UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => bouldering => Topic started by: Bouldr Matt on January 31, 2007, 12:59:41 am
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Hi everybody!
I don't want to step on anybodies toes by posting here - so I apologise if I appear cheeky! :)
I would like to tell you all about a climbing site that I have built (over about a year or so with a little help from my friends), called Bouldr (http://bouldr.net)). It's nowhere near finished yet - we're going to be adding a whole bunch of new features over the coming months - but the basic idea is to create a place for everyone to share climbs and meet other climbers (http://bouldr.net/?z=2&lat=40.713955826286046&long=-8.4375&mt=m&climb_type=All&climb_grade=All&swLat=-32.54681317351514&swLng=-142.38281249999997&neLat=76.84081641443096&neLng=125.15625&tab=2&page=1) from around the world.
I have just put out a big update to Bouldr, and I finally that we have something that I can begin telling people about, so if anyone has any constructive criticism (or finds any bugs), then please do let me know! I expect I'll be mooching around this forum for a while (can't believe I missed it!), so please do let me know what you think!
Thanks!
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That's great Matt I really like it.
Took me a short while to figure how it works but it seems like it could be excellent if enough people contribute.
Had some problems:
Couldn't register using work email address as the activation email must have been blocked by our spam filter. This doesn't usually happen when registering for websites, maybe it's related to the wording of the email.
Tried to upload a 600KB image but it didn't upload despite the quoted limit being 2MB. Loaded fine when i resized the photo to 250KB.
Had a problem adding a line to the image. The site seems to be rescaling the photo from that seen on the edit page, but not rescaling the line. I have left the mismatched beta image in place so you can have a look and work out the problem. Would this be rectified if you specified the dimensions of images to be uploaded?
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Came out looking like this
(http://bouldr.net/line/87.jpg?0.208452413739108)
Which is not the line (unless your names Pat)
Also on the location and image editing pages parts of the explanatory text where obscured by the image.
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Yeah thats an ace idea dude. Like Bonjoy said its a bit confusing what the hells going on at first - maybe you need a bit clearer sub-division into sections on the front page and the first maps a bit big I think(using IE at least).
I'll have a go at uploading some stuff later and let you know how it goes.
On another note: your prob My Apple looks sweet boy I've been meaning to ask where that was - no need now.
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Thanks for taking a look guys!
I'll get right on those problems you mention, and I'll take a look at the start page to make the purpose and use of Bouldr clearer.
If you edit your profiles and add your location (which will be randomised slightly), Bouldr will make that location your default, and each time you log in, you will start there in the explorer. Also, (if you want it), the newsletter will be customised to your location!
More constructive criticism, please! :)
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Good idea regards the location thing, it does get tiresome navigating from a world view each time you want to find the peak.
Is there any scope for grouping problems by crag and having links to this, or would this be a major undertaking? So you would have a link to the peak, with a sublink to Stanage and a page listing all the probs there.
The prob I was having with text over images was because I had a favourites bar open on the left which was distorting the page and the text wasn't justifying (is that the right term?).
On the image editing page I think it'd be worth having text explaining that the blocky image that appears when you upload a file is not how the published image will appear.
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At the moment, you can use the search box at the top of the explorer to go to specific regions - for example, searching for Burbage (http://bouldr.net/?z=16&lat=53.32781343978229&long=-1.600959599018097&mt=m&climb_type=All&climb_grade=All&swLat=53.32492669986915&swLng=-1.6091322898864744&neLat=53.330693581427006&neLng=-1.5928030014038086&submittedSearch=Burbage&page=1) will zoom and re-center the map on Burbage, and only display climbs from that area (clear the search box to show all climbs).
I'm loving this feedback though - it's really difficult to know if we're building the right features until we are told that what we have done already is good or pants! I'll be in touch about those problems you came across.
Thanks again!
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Just had a play with that link, it works really well. How about a list of venues, or is there one already?
It is a bloody good site. All you need now is to bully people into submitting stuff. I'll keep putting things in that I have pics of on my work PC.
