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What do you think of the website?


21 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_andrewkennedy_*

Guest_andrewkennedy_*
  • Guests

Posted 23 December 2013 - 04:31 PM

Whether you are a member or non-member we want to know your thoughts about the website. If you are a new member or visitor we especially would like to encourage your input as well.

We are curious to know how the website is perceived. As a committee we feel our website does not strongly fulfill NANFA's mission and objectives, or give a sense that NANFA is a great source of credible information.

Let us know your thoughts.

#2 littlen

littlen
  • NANFA Member
  • Washington, D.C.

Posted 24 December 2013 - 11:00 AM

The NANFA website is a great site, and contains a lot of good information. I personally would like to see more frequent updates or additions. Whether additional Fish In Focus articles are added, or to have a constantly updated "news feed" on the home page. Much like we're doing on the NANFA Facebook page, relevant native fish articles, journals/scientific findings, and news can be linked on said news feed. It seems like there hasn't been much going on-on the website, rather folks are using it as a portal to get to the forum.

As we all know, the forum is possibly the best source for native fish information on the internet but not everyone is interested in joining. Perhaps some sort of a daily/weekly/monthly digest can be composed and added to part of the website so that folks who wish to browse NANFA.org can read some of the same information in a condensed format.

I remember when I first came across the website several years ago. I read nearly everything that was on there before moving on to the forum. I know folks still contribute to the website and are working hard on it so my criticism is not meant to offend--but there has been some stagnation (aka, not much has been added over the last few years). I still think that there is a good deal of valuable info on the site, but there could be a lot more. There was some discussion to renew interest in having people write new F.I.F. articles and I think that is in the works. Most of the blame probably comes from people (like me) who want to see more, but do little to contribute. Furthermore, it is likely that those who handle putting up new info are shorthanded and there are a lack of volunteers. I'm happy to contribute and have some ideas and personal/professional info to share.

Hopefully I have not offended anyone past or present who has worked diligently to create such a great resource.

Just my two cents. Thanks for listening.
Nick L.

#3 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 24 December 2013 - 11:20 AM

I second Nick's assessment. He very tactfully said what I couldn't manage to put into words when I was looking at this last night. I characterize my approach to the website similarly to Nick's; it's what brought me into NANFA, I thoroughly and voraciously devoured it before finally overcoming my self-consciousness and becoming an active part of the forum. I too would like to see the website grow, and like Nick will throw my hat into the ring as a contributor, if asked. (Just don't expect any technical help from me, I'm useless there.)




Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#4 Guest_Gavinswildlife_*

Guest_Gavinswildlife_*
  • Guests

Posted 26 December 2013 - 08:34 PM

The website is sort of in need of a new look. Less HTML-y and more modern web design. Also, an active news feed with the NANFA youtube videos to add life.

Edited by Gavinswildlife, 26 December 2013 - 08:34 PM.


#5 Guest_AMcCaleb_*

Guest_AMcCaleb_*
  • Guests

Posted 26 December 2013 - 10:08 PM

I found the website first before the forum, and it was good but not much to keep me coming back to the website more than once or twice. I am constantly reading on the forum though. Whenever I recommend people to NANFA I tell them to check out the forum and not so much the website.

#6 Guest_Erica Lyons_*

Guest_Erica Lyons_*
  • Guests

Posted 28 December 2013 - 02:30 PM

I found the website first before the forum, and it was good but not much to keep me coming back to the website more than once or twice. I am constantly reading on the forum though. Whenever I recommend people to NANFA I tell them to check out the forum and not so much the website.

Ditto, except I think I found the forum first? Can't remember.

I really like the fish in focus articles on the website because usually when people are asking about native fish, they are asking about a specific one. Being able to link them to a care page about them is an easy way to give them information. It would be nice if the website had a dichotomous key-like breakdown of the fish species like the way the forum groups discussion, with detailed information for each native fish species. Range distribution, captive care information, breeding reports, conservation status, pictures. Our current listing hints at the potential of this http://nanfa.org/bcccaptivecare.shtml but lacks many species and does not feature the pictures of the species that are up on the NANFA gallery. One way to fix this could be to make a bot to automatically link forum topics that discuss the species to its list page on the website.

