The Forum's future - your ideas/feelings needed!

[Northerner]

going back to what Bobbie was saying, as a newbie, whether it's joining an evening class, an exercise class, or a forum, I think you have to hang in there feeling a bit new until one day you suddenly find you're regarded as one of the old hands. i have enjoyed doing David's puzzle pages (when I can do them!) as a good way of getting used to chipping in regularly until I feel I have something to say on the diabetic topics.
I should have said earlier, of course, what makes the forum start feeling like home is Northrner!

Yes, I think you're spot on there Robin 🙂 I think also that people are very different, and their confidence in posting will vary accordingly - some people may be new to forums, or have had poor experiences in the past, or even be pretty new to using the interweb! Thanks for the vote of confidence also 😱

I've just one tiny niggle. When I get to the bottom of a long page I have to scroll right back to the top. I know I'm lazy but a 'back to the top' button would be helpful. Otherwise I love the forum as it is.

Yes, I agree - I find this especially annoying when using a tablet. However, on the laptop I use the 'Home' and 'End' keys to take me to the top or bottom of the page. Hopefully, when we upgrade the forum software a 'Back to Top' key will be included.

Not sure if this can be done but can a report button be put on/in the members profile page? This would then make it so much easier for mods to be able to remove spammers.

There's a 'report' button if a spammer posts, and mods can 'give infraction' on a profile. However, there is no button to report a person on the profile display for non-mods.

 

[Northerner]

One thing I have found is that this is not like a lot of other forums, the information given to a diabetic is very important, and so is the ability of the user to take it on board with the correct perspective.
This is an area I am struggling with!
I think I would like to see some form of nationwide consistency with the medical profession, so that if I have a query the answer should be the same throughout the country.
Is this something the forum should strive for?

Michael

We can certainly strive for it Michael. I think the main problem is that, by the very nature of their role in healthcare, GPs (and practice nurses) are not specialists, and their knowledge about diabetes can vary considerably, depending on whether they are particularly interested in it, or indeed in keeping up with their knowledge about it. I have been told that, unfortunately, some GPs do not consider diabetes a 'sexy' problem and many are judgmental and adhere to the misconception that it is a self-inflicted 'lifestyle' disease, and therefore doesn't merit the sort of attention that something like cancer might command. Sad, but true, but thankfully not true of all - there are some excellent medics out there too. Medicine is also often open to personal interpretation of the guidelines (hence test/don't test).

As a voice feeding through our thoughts, opinions and experiences through Diabetes UK we can have some influence, and hopefully this aspect of the forum's work can have greater impact in future.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I think this is covered by the Report button on posts, really. That is where most spammers reveal themselves anyway.

Andy 🙂

Yes I know about that button but one in profile would be fab as some spammers come in late at night and then don't post until their new membership is out of view. Hence why see them register then zap the profile to be checked before they post 🙂

 

[heasandford]

--> What do you find good about the forum?
Frankly, you Alan! Also, more often than not, someone always gets a reply to their question or post pretty quickly. I don't recall the last time that someone got no responses at all (except where it didn't matter!).Andy 🙂

Instant response with balanced views - perhaps potential new people don't expect that, judging by some other social media sites, they are expecting stirred-up nonsense! You manage us very well Alan, and whenever we venture into slightly aggressive responses you seem to prevent further posting! We must promote this.

I go through phases of responding, perhaps there are a lot of simple 'lurkers', and they should also be encouraged too? Once they've been there a while, they might start to post more?

My daughter's friend doesn't come here any more, decided that she isn't a joiner - but she hasn't converted to looking anywhere else either. Age related - have we got any appeal to a younger population?

The search button seems a bit quirky, any chance it can be made a bit more specific?

Where would I look for help if this wasn't here???

 

[robert@fm]

i think every doctors surgery should have this webpage displayed. I only came across it by accident

Quite. I only found this forum because I was actively searching for one. 😱 Balance magazine has a mention in every issue, but it's small, rather superficiaal and easily overlooked.

Re. improvements, one which has been long overdue is a CSS tweak so that links are rendered in a style different from plain text. 🙄 It's annoying to have to mark links in blue and underline, to make them look like links...

 

[DeusXM]

A mobile version of the site, or an app.

