That wouldn't work here. This place is unique in that it hosts such a variety of threads, many of which would motivate a person to say one thing and an hour later change it.

We have a preview function for posts. That should be enough to negate many common errors if the time is taken to read what you're about to post

 

I've submitted this information several times. I left another message tonight.

 

Hi, Jamie.

Okay. VBulletin-specific, right?

Here is my VB-specific wish list. (We all know the Story Site is a whole other animal, so I won't mention it at all.)



SOCK PROTECTION

The socks are a blessing and a curse. They are great entertainment sometimes (Starring Molly vs. FURIOUS ERIKA, for instance), but most of the time they are a menace.

It would be great if we as members could have a way of knowing we are dealing with a sock.

Now, I know we do not want to be able to see each others' IP's. Very dangerous.

However, VBulletin has a free plugin that can convert a member's IP into a hash code and put it in a displayable field, so that members can see the hash. For instance, my post would look like this:

Clarise



Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: ۩
Hash ID: f6jd77f7idi7udf
Posts: 4,389
​

The Hash ID is a jumbled, encrypted code based on the IP. One cannot get the IP from it, yet the code is unique to the person who created the account. In other words, every sock belonging to a member would share the same hash ID.

XNXX could add this feature to the site at no cost, because it is a free VBulletin add-on.

Joliet would not be a happy boy, but on the whole I think it would add greatly to the civility around here.
​

LIMITED HTML SCRIPTING

_____Of course HTML scripting is dangerous. XNXX must protect against SQL injection. However, limited scripting would be a big help to those of us who post stories.
_____If you are reading this post with the Blue-X forum style, the paragraphs look classically indented. However, due to BBCode limitations, if you are using the VBulletin Default style (i.e., black letters on an offwhite background), you see ugly underscores that are forcing my paragraph indents.
_____Writers need spacing control. By default, all whitespace collapses. Those of you who have read my poetry know that my verse uses extensive whitespace effects. For instance:

_r_k_b_q_K_b_k_r
_p_p_p_p_p_p_p_p
___x___x___x___x
_x___x___x___x
___x___x___x___x_
_x___x___x___x_
_p_p_p_p_p_p_p_p
_r_k_b_q_K_b_k_r
_
_
_______balance
____ever
______precedes
_calamity

​

_____This shaped verse poem looks like a chessboard in the X-Blue style, because I use color-matched blue underscores to force the whitespace and prevent all the letters from collapsing together. However, in the VBulletin Default style, it looks like an ugly mess.
_____If we had limited HTML scripting ability, we would be able to indent paragraphs and shape verse in such a way as to make it look "correct" in any page style. Instead of color-matched underscores, we could use non-breaking spaces, like this:

Some Text     With Space Between
​

_____Since the forum disallows HTML scripting of any kind, VBulletin does not correctly parse the "non-breaking-space" code above. Instead, it translates the ampersands into expanded text, so that the browser can't read them. (It changes this, '&', to this: &amp.
_____There are more robust ways of creating indentation, such as CSS styles. I do not think XNXX administrators would ever want to allow CSS, due to safety concerns. But limited HTML tagging would be a big help to those of us who are trying to format stories and poetry.


​

POST EDITING

The 10 minute time limit is another double-edged sword. On the GD Forum, I suppose I can see why the limit is so tight. Already there is constant bickering over he-said-she-said around here, and it would turn into World War III if we could edit our gaffes hours after the fact.

However, VBulletin allows admins to vary the editing time limit by forum.

On the Story Forum, the 10 minute limit is a huge liability. Here would be just some of the benefits to opening the limit (or even removing it) on the Story Forum only!

1. OPs would be able to fix typographical and formatting errors.

2. OPs could be delegated the ability to self-moderate threads such as STORY REVIEWS.

3. OPs would be able to edit features such as the Recommended Writers List, and keep the list itself on the OP, so that it can be found instantly!

4. OPs would be able to maintain and edit a Table of Contentsas the opening post of a story, and would be able to add hyperlinks to "chapters" on the thread. This would go a long way toward eliminating the glut of story posts, in which writers make a new thread for each chapter or scene in a long story.

​

SOUND FILES

I am not into videos and pix. (If you don't believe me, check out my profile's photo album.) However, I think it would be really cool if I could attach a WAV or MP3 file to a post, so I could give a story a soundtrack.

I am pretty sure VBulletin can be configured to allow such associations, in the same way it allows JPG/GIF/PNG image embedding. (In admin, one must add MP3/WAV mime types.)
​

Well, that is my wish list. I am pretty sure that the latest VBulletin version can do all of it.

If the admins give us just one, please please PLEASE ask them to let writers self-moderate their posts on the Story Site, so we can fix our typos and maintain a "Table of Contents!"

