A Better Link Directory

[veedee]

I know we discussed this about a year ago but here we go..

Your product's success is apparent in the websites it is used on.

In my view, you are not making the most of this. We have sites like google.com and dmoz.org which give us answers, but these answers are more often than not static articles written by various web authors.

The real gem about vBulletin forums is that they all contain an active user base, some forums are dedicated to specialist topics, and some are very broad in their appeal.

The bottom line is that each forum has a live source of knowledge. If I'm looking to find out about where to fish in the UK, I may find a web page that listed good spots of 2001, but hasn't been updated. However if I found a UK fishing forum, I could register and ask a live audience.

If vBulletin had a dmoz.org style directory, a concise listing of websites that use vBulletin and a link to their forums, then not only could you have one of the best pieces of software on the web market today, but also one of the best information resources.

This would benefit your customers, who input a lot of time into their sites and also it would benefit you, as it would display purely your product.

Instead of my workmates suggesting "Dunno - have a look on google" imagine if they suggested; "Dunno - have a look on directory.vbulletin.com"

In short, I think your directory of links needs a lot of work doing to it, as it is a major part of your product. I would be more than willing to be an Directory Editor, Guide, call it what you want. I would just like to see it happen.

Regards,

veedee

[tubedogg]

While it might be a good idea, you have to weigh the time it would take to build such a system vs. the actual benefits. Would it be worth stopping work on vBulletin for a week or two weeks to build a links directory? I personally don't think so.

[veedee]

I'm not about to get into a pissing contest as to who thinks it is right or wrong.

Why do you have to stop work? Why can't you take on an extra person to develop this?

It would for the most part be self running if you invite people like me who are willing to work on this for free.

A thanks for the input would be nice too

[Arkham]

Re: A Better Link Directory

Originally posted by veedee

If vBulletin had a dmoz.org style directory, a concise listing of websites that use vBulletin and a link to their forums, then not only could you have one of the best pieces of software on the web market today, but also one of the best information resources.

You mean something like www.vbulletinsites.com?

There are a couple sites like that, but none of them seem to have very comprehensive listings. (They're still great!!) They're growing though. It'll just take more time and patience, and the willingness of more people to actively list their board.

Then again, there are too many pointless forums out there that hamper classification. "Hey, I want a forum! Someone tell me what I should do with it" seems to be the way a lot of people are getting into this, without having a clear idea of what to focus on. There are hundreds if not thousands of forums out there that have no real direction and all consist of: A general forum, an off topic forum, sports, music, movies, and all the other requisite fanboy topics like "Sci-Fi" (aka SF, Science Fiction ), computers, videogames, anime and comic books.

With so many piecemeal forums lacking any coherent focus, it's harder to organise and classify them.

[tubedogg]

Originally posted by veedee
I'm not about to get into a pissing contest as to who thinks it is right or wrong.

You posted it, you don't want opinions?

Why do you have to stop work? Why can't you take on an extra person to develop this?

Paying an extra person to develop something like this wouldn't put us much better off than stopping work on vB for it - I still don't think the benefits outweigh the cost.

[veedee]

No worries.

I just posted my opinions and seem to have got a mod taking the piss out of me. I'll know not to bother next time.

Cheers,

[tubedogg]

You posted asking for opinions. I gave you my opinion, which you don't like, but that doesn't mean I'm trying to be rude or "taking the piss out of you" (even though I have no idea what that means I'm pretty sure I'm not doing it).

[veedee]

You're assuming a lot. I never stated I liked or disliked your opinion. I just don't agree with the way you have written it off so quickly. How you came to the conclusion I don't like it, I don't know.

Like a lot of the opinions expressed in here, it seems a member of the vB team jumps in and poo poos it, or states it's already on the go. Which is fair enough. It comes across to me like a defensive reply. I'd be more willing to contribute here more often if I felt my ideas weren't being rubbished before their time. However I didn't take into account that you know a lot more than me.

Other forums for software I use, thank me for my feedback, welcome my ideas and generally thank me for my time and input.

