Post by UnfairBear on Apr 3, 2011 13:06:23 GMT -5
This thread contains a series of important posts from each of the planning threads we had before we made this section, that aren't now in a Team discussion thread.
UnfairBear: God damn proboards messing up my thread. *cough* Anyway. This thread is going to reference important posts from each of the planning threads there were before the new section.
What fake Dan said!
Don't be inactive about this project, in fact, even though we're waiting for real Dan's official statements, we can still continue it..
So... Yeaah
EDIT #1: Erm.. Real Dan deleted Fake Dan's first post so... Does someone have it? Um.. I can try paraphrasing..
EDIT #2: And someone deleted that section.. :/
Should we make 3 threads, or discuss it all here?
EDIT #3: Thanks to RadicallyBlue for saving Fake Dan's original post! (Hope you don't mind me putting this here, Swim. ~ Speckley/Erin)
So I know that everyone here has some mixed feelings about me, between my Dan 3.0 followers and those of you who think that it should have turned out differently. Let me just say that I appreciate all of you and that I could never be doing what I’m doing today if not for you, and that’s awesome. I love you guys. That being said, I would like to apologize to those of you who feel disappointed that I’ve let SPOTM go, you have every right to be upset. I am sorry. But I am also human, I make mistakes, and I ask you not to hold a grudge. I’d like to rejoin SPOTM and with your help I’d love to help decrease worldsuck.
So I’ve been catching up with goings on around here, and it seems that one of the biggest problems here is the lack of active and committed members. How are we supposed to change the world if we don’t have the manpower. While reading through the projects section I came across a very promising idea, the QR code poster project.
pogotribe.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=projects&thread=5813&page=1
So that idea is awesome. It uses basic advertising principles coupled with engaging graphics to hook people’s interest, and with the ubiquity of smartphones out there a person could just scan it and join right on the spot. I loved it. So I continued reading and I found this:
pogotribe.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=ideas&action=display&thread=6150&page=1
That idea just blew my mind! And it got me thinking, what if we could combine the two projects to make one super awesome project of epic proportions? We can “gamify” SPOTM while getting new members!
Here’s what it would entail. Basically each user would be issued a referral link that they could use to recruit members. Each member that signs up with their URL gives them a referral point. Points can be traded for rewards such as custom graphics, or whatever you guys can work out with SPOTM’s talent. Maybe a song, a picture, a sketch, whatever. I believe that this can really rejuvenate us.
I don’t know how to do any of this though, which is why I am calling on all coders, web designers, and geeks of all shapes, sizes, and color to work on this project and help make it a reality. Together I hope to bring SPOTM back to what it should always have been. Let’s do this.
Let's start off discussing it here...I think the 3 threads may have been a tad overkill for the time being. Plus this allows us to work together, not just certain groups of people working separately.
So I'm just gonna keep on working on my task - This is something that everyone can make use of.
I'm gonna make some internet banners for websites and siggys. AND I'm also gonna make a couple posters in both postcard size (for those small spaces!) and in tabloid size. I'll post the files in a plethora of file formats (including vector) on an FTP site. THEN you can go to the download site, grab a file, take it to staples or kinkos, and plaster your neighborhood with posters.
The QR code is just an image that you take a picture of with your phone and it sends you to the URL encoded there.
Here is a QR code for SPOTM in awesome vector form:
svg
pdf (i think the svg came out wrong)
you just have to make sure it's identifiable (preferably with that white background) and that's pretty much about it, although it'd be better to add the URL below just for good measure.
I CAN HELP
So basically, it's like a bar code. When you scan it with a smart phone, it gives you it as text (or if it's a link opens it in the phone's browser). You can make some here qrcode.kaywa.com/
EDIT:
Scanning that takes you to the front page (also damn you Freddy)
EDIT AGAIN: You can make them smaller too
Thanks for the code knowledge. I'll revise these designs to include it, and include it in future designs. Could you email me the vector? super_duper_design@yahoo.ca
Anyways, here's concept #1. Obviously about as basic as you can possibly get. And they catch your eye. And there's color options. How is this not the most awesome thing in the world?
