[ELECTRON] Website ideas

Sat Apr 23 23:47:48 UTC 2011

H Martin

I agree that organising things on the lists is another way of doing swaps,
but there are advantages to dong things on the site...

Stuff gets lost pretty easily on lists, so if I offer a part up now, unless
someone needs one right now there is a fair chance that the offer will
become buried.  Forums are in my experience better in this regard.  But as
the forum vs list debate is apparently a contentious one, posting in a site
section might be a compromise.

Big advantage to the site is this... More content = more google love.  I
would like to see the site rate a bit higher in search ratings and with that
in mind I have a few strategies that  In know can be effective in drawing
relevant traffic.  Search Engine Optimisation tricks though are no match to
fresh keyword ridden content.  

As for the test group that you link to.  I had a quick look at it.  I will
need to join it and try it out. The first issue that I see is that it takes
our users away from our own site.   Would prefer to create a solution that
is closely integrated to the main site.  One it is always a good idea to
keep your users within your own site in terms of consistency, two thinking
about those search engines, if discussions take place within the
electron-club site it helps bring up the sites rankings.  However I am still
searching frantically for a solution that ticks all boxes.  

As for the site progress, Ben and I have started talking about how to get
things moving on the new site though their will likely be a short delay.  In
the mean while I have a work in progress site here...
http://www.justblair.co.uk/electron-club/

For those that have seen the mockup that I had running on my laptop, you
might notice that if anything this version as a few more rough edges than my
mockup!  This is because I took a few naughty shortcuts when making the
mockup that I am now going back to doing properly!  The demo site at the
moment still has a forum component... I have not ignored those that prefer
mailing lists, I simply have not found an integrated mailing list solution
for the site yet that I am happy with.  I would like both to be available in
the mock ups and will try to get something set up.  Looks like a bridge may
be the only way to implement this and that is a compromise I would prefer to
avoid.

In the meanwhile, if anyone wishes to test out what has been done so far,
there is a members login available on the right hand side.  Join the site
and play with it if you like.  I will keep an eye on members joining and
attempt to elevate your authoring privileges quickly so that you can try
posting articles etc.

All feedback is welcome, but go easy on the criticism.  It's a test site
(alpha version at best) and I will be throwing ideas at it.  In the
meanwhile  any suggestions made here will be considered if at all practical.
If I can implement them quickly, then I will.  Even if you don't think your
idea will make it to the real site, it is good I think to try out the weird
and wonderful as well.

Oh I have added a lot of social media links as well... These wont function
properly until we get to the live site.  If they work at all they are likely
to link to my own personal site... 

Blair

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Today's Topics:

   1. Project Boxes (Blair Thompson)
   2. Website ideas (Blair Thompson)
   3. Re: Website ideas (Martin McGrath)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:14:49 +0100
From: Blair Thompson <mail at justblair.co.uk>
To: members at electronclub.org
Subject: [ELECTRON] Project Boxes
Message-ID: <4DB17139.4000306 at justblair.co.uk>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

At the meeting last week Kenny and I discussed some project boxes that I
have at home.  They are very durable cream coloured boxes with a plastic
frame and painted aluminum fronts.  They have rounded corners.  I have used
them before for projects and can testify that they are excellent.

I was in the Clubroom on tues and dropped three of the boxes off while
there.

I placed them on the bottom right hand shelf of the solder clubs area for
want of a better place to house them.  They are there for the public good on
a first build first served basis.. There are about 20 more available in my
house.  I don't want to give them all away for free but am prepared to
barter some of them for knowledge/skills/favours etc :)

If anyone wants more then please say so....  I am sure we can come to a
mutually beneficial arrangement!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:57:47 +0100
From: Martin McGrath <mcgrath.martin at gmail.com>
To: Discussion list for the Electron Club <members at electronclub.org>
Subject: Re: [ELECTRON] Website ideas
Message-ID: <BANLkTimj2MPFtqjkkAvdf-EsZSmBWBr+4g at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Rather than have a separate blog exclusively for swapping items would it not
make more sense to have this as a thread on the mailing list, Simon setup a
test group over at http://ect.onlinegroups.net/groups/electron-group which
satisfied the dual preferences/requirements of a mailing list with a forum
interface.

Is the new site available online anywhere for people to test out?

Thanks

Martin

On 22 April 2011 13:21, Blair Thompson <mail at justblair.co.uk> wrote:

> As you may be aware, I am currently involved in the redesign/move of the
> current electron website.
>
> Work is well underway, but my dream for the site is to make it more
> interactive if I can.
>
> To that end, I am would like to open a discussion as to features that you
> the community would like to see included in the new design....
>
> One that crossed my mind would be a swap shop... A blog area where members
> could post details of surplus items that they have collected that they are
> willing to trade/give to other club members.
>
> Another would be individual members project blogs.  For those that wanted
> to, an area to post what personal projects you are involved in  with an
> opportunity for other members to comment and support you.
>
> That's my starter for 10...  Anyone else have a wishlist?
>
> Blair
>
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