UKBouldering.com
the site => suggestions, requests, support => Topic started by: Fj on December 08, 2008, 10:43:02 pm
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I've been mulling over this idea for a while and the details would need to be ironed out, but I've noticed people are frequently asking about problems which have been reported in the past which they cannot find links to. When a problems recorded the following discussions often make finding the details difficult.
How about having a 'new problem' topic area with sub locations and crags and simply list all new recorded problems name, fa, date, grade, location in comparison to other established problems etc.
It wouldn't need to be anything like 8a.nu just a list like the old apeindex website. Might make finding non guide book problems easier until published.
Admittedly it might be a nightmare to implement.
thoughts?
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thoughts?
Great idea - The old database on UKB proved very handy for folk to spread the word. Guidebooks (and threads) are out of date far too quickly nowadays. If not a database (Bubba must have taken it down for a valid reason) then what about a specific section of the board to highlight new stuff?
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I put a very simple one on my website and it has been very useful http://www.theshortspan.com/newproblemdatabase/newproblemdatabase.php (http://www.theshortspan.com/newproblemdatabase/newproblemdatabase.php) should of done it years ago.
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Its a good idea (sub-forum with an individual thread for each area and new problems in each area). The potential flaw though is the user-market.
People will invariably drag threads off topic and get into a grade debate, arguing over sequences (although that is in part why you need the db to clarify such things).
Ideally you want something like yorkshiregrit.com (http://www.yorkshiregrit.com) but for all the other areas in the country. This has support for pictures, videos, comments grade voting etc.
To an extent these exist for different areas of the country already.
North Wales (http://www.northwalesbouldering.com/topos.asp)
South Wales (http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/swbouldering/)
Northumberland (http://www.northumberlandbouldering.co.uk/)
Lake District (http://www.lakesbloc.co.uk/)
Boulder Scotland (http://www.boulderscotland.com/) : new, is this a revamp of Stonecountry?
Chew Valley (http://chewvalley.bravehost.com/)
South Lancs (http://members.lycos.co.uk/southlancsbouldering/homeslb.htm)
Craig y Longridge (http://craigylongridge.wetpaint.com/?t=anon)
Broughton (http://broughtonpower.wetpaint.com/)
Penwith (http://www.blocspenwith.co.uk/)
Bouldr.net (http://bouldr.net/) : possibly the closest to what you might be thinking of, perhaps encourage people to add to this?
There are various other wikis kicking around too that I'm too lazy to dig out and link to.
(These and others, including various international topos/guides are noted in the bouldering section of my delicious tags (http://delicious.com/slackline/bouldering)).
There was talk (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,6785.0/all.html) about setting one up for the Peak District in the same vein as Yorkshire Grit, but it doesn't seem to have seen fruition (the domain http://www.peakbouldering.co.uk (http://www.peakbouldering.co.uk) has elapsed).
Setting up a database (and I'm using the strict computing/technical term here, not the loose vauge "I've got a list of things its therefore a database" definition) with a web-based front-end isn't that time consuming, there are ready made packages out there such as Ruby on Rails (http://www.rubyonrails.org/) or Catalyst (http://www.catalystframework.org/) but it does require knowledge of the language and more importantly someone with a decent understanding of web-design otherwise you'll end up with 8a.bleauuuuugh which is an absolute nightmare to navigate. I'm also pretty sure Bubba doesn't have the time to commit to this as he's still working on the store (http://ukbouldering.com/shop) which is looking a lot better than when first mentioned.
I don't have the time to do this either, although may start tinkering with Catalyst, but there would be no timeline for completition.
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I always intended to try to write a proper site to do this but let's be realistic, it's not going to happen; it's taking years of talking about t-shirts to get it done, let alone a proper bit of code like this. I think the thought behind taking down the old, rather simple new problem pages was to make way for the new version...oops.
I think if it's to be done it should be done properly and the obvious yardstick is the splendid http://yorkshiregrit.com (http://yorkshiregrit.com) as slack--line has said above.
Many moons ago Jon from Yorkshire Grit did actually offer me the source code to use for another site but at the time I was still keen on coding and wanted to re-invent it myself. I'm not sure if he would still be into that for a Peak (for example) clone but perhaps somebody with the necessary time and energy could ask him and see (not sure whether he still visits here or not) ?
I'd be more than happy to host such a project under the ukb umbrella and work on integrating logins from the forum, but it might be better as a seperate project anyway.
Another solution, as suggested by priscilla wimbush is to set aside a section of the forums for new problems.
Hardly ideal but it could work as a stop-gap. You could have a new problems sub-section, then sub-forums within each for the appropriate area.
Then in order to prevent chaos, you would have to enforce a strict rule of 1 topic per new problem and it's associated photos/discussion....or 1 locked topic per new problem, and an open topic for discussion of said problem.
The locked topic would only ever get changed when the concensus grade changed, a better description arrived, etc.
This would be easy to set up and I could do it in half an hour or so.
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If you don't do it we will start a petition to get you booted off your own website ;)
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You'd have to torture me to get the passwords :)
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Sounds fun!
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If the option of a forum section is created I think the locked topic idea is best with a fixed post template so any future move to a database makes the transfer of data easier.
Something like.
Crag/Area
Boulder
Name
Details/Description
Grade
Photos
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Biggest problem with Yorkshire grit is that ( I think Travs pointed this out on here before ) many new problems and link-ups are hidden within other problems discussions. Same to some extent on here - at the moment you need to check through several areas of topic to find stuff.