So I still need to come up with banner and postcard versions of this, but all in due time.
In a day or two, I'll post poster/banner concepts #2 and #3, then SPOTM will vote!
(Keep in mind, once this is done, you will also be able to take these files to any sign shop and have stickers made too!)
Woah. Those are awesome. Where would a code go on it?
I would just make a 2" x 2" square in one of the bottom corners...Or directly below the website address by half an inch or so. I dunno, what do you guys think?
It might need a bit more explanation on the poster itself since I can only think of about 3 people I know irl who would know what a qr code is
EDIT: Did I mention there's 3000 students on my campus?
Yeah, true. I don't know how many people will see that and know that they need to scan it with their cellphones. Realistically, for what it is - It might be something no one will use that detracts from the overall design.
Just sayin...
Edit: Then again, being under the text URL, maybe it will be self explanatory. I dunno...VOTE HERE BY POSTING RIGHT NOW! - 3 votes in favor means I WILL include the code in the posters.
I vote to include the code for one simple reason. I manage the ad campaigns for two startup businesses and I can tell you from personal experience that unless a person has a way of accessing the site while they're reading the poster, they will never look at the site. People are too lazy to type out a URL and they will not remember it for later. Unless you advertise in newspapers, you need to give them immediate access.
Also, I don't think that more info is necessary, and in fact i think it could be counter-productive. Information in advertising does one of two things, kind of like an equal and opposite reaction if you will. It either piques a potential consumer's interest, or, since you're telling the consumer more than he has to know, the consumer makes a decision on the spot. Now that may be fine, but if the consumer decides on the spot, then more often than not you lose that consumer. However, if you give that consumer only the vaguest hint of what your product is, and you direct him to another source of information that he can access immediately and as easily as possible, then you have that consumer by the balls so to speak because he has actually done what you wanted him to by scanning your code.
If you're worried about people knowing what QR codes are, don't. Enough people know what they are, and for those who don't you still have the full written link anyway (assuming they can be bothered.) I suppose it couldn't hurt to write, in small letters underneath the QR code "scan with your smartphone."
One last thing. Since people are paying for this themselves, and I know that printing can get expensive, perhaps you can make a design that will look good in grayscale as well. Also maybe some 8.5 x 11 or 11 x 17s or something like that. Give people a few options.
I was the one that said i'd work on the Referral system, but then i found out that nobody has actual database access.
perhaps we should switch (OMG NO CHANGES! shutup, troll.) forum software? so this'll become possible, along with future projects to grow the site?
Also maybe some 8.5 x 11 or 11 x 17s or something like that. Give people a few options.
Well, I mentioned I'm also making a standard postcard size as well. That, and the tabloid size posters that are just black & white can be run off for 7 to 14 cents a copy (depending on paper) at Staples. No biggie.
Yeah, I meant explanation to the code, not the site. The landing page does an excellent job of explaining the site (which is a completely bias opinion)
This is what I get for not logging in for... 12 hours... D:
Can someone paraphrase fake Dan's post?
"Hey guys, saw this project *qr project* and Cam's project with the weird math thing. We should put them together"
Then he opened up a sub forum for it and it was all fun and stuff
Actually, Tyrope, there is someone who can get you database access. Patrick Clinger (sp?) the guy who started ProBoards has helped SPOTM out before, if i can recall. If Dan or the admins/mods can get him on board then you'll have your database access.
Hmmm I like your ideas, Freddy. The only problem I have is that you want to start projects AFTER we get new members. I think if we want members to stay we need to have projects already in place for them to join immediately. Nobody wants to join an inactive forum.
I was thinking earlier that maybe we should start organising Triads again. They had a lot of potential but there were problems with the system and those problems never got fixed. When you're a new person here it's a really great thing to get into, so I think we should consider rejuvinating Triads too, but obviously make them better.
