I am new to forums, this is my first foray into them, so cannot compare it to others. One thing though I would love to see is a dedicated forum for newbies which would incorporate some motivational post about the benefits of tracking and POSTING stats. So many countless newbies introduce themselves with virtually no info. at all and many others give some stats and info, in their first post but because of the large numbers (yay!) of newbies I sort of lose track of them in the ether, if they have not put their tracker on public view. BTW talking about geese, I was in the garden hanging up the washing early this morning, as it's a beautiful sunny day here and four loud geese (or were they ducks, nah) went flying low overhead, a beautiful start to my day!
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What I need to do I think is set the system up to send newbies a welcome private message when they join, including some useful info as well as suggesting they should include a bit of relevant background info if they are asking for help/advice.
Actually... *casts off the sickly nice, relentlessly optimistic persona for a moment* ... I have thought of an improvement. Not to the boards, but to this quick reply box. I use my phone and the box text is v small. Any way to make it bigger so I can spot my spelling mistakes more easily?!
No need for that surely?! And it isn't sickly (seriously now...)redhead wrote: casts off the sickly nice, relentlessly optimistic persona for a moment
I'm impressed that you (and others) can manage to contribute here from your phone at all. I can just about read posts from my smartphone but I find the whole experience a complete pain. The text is either too small or I have to scroll around to read a whole post, or the internet stops working or...
I'm a 'laptop dancer' by preference...
I use the Opera mobile browser app. It reflows the text into one column so you can read all of the post without having to scroll side to side however much you zoom in. It also gives a full screen view so you don't have any wasted space. I've tried lots of other browsers but opera is the only one that isn't a complete pain!
Sorry, straying off topic here, but Caroline I tried Opera on my Samsung and it seemed just the same as the others. How did you get it to work better, some special settings?
In settings: turn text wrapping on, user agent to desktop, single column view off, status bar off, adobe flash enabled. Oh and that's opera mobile not opera mini (opera mini doesn't have flash). Try that...
Just adding me tuppence, like you do.....haven't read all the posts on this thread btw, which I think is fairly typical when you join a long thread, no?
A dedicated space for newbies I think would be excellent, oldies can keep a look out to make sure posts get answered.
I can see the "problem" with people posting similar things to others on separate posts, but surely a lot of the time they are looking for support? Especially for those not losing weight and getting demoralised, or when you're about to cry when a fast is especially hard (ok, that was me last Monday).
To add such posts on a thread I don't think works, as you're then looking for personal support and to be cheered on.
Thassorl.
Oh, I read the forum on my phone (Samsung Galaxy) fine, I just rotate the screen to make it wider. Usually post on laptop though, to type this lot on my phone would have resulted in a phone throwing tantrum.
A dedicated space for newbies I think would be excellent, oldies can keep a look out to make sure posts get answered.
I can see the "problem" with people posting similar things to others on separate posts, but surely a lot of the time they are looking for support? Especially for those not losing weight and getting demoralised, or when you're about to cry when a fast is especially hard (ok, that was me last Monday).
To add such posts on a thread I don't think works, as you're then looking for personal support and to be cheered on.
Thassorl.
Oh, I read the forum on my phone (Samsung Galaxy) fine, I just rotate the screen to make it wider. Usually post on laptop though, to type this lot on my phone would have resulted in a phone throwing tantrum.
Swedey wrote: Usually post on laptop though, to type this lot on my phone would have resulted in a phone throwing tantrum.
Ha ha! Yes I know that feeling.
I have tried setting up Opera as you advised Caroline, it's fine but it is basically just the same as having it on my laptop, only I have to scroll around and make the text larger to read anything or if I want to click anywhere. I guess it's just my deteriorating eyesight and clumsy fingers...
I have zoom set to 150% and no problem...eyes deteriorating but not too bad yet! I don't have a laptop so unless I go to my desk it has to be the phone, so I'm probably more tolerant of its deficiencies.
Re new members board...perhaps wet just need to rename the New to 5:2 board to New to the forum?
Re new members board...perhaps wet just need to rename the New to 5:2 board to New to the forum?
LOVE the newbies introductory banner!!! It is beyond my wildest dreams!! 
I can hardly contain myself...Thank you, thank you, gold stars all round!!
I can hardly contain myself...Thank you, thank you, gold stars all round!!
Calm down dhana, it's only a banner! Can I have some of what you are on as it sounds good fun ? 
