IAF Portal

[Malibu]

I like the idea that you mentioned in the SOTIAF address about a portal page. I always like forums that have a start page other then just the list of topics. It give people a starting point as well as a place to put things that you don't want people to miss. Maybe list the ROTM if you reinstate that as well as any upcoming events and the most popular as well as the most replied to post in the last 24 hours. You could list the merchandise available as well.


Aaron

[ZacFields]

I think we're definitely going to end up doing this. I really miss the portal page that we used to have. The site (from an admin standpoint) just seems really empty without it. If I have some news, or I want everyone to know something, all I can really do is make a post about it and hope everyone reads it.

Here is a portal page that is being worked on by a guy named Michaelo that i worked on the IntegraMod project with

http://www.phpbbireland.com/phpBB3/portal.php

It's in development stages right now. In the coming months there should be a lot more stuff available for the software. Michaelo says that you "could" install his portal on a live site, but he doesn't recommend it. So I'll try and hold off for a while unless it gets to be too long.

[black88gt]

I personally hate them, and most of the time never look at them other than maybe the first time I visit a site. Whenever I start typing in a forum url I skip down a few in the address bar to the index page. Anything that is important goes into the announcements at the top of every forum, aka no way someone is going to miss it anyway.

That being said it would be a good idea as far as site image and also think it would be good for first time visitors.

[ZacFields]

Well the only major negative of a portal is that it's hard to gauge how your server is going to react to it. Sometimes they add so many queries with all the various things they do that it can bog your site down. So when I add the portal, I will be making a backup of the site and databases in case I want to revert back to it in the future.

Black88gt, I can understand your point, and I think a certain percentage of other people would agree. Some people just want to go to a forum and "talk" and they're not interested in "ride of the month" or news and such. I'm with you in the sense that when I go to a forum, I skip the home page and go to the forum... that's what I really want to see anyway.

You're right though. It is the first impression for first-time visitors. If we go back to doing ride of the month, it's neat for first-time visitors to see what kind of great cars we have on the site. We could even forgo "ride of the month" for just a rotation of everyone's cars like we've done before. We'll cross that bridge when we get there though.

[black88gt]

You're right though. It is the first impression for first-time visitors. If we go back to doing ride of the month, it's neat for first-time visitors to see what kind of great cars we have on the site. We could even forgo "ride of the month" for just a rotation of everyone's cars like we've done before. We'll cross that bridge when we get there though.

i take that back i actually did check it out a bunch of times w/ you had rotm, mostly because it actually changed and its always cool to see a quick pic. its just lame when its the usual text w/ a general description of the site.

[ZEE]

I like the portal idea. Most people will probably only use it a few times but if it hooks that new visitor it's all good. Plus if you did a car rotation or something people would visit the portal page more often.

On the 'Ride of the Month' thing. That's kind of a damned if you do damned if you don't thing. People like the competition of vying for ride of the month which brings people back. On the other hand if it's a voting thing like it was last time some people are going to get tired of seeing the same cars on the block. I like the rotation thing that way every bodies car gets featured instead of just the nicer cars.

I really miss the Garage feature.

[96-eclipse-gst]

I thought the portal was a great way for us to throw any news we have to everyone. Say your a first time user, type in the address, click, BAM theres going to be an IAF auto show at xxx location, sweet thats a great time to meet new people. There we go, someone can instantly involve themself in our association. Its just too great of a way to put news out, advertise our products, ROTM, recent topics, etc. Bring it back.

[DustinsDuster]

if we get the portal up again, is the plan to keep ROTM going?

[melhoneybee]

We really wouldn't need to have the ROTM... but just put the rotation of different pictures up of members cars. That way it wouldn't be a something extra the admins had to do...

[Luminatorz34]

i agree with mel on this...it doesnt have to be a rotm, just get a file with a bunch of random pictures of memebers cars and just have a random picture on the portal page when ever you visit the site. i remember i used to get really sick of seeing the same car over and over for a month. just my .02 cents

[Drifte]

i would attend every car show if its held at a triple x location!

ROTM was sweet too.

[Drifte]

oh i like mels idea too, just circulate everyones car main picture. Like we used ot have a pic of our car in the garage that was the main one, just circulate that on the home page. Seems like that ought to be fairly simple linking.

[TbTalon94]

I think there should be a picture rotation of random cars, except for ONE week where the ROTM winner's car is on the front page. Maybe a rotation of a couple pictures of that winner.

Also to extend on the ROTM, we could make a topic dedicated to the winner each month and have them explain the car a little bit themselves as well as post pictures. That's what mostly every car forum does with a ROTM. I frequent the 3si (3000gt/Stealth) forums basically for the ROTM to see what sweet ass 3si won.

[Drifte]

to win ROTM you ahve to submit that page with pics telling about your car, then we vote. This way we dont have those "i have 1500rwhp, hers a pic of my car" crap. Details, builds, build pics etc.

[melhoneybee]

*bump* =D

[ZacFields]

Sorry folks I've been getting lazy. Going to school full time and working full time... when I got 2 months off I spent it laying on my butt and relaxing instead of working on this stuff like I could have been doing.

Lets keep these conversations going, though. At least then I'll have some input ready when I do decide to do all these things

[Drifte]

logo?

[Ashley]

i like it a lot :D

[LayneAlways]

This all sounds really cool ^^
I like the ideas d(^_^)b

[Drifte]

woah my logo is up. Ya guys shoulda said you decided to use it my name was on that one! glad it was like though.

[ZacFields]

You can make one with your name off of it if you'd like Colton. I'm okay with it being there for advertising purposes. After all, I've never paid you a dime for these. lol

There's a topic about the logo in the clubhouse that's stickied. Send me another one if you want to without your name on it. Again, I'm cool with it though.