I also think that we should be putting more of a spotlight on the projects, creative corner and debate forums. I know that's being done somewhat ion the landing page but the problem with that is that not everybody sees the landing page. Like, I never look at it, i just go straight to pogotribe.proboards.com. Looking at a whole list of forums can be daunting, even for me sometimes and it's hard to find threads that you're interested in. Those three forums I mentioned are the ones with most participation in them (maybe apart from the role playing games forum) and if we kind of guide people towards them a bit, it might be easier to get people to participate in the community. My suggestion is instead of, or as well as the landing page, we change the layout of the forums slightly so that theres a menu bar sort of thing along the left side. There'd be a section for announcements, then ones for featured projects, debates and creative threads, and maybe a section for other featured threads too. We could put changes to the admin log there as well, and other important information. That way we can see what's going on in the forums while were actually on the forums. Yeah. Shazam.
I totally agree with your opinions about admin/mod transparency. Your idea about the admin log is awesome. I mean, originally when we were all pissed off about admins not telling us stuff it was just kind of changes to the forums that were in the pipelines that we werent told about. But things like deleting posts, banning people, yadayah are things that the members have a right to know about (and are going to find out about anyway). I think having this would cause less drama because instead of people trying to find out from each other what happened and making threads and stuff they'd just know straight away. We can make everything anonymous so that nobody argues with anyone about it too. I mean the whole thing would require analysis and tweaking to cause as little drama as possible but I think it's definitely something we should do.
I had another though. Who's going to pay for the posters to be printed? O.o
Oyeah, also, I see that me, Draemora and Alex have said we can do Management stuff. Is it cool with everyone if we form a management team and start trying to put some structure on things?
Okay, I got a little excited so I made out a sort of a draft for how to manage this project. Keep in mind I've included my suggestions in the draft for now, but obviously they can be taken out.
Firstly, there would be a list of teams.
*Coding
.......Gaming system
.......New layout
*Design
*Triads
*Features
*Management
Apart from the Management team, each Team would have one Team Leader, who would report to the Management team. (This isn't like a power thing, the management team is no higher up or more important than the other teams, they just keep everything kinda organised.)
Each Team Leader has a list of duties:
*Make list of goals
*Make list of tasks for each goal
*Set due dates for each task
*Delegate responsibilities
*Record who is doing what
The Team Leaders then communicate with the Management Team in the following ways:
*Send list of tasks, goals and roles to management team
*Send weekly status updates to management team
*Let the management team know if there are any problems that need to be addressed, or if they need any help or resources.
Each member of each team would keep their Team Leader updated weekly on how their task is going. There could be sub-teams within each team that are working on a particular task, but I guess that'd be up to the Team Leader.
The Management team would do the following:
*Make sure each team has clear goals
*Make sure each team is working towards their goals through manageable tasks.
*Gather resources for teams who need them, so that the teams can concentrate on their tasks better.
*Aim to solve any problems the teams have that they can't solve themselves.
*Make sure all the teams are working well together, like a well oiled machine.
*Analyse results of team achievements.
*Generally oversee everything and make sure everything goes smoothly.
Keep in mind all this Leader and Management stuff isn't supposed to be like, a power trip for anyone. The leaders should be the people who are most motivated and dedicated and able to.. well, lead, basically. But either way, we're all equals, and nobody should be getting a power trip.
So yeah... I think that could work?
OK, guys..
So, our first task is to access the User Database.
We've certainly got a place to start.
We just need to find out how that was coded.
that so called 'place to start', is not the place to start...
A place to start would like like this:
I was thinking about having the referrals database separate from the ProBoards one because we can't access it, and do something like the like button (the one that's in every post).
That code we can access, and it'd be a matter of readapting it to our needs, and displaying the referral count in the user page instead of every single post.
Conclusion: Rob, we need access to the like button code.
Git is like SVN on steroids. Seriously, read about it.
We should make a task list..
1. The gamifying system
2. Camoon mentioned automating the game system, so I think we should work on that first.
3. ?
Also, Dan, would having specific rewards to be made go in the Designers thread, or the Planning thread?
Kthxbai!
Referrall system, I want to help you do it but to do so i'm going to need access to the database (MySQL) server structure, either an export or the live version..
