What would you like to see on Eye on Spain?

BUMP!............Again!

And sorry to those members who hate pics in posts!

BUT I have to put this idea to the top that I posted earlier today.

The Reason?

Since I have been on the forum tonight, all the new names that I had seen posting................ have vanished.

So here goes again, I bet I get some flack from someone.......................

My post from earlier today on what I would like to see on Eye on Spain..........

It would be nice to have a "New Members" area.

They could post something in there to say hello to everyone

It should be strictly monitored to keep it purely for new members first post & established members saying "Welcome".

I have heard from new members that have contacted me privately, that they are too shy to join in the forum, but watch from the sidelines.

No disrespect to any of the existing members, but some of us can be very "forceful" and appear intimidating at times. I tmust be hard for someone who is less outgoing, to join in some of the very fast moving threads. (Can't keep up myself at times)!

Let's give the Newbies their own thread and maybe that will give them courage to join in the main forum.

What do you think Justin?

BUMP!............Again !

And sorry to those members who hate pics in posts!

BUT I have to put this idea to the top that I posted earlier today.

The Reason?

Since I have been on the forum tonight, all the new names that I had seen posting................ have vanished.

So here goes again, I bet I get some flack from someone.......................

My post from earlier today on what I would like to see on Eye on Spain..........

It would be nice to have a "New Members" area.

They could post something in there to say hello to everyone

It should be strictly monitored to keep it purely for new members first post & established members saying one, and ONLY one, "Welcome".

I have heard from new members that have contacted me privately, that they are too shy to join in the forum, but watch from the sidelines.

No disrespect to any of the existing members, but some of us can be very "forceful" and appear intimidating at times. I tmust be hard for someone who is less outgoing, to join in some of the very fast moving threads. (Can't keep up myself at times)!

Let's give the Newbies their own thread and maybe that will give them courage to join in the main forum.

What do you think Justin?

Sorry - wasn't trying to spoil anyone's fun! Just hoping for a bit of balance. If a thread is entitled 'Happy Everyday Chat' then fair enough, it could include anything and I would probably choose not to read it. But if I look on a 'Spanish Lawyers' thread then I don't expect to find dinner menus. There's nothing wrong with it - but I would stop looking after a while. Just my opinion and no offence intended.

Gail - your comment above is - in my opinion - absolutely correct. You have no reason to apologise. It seems to me that graphics,  large coloured fonts and social chit chat are invading most  serious threads and devaluing their content. In fact, it is often difficult to find the relevant content and I too sometimes just leave it.  As you infer, everything in its right place.  Social postings are great and should be encouraged in whatever colour or font for those who wish to participate.  Great to make friends.  Justin, how about a higher level of categorisation? Social threads and 'Serious' threads.  Anything posted in the latter (for which I wish I could think of a better name) that is not in uniform font or that is in any way off the subject gets deleted. AND you deduct 10 postings from your counter so that persistant offenders may find themselves slipping backwards in status. Now - back to my job as a traffic warden. Need to issue more tickets to reach my bonus target. Then I can join the clamping brigade.

Justin

Fairly simple answer to the issue of serious threads versus joviality. How about setting up a sub menu like you have done for us on the SADM urbanisation and headline each section in the sub menu:

• Financial discussion - for all topics financial related, taxation, Horizontal, community charges etc etc
• Property Specific - for all topic realated to property, furniture, pools, building recommendations,
• Useful Information - any information Members would like to share that fall outside the above categories
• Recommendations - restaurants, services, regions, activities
• Social - all thinks fun, humour, chit chat, golf etc etc
• New Members area (Fibby) - for introductions, whereabouts and meetings

That way everyone has freedom of choice whether to join in the banter or to view topics in a more formal format.

Obviously, Members would have to adhere to the format and post in a manner that bequests the sub-menu and topics.

Just a thought

Darren

 So many requests!

I like Darren's suggestion here (again).  The different topics really need to be sub-divided so that related topics are grouped together.  We can then implement an "introductions" section for new members to (that should stop Fibby doing any more bumps here!). 

