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How can we improve BDF?

Germ

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
4,493
Location
North America
Personally, I disagree.

1 - If more personal conversations are desired, the forum already has that capability, multiple participants can be added & new message alerts are quite prominent.
2 - May take away from the simplicity of the Forum that attracts so many, in as it would add more clutter for the same end purpose & more load on the server.
3 - Posts are answered fairly quickly as Members sign in, more quickly than they would be in a chat because they can be seen immediately on login & as they are posted, by everyone, not just the few members in the chat.
4 - Would be very difficult, if not impossible to moderate content, language & keep civil.
5 - Queries disappear quickly as replies are added, losing the original question from a new login.
6 - Multiple queries & replies all jumbled together can create real confusion & very easily side tracked.
7 - Have seen/used it on other Forums, the novelty wears off very quickly, then is rarely used.
8 - Users get P'd off because they post a question & there is not always someone there to answer it or can answer it.
9 - Comments get misunderstood & there is usually no way to go back to check what was actually said.

Just my opinion, the Admin makes the decisions.
 

gilliesexotics

Super Moderator
Staff member
Messages
833
Location
Indiana
Hi, if i may offer a suggestion. It may be beneficial to make a "Current care information" sticky in the health section of the forums. This would allow someone in need of help to copy and paste this form to provide a list of current care parameters. It will in return give a organized way for someone giving advice a way to spot any problems within care causing a issue. I may have not found this yet on the forums. If there is something like this already in use please disregard this.

A sample generic form:

Age and sex:
Cage size and type:
Lighting: List the type (brand and type) of uvb and heat source. Age of uvb bulb.
Temps: Basking and ambient temps. Types of gauge reading this. Distance between basking bulb and basking spot within the cage.
Supplements: Frequency and types of supplements used.
Feeders: Types of feeders, size and quantity
Greens/fruits: What types are given and how often.
Water: Do you provide baths or a water dish? If you bathe your dragon, how often and for how long?
Feces/urates description:
Substrate and cage furnishings: Please explain.
History: Any past history you think we should know about your dragon.Vet visits, any fecal performed date and outcome, etc.
Problem:

Pictures are helpful.
 

Germ

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
4,493
Location
North America
While I think that is a good idea, have tried similar on a few forums myself, seen it on many others. Great idea in theory, but very few ever see it before, or use it when, asking a question. Another issue that often would come up is when a member asks for help, other members would just refer them to the questionnaire thread, or not answer anything until they were answered, rather than offering or questioning themselves, newcomers finding it very impersonal, would not return for help.

Just my experience with it.
 

Mungi's Buddha

Bearded Dragon Veteran
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
1,122
Location
Mungi's World- Dayton,Ohio
I would have to agree with Germ on the subject of the "Current Care Info Sheet" having also seen it used or more frequently not used in other forums. I think it inhibits the free-flow of conversation which is what a forum community is really all about. That conversation is where pertinent info is best discovered and helps establish some degree of openness as well as trust between folks discussing and then trying to give and get help in a situation.

If you go to most doctors offices today the first thing they hand you when you come in the door is "The Questionaire" and once you are done filling that out I at least always wonder it I had explained everything enough..then when you actually see the doctor most times there is no real conversation..it's I looked at your history and here is your prescription...Next Patient Please! Used to be doctors sat down and actually spent time to talk with the person they were going to be or were treating and the reason why they did that was they knew and understood that there had to be a bit of trust and faith in their expertise, that the doctor-patient relationship was a necessary and important factor in the person getting well.

And before anyone says so I know there are doctors out there that still know and practice that way and I am also not comparing help offered here to or superior to that which can be found through a qualified reptile vet.

My point was simply that I believe help and advice as well as ideas and info are best shared and received through back and forth communication not from the point of "here's your form to fill out..when your done we will look at it, give you the diagnosis and the cure...Next Patient Please!" Save that for the doctor's offices...lol:D
 

Kalypso

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
82
Location
North Carolina
I am new here, but would love to give my personal opinion as what I have noticed as a newcomer. Now, if I have overlooked these things, and they already exist here, please forgive me.

Okay, first suggestion is a shoutbox. The benefit here would be people having their questions seen right away, especially if it is an emergency situation. I have seen them be very helpful with getting quick answers to people that need them. It can also be used for general chatter, instead of a chat room.

My other 2 suggestions are a "show us your enclosure" section. I feel this would help new members, and new beardie keepers through visual aid, as well as give "expert" keepers new ideas, not to mention give the opportunity for constructive criticism for one another, and great conversation as well. I saw that there is an "enclosure" section, but I don't see many pictures. I love to see what others have created!

Lastly, a DIY section where people can post videos, pictures, or even just step by step instructions on how to make things on their own from enclosures, to incubators, all the way down to putting in tile in an enclosure, or gluing in your UVB fixture. I feel this could be very beneficial.

Thanks for reading! :)
 

Germ

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
4,493
Location
North America
1) Any new questions are prominently displayed in 'What's New' & are answered quite quickly on this forum ;) ...

2) That is why we have a search function, a simple search brings up --> Show Us Your Enclosures

3) It is the simplicity of the layout of BDF that attracts many people. Having many sections begins to clutter.

Thanks for the input, of course all final decisions are made by the Admin.
 

Kalypso

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
82
Location
North Carolina
I appreciate the reply. I understand the points you have brought up. I am giving my opinion only as a fresh set of eyes, and because of that fact it is completely non-biased. I see your point on the "What's New" feature, and that is very helpful. Some people just enjoy a shoutbox. I couldn't care either way, just thought some might like it.

However, searching for "Show Us Your Enclosures" shouldn't be something that has to be done. I felt it should be readily available. Let's face facts here. Not everyone that comes here is going to search for that, just like they don't utilize the search bar in the first place. Many questions are asked over and over again...that is just the way of a forum. I feel like the "Show Us Your Enclosure" thread should be readily available, and if not made a section, it should be a sticky in the enclosure section.

A DIY section is important imo. Some people like to be able to look at other people's plans for building enclosures ect. and discuss it as well.

Also, I don't feel the things I suggested would in any way "clutter". Even if all things were added (a shoutbox, make Show Us Your Enclosure a sticky, and add a DIY yourself section) it would still look very clean, and very well organized.
 

Josh

Administrator
Staff member
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
1,483
Location
Redlands, CA
Great ideas. Our Recent Status area on the homepage is A LITTLE bit like a shoutbox...
I'll keep in mind the "Show us your enclosures" and "DIY" subforums. Thanks for the input!
 

Scottio

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
68
Location
Leeds
Video tutorials!

I've currently just made one and messaged Germ about this (He made the original post). Easier to follow for the newer users!

More about us!

The personal details are very vague. A little more information would be nice, obviously nothing too far, nobody wants to put their address on, but maybe something about the dragons!

Thanks

Scott

EDIT;

A small image for the forum title, a simple 'href' will work, just to make it look a little nicer on the screen!

2d992it.jpg


(I can code if any help is needed)
 

Germ

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
4,493
Location
North America
You can go ahead & add your video to the photo posting tutorial thread if you like, as it depicts how to do it from another Photo storage source than what has already been described.

BDF already has a a 'Favicon' of a little black dragon silhouette on the tabs ...

favicon.jpg
 

Scottio

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
68
Location
Leeds
Oh that's strange. My bad.

+ Cool I'll get to it!

* Can't actually post as the thread is locked.
 
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