New forum registrations

[confus-ed]

So since we got ..

"Your account has been activated but you are currently in the
moderation queue to be added to the forum. "

(About two weeks or so ago)

How are new registrations going then compared to before ? .. things seem very quiet !

[Richard1]

I have been moderating the new members threee times daily on weekdays and usually twice on Sat and Sun.

[confus-ed]

I have been moderating the new members threee times daily on weekdays and usually twice on Sat and Sun.

I'm not disputing any 'effort deployed' .. I'm asking how new registrations are going since the introduction of 'anti-freddy' measures which is a different thing to what you answered !

I ( & I know lots & lots of others) think this 'over-reaction' is making the place 'all the poorer' for it .. I don't know about you, but I'm kind of used now to 'instant world', where everything happens in a jiffy, & I think having to wait even an average of 8 hrs before I can post for help, is just too long ! ..

I notice the front page has changed a little too ! .. what happened to the bits that said something like 'free instant help' ? (meaning the forums & chat) has it not occured, that much of the fee income generated at this site via registrations, is generated by the hard work of members in supporting technical issues ? - I think its about time it did !

A busy forum, is a happy forum & very probably a profitable one too - a dead forum is no damn good at all !

[Richard1]

Let me first say that I'm am held responsible for what goes on these forums, not any of the members, just me. Registrations are going fine. I'm sorry that this new security measure has to be taken and that you don't agree but this problem presisted for the first 2 months I was here and to be honest I got tired of dealing with the fallout. The person in question violated the AUP on more than one occasion and this person was given many opportunites to change there behaviour. This is the only way I can keep this from happening again and again. I want nothing more than the community to grow; there has to be some rules though. I am hardly cracking down on every one and every thing that could be construed as an AUP violation. There's more going on here than that.

We are currently working to upgrade WinDrivers with more options and features both here and on the WinDrivers premium site. We are also working to upgrade the look of the site.

I agree that the forums do bring in some members. I will add a blurb to the home page regarding this.

Any ideas on how to improve the forums or the site(aside from the one we've been discussing)?

[confus-ed]

Any ideas on how to improve the forums or the site?

Some original content rather than just a load of links & a 'far, far too big' advert on the front page ? .. (the 'look' defiantely wants a revamp - it 'looks' just like a bloody big advert to me ! )

..Prizes !?! You don't have to get carried away with this, but some free memberships might be a good 'loss leader' for forum members who contribute ?

We could do with some guides on common proceedures, replacing a cd drive for instance etc etc (I've kept meaning to & never gotten around to it partly because I've either got to host the pictures myself or depend on some hosting service which may exceed its views quota pretty quick).

& can someone please fix that bloomin' chat link/applet ? ( & while I think about it, can we also 'fix' the official/unofficial nature of this feature ? As I'm not so sure given the physical arrangement of things as I understand them just whether it is really a part of WD or not ?)

& my continual moan .. "bring back tech stars all is forgiven" needs mention too !

[TripleRLtd]

Prizes and tech stars?
Common procedures and guides are long overdue and as "sticky's" or as a seperate feature.

[Richard1]

Ed if you have an article you would like to contribute I will host it here, pictures and all. I am currently working on the redeisgn myself.
Prizes are a great idea and will be done after I get some of the main things straightened out here.
Can you please clarify what you mean here:
"can someone please fix that bloomin' chat link/applet ? ( & while I think about it, can we also 'fix' the official/unofficial nature of this feature ? As I'm not so sure given the physical arrangement of things as I understand them just whether it is really a part of WD or not ?) "

[TechZ]

Basic Guides are a great idea, so are solutions to the most basic questions, kind of a sticky FAQ.

Prizes!!! Wow. that would make me come here more often.

Guide to change HD: http://www.short-media.com/review.php?r=281

[Green_Eyed]

& can someone please fix that bloomin' chat link/applet ? ( & while I think about it, can we also 'fix' the official/unofficial nature of this feature ? As I'm not so sure given the physical arrangement of things as I understand them just whether it is really a part of WD or not ?)

& my continual moan .. "bring back tech stars all is forgiven" needs mention too !

What's wrong with it? I tested it after reading your post. The first time I tried it, the pop-up was blocked. Or do you mean something else about it?

[confus-ed]

What's wrong with it? I tested it after reading your post. The first time I tried it, the pop-up was blocked. Or do you mean something else about it?

Nope I mean generally on 'a lot' of machines, it just plain 'doesn't work' & you get the page with a little 'x' in the corner (sure lots of possible reasons why, port blocked ?, firewall blocking it, etc etc, but all reasons a techie might be able to fix, not so much 'joe average' ) .. not overly helpful for your average 'stuck person' - at least a little note covering possible reasons &/or some alternative 'instant contact method' would I think help (I'm still concerened that new users 'can't get through' & I don't think that particularly helps anyone).

There's also the aspect of the chat server not being run by paid WD 'staff' - its all volunteered (including the actual server it runs on), which in many ways is no bad thing, but legally I would think its a bit of a minefield ?

[Green_Eyed]

The part that I find confusing is the guest handle, which is probably an aspect of the chat program running on non-WD servers? The first time I entered, there were other "guests" so I didn't know which "guest" I was.

[Richard1]

People must have Java installed on their machine otherwise they get the red x. No way around it. That's the way Java works. I will add a blurb on the chat page saying "Java must be installed in order to use the chat applet". You needn't worry about the legal aspects of the chat, I'll handle that end.

Green-Eyed when you log in you must change your nick and there won't be any confusion. It's in the lower right hand corner of the applet.

[confus-ed]

People must have Java installed on their machine otherwise they get the red x. No way around it. That's the way Java works..

You mean sun java ? perhaps add a link to download it ?

& can we mention whichever port that's required to be open too ?

[Matridom]

You mean sun java ? perhaps add a link to download it ?

& can we mention whichever port that's required to be open too ?

The chat runs on port 8000, just like it has for many many years.

[confus-ed]

The chat runs on port 8000.

Ta Matt, I hardly ever use the thing & I think I had to ask someone last time, but if all the information & requirements are added to the link , this will help others having to ask the same 'fool' questions