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rocao

Unfortunately auto-refresh looks like it only works for discussions (in-thread) and not categories. Lame. I'll spam vanillaforum with that feature request.

In the meantime, I'm liking the auto-refresh of conversations and have changed it to update every 10 seconds for now to see how it goes.

LostInTranslation

@Matthew: it's Shopping US I'd like to filter out, but looks like that's not possible.
@rocao: I think I'm going to stick with the old layout, I like stumbling across random stuff :)
Thanks both for your explanations.

dougts

NOT a fan AT ALL of the new forum layout. Requires much more scrolling to find new/updated threads. Big thumbs down

Fizzlemesexy

Agree with Dougts. The new layout creates more clutter. Another thumbs down.

Eric

If the layout only showed new/updated threads, I'd find it more fluid, but then you might as well revert back to the old version. It's a fine line...

rocao

^^ It creates a different type of clutter.

Since I'm in the US, I don't care for updates to "Shopping UK", and I can easily look past that section now, whereas previously the individual discussions were interspersed.

Si_Dorking_Surrey_UK

regional shopping threads should be localised i.e. able to switch off, this doesnt solve it for me, and certainly creates lots of other problems.

im really not clear what user needs the new layout is meant to be addressing.

useful perhaps as a secondary view if linked from the blue bar but not a primary view.
tried it on mobile? its just weird, and a LOT more scrolling.

Si_Dorking_Surrey_UK

also it highlights problems with the IA which didnt matter before i.e. what exactly is the difference between collecting, buying and selling topics and everything else? looking at the posts in each, the answer seems to be 'very little'. also 'general' and 'other' aint the most logical grouping, etc etc. if its to become category driven we'll need to improve the categories.

also, because the scope of the forum is already quite strongly limited by whats 'acceptable' (ie mocing etc) i wonder if categories are useful at all outside of regional shopping

Legogeek

Hmm... I'm having mixed feelings about the change. I was all for it before, but now that I see it, I'm not so sure. I still need to use it more in order to make a better response. Like @Si_Dorking_Surrey_UK said, maybe the categories need to be tweeked?

Something about the Vanilla layout that isn't right - not compact enough(?).
I guess I'm just used to forums run on phpBB and Simple Machines, where you have a category layout but can still view by unread or new posts.

rocao

^^ The ability to filter out categories would be a good solution, but isn't possible with the current framework.

The user need being addressed is as I stated: with the discussions grouped by category, it is easier to target topics of interest and ignore those that are not of interest. Moreover, the most popular categories were given precedence so that they are shown with no or little scrolling needed. Perhaps some of the clutter could be removed by having fewer categories (I tried to display only the parent categories "general", "shopping", etc, but it was not possible)

This comes at the expense of being presented with the most recently updated discussions in a single view, although discussions in their respective category are still ordered. And, it's fairly easy to get back to the original view by clicking "all discussions" on the right hand menu or "discussions" from the top navigation.

rocao

what exactly is the difference between collecting, buying and selling topics and everything else? looking at the posts in each, the answer seems to be 'very little'. also 'general' and 'other' aint the most logical grouping, etc etc.

Examples:
Collecting: Is Alien Conquest a one and done theme?
Buying and Selling: Should I sell on eBay or bricklink?
Shopping: Amazon has reduced the price on Emerald Night
Everything else LEGO: Record setting build being conducted in England.

I created 'Other' real quickly so that I could separate the less popular 'photography' and 'community and events' from the 'General' topics that are being displayed first. I'll admit it's not a great name.

Fizzlemesexy

In higher trafic, one would need to open up tabs in order to see everything in a category. Not that it is a problem, but I would rather just see all the threads and open what seems most appealing. Sometimes I want to know what is happening elsewhere and sometimes the front page misses something. I also keep my place by seeing a gap when i did/not read something and I'm fairly sure that what most everyone else did.

Fizzlemesexy

Just saw that the Discussions tab gets the old view. = ]

Yellowcastle

Anyone else seeing phantom double posts after posting? I've had this happen twice in the past hour....once on my laptop and once on my phone. I went and edited the first double indicating it was a double only to come back and see that it was the only one left?!

atkinsar

^ this just happened to me when posting from my phone. I wonder if it's related to auto save or perhaps even enabling auto refresh?

atkinsar

When did the emails stop including the content of the post? Anyone else noticed this?

Si_Dorking_Surrey_UK

@atkinsar: I havent had a single email since about July, but I seem to be the only one.

@Rocao:

The user need .. easier to target topics of interest and ignore those that are not

I'd be surprised if the 'topics not of interest' extended very far beyond regional shopping - any user need beyond this seems post-rationalised.

the most popular categories were given precedence so that they are shown with no or little scrolling needed

Yes, but for anything more than 5 posts old in a category, you now need to click through to find the rest. The main role of this page is to surface what is new (there are others, but this is the main role), and it no longer achieves this - to meet this goal you now need to go to a whole bunch of subpages. Also, other topics are now highlighting irrelevant stuff (e.g. "Photographer Looking for Lego Plane" from October).