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This is brilliant. I remember in the far distant past someone should make a Modern antiquarian (http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/mapbrowser/) style bouldering site - pretty much exactly what you've done.
My only comment is your design seems a little less efficient with screen space then The Modern Antiquarian - especially how the destination opens beside the map. This is a detail though, I can see this becoming as good as bleau.info. Genius.
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It is a bloody good site. I'll keep putting things in that I have pics of on my work PC.
Likewise.
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Bonnos, your problems with lines on photos. Are you adding them before uploading or is it a site feature?
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Thanks for the kind words!
Yeah The Modern Antiquarian has a pretty spiffy design - we're going to work on Bouldr's layout based on the comments I have received here, and from what I have heard so far, we have a couple of issues:
- It's not immediately clear as to how to get started
- It's using too much screen space for certain elements, and some areas need rearranging
If you love Bouldr, then I'd imagine that your climbing partners might like it too, so please do invite your friends (http://bouldr.net/account/invite_friend) - help us get the word out, after all, Bouldr is really only a platform from which people can find and help each other.
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JB - No the site has the option for two versions of an image, one with a line on, one without. You draw on the line on an editing page on the site.
Matt - I have changed my location in Profile Edit, but still I am navigating from somewhere in the atlantic. Is this something I have to wait for the site management team to update for me or should the site have done it automatically?
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Any chance of adding grade and star vote options a la Yorkshiregrit/Bleau??
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Bonjoy: Sorry, my bad! You need to go to Edit Profile -> Location to update your default location. The 'Where are You' box is confusing matters, so I think that it'll have to go.
Site Management Team sounds so official! There is no manual management required for Bouldr to work - we automate as much as possible so that we can all enjoy the site without having to wait for scheduled updates.
As for voting, well we did have a voting system in place at one point, but we weren't happy with it, so it got deleted. We're going to have a good long think about implementing a star and grade voting system in the near future, but for now, do you (or does anyone else) have any preference as to how voting could be improved on such sites? I'd love to hear your ideas!
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For grade votes I think an option top vote for the full range (V0-V16) on all probs. Often my view on a grade differs beyond the range of options offered on sites like Yorkshiregrit, this is particularly so if holdsa break or new sequences are found.
The representation of star voting on UKC is better than for instance Bleau IMO, as it gives a more detailled view of opinion. One or two deviations from typical opinion appear as just that rather than skewing the whole rating.
Perhaps votes should be limited to one (editable - problems change over time) vote per problem per registered user. This way you encourage membership and hence problem submisions, plus you avoid abuse of the voting system.
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Have sorted the location mix-up out. It has changed the location on my homepage. Any chance you can also set it to default to this location when I go to New Climb?
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Jon has updated the system on yorkshiregrit so you can vote whatever you want now. Agree that star voting would be good too.
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BonJoy: Yeah, I think that having your default location used when adding a new climb would be better - it's on the (growing) list of things to do - I think posting here has been the best thing I have done all year!
Thanks for all the comments!
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no map or satellite shows up on my laptop, i'll try my imac later....... could this be a safari (mac default browser) issue??
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Surely there must be more people with photos of things on their hard drives?!
Anyone who thinks this site has potential should make the effort and post up a few things. It's very easy to do once you've figured how to do one. I'm just about running out of things on my work PC now.
Do it, do it, do it, do it!
I'm wadding anyone who adds something today. If I can figure who's who. Must include a pic.
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Ha, will add when I get home, I've got to at least get Yorks on par with the peak!
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Stay tuned for a forthcoming documentary focusing on the dark and seedy underworld of The Breck. Seriously, this is happening and I'll upload it when it's made. Charting my quest to bag a repeat of Hastons Dyno, my sole motivation in climbing. THIS WILL HAPPEN!
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Have had a dabble with this site, and it seems quite nice. Could be useful for planning trips abroad, if more climbs get uploaded.
