Time for a change?

SPDinNY · Motorer

Time for a change?

yellowmininy · Obsessed (Taking the long-cut)

If you weren't here for the time when the old site was hacked & we had to recreate it all from scratch with a whole new address, and all the confusion & numbers of people that were lost then, then you might not understand why there would be resistance to changing it again.

It's only been 2 years since then, and we are just now getting things going again. I think more change will kill it off, not improve it.

SPDinNY · Motorer

I respectfully disagree with you Cathy. In 2 years the internet has changed alot. Also building sites and making sure they are secure has been made MUCH easier with all of the different programs available for web authoring. I am not suggesting we change it to something like NAM where people buy merchandise off of it. Things can be more mom and pop-like where if things are purchased for the sites benefit it would be thru Paypal or cash at events etc. I appreciate your input as the head honcho here =)

TrixieinNY · Motorer

I just want to see the club grow and am on board with anything that will facilitate that happening.

PS Cathy - We ALL think you're awesome, and I hope you know that!

-- Edited by TrixieinNY at 13:23, 2008-10-15

yellowmininy · Obsessed (Taking the long-cut)

Like I said, you would have to have been here through the pain of re-creating the site to understand why any talk of 'let's change the address' and 'this site isn't good enough, let's change it all' is enough to set my teeth on edge.

For example, why would anyone go through the trouble and expense of printing cards or vinyl clings with the website info, when there are people saying this site needs to be changed again?

For one thing, it's not exactly internet etiquette to suggest that a website whould be completely changed, especially if you don't know the history behind why the original logo, website & club history are there in the first place.

There are a lot of Mini websites out there. Each has their advantages & disadvantages. From what I've seen over 5 years, 'new and improved' does not necessarily mean better. On this site, many of the people who posted a lot over the last 5 years aren't posting as much any more. I'd like to maintain a site where the people who have been here a while can still find it when they want to know what's going on, and the people who are new can find it.

SPDinNY · Motorer

I am just expressing my desires as a member of this forum Cathy. I know others have asked you and maybe that is why you are coming off so upset about this. I am asking openly. Now I fear that others will be afraid to post their opinions on this topic.

As far as internet etiquette, I have been on the internet just as long as you. Since when has it been improper to ask for a site to be revised or updated? This site is not you Cathy although I know you do put a lot of effort into it and I appreciate what you do. You seem to be taking this personally. I didn't intend that at all. I just feel some things need to be changed to promote this site better. That is just my opinion and I would ecourage others to express their feelings as well.

PepperMINI · Motorer

Here's my 2 cents (for what it's worth in this economy): I like the site; I think that it's really easy to use (for someone who is not very technologically savvy such as myself). If the issue is getting more people to know about the site, why couldn't we work with Towne to provide a flyer/decals when people purchase MINI's so that they are aware of it when they pick of their MINI? No one told me when I picked up Pepper, I kind of stumbled on the site by accident.

I understand your point, Cat, regarding getting everyone to switch to a new site. If you look at the TierMINI site, although a huge improvement over the prior site, it seems as though there has been less activity since it changed (probably because everyone had to re-register on the new site).

For those who are more familar with technology, speak up and provide suggestions for enhancements! :)

And let's all be friends!

TrixieinNY · Motorer

PepperMINI wrote:

...couldn't we work with Towne to provide a flyer/decals when people purchase MINI's so that they are aware of it when they pick of their MINI?

...

And let's all be friends!

I like these ideas.

SPDinNY · Motorer

I want an arm wrestling match!

yellowmininy · Obsessed (Taking the long-cut)

Towne has been doing this since 2002, when I bought my Mini.

Have any of you been part of MINUSA's Owner's Network, and watched what their latest 'site upgrade' did to their regular users? There are very few people posting there that were there before the 'upgrade', and that is the national, corporate site, with a lot of resources at its disposal.

Like I said, if you weren't here when the site was hacked before you won't understand why this is a difficult thing for anyone who has been here before then to consider. What bothers me, is when I try to explain it, it isn't being heard by the person asking the question. And it's been asked over and over, so I'm happy to have a public discussion of it, so maybe it will be put to rest.

We are lucky the site is now back up to something like the previous amount of traffic. It's been almost 3 years. So sure, hey, let's change the website address again, just because one or two people think it's a good idea.

Pardon me if I'm not in a cheery frame of mind this week, but here's some proof that it's more about the people than the website:
http://www.mini2.com/forum/new-york-new-england-region/163264-sad-news-diane-lost-her-battle-cancer.html

Diane is the 4th New England Mini owner to die in the last 3 years. She was a wonderful person, and a barrel of fun to be around.

