Home page - only a personal suggestion

[Rhannon]

This is not a criticism, just a personal observation, sorry in advance if it seems because it is fault of my bad english.

When I read this forum, every day (I like it and it helps me to relax), always start from the news' page, so I'm sure don't miss anything.

But sometimes I open the home page. And each time, by sliding it, it seems to me ia bit confused/old ( I am sorry but I cann't find the right word )

There are many sections ( News and Announcements, FREE DOWNLOADS, Papercraft and Modeling discussion, Craft Robo-Sihouette support, Papercut Awards, Sanity Studios, BIG JIM Miniatures ...) , and each has different Subforums.

And there are commercial users/artists' sections. SLICK MINIATURES, DAVE GRAFFAM Models, ARMOR GRID GAMES, INKED ADVENTURES, Dryw The Harper Miniatures, DARK MOOK Miniatures, Mayhem in Paper - Squirmydads Models, ANITANGEL MINIATURES and JABBRO JONES Miniatures.

Only a section for all other ( fre with 2/3 commercial ) artists, MEMBER PROJECTS.

At least seven of these personal sub-forums are not updated by more than two years. As well as some of those above ( slick, anitangel, jabbor ... sadly ), while three new very good commercial artists ( Dragnoz, mesper and sammo ) are lost in an alphabetical order of outdated sections.

Imho this is a very long home page. But can not always give right visibility to the sections and sub​​-forum.

So I propose a reorganization.

- News and Announcements - imho OK

- FREE DOWNLOADS - Ok ( but one sub-section, "Free Design Resources", has only two topics )

- Papercraft and Modeling discussion - OK ( but even here, "Reference Design Links", one has only a topic )

- Craft Robo, Sihouette support - OK

- Papercut Awards - Ok

- Sanity Studios - OK

- BIG JIM Miniatures - The founder, and not only of this forum. But two sections have no more updates from 2010, one has one topic, and now IP are owned by Sanity Studios.

Then I can think of a "BIG JIM Miniatures" section under "Sanity Studios"

SLICK MINIATURES, ANITANGEL MINIATURES and JABBRO JONES Miniatures ( as commercial producers ) are on hiatus from 2010.

Can not, up to its return, be moved in the general section "MEMBER PROJECTS"?

All other commercial producers/artists have 2/3 sub-forum sections. One is not enough for a proper visibility? ( There is also the "Industry News and Announcements" page ). So there is also the same right space for new producers/artists/users.

- MEMBER PROJECTS - there is a way in which the sections that are no longer used pass to the bottom?

Ok ... this isn't a criticism. And it is not even a proposal, after all. Only personal impressions from when I open the home page.

Hi.

PS: there is another question ... but it is another story. ;D

[Vermin King]

I see your point, but on the other hand, it would require some thought as to how it should be viewed and then how to set it up to do what you want it to do.

I don't really mind the way that it is set up. To me, alphabetical is easy to find what I am looking for, but I go to other forums where the most recent topics move to the top of their sections. I think it ought to be able to be done, but I'm not sure it warrants the time to go in and change things.

In forums that I ran in the past, we often ran into this kind of thing and it seems like if I made a change for a group, another group would not like it.

[Rhannon]

Mar 6, 2012 4:44:51 GMT -9 Vermin King said:

I see your point, but on the other hand, it would require some thought as to how it should be viewed and then how to set it up to do what you want it to do.

I don't really mind the way that it is set up. To me, alphabetical is easy to find what I am looking for, but I go to other forums where the most recent topics move to the top of their sections. I think it ought to be able to be done, but I'm not sure it warrants the time to go in and change things.

In forums that I ran in the past, we often ran into this kind of thing and it seems like if I made a change for a group, another group would not like it.

I'm embarrassed King. Because if you read this as a request it means that I have written worse than I imagined.

I want nothing. It is not a criticism or request. Just, only just ( Dave teach me ;D ), only a personal impression. Nothing else.

I like, appreciate and respect the work of those who keep on a forum.

From years I am admin of an videogames' italian forum. that's not a job. It 'a nightmare. ;D ;D ;D

I understand very well when you say: "if I made a change for a group, another group would not like it".

But this ( your sentence ) is not only a forum, this is life, is world.

Ok for alphabetical order ( in fact it is easier to handle and there are no programs that move the sections )

So I rephrase my main user's impression.

Why the commercial production of some users is more visible than others?

Some things can please someone and other things can not appeal to other. But this is not always the only measure of what works right.

And again this is a my personal impression, not a request, not a criticism. To be sure this time I also add my most sincere thanks to all those who work for the forum.

[old squirmydad]

Hmm, I see your points. I'll ask the Powers if they want some consolidation and rearranging to happen.

The Big Jim stuff could all get get lumped into one category and moved down to Member artists.
Same could be done for Slick, Anita, and Jabbro.

Dragnoz, Sammo, and Mesper could get moved up and expanded like the other commercial producers.

This would better reflect the current state of the Papercraft world.

[cowboyleland]

Why is it important to distinguish between commercial producers and other members? Just a question. If there was no distinction, it would save work if some day an amateur went pro or a pro decided to retire into a hobby.

Alternatley (I'm not sure if I wrote this somewhere else or not) it might be more usefull to organise things by topic rather than artist. That might be more of a re-org than you are contemplating

[old squirmydad]

Okay, I created some new categories, moved some stuff around, and consolidated a few things.
I'm quite certain that a million different links are now broken.

[old squirmydad]

Mar 6, 2012 14:52:06 GMT -9 cowboyleland said:

Why is it important to distinguish between commercial producers and other members? Just a question. If there was no distinction, it would save work if some day an amateur went pro or a pro decided to retire into a hobby.

It's kind of a publisher's perk, a little "bump" to assist with their marketing.

Alternatley (I'm not sure if I wrote this somewhere else or not) it might be more usefull to organise things by topic rather than artist. That might be more of a re-org than you are contemplating

I think that would be extremely confusing.

[cowboyleland]

Since I'm not volounteering to do it, I won't argue.

[Deleted]

Rhannon and old squirmydad => thanks!!!

(but... should I, within publishers category, behave forum-wise more "seriously" now...?)
?!?
;D

[old squirmydad]

Mar 7, 2012 14:37:55 GMT -9 mesper said:

Rhannon and old squirmydad => thanks!!!

(but... should I, within publishers category, behave forum-wise more "seriously" now...?)
?!?
;D

Whatever for?
"Presenting Permes Cardboard Models: 1/3 less serious than any other cardboard models!"
;D