Forum Redesign

[scottb]

As we now have nearly 40,000 messages in these forums, things are getting a bit "crowded" (as many of you have already noticed). Thats a good thing - it means our little community is growing!

To facilitate continued growth, and to better organize things, I've decided that we need to redesign the forums a bit. I've decided to organize them in a true community fashion - by actually modeling a community. Read on.

We'll have several top-level folders which will hold all subordinate folders (forums). Each top-level folder will represent an area of our community. For example, the "Exhibition Hall" forum will contain the many new critique forums (for show only, for critique, children's art, etc.) The "Courtyard" will hold the Cafe Guerbois forum, new user forum, the site discussions, etc. The Art School folder will hold all the technique discussion folders, etc.

Not only will this allow us to continue growing, but it will also facilitate more streamlined discussions and make it easier for folks (especially new users) to find helpful information.

Let's chat about this for a few days and see what we come up with... http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Cheers.
Scott

[llis]

Excellent!

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See you in the Cafe Chat Room (http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/WetChat/index.html) ...Or, stop by ... the Virtual Cafe Guerbois (http://www.artistnation.com/members/paris/cafe/) today and sign up for one of the painting/drawing projects!

[Rod]

Sounds great Scott,
Thanks for including the kiddies art section forum , look forward to it,
Rod

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Rodzart from New Zealand (http://www.artistnation.com/members/paris/rodzart/)

[kptad2]

i think is a great change as well.. i know how confused i was when i first joined..Wc too.. as a matter of fact hahahim still confused...lol... there is no hope for me http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/biggrin.gif but i do thnk its great all the changes& things that are going on here!! i love this place .. http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[henrik]

Scott, speaking of streamlining...
That has been my major thing with how this work right now - there is lots of clicking around, remembering stuff )like where you have been). I am afraid that further dividing things will just require more clicks to get to where you want to go, especially if you are moving around the forums frequently.

At the same time as the suggested changes are good for infrquent and new users they may not be all that good for power-users.

So.. I am all for the new structure of the content but I really would want to see functions that help the power users perform their work faster. These users - the frequent posters are what builds the value of WC, and as the volume goes up you want to support them in getting in and doing their thing as fast as possible.

I have lots of ideas about how this could be done, and I would love to help in any way.

[Phyllis Rennie]

I'm glad Henrik has lots of ideas.

While doing this, can you also change the "todays current topics" to "the last 24 hours topics"? For example, so the things discussed between 10pm and midnight are still current at 8pm the following day.

[linart]

visual me thinks...a diagram would be nice, a 'you are here', I've been here a few mounths, some for alot longer, some just drop in from time to time and would be blown away...change can be good but is always unsetteling....I can't spell, but anything that can minimize trauma, create comfort??? Maybe a transitional process???

[jweir]

Hello All,

I think it is a great idea. I remember when I first joined WC it was confusing for me now that I understand... sometimes I still get confused. I thank this would help out a lot

my 2 cents

Jim

[cagathoc]

Scott,

It sounds WONDERFUL~

cindy

[oleCC]

great news Scott...

I agree about streamlining and keeping it simple as possible. Several folks I have introduced to WC, have told me they have a hard time "getting around" - and they get
confused. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help too.. puter dummy that I am.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif Carol

[henrik]

Second the motion to have a last 24 hours function since that works much better for visitors in different timezones.

[tammy]

Sounds great. When do we start?

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Tammy "the I don't know what kind of Artist, artist"

[sassybird]

I am embarassed to say that I spend sometimes 4 or 5 hours a day at wc. I think streamlining is a good idea as long as there is a map of sorts for those of us that do spend a lot of time here as well as to help newcomers. I personally haven't had trouble getting around. I just take my time and look at everything.

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sass

[John H]

I think it would be nice to have the option where Wet Canvas could send e-mail notifications of replies to your posts. That way you'd be less likely to leave the replier "hanging" because you forgot that you had made that post.

[paintfool]

John, that feature already exists. Look below the text box & check it before you hit the submit button http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif
Cheryl

[John H]

Cheryl,

Below the text box I see mode, help, full, basic, disable smilies, and show signature. Is it one of those? Maybe I'm going blind!

John

[llis]

John:

When you post a new message, after you have written your message, take a look at the options below the message typing area. One of the options will say something like "email notification". You have to check this box in order for the system to notify you that someone has replied to your post.

You can pretend right now to "add a new topic" so that you can see this option. Then just back out of the "add a new topic" mode or just add a new message. Just remember to check that box to be notified when someone replys to your post. http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/smile.gif

Hope this helps. It does get confusing with so many options available.

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See you in the Cafe Chat Room (http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/WetChat/index.html) ...Or, stop by ... the Virtual Cafe Guerbois (http://www.artistnation.com/members/paris/cafe/) today and sign up for one of the painting/drawing projects!

[llis]

Oh and John, I thought of one other thing that might be confusing you. You only can be notified when you are the original author of a message thread. You can not be notified that someone has answered your question when that question is buried inside a post that someone else started like this one. http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/frown.gif E mail notification is only available to the "Add a Topic" selection.

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See you in the Cafe Chat Room (http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/WetChat/index.html) ...Or, stop by ... the Virtual Cafe Guerbois (http://www.artistnation.com/members/paris/cafe/) today and sign up for one of the painting/drawing projects!

[John H]

OK - only for the "Add a Topic" selection.
Now I see it. Thanks, llis. That's good to know.

[Robert]

Testing

[Robert]

Scott, I'm a new member and a beginner painter. I've submitted paintings to the critique discussion forum and have gotten some excellent feedback. What I'm looking for is more of the same. Is there a possibility that the critique discussion forum can be categorized? I.E., Figurative, Still Life, Landscape, Non-objective, Abstract, etc.? The reason I'm interested is that I'm in a stage where I'm doing a lot of nude studies. They aren't good enough to warrant a lot of praise - but what I'm looking for is instructional criticism of the kind that will help me do better.
WetCanvas is a great help to me, already, and I don't want to sound either greedy or digruntled because I'm not. It's just that I would like more direct, honest criticism of the sort that this kind of communication (anonymous) really makes possible. I'd like to see even more critique in the critique section, I think is what I'm saying.

[ameliajordan]

Sounds like soom good ideas, Scott, because it can be difficult to learn your way around. I hope you don't go to subject rather than medium. If I have extra time I look at others, but always want to see the watercolors. I find it frustrating now in the critique area not to know the medium unless the artist puts it in the title (or at least a w/c).

[henrik]

Robert, please just make a note when you are posting what sort of critique you want (you will always get a bunch of "lovely" thrown into the deal for free http://www.wetcanvas.com/ubb/biggrin.gif).

Like "please point out all the things you think I could have done better and why"

[Phyllis Franklin]

cross your fingers and hold your breath..... big changes that we all will love are on the way! Maybe this will be our WetCanvas Holiday present!

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Yep this is Phy...llis
Sounds like Lizz.
P.S.
Join in the fun! Paint one of the painting projects today. (http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/WetChat/Projects/index.html)