message board, of the future

“Ok, think forward about 5 years. How do you see people using message boards? Will they still be around? Let's hear all your ideas about how you want TT to rule your life in 5 years, even if it isn't technically possible right now. What feature do you dream about at night?”

“I would like to see how many people open a thread to read it.”

“I think we should have a sarcasim font.”

“to be able to ignore any thread no matter what category it is under

all posters must have their own picture attached to their name
last edited: 11/02/05 8:55:12 PM”

“How about seeing who is on line, kinda like a buddy list works?

Now, if we can do that, then we should be able to get motion detectors to see who's actually sitting at their computer.

And, then in a few years, we'll be able to see where you go when you get up from your computer as the reality-cam follows you around the house.

If you get the good equipment, we can actually tell what brand of beer you're taking out of the refrigerator.

Ok, I got a little carried away after the first paragraph.
last edited: 11/02/05 8:56:31 PM”

“just two nights ago I dreamed somehow "the college football" thread scrolled at the bottom of my TV screen during Saturday games. I kinda dig the notion. Just in case that doesn't work out....I'd settle for some emoticons.”

“A "Ban this user" feature to eliminate having to see threads by Sarge and such trolls.”

“TT becomes a chip implanted in my brain wirelessly linked to a network no matter where I am in the world. To read a thread I just think about what thread I want to read, and to post I just think about what I want to be posted. Yeah, let me know what you can come up with.”

“Yeah! And I want to control Simer, too! A remote control activation of Simer's brain!”

“Yah, that'd be sweet... i think”

“Ha!

Good question, though, Matt. Seriously. Gotta think about that some more...”

“more porn links”

“+1”

“I am dreaming about a all boob site”

“A link to the TT map that was created not too long ago.”

“A blood alcohol content indication with the ability to ignore anything posted over or under a given blood alcohol content.”

“Posting to this BB is not really all that different from posting to a Usenet group, and those have been around a long time. It makes it difficult to see past this paradigm.

Are you thinking RSS feed, Matt?”

“I'd like to see how many people are accessing TT at any given time, but not necessarily have to see who they are.”

“More Liberals! Strong language, weak minds.”

“An interface with the talking face Of 'Holly' from Red Dwarf.”

“1. I want to rule the site. Everyone bows down to me. I decide who posts and what they can say.

2. More boobs.

3. Commie Socialists like USA have to pay a "troll toll" so there doesn't have to be advertising.

4. Tree's idea of Instant Messaging, with video capabilities.

5. More boobs.

6. Allow the site-king (me) to impose a limit on the number of times people can start a new thread.
(cough - Spirit - cough)

7. Better feedback from the webmaster when complaints of advertising slowing down the site are expressed.

8. More boobs.

9. Keep out emoticons and similar AOL type garbage/crap.

10. Whenever somebody instigates name calling and being rude, I, the other person, can ban them indefinitely, and their name goes on a "TOP LIBBIE HYPOCRITICAL BONEHEADS LIST" for all to see.”

“PS - matt ...

Great job on this site so far!

I hope you're profiting well from it. Nice job.”

“I've been thinking of programming a TSR program to alert for marked threads/users with an integrated rich-text posting app.

I still might do that, but if you change the site it will be a waste of time.

... or ... that could be a feature of the message board, of the future ...
last edited: 11/02/05 10:24:33 PM”

“These days, it's all about the information management. The 90's have showed that vast amounts of information can be communicated through computer networks. Nowadays, it's about accessing specific information I might be interested in a given moment -- no more; no less. Also, moving forward, we should think about how the Internet experience will change when broadband Internet access moves into a mobile domain (think broadband Internet access in the car), a place where, even today, it's still largely limited.

That being said, here are a few ideas:

RSS/Atom feeds for threads so that I could subscribe to updates?

Custom thread view, similar to the categories, where I could somehow create my own labels and tag threads with them to group related threads together? (Inspired by GMail)

Reading/Replying to a thread thru SMS (cell phone text message) or maybe a voice system (think OnStar and other similar services)

Query trips and threads via SMS, Email, or voice system (as mentioned above) perhaps using a given set of keywords to seek out information about directions posted to a trailhead (Printing it out on paper is so 20th century...)

General Information Management: Take a look at Google and pretty much mimic anything you legally can that would make sense with the TrailTalk context. I'm not usually one to plug filthy rich companies like that (for free), but right now, Google is taking the entire Internet to school on information management...

Anyway, this is a really good board as it is right now. Love the Trips portal; to me, it's really the flagship part of this site that sets it apart from all its rivals. Keep up the good work, man.
last edited: 11/02/05 10:40:24 PM”

“Oh yeah, and boobies! (very important business, you know...)”

“How 'bout a way of linking threads by keywords or words? The search engines do that, but what about internally to TT? It would have to be a "smart" engine. There's a wealth of information here, but sometimes very difficult to find.”

“speaking of that, the search engine could use some work

wildcards
quotes
and/or

etc...”

“There was a period where I really disliked the format of this message board, specifically because it was so flat (not threaded). It's grown on me like a fungus, however, and it's simplicity is it's strength I think.”

“It's people! Trail Talk is made out of people! They're making our message board out of people! You've gotta tell them. You've gotta tell them!!
last edited: 11/02/05 11:35:51 PM”

“I agree with Sarge about the search engine. I would like a keywords area when creating threads. So many people have cute names for threads that have nothing to do with the content, the info is lost when searching thread titles.”

“If everyone was required to pass a breathalizer test, before logging on it would eliminate a lot of useless threads.”

“including yours”

“I post sober. Pretty scary, huh?”

“I like Sarge's ideas (LMAO) but with ME being first in line to replace the king should he ever meet with an untimely boob-related death.


I'd also like to see a web search engine (say, Google perhaps) right from the board.”

“Custom thread view, similar to the categories, where I could somehow create my own labels and tag threads with them to group related threads together? (Inspired by GMail)

Phantom Soul)

here here!

and the ability to attach sound files to a post”

“you people are really getting crazy now! soon you'll say people will someday walk on the moon...”

“I would like to see a site that enables me to walk on the moon.



Hey, wait a minute!”

“I would like a video feed on Her Adorableness at all times. ;-)”

“All I want for Christmas is ....

The "Intelligent Design & Public Schools" thread BAnnnishED”

“I'd like the ability to ban people that are too stupid to realize you don't HAVE to click open a thread and read it.”

“speaking of feed...EAT IT! ;-)

i like the search engine idea, too...”

“I'd like to see the "Search Thread" box at the top of the page instead of the very bottom.”

“I'm all over that boob thing.”

“:-)

Happy Happy Joy Joy!
Her Adorableness told me to EAT IT!!!! ;-)

Who is that calling you lyradoddles? I like that nickname better.”

“How about a map feature on the trip page? You type in your location and get a map with directions to the trailhead, or closest mapped point?

I also like the idea of people being able to put a small headshot with their profile info

and a link to the map of where people are located that was cool”

“I also like the idea of people being able to put a small headshot with their profile info

If you want, you can do that now Indiana John.”

“who cares what you look like.”

“Pictures are not dialup friendly.
They would need to be very small.

Too many times, those damn banner ads take forever to load.
The Macrovision one's are the Devil.”

“Phil has a photo page as does Matt.

alomost everyone (that truly backpacks) has a website to store there pics and it is in there profile.”

“so you signed up for a trip but completely forgot about it...I think the web board of the future should call your phone and remind you of up comming trips. Forget email....I want a phone call!

Even better...it should plan your trip for you. meaning check out best routes, gas prices at the current time, time...”