grepzen

Is it time for our next step?

First and formost, this is not a rant, not a negative rant. I will from time to time express opinions that perhaps run contrary to current implimentation. I'm sugesting nothing more than improvments and growth. ---if NONE of this comes to pass, I will bear no ill will to owners, moderators, or members.

∙ The most active developer doesn't even have a CarPC yet he plods on soaking up your feedback and feature requests, writing software all the while.
∙ MP3Car is home to some VERY wise contributors posting their experiences and educated advice.
∙ MP3Car is home to eager reviewers sharing their experiences with all of us.. not asking a thing in return.
∙ MP3Car is home to resourceful engineers designing hardware.

MP3Car has a dedicated following .. a rich collective knowledgebase. I think they and we are worthy of more than a discussion forum.

I'd like to recommend that the owners/operators consider upgrading to a full blown web portal system.

Basic Portal Features:
<> Articles ("How-To"s, FAQs, Reviews, etc)
<> Forum --of course
<> Live Chat (interviews, reviews, live Q&A, etc)
<> News, BLOGs, RSS feeds from sister, user sites
<> Misc: gallery, calendar, filedownload area.
PRO:
<> Meaninful search results
;Today your search pulls every (regardless of context) instance of your query unless you employ programatic search vocabulary. --not a pervasive skill in our userbase.
When data is kept organized in categories and context, searches will link users with their desired info with less frustration from having to sift through threads and threads of unrelated info and chatter.

<> Information stability
;In a forum, valuable information is quickly lost to 'scroll' and chatter.
If we could post an article and then post forum content about that article we could have the best of both worlds.. --the article that withstands scroll.. and a discussion that grows the knowledge and value for all participants (and viewers) alike.

<> Growable feature list
;As demand and resources require and provide, additional or fewer features could be enabled, modified or scrapped without a complete re.write of the system.

CON:
<> expense?
<> bandwidth?
<> More content managers/moderators

MP3Car owner, Operators, Moderators --your input please
--This isn't a democracy, and it ain't my level of service in the ballance. I get that. --just the same, I'm asking of you your collective consideration of growing this very valuable resource and by extention this valuable community.


Comments...?

__________________
•Micke

MP3Car.com