I'm sure it won't be used by everyone, but something like this would make the site much easier to browse on a tablet or smartphone and I think that would improve accessibility for all ages.

 

[Northerner]

Quite. I only found this forum because I was actively searching for one. 😱 Balance magazine has a mention in every issue, but it's small, rather superficiaal and easily overlooked.

Re. improvements, one which has been long overdue is a CSS tweak so that links are rendered in a style different from plain text. 🙄 It's annoying to have to mark links in blue and underline, to make them look like links...

Both points duly noted Robert, and I agree with you - Balance and general prominence to the forum should be given wherever and whenever possible - if people don't know we exist they won't join up!

A mobile version of the site, or an app.

I'm sure it won't be used by everyone, but something like this would make the site much easier to browse on a tablet or smartphone and I think that would improve accessibility for all ages.

Definitely on the list DeusXM. Things may seem to be moving at a glacial pace, but there is more momentum now than there has been in previous years 🙂

 

[robert@fm]

Regarding spammers, I think that even before posting, most of them give themselves away with usernames such as "Buy cheap Uggs" or "scniouhnicnw" (what I call a "my cat just walked across the keyboard" style username). Even if they don't choose an obvious username, sooner or later they will post and get splatted not long afterwards, so that a spam post here is a very rare sight. 🙂

 

[Northerner]

Regarding spammers, I think that even before posting, most of them give themselves away with usernames such as "Buy cheap Uggs" or "scniouhnicnw" (what I call a "my cat just walked across the keyboard" style username). Even if they don't choose an obvious username, sooner or later they will post and get splatted not long afterwards, so that a spam post here is a very rare sight. 🙂

Yes, I can usually spot them by their chosen User Name, often computer-generated, therefore obvious, or other trademarks on their registrations. 'They' are nearly always Type 1 (it's the first option) and give a birth date around 1980 , and a timezone of 'Midway Island, Samoa' 🙄 Plus, I have other tools available if they are not so obvious. The upgraded software also prevents new posts with hidden links appearing until moderated, so very little sees the light of day nowadays 🙂

 

[trophywench]

I'm not even sure that new diabetics are told about DUK let alone forums. Our local branch of DUK used to fund the starter packs for the hospital and GP surgeries around Nuneaton, not sure if that's still done. I was gobsmacked that it had to be paid for by the NHS anyway.

The posters I see in my diabetes clinic are all from drug and meter cos (mainly meters) and I've never seen a single one at my GPs. Only ever actual NHS stuff about eg Flu jabs or whatever. If they did it for us they'd have to do it for every Health specific charity too so I imagine that's why they don't.

Only ONCE have I ever been given info on a health condition I had, by a GP - 5 pages on depression printed from GP Notebook.

Another forum has downloadable 'business card' type cards to print on A4 and cut up yourself and keep a small supply of in the depths of your handbag or wallet - so at least members can hand em out should they meet another diabetic out there. Another has 'half A4' fliers for the same purpose. Oh - both have car stickers.

 

[grovesy]

I too agree about mobile version or an app.
On the medical agreement nationwide, I think that is highly unlikely, I worked in Healthcare for 40 years and it was difficult to get Doctors to agree on anything!

 

[qwertyfan]

I find the forum very useful, for a variety of reasons, but I can see how the regular chitchat rather gets in the way, where you can end up with a great long thread that has wandered off topic.
Perhaps a method of live chat might be more appropriate in accompaniment to the threaded discussions.
And with that a mobile app and version of the site would be useful.
And promote the peer support side of things as the reason for the site in the first place, as has been mentioned, not the sales opportunists!

 

[Catsmother]

Re: lurking

I think, in a way, the forum is a 'victim' of its own success. It is so easy to find useful, helpful information and reassurance in other people's posts that it doesn't seem necessary to start a new thread to ask a question or even reply to an existing one if someone has already said what you wanted to say! That certainly accounts for my tendency to 'lurk' rather than participating more. I am here almost every day, but I don't always log on, so I suppose I don't show up as a regular.

Can I just say that I like that there are not too many sections in this forum? Some others are so 'busy' they are a bit off-putting. And I really appreciate the way you can read the beginning of the first post when you 'hover'. That helps to reduce the number of topics I get drawn into.