I think generally we all need to try and stay more on topic with some threads, particularly the "serious" ones, Gail's point is very valid.  Many people do come to the forum looking for help and advice and we need to respect the nature of those sections.  JeansSis, Fibby...please take note .

Suppose I better get working on it then....more work..and I came to Spain for an easy life...yeah right!

Justin

Hi Justin,

I agree with Darren, the sooner the forum is reorganised the better. At times some of the more "serious discussion" topics can get lost or become distracted by small talk. It would be great if it was possible to integrate an "Instant Messager facility" on the site to allow our more prolific posters access to instant responses?

I'm sure there are many members who would like to become involved on the forums but are too intimidated by our "Star Performers" who we all know and Love!

Justin, I have been trying to get the threads back to the subject, see my posts last night in Spanish Taxes Help swell Emma's fund - I will donate £4 for every guide sold

Also, on this thread, I was "bumping" my suggestion up, which I think was a valid idea, to prevent it being pushed to the bottom by others posting jovially. This was a serious idea.

That is why I was doing it alm..............

I take on board what Justin has said that JeanSis and myself should "Take note", but I didn't think I had been that bad a poster.................obviously I have.......................was going to insert a smiley then, but thought better of it!

And you added the smiley option remeber Justin!

Darren/miket

all sounds good to me, something for everyone and kept in the right places, and please EOS team, keep up the good work, and carry on deleting any commercial threads pretending to be something else!

Hi

Received Email from member to have a look at this thread.

Ideas and comments by Darren, Gail, goodstiich44, and Miket (and me!) are definately the way forward in continuing to make this forum the best, were everyone feels free to comment.

Well done Justin, for again seeing that all members views are taken into account.  

HORRAY !!!!!!!

I WAS SERIOUSLY GETTING WORN OUT TRAWLING THE FORUMS LOOKING FOR INFO, AND FEELING SOMEWHAT DISHEARTENED.

PERHAPS NOW, GOING FORWARD, THIS SITE WILL BENEFIT EVERYONE.

Justin

You don't need sb menus in my opinion...you already have them ..they are called Threads...but what is a good idea from Plexx i think  and more simple to implement is a social and serious categorising of the threads and responses. Lets not throw out the baby with the bath water as we say here...

JC1

Agree totally with your idea in principle, the reason I put for the sub-menus, is to make drilling down to specific info more accessible and simplified. For example, I reckon if you trawled through all the threads, a high proportion could be removed because they have been repeated a number of times, i.e, how many existing threads cover the same or similar point of topic....loads, therefore, Members searching for a topic of interest would find it more quickly and get their questions answered and their perception of E.o.S would be more positive.

If we only had two threads 'serious' & 'general', the number of posts, and the amount of different topics that could / would be posted, would still cause the Member to spend considerable time searching for their 'specific' information. Rule of thumb regarding information on websites - what information you are after should be no more than three 'clicks' away - 'Serious Topics - Finance - Horizontal Property Tax'.

Simple as that !

What is more important however, is that us Members have to be more responsible when it comes to posting and respect the tone of the post.

So between us I think we have a potential solution for Justin to work on, .....so I hear, he spends far too much time on his sun -lounger anyway (only joking !!!!!!) Keep up the good work fella!

Darren

Justin

Back to the ideas.....how about a Members  - 'Rogues Gallery'   ??

Be nice to put some faces to names / nicknames etc

Darren

(promise this will be the last one)

Darren

That seems eminently sensible way forward as you describe it. Pitby's (Jan's) request to search on names would also be a useful tool and save a great deal of time.

John

Hi Justin

Been trawling through the suggestions for the past hour or so (phew) and agree with the idea of catergorising threads etc to make them easier to find. Quite often I read about something really useful but when I want to refer back to it I cant remember where I read it let alone who posted it. Would it not be possible to have a 'bookmark'  type facility or some way of highlighting posts of interest - I give up half the time which is a shame because someone has taken the time & trouble to give us their information which  then gets 'lost' in the system over time?

I do enjoy the banter but also agree it should be kept separate from the serious stuff, as I said earlier, if I'm pushed for time I dont really want to read the personal chat only whats relevant to the thread.

mrs h