Site suggestions

[AdelaidePagoda]

Garry,

Will do as this on my Pagoda to do list. I have found it tremendously useful so far although (don’t hate me) I was somewhat surprised by the 1990’s format of the site including its search features, messaging and archiving. I am sure I will get used to it although one of our tech savvy members could do us all a favour and refresh it 😀

Dave

[Peter van Es]

I was somewhat surprised by the 1990’s format of the site including its search features, messaging and archiving. I am sure I will get used to it although one of our tech savvy members could do us all a favour and refresh it 😀

Refresh it for what? Point us to a site/format/layout that is better suited for our purposes (disseminating good information in a way where even posts of 2004 are findable, with attachments) and we'll look into it.

[AdelaidePagoda]

Please, no offence intended to a site that is truly a repository for the sum total of all human knowledge on W113’s. I am honoured to be a part and hope to one day be able to contribute knowledge that may help the next generation of Pagoda custodians
First impressions count and this site just looks dated. Since my post I have since worked out how to navigate better by necessity rather than intuitiveness. Apple is the leader in making things intuitive and this site could be the same.
1) Minor improvements that would make a huge difference are a more exact search feature, like a simple plug and play Google search. Currently if you search for the word LED, you get all words that contain LED like instalLED.
2) Also allow for HD photos and multiple photos so you can actually see the item (sometimes a small screw or crack). Presently you can only upload small low resolution images that can render the learnings useless, or just take too much time and effort and the lesson is not shared.
I am sure I am not the only one that has noticed this, so others suggestions for improvements are welcomed. Perhaps if we table them all we can truly take this site to the next level, increase usage and leave an even greater legacy for the next generation.

[Peter van Es]

1) Minor improvements that would make a huge difference are a more exact search feature, like a simple plug and play Google search. Currently if you search for the word LED, you get all words that contain LED like instalLED.

II'll have a look at that...

2) Also allow for HD photos and multiple photos so you can actually see the item (sometimes a small screw or crack). Presently you can only upload small low resolution images that can render the learnings useless, or just take too much time and effort and the lesson is not shared.

Allowed file types: doc, gif, jpg, jpeg, mpg, pdf, png, txt, zip
Restrictions: 4 per post, maximum total size 32768KB, maximum individual size 8192KB

Not very restrictive, larger than most phones will produce pictures. And yes, the system scales them down.

[AdelaidePagoda]

Peter, Thanks for looking into it, it would be awesome to upgrade the site.
Most photos that modern iPhones/ Samsung take are about 5MB each, so that means only one, possible two photos per post. Most sites, FB, Insta, Twitter have almost no limit to photos that you can quickly post, hence their popularity. User experience and interface is critical and the next generation of Pagoda owners are going to be looking for the warm blanket of familiarity when they visit SL113.org
Once again, respect, this is a awesome repository and one I will keep learning from.
Dave 🙏🏻

[Peter van Es]

Actually, it means up to 4 photo's per post.

Peter

[kampala]

Most sites, FB, Insta, Twitter have almost no limit to photos that you can quickly post, hence their popularity

I normally abstain from commenting on issues outside my understanding but could not stay silent here.  Are you really comparing us to half a trillion dollar company with hundreds of thousands of very very very well paid employees?  I guess why not compare us to apple and call it a two trillion dollar company. I think you might have done that already. 

This site is fully VOLUNTEER run — no one gets paid. In fact most of us as full members pay a tiny tiny $30 a year - nothing. Things can of course always be improved— but we have a clean working site with Zero ads and most spam cleaned out before we wake up.  It is amazing compared to other crap automotive  sites.  This one is phenomenal and it’s because of the folks that run it.

If you want to volunteer and help enhance — your unpaid weeks of work might be very welcome as long as you can keep the site as clean as it is.   Please discuss with Peter. 

With respect for those that run this club and the site. 

[Paul & Dolly]

I fully support the comments of Kampala.

This is by far the best "car"site I have used

Keep safe

Paul

[Pawel66]

I am with kampala.

[Mike Hughes]

I must also agree. 

To Dave's credit he has identified the only two things that have ever bugged me, and Peter has agreed to look into one and explained the other.

In a recent thread elsewhere on the site Merc Girl apologized for sideways photo and asked how to fix them.  The means to fix them easily was already a feature of the site.  Peter revealed the instructions, which Merc Girl promptly acted upon. 

What sets this site apart from others I am part of is the active, helpful admin and moderators, the clean, spam-free content, and the ease of access by members with widely varying levels of computer expertise.

