How can we improve the Forums?

[Sophie_M]

Hi all,

 

This discussion is a space for all members to share suggestions and ideas to improve the Forums. This can be anything. Navigation, notifications, topics and themes, moderation, community rules, or something else!

 

We'd love to hear about what you think we can do better. We are really grateful to everyone who has contributed their ideas already, and we're always keen to hear more. 

 

Kind regards, 

 

Sophie M

 

Please note: This is not a thread for discussing the moderation or editing of individual posts - if you have questions about this please contact the team offline via email modsupport@beyondblue.org.au 

[mmMekitty]

Hi Elizabeth & all,😺

These changes to the forum are difficult. Slowly, I am working my way through.

I would like to help you, but like many, I'm struggling with some of this, too.

I hope I have fixed up my settings so I won't receive lots of emails, like one for every person I've posted to, one for their every post in return, or for every Discussion/thread. Thank you to tips I read in this Discussion.

I'll get over the change in terminology, from Thread to Discussion. Posts are still what we write & read within Discussions/Threads.

I'm not sure yet why there is this 'Additional options' & the only thing there is a pre-selection to 'email me when someone replies'. Since I turned off all email notifications, why is this still set to ☑, which requires me to uncheck every time I post, to ensure I won't have emails sent to me, as per my settings?

Must I be alerted so often that my content was auto-saved?

Oh, Geoff, I discovered, when I had to reboot my modem, & this was during the essential ma maintenance, too & I thought to copy & paste the text I was working on, just in case. but when I returned this morning, & went back & began my reply again, & I found I could retrieve my text from the evening before. The notice appears above the text box, advising you that you have content that  was auto-saved at [time] & you have the option to 'Load' or 'Discard'. Discard looks like a link, but 'Load' seems to be in ordinary font, but acts as a button to reload the text last auto-saved. . 

I was surprised I could reload after closing the website, & rebooting my modem (the signal had dropped & my audiobook was not playing), the next morning I opened BB's webpage again. & went to post what I'd wanted to post the night before.

So far, this is the feature I like best.

& to find new members, try: Beyond Blue Forums, to, Introduces Yourself, to, Welcome and Orientation. There is a fuller list of the newest Discussions/Threads, which includes the new members's first Discussions/Threads, & the pages beneath, so you could look back a little more than just the few I saw in 'Introducing Yourself', which seems a bit wonky to me, but if this is how to get to the long list, then, it's what we have to do.

mmMekitty

[mmMekitty]

Hi Sophie_M

I would also like reinstated, the character count that tells me how many characters left or over the limit.

Now I only am advised I'm over, but not by how much. I've just edited three times, to get my last post under.

That's frustrating.

As is the constant audio announcement I get whenever the content I' am writing is auto-saved, if I'm not constantly typing quite fast. (making mistakes too often, too)

Haha, I just discovered, while the notice is up there that I have auto-saved content, the auto-save for this content I'm typing is not visible nor am I hearing it! If I just start a false reply, then begin my real reply, I wont' hear it!😹 Little tedious, though,  going to the trouble of beginning a false reply. 

hmmm...

Warmly,

mmMekitty

[Hanna3]

I have indicated i want threads ordered newest to oldest, but no matter what I do I come onto threads that go newest to oldest - a few times with new posters on the Welcome section I have started to reply to a post only to realize it is several years old!  So I have to keep checking the dates next to posts, it's annoying and hard on my eyes!

[Hanna3]

I have the same problem as mmMekitty, it says I am over the word count but I have no idea how much I am over and how many words I have to get rid of!!  This is really difficult and annoying, can this be fixed somehow?  

I would love to have some way of knowing when people have posted on discussions I follow, I have to check each one of them individually, there is no way of knowing otherwise.

[Guest_342]

When I filter by newest posts, it still doesn't seem to organise results in date order. There are even posts that are a few years old that pop up.

[blondguy]

Hi Hanna as you mentioned the new forums can sometimes be difficult. I used to design websites (not forums) and like yourself am getting used to using this new platform as well. 

There have been a lot of Beyond Blue salaried personnel working around the clock to get the new forums where they are now. 

Its a clean and fresh interface yet I cant find the Australian flag anywhere. Even though we are a successful national mental health organization our flag is essential to show that we arent a global initiative not to mention being proud to be an Australian irrespective of our roots

respectfully 

Paul

[Guest_342]

Availability of the formus in a mobile app would be amazing, so we don't need to navigate through the website, login etc. App purely for the forums. Might also help deal with any clunkiness you get on a website. Also maybe it would be easier to do updates?

[Doolhof]

I'm struggling with this new system. I have tried to access the 20 comments on smallwolfs Tips thread, but can't access the unread comments.

I'm find this new set up to be very disengaging, disorientating and feel disconnected from the community.

Is there an easy to find, clear and precise information section that is easy to read and access that I can look at to explain how this new system works? If I can't access the information in the threads I don't know how to proceed.

[Summer Rose]

Hi Dools

Thank you so much for your post. You seemed to capture so much of what I’m feeling when you mentioned a new feeling of disconnection.

In addiction, I feel privacy and to some extent safety has been diminished by the introduction of our Public Profiles, where readers can view and peruse any discussion we’ve ever started all in one location (my concern is driven by the fact that we often reveal little bits of information in individual posts over time which can now easily be put together).

I’m waiting to find out if this can be closed by any individual or by bb. In other words, do we have any choice? Unfortunately my anxiety about this is only increasing with time.

Like you, I’m stuck on how to proceed. I know I currently wouldn’t be comfortable starting a discussion now. But with some help to learn to use this new platform (a tutorial perhaps?) I could persevere to stay to offer others support and just keep in touch with people I feel I know. Not sure. Really torn.

Kind thoughts to you

[demonblaster]

Hi everyone ☺

Popped this up for any issues from the new system.

I have a few so will try to get them up sooner than later.

I figure the sooner bb knows the quicker it can be resolved. 

This might be for improving forum discussion but in case it's a glitch.  The little heart below support at the bottom of a post doesnt change colour if it's meant to.