GBA WebSite Design Suggestions
homedesign
| Posted in General Questions on
Suggestion #1
Move the Map …… it is wasting too much page space
replace the ginourmous map with a simple
Ask a Question or Register to Comment
GBA Detail Library
A collection of one thousand construction details organized by climate and house part
Search and download construction details
Replies
this Not-So-Big "box" could point to another page
Is there a way to incorporate spell check feature into the posting area?
Also, once again~ the requirement of posting with a (real) or registered name would cut down on a few problems.
John , you were editing while I was posting~ took the words right out of my mouth!
Of Course Roy
the names Should Be...... Honest and Actual
AJ had half of a good idea
the only thing missing was an "honest name"
John Brooks... Dallas,TX zone 3A ... Warm/Humid
register once and your done
John,
The map was added because several GBA users suggested that it would be a good way to encourage people asking questions to include their climate zone. If the map is moved to another page, how is that an improvement?
Of course I understand that some people (perhaps including you?) may not agree that climate zone information is important to include ... is that the issue?
Martin
I am talking about MOVING the Map not eliminating it
Of course if your question is for a different Climate Zone
Just Say So in the question
By changing my account info...
I can add climate & city or location
I tried to enter 3A but I was having trouble saving the changes
based on a suggestion by AJ
OK, readers -- how many people agree with John's suggestion to move the map?
And how many think it's a good idea to keep the map in a prominent place?
I am actually suggesting to move this entire part to another page
(see below)
and make city and or climate zone a requirement of registration
you must be registered to post
Suggestion #2
I'm just a lurker, but how about changing the forum design to something more like the vBulletin design? I find these forums much easier to read, subscribe and search.
John, I like your idea in post #1 - "or register to comment".
How about moving the map to the "Create Community Question" page (the page that appears after clicking on "Ask A Question") - it's bulk is then still available for reference when composing your question.
John, did you add your location and climate zone in the field provided for your last name?
Lucas,
First name ..... John-Brooks-DallasTX
Last name ..... Three-A-Warm-Humid
... 3A did not work...
WE ARE STUCK WITH ALL CAPS
I think I will try ....
JOHN-BROOKS--DALLAS-TX ---ZONE-THREE-A------WH
looks like more than one dash in a row is not working
Okay, an opinion from the peanut gallery:
contractors, architects, and other "pros" may not need or use the map.
For the clueless or (me) demented, it's a colorful and noticeable reminder that "where" is an important part of every environmental question. Moving it to another page makes sense if you're already familiar with zone changes, but if you want us ignorant folk to ask intelligible questions, the red-to-violet head slap makes sense.
I would lay it out as Dan (or whoever) has done if I still got paid for that sort of thing.
Joe W
I like the current format.
I think the current scale of the map looks good and is located to be prominent because of its relevancy to almost all questions posed.
An appropriately sized visual in a sea of text is a graphic design convention that I think GBA is relatively good at overall.
But Joe,
The Newbies or anyone asking a question would still "SEE" the map
The suggestion is to MOVE the map
not make it invisible
I also think if newbies see climate zone after everyones name .. that they will get the same head slap feature that you are talking about
actually the "map-slap" would happen during the one-time registration
registration is a better place for the Courtesy Rules Too
I agree with John.
I've been the one perhaps asking loudest and longest for a climate zone field on the Ask a Question page, and that's where the map belongs. If the map were on the top of that page with a mandatory field for climate zone, which would then be automatically displayed next to the questioner's name, this would be simplified and streamlined.
Change the name box is the simple answer.
First box says- Name
Second says- Location
And if all the regulars hear follow my lead and change like Brooks.... the rest will follow mostly.. (with out mandating such.)
Hitler mandated. Persuading is much more with what this country is founded upon. Liberty for all.. not mandates for all.
And the page right now is perfect and as simple as it can get. Leave it alone for a few months. Change is good, but we don't need change as often as we old farts change our Depends do we? No.
I like how it is now.
Volunteer info if you want. Ignore posters who don't provide enough info for you.
The map is prominent for all posters, as it should be.
Mike Maines
your tag line looks good
testing again
it looks like spaces and commas and numerals are allowed
I was not sure and had not tried all combinations
AJ
I gave you credit for half a good idea
now if you would only post with your real name
you would probably get more respect and set a better example
Respect, funny thing... I respect all of you (given a moment or two of beating my dog to deal with all).... though... boy... Jesus and I have had to endure some mighty screaming for our heads to roll. LOL
So, new this year, I have helped with the location idea, which is way more important to me anyway than posting our SS#. And...
I am if you read my posts not entangling anymore past a post or so. That I am now aware of is not respected. I am doing my damnedest to earn respect here while keeping my respect of my own preference to post just initials. You are welcome to contact me John if you would like to meet anytime in person in the future. I may actually go to the Orlando show coming up as I have an itch to do some hang gliding at the nearby Wallaby Ranch where I fly out of on vacation.