Thanks!
clarise

P.S. I'll close by kissing some butt and saying that this place is really fab.

 

ELP and Ejls, I don't want to fight, but this must be said:

They will never do it.

They took the whole story site comment/rating system down for nearly a year over the last bunch of "improvements," and that drove many writers away. The improvements only made things worse.

These changes won't make any difference.

Let's say, for example, that the story site lists the top 50 stories, and that the stories are ranked on an index that is compiled using a pos/neg scale.

The scale is a device that is used to create the index. The scale does not determine the ranking. The index determines the ranking.

If XNXX eliminates "pos/neg" voting and institutes a natural number scale of "0-to-4", or "0-to-10", or whatever, that means three things:

1. The Story Site will have to go down for another six months to a year of reprogramming, and authors will be demoralized/driven away. Again.

2. All of the existing stories will keep their existing indices. (This means the "neg" votes are gone, yet the index remains. Again, the "neg" votes are only an interface that creates the index. All that exists now is the index. So, a story rated 60% with 200 neg votes is still 60%, even though there are no neg votes allowed.)

3. Now, with no "neg" votes, the index is created on a 0-to-4 scale, so "0" is bad, and "4" is good. We have not changed the indexing algorithm. All we have done is transpose it on the number line, from "neg-2-to-pos-2", to "0-to-4". The index will now be top-loaded with stories that mostly get 4's, and it will still post the same number of stories in the top 100. People who want to tank stories will simply vote 0 (if allowed) or 1 (if it is the lowest).

The point is, it doesn't matter what the lowest number is. All this is going to do is drive more authors away, by taking the commenting and rating systems down for a year. Again.


Rule 34: If it exists, there is porn for it.
Rule 35: Thar be trolls.

 

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We need a few more forum styles that are both simple & eye pleasing.

We need for 'Rules Threads' or other similar Admin/Mods info threads to be able to be locked, to prevent newbies from posting their first 10, etc. in them.

We need an "Introduce Yourself Here Thread" for said newbies.

Richie's introduction to the site should be a required read thread, as it humorously lets members know about the where withal of the site. Along with The Official Rules (Top Sticky & Locked above all the other forums.)

A List of who is on the Individual Forums like everyone else has & The colour distinction for Admins, Mods & Members.

Admins & Mods should have their title under their name.

Mods should be given a bit more power to ensure a smoother running of the site if Admins are going to be absentee landlords.

A Section for the Mods/Admins to discuss the running of the site that Members cannot see or access.

Maybe a few more Mods as the current ones are overworked & at times unappreciated.

Be able to report spam. etc more than current time limit.

Just my worth.

 

I like the unlimited PMs.

It would also be nice to have a feature alerting you if someone typed your screen name so you could know and possibly respond instead of finding it months later.

 

When I first started reading this thread, I thought I might have something to add to the wishlist.

Really, there isn't much.

I'm particularly concerned with "fixing" http://stories.xnxx.com/. I'm a story-posting member on several other websites, and even though they all appear to run on different frameworks (at least, the screen appearances are WAY different), they all allow a few things our Sex Stories Site does not:

The ability to moderate and remove offensive or "trash" comments. Go look at the stories on the front page that have been there for a couple of days. Pretty sure you'll find a few hotmail addresses or cell phone numbers, and at least one person who claims to be underage. If we, as writers, could either delete that stuff ourselves, or have a report button that was actually monitored, it would help greatly.

The ability to edit/delete stories we've posted. For me, the best way to find those last two or three stupid mistakes in a story I've proofed a dozen times is to post it. If I could then fix them, and tweak a phrase or two (not a complete rewrite), it would help.

A weighted voting system -- a five point scale.​

Clarise, far more savvy about this stuff that I could ever hope to be, has pointed out the potential pitfalls of making changes, and I too, would tear my hair out if the damn thing went down for umpteen months again.

Modifying or updating old software or an old platform is tricky. Every change requires several lines of code which must be completely compatible with everything that was done before, including previous changes/fixes/add-ons. Depending on who wrote what how, and who fixed what how, and who put their own personal spin on things, it can be a nightmare to de-glitch.

One small fix that would be theoretically possible would be to remove the asinine 4:1 logged-in:anonymous vote ratio by reverting back to the old voting method, in essence, removing a change. That "fix" was instituted in response to previous complaints about voting, but it's actually made things worse, since now it is possible to vote multiple times on the same story as a non-logged in voter, and to use sock accounts to quickly crush submissions, out of rivalry or just plain meanness.

Would it be easier to just start over? Make a big announcement that on such-and-such a date at so-and-so o'clock GMT, the site was going to switch to a new format, a la the stories site methodology on L*t*r*t*c*.com, L*shSt*r**s.com, or the small website, Er*t*cSt*r**s.com. That last one is apparently run by one guy -- it looks shoestring, but the owner/admin/jack-of-all-trades gets things done, and allows writers pretty good control of their work.