Somebody with access to it please contact me at the following email: tyrope@tyrope.nl with the subject "SPOTM Rejuvenation"
). Yet, you can ask Rob to contact proboards' owners to see if they will at least give you an outline of it (also notice from the URLs that proboards uses CGI instead of PHP).
I think perhaps we could make a special system in our own server. We see the things necessary to register with Proboards (we see the form's code and parameters) and replicate a page in SPoTM with a replica form. Besides the normal, this form would have the person who gave the original link as a GET parameter, and when the register form was submitted, the person who had posted the link and the new user's usernames would be stored in some sort of log.
After that, we would need to make it so the server could process these logs, set a score and show these somehow.
Yet, I never touched images with PHP (or ever coded that much in PHP or with images in that sense ), so I'd like to know what is your opinion in here regarding the possibility to do it.
If the like button's exists, it means we can add our own data to that area, so we could just present the count there, and make a leader-board on southpoleofthemoon.com/referrals or something.
May I suggest Git for cooperation?
proboards doesn't support direct SQL? meh... this is gonna be tough.
Also, i have no knowledge of CGI, i sense trouble coming my way. Still wanna try it though!
QR & Gamify Project - Swimfellow
QR & Gamify Project - Swimfellow
What fake Dan said!
Don't be inactive about this project, in fact, even though we're waiting for real Dan's official statements, we can still continue it..
So... Yeaah
EDIT #1: Erm.. Real Dan deleted Fake Dan's first post so... Does someone have it? Um.. I can try paraphrasing..
EDIT #2: And someone deleted that section.. :/
Should we make 3 threads, or discuss it all here?
EDIT #3: Thanks to RadicallyBlue for saving Fake Dan's original post! (Hope you don't mind me putting this here, Swim. ~ Speckley/Erin)
So I’ve been catching up with goings on around here, and it seems that one of the biggest problems here is the lack of active and committed members. How are we supposed to change the world if we don’t have the manpower. While reading through the projects section I came across a very promising idea, the QR code poster project.
pogotribe.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=projects&thread=5813&page=1
So that idea is awesome. It uses basic advertising principles coupled with engaging graphics to hook people’s interest, and with the ubiquity of smartphones out there a person could just scan it and join right on the spot. I loved it. So I continued reading and I found this:
pogotribe.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=ideas&action=display&thread=6150&page=1
That idea just blew my mind! And it got me thinking, what if we could combine the two projects to make one super awesome project of epic proportions? We can “gamify” SPOTM while getting new members!
Here’s what it would entail. Basically each user would be issued a referral link that they could use to recruit members. Each member that signs up with their URL gives them a referral point. Points can be traded for rewards such as custom graphics, or whatever you guys can work out with SPOTM’s talent. Maybe a song, a picture, a sketch, whatever. I believe that this can really rejuvenate us.
I don’t know how to do any of this though, which is why I am calling on all coders, web designers, and geeks of all shapes, sizes, and color to work on this project and help make it a reality. Together I hope to bring SPOTM back to what it should always have been. Let’s do this.
So I'm just gonna keep on working on my task - This is something that everyone can make use of.
I'm gonna make some internet banners for websites and siggys. AND I'm also gonna make a couple posters in both postcard size (for those small spaces!) and in tabloid size. I'll post the files in a plethora of file formats (including vector) on an FTP site. THEN you can go to the download site, grab a file, take it to staples or kinkos, and plaster your neighborhood with posters.
Here is a QR code for SPOTM in awesome vector form:
svg
pdf (i think the svg came out wrong)
you just have to make sure it's identifiable (preferably with that white background) and that's pretty much about it, although it'd be better to add the URL below just for good measure.
So basically, it's like a bar code. When you scan it with a smart phone, it gives you it as text (or if it's a link opens it in the phone's browser). You can make some here qrcode.kaywa.com/
EDIT:
Scanning that takes you to the front page (also damn you Freddy)
EDIT AGAIN: You can make them smaller too
Anyways, here's concept #1. Obviously about as basic as you can possibly get. And they catch your eye. And there's color options. How is this not the most awesome thing in the world?