I don't want to chug through loads of different web sites to find worthy new problems to travel the country for. That's why UKB could and should be suitable for this.
Come on Bubba - let's have it...
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I can set the forums up if that's what would do for a while? Will have to be tomorrow now though...
Another option of course is a wiki but they don't lend themselves as well to discussion and comments.
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I think wiki's can work well for discussion/comments if the right wiki is chosen in the first place.
For example mediawiki which is what wikipedia uses has a page that "sits behind" (I always think about it in terms of tabs, the others being the revision history page, the "Edit" and "Watch" are there too) each articles page where discussion can be had, and if the users format their replies/responses correctly then it works well.
The biggest problem remains with the sites being used in the way they intended rather than the users editing the first section they come across.
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Yeah, I run mediawiki on ukcaving.com (http://ukcaving.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page) and there is the talk page that goes behind it.
Also, I think it's possible to integrate SMF and Mediawiki logins...
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Actually wiki > forum coz it can then be used for other things related to ukb too.
I can sort it tomorrow either way.
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There was talk (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,6785.0/all.html) about setting one up for the Peak District in the same vein as Yorkshire Grit, but it doesn't seem to have seen fruition (the domain http://www.peakbouldering.co.uk (http://www.peakbouldering.co.uk) has elapsed).
i spent ages compiling an almost comprehensive list of problems in the peak, with this plan, before realising I had nowwhere near enough IT skills to create a decent website.
I keep updating my list though.
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Whats the format of this list?
Is it stored on a computer in some form?
If so it could be used as the back-end of a website quite easily, if some techno-geek with a spare weekend could be coerced into creating it.
In fact if you're willing to share the info I might be persuaded dust off my web-development skills and build a front-end.
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My list's on excel and in word. I had talked to Grimer who was trying to get some BMC funding for a site but that was quite a while ago so I guess he got nowhere. I also shared Eastern grit stuff with Bonjoy when he compiled his list. I'm certainly still keen to be involved with creating a site.
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I think something like this would be fantastic for the peak and would definitely be able to throw some time at it. Seems like we've got a fair proportion of the necessaries already.
I know nowt about coding but prefer the bleau site to york grit, anything approaching either would be great. Not convinced a thousand locked threads would be a great format though.
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There seem to be alot of little bouldering sites about, Justin started this one a while ago http://www.geocities.com/justfunk_dj/staffscene.html?20079 (http://www.geocities.com/justfunk_dj/staffscene.html?20079) which is worth a look but it only covers some of the stuff at the Roaches.
Some ace pics too.
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'a while ago', you're not wrong!
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Its a good idea ....
To an extent these exist for different areas of the country already.
North Wales (http://www.northwalesbouldering.com/topos.asp)
South Wales (http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/swbouldering/)
Northumberland (http://www.northumberlandbouldering.co.uk/)
Lake District (http://www.lakesbloc.co.uk/)
Boulder Scotland (http://www.boulderscotland.com/) : new, is this a revamp of Stonecountry?
Chew Valley (http://chewvalley.bravehost.com/)
South Lancs (http://members.lycos.co.uk/southlancsbouldering/homeslb.htm)
Craig y Longridge (http://craigylongridge.wetpaint.com/?t=anon)
Broughton (http://broughtonpower.wetpaint.com/)
I like the idea that Broughton is a region in its own right, a sort of bouldering Principality, like a Monaco with muggings perhaps?
On a more on-topic note: cool idea (the database, not the autonomous-region-of-Broughton)
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I know someone with the skills to make the pills. I was talking to him about this recently...I'll give him a nudge and see if he is still interested.
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My list's on excel and in word. I had talked to Grimer who was trying to get some BMC funding for a site but that was quite a while ago so I guess he got nowhere. I also shared Eastern grit stuff with Bonjoy when he compiled his list. I'm certainly still keen to be involved with creating a site.
I had a list a while back compiled from stuff on here, apeindex and mags although I stopped updating it when the new guide was announced.
Whilst the best format for it to be on-line is decided, maybe it'd be worth hosting the excel/access file somewhere so people could review/suggest updates for it. Then when the layouts sorted it'll be easier to get running.
I've got some outdated web skills so could potentially help with sorting something basic.
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Had some more thoughts about this overnight. I don't think the forum is a good idea - as JB said above, loads of locked topics would quickly become a mess.
Don't think the wiki is great either. No easy way to implement voting/discussions. Yes they have talk pages but they're not that great.
Probably not too hard to knock something up in code - I did it before with the old system but it wasn't very pro.
What I'm thinking now is to implement a really simple cut down CMS which offers things like voting/commenting/etc. This would supply a good framework with search facilities/user management/etc out of the box.
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What about something along the lines of the bleau.info site? I really like the way this works and is location sorted. I guess it's a lot of work though n'est pas?
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Much too much work, and probably overkill.
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What I'm thinking now is to implement a really simple cut down CMS which offers things like voting/commenting/etc. This would supply a good framework with search facilities/user management/etc out of the box.
Perfect. :thumbsup:
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sounds great
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i was thinking before i moved to font to try and do something like a bleau style database for the uk, name your crag, find your problem. My wife could have doe=ne the code as she is a coder wouldnt be too hard
a thought for someone
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The hard part is making it spam/hack proof and syncing logins with the forum to stop everyone having to log in twice. The actual problem stuff should be pretty straightforward.