If the time taken for the link directory would be such a hard ship, then why did anyone bother coding the current one you have. It's a half baked flimsy solution, when an active showcase for your product, well James and John's product would be a real hive of activity.

As for Arkham - the site you posted it good, it works - but I have a feeling it could be done much better.

[Arkham]

Originally posted by veedee

As for Arkham - the site you posted it good, it works - but I have a feeling it could be done much better.

I agree - it's a great start. The framework works, but I'd love to see more sites listed.

I think you're right about the in-house directory (on vbulletin.com), in that it could have a lot more sites on it, but at the same time I think that section isn't meant to be that comprehensive -- rather, it's a show-off selection of good or popular vBulletin implementations used as examples for pre-owners.

Your offer to help update and build the section is generous. Maybe after things slow down (post-release vB3) they'll consider it.

How about contacting the vbulletinsites.com guys and seeing if there's anything you can do with them? Hell, maybe I could give a hand too. I would love to give something back to this community.

PM me if you're interested.


Cheers.

[Chris Schreiber]

This is one service which already provides a Google style search engine for all message board content. The search engine spider is specially designed to properly index message board content and allow you to find threads discussing what you are looking for information on. The main URL of the site is www.boardreader.com

About Boardreader
Overview
BoardReader was developed to address the shortcomings of current search engine technology to accurately find and display information contained on the Web's forums and message boards. Founded in May 2000 by engineers and students from the University of Michigan, Boardreader uses proprietary software that allows users to search multiple message boards simultaneously, allowing users to share information in a truly global sense.

Our Focus
Boardreader is focused on creating the largest repository of searchable information for our users. We also strive to increase traffic and exposure for the individual forum and message board.

By creating an interface that corresponds with multiple boards simultaneously, users can find answers to their questions from others who share similar interests. Our goal is to allow our users to search the ‘human to human’ discussions that exist on the Internet.

Our Technology
Our technology is based on innovative, scaleable software created to quickly and accurately search information contained on message boards. Message boards are part of the Internet known as the 'Invisible Web' and pose many problems to traditional search engine spiders. The dynamic content is usually very deep and hard to search. In addition, many of these sites change their locations, servers, or url's almost daily presenting special searching challenges.

Special retrieval and indexing algorithms as well as unique topic relevance ordering rules are but a few parts of what is needed to allow you to view what we affectionately call the 'human experience'. We sincerely appreciate your comments and hope you enjoy our service.

And you can submit you site for seaching here: http://www.boardreader.com/submitsite.asp

I would also recommend creating a link and/or banner letting people know about this service, as it will benefit all message boards by allowing people to search for fresh discussion content

[Arkham]

Originally posted by Chris Schreiber
This is one service which already provides a Google style search engine for all message board content. The search engine spider is specially designed to properly index message board content and allow you to find threads discussing what you are looking for information on. The main URL of the site is www.boardreader.com]

Yeah, that was the other site I had in mind. I've used it numerous times -- it's a great resource for multi-format forums...

[veedee]

*bangs head against a wall*

You mods clearly don't have any vision. That's fine. If John thought UBB was good enough he never would have made vBulletin and you never would have had a job putting down suggestions

If Google's fouders thought that Altavista was good enough, Google never would have been born.

Boardreader exists - great. Wouldn't you like to see a vB 'take' on this. Something that listed a lot of vB sites and evolved daily?

Clearly not.

[veedee]

Anyway - I'm clearly barking up the wrong tree here and I'm boring myself now.

I tried.

[Dimava]

i'm sure that you guys (vbulletin dev team) ask some php guys on this forum, they'll be more than happy do to it for free

-Dimava

[tubedogg]

You know, veedee, you chided me for assuming that you didn't like my opinion...but it seems that you are now assuming things too. You also seem to be hostile towards anyone who doesn't think we should implement your idea. We appreciate feedback, but at the same time it doesn't mean we are going to implement every suggestion.

It has nothing to do with not having "vision". I personally don't feel it is a worthwhile use of developers' time (or money to hire another person) to build a links directory when the links directory a) isn't what vBulletin is about, and b) a similar, much more in-depth directory already exists, that does far more than we could or would do even if we were to implement this.