[John Robinson]

I'm posting a link to this thread from all the state message boards. I'd like to discuss this issue and begin adding tools to enhance state-level activism.

Please post your comments on this issue. Thanks.

[petuniasevan]

The problem with a subscription board is that it requires a subscription.
Many times a post on the present "locale" state message boards is a quick way to announce important state activism, issues, and meetings.
Let's say someone posted a notice, for instance "Recall Joe Blow", on the new state board.
How many of that state's residents actually have subscribed?
I'd say no more than 10%.
Then how will all [state] residents know about the recall message?
PING everyone flying the state flag to the thread?
A lot of people don't check spam pings anyway.

Another issue is "at-a-glance" perusal, but I'll let someone else elaborate on that one.

[Texaggie79]

In the thread lists, I think it would help if you either changed the color, font, or size of the "Read Discussion" and "Read Source" so they won't be confused with the Thread titles.

Also the quick search at the top is still missing.

[ValerieUSA]

The subscription thingie was kinda hard to find - but I did just now subscribe to a couple of states and can see the threads in the sidebar. I think it looks pretty cool. I hadn't noticed the feature before you pointed it out on this thread.

[kayak]

fyi

[clikker]

I also think that you're forgetting that much of what we post on our state boards are one-line questions, little reminders, and little bits of chat. Nothing that anyone would go all out and post a thread for...

Also, it's kind of nice how it is -- it's remarkably easy to post, so that brings in people who can't work the "post thread" function.

But, hey, it's a good idea, and I'm sure you'll think up something that makes the vast majority of us happy.

[mdittmar]

May have been suggested before,or already exists,an easy to use State ping list?

Please advise if it does.

[LouD]

John:

First of all - Thanks for all your hard work. You've done a fantastic job on the new look and feel of the site. I think the navigation works great on the beta.

Where I think we're all hung up is our need to "push" news and content to facilitate local activism. Ideally, this needs to be a)automatic, and b)simple.

The current (old) system does that, albeit not perfectly. Notification of new local content is entirely dependent upon the user completing the profile and flying their flag. I believe that there are many people who do not fly the flag, or who live in more than one place, like students - So, unless they proactively seek out the locale page, they do not see it.

What the old system does do well is provide an emphasized notification: Instead of being just another thread link, it is a bold notice in the upper left hand corner.

The old system's Locale page is also different than a thread in its informal look and feel - I believe this may encourage posts that otherwise might not be added to an actual thread, lest they draw the ire of the thread Nazis. It is also overwritten, rather than permanent, making it more chat-like than a thread. This format encourages a looser dialogue than we see on the threads, IMHO.

It also provides an alerting function, so we can call each others attention to threads of importance, and comment on local implications of the thread discussion, which may not interest other Freepers. It is like a thread about threads. The Locale page is also an ongoing, permanent discussion, not a thread which needs to be constantly bumped to show up in a state category. Even if we were to create such a thread, it would quickly become unwieldy, and suck up bandwidth to download old content which nobody cares about any longer. Of course, we could regularly create new threads, like the Guild does, but that creates its own archiving and bandwidth headaches.

What the new system does do well is provide a state category, so that multiple articles referring to a particular state will come across my screen on a regular basis.

What I would like to see is something that takes the strengths of what you've done on the new software, and incorporates the strenghts of the old system. My take on what this would look like:

-Notification needs to be automatic, like the old Locale page.

-Notification needs to be emphasized as higher in priority than regular threads, as it is now in the upper corner of the Forum page. After all, we are first and foremost a community of activists. Reading the news is great, but I want to be able to rally our local Freeper troops when necessary.

-The format should be less formal than regular threads, to encourage participation in free-ranging local discussions on multiple topics.

-We ought to come up with a way to include those who are either too techno-phobic or too lazy to fly a flag.

-I'd like to have a simple, memorable, local URL that we could provide at rallies, in the elevator, wherever - So that if we are talking to someone who may be interested in seeing what we're about, but may not be ready to sign up as a Freeper - We can provide an easy to remember link to get them onboard as a local activist - Which is, as we saw in 2000, often the first step in getting them onboard as a Freeper. How about something like Freerepublic.com/Wisconsin - This would take someone to the locale page, where they could read about upcoming activities in the chat on one side of the page, and see the state category articles listed on the other side of the page, with local Freeper names moved down to the bottom of the page.