For example:
Main listing page: http://nanfa.org/bcccaptivecare.shtml
Flame chub page: http://www.nanfa.org...emitremia.shtml
Flame chub gallery photo, not listed on flame chub page: http://gallery.nanfa...e Chub.jpg.html
Example flame chub forum topics:
http://forum.nanfa.o...l__+flame +chub
http://forum.nanfa.o...l__+flame +chub

#7 Isaac Szabo

Isaac Szabo
  • NANFA Member
  • Marble Falls, AR

Posted 28 December 2013 - 11:26 PM

I think a regular stream of new content would go a long way toward creating a reason to visit the website on a regular basis. It would also give a much better impression of NANFA as an active organization that potential new members would like to be a part of. A couple of other similar websites/forums that I visit (http://www.wetpixel.com/ and http://www.herpsofarkansas.com/) integrate things like news stories, recent forum posts, recent photos, and recent social media content on their homepages. The great thing is that NANFA members are already regularly generating all of these things. We have content from the forum, photo gallery, journal, facebook, and youtube to choose from. Most of these could probably be set up to update automatically so that it doesn't take too much work to manage. The homepage could be a central hub that connects all the various arms of NANFA activity.

#8 Guest_jblaylock_*

Guest_jblaylock_*
  • Guests

Posted 18 January 2014 - 05:01 PM

I think a regular stream of new content would go a long way toward creating a reason to visit the website on a regular basis. It would also give a much better impression of NANFA as an active organization that potential new members would like to be a part of. A couple of other similar websites/forums that I visit (http://www.wetpixel.com/ and http://www.herpsofarkansas.com/) integrate things like news stories, recent forum posts, recent photos, and recent social media content on their homepages. The great thing is that NANFA members are already regularly generating all of these things. We have content from the forum, photo gallery, journal, facebook, and youtube to choose from. Most of these could probably be set up to update automatically so that it doesn't take too much work to manage. The homepage could be a central hub that connects all the various arms of NANFA activity.


I second this. A stream showing new content, our youtube videos, and other content would be good.

#9 Guest_Heather_*

Guest_Heather_*
  • Guests

Posted 19 January 2014 - 02:30 PM

I agree with everyone... there are some excellent suggestions and links here. Also have been so impressed with this organization, community and resource.

I believe nanfa.org (homepage) and it's contents, our gallery, our forum and resources could all be better integrated and consistent in appearance. Graphics and layout could use an update. We should also consider improving navigational menus and related features throughout. Facebook, YouTube (or our own video gallery), species profiles, photo gallery, articles etc. should all be better integrated AND featured. There are SO many software modifications that we could take advantage of to improve the community experience. For example, we really should have a latest posts block which would order topics by recent post. This could also be echoed on the homepage. Other community enhancements such as contests should be considered (photo contests,.... trip report contests, profile contests?)... as well as improved community forums (Off Topic?) and an improved new member experience. Lastly, while I applaud the generous access our current free community membership provides and want to see this remain, I would also suggest that paid members of NANFA have special access to several additional new features.

#10 littlen

littlen
  • NANFA Member
  • Washington, D.C.

Posted 19 January 2014 - 07:05 PM

What about the addition of a "Like" button, similar to what is on Facebook? That way when a post is made, FISHGUY123:"Do you like my new 55?" You could "Like" it without having to necessarily add a post. Or, if you wish to agree with a previous post/answer, FISHGUY123: "How many Bluegill can I put in my 55?" AQUABOY987: "You could probably get away with 4-6".....you could simply "LIKE" AQUABOY's post rather than having to add another comment saying the same thing.
Nick L.

#11 Guest_Gavinswildlife_*

Guest_Gavinswildlife_*
  • Guests

Posted 19 January 2014 - 10:03 PM

I want to see a youth discount for membership. Hey, TU did it...

#12 Guest_jblaylock_*

Guest_jblaylock_*
  • Guests

Posted 20 January 2014 - 11:41 AM

What about the addition of a "Like" button, similar to what is on Facebook? That way when a post is made, FISHGUY123:"Do you like my new 55?" You could "Like" it without having to necessarily add a post. Or, if you wish to agree with a previous post/answer, FISHGUY123: "How many Bluegill can I put in my 55?" AQUABOY987: "You could probably get away with 4-6".....you could simply "LIKE" AQUABOY's post rather than having to add another comment saying the same thing.


