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Post by Admin on Sept 14, 2005 16:28:08 GMT
The purpose of this survey is ultimately to give us some information about the forum, things that we can't track usually. This is also the opportunity to voice any concerns or suggest ways of improvement. After all you are the key part of the forum.
I do not need moderating staff to reply to this. If you are a Member, a Herald Writer, Art Group Member or in the PDC Team then I'd appreciate your responses.
Answer this seriously, no silly responses. Please do not directly reply to someones' post, this is purely for research purposes.
Try to answer as many questions as you can.You may reply here or PM your answers to me. 1. Which boards do you visit most often? 2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why? 3. What do you feel the best area is? And why? 4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one. Everyday Every few days Every week Every two or three weeks Every month 5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design? Yes No 6. How do you think the website could be improved? 7. How do you think the forum could be improved? Thank You Deadline: 24th September
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Sept 14, 2005 18:29:12 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often? Duel board(I practically live there ) Chillout Show off(sub boards:Fun, gaming[rarely] Forum and web suggestions Herald staff Digital art(sub board: Photoshop) Arrivals and departures 2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why?Community projects category, it just hasn't got the buzz of the other categories. But that can't be helped really. 3. What do you feel the best area is? And why?Art and design category, haven't really looked into coding enough to show an opinion on that. But mainly because it is basically everything that us digital artists need. 4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one. Everyday5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design?Yes, although I wouldn't mind if it didn't happen but this one is getting rather bland to look at now 6. How do you think the website could be improved?More artwork, there are few galleries. Maybe have a dedicated tutorial writer that writes a weekly tutorial for the site because there aren't that many tutorials for people to learn from at the moment. 7. How do you think the forum could be improved?Activity, I know this cannot be helped but the boards, for 12,000 members aren't that active to be quite honest.
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Post by Infinite on Sept 14, 2005 19:05:08 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often? I now visit chillout and showoff more often, but I use to visit the coding boards most often.
2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why? Lack of member participation because it is causing the forum to die.
3. What do you feel the best area is? And why? The fact that the staff makes many activities for the members to be able to participate in because it gives members something to do. Though, sometimes the activities become drawn out and lose their "spark".
4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one. Everyday, but I rarely post anymore.
5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design?
Yes, I strongly dislike this skin.
6. How do you think the website could be improved?
Add more content, especially coding wise. Give previews for all images and templates for download.
7. How do you think the forum could be improved? New skin, more member activity, staff gets things done more rapidly.
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Post by Josh on Sept 14, 2005 19:38:30 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often?Show-off, Chillout, and Designers Lounge (whatever it is called now. ) 2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why?Impressions on newcomers. SSD is a rather large forum and it seems like new members don't know what to do or where to go. Projects and Contests. I don't participate because I have no reason to. I get nothing out of it and I don't ever see people enter with the experience that I have so it really isn't a good thing at the moment. 3. What do you feel the best area is? And why?It would have to be the staff. They are very supportive and very talented at the areas of expertise. Very good choices on them. 4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one.Everyday (Plus Some. ) Every few days Every week Every two or three weeks Every month 5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design?Yes NoSurprisingly no. I love this design and always have. The colors suit me and it is really easy for me to read and post on here so I say no. Perhaps a choice of multiple banners would make it better. Or even the choice of using your own banner. 6. How do you think the website could be improved?Have more stuff to do. Right now it is just a site for news and a gallery that work is hardly ever put in (other than staff art). I think that an SSD JukeBox and Arcade would be cool additions. 7. How do you think the forum could be improved?I think that the number of boards can be cut down on. I think that the the gaming board has died down and perhaps it could be deleted. Also, I think that full-fledged official debates should be started. Where and admin starts a new topic every 2 weeks or so with a new topic to talk about. The topic would be closed and the debate ended once the time period was up.