Suggestions -
1. Get on all the bouldering forums in various countries. Ask them for contributions and feedback. The more people you get involved, the more people will want to get involved. Be proactive and it could soon turn into something great.
2. Scrolling around maps is a pain in the bum. It's nice to be able to do it when you want to, but would be great if you could just click on a a continent/country name in a menu and get a list of areas within that country. Then click on an area and get a list of sub areas (eg. East/West), then get a list of crags...
...Would be really nifty if the map could adjust with each step. So clicking on UK would zoom in to the UK, and so on.
3. This would be especially useful for adding problems, rather than fiddling about trying to find the location on the map. Would be good to just select a name from a drop-down list. (I would have added more problems if this was in place.)
4. An option to add videos, or youtube links, would be good.
5. Links to other bouldering websites around the world would be nice - that way it would be possible to browse on bouldr for a good destination, and then get more detail from a specific site. If you add links you'll also be able to advertise your site on all sites you link to, and encourage more contributions.
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as of yesterday i've managed to get photos on the www. and i'm well up this site to be the global resource it could be.
I've tons of photos.
and the site doesnt work, on a mac that is. :'(
bonjoy - you hold me a waddage in reserve mate - i have some right crackers that need to get onto that site!!
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Will do.
Whilst you are being bombarded with suggestions, it would be nice to be able to post more than one pic per problem. I'd hate to think I was blocking someone from sticking up a totally classic photo, with my dodgy snapshot. I imagine this might create bandwidth issues, but it would be good.
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At the risk of sounding daft. How does this site actually work?
I registered and tried to put a problem on it. Now I can't find any mention of it or of anybody else's for that matter. What's a man to do?
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I can see your prob yoot, but it doesn't have a picture (suggestion - resize pic to below 300kb), so no waddage yet.
Try zooming in or out. You will only see the prob if it is within the map shown on the right. Navigate to Curbar area and you should definately see it.
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BTW you have stuck your location pin on White Edge! :o
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At the risk of sounding daft. How does this site actually work?
Place tongue between teeth and bottom lip. Now hum 'uhhhhmmm'.
You idiot.
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Done it!!
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Where's your prob? I can't be just handing out this wadding willy nilly.
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added a few. Gone North (UK) and South (World)
Nice site.
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Added a US one to make the site additions more international.
Greg has been busy :o
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i have many pics of val di mello, meschia, my local area, annot, cresciano and ceriola.
is it of any help?
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It's web 2.2 - i.e. let the punters do the work. Power to the people.
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Added a US one to make the site additions more international.
Greg has been busy :o
I always said I was a punter. :'(
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i have many pics of val di mello, meschia, my local area, annot, cresciano and ceriola.
is it of any help?
Go for it yoot. You input everything youself and the site automatically generates the entry.
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I always said I was a punter. :'(
Hmmm the new graded list on Lakesbloc would seem to suggest otherwise, good work sir :bow:
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Added 3 US sites, damn I could waste a lot of time doing this! Enough for one day I think...
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Hopefully going to go out posing for Strong Lass tomorrow. Then I'll picture it up. I just guessed with the arrow, I didn't zoom in enough. I'll adjust it now.
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does not accept my pic??????
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I've pitched in for the Oz contingent, to add to the internationality. Good site :)- I'll add more when I can.
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@r-man: Thanks for taking the time go into detail with your suggestions - that really helps a lot - I have such a large number of things to run through now that I think I'm going to be very busy for the next six months at least!
@fatdoc: Yeah - neither my mate nor I own a Mac, so the issues with Safari have gone unnoticed up to now! We're going to be looking at getting it working ASAP - Bouldr needs to be available for everyone to use.
We're looking into the issues with the image upload - it's an odd one, as the problem occurs only on the production server, but we'll sort it soon! For now, if you resize to ~300Kb, it tends to be OK. Sorry for the extra messing about!
In the meantime, if you love Bouldr, please invite your friends and bookmark us on delicious (http://del.icio.us/url/034e698d0bf7a638bfc4b437b7195730) to help spread the word. Thanks to everyone that has contributed - with this sort of momentum, Bouldr will soon be a resource that everyone can enjoy!