I'm sure the nurse will put you to bed soon 
Ballerina x
I'm sure the nurse will put you to bed soon Ballerina x
I love that the forum is lively and vibrant with lots of info available. I'm one of those who uses a combination of the 'new posts' and 'my posts' to keep track of where I am.
With regards to new boards, I think splitting out the 'General' one might be useful particularly to add an 'Exercise & Fitness' one. My confusion tends to come around the fact that at the moment, there are four places to ask questions (New to 5:2, FAQ, General and even Nerdy Stuff if you think it's a complex one) and two about people (New to 5:2 and Progress Reports) and I know I sometimes wonder where to post a query even now - or get lost when I try to find something again.
My thoughts might be to put a time/post restriction on 'Progress Reports' so you can only post in there after you've been a member for a week or so - or after you've posted 10 times? That might cut down the number of one fast and bust people so that it stays a meaningful forum - or rename it as 'Progress Diaries' and accept that it will be full.
Should the 'New to' just have welcomes and introduction in it? And suggest that questions all end up in one forum? Would it be better to have all the questions about aspects of the 5:2 posted into one forum - and then the ones that turn into long threads or get asked a lot, get moved into the FAQ one (i.e. the FAQ can't be posted to directly?) so that it really is a valuable resource of FAQ answers.
Recipe-wise, I'd like to have one sub-forum of just recipes and another of other cookery 5:2 questions.
My only other suggestion is that on my browser (Safari), it's hard to see the little red star that means you've answered a post if there's a red 'new' icon next to it. Having a more obvious icon for you've replied in this thread would be useful.
Overall though the forums are an amazing resource and moogie/caro/dominic and the other mods have done a great job of keeping them friendly and useful. You're obviously doing something right so don't chuck the baby out with the bathwater if changing anything!
With regards to new boards, I think splitting out the 'General' one might be useful particularly to add an 'Exercise & Fitness' one. My confusion tends to come around the fact that at the moment, there are four places to ask questions (New to 5:2, FAQ, General and even Nerdy Stuff if you think it's a complex one) and two about people (New to 5:2 and Progress Reports) and I know I sometimes wonder where to post a query even now - or get lost when I try to find something again.
My thoughts might be to put a time/post restriction on 'Progress Reports' so you can only post in there after you've been a member for a week or so - or after you've posted 10 times? That might cut down the number of one fast and bust people so that it stays a meaningful forum - or rename it as 'Progress Diaries' and accept that it will be full.
Should the 'New to' just have welcomes and introduction in it? And suggest that questions all end up in one forum? Would it be better to have all the questions about aspects of the 5:2 posted into one forum - and then the ones that turn into long threads or get asked a lot, get moved into the FAQ one (i.e. the FAQ can't be posted to directly?) so that it really is a valuable resource of FAQ answers.
Recipe-wise, I'd like to have one sub-forum of just recipes and another of other cookery 5:2 questions.
My only other suggestion is that on my browser (Safari), it's hard to see the little red star that means you've answered a post if there's a red 'new' icon next to it. Having a more obvious icon for you've replied in this thread would be useful.
Overall though the forums are an amazing resource and moogie/caro/dominic and the other mods have done a great job of keeping them friendly and useful. You're obviously doing something right so don't chuck the baby out with the bathwater if changing anything!
What about setting a restriction on the Progress Reports forum so that users can only start one thread? It will cut down the number of threads and be more like a blog, but will be easier for others to read the posts and they will appear on the 'new posts' searches.
This is the year that I shrink out of my clothes! 
Please sponsor me here and help me raise funds in memory of a beautiful young woman.
Please sponsor me here and help me raise funds in memory of a beautiful young woman.
I haven't read all of this thread, just the last and first page. I have been on a Labrador forum for about 8 months and when I joined this forum, I was surprised how few 'sections' there were, but that's only because I am used to the other one. The amount of sections on there didn't bombard me or anything and I found it quite useful to clearly see where I should post my own threads and where I could find certain info. Also when you enter a section, there are what's called 'stickies' at the top of each one which are particularly helpful posts that contain info that is asked about a lot. I think spilting the sections is a good idea in moderation so in the New to the diet - you could have FAQ's, hints and tips, website related help, feast days, fast days etc then in general section, you could have exercise etc
Here is the link to the lab forum if you want to take a peek Moogie www.labradorforums.co.uk
Here is the link to the lab forum if you want to take a peek Moogie www.labradorforums.co.uk
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