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Post by I'm a Kuzu - Uzukami on Sept 14, 2005 20:10:36 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often?a) Chillout. [Including Sub-Boards] b)Show Off. c)Digital Art. d) SOTW. [For updates.] 2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why?I think it's the fact that some[or most] of the members say SSD is lacking in interest and fun, but none are willing to particpate in events. For example, the SOTW theme was backed by so many people, but when Ollie used it hardly anyone entered. 3. What do you feel the best area is? And why?The fact that no matter how bad the staff are thrown back the always come back with strong[and high] spirits. 4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one.Everyday [Like, 30x. ] Every few days Every week Every two or three weeks Every month 5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design?I'm sorry, but I can't answer Yes or No on this one. I don't think it really matters, but if the staff have time, new versions are always awesome surprises. 6. How do you think the website could be improved?I think that like hpmad stated in his survey, we need to have more tutorials on it. The more tutorials we can get the more time people will spend lurking, and then lurkers may or may not become members. I might write some photoshop ones, but then things like entering in pixel2life.com and good-tutorials.com would be awesome help to traffic. Resources are fine, and with resource clans coming out with their first projects, it's doing great. 7. How do you think the forum could be improved?Somewhat eltangled with the above, about the lurkers/members thing. We could submit some of the old Member Tutorials that are archived to websites like pixel2life.com and good-tutorials.com. Hope these helped 'ya Ollie.
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Post by Assassinator/Young Everest on Sept 14, 2005 20:19:18 GMT
6. How do you think the website could be improved?I think that like hpmad stated in his survey, we need to have more tutorials on it. The more tutorials we can get the more time people will spend lurking, and then lurkers may or may not become members. I might write some photoshop ones, but then things like entering in pixel2life.com and good-tutorials.com would be awesome help to traffic. Resources are fine, and with resource clans coming out with their first projects, it's doing great. *cough* Do I look like hpmad to you
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Post by raisingdad on Sept 14, 2005 20:26:46 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often? PHP, Coders Galore. I check out Suggestions too 2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why? Arrival Depature, I really think it sets a bad impression for new people. I know that a returning passenger is likely to get 50 replies like 'I remember you dude', 'mmm, yeah you' because people have a history with that person but when a newcomer posts and gets 1 reply 'Hi' it seems to me that they are not really been welcomed into the Community. 3. What do you feel the best area is? And why? Art & Design/Coding they both win because they have what every Designer or Coder needs. 4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one. Everyday 5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design? No, Just a few fixes. I think SSD's width needs increasing, I am here on a 1024x728 and it looks tiny. 6. How do you think the website could be improved? Again, the width needs increasing it looks worse on the site because it gets cluttered. 7. How do you think the forum could be improved? I would stop with the Contents. I don't think people see anything in it for them, its a pain for Staff. Its a pain for Staff to listen to Members complain about them and vica versa. The forum is a community, built up from a Resource Site/Help Site/Group of Friends but its not a prize forum. Radio Stations run contests like every month, if they did one everday nobody would be interested a prize would turn from £100 at a Spa to £2 worth of Toilet Paper. I think SSD needs a big contest maybe every year, but nothing like the Hex Games while the idea was great and would work at a site like DeviantArt for a more 'friendly' place, it won't, just 1/2 competitions with a prize worth having. Having a more general competition would be more interesting, something as simple as a raffle draw.
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Post by I'm a Kuzu - Uzukami on Sept 14, 2005 20:38:38 GMT
Don't think it matters that much though. PS. Sorry assasinator, i didn't want to look up and i forgot who it was that said that. D:
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Post by acoolie530 on Sept 14, 2005 20:46:26 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often? PHP, PDC Team, Coders Galore, Chillout, Suggestions, Open Source.
2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why? I don't feel the need for Resource Clans. It gets little activity, and does
3. What do you feel the best area is? And why? Definately the coding sectors. It brings a lot of activity. Especially pbv4 cross.
4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one. Everyday, sometimes every other.
5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design?
Yes, but i am fine with the current version. The only reason i would want a new one is that this one has been up for almost a year..
6. How do you think the website could be improved? Allow more user interaction. I am not quite sure how, but it i just don't feel connected.
7. How do you think the forum could be improved? Delete any boards without activity and carefully look over the staff. Some i haven't seen in a very long time..
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Post by James on Sept 14, 2005 20:51:29 GMT
5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design? No, Just a few fixes. I think SSD's width needs increasing, I am here on a 1024x728 and it looks tiny. View it on 800 x 600. The width has to be friendly for that resolution. It barely fits it. It's width isn't changing any. Because that would mean new images for every resolution. Which takes more coding and bandwidth. I view it on 1280 x 1024. It's not that tiny....
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Post by Del on Sept 14, 2005 20:51:54 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often? Chillout and its sub boards.
