Suggestions for Forum Improvement

What features/apps/bugfixes needed in a future Puppy
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GeoffS
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#81 Post by GeoffS »

Amish
That's strange - I looked at your last post last night and all I got was the first line. No evidence that anything was missing. I wonder how often that happens. :?
instead of saying: "you could grep for it" you could say "you could grep for it this way: cat filename | grep example"
I'd go even further - the first time you use 'grep', write 'search for text using grep by entering the following command --------------' Oh! and 'cat' had better be explained. It can be a nuisance and make for a lot of typing however people should just imagine they are writing for their grandmother, as long as granny isn't a Unix wiz from 40 years ago :lol: . (I know more than one)

I love your quote, just wish we all remembered it and took it to heart.

The question is - how can respondents be encouraged to do this?
Cheers
Geoff

amish
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#82 Post by amish »

GeoffS wrote:The question is - how can respondents be encouraged to do this?
that reminded me of another thing said here recently...
The Yassa dealt in simple fashion with spies, sodomites, false witnesses and black sorcerers. They were put to death.
probably a bit overboard tho.

seriously, as much as you can set an example for newbs, i think you can at least TRY to set an example for seasoned pro's. newbs may be slightly more malleable, but there's no good retort to "well, sometimes i just give an example, that way they know exactly what i mean and never ask me again." at least i haven't heard one.

in all seriousness, there's an ungrateful noob side to this argument, but there's no excuse for treating everyone that doesn't understand with disdain.

imo, "rtfm" only counts when there is a good manual, and often the good manuals are most easily located by people that already know their content ;) like anything else i think, it's an issue of balance between "us" and "them," moreso when "them" constitutes potential allies.

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mysticmarks
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search

#83 Post by mysticmarks »

The search tool is laughable.

GeoffS
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#84 Post by GeoffS »

Welcome to the forum.
Most of us are aware of that but there are a couple of good workarounds
http://wellminded.com/puppy/pupsearch.html
and
http://www.freewebtown.com/puppylinux/
The problem is with phpBB and is not something Puppy or anybody else who uses the phpBB system can do anything about.
Cheers
Geoff

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Pizzasgood
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#85 Post by Pizzasgood »

However, it would be possible for John to edit some files and add a link to another engine up at the top. That could be helpful, I think.
[size=75]Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. --Muad'Dib[/size]
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Aitch
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Link to 'One for the Boys'

#86 Post by Aitch »

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=17083
Link pasted, because I haven't figured out how to move the whole post.
I was in the beginners section and had an idea.
Here would probably be a better place for it

From a newb's perspective, your chat about being more considerate
example:
"The Yassa dealt in simple fashion with spies, sodomites, false witnesses and black sorcerers. They were put to death.

probably a bit overboard tho.

seriously, as much as you can set an example for newbs, i think you can at least TRY to set an example for seasoned pro's. newbs may be slightly more malleable, but there's no good retort to "well, sometimes i just give an example, that way they know exactly what i mean and never ask me again." at least i haven't heard one.

in all seriousness, there's an ungrateful noob side to this argument, but there's no excuse for treating everyone that doesn't understand with disdain".
The noob's view of someone who knows, but can't explain, courteously,
(or dare I say, Humourously), and hasn't heard the noob's answer
It's all code, I say
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Aitch
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#87 Post by Aitch »

Actually, He's looking for the key to the vista security vault
:lol:

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veronicathecow
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Search facility poor

#88 Post by veronicathecow »

HI, yup the search facility makes it very hard work. For instances I am trying to track down stuff on the latest Puppy version 2.16 but of course you can;'t search for that term!
Also I just tried to search for the word "Version" and it said "Nothing found"!!!
John, we REALLY appreciate your hosting of the forum, if there is any chance of adopting a better search engine we would be even more forever in your debt!
Many thanks

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Flash
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#89 Post by Flash »

JeyRey wrote a search engine that works in the forum and supposedly does a better job than the forum's. I've never used it. I think you can find it in the Puppy wiki, here. Maybe Lobster knows more about it.

lotech
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Please fix up the site

#90 Post by lotech »

I suggest before any further development, first fix up the broken links and tidy up the whole site, it is hard to follow.
Do you Yahoo ? No I hiccup only :wink:

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ttuuxxx
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Theme

#91 Post by ttuuxxx »

make me an administrator /moderator and I'll custom skin/theme this whole site with my own skins i'll make just for puppy, it will take me at least 40+hrs before i would be happy with the work I've done. and i'll do it for nothing, I just like puppy. :)

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ecomoney
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Searching

#92 Post by ecomoney »

With regards the searching, I generally just use google to search for version number, but yes it would be very useful to be able to search for three letter words. A skin would also be nice (phpbb is very skinnable and customisable). Many are already tested and ready to go, and there is a facility for users to be able to choose their own skin from a lit of installed ones in their profile. Heres a good demo.

http://www.phpbbhacks.com/templatesdemo/

I dont know if this has been suggested before, but I have noticed it in many other forums (including the one I run). An "introduce yourself" section would be useful, both in terms of building community, and as a practical research into the types of people that currently use puppy, and how best to develop puppy to meet their needs....just an idea.
Puppy Linux's [url=http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=296352#296352]Mission[/url]

Sorry, my server is down atm!

jonyo

#93 Post by jonyo »

Dunno if its possible to do here but on the Ubuntu forum, when one writes a post, (& before sending) up comes automatically other links & posts that are related to what you are writing or asking about. First time I've seen that & works very well imo.