As I've said on MINI2 and MINIUSA, the website is what you make of it.

SPDinNY · Motorer

yellowmininy wrote:

What bothers me, is when I try to explain it, it isn't being heard by the person asking the question.

I do hear you Cathy, please do not make assumptions like that. I understand your concerns but I am looking to see what the "people" of the forum other than myself think. And to say only 2 people would like to see some changes is naive. I will stop posting on this. I feel like this question I posed will cease to be productive at all. I am sorry that there is so much "closed-mindedness" being shown here.

-Regards

also if anyone wants to speak to me about this post they can email me at spdboy@rochester.rr.com I would love to hear your thoughts

-- Edited by SPDinNY at 15:33, 2008-10-15

yellowmininy · Obsessed (Taking the long-cut)

If you're not willing to discuss it, then why post it? I'm all for a discussion, but like I say, you weren't here when the site was hacked. I haven't heard you (or anyone else who has brought this up previously) say anything that recognizes what this board has already been through. I'm trying to give the historical perspective.

But so far what I'm hearing is

"I don't like the web address"

"I don't like the logo"

"I don't like the layout"

"I don't like the website applications"

Well, I guess there must be something to like about it to keep people coming back, and I'm thinking it's probably the people, and the Minis, of course.

SPDinNY · Motorer

fair enough.....

The website URL, that may not be an easy fix..it was just a mention that I dislike the URL as it isnt user-friendly.
The logo may just be a logo to me, but you have not explained why it means so much to you. How can I empathise with you if I don't know your cause, or what meaning it has for you?
The layout, well that is ok...I mean I would like a forum for classified but that is just me.
I would like to see a gallery for our Mini's

those are things I would like.

-- Edited by SPDinNY at 16:26, 2008-10-15

yellowmininy · Obsessed (Taking the long-cut)

Classified forum is easy enough. I am planning to add a 'winter driving' section, and will hopefully get time to move the previous posts from different locations to it.

I have not seen any easy way to add a photo gallery. It isn't hard to add photos that are hosted elsewhere, though specific instructions might be useful. (HTML code does come into play.) I'm not big on posting photos, personally, but I've posted pictures on MINI2 and put the images up here, and I have photos posted on MINIUSA's site, though their 'upgrade' made the photo gallery almost impossible to navigate.

Rocketboy started a 'Picture Post' section for photos here:
http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=71633&p=3&topicID=21534743

MightyMo · Motorer

Is there anything wrong with keeping the fourm and it's URL just the way it is. I say leave it like it is. Old members may not find a new one. The fourm runs good at this time. it is also very user friendly.

BUT
I also see nothing wrong with leaving it as a stand alone site for just talk like it is now and have a new main site (URL) like WNYmini.com. The two can be left 100% apart from each other. No conection means no cross contamination if that were to every happen. The new site would not have a fourm but only a hyper link to this site. Same as if you Googled MINI western NY. One for talk and one for pictures, product, major event postings and showing off the our pride of being members of WNY mini's.

Anyone else?

-
Scott

yellowmininy · Obsessed (Taking the long-cut)

Well, I've seen that attempted, but not successfully. I can't imagine that would create 2 sites that would be successful rather than reduce traffic at both sites and be confusing for everyone.

SPDinNY · Motorer

PepperMINI · Motorer

"A WNY MINI Club divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this club cannot endure permanently half-pro MINI Club of WNY and half-non. I do not expect the website to be dissolved - I do not expect the site to fall - but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other."

- Abraham Lincoln (slightly modified to fit current circumstances)

CaliBean · Member

I'm new to this club and don't have my MINI yet, although I hope that will change next week. This is my first MINI and after ordering it I wanted to find out about everything MINI. I found this site through the MINIUSA site, more so from looking at every thing on the site than specifically looking for a MINI Club. Since I found this site I have read the forums on a regular basis and (sometimes) participated. Again I love everything MINI.

Being new, I don't really know the history of this club. I would love to hear the story behind the LOGO. I can't really say if there is a time for a change, I haven't really gotten to know how the club is now. I do agree there should be an easier way to show off our pictures. My wife works for KODAK and we are all about pictures. I don't really know what the the club events are like. I hoped there would be some fun road trips to places that are often overlooked. Places like a dinner w/ excelent apple pie, a really old cemetary, the best garbage plate, a really beautiful park for a picinic....you get the picture. Some auto also clubs have scavenger hunts for prizes. I think the more intrest we can generate from new memberships as well as existing members the more we can achieve as a club.