:)
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I have just realised I wasn't the one being thick, it was the Apple Mac. I've been on a PC and tried to adjust my wayward arrow but can't seem to do it. Any ideas?
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If you PM me your username and password i'll have a go on my PC, then we'll know for sure if it something you're doing wrong. You can always change your password afterwards or re-register.
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:-[ sorry, but how do i resize a pic? :-[
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Need to use something like Photoshop, GIMP or Irfanview (both last two free to download).
You can use Microsoft picture manager, but results are poor
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If you have picture saved on a host such as flickr you can always right click on the scaled version and 'Save picture as...', then post this up. Or find any relevant pics you have on UKB and save these as they must already be resized.
If you are resizing using a decent program it's always worth re-sharpening the image after the resize as some definition will have been lost.
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Stuck a few shots of the team in Hueco on Bouldr.
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If you're having trouble resizing images, you could try using ResizR (http://resizr.lord-lance.com/) - it's a nifty web app that's designed just to resize images.
If you set the image width to about 400 pixels, you should be good.
@Greg C: Awesome stuff! Getting stuff from out in Hueco has been a mini-ambition for Bouldr since the beginning - Now if only someone had some problems from Central Park!
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resized and sent.
cheers, i hope you like them.
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I've not got my confirmation email yet- any ideas why? I signed up ages ago.
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When I tried to register first with work email the spam filter blocked the confirmation thing. Try registering with a hotmail address or similar.
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I used my hotmail account to do so.
:shrug:
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Try registering again. If you haven't got confirmation yet then it's probably not worked first time.
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Cheers, will try.
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Username
Username has already been taken
Email
Email has already been taken
Arse. It won't let me re-register.
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Yeah, that is a bit crap of us... I'll get it sorted soon.
In the meantime, if anyone is missing their activation code, then PM me, and I'll send it to you myself.
Matt
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@fatdoc: OK, I think we have fixed the issues with Safari, so you should be able to use Bouldr via your Mac now!
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I can confirm that it now works on Safari. Brilliant site Matt. Lots of potential.
Hopefully there'll be a couple of problems from Yellowslacks/Dog Rock Ridge on there before the end of the day...
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Well i've just about exhausted all the bouldering pics on my work PC. Would be good to see a few more people adding stuff. Seems like me, Robin and Greg are doing most of the donkey work at the moment.
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Got a few on, but will raid my holiday snaps from the states tonight and get some 'milks and camp 4 action going, although I can't guaruntee that the map pins will be in exactly the right places :-[
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Managed to get about 11 on today - I lost a load of photos when my old hard drive died sadly so will keep updating as I get things done!
Great effort with the site though Matt, it's a quality idea :hug:
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Good on ya, fellas - Bouldr is looking much healthier with all those climbs on!
I'm looking into ways of promoting the site now - I've posted to a few other international forums, and had some other climbers join us. With a little coaxing, I'm sure we can get a whole load of other areas populated.
Thanks for all the positive comments - this really has been an amazing few days!
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have just added a boulder from thailand. i will try to add the rest of the pics that i have on my photobucket.
oh yeah, i forgot to say. this is excellent, well done boys!
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I am having trouble uploading photos from a new route bonanza at the mighty Yellowslacks yesterday. They have been dragged out of iPhoto and into a seperate file. I have 'Got Info' and they all seem to be less than 2mb. What could the problem be?
On a lighter note I see that Percy 97 has gone on the website at V4. Nice one dense. Had us going for a while there...
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Well that'll be the first V4 I've failed to pull on to. I dare say it might pull Dense out of Hueco-imposed posting exile though.
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Well that'll be the first V4 I've failed to pull on to. I dare say it might pull Dense out of Hueco-imposed posting exile though.
I flashed it! Maybe I did it wrong?
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You did it wrong.
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Where does it start/go then?
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Here's an idea - I think you need some moderators who can reposition wayward problems. It's obvious at least a third of users either can't be bothered or simply haven't the faculties to position their climbs accurately.
