The Time Has Come - the new site

[Admin]

After many years of creating and maintaining a website for recreational aviators in a way that everyone has come accustomed to here on Recreational Flying, this site has been going for over 22 years for you now, it is really showing its age and thus we are missing out on many incredible advantages that current technology provides. To put it bluntly, the site has become a dinosaur and we all know what happened to them. The aviation industry is an ever evolving progressive industry the same as technology with different ways of doing things visually on mobile phones, tablets and PCs.

 

This year, 2024, will see this site evolve into a user interface that is, in my terms "Exciting" but I know a lot of users may make statements like "it ain't broke" or "why change" etc but this site needs to cater to the younger generation as well if we are to entice users away from Social media and into something that is more comprehensive and in a format they are more familiar with. After all, this site was created to keep aviators alive by the exchange of experiences to help each other learn, to improve our aircraft maintenance knowledge by having aviators who may have done that before and to have higher experienced aviators for less experienced ones to have mentors that they can get advise from in their flying skills.

 

So, I would like to introduce you to some videos of the way the site may be going for your comment. nothing is locked in as the site now has been extensively changed from its core software anyway which I can also do again based on your comments. Please speak up as without your voice I can not hear you.

 

 

 

When viewing a live topic, you’ll be taken to a new, minimal, full-screen, 3 column layout which provides plenty of space to simultaneously view your video, question-and-answer list, and live chat columns all at once

 

 

Reactions have been added to live topics for both the question feed and the live chat. Reactions update dynamically in real-time, offering valuable insights into the content your community deems significant in the moment.

 

 

[IBob]

Admin, congratulations on building and maintaining this most excellent resource.
The rest of us must go where it goes if we wish to continue accessing that.
My only concern is that we not lose the huge accumulated wealth of detailed knowledge and information here.

Otherwise, all power to you!

[Blueadventures]

Ian Thanks for the great forum and look forward to the new version.

 

Like Ibob and I'm sure most others will the forum posts still be viewable, if not is there a way of saving the topics especially the aircraft topics so people can retain a copy?

 

Best regards

Mike

[kgwilson]

Some will not like change but that is normal. I use a PC with 26 inch screen & rarely use a mobile or tablet to view or comment in forums but realise that many do. Keeping up with technology and user interface trends won't suit everyone but we will get used to it even if we don't like it at first. Usually though over time it will prove better even if some won't admit it.

[Admin]

Yes, don't fear...no information, discussions, topics, resources etc etc etc will be lost at all. But. for example thread posts that you have already read may be truncated to keep scrolling to a minimum and also i will be trying, where possible, to give as many options to the user as possible...hope this helps

[johnm]

I might be a dinosaur

 

the thing I don't understand is where is the site layout Ian

 

the first video In your video Ian) says there is a side bar which shows the site layout / forums

 

Ian - can you explian in monosyllabic diction where the side bar is (aint nothing on the LHS of my screen - but a coffee cup)

 

thanks

[Admin]

Firstly John, the video is what is to come, now what it is now.

 

Secondly we are talking the PC view (not phone view) and currently there is a menu bar on the left which I created for the site many years ago, I think others are just starting to catch on that it is a better navigation method

 

Are you not seeing that menu bar on a PC screen?

[Litespeed]

Good onya Ian.

 

Progress is always a good thing as I am sure you won't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

 

Don't worry about the Luddites.

 

Is it possible to have a longer list of reaction emojis?

 

Sometimes we need a more emotive reaction than provided.

 

Cheers 

Phil

[Admin]

4 minutes ago, Litespeed said:

Good onya Ian.

 

Progress is always a good thing as I am sure you won't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

 

Don't worry about the Luddites.

 

Is it possible to have a longer list of reaction emojis?

 

Sometimes we need a more emotive reaction than provided.

 

Cheers 

Phil

Come up with a list of what is needed and I can even implement that now

[Blueadventures]

3 minutes ago, Admin said:

Come up with a list of what is needed and I can even implement that now

Sad one.

[spacesailor]

😪

spacesailor

[Litespeed]

I will give it some 🤔

[Bernie]

At 77 Ian I'm almost a dinosaur...but not there yet, I've been a member almost from the start I think ?

As long as I can just read what's new, that's all I look at not interested in anything else...I don't normally look at video's unless they are about aircraft. 

Bernie.

[facthunter]

IF you're into that you can sort out the ones on line YOU are interested in. Old people have no time to waste.  Nev

[Corrine]

Ok, how does the Sad reaction look...I have reacted to this post with a Sad reaction

 

[johnm]

On 25/01/2024 at 4:57 PM, Admin said:

 

 

Are you not seeing that menu bar on a PC screen?

 

Yes Ian 

 

a PC screen (big puta screen) ............................ not seeing that menu bar

[ClintonB]

Is social side changing as well, and will we still all be users swapped over or have to sign up again?

this is still my best escape from the daily grind and my only social media that I use.

 

[Admin]

Social Australia (.com.au) will also change but users will not need to do anything

[FlyingVizsla]

I am always looking for a "shrug" "I give up!" exasperation emoji but never find one, even on other sites & phone.

 

I'm happy to see progress.  🙂

[facthunter]

It's IAN's baby at the end of the day. Many things get taken for granted.   Nev

[johnm]

OK Ian

 

where is the:

 

- the site layout

- the menu bar

- the index

- the road map

- the big picture

- the ?

- where ?

 

thanks john m

[Admin]

@johnm if you are referring to the development of the site this year then:

- the site layout - to be defined based on user input

- the menu bar - the first video in the first post of this thread should show you what it "may" look like. It is a redevelopment of the current side bar menu

- the index - the index page will be reworked from the current one now shown if you went straight to www.recreationalflying.com

- the road map - can't be defined at this stage as it can only be based on the core tools of the software

- the big picture - well, this is easy, the site will remain until I die or can no longer maintain it BUT it will continue to be dedicated in the absolute best way possible to helping recreational aviators to be safe and learn from each other

- the ? - huh

- where ? - huh

[Jabiru7252]

Be it a website or an app, any good developer should remember "DON'T MAKE ME THINK" when they design the user interface. If the user has to dick about trying to nut out things the design needs changing.

[BrendAn]

Ian. Will the new site have the option to modify our posts at any time. Like today I posted the wrong link but I could not do anything but message you. It would be good to be able to fix our own mistakes.

[onetrack]

If you allow an endless period for continuing to modify posts, it makes threads turn into unreadable stuff-ups and makes following posts illogical.

It's far better to have a 20 minute window to correct spelling errors and links, and to make sure you proof read before you post. 98% of forums operate this way.