Grant, it makes sense I guess. Sorry to hear spam is such a problem, guess this is the case for most popular websites these days.

Cheers,
Toby