What would make BCP better?

[Nick]

I've been working on some big improvements to Backcountry Post that will be coming soon. As an example, one of the new improvements will add a trip report count under each user's username and photo that will show how many trip reports they have posted. That count will link back to a new tab on your profile page that shows a list of all of your trip reports.

There are a ton of other small things in the works that I'll announce later, but for now, I'd like to hear from the members of BCP about any ideas or wishes you might have for other improvements to the site. I've had to hire some outside developers with some aspects of the work, so it'll be much easier now than later. Thanks in advance!

 

[Wanderlust073]

Donate button

 

[Nick]

Donate button

On it!

 

[Parma]

A store of BCP branded items for sale

 

[Parma]

A store of BCP branded items for sale

Like a calendar with photos from BCP members...those members would ideally give permission to use their photo without compensation so you don't have to deal with licensing fees.

 

[Noun Sequitur]

It may not be possible, but I'd still like to see likes for individual photos.

 

[DrNed]

Maybe I don't know how to do it correctly but if
there was a way to improve the search function.
I'd really appreciate that. I usually have to weed through
pages of results to find the one I'm looking for.

If there were a way to put all TR to a certain destination
on one page that'd be cool too. The same with other discussion
threads. When I want to read about Bigfoot I can see all
the bigfoot threads in one place. When I want to read
the TR's about Middle Basin there all there together.

Maybe all of this already exists, I just don't know how
to find it.

One more thing . . . bacon.

Provide bacon . . . and donuts.
But not bacon donuts.

That should about cover it.

 

[Nick]

It may not be possible, but I'd still like to see likes for individual photos.

The gallery system discussed before WILL be coming in the new upgrade, and along with it, likes for individual photos.

 

[Nick]

If there were a way to put all TR to a certain destination
on one page that'd be cool too. The same with other discussion
threads. When I want to read about Bigfoot I can see all
the bigfoot threads in one place. When I want to read
the TR's about Middle Basin there all there together.

This sort of exists for geographic locations with the tag system. The failure with it to this point is that I am the only one tagging trip reports and it just hasn't been getting done. When I first added that system, I went through about 2,000 trip reports and added tags. Now there's about 800 more that need them. One option would be to open up tagging to users but that presents other problems. If users can create new tags, then we end up with lots of variations of the same tag that would behave like unique tags, for example "Zion" vs "Zion National Park" vs *cringe* "ZIONS", etc. And then there's the misspellings...

It is possible to limit users to only existing tags, but finding the right one can be a problem because you have to just start typing your tag to get to it. I think the best solution would probably be to open up use of existing tags to all users and finally get a few moderators on board who are willing to help fill in the gaps where new tags are needed.

That doesn't however solve the ability to see everything about non-trip report threads like bigfoot. But the answer to that might lie in the answer to your first suggestion...

Maybe I don't know how to do it correctly but if
there was a way to improve the search function.
I'd really appreciate that. I usually have to weed through
pages of results to find the one I'm looking for.

There are a couple of improvements we can make here. One is a system called elastic search that will likely be in the improvements. I'm not totally satisfied with it either, so instead of, or in addition to elastic, we may also implement Google site search. That can be setup just like the searchbox here on the site now, or you can just do it with special syntax on Google. Go to google and type this:

site:backcountrypost.com

followed by your search term, like this:

site:backcountrypost.com bigfoot

And you get really nice results, like this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=site:backcountrypost.com+bigfoot

or this:

https://www.google.com/search?safe=...0i20i264k1j0i20i263i264k1j0i3k1.0.de_jF5BNYds

 

[Outdoors24]

Like a calendar with photos from BCP members...those members would ideally give permission to use their photo without compensation so you don't have to deal with licensing fees.

That's a good idea. You could start a thread for people to put their favorite pictures in, then choose from them for the calendar.

 

[Jackson]

It is possible to limit users to only existing tags, but finding the right one can be a problem because you have to just start typing your tag to get to it. I think the best solution would probably be to open up use of existing tags to all users and finally get a few moderators on board who are willing to help fill in the gaps where new tags are needed.

This one was the only thing I could think of other than changes to the search function. We could take a lot of the burden of tagging off of your back as long as the options are limited to correct place names. Maybe someone can just PM you about adding a new tag if it's ever necessary.

And I really like the trip report tab idea. That will be very cool.

 

[MikeM]

Is there a way to easily find your own posts within a thread?

When browsing through the forum menus, there is an icon that shows up on a thread with my own profile pic, showing that I have contributed to that thread? But, then I still have to go searching through the entire thread to find what/where I posted. This may seem dumb, but I don't want to post the same picture I've already posted on the Guess the Spot game... LOL

 

[Nick]

Is there a way to easily find your own posts within a thread?

