How do you feel about the site? What would like to see more of? What would you like to see less of? Any suggestions?
And for Man Eegee and Nanette, we are going to get your New User Guide linked in the Menu Box sometime soon. I promise.
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
I have ideas all the time, and now that you put a thread up, they have all retreated faster than Michael Chertoff’s hairline.
BooMan, you need more cussin’ like MLW. That, and a studly photo of yourself at the top. (Sorry, it’s late and my mind came off the clock hours ago.)
Great ideas Boran2.
I thinkt the site doesn’t have nearly enough BREAKING diaries — you won’t be taken seriously until you remedy that problem.
This may be more of a technical issue for Andy, but if you’re using one of the minimal views for comments, you can’t preview them. It only shows the title of the comment and not the full entry.
Here’s a technical issue that I noticed when I was travelling. It wasn’t a big deal, but I noticed it.
When I’m stuck somewhere and I’m bored I’m in the habit of checking in on DKos using the browser on my phone. Mostly I just want to look at the latest front page story. I’ve found it is too hard to do that with this site.
Phone browsers have to break down the pages into segments because the screens are too small. So instead of seeing the whole page you see small pictures of parts of the page starting in the upper left corner and moving down the left side to the bottom then going down the middle and then the right. So to get to the front page stories here you have to go through three or four or five or six (or more) screens of ads before you get to the stories because the ads run on the left side.
DKos is easy because he runs his stories down the left side and puts the ads in the middle. So the first screen brings up the first story.
As I said, I don’t think its a big deal. But I did notice it. (And I gave up trying to read anything here. )
I’ll second that.
I know that it is technically possible to have a specific stylesheet for handhelds (and printers too). And it wouldn’t matter what order the elements were displayed on monitors. You could make certain elements invisible for handhelds or have them follow the main content. All in a stylesheet specific to handheld displays.
It’s a breeze for a regular page, but how easy it is to do that with scoop, I don’t know.
choose a style, and one of the styles could have bigger letters on all the pages.
And this would also be useful for people who would rather have other colors. Like orchid. Or puce.
A couple of things I hope you DON’T ever change – having our comments link right there on the main page. I rarely comment over at dKos, but it really irks me how much trouble it is to check for replies or continue the discussion when I do. (Although no one ever wants to continue anything with me over there, so I don’t know why I bother to even look.) It’s SO much easier here. Ongoing conversations better here, too, of course š
Also, the recent comments link – I’m such a night owl. I use it to see who’s still up and hanging around. Love it.
Recent Comments link IS great.
Second that about the comments link. I hate the way it’s done over there, too.
Also I hope you won’t ever change the way we can instantly see if there are new comments. That’s another thing that’s lacking and irritating on other sites.
it’s actually something that Kos could fix pretty easily. We discovered that it took forever to load thr recent comments once the site got to be a decent size. It had to do with a quirk with the Scoop software. So, Andy stripped the timestamp and sigs from the recent comments, and it loads right up.
At dKos. they haven’t taken that step, so it takes eight years to load the search.
move some of the ad links higher? Especially the iTunes link — I try to hit that one every day, or at least when I’m ready to clear out my shopping cart… š
Personally — as a relatively new arrival — I like the site just fine. Can’t think of much I’d change right now — aside of the fact that I see the faces of too many butt-ugly GOP politicians in the ads. Of course, that’s not really a site problem.
I’d forgotten all about the user guide thing… Man Eegee certainly did a great job of making it very friendly. Good to know I’m not the only procrastinator, too ;).
I don’t know enough about scoop software to know what you can put where, but I was thinking just a little notation – not a link – saying something like… ‘Looking for help or companionship? The Froggy Bottom Cafe is always open” only something that doesn’t sound so much like a ‘ladies of the night’ invitation, maybe. But anyway, so that visitors and passersby will know to look for the cafe.
And let’s see…
There are so many cool things being written, including series such as the Katrina/NO ones by the various authors, and the new environmentalism and the boo books and so on… (I’m still going to do the Hop to It! thingy for people to hotlist for ongoing action items and events), but what about a “Best of…” diary, that can either be hotlisted or whatever else can be done (I think it should be a link)… the only way I can think of for it to work in this way is for people to make one diary with links to all their other diaries in the series, or whatever they feel their best work is (they can keep adding to it as necessary) “Best of” can link to the individual meta diaries.
Whew… run on, why don’t we.
This way, it’s almost like a library and also stuff doesn’t just fall down the memory hole. Better than wiki, in this instance, cuz it’s right on site.
And um… oh, more collaborative series as well. Like when Susan did the 10 underreported stories thing.
