Do We Want Widgets?

[Mark Goo]

I've had a few people ask for a feature to find out who's online at the moment. The only way to do it is to scroll through the members list and look, but this takes time. So I just loaded that little box on the right, appropriately called "Who's Online". Pretty cool, huh? You ask, and I shall deliver - if the stars align and I know how to... ;-)

There's another widget out there called chat that I can install. My only hesitation is that widgets slow down the loading of our Main page. If it gets too slow, it'll be a problem in more ways than one.

My question is: Do you guys think we should try the chat widget feature and see how it works?

MG

[Mark Goo]

I can do some of that. But right now I need to keep the ads above the fold. This site is way more expensive than the last. I hope you understand. Let me see what I can do.

[Roger Stenstrom]

I did not think it was slow at all. It seems to load fast for me.

Roger

[Mark Goo]

Thanks for the fast feedback everybody. The site loads fast for me so I didn't know people were having that problem. I just streamlined the main page so that it will load a hair faster. For those of you with slow loading, what speed internet are you on?

Many people love the chat areas on networks like these. Its a way to shoot the shit without it becoming permanent history. My thought is to try it for a while and then have a vote.

The Who's Online is working pretty well. I should have a newer and better version loaded soon.

Oso, like you I've been trying to figure out the best way to use all the different modes of expression. It occurs to me that blogs can be quite personal. They don't have to be related to lava at all. You can write about your cat, or your new job, or whatever you'd like to share. The forum is the heart-and-soul... more on that later, and the groups are still figuring themselves out.

Maybe we don't need groups. But the groups are not fully realized places. They can have their own identities, and the group owner or admin can constantly add or change the content. (I'm currently seeking mods for the groups I've started.) Again, we could have a vote on 'em...

The Forum is something I'm working on. I agree with the format prob, and the lack of many of the features of the old forum. Trust me, that is going to be fixed before long.

I think I'll have the chat up in a couple of days for a trial run. Let me know if the main page is loading any faster now.

thx,
MG

[Roger Stenstrom]

Yes this is great!!!!!!


Roger

[OSOLAVA]

Chat would be great, but this site is slow loading as it is for me and a few others I have talked to. Plus, its difficult if there are too many different locations in a site to post. ie: forum, personal blog, AND groups, and now chat??? I think groups should be dumped and those discussions added to the forum. And the forum needs to be tweaked, smaller font, not so stretched out 6 or so replies and you are onto pg 2. The who's online this is a great addition, Thanks!

[Brian]

I like the widgets! don't slow down my net,

[Brian]

I think that would be great! But like you said, if it becomes a problem then it would hae to be taken off. I have seen other forums and groups take it off, not for it being slow, but more of people abusing it. Personally, I like the idea.