When browsing through the forum menus, there is an icon that shows up on a thread with my own profile pic, showing that I have contributed to that thread? But, then I still have to go searching through the entire thread to find what/where I posted. This may seem dumb, but I don't want to post the same picture I've already posted on the Guess the Spot game... LOL

This exists, although it's probably not perfect. Go to any thread you want, and then click in the search bar. Click the box to search only within that thread, then in the "Posted by member" field, put your username. Leave the actual search query blank. That will then pull up all of your posts in the thread. The downside is that it just gives a short snippet of the post. The upside is that if your posts starts with an image, you can tell because it says something like [Attachment]

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

Like a calendar with photos from BCP members...those members would ideally give permission to use their photo without compensation so you don't have to deal with licensing fees.

I’ve been wanting a BCP calendar as well and started a thread a few years back. Don’t get me wrong, I like all you guys and all, but I sort of envisioned landscape pics, not pics of members. I’ll take whatever I can get though.

 

[Perry]

This sort of exists for geographic locations with the tag system. The failure with it to this point is that I am the only one tagging trip reports and it just hasn't been getting done. When I first added that system, I went through about 2,000 trip reports and added tags. Now there's about 800 more that need them. One option would be to open up tagging to users but that presents other problems. If users can create new tags, then we end up with lots of variations of the same tag that would behave like unique tags, for example "Zion" vs "Zion National Park" vs *cringe* "ZIONS", etc. And then there's the misspellings...

It is possible to limit users to only existing tags, but finding the right one can be a problem because you have to just start typing your tag to get to it. I think the best solution would probably be to open up use of existing tags to all users and finally get a few moderators on board who are willing to help fill in the gaps where new tags are needed.
<snip>

Is is possible to provide a drop down menu showing the available tags?

 

[DrNed]

Go to google

Thanks Nick! That is really nice.

 

[WasatchWill]

I'd like an option, if I'm not already missing it with all the other search tips provided, to limit/filter search results to just thread titles (i.e. the OP) rather than all relevant individual posts/comments/replies. There are many times where I'm searching for something and I see links to dozens of posts under the same thread, but all I really want is just the whole thread, but sometimes I don't remember the title of the thread I'm looking for, so I'd rather not have so many results which often leads to so many pages, to click through when looking through different thread titles. Hope that makes sense.

Check that...I see how to do this with the advanced search, but can such an option to "Display results as threads" be added to the quick search options of a site wide search, such as from the homepage? Right now it only comes up in that quick search when in a specific thread already, and then, that option limits thread results to only those that also fall under the current forum category you are already in a thread for. This of course makes sense when in a specific thread, but it'd be cool to have that option available on the home page that would show all relevant threads from across the site. No biggie, as I'd be fine now with still going into Advanced search to search "threads and posts", but if we're making requests...

 

[Nick]

I’ve been wanting a BCP calendar as well and started a thread a few years back. Don’t get me wrong, I like all you guys and all, but I sort of envisioned landscape pics, not pics of members. I’ll take whatever I can get though.

Ha! I'd like to hope no one wants a calendar of the actual members (unless it's me doing my sexy duck face pose). I think a calendar would be cool, and we certainly have everything we need to do it. In addition to all the great photos around here, I already produce another calendar every year and print about 800 qty so it wouldn't be hard to do another. My only hesitation is balancing out how many ordered to how many are sold before they become obsolete. I say we give it a try this year and see how it goes.

 

[Nick]

Is is possible to provide a drop down menu showing the available tags?

Yes and no. For those given the authority to add tags, they can start typing and on the second letter it will show a drop down with all matching tags. Otherwise the drop down would be pretty huge. That's really probably pretty good though. Screenshot:

 

[Nick]

I'd like an option, if I'm not already missing it with all the other search tips provided, to limit/filter search results to just thread titles (i.e. the OP) rather than all relevant individual posts/comments/replies. There are many times where I'm searching for something and I see links to dozens of posts under the same thread, but all I really want is just the whole thread, but sometimes I don't remember the title of the thread I'm looking for, so I'd rather not have so many results which often leads to so many pages, to click through when looking through different thread titles. Hope that makes sense.

Check that...I see how to do this with the advanced search, but can such an option to "Display results as threads" be added to the quick search options of a site wide search, such as from the homepage? Right now it only comes up in that quick search when in a specific thread already, and then, that option limits thread results to only those that also fall under the current forum category you are already in a thread for. This of course makes sense when in a specific thread, but it'd be cool to have that option available on the home page that would show all relevant threads from across the site. No biggie, as I'd be fine now with still going into Advanced search to search "threads and posts", but if we're making requests...

I'll look into this.