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We have been thinking about this, and yeah, in order to keep the quality of Bouldr at a decent level, we're considering a rather large change: We're going to give Bouldr a Wiki-like interface.
Basically, we're looking at allowing any user to modify any climb. By implementing a history and discussion page for each climb, we can revert wayward changes, and allow any contributor to discuss changes before or after they happen. We have not begun the implementation yet, however, I would love you to tell us what you think of this idea.
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Would currently uploaded info be incorporated into the new format or would it be a start from scratch?
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No data will be lost - everything added so far will be migrated, and the proper attribution will be made.
I think that moving to a Wiki-interface will allow many problems with the current setup to be sorted out - if someone adds a climb in the wrong place, then there really is no way for someone else to fix it. Missing Beta is another concern - as is misleading or erroneous descriptions. We feel that making it possible for everyone to easily chip-in, we'll make Bouldr a better (and more accurate) place to find climbs.
I'd appreciate as much feedback as possible, as we really want to make Bouldr a fantastic resource!
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It does sound like a good move. Editing by all registered users is a good call. Inclusion of star and grade voting would be great, as would the option of mutiple images and videos.
One thing i think should be high on your priority list is the navigation. Having labelled crags or being able to select crags from a drop down menu and then be able to click back and forward without defaulting to the home setting would make the site a lot more user friendly. I have spoken to people who have given up on the site due to frustration with the navigation.
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Yep, I agree. Editing by registered users, or users who have posted 5 new problems maybe.
Also agree about crag selection - I know I went on about this earlier, but it really is the missing ingredient that would make this site properly useful.
I'd be keen to see that and the navigation sorted before you do anything else. Making the whole thing wiki based would be handy, but this is really just to for tweaking details. To get the site going you need to grow content, which means making it as user-friendly as possible, so my vote would be for better navigation and more powerful browsing options (continent: country: area: crag: drop down menus).
The peak at least is starting to flesh out, with some excellent photos. I can see myself spending a lot of time here, itching to go climbing...
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We're working on the broken back button problem at the moment, and we'll have a think about some form of location search / tree navigation system too.
Currently, we're looking at you are all using Bouldr, fixing any issues we find (I just deployed a version with a new image uploader and fixes for the line drawing issue some of you have seen), and getting our next steps organised. We have a big list of stuff to do on Bouldr, including some rather nifty features that I haven't seen anywhere else, so stay with us, and we might surprise you!
Thanks for taking the time to put these points to me, though - we're going to make Bouldr a massive success with feedback like this!
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Birkby has added some very fine Castle Hill stuff. Well worth a look.
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Might be an idea to put links to topos in the descriptions on Bouldr.
Ideally Bouldr needs crag pages, where topos and other stuff could be linked to.
I've spoken to a few people who have given up on the site because they got fed up with the navigation. Would be great to see this revamped.
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Hows things going with the development side of the site?
Are people still offering submissions? I'll add some Merseyside shit this week.
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Things are moving ahead very well - we're going to be adding a location browser in the near future, along with a few other nifty improvements (a whole load of work is going into the behind-the-scenes stuff, too).
We're still getting plenty of submissions, and as soon as the location browser is done, we're going to be starting a push on the marketing front. We're also really happy to say that r-man is going to be helping us out on this, so with any luck, Bouldr should begin gaining more momentum very soon!
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Happy to be on board.
I met up with Matt the other day at the Works, and he's got big plans for Bouldr. If all goes well, Bouldr will be a really excellent resource. The future is round, the future is Bouldr shaped. Once he's got the location browsing sorted, I'm going to make use of my extensive climbing website knowledge (previously classed as time-wasting) and encourage more submissions from all four corners of the globe. (That phrase confuses me. Surely there are only three corners?) Anyway, we talked about a lot of really nifty features. This site is going to be a boulderer's dream.
...No, we aren't planning to include a Goose-themed problem name generator. It's not that sort of dream.