DonationCoder 10th Anniversary plans, ideas, changes, fundraiser?

[mouser]

March 23, 2015 will mark the 10th anniversary of the DonationCoder website.  It's hard to believe it's been so long.

I definitely think we need to have a fundraiser to celebrate the anniversary.. It will be the first fundraiser in *three* years, and it would be good for our health if we could raise enough money to pay for our next couple of years of hosting costs.

But I think we also need to use the 10th anniversary as a catalyst for making some changes to improve the place.  I'd like to hear your ideas on changes -- both small and radical -- that we could make to revitalize the site.

So let's consider this a brainstorming thread -- I want to hear your ideas for improving the site!

[rjbull]

Super-sized Newsletter for Mar 2, 2015 - Codename: Freezing Feathers
It's been a whopping 127 days since the last newsletter, and in that time.. New threads started: 861; new posts: 8,995 (number of those deleted as spam: 242); new members who joined: 10,133; new donors: 609.

I know I dislike change, but... who needs "revitalize" with that sort of statistics?  DC is super-excellent already; if it ain't broke, don't fix it?

[MilesAhead]

if it ain't broke, don't fix it?

+1 

[mouser]

come on now, change may be scary but it can be exciting.  let's embrace the possibility of trying new things!

[wraith808]

Super-sized Newsletter for Mar 2, 2015 - Codename: Freezing Feathers
It's been a whopping 127 days since the last newsletter, and in that time.. New threads started: 861; new posts: 8,995 (number of those deleted as spam: 242); new members who joined: 10,133; new donors: 609.

I know I dislike change, but... who needs "revitalize" with that sort of statistics?  DC is super-excellent already; if it ain't broke, don't fix it?

If you don't fix it until it's broken, then in many cases, you're too late.

I agree with keep the flavor of our community- but I think we need to evolve, especially in the case of the new user experience.  This isn't to say that anything is bad... but there's definite room for improvement.

[rgdot]

New forum theme!

[Curt]

Test if the format needs to be more adapted to smart-phones.

[wraith808]

Test if the format needs to be more adapted to smart-phones.

There is a mobile version of the site.  It's all text, however- not sure if SMF has mobile forum themes.

[4wd]

I don't suppose there's any plans for a double walled stainless steel version of the DC mug - the one I won a few years ago only lasted about 9 times before it became a bottomless cup of coffee ... literally 

[mouser]

message me for a replacement mug.

[superboyac]

mobile app for dc.

[TaoPhoenix]

I don't suppose there's any plans for a double walled stainless steel version of the DC mug - the one I won a few years ago only lasted about 9 times before it became a bottomless cup of coffee ... literally 
(see attachment in previous post)

Drifting off topic, but do coffee mugs really only last 10 cups of coffee before the bottom melts?!


I really think if it could somehow be swung, DC t-shirts are far superior to me for "modern branding" than almost anything else, except also possibly pens.

(Ever see how awesomely insidious pens are? Initial costs aside, they stay in some places for *years* - see your typical register with the pen - tied - to -the - counter, as well as misc stuff. No one actually throws out pens.)

About the last place anti-poster laws can't touch is your torso, and it's an automatic convo starter, where we get to sing DC's praises in any of 12 tv commercial dialects. "I am also a client!"

[wraith808]

The ones that I've received from DC are going strong.

[Target]

I don't suppose there's any plans for a double walled stainless steel version of the DC mug - the one I won a few years ago only lasted about 9 times before it became a bottomless cup of coffee ... literally 
(see attachment in previous post)

clearly you need to switch to decaf, or at least cut back on the macchiato's

[TaoPhoenix]

I don't suppose there's any plans for a double walled stainless steel version of the DC mug - the one I won a few years ago only lasted about 9 times before it became a bottomless cup of coffee ... literally 
(see attachment in previous post)

clearly you need to switch to decaf, or at least cut back on the macchiato's

Hehe "DC Mug, Dept of Defense Edition. $199.00". Can hold up to level 3 Hazmat materials, DOT certified. Also holds coffee and guaranteed to last 17 years of normal use or your money back!"

[MilesAhead]

I don't suppose there's any plans for a double walled stainless steel version of the DC mug - the one I won a few years ago only lasted about 9 times before it became a bottomless cup of coffee ... literally 
(see attachment in previous post)

I'd love to see a good plastic mug.  The metal ones always have that black stuff where you put your mouth.  The taste of that can ruin the taste of any coffee.  The ceramics are way too heavy to carry.

[MilesAhead]

New forum theme!

I vote for a "view first unread" button at the top of threads.  That way I can view the thread in chronological order and still get right to the first unread post.  Plus when people follow up with "^^^^" it won't point the wrong way. 

[wraith808]

When are you planning for the fundraiser to begin?  And would we be interested in discounts/giveaways to go along with the fundraiser?  The well has pretty much dried up, but I might be able to get some of our discount heroes to help us out...