I’m sure there is more, but it’s too late for stuff like thinking.
How do you feel about this post? What would like to see more of? What would you like to see less of? Any suggestions? š
In all seriousness, I’m with the comments that say the best part of this website is the ease in which ongoing conversations can be held. The orange site is the orange site, the other sites are what they are, but Boo is where the Family gets together.
Pax
I affirm. I’m new here and not long enough to suggest changes. Upthread, a commenter suggested the 50 character limit in Subject field is irksome – imv to post replies.
Love the civil discourse, recent comments and user page features placement.
Boo is where you can curl up with a book and be refreshed.
I visit Boo frequently, don’t post comments very often, and sincerely, it’s not lack of desire, it’s just an outcome of time limits/life circumstance at the moment. So first i want to commend the dedication of front pagers & other frequent diarists, who put in an incredible amount of energy,thought and dedication into making Boo happen. So i guess im curious if i’m an exception, re: reader vs. engaging more-only in the sense of establishing appreciative readers vs. active engagers on Boo. Second, politically, my observations based on most diaries and comments, this is a seasoned audience, historically mindful of the realities of how change happens,not speaking for all of the community but i think for many there is a sense of how change happens in the Frederick Douglass sense of reality based community(power succeeds nothing without struggle),so i guess i’m wondering more about the mission of Booman Tribune-in the context of what currently exists on the blogs and how Boo contributes to the present political situation- based on the rich experience and keen analysis offered by it’s base & diarists.Who do you want to be part/the base of Booman Tribune and what do you want to be priority areas of focus to advance change? Finally, thank you so much for the work you do.
.
From a Political Novice; A Question
With a minimum of 30 excellent comments and personal thoughts!
“But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
I like BooTrib just fine.
I come here every day, usually more than once.
Just one request. My hotlist is really long. I have to scroll way down to get to the diaries.
Would there be a way to toggle the Hotlist closed when not accessing it?
Yeah, I admit I’m lazy. š
Thanks!
.
(4.00 / 19).
My hotlist is usually 30 diaries in length, takes up quite some space. This makes it more difficult to reach the recommended diaries and recent diary entries.
Would it be logical to have the hotlist shown only when a button specifically collects the list for viewing?
Status on a good suggestion BooMan?
“But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
Ooo, great idea.
Sorry if I sound like Johnny One-note, Booman. That is my one thing. I detest advertising and I would really prefer to directly support the sites I like.
Other than that, I don’t know that I would change anything. I like the way the front page is laid out. Someone else has already mentioned how handy it is to get to comments, and there’s even a direct link to EuroTrib. What’s not to like?
As for the content, it’s hard to know what I’m missing. There seems to be a pretty good balance of thoughtful diaries on interesting and important topics. The atmosphere is very comfortable. Coming here reminds me of running into friends at the student union. I always know there’s going to be an interesting conversation about something.
Cant edit comments. (This is due to BooMan’s secret life as a typophile who is collecting typos and saving them for a book, and also so he can point and laugh at him for his own pleasure.)
Headline length stinginess. 50 characters is not enough to maintain an adequate standard of headline nutrition.
Font size just works on the the preference page, and maybe some others, but not on the recent comments page which is the one I use the most.
Rate All button goes away when a thread gets many comments, so people who have dial up and fine museum quality computers can’t give any 4s to people.
Not enough pictures of BooMan the fur pupdog.
I am sure more scandalous items like these will come to light as investigation continues and I think of them.
The Pond reminds me of “Cheers” where everybody knows uour naaaaame! It is informative, action oriented and jam packed with exceptional talent but never leaving me feeling intimidated or less than. I think we are on the right track here and there is always room to get a word in edgewise. For the most part we are tolerant and accepting of all points of view and the debates may get heated but civil.
Keep up the great work and you folks gotta know I love you all dearly. I have learned more here this past year than all of my life and not just politically. Y’all make me want to be a better person. Thanks!
I think Booman is great. The Café and Recent Comments are the greatest idea. There are a lot of political newbies like me and in the café you get to know people, but at the same time you are reading the diaries. I think it’s that comfortable feeling of the Café that starts getting people to commenting. From there it’s just a progression to start looking up the information and making informed comments.
I guess I wish front pagers interacted more with everybody in the diaries. When I first got here Susan and Boo, and especially Susan, did a lot of that, and it added so much to the community feel of the place. I’m not saying this would be easy for over-worked front-pagers to do, I’m just saying that’s what I’d like. I suspect it tends to increase front page readership. We want to read and talk to the people we “know.”