Finally, my thanks to everyone on the forum who has helped to guide me through my first 18 months with diabetes. You are all appreciated - whether I tell you so, or not!

 

[Lindarose]

Most of this has already been covered here but personally I find it a great help to read other peoples experiences and questions and how they cope with all things D related. The replies are given by people who know through their own experiences rather than text book answers from medics. There is so much knowledge on this forum and info about it should be given at diagnosis I have to confess I'm going to google Balance mag as haven't heard of it! It took me almost 2 years before I stumbled here by chance.
As with all groups of people some are more outgoing and chatty than others. It's a confidence thing with me. Although I've gained so much knowledge from here I hold back on replying to questions even if I have ideas because I'm afraid I may give wrong advice. And fortunately others can word things better.
I only use my iphone so not the best way of accessing the forum. I'm constantly hitting wrong keys and lost count how many times I've looked at profiles instead of the thread! Also can't seem to get icons but have to hope any comments are read in the way they are intended!

 

[HOBIE]

Good luck with the Forum ! Its a tricky thing to do ! Advertising. The way it is now its got people who want to be here. Duk have there own site which is not as good but similar. Farsebook has its own thing & this site feels more "homely". There is a lot of people who used to come on site & have gone ? They might be CURED 😎

 

[ypauly]

there are a couple of forums I use where topics appear on my Facebook feed and a few have shown interest from this. I have no idea if this is automated in someway or if a mod does it though.

The newbie problem is common across forums others do things like not let you post on first visit so you KNOW how to return one even makes you wait 2 weeks lol other make it a day or two. This forum is different though as it can be despair that brings people so immediate responses are sought and when this turns out to be 2AM it's not so easy.

 

[banjo]

I am not a massive forum fan in general, but i am mostly comfy using this 1 - i can see how some people would find it a tad intimidating posting especially on speciality threads where people are asking in depth questions, i do tend to stay away from these a bit ---- but and its a big but what i learn from those threads is invaluable and 1 day i maybe able to offer the same advice either here on the forum or elsewhere in life. Layout wise seems fine to me easy enough to use even for a forum noob like me. Live chat or instant messaging would be intresting - even if it was in a side bar like i have seen on some forums it might help people interact more.
Finally - have to say a big thanks really to all who post/comment and are otherwise involved with this forum for the help and support i and everyone else have had from you.
Hope i can repay that as time goes on.

 

[Northerner]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone, they are really appreciated! 🙂

 

[Sally71]

I've never joined Facebook or any other Internet group before; and indeed I lurked here for over a year before I took the plunge and joined up. I've been a member here for almost a year and have to say that I felt accepted straight away. I like that this site is so well moderated, there is none of the trolling that goes on elsewhere. I quite like the chit chat, it's another way that the site feels friendly, I can leave chatty comments too if I feel inclined. I have been guilty of falling into the trap of my written words sounding harsher than they were intended, so I try to be more careful of how I phrase my posts now but I don't think I've lost any friends over it! Everyone on here is lovely. I'm a bit of a sporadic poster, having a busy day today but might well disappear for a week or so after this; I read every day though, just don't log on unless I feel that I can add something to a conversation. Sometimes by the time I get there everything had already been said by others. But I like the way that whatever questions I have there will be someone with an answer. It's nice to think that I might have helped someone else in some small way. And it's great when you just need to have a rant about something, there will always be someone who understands!

I can't think of any way to improve the site at the moment, I am usually on my iPad and don't find it difficult to use. I'll post again if I think of something. Keep up the good work everyone 🙂

 

[trophywench]

It's the lack of moderation that messes up Farcebook discussions usually. Here or on t'other DSF there are qualifications that your membership depends on - ie that you either have yourself or are closely associated with someone who has, diabetes. On Farcebook you could be anybody.

You can still get trolls though no matter how careful you are - can't you Northie? Mind you - you got him/them banned before they had a go at here, in view of the experiences elsewhere! And a fair bit of that behaviour was in the chatroom, not the forum itself.

Bearing in mind all the Moderators are volunteers, it's asking a lot for them to keep an eye on multiple platforms IMHO. Most of them have lives aside from D. And it still needs to be someone who's experienced and can spot things like flaming or trolling PDQ on any interwebnet doings.