Other forums handle this with a "Thanks" button

#13 Guest_jblaylock_*

Guest_jblaylock_*
  • Guests

Posted 20 January 2014 - 11:42 AM

I want to see a youth discount for membership. Hey, TU did it...


Youth or not, $30 is cheap...very cheap for what you are supporting.

#14 Aquastudent

Aquastudent
  • NANFA Guest
  • Albany, NY

Posted 25 May 2015 - 08:55 AM

I didn't want to make a new thread for this and figured this was the best place to post.

 

I noticed a few typo's on one of the pages I was exploring.

 

http://nanfa.org/bcccollecting.shtml

 

"shore" and "techniques" have letters switched on the page.



#15 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 25 May 2015 - 10:11 AM

Thanks... that's all on me... my spelling is atroshis  :biggrin:

 

But now it is fixed!


Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#16 Josh Blaylock

Josh Blaylock
  • Board of Directors
  • Central Kentucky

Posted 09 September 2015 - 10:48 AM

I was looking at our main webpage today.  I feel like it's time we look at a redesign.  We have a LOT of great information, but I feel like it's hard to find.  The main page doesn't leave you coming back for more.   Just look at the 'What's New" section, old info.

 

I'd like to held.  I'm not just throwing out my comments without helping in the action.  I'd like to see something like this - http://www.americanrivers.org

 

I'm not sure what we need to do, how we do, but I'd like to hear from more members about how we can make that main page updated, easier to view, and bring new/more information to the front.


Josh Blaylock - Central KY
NANFA on Facebook

KYCREEKS - KRWW - KWA



I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky.

- Abraham Lincoln, 1861


#17 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 10 September 2015 - 05:26 AM

I'm with you, Josh.

The American Rivers site is great, but if we couldn't pull off something quite so interactive, perhaps a site like this- http://carnivorousplants.org/-provides an example of a happy medium for us. Not a ton of bells and whistles, but plenty of info and pretty easy to find. Like ours, that site is a labor of love. Their web ring is a really neat idea. Could we make something like that happen for NANFA? Start small and secure, so to speak, with any of our trusted vendors who may be interested and some other professional sites our some of our long-term members might be associated with, and then maybe work into including individual members' personal sites? Maybe even include groups NANFA is associated with; CFI, Chuck's FL killi group, etc. The busted links are a pain, but still, it's a neat idea. Honestly, fish have always been my first love, but I do like native plants (especially carnivores) too, and have spent more time on that site (ICPS's)than ours lately.

Our webpage is still serving one of its purposes quite well. Through it NANFA has picked up a few active members the past year or two, and awareness/recruitment is obviously key for us.

I'm nearly useless in the tech department, but I am willing to author stuff, gather materials, cheer-lead, what not.
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#18 Matt DeLaVega

Matt DeLaVega
  • Forum Staff
  • Ohio

Posted 10 September 2015 - 06:16 PM

This has been in the works to some extent. The biggest problem is simply that I somehow ended up as chair of the tech committee. I am in no way qualified. I just got my first smart phone 3 weeks ago. I have no comprehension of any of it and do not have a clue how to proceed when I do not understand any of the lingo. Honestly I should have brought this up myself sooner for the benefit of the organization, but I am simply in way over my head. What to do next I am not sure, but we really should get someone more qualified than I in place to facilitate this. At first I thought I could handle it, all I had to do was keep things moving forward right? That is not as easy as it sounds when people are speaking Greek.

 

 So put this lack of moving forward on me, and please, anyone who could pull this off well let me know.


The member formerly known as Skipjack


#19 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 10 September 2015 - 06:51 PM

Don't let Matt go all humble on you... but do jump in and help him.

 

We have a member, Andrew Kennedy, that has been trying to work on this, but is pretty much a one man show.  As always, what NANFA needs if folks that are willing to jump in and take action.  Josh and Matt, y'all are both interested in making improvements and we could certainly use your help.


Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#20 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 10 September 2015 - 07:08 PM

What is available to do that I would be qualified for? DLV just got a smart phone; mine still flips and I don't even know how to check my voicemail...

If we want content created that we can plug in I can probably help, depending on the topic. How would I go about submitting it?

That'd probably be my, and most members, strong suits. But the tech stuff? We'd be sending the AC via smoke signals if I were in charge, so please don't misconstrue my comments as criticism, 'cuz they ain't. :)
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."



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