2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why? The 'inner circle' attitude. It seems like members with many posts or staff have these little inside jokes and it turns into a chat room for them. If I was a new member, I probably wouldn't post because I would be out of the loop on things.
3. What do you feel the best area is? And why? Coding because it's pretty much top notch on ProBoards.
4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one. Everyday
5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design? No
6. How do you think the website could be improved? Can't really... there's nothing to offer. The main part of SSD is its forum.
7. How do you think the forum could be improved? Demote staff who don't do much. Don't hold competitions as often as you do, it makes them less special.
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Post by eternity on Sept 14, 2005 20:56:30 GMT
2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why? I don't feel the need for Resource Clans. It gets little activity, and does Umm hun, it's really only just started, we haven't even been given a chance to show what we can do and are already being written off as failed?
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Post by remixxx on Sept 14, 2005 20:59:36 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often? Chillout, Digital Image Battles, Arrival and Departure.
2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why? Hmm, nothing really. I just feel that there are only a handful of active members, and then active staff. They are the only ones who reply to most of the posts.
3. What do you feel the best area is? And why? Defintely the hard working staff. The work hard to get the job done. They also provide incentives and contests to get the members interested in, which is good.
4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one. Everyday
5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design? Yes, I was wondering when the template would get switched, are you waiting for Lans to do it or what? , I really like the current template, but I think it would be good to switch it up to something new and fresh. It would bring in some new members.
6. How do you think the website could be improved? Maybe some more PS tutorials, I only saw a few, and most had to do about coding.
7. How do you think the forum could be improved? Besides a new template to bring in some new members, nothing really. I like SSD just the way it is.
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Post by frenchie on Sept 14, 2005 22:41:00 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often?
Show off. I like to present some off my work, but i may start visiting other Boards like the Duels Board once i raise the funds to buy photo-shop
2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why?
The website resource center. It has many previews missing. Edit: Mis-understanding, No links broken.
3. What do you feel the best area is? And why?
The show off area/Chill-out/Duels (Cant Decide)
Duels: Get to see one piece of brilliant work, put against others to comment. Show Off: Get to see brilliant work Chill out: Great place to get to know people
4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one.
Every Day (Although i don't always post)
5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design? Yes. It would be nice to see what the people at SSD can really do with a bit o' code Ive seen a post where people have commented on how good versions 3 & 4 were but i never got to see them. I have never seen a Template/Design as good as this one, but would really love to see a new design.
6. How do you think the website could be improved?
Fixing the resources prviews. Would improve the image of SSD, and make it seem more professional
7. How do you think the forum could be improved?
Topic Promotion at to of forum page? Includes hot topics and staff picks perhaps? (Similar to the Sig of the week page, but with a few lines of texts and links to keep it small).
Well thats mine, hope it helps, ive probably written too much for some of the questions! lol
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Post by Matt on Sept 14, 2005 23:05:59 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often?
Chillout Digital Art Sig of the Week Coding Boards [read-only for info/help]
2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why?
Activity. Although it's kind of a static response and not much can be done by Ollie, thats what I think.
3. What do you feel the best area is? And why?
The digital art events. [SOTW, duels]
4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one.
Everyday
5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design?
Yes
6. How do you think the website could be improved?
More user involvement.
7. How do you think the forum could be improved?
I think the forum could be improved with a new design as well as a Traditional Art board. I think this community should reflect on all artists and not just digital.
Also, more user-involved events.
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Post by Eric on Sept 14, 2005 23:58:22 GMT
I know you said you don't need moderating staff, but meh I feel I can give an opinion here too. 1. Which boards do you visit most often? PDC (well duh ) Coding Chat PHP Chillout (I usually just browse unless there is some intelligent conversation) Suggestions 2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why? Competitions, like it has been said, they just don't draw in enough attention. Perhaps we need to offer prizes like ad-space and stuff, because that's somewhat attractive. Also, I have to agree with whoever it was that said our active to total member ratio is pretty sad. 3. What do you feel the best area is? And why? Coding section is pretty cool, as I'm a coder. Though I like how I always get a rate in show off, and I don't think it's just cause I'm staff either, it's pretty good in there. Duels is pretty busy, and rather nice. 4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one. Everyday 5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design? I think this design is very proffesional and the idea behind it is pretty cool. Most people think it's played out by now though. So I'd say half-half. 6. How do you think the website could be improved? Designated tutorial writers. All tutorials that are made for the Herald should automatically be added to the site. Perhaps allow blogs and galleries for members. But instead of hosting the images in the galleries, have them upload, and this just keeps track of them. 7. How do you think the forum could be improved? More interesting topics, but as of now it's doing pretty well.