-I would also like to have the ability to push to local Freepers via e-mail. Have you considered Freep mail forwarding to personal e-mail? That would allow us to rally "fallen" or intermittent Freepers when the need arises. I know this is not a trivial function to incorporate, but I thought I'd at least mention it.

I know that there is a lot of work involved in maintaining the software - But I think facilitating local activism is probably the single most important thing FR does. We ought to ensure that we maintain our capabilities in this area.

I hope this does not come across as critical, John - I certainly appreciate all that you and Jim do, and I know that there is a lot of work involved in operating and maintaining a site as complex as this one - I just want to ensure that improvements do not have the effect of fragmenting our local clusters of Freepers.

Freegards,
-LouD

[Ford Fairlane]

First, make it EASY TO USE. We aren't all CS/Web Designer/Computer geeks and if it is too complicated we won't use it.

Second, is there a way we can fly more than one flag, or maybe a main flag and a few sub flags? For example, I currently live in Illinois, but I would like to see the discussions in Indiana and Michigan also. Is there or will there be an easy way to do this?

[summer]

Please post your comments on this issue. Thanks.

Here is my suggestion for making it easier to post a message relevant to more than one state board:

Just like you have ONE page set up for posting with: a list of choices to check off (editorial or front page, etc; politics/elections, political humor, news, etc; cultural/society. etc), I think you should have a such a page with simply:

The list of state boards.

Then, have a function whereby a person could go down that one list, on one page, and check off which state or country boards the message should go to.

Right now it is very cumbersome to go into each state local to post a message if you want to post it to more than one state. And, sometimes messages really do apply to more than one state.

That's my suggestion. Hope it helps.

[summer]

Also, you would be surprised at how many people do not have a clue as to HOW to post ANY message on a state local board. And, some people do not even know there ARE state local boards. I say this after my experiences freepmailinig 50 people and asking them to post a message for me on their state board. Many people were embarassed to admit they couldn't figure out how to post on a state board. Others freely admitted they never heard of a state board. These are people who have been registered at FR for YEARS. So, maybe there needs to be some info and instructions distributed when a person first registers or something.

[Valin]

The thing I like about the old state board system is it gives a person a list of all the freepers in a particular state. Makes it easier to contact people in your state or someone from another state.

[EBUCK]

Can we have a State-Wide Ping that includes all users registered in the state? Mayhaps a regional ping for some of the more populus states NorCali for ex..

EBUCK

[S.O.S121.500]

Dunno about others, but I often used the 'find in forum' jump from personal pages......gec

[Chad Fairbanks]

I am STILL waiting for you to make my machine go "PING!" when I'm pinged to a thread... I really like machines that go PING!*... ;0)

*I have an sp02 monitor and an NIBP device hooked up, and it's neat, but that's at work... at home, it's S.O.L

[firebrand]

By giving more choices to the receiver, you curtail the posting power of the sender. This is what is happening all over Free Republic. There are many Internet sites where you can choose what information you receive. The attraction of FR has been the ability of an individual poster to reach tens of thousands of people. We're more interested in our opinions being heard that we are in being able to select which opinions of others reach us. Most of us, anyway, I think.

[let freedom sing]

It takes three screens to get to my locale-- bummer! I'm also not getting flagged on new messages from my locale, lately-- and I didn't click on "don't notify me."

[wildbill]

Can you get me off the state header list? If I wanted to see morons flame each other I'd go elsewhere.

[DLfromthedesert]

I am no longer receiving notification of new posts on the AZ board. What do I have to do to have this happen when I log on to FR?

[sauropod]

Must be current issue based. For example, in the People's Republic of Maryland, Parris the First has decreed draconian water conservation measures, even with people on private well water (as I am). I've half a mind to go down to Annapolis in a King's Uniform with a watering can and protest. 'Pod

[let freedom sing]

We're getting fewer locale posts in CA, since the new format auto-pings went up. It's a good thing.

For those who don't like spam-pings, is there a way to make a person ping-proof? I've seen no-ping requests. Could pings automatically return-- like blocked email? Perhaps a "ping-proof" under the spammed message could be clicked, and further pings blocked. Some here at FR, have NO interest in state issues, but maybe they will later, as this builds. Keep up the good work.

RE: posts from out of state-- should be identified.