If such a change were implemented, we might lose all our old stories, along with their comments, votes, and ratings. Given enough notice, we would be able to save all of that, and could re-post our stories, possibly improved, as we had the time. Also, one site gives the writer the ability to add a link on his story to other pieces -- you can post links to the rest of the chapters in a series, for instance. Another site posts it's own idea of appropriate links, so that a writer's other chapters will always appear, or, if there are none, other stories with similar titles or tags.

As a reader, I wouldn't want to give up the search functions we have on the stories site -- the extensive list of theme tags, much larger than the other sites I mentioned. When I'm looking for a story with a specific them, I like that I can see that some postings with that theme include other tags that I may like or dislike.

THE single biggest change needed for http://stories.xnxx.com/ is the creation of some volunteer mod positions. We don't need the editors/proofreaders some sites have, those that reject stories for content guidelines infractions or bad spelling. Peer feedback can continue to take care of that. But it would be nice to have a "Contact Us" button that worked. :wall::wall::wall::wall::wall:

 

Just for clarification, will I one day log on and see changes? Or will this be an update that needs to be downloaded?

Will there be a list (and instructions if needed) of the changes made?

There are times the forum seems to be running really slowly (changing pages, sending PMs, etc.) will this update speed things up?

BTW- I think this update, in whatever form it comes, is a great idea. Thanks

 

I don't think you'd need to download anything coz then every platform will need separate files. As for cookies, activex etc they're downloaded automatically by browsers. Methinks a simple refresh will do the job

To add to NEW ' post, will the address of the forum be the same? Many sites put up the new one at a different one and use redirect from the old address. Or will we see a under construction sign for a day and find the new forum next day?

Stupid question : will we retain our posts number and "rank " ? Or will Richie become a newcumer again?

 

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Are the Admins planning on reading & commenting on this thread or are we just wasting our time posting here?
I've been on sites where Admins get some poor Mod to make a comment about proposed changes, etc.; then nothing happens and the poor Mod is left hanging & taking the flack.

If we are on the wrong page as to suggestions, that also needs to be addressed.

 

Haha!! We're used to flak here, Ed!!

I believe the admin may take a look through the thread sometime before updating the forum to see which suggestions are feasible and which fall in line with the wishes or whatever of admins/owners, etc.

However, there is one suggestion, by Clarise, that I don't think will happen, and that being the identification of socks by code. Historically, the mods were not allowed to identify socks, and to be honest, it would be a shame to have 'evidence' of sock id's out in the open - it'd take away the fun of guessing :awesome:

 

I suggest that we throw all socks into the wash/dry cycle, it seems that you always lose a few when you do.

 

Some good ideas here.

I like this one:

Although I don't think we should be able to alter comments - some unscrupulous types would simply remove any disparaging comments.

Would be good, a little tally for "thumbs-up" for the reason Suze describes

Not quite.

I'd like to see a simple "like" system (as Suze proposes for the forum).

If you read a story and enjoy it, give it a like. However the power of trolls & socks to log on and instantly banish writers they dislike to the back pages is removed.
Socks become powerless to negatively vote, so they are redundant.
Better stories will gain votes, poorer stories will not.
Simples.

This. BIG TIME.

I often log-on, go to GD and find half the threads are dumb "Daddy, am I a twat?" type nonsense, and despairingly log off to visit other forums.

Whilst it is possible to log-in using different machines, and also to buy software that alters your IP each time you log-in so determined sock-ers such as smc could still maintain their sock armies, it would make it more difficult for the casual imbeciles to create multiple identies.

The time limit for the other rooms should remain, for reasons stated earlier in the thread, but why not allow writers to edit their stories?


As far as PM's go I don't think we'll get more than 200 PM's stored, as I imagine to allow unlimited storage would eventually take up (costly) server space.

While it can be annoying sometimes, I think 200 is plenty (there is an option, bottom right-hand corner) to download your PMs to your computer, so you can have the lot on your PC, then clean out your box).

I hope when the change comes in, all the old posts are kept, and all the oid posters keep their respective post-counts etc.



How about a button on one's profile marked "Delete My Account" which, when pressed opens a pop-up that says

"SUCKER! - YOU CAN'T"

:excited:
​

 

Letting the old posters keep their counts is age discrimination, the young ones should be able to too and what is an old poster 50, 55, 60+?

Hope we get told when & when.

 

An old poster judging by their join date. Not age.

 

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You won´t have to download anything! The changes will be on the site and the next time you log in after the changes everything will be changed!

 

I´ll make a list and keep the admin updated! I cannot promise anything and I don´t think this will happen anytime soon but hopefully sometime