[Leester]

Absolutely the best site I visit. Great community. I've been working on my project 280SL for about 10 years now as time and money have allowed. I fired it up for the first time around Thanksgiving last year and have been working through this and that. Backed it out of the garage under its own power, used the brakes to stop it and later drove it back into the garage under its own power.

I could never have gotten to this point without the numerous contributions of members. To Dave's credit he was well aware that someone might take offense at his suggestions and qualified his original post. And the best part was, I don't think any offense was taken. I've been on sites that would have been lit up.

I for one find the site extremely friendly - user friendly and old fashioned friendly.    Lee

[Benz Dr.]

I can only speak two languages - English and old cars; and old cars is pretty much universal if you're a car person. On a trip to the Dominican, there was a language barrier present, as I can speak very little Spanish, but it was interesting to note how hand signals for hammer or screw driver are easily understood.

It's not that easy to write technical information that anyone can understand. Certainly much more understandable with video but for us electronically challenged, writing will have to do.

 Oh, and I too have learned about a vast array of topics over the years I've been here. And if we helped anyone along the way, it's been our pleasure. 

[DavidAPease]

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Well, maybe search can be tuned up a little, but on the whole I see little need for a "refresh".

And here's another Thank You! to the dedicated volunteers who maintain and run our site.

       -David

[JamesL]

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Best not let me near it then: it’ll soon be broke

[AdelaidePagoda]

I formally withdraw any comments that may have been perceived as negative or a slight on this amazing site. I certainly did not mean to cause offence, although I accept that I did cause offence. I am here like all of you to either learn from others or share knowledge that I may pick up along the way to ensure my Pagoda is in better condition when I hand it over than when I received it.
It is delightful to see that even with disagreement that on this site, there is a friendly approach to it. No harm no foul, let’s move on and not spend another minute commenting on the foibles of the site.
I trust my humble apologies can be accepted and this is the last comment on such an issue.

[Peter van Es]

Too late...

I've added Google Search functionality (in fact, selectable search functionality) to the top Search button. Try Google search with LED in it if you like.
You will be burdened with advertising however...

Should you spot any errors as a result of this change, please let me know at admin@sl113.org

Peter

[kampala]

No harm no foul

Dave, I may have been harsher than intended.  Do hope you engage — your participation is very welcome. 

Peter, nice Search update - appreciated. 

[Garry]

Peter,


I agree with Oz, nice to see the search function at top right do the complete search now, its always been  a problem for newer members not aware of what search button could do what search.


Am i right in now assuming that both search functions do the same now.

[Pawel66]

Too late...

I've added Google Search functionality (in fact, selectable search functionality) to the top Search button. Try Google search with LED in it if you like.
You will be burdened with advertising however...

Should you spot any errors as a result of this change, please let me know at admin@sl113.org

Peter

Thank you!

[AdelaidePagoda]

Peter,

Works perfectly! This will significantly enhance accuracy of searches for the newbies like myself.

Much appreciated,

Dave

[Mike Hughes]

After Peter announced his upgrade, I recalled your original comment about searching for LED, so I did a little test.  Just searching for LED may be just a little too vague for a computer, which is only smart enough to deliver everything one asks for. I still got the same kind of results you described.  I then typed (in quotation marks) the phrase "LED lights" and got a whole string of results that included the phrase "LED lights."  I then typed the phrase "LED bulbs" and got a whole string of results that included the phrase "LED bulbs."

[ejboyd5]

The site certainly wasn't broken, but the addition of another search route is worthwhile - it works perfectly.

[Mike Hughes]

Yes, and I especially like the dropdown box between the text entry box and the Search box with "Entire forum" highlighted, as I think that is the sort of search that most folks expect to perform.  This surely beats having to remember to click on the "Home" box first before being able to search the whole forum.  Thanks, Peter!

I am assuming that "This Board" refers to the individual sections within the forum, such as "General . . .," "Electrical . . .," Drivetrain . . .," etc., and that "This topic" refers to the specific discussion thread one is viewing at the moment, along with all previous posts within that subject heading.

If this is correct, then one reading the line immediately above the blue bar at this moment would find "Pagoda SL Group (our web-site), W113 Pagoda SL Group (this Forum), "About this site (this Board), Site suggestions (this Topic subject heading).

[lreppond]

No website is perfect. They are constantly be modified and refined to suit the users’ needs.   What I find impressive here is Peter’s response to a worthwhile suggestion.  No complaints or grousing, Peter just got it done and expeditiously to boot!  Bravo. 

[Pinder]

I like the look of the site as is. Sometimes it best to leave things as they are.

The one thing that could be changed is the reference to the Yahoo content. that could do with some cleanup.