When I do get my MINI I hope to join in on some of the MINI events and get to make some new friends.

tedscar · Motorer

Though I'm really quiet on this site and don't say much ( biggrin

), I can relate to several perspectives. I too am a relative newcomer so I don't know all the history. I can appreciate past site issues and the difficulty of trying to rebuild the former website into what we've got today.

I come here for the 'local connection' and for that, I think the site works well! I can only imagine membership and participation waxes and wanes as it does everywhere. To me, this site is an opportunity to connect with others who share the enthusiasm for the MINI and other MINIacs. Part of that connection is getting together and sharing experiences--MINIs of course, but connections that originate around the MINI but end up going way beyond that. If a chalkboard brings us together or a sophisticated website, no matter. We achieved the goal (as I see it).

Probably, I wouldn't join a companion site because 1) it seems too complicated for a single club and 2) because I've joined too many MINI sites as it is--can't keep 'em all straight and I find cross-connections on many of them (same people posting on multiple sites). I'm a little MINI-obcessed right now (there, I admit I have a problem weirdface

), but eventually I hope to move more from reading about MINIs to more motoring in MINIs.

I do see a fair number of MINIs in my local travels that I don't think have found us yet. I stumbled on this site on my own (my MA at Towne didn't tell me about it). I suppose some of the "alien" MINI folks aren't interested in joining, but I suspect many just don't know we exist. I would support some way of giving the Club more exposure. The more people that know about us the more opportunity for events and connections that make our world go 'round. Given the apparent difficulty created by reviving the old website into the current one, I think it's important to make sure previous / 'historic' members can find their way to the site and our activities. I'll leave it up to those with more knowledge about web-stuff than me to figure out what that means...

And with that, I bid you adieu..for tonight.

MightyMo · Motorer

As I see it and said. The new site should not have a fourm. Instead only have a Hyperlink to this site. They can work together. It would be like a resturant. One site is the bar (all talk) the other side is the food. The other option her is to just leave it like it is - Talk with a little show no full option for the member pages or selling.
-s

Venno · Motorer

Not a fan of having two separate Sites...I already have more MINI sites than I can keep track of..Especially when it comes time to organize an Event it gets crazy... and you end up getting double posts on two sites.
Personally I like the site, Its very simple and quick to navigate.
True the address is a little awkward, but really once you know it, you know it...Maybe we could make a jingle for the new comers who can't remember or as someone mentioned, have site that redirects you here.

VeganBrian · Motorer

everything's ok w/ the site. The URL is weird and i still dont know it, i just keep it in my favorites. or type "WNY mini club" in Google and it comes up. Gallery would be the only thing i would recommend instead of having it on a post.

SPDinNY · Motorer

Cathy, a site has been created of wnymini.com with a redirect to here. You can try it if you want. This is one of the simple things that will not cause any harm to this site. That way an easier URL is not needed. The only thing I would like to ask is your approval to use that site as a link to here and the logo of Minis of WNY to spruce it up. If in the future any changes were to be made to that site it would be proposed to you for your consent first. What do you say buddy? =)

yellowmininy · Obsessed (Taking the long-cut)

As I've said many times before since MightyMo started this in July, I don't believe a second site is a good idea. Quite a few other people above here posted feelings along thiese lines, and yet I don't get the impression that MightyMo has understood that there are objections to this.

I'm getting a little tired of having to say it over and over.

yellowmininy · Obsessed (Taking the long-cut)

Other thread has been deleted, and just so you can hear it clearly, you do not have my permission to use this site to promote another site.

SPDinNY · Motorer

wow, just wow.....

yellowmininy · Obsessed (Taking the long-cut)

That's what I'm thinking too.

yellowmininy · Obsessed (Taking the long-cut)

We can always have an arm wrestling match at the corn maze.

Jack07734 · Motorer

I have been following that thread and it looks like that I need to put my $.02 in on this one.

Everyone needs to know that moving a web site is no easy matter.

First off it took almost a year to get most of the users back on board.

I have been involved with 2 moves of SOMC and I helped Eric set this one up.

I don't want another person recreating our site out of the goodness of their heart and leave us hanging. Sorry to say that is how we ended up with the current site. Our old site administrator did not want to be bothered upgrading the software and we were hacked twice. I would rather stay where we are than take the risk.

Where we are now is stable, secure and we don't have to do much maintance. If we move we will have to pay big for a new domain name, server space, a sysadmin, new cards, notify all of the othe MINI sites of the changes etc. We don't have the resources to do that.

Jack