i do like the format of bushcraftUSA. but in honest truth, this forum format serves it's purpose. i'm not sure if anything is obviously broken and needs any upgrade. other forums with all the subtopics and things sort of divides the members into subforum and don't get to interact like on this simple forum.

Tagging posts (like hashtags in twitter) would be a good way to categorize posts without creating explicit subforums.  It'd also help with searching the forum.  

The stackexchange sites do a good job of organizing questions to make them searchable by hashtag in addition to other content.  I also like StackExchange's way of "accepting" an answer to a question so that you can see the question and the accepted answer all at once without having to scroll.

JoAnn, they to be stagnate information pages. It's just an idea. But the email export is a biggie.

bullet09, I think this website is quite creaky...  We really shouldn't have to have workarounds for searching certain figs, for example.

For example, I hang on this website: http://www.badgerandblade.com/

And it works quite well.  However, it seems full-featured enough that it might be a bear to maintain properly, I wouldn't know.

Dennis, I like the idea of stagnate information pages.   Read about the topic and then do a search to read what members experience was and what they have to say about it.

Timclymer - I may be one of the last people out there who doesn't have a twitter account! 

Jon - I do love the simplicity of this forum however indeed it could use a facelift and a few functional tweaks. All that said, It would pain me if the countless threads with all the wisdom contained were to be lost. Please take measures to preserve all the knowledge. 

As for the future....machines like me! ...If I can provide assistance in helping you develop a new platform....It's a thing that I understand well, and can help with....PM me if I can offer any assistance.....I believe I may be in a unique postilion to help...drop me a line

i like the growingfruit.org forum layout. this thread is old not sure if Jon still intends to make a change. great forum here none the less...

We as a forum should release a monthly newsletter

I worked as a journalist and would love to do it for everyone.

10 page newsletter focusing on topics like:

Varieties
Cutting technique
Member interviews
Member photos!
Highlights of popular threads
Zone related news
Off topic stuff
Any charities folks are supporting
Events ie the Long Island Fig Festival

We could start next month.

What do you guys think?

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/

I like:
1. It has markers in the list of topics to show if there is a new post I haven't read. This is a very busy site and the number of topics and posts can be high.
2. There is an option at the top of each topic to jump to the first unread post so you are not stuck scrolling through pages to find what you last read.
3. Each topic shows the total number of likes given for posts in it so I can quickly see if it is something worth reading.
4. Readers can rate each topic and the overall rating (0-5 stars) shows at the top.
5. I can easily report a problem with the site, spam messaging or a post that seems inappropriate. On Figs4fun I haven't been able to find a way to do this other than saying something in the general chat that may or may not be noticed and will linger for future readers.
6. One-stop shopping. It has a broad range of topics I'm interested in that are related to the main theme of the site but separated into categories (livestock species, land, crops, do-it-yourself, recipes, items for barter, etc.). This makes it easier to find them for Those Who Will Not Search.

I dislike:
1. Homesteadingtoday uses ads.

No ads!

SPELL CHECKER!!

Classified Section, limited to plant material and related items, would be great.

Member location (mandatory sign up field, city/state) in searchable database.

I'm for it. I dare say tens of thousands of accumulated hours are spent on this site each month.  Why not take this site to a whole new level?   

Let's start a new trend to discuss, I'll put together a few mock ups for the front page.

Sounds good Dom. You know, maybe private advertising of cuttings or other articles of goods 'over a certain dollar amount' on the newsletter would be good at a 'very small' contribution to the site?

This is just another old thread from the past.
Jon runs his show (forum) the way he likes.
I like it like that.

No moderators with the big head syndrome.
Threads that get out of hand, Jon deals with.

I don't like change, I do not think we need it.
My opinion.

Doug

I'm very thankful for this forum and all the effort Jon has put in. A huge thanks to Jon regardless of what he does. (Or doesnt do)

Thanks for this forum.
I belong to a variety of forums and some of the features I like are
Sub Forums- For instance-  Notices by Admins; Beginners; Irrigation; Propagation; Classifieds, etc, etc.

Another feature is a button that features the ability to see only new topics and another to mark "all read"

Ha ha necro-post...

However there is now competition out there these days from the O ther F orum...

That might make this old post relavant, or not...this is Jon's call.

Not a pissin' contest. Jon runs a full time business as well as other stuff. He probably doesn't have time or energy to do everything he'd like.  So maybe it would be nice to hear from Jon on the subject, that way we'll all know if he's interested or not. 

Who left the puddle....lol

I've been on this forum long enough to have heard
all the improvements "Jon could make" before.
And I have seen no changes.

I'm just saying I like it the way it is.
Jon provides quite a nice forum, and has always acted level headed and fair to all.
I can't say that about any other fig forum I had joined in the past.

So my loyalty will stay with f4f.
Whether it changes or not.

Doug

I wouldn't consider another forum to be competition to this one. It is just another outlet and resource for all. Instead of looking at them like competition, why not look at them like a partner in the dissemination of knowledge about all things figs. I am not at all ashamed to say I peruse both and both are great, even though I am only a member in this one. 

I think this site is perfect just the way it is Nice clean format I wish we could post pictures without putting them on the web first a real pain in the A$$ just my 2 cents 

I agree, Dave.... Doing the shuffle to post pics is unnecessary and considering the price of storage now days, really user unfriendly and silly. 

Posting pictures using free flicker is simple to insert pictures.
Just post the BBCode
Doug

   

Just posted these photos straight from my computer.