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Post by Christie on Sept 15, 2005 2:41:49 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often? All of them, I read all the boards, but I do not post very much
2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why? I would have to go with the inner circle thing, as Del said. Someone new comes here and says "hey" in the newcomers board and gets a couple of generic "welcome to ssd, stay for a long time and be active" responces.. it doesnt make them feel anymore welcome then the next guy. Also, when they try to post, more times then not, they are bashed and frankly, I wouldnt put up with it. I dont know how I made it through.. I think I was abshed quite a bit my first couple months here. It seems that you have to be friends with the higher ups or be one yourself to be somebody on this forum. I understand a lot of you are reall y good friends and things like that just happen, but keep the inside jokes in places like sigs and etc..
3. What do you feel the best area is? And why? The coding, it is astonishing the talent that resides on this forum.
4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one. Everyday
5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design? Eh, I dont really care.. i probablly wouldnt even notice because this design is so cached on my computer it doesnt refresh when there is a new anouncment at the top
6. How do you think the website could be improved? Oh man.. It is very poorly organized.
I dont think downloads should be featured here, it should be at the top with the rest of the links and when you click on that, have it display a list of possible categories and then when you click that, it will take you to a page where there is a preview and some general info. I suppose that the downloads arent to bad, but there is just to many of them to sort threw and click the preview link to see. Also, previews for the JS
The tutorials lack a lot of essential orgaization too. I think you should be able to search the database for tutorials and not just have a "title" as to what the tut does, have a pic. I find that I am more likley to click a tutorial if it has a small little picture of a final result, or even a peiece of it because then I know Im not wasting my time..
I think you should base the organization of the site off of the generators page, the way that is set up is perfect for a lot of info..
7. How do you think the forum could be improved? Less contests, simple as. Not be so strict when it comes to posting I suppose.. Dont immediatly lock someone new's thread because they posted something in the wrong placed or asked something thats in the FAQ... that gives them a bad image and I wouldnt want to come back after that
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Post by raisingdad on Sept 15, 2005 11:06:56 GMT
I have to agree with the strictness, Rules are good but even this Survey thread had that scary 'DEADLINE' tag. I'm not saying loosen up, just maybe phrase it differently. Instead of 'DEADLINE: BLAH' have 'Please have all replies in before BLAH'. Its more appealing.
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Post by .Jordan on Sept 15, 2005 16:36:57 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often?
Chillout / php
2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why?
for me personally i dont find anything interesting. i cant really see anything that i have to stay for. maybe its the fact i lost activity in here whe nZanmato opened and then i just cant get back into here.
3. What do you feel the best area is? And why?
not here enough to give you my opoin
4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one.
Everyday Every few days Every week Every two or three weeks Every month
5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design?
No, this design is fine as it is. no need to change so quick, this site still has one of the best designs on pbs
6. How do you think the website could be improved?
Make the tutorial database easier to navigate, its rather complicated. insted of having cats for easy and hard tuts maybe just add it in the description.
7. How do you think the forum could be improved?
Not here enough to say.
hope this has helped
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Post by Morgoth on Sept 15, 2005 18:58:05 GMT
1. Which boards do you visit most often?Chillout Suggestions and Feedback 2. What do you feel the worst area of SSD is? And why?Hmm...an intriguing question. I don't spend much time outside the general boards, so I can't really give an answer on that. I suppose the contests board, as it doesn't really serve much of a purpose as far as I can see. Also, Chillout needs serious renovation, I'm not too sure how though. 3. What do you feel the best area is? And why?Generally Chillout, as it's the only discussion board I visit 4. How often do you visit SSD? Select one.Everyday Every few days Every week Every two or three weeks Every month5. Would you like to see a new forum and website design?Yes No6. How do you think the website could be improved?It should be given greater publicity. All the premades boards and boards of similar topic should be moved to the website. I think the announcements on the website is a foolish idea, as it only ensures that members lose touch with what is happening, rather than getting them to access the site more. It should be turned into a pure resource website, and the forum a pure discussion/requests/support forum, to compliment the resources on the site. 7. How do you think the forum could be improved?^ See above answer.
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