UKBouldering.com

2012 feedback request/ direness survey (Read 32742 times)

tomtom

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#25 2012 feedback request/ direness survey
April 24, 2012, 09:11:33 am
Yes that would seem a bit crap, but if (for example) After Will posted up his vid here he pressed a link to fb button then fb users would be directed to ukb then Vimeo etc... Same with twitter..

slackline

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Why do you need to do this? Well, this AM - in my FB time line, is a video of Ned flashing requiem for a dream, taken by a regular UKB'er and been posted up on vimeo - thats also been tagged/flagged by another regular UKB lurker - and liked by another two UKB very regular users..    Its not on UKB first... It'll make it here at some point, but really it should appear here first? I wish it did instead of on facewank...

Surely thats down to your usage of websites, in so much as you go and check Farcebook before UKB (and I'd hazard thats because it aggregates several different things in one place).



I guess part of my point was that UKB should be the place that aggregates things into one place - as faceache's not called boulderbook! I missed that video on UKB - and found it on FB this AM...

Ok, and apologies for misunderstanding, but at the moment aggregation on both FB and here boils down to user input.  So I guess it comes down to how do you encourage uploaders and others when they find a video they think is worth sharing to post it here before Farcebook.  Personally I link/embed videos here because...

1) I think its a place where others who are interested in them will find them.

2) I don't go to the UKB Vimeo group page very often (there is no equivalent on YouTube at the moment as far as I'm aware).

3) I'm not registered on Farcebook.

So how do I find videos, firstly here!  I also subscribe via RSS (using feedly) and Google+ to things like BD Journal, DMM, WildCountry or One Bouldering Video a Day, which I organise into groups to give one quick easy place to find things, at my leisure.

I can't offer any solution to this, because I don't think there is one, each person uses the vast array of websites and aggregaters in their own preferred way which works for them.  There is no right or wrong.

To make UKB the first place to have a video/news report would likely require someone dedicating a fair amount of time following all these things and other news sites (e.g. Alpinist, ClimbingNarc, etc.) and as soon as a report is made getting it here so that UKB is seen as having news quick and fast, and perhaps most importantly well written, researched and referenced.

Bonjoy

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I don't see any point/benefit to boulderers, in UKB trying to poach traffic off FB and twitter. Both of which are here to stay and already clogged up with cross site spam. Most regulars probably already look at all three sites so why the fuck do they want to see the same content three times.

As far as developing UKB goes I’d love to see UKB beg, borrow, or buy peakbouldering.info, tidy it up and integrate it into the site. I think both sites would benefit from it immeasurably.
Look at how UKC has been boosted by its logbook function. There’s no reason why something built on the basis of pb.info couldn’t expand over time into a full UK bouldering database.
« Last Edit: April 24, 2012, 10:35:31 am by Bonjoy »

SA Chris

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Sounds like a masterplan to me.

Duma

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1. like BJ said, buy pb.info, would be great. Could be a great site but seems gareth is pretty busy so not much is moving there
2. TT's ideas sound good. esp a share button for good posts etc

slackline

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1. like BJ said, buy pb.info, would be great. Could be a great site but seems gareth is pretty busy so not much is moving there

Would need to buy his time (or someone else with the technical knowledge) to continue development of features.  The rest (registering ascents, scoring style of problems, quality and grades) is down to users.

Dolly

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Its an interesting thought.
The only reason I don't use pbi much is cos of the UI - its much better on UKC logbook. (That's neither a criticism of pbi nor an admission of anything else BTW)

Bonjoy

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1. like BJ said, buy pb.info, would be great. Could be a great site but seems gareth is pretty busy so not much is moving there

Would need to buy his time (or someone else with the technical knowledge) to continue development of features.  The rest (registering ascents, scoring style of problems, quality and grades) is down to users.
True, but any worthwhile development of UKB is going to require time, expert imput and some amount of money. I reckon the bouldering community and the sites involved would get a lot for a little in this case.
I think an impoved UI and the bigger profile generated by being part of UKB would easily generate the required increase in user input.
Obviously this is all highly speculative as I've no idea whether PB or UKB would go for the idea.

Paul B

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As far as developing UKB goes I’d love to see UKB beg, borrow, or buy peakbouldering.info, tidy it up and integrate it into the site. I think both sites would benefit from it immeasurably.
Look at how UKC has been boosted by its logbook function. There’s no reason why something built on the basis of pb.info couldn’t expand over time into a full UK bouldering database.

This is a great idea. the UKC logbook in itself was an absolute stroke of genius, a self-editing, self-expanding database that runs in parallel to a guide publishing company!