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Inuyasha
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#94 Post by Inuyasha »

What's the possibility of me searching three-letter words? I'm not sure, but I don't think the forum allows me to search three-letter words. This wouldn't be the first time I asked for something like this within a search engine. I did it a long time ago on newgrounds.com, and it was later implemented: I couldn't search for Mr. T

*looks upward*

Ohh, hmm... seems people are already aware of the problem.

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edoc
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#95 Post by edoc »

At the top of the Forum one reads this:

Puppy Linux Discussion Forum
Puppy home page: puppylinux.com

I seem to recall that the pupplinux.com text used to be a
live link and then somewhere along the way changed to
dead text.

Is there a reason for the change? It is one extra nuisance
step to have to cut and paste it into a new window.
[b]Thanks! David[/b]
[i]Home page: [/i][url]http://nevils-station.com[/url]
[i]Don't google[/i] [b]Search![/b] [url]http://duckduckgo.com[/url]
TahrPup64 & Lighthouse64-b602 & JL64-603

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edoc
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#96 Post by edoc »

jonyo wrote:Dunno if its possible to do here but on the Ubuntu forum, when one writes a post, (& before sending) up comes automatically other links & posts that are related to what you are writing or asking about. First time I've seen that & works very well imo.
This is a *WONDERFUL* suggestion!
[b]Thanks! David[/b]
[i]Home page: [/i][url]http://nevils-station.com[/url]
[i]Don't google[/i] [b]Search![/b] [url]http://duckduckgo.com[/url]
TahrPup64 & Lighthouse64-b602 & JL64-603

jonyo

#97 Post by jonyo »

Inuyasha wrote:What's the possibility of me searching three-letter words? I'm not sure, but I don't think the forum allows me to search three-letter words. This wouldn't be the first time I asked for something like this within a search engine. I did it a long time ago on newgrounds.com, and it was later implemented: I couldn't search for Mr. T

*looks upward*

Ohh, hmm... seems people are already aware of the problem.
Not sure if this has been answered here. Just read about this & might have it wrong but to search a 3 letter word you add *
So for example mbr*

DonT
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#98 Post by DonT »

Mr. Murga,

First, thanks for your hosting this forum. I'm sure that there is a lot of hard work that goes into maintaining the site. Just wanted you to know it's appreciated.

I would like to make this suggestion. Could there be a Forum Index that could be set up to house the fixes and updates that the various programmers come up with? I've noticed that many times a fix will be announced and noted within postings, and then a search over many days of posting may be required to find it. Having a Forum Index for this purpose might also save some server space, especially with the people that are asking others where a certain fix might be located. I've even noticed BarryK posting and asking where a fix is. Don't know what it might be called other than "Fixes/Updates". Others might be more creative with a proper heading.

Thanks again,

DonT

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ecomoney
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Forum Suggestions Thread

#99 Post by ecomoney »

This sticky needs to be its own section, where we can discuss each needed feature seperately.
Puppy Linux's [url=http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=296352#296352]Mission[/url]

Sorry, my server is down atm!

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JohnMurga
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Re: Forum Suggestions Thread

#100 Post by JohnMurga »

A couple of points in general ...

Contrary to general belief I haven't forgotten about this thread, I just haven't had time to do much with this board (other than automated backups and server set-up stuff).

Now I have a home, and soon I'll even have most of my hardware with me ... Then you can expect some upgrades.
ecomoney wrote:This sticky needs to be its own section, where we can discuss each needed feature seperately.
I disagree ... For me the process is that I look at all the suggestions when I can, and them implement what makes sense from the perspective of myself and the Mods who bare the burden of keeping the forum up-and-running.

If you consider a feature important enough for it's own thread there is nothing stopping you from starting it, and then drawing my attention to it ... But a dedicated section is overkill.

The one thing that is an exception to this rule is keeping the board up, as during the last couple of years there have been times when the board has gone off line (one quite recently) ... In these instances I drop whatever I am doing (wherever I am in the world), and get the board up and running - I do this because I realize how important this forum is to many people.

Anyway, I hope that clear things up :-)

Cheers
JohnM

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