As previously discussed we are in the midst of a redesign project - pretty much a site wide long-term project.

We will begin working on the galleries this spring and slowly add new features. I thought it would be a good idea to query members on what your ideal feature set would be for a new and improved NSN, particularly in the image critique and sharing galleries.

It's your NSN so please share your thoughts!

See my update at the end of this thread posted on July 12 >>

First thought....something I've asked about in the past.......

A "lights out " feature...that displays images against a black background.

I would prefer the forum boards to be programmed so that whenever somebody added a new post to an existing thread, that thread would jump up to the top of the list - right up on top of page one.

The way it is now, if someone adds a new post to a thread that is a few weeks old, nobody even knows that there's a new post there, because the thread is buried on page 3 or 4 or whatever. I really like to remark on older threads that I find in the archives, but here on NSN there's not really any point to doing so because the thread will still be buried and no one will answer my reply because they don't even know there's been a new comment added to the thread because the thread is buried on page 3 or 4. Wow - that was quite a run-on sentence!

I've thought that maybe what I'm looking for has been here all along - perhaps it's presented as an option in my "preferences" or something. But I have looked for a setting to change to make it the way I described, and was unable to find such an option. If there is a way to do this now, I sure would appreciate it if someone would explain how to do it. If there is not such an option, then I would surely like it added to the new features that are being proposed.

I am on several other forums, and the way they all work is the way I described, with any new post bumping the thread back up to the top, no matter how old the thread is. On these other forums, I never had to do anything to make it that way - it was simply set as the default setting, and I greatly prefer it that way.

Also, I like the idea that John Labrenz proposes; the "lights out" option.

Maybe a feature that allows support on Android and iPhones? There is an app called Forum Runner that shows forums through iPhone and Andriod smartphones. Not sure what is needed in order for NSN to display on there. Just a thought....

Sorry Tom, I disagree.
This forum is designed to avoid any "self bumping" by issuing thank you notes to every comment/or to oneself just to get back on top of the page. A fair system so that no matter if it's a good pic or bad pic; new comer or old timer...when it's your time to go....GO ! (to 2nd page)

The best feature of NSN and I think other sites should follow.

This forum is designed to avoid any "self bumping" by issuing thank you notes to every comment/or to oneself just to get back on top of the page. A fair system so that no matter if it's a good pic or bad pic; new comer or old timer...when it's your time to go....GO ! (to 2nd page)

How about doing it for Discussion fora, but not for image galleries?

Good idea but that's how it works now, at least for me.

I didn't mean I would like this so that the OP could bump their own thread back to the top. Rather, I meant I would like this feature so that if others commented on someone else's thread, it would get bumped back up. I'm sure it could be programmed in such a way so that a comment by the OP would not bump it back up, but a comment form any other member would bump it.

It's frustrating to see a thread from several months ago, and want to comment on it - usually with a question - and know that the OP will not even see my comment (and hence not answer my question) because the thread will remain buried even after I post a new comment.

Oftentimes, I find that some very old threads are simply more interesting than the current stuff. How can we get threads that are months or years old back to the top, the way things are currently set up? We can't. That can be frustrating at times.

Some people love to rehash old threads, as well as the newer ones. Others prefer to see only newer material.
Maybe Greg can chime in on this and tell us his opinion on this issue.

Hi Greg... would it be possible to add the 'Favorites' feature to the galleries? I don't use this tool today because I don't spend time looking at the portfolios, but I would use it on a regular basis if it was available in the image galleries. It would also be nice to see the images that other photographers have 'favorited'.

As mentioned, the discussion galleries already do this when a new post is made, no matter how long it has been inactive.
For the image galleries, some other forums I participate in are set up so you can receive email notifications when ever someone responds to a thread that you participated in.

EDIT: After seeing Neil's response I see we can do that here also.

Yes, this is how it works already for the discussion and regional discussion/critique fora. The image galleries are different, chronological from initial post, to try to prevent them becoming a popularity contest, and I'd like to see them stay that way.


In your user control panel you can choose to automatically subscribe to threads when you post to them (UCP>Board preferences>Edit posting defaults>"Notify me upon replies by default:"). This way you, and the OP if they have subscribed, will get an email alerting them to the new posts. It's sometimes surprising to get an email for a thread that might be 5 years old.


I use my Android for most of my NSN surfing these days. Nothing extra is needed. If a separate "mobile" version/theme were developed, please please please make it easy to turn off and stay off. Websites that force me to use dumbed down mobile versions drive me crazy and I generally leave them and don't go back.

How about increasing the maximum image size for the galleries to 1024 pixels on the long side? Same as what is already allowed on BPN.

John

As an admin, I can say our forums function as follows:

1) In the discussion forums, a new post will bump the thread to the top.
2) In the image gallery forums, posts remain in the chronological order in which they are started, regardless of new posts added.
3) You can subscribe to or bookmark a topic (the link is that the bottom) so that you will get notifications if a new post is added.
4) At the very top in the user control menu, there is an option to "View your posts" which will show every thread you've posted in and those threads with the most recent posts will appear at the top.

I hope that clarifies things for Tom, Craig, Mike, Randy, and others. Basically, the forums already do everything you want!

John, I love the idea of a "Lights Out" feature! I've suggested to Greg that I want different background color options, but maybe your idea is even better!

I also like the idea of 1024 on the long side, especially for landscapes. I also like the idea of black as a BG for the portfolio section. Also could the avatar size be bigger, it is pretty small.

I have only one request. Do away with the file size restriction on hot linked photos. I don't have a problem with the 800px on the wide size but apparently at times my linked file size is too large even on an image that is only 600px wide.

Agree with the file size limitation. There are so many times I want to view a posted image and zoom in even just a little to see the amazing detail that many people capture. If the file size limit was increased and the pixel width limit increased we could click on an image to see it in a "zoomed in version". Unless you click on it it would only display in the thread as 800 wide or whatever fits best. But it sure would be nice to be able to click on an image to see it in full screen... or at least half screen.

Greg, I agree with the others that a larger file size would be very good for the critique forums.

Cheers,
Greg

Sorry Tom I respectfully disagree with your idea and fully agree with Alfred on this issue.
We have been running a Forum here in Guelph with my friend. He owns it and I'm one of the administrators.
It works like Tom's desription. I believe that the feature of "bumping" is the major cause why so many good photographers left the site.

Regarding file size--some people, including a couple of moderators (not me, thankfully) are on dial up connections. Those people really hate it when they try to open an image only to find out it's way oversized. That's the reason (I think) for having a size limit on hotlinked photos. I don't know how many people it effects--perhaps Greg can tell us from the site logs.

-Paul

It would be nice to have an iPad/iPhone-friendly version, no Flash, HTML5 instead. The other thing is that it takes quite long after clicking on 'submit' before the comment is processed, sometimes up to 5 seconds. I agree that the file size limit is low and 900 or 1000 pixels on the long side would help, too.