Hi Pelle,

Thanks for the chat! The only thing that I did was to set up discussions... About the neighbours- if they have not been online for over an year ( not only inactive, but not even logging on) I don't see the value. But I will follow your recommendation.

Have a good Monday everybody :)

-Tanja

Hi Mary,

Just tried to open the document and got the same message...
Will attach it again.

Pelle

Hi there,

Three comments on the chat in Koliyonkulam:
-participants show with their logon IDs, not the screen names- the website is complicated enough, I don't need to keep a decipher key to figure out the people in the chat
-there is no easy way to get out of the chat ( the tabs on the top did not work and the screen froze twice , the only way to get out was to relaunch the browser)
-there is no easy way to invite neighbors ( at least on my screen) to participate in the chat

I tried to see if there are other comments on this subject but the only screen I was able to access was " Access denied" Ghrhh!

-Tanja

Hi everyone,

I agree that neighbours' ID's are a bit difficult to use - both in chats and when searching neighbours for private messages or so... I don't know who uses their ID's, but is there a possibility to see their names as well (in chats, PM's etc)? Why should I know their ID's?

I also agree that it would be great to have an option to invite a neighbour for a chat (can that be sth like a PM notification box on the previous website?)

Take care,
Sonja

Hi Tanja,

Glad you still take the time to report the bugs you find: Thanks!
I think most of the chat bugs you mentioned were mentioned before... a full overview of the bugs/suggestions made here will be posted in a few days.

I'd like to present it together with an estimate of the things that can be fixed quickly. For that I need Frans to take a look at it (and he's away right now), hence the delay.
(For your reference: Romina posted an overview of the most mentioned issues a few days ago)

Concerning the 'Access denied' screen - can you tell me what you did when you got it?

Re: wishes for chat module

The current chat module was chosen because it's the only applicable chat module that allows you to save chats. Unfortunately it's causing more problems than expected :-(
Frans discussed some options a few weeks ago, of which the most feasible seemed to be to select a different chat function. I'm not sure about the time & work that is needed to do this, but will make sure you're invited to test any new chat functions.

Will keep you posted.

Pelle

Hi Pelle-

Granted that I am very non-techie so there's probably more to this than I know about, but don't most chat formats allow for you to save the chat? I know Google chat works that way-it actually emails you the chat if it disconnects so you know where you left off. The chat built into Facebook actually saves history within the chat window until you tell it to delete. MSN, Yahoo, ICQ...all of them have ways to log and save chats. Something like Facebook or Google, chat built into another application, seems like it would be along the same lines for what you're after here. Maybe I'm missing something though-I was just confused by the statement that it's the only application that allows chat to be saved.

Jennifer

Hi Jen,

Upon reading my message again, I think I could have been a bit clearer. As the NABUUR site was built using Drupal, we'd want to use a Drupal chat module... in that selection this was the only chat function that could save chats, hence the choice.

Pelle

Hi Pelle,

When I try to see the messages in the Website Development discussion once every blue moon I get the access denied message ( and yes, I am logged in). Usually after that the screen freezes and the only way to get back in is to relaunch the browser ( it does the same for both Mozilla and IE, both mine and my husband's computer- can't blame the browser or the equipment :))

I had the same problem when Raul was sending out links to the new Nabuur for feedback.

-Tanja

Thanks Pelle. I can open it now.

Mary

Dear all,

Thank you very much for all your much appreciated feedback, suggestions and other comments. They are listened to and dealt with. You will understand that not everything can be done immediately, due to staff limitations, but many things have already been fixed, and others improved. As already mentioned by Romina last week, Pelle is about to finish an easily updatable overview, that will make it easier for everyone to see what is finished and what can be done by when or in which order. I know that it has not been easy but we are jointly– slowly but surely – getting there.

Going back to the old website is not possible. This is the time to move forward. One of the nice thing about the new site is that it has important functionalities in place which can considerably raise activities and traffic in the Villages. The main thing that is needed now, is the tagging of the Village, tasks and resources. That is something the Facilitator and Neighbours can do
The good thing is that the moment you start tagging the important documents, other resources, the tasks or the Village, they will show up in the search, in other Villages with similar issues, on linked sites, etc. So while the technical part of the site is being worked on, please use the possibility to tag your Village, the resources and the tasks. It is easy, everyone can help and you’ll quickly see the effect.
Thanks again and warm regards,

Siegfried Woldhek

Sigfried:
When you explain that "One of the nice things about the new site is that it has important functionalities in place which can considerably raise activities and traffic in the Villages", I only think of the limitations and bugs that are make it difficult for non-techies to participate in the Website. I want to suggest you consider that there is a difference between "theoretical" and "in reality".

Among the most egregious limitations:
a) the "reply" to your message still automatically presents the user with blank spaces for a new title, keywords, language, groups, attachments, pictures, 4 videos, and even external links.
A "reply" should simply open a text box with a send button, and the possibility to quote the message you are replying to. This used to be the norm in Nabuur.
Believe me, most people hate scrolling around to find where to type stuff in or where to press "send".

b) the problem with the chat function seems to be restrictions in the design platform, so the Nabuur chat will be different from the great applications we normally use ... (no, I still don't get it: I was taught that the customer is always right):-(

c) By "Tagging" I think you mean introducing keywords for each task, and for the village itself... well this is not easily done if people don't have previous experience doing this. In fact, I think it's not easy to do at all. Besides, following the instruction to type slowly to see what other keywords and keyword frases have been used is interesting but can be very confusing. (Choices, in general, can be confusing for people who are learning something new).

d) if you want to see something "scary" for a new visitor, just click on the following link:
http://www.nabuur.com/en/category/status/not-started-yet (or do I have to insert this in the "link" subsection???). Who would have thought Nabuur would have a page named "Taxonomy" ???

Once again, let me repeat my mantra: Keep it simple (please).

Hi Tanja,

Thanks for the extra info... I will look into it.
Strange though: I never knew a webpage could make a browser freeze...

Pelle

Hi Pelle,

Did I use the wrong word? Here is what happens: when I get the screen I can not go back using the browser arrows and the little x at the top does not close the window. It may not be freezing, but it is the opposite of working.Is there a term for that? Or is it uniquely me :))

-Tanja

Hi Manuel,

Thanks for your comments. I have read them and agree with most. The site must be simple and intuitive. The problem is not that there are some people who enjoy complicated sites. The problem is how to present something which is inherently complicated (cooperation between many strangers via the internet, across cultural and language barriers)simple and intuitive. Even more so since the internet keeps evolving so rapidly in the area of social networking and thus makes it necessary to incorporate completely new possibilities all the time. (It is hard to believe that Facebook and YouTube only started in 2004 and 2005....)
I'd like to see the barriers such as the ones you mention removed asap, in a transparent manner, so that everyone can see what's next. That's what will happen. Moreover, a Canadian firm is working on a better design and that will also deal with issues such as the ones listed by you -if they have not been taken care off before that.

warm regards,

Siegfried

Hi Tanja, what you just described sounds like freezing to me.
What I didn't know is that a webpage can cause a browser to freeze...

Pelle