My hope is that you all are able to find me "aj" worthy to be on this site. If not, so be it. my ego will survive till I die someday on a volleyball court or from thumping the Earth a tad too hard from one of my various flying adventures. (flew a hang glider to 17,000' once, stayed up in a hang glider for 7 hours once, stared two F-4s eye to eye at 2,000' about 150' separating us (we both saw the other's smile close)
I'll survive this place no problemo.
Hey AJ,
What do those Chemtrails look like up close? Just curious after reading about the recent redwing blackbird situation.
Roy, water vapor... you know.. clouds. We run into something we call cloud suck sometimes when thermalling about in the sky in gliders. Rising air that we circle in eventually becomes a cloud. I have been sucked in a ways watching the visual ground start to fade and been very happy to fly sideways out of such. I have a smart phone app now with an amazing HUD display. It will go with me flying and if ever I have to go IFR quick by accident, from VFR, I will be glad my cell is with me to guide me out so as not to become the next JFK Jr.
Yeah, everything AJ posts here is about half fast.
JFK Jr was as careful and competent a pilot as there was. He was assassinated, just like his father and uncle (and MLK Jr., which was proven in a court of law). His fuel valve was shut off mid-flight and the "substitute" flight instructor was missing from the wreckage. The Coast Guard had constructed a 3D radar analysis that showed exactly where the plane's flight path had changed from horizontal to vertical but the Air Force assumed jurisdiction and sent the search team 100 miles in the wrong direction and refused to even begin the search until Sen. Ted Kennedy woke up Clinton's Chief of Staff seven hours after the plane went missing and asked the President for assistance.
There's a great deal of documentation on this, as there is on the JFK and RFK assassinations and the fact that some of the same players were involved in the MLK assassination (including Jack Ruby).
Check out the book "An Act of State: The Execution of Martin Luther King", which details the years of investigation that resulted in a successful civil trial for the King Family that proved the involvement of the CIA, the Mafia and the US Army in King's assassination - though the trial was covered only in one local newspaper while the entire mainstream media blacked it out.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemtrail_conspiracy_theory - Similar
Chemtrails
I think we should make the background green and maybe change the font to Ariel...or maybe change the font to forest green in Times New Roman.
Anyone talk about building science on here any more?
The occasional spat is entertaining but I feel like the Q&A has turned in the Martha Stewart Good Housekeeping page.
Actually though - it is a little annoying to have to scroll down a bit to see the latest question. Maybe put ask a question button at the top and then get straight to the questions. Once you click the ask the question button - new page - map, name, climate zone, SSN, etc.
Now let's go to John's Tavern and discuss ASHRAE 62.2 (or is that Mr. N. Texas Zone 3A ;-)
I noticed that the comment numbering is now the same no matter how you view the page. Thumbs up on correcting that, because it is nice being able to reference comments by number.
But don't say above or below, because some of us are standing on our heads.
Danny Kelly:
I agree... I was being selfish....I noticed that I was annoyed at having to SCROLL DOWN everytime I visit the Q&A
Another case of Unintended or Unforseen consequences.
From a marketing perspective the new format will probably NOT make the sponsor(google) very happy.
All but the first time GBA users will no longer "see" the 2 most expensive Ad-Boxes.
So the new format is a mixed blessing.;---)
AJ, in all seriousness, for your own safety and the safety of anyone else on board do not use your iphone to navigate your way out of such a scenario. Avoid VFR flight into IMC in the first place - use good judgment and don't go anywhere your brain hasn't already been to at least an hour in advance.
If you do end up in IMC, remember the basics you were taught during your PPL training:
1. AVIATE (fly the airplane dammit!), navigate, communicate - in that order.
2. Minimize sudden head movements.
3. Focus on coordinated straight and level flight - all you need for this is an airspeed indicator, magnetic compass and altimeter. All of these instruments are available in any aircraft equipped for VFR flight.
4. Leave IFR conditions ASAP and find visual reference to the ground.
5. If a turn is required, focus on making it at rate 1 and time it with your watch - remember rate 1 = 3°/second.
Your iphone is not a HUD. A real "heads up display" is located between your eyes and the window and displays critical flight information on a transparent medium.
A real HUD actually allows you to keep your head up.
An iphone app will keep your head down and distract you from your primary duty as PIC which is the safety of the aircraft and those on board.
Ultimately, you are going to do what you want but I have to tell you that you only increase the odds of a bad outcome by not sticking to the basics.
Sorry for the off-topic nature of this post but this is not a trivial thing. I have known people who have almost died (brought back cedar twigs in their wheel brakes) because they did not stick to the basics in that exact scenario.