My other wish (besides a button that lets us give 4’s in one fell swoop to everybody in the Cafe!) would be for somebody or bodies to step up and do regular Welcome Wagon diaries again, as Diane and Shirl used to do. Again, it’s the community thing. You might think those of us who “do” the Cafe would be the natural ones to do that, but we’re pretty much up to our ears just keeping up with the Cafe. (This is not a complaint! I love doing it, and I think all the other hosts do, too.)
I guess I wish front pagers interacted more with everybody in the diaries. When I first got here Susan and Boo, and especially Susan, did a lot of that, and it added so much to the community feel of the place.
I agree… I know a lot of work goes into the front page stories, but I think that the interactivity would go a long way towards keeping the more intimate/community feel to things, regardless of how big things grow.
Also, the Welcome Wagon diaries… maybe we can entice diane and shirl back to do one from time to time, once diane is all settled into her new place.
Boo – I’m with Oui, not enough closets. I seem to be a compulsive archivist (not packrat) and have collected an extremely large hotlist that’s in the way whenever I sign in. Couldn’t we have an access tab on our personal page and get the hotlist off the front page?
What are your thoughts on adding tags, like dKos? I think they’re really handy, but don’t know what that entails on the technical side.
The front page diarists here on BooMan are tops. So often, after reading a FP piece, I think… “That’s excellent!!!”, but I have no way to rate or recommend. I only wish that I could give them a nod other than to post a comment.
FWIW, let me work backwards. What do I do when I come to The Trib? I exclusively read the front page. I NEVER even look at anything on the right side of the page.
Okay, now I look there on other sites, so why not here? Maybe because the type is too small, or the colors don’t pop…or…or…or…
But this is an odd behavior pattern I have only at this site. It ain’t because of the quality, I’m sure. I love many on the right side posters. But that’s why I don’t spend more time here, although I stop by daily to see what’s on the front page (and you and susan are two of my favorite “insighters”).
Most of my thoughts were covered by others… but, here’s one more: I find it a little annoying when an author, be it on the front page or in a diary, dumps their entire article into the “intro” box, instead of putting the bulk of it “below the fold”. It takes up too much space, and makes it more difficult to quickly scan the page for an interesting story.
And, another thing… I’ve always considered this a personal peeve that I should just keep to myself, but, since you asked…. When an author includes a long bio of themself (sometimes even with a pic!) above the fold on every story, I find that offensively egotistical and contrary to the spirit of equality which I would expect this community wants to foster. Just put your bio in your user profile, and we’ll read it if we want to; let the content of your argument stand on its own, not on the weight of authority you claim through your resume!
… I guess both of these could be technically fixed by putting a max character count on the intro box, but I don’t necessarily think that is the best solution. It’s more about creating norms of acceptability.
Of course, many, many thanks to you, Boo, and to all the front-pagers, diarists, and rabble-rousers that keep this pond bustling with life!
i think the bio thing is because they’re used to writing columns in magazines in which case, a bio is de rigueur, especially for guest columnists.
as for dumping the entire diary in the intro box, that really only matters on the front page – and i agree; you should be able to see at least two headlines on the front page at the same time. but once you click into a diary, you get the whole diary regardless.
and since i’m already in here, somebody above suggested a permanant reminder of the froggy bottom cafe and what it’s about. i don’t think we need that, especially since you’re posting a new user’s guide. no point in cluttering up the page.
i too, deplore the inability to edit comments, but in a way, it serves to keep people in line, i think. knowing comments are (relatively) permanent keeps people in line somewhat.
; )
my .02
That was actually BooMan’s alibi for not letting us edit comments, but if anybody did edit anything but typos, grammar mistakes, or to add a forgotten thought, link, etc, people here would be all over them like a politician on a poor man’s dollar, and many would be all over them with caches and screenshots.
This is because the people who post here, though they frequently disagree with me and are therefore wrong, are not the kind of people who would have an interest in doing that, and if anybody came along and started to do it, they would not get far, as outlined above.
As Boston Joe has pointed out, this place is just not big on flames and insults, which are usually what people would be likely to go back and edit, if they wanted to actually change the essence of what they said to something else.
I like the site a whole bunch. Beyond what has already been discussed, I really like the Daily News Bucket! Was that started by Cabin Girl? The Cafe, and Lounge are comfortable places to browse when the days work is done. Front pagers are, in my view, first rate. Although there have been spats here, and some wonderful writers have left (Catnip for one), by and large this is a civil place to get the real scoop on the news, and have a chance to exchange views. I appreciate the sense of community generated by the folks who contribute regularly to this site.
Other blogs I visit could improve themselves by spending some time here, IMO.