Perhaps some of the clutter could be removed by having fewer categories

Yes, I agree, but this will exaserbate the scrolling and 'need to click through' problem just mentioned.

Collecting: Is Alien Conquest a one and done theme?
Buying and Selling: Should I sell on eBay or bricklink?
Shopping: Amazon has reduced the price on Emerald Night
Everything else LEGO: Record setting build being conducted in England.

Or, you could look at it this way - from the current live page:
Predictions on Next Lego Sets to Sell Out (in 'collecting' but could have been in 'shopping')
Sunrise Florida Grand Opening BaM pack - includes a Knight! (in 'collecting' but could have been in 'shopping')
How do you tell if a set is collection- or investment-worthy? (in "buying and selling" but could have been in collecting)
What Have You Done To Your House To Accommodate Your Lego Hobby/Addiction?
(in "Everything else Lego" but could have been in collecting)

From experience, the approach which produces the best results is a user-centric one. If you want to pick my brains on this, PM me, or lets catch up at the next event.

Matthew

When did the emails stop including the content of the post? Anyone else noticed this?

I don't read the emails, and I set up a hotmail rule to mark them as read :-) The bit that does annoy me though, is that they now come from 'huw@brickset.com' instead of 'Support', if I did get an email from @Huw, that would also be marked as read and I would probably never notice it.

Matthew

And in answer to your question, between 01:53 and 06:24.

atkinsar

^^ why don't you just setup the forum to stop sending them if you don't want them?

rocao

@si: there is some overlap between the categories such that a topic might be suitable for more than one category, but there also exists topics (like my examples) that fit solely in the categories as derived. Some discussions are simply miscategorized by the creator, and as the forum activity increased it is increasingly difficult to recognize this with the "all discussions" view.

I'd be surprised if the 'topics not of interest' extended very far beyond regional shopping - any user need beyond this seems post-rationalized

I suppose you will be surprised then, because I've heard feedback from users who don't care for some combination of "marketplace", "building and other techniques", or "buying and selling topics".

At any rate, the change is far from permanent but we're giving it some time to gather more opinions and to see if it does "grow on" those that are opposed to it.

Si_Dorking_Surrey_UK

@rocao
I guess another thing Ive learnt is the types of approaches and discussions which will yield a good result in defining IAs, and there are some things which I dont think you can discuss in this manner to get anywhere useful. There's so much more I could add at this point, but I'm starting to feel like I'm at work on a Sunday so I'll leave it at that. If you want to tap my expertise any time then you know where I am.

MinifigsMe

I see @matthew has been at the site again. I've had several 'owls' this morning. Made me smile :)

atkinsar

I'm obviously missing something, that's the second 'owl' comment today. Where are these owls?

Si_Dorking_Surrey_UK

I was wondering the same, but just clocked it - I'll send you one ..

LostInTranslation

I liked the owls, that change can stay :) Can we have a Brickset house-elf too please?

andhe

Hmm, I came to ask about the Owls. But this explains things. I don't have anything against Harry Potter as such... but I'm primarily a LEGO fan, and the owls things just confused me.

Yellowcastle

I think I missed something...what are these owls?

Si_Dorking_Surrey_UK

"Inbox" on the blue menu bar was replaced with "Owls" for a while!

Yellowcastle

That's funny...I must have missed it.

Matthew

I see @matthew has been at the site again. I've had several 'owls' this morning. Made me smile :)

Not guilty I'm afraid. I'm sorry I missed that.

Eric

@Si, FYI, your not alone, I haven't received emails since July/August either, not that I'm fussed about it.

LostInTranslation

Question @huw: I just commented on @nodnarb's discussion re HF mocs so as to bump it back up and get him some responses, and it hasn't moved, still stuck on page 2. Any idea why that might be? Thanks.

drdavewatford

^ I did wonder whether one of the mods had 'sunk' the discussion, given that MOC-related topics are generally not encouraged, but that doesn't seem to be the case, so I really don't know !

LostInTranslation

@DrDaveWatford: Oh. I didn't realise those sorts of topics were discouraged. I saw there was a "building and techniques" category and I assumed that it was for people to post about MOCs in. If you don't want that sort of thing posting then I guess I'll keep my mouth shut (though the words "stable" and "door" are springing to mind now...)

drdavewatford

No worries - there's room for manouevre in such things. With so many MOC-focused sites and forums out there, this forum was set up with the intention of catering more for the collector which we considered to be an under-served group. Occasionally discussions veer onto MOCs etc., but in general we don't encourage it.