Personally I also like the idea of an "ignore this thread permanently" button. The blogpile is still expanding and I use a much better (no borking image code), much more mobile solution. Of course there are workarounds... but still  :shit:

Drew

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I'd agree that the UKB+PB.info idea is fantastic, especially if there was a link to the Beta section of the forum where applicable.

Duma

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how long before the borg assimilate and kill pb.info...

slackline

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especially if there was a link to the Beta section of the forum where applicable.

The Beta section as a whole, or specific threads on specific problems?  Later could be tricky to automate and would otherwise require someone to add the links.

Alternatively an additional feature of the pb.info site could be to have a (hideable?) 'beta' section, regardless of ownership.

how long before the borg assimilate and kill pb.info...

Guess it depends on whether its for sale, the asking price and how much is being offered.   :devangel:

Although UKC use their own 'bespoke' system for the database which includes boulder problems at many venues, written, maintained and updated by I believe Nick Smith (there was a thread the other week about improving the database).  Integrating this with Gareth's pb.info may not be straight-forward, and would require some work at least to make the compatible/integrated.

Bonjoy

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The UKC logbook coverage of bouldering is weak and there is definately space/demand for sites like pb.info and yorkshiregrit.com. Boulderers don't want to have to wade through pages of route info to find problems. The logbook system would have to change quite radically to surplant these sites. I can't really see them wanting the hideous job of transferring all the info on such sites into a format compatible with the current logbook set-up. Not in the short term anyway, I imagine they have other priorities. UKB has the advantage of no pre-existing structure so it only needs to improve on what already exists and somehow integrate into the UKB site in an attractive user friendly way.

dave

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On the other hand like it or hate it 8a.spew already has a perfectly fine bouldering logbook which isn't limited to certain areas. Why reinvent the wheel?

Fiend

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I think there are extras that could be added to UKBouldering to improve it.

However I think what is here is great already, I can't see problems that need to be fixed.

Incidentally there are two shagging smileys in the selection above:  :shag: and  :lets_do_it_wild:

slackline

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Whether UKB makes a pitch for PB.info or not, the success of dedicated bouldering sites to my mind hinge at a bare minimum on covering server costs.

How are these met by the different sites at present?  To take three examples....

Yorkshiregrit.com - Self-funded & donations, comes and goes intermittently with the site owners enthusiasm.

Peakbouldering.info - Self-funded, no options for donations.

bleau.info - Less clear, but has a shop section selling guide books and other stuff (commission based click-throughs), copyright indicates association/ownership by a netherlands company.


UKB persists through sponsors these days which more or less cover server costs.

To integrate either peakbouldering.info or yourshiregrit.com into the site, wouldn't be that hard, but I'd imagine remuneration for the work done to date would be expected (who's going to cough up for that), and there would be a cost associated with incorporating all of the feedback as to improvements people would like to see.  If these can't be met by some form of advertising, or association with clothing companies or guidebook publishers it won't happen unless someone with deep(-ish) pockets (or at least cash and/or time to spare) does it solely for the love of it (in which case improvements come as and when they've the time and inclination to do them).

Bonjoy

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Dave - 8a.nu is the loggest log I've ever come across. If they've invented the wheel on this then it's a got a flat tyre, several missing spokes and could do with a good dose of re-inventing. It only functions (barely) as a piece of digital (toilet) paper on which to list what things a user has climbed (probably at Anston).

Slackline - The fact that funding is tight and an ongoing problem for such sites is likely to make any sort of offer an attractive prospect I'd have thought. Essentially you get to keep your labour of love without having to perpetually find ways to pay for it. Plus they get to see the site expand and prosper. What's the downside? Obviously there'd be conditions of transfer to protect against resale or change of function etc.

abarro81

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It only functions (barely) as a piece of digital (toilet) paper on which to list what things a user has climbed (probably at Anston).

 :lol:

Not entirely true though. I get loads of info from it. Mostly this is for Euro sport (what times of year look ok for each venue, what routes are good, what are good for the onsight etc) but there's some useful stuff on uk boulders hidden in there too. Unfortunately though it can take some searching to dig it out.

dave

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8a.nu is absolutely fine as a logbook. You go on, you say what you did and when, which is what a logbook is.

Bonjoy

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I could do a poo in a dictionary, that would also fit the strictest definition of a logbook.

Duma

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fucking genius

Jaspersharpe

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A really shit laptop could be described as a logbook.

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The inspirational front cover for the new rockfax peak limestone guide?

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