So I still need to come up with banner and postcard versions of this, but all in due time.
In a day or two, I'll post poster/banner concepts #2 and #3, then SPOTM will vote!
(Keep in mind, once this is done, you will also be able to take these files to any sign shop and have stickers made too!)
EDIT: Did I mention there's 3000 students on my campus?
Just sayin...
Edit: Then again, being under the text URL, maybe it will be self explanatory. I dunno...VOTE HERE BY POSTING RIGHT NOW! - 3 votes in favor means I WILL include the code in the posters.
Also, I don't think that more info is necessary, and in fact i think it could be counter-productive. Information in advertising does one of two things, kind of like an equal and opposite reaction if you will. It either piques a potential consumer's interest, or, since you're telling the consumer more than he has to know, the consumer makes a decision on the spot. Now that may be fine, but if the consumer decides on the spot, then more often than not you lose that consumer. However, if you give that consumer only the vaguest hint of what your product is, and you direct him to another source of information that he can access immediately and as easily as possible, then you have that consumer by the balls so to speak because he has actually done what you wanted him to by scanning your code.
If you're worried about people knowing what QR codes are, don't. Enough people know what they are, and for those who don't you still have the full written link anyway (assuming they can be bothered.) I suppose it couldn't hurt to write, in small letters underneath the QR code "scan with your smartphone."
One last thing. Since people are paying for this themselves, and I know that printing can get expensive, perhaps you can make a design that will look good in grayscale as well. Also maybe some 8.5 x 11 or 11 x 17s or something like that. Give people a few options.
perhaps we should switch (OMG NO CHANGES! shutup, troll.) forum software? so this'll become possible, along with future projects to grow the site?
Well, I mentioned I'm also making a standard postcard size as well. That, and the tabloid size posters that are just black & white can be run off for 7 to 14 cents a copy (depending on paper) at Staples. No biggie.
Can someone paraphrase fake Dan's post?
"Hey guys, saw this project *qr project* and Cam's project with the weird math thing. We should put them together"
Then he opened up a sub forum for it and it was all fun and stuff
SPOTM Rejuvination Project - Freddy
I was thinking earlier that maybe we should start organising Triads again. They had a lot of potential but there were problems with the system and those problems never got fixed. When you're a new person here it's a really great thing to get into, so I think we should consider rejuvinating Triads too, but obviously make them better.
I also think that we should be putting more of a spotlight on the projects, creative corner and debate forums. I know that's being done somewhat ion the landing page but the problem with that is that not everybody sees the landing page. Like, I never look at it, i just go straight to pogotribe.proboards.com. Looking at a whole list of forums can be daunting, even for me sometimes and it's hard to find threads that you're interested in. Those three forums I mentioned are the ones with most participation in them (maybe apart from the role playing games forum) and if we kind of guide people towards them a bit, it might be easier to get people to participate in the community. My suggestion is instead of, or as well as the landing page, we change the layout of the forums slightly so that theres a menu bar sort of thing along the left side. There'd be a section for announcements, then ones for featured projects, debates and creative threads, and maybe a section for other featured threads too. We could put changes to the admin log there as well, and other important information. That way we can see what's going on in the forums while were actually on the forums. Yeah. Shazam.
I totally agree with your opinions about admin/mod transparency. Your idea about the admin log is awesome. I mean, originally when we were all pissed off about admins not telling us stuff it was just kind of changes to the forums that were in the pipelines that we werent told about. But things like deleting posts, banning people, yadayah are things that the members have a right to know about (and are going to find out about anyway). I think having this would cause less drama because instead of people trying to find out from each other what happened and making threads and stuff they'd just know straight away. We can make everything anonymous so that nobody argues with anyone about it too. I mean the whole thing would require analysis and tweaking to cause as little drama as possible but I think it's definitely something we should do.
I had another though. Who's going to pay for the posters to be printed? O.o
Oyeah, also, I see that me, Draemora and Alex have said we can do Management stuff. Is it cool with everyone if we form a management team and start trying to put some structure on things?
Firstly, there would be a list of teams.