[tomos]

When are you planning for the fundraiser to begin?  And would we be interested in discounts/giveaways to go along with the fundraiser?  The well has pretty much dried up, but I might be able to get some of our discount heroes to help us out...

I can think of a suggestion (for a discount) but maybe best not to start making suggestions here?

[mouser]

I've had mixed feelings about the discounts/giveaways in recent years, for two reasons:  First, without a consistent, sustained effort that lasts indefinitely, it doesn't gain traction or attention.  The second has more to do with an existential struggle with the nature of the site, and what we should be focusing on, and what we do well, and the (non-financial) costs associated with trying to do too many different things..  Lately the dominant thought i keep hearing in my head is one telling me to reduce the sprawl and narrow the focus.   While at the same time it pains me that this is yet another example of folks volunteering to do something for the benefit of the site and me being less than enthusiastic. This gets at part of what i think we need to find a solution to.

[tomos]

I've had mixed feelings about the discounts/giveaways in recent years, for two reasons:  First, without a consistent, sustained effort that lasts indefinitely, it doesn't gain traction or attention.  The second has more to do with an existential struggle with the nature of the site, and what we should be focusing on, and what we do well, and the (non-financial) costs associated with trying to do too many different things..  While at the same time it pains me that this is yet another example of folks volunteering to do something for the benefit of the site and me being less than enthusiastic.  This gets at part of what i think we need to find a solution to.

You mention a few things there that jump out at me:

# the nature of the site
# what we should be focusing on
# and what we do well

could you expand on these a bit?

FWIW, like many people, I'm often better at developing existing ideas, than at coming up with new ones - that's (also) part of why I'm interested in how you see things here.

[wraith808]

I've had mixed feelings about the discounts/giveaways in recent years, for two reasons:  First, without a consistent, sustained effort that lasts indefinitely, it doesn't gain traction or attention.  The second has more to do with an existential struggle with the nature of the site, and what we should be focusing on, and what we do well, and the (non-financial) costs associated with trying to do too many different things..  While at the same time it pains me that this is yet another example of folks volunteering to do something for the benefit of the site and me being less than enthusiastic.  This gets at part of what i think we need to find a solution to.

Even with a consistent, sustained effort, it's not going to happen, unless that's a real focus of the site, and it's not.  I thought just the effort would be enough- but in the end, I've found that it's not.  The companies have to view their contribution as an integral part of the site, i.e. BDJ, Two Dollar Tuesday, etc.  That's why I was thinking special occasions like the anniversary, or NANY, or to go along with some other event on the site.  For such events, you can get a critical mass, and have a real event around it.  The mass of companies surrounding helps also.  When I was able to tell the companies about an event and other sponsors- they became more engaged and excited about it.  Just a discount?  In general, not so much, though I was able to push against that at times.

And I think that your second part gets to a conflict of DC.  Is it a community site?  Or is it mouser's site that we contribute to?  I don't think that either is a wrong answer, but I think not having an answer to the question sort of drives the confusion.  And that can be one of the things that is firmly decided in this 10th anniversary.

Thoughts?

[mouser]

I am going to try to write up a tough critique of what i see as the problems with DC as it stands.. and then try to come up with some possible directions..
It's always possible that we should essentially let DC be DC, and not try to mess with it -- despite it's flaws.  But I think it will be healthy at this time to try to lay them all out on the table.
So.. stay tuned..

[mouser]

Wraith, excellent points.

And I think that your second part gets to a conflict of DC.  Is it a community site?  Or is it mouser's site that we contribute to?  I don't think that either is a wrong answer, but I think not having an answer to the question sort of drives the confusion.  And that can be one of the things that is firmly decided in this 10th anniversary.

I think the answer to that is part of the problem that needs to be solved.  I want this to be more of a true community website (not just a community forum).. but the site infrastructure makes it much harder than it should be for others to participate as first class participants in some areas.  While we are all pretty much on equal footing on the forum -- the software area of the site is not easily opened up to other coders without lots of manual effort (and vetting, which is a separate problem), and the infrastructure of the site makes it difficult for us to have content that gets much visibility other than in the forum, etc.

Right now we have a slightly schizophrenic situation where we have a true community forum that is fairly diverse in its interests, and an old school static website (that is much harder to update) with more narrowly focused software.
In many ways these two aspects of the site complement one another -- but in some ways they don't and create friction and confusion.

[cyberdiva]

Test if the format needs to be more adapted to smart-phones.

There is a mobile version of the site.  It's all text, however- not sure if SMF has mobile forum themes.

Where can I find the mobile version?  I'd like to compare it with the "normal" version of the site that I see on my Android tablet and my Android phone using the Pale Moon for Android browser.  It shows me the site just as I would see it on my desktop computer, but smaller.  I see the same layout, the same graphics, etc.