Yellowcastle

@LostInTranslation - MOC topics are indeed discouraged here as we very much want to concentrate on the Collecting aspects of LEGO which we felt were being under served in the online community. There are, however, plenty of great places online to exhibit and discuss MOCs. The "Building and Techniques" category was definitely debated before we went live. The decision was made to keep the category as a resting place...er, home... for those occasional MOC topics that do arise. :o)

Update: Ninja'ed by DrD!

drdavewatford

^ But proof nonetheless that great minds think alike !

Matthew

I had sunk it originally, so someone must have unsunk it.

LostInTranslation

It's still not getting bumped up. Last comment was at 3.24 pm, yet discussion page still shows last date as 12.twenty-something am.

Yellowcastle

@LostInTranslation - Hiya. Some threads unfortunately do get sunk when they're out and away from the collecting ethos. In order to maintain this streamlined niche, the only alternative would be to close these one-off discussions which is something we desperately try to avoid. This way, interested parties can still bookmark and follow a discussion but it will not continue to rise to the top. I never realized, though, that the last post date goes static in these situations. That is an interesting side effect. With regards to the thread in question, it will indeed no longer rise.

collect_that

Personally I don't think there are many topics really related to 'collecting' more buying and set releases, which I suppose you can't add a set to your collection without knowing where to buy and how much it will cost you. And although these topics are very useful, do we really need to know how many copies of set xxxx each member has bought for re-sale again or where they are popping up. Won't we get them eventually??

But I would like to see more topics based on older sets, rarely seen items and sets and related stories from members on these? Sets that are not high in circulation and why?, Promo items and related literature? And see this then reflected on more additions to the main database!

I have not been collectin' as long as @Istokg but a lot longer than most and I am not a big builder at all, but surely collecting should mean just that? Adding individual Items to your collection? Obtaining rare items? Making your collection unique (or at least as close to Gary's as humanly possible?) Just browse the collecting discussions to see what is there!

I hate to pick on you in particular @Yellowcastle and by no means offend, but the only discussion topic of yours I (personnally) would class as collecting would be - Lego catalogs which I know a lot of folks like to get hold of, me for one for the same reasons as you.

If the Mods want Collecting, give us (or me) Collecting!

Yellowcastle

@collect_that - Outside of the catalogs discussion and something about Costco, I don't recall creating any other topics... Are you saying I have and that they were off topic or that I need to create more discussions?

rocao

@collect_that: although I agree that the purchasing aspect of the hobby has been front and center recently, I respectfully disagree that there aren't many "collecting" discussions that don't deal with buying. I've just come from looking at: http://www.bricksetforum.com/categories/collecting and the majority of topics deal with set peculiarities, recommendations, and other points of information.

If there are purchasing themed threads mixed in there, that is our fault as moderators because we should be re-categorizing, and I'll try to do better, but please bear in mind that there will be things that slip through the cracks. Moreover, as you mention, purchasing is inexorably tied to collecting.

Finally, I'd like to encourage you and everyone to take ownership in crafting the discussions you would like to see transpire. Feel free to start a topic; any of the ones you mentioned would be great!

collect_that

@Yellowcastle - create more discussions on collecting you as a ADMIN want, and likewise I also have the oppotunity to post discussions and advocate genuine collecting articles. Did miss out your Halloween thread in my first post which was in my opinion a good collecting thread as it un-earthed a interesting non-retail set, sorry.

@rocao - although there are some great collecting threads, still feel that it is blurred. I don't feel this is a fault of moderation rather than perhaps members views on the subject of collecting! Or maybe just a lack of interest in anything outside new retail sets. I love a good deal but I love a rare find and useful nugget of information more! And as I've stated before an increase in the database itself, I've seen one set added recently through which I presume was the discussion on here mentioning it - 4768 (Bonus figure Edition)

I just felt that if thats what the Admins/Mods want as a foundation, thats what we should get?? And promote it!

Si_Dorking_Surrey_UK

Since the whole forum is about collecting it doesnt really make sense as a category.

collect_that

^ This is where I disagree Si! As a whole most threads revolve around purchasing new or current retail items and availability! If a member starts a thread titled

' set xxxx amazon cheap'

Is that thread about collecting? In my opinion no! I may be able to buy this set from s@h or elsewhere! So I would class that thread as shopping as it is a buying tip.

My view of collecting would be discussions along the lines of -

'Set xxxx production variations'

Although not saying the two topics can not relate?

'Free exclusive set with purchase at S@H'

Yellowcastle

I imagine there are a number of great collecting topics not yet broached. But it takes a village. Those of us with new little ones and/or long hour jobs don't likely find enough time to create discussions. I know that's my case on both fronts.

Perhaps someone will take the reigns and start a discussion on something that's been bugging me.... the disappearance of Impulse sets... The lasts one I remember were the Wizard, Airport Traveler, etc. :o)

collect_that

^ New little one/ long hour job! I hear you there! Wouldn't be without the first though!

collect_that

Or actually the second either as I wouldn't be able to take advantage of the deals posted in the shopping threads! ;)