*Coding
.......Gaming system
.......New layout
*Design
*Triads
*Features
*Management
Apart from the Management team, each Team would have one Team Leader, who would report to the Management team. (This isn't like a power thing, the management team is no higher up or more important than the other teams, they just keep everything kinda organised.)
Each Team Leader has a list of duties:
*Make list of goals
*Make list of tasks for each goal
*Set due dates for each task
*Delegate responsibilities
*Record who is doing what
The Team Leaders then communicate with the Management Team in the following ways:
*Send list of tasks, goals and roles to management team
*Send weekly status updates to management team
*Let the management team know if there are any problems that need to be addressed, or if they need any help or resources.
Each member of each team would keep their Team Leader updated weekly on how their task is going. There could be sub-teams within each team that are working on a particular task, but I guess that'd be up to the Team Leader.
The Management team would do the following:
*Make sure each team has clear goals
*Make sure each team is working towards their goals through manageable tasks.
*Gather resources for teams who need them, so that the teams can concentrate on their tasks better.
*Aim to solve any problems the teams have that they can't solve themselves.
*Make sure all the teams are working well together, like a well oiled machine.
*Analyse results of team achievements.
*Generally oversee everything and make sure everything goes smoothly.
Keep in mind all this Leader and Management stuff isn't supposed to be like, a power trip for anyone. The leaders should be the people who are most motivated and dedicated and able to.. well, lead, basically. But either way, we're all equals, and nobody should be getting a power trip.
So yeah... I think that could work?
Rejuvination Coders - forthelasttime
So, our first task is to access the User Database.
We've certainly got a place to start.
We just need to find out how that was coded.
A place to start would like like this:
That code we can access, and it'd be a matter of readapting it to our needs, and displaying the referral count in the user page instead of every single post.
Conclusion: Rob, we need access to the like button code.
Git is like SVN on steroids. Seriously, read about it.
Coders - Fake Dan (Bombmaniac)
1. The gamifying system
2. Camoon mentioned automating the game system, so I think we should work on that first.
3. ?
Also, Dan, would having specific rewards to be made go in the Designers thread, or the Planning thread?
Kthxbai!
Somebody with access to it please contact me at the following email: tyrope@tyrope.nl with the subject "SPOTM Rejuvenation"
Mar 30, 2011 17:59:18 GMT -5 @ptmb said:
As far as I know, there is no way to access the database for proboards (or else I'd have already made the front page entirely automatic ). Yet, you can ask Rob to contact proboards' owners to see if they will at least give you an outline of it (also notice from the URLs that proboards uses CGI instead of PHP).I think perhaps we could make a special system in our own server. We see the things necessary to register with Proboards (we see the form's code and parameters) and replicate a page in SPoTM with a replica form. Besides the normal, this form would have the person who gave the original link as a GET parameter, and when the register form was submitted, the person who had posted the link and the new user's usernames would be stored in some sort of log.
After that, we would need to make it so the server could process these logs, set a score and show these somehow.
Mar 30, 2011 18:27:17 GMT -5 @ptmb said:
From the designers section (regarding banners with custom QR codes):"I know this is more technical related, but wouldn't it be possible to make it so the server automatically makes a QR code and then merges the image with it on the time of creation (also including a custom text link which is readable), thus making it possible to have the images avaialble for download with no problem whatsoever. "
"Ok, this is useful: phpqrcode.sourceforge.net/
And then I think that it is possible to merge both images by using pt.php.net/imagecopy or pt2.php.net/imagecopyresized"
Yet, I never touched images with PHP (or ever coded that much in PHP or with images in that sense
), so I'd like to know what is your opinion in here regarding the possibility to do it.Mar 30, 2011 17:59:18 GMT -5 @ptmb said:
After that, we would need to make it so the server could process these logs, set a score and show these somehow.If the like button's exists, it means we can add our own data to that area, so we could just present the count there, and make a leader-board on southpoleofthemoon.com/referrals or something.
May I suggest Git for cooperation?
Also, i have no knowledge of CGI, i sense trouble coming my way. Still wanna try it though!
