Large Scale Central

General Update

Website
#1

Howdy all
Just an update of whats going on. Right now I’m working on TrainOps, simplifying it to attempt to get rid of the “Cars Not Found” issue, and/or displaying more information when that happens. Its taking a lot longer than I thought, but I’m hoping to have an update pushed out in the next few days. Stay tuned.

In regards to the site, we’re encountering some scalability issues with the software running the site. Its nothing fatal, just making things slow, and some of the stuff un-maintainable on my end. To solve that, Im working with some software consultants to write a custom package for the site, completely integrated on my end for ease-of-use. On your end, the user ‘experience’ will be greatly modernized, easier to use, and much more stable. I won’t be even at the testing stage of this for several months, and I expect to roll it out for LSCs 10th anniversary in June 2010. If you have ANY comments or suggestions of what we can do/add to improved the site, now is the time, since I’m starting with a basically clean slate.

-=Bob

#2

I like the look and function of the site. Much better than MLS.
I wouldn’t make any drastic changes. The old farts hanging around here are generally opposed to “change” :slight_smile:

I guess the one improvement would be the ability to embed Youtube videos in a post. If it’s already possible, I haven’t figured it out.
Ralph

#3

Wow. What would I like? That’s a pretty tough question as I generally just enjoy this site.

There are a few things that I’d sure hate to lose.

Keep the ease of posting pictures. Sure you can add some menu button for the newbies, but I sure like being able to just copy in an image URL and I get a picture.

Same with links.

I’d REALLY like the ‘Read New Posts’ to go directly to the new post. That doesn’t always work here; when there are many new ones I often find myself scrolling back to read them. Other times I’m inserted at some post that is quite old. Maybe it’s just random. :wink:

For chat, it’s nice to be able to read the history of what’s going on for the day before joining. I’d sure hate to lose that. I hate some chats where even when you join you can’t go back more than a few minutes.

Maybe something will come to me as the discussion continues.

Glad to see you back!

#4

The only thing I could think of changing would be to increase the size of the pics in the picture gallery.

-Brian

#5

…It works; DON’T FIX IT…!!!

#6

When you “Bring in consultants”; that’s when the trouble starts…!!!

#7

Hi Bob, If’n I had my 'druthers, I’d like to see a menu at the bottom of the page as well as the top. Just lazy, I guess. It’s too much work to scroll back up to the top to go somewhere else.

(http://www.freerails.com/images/emoticons/gerg.gif)

#8

I agree with everything that’s been said so far except Fred’s “don’t fix it”. I like the existing system, but have tolerated many of the little glitches because I like the company. Just don’t go nuts on the editor side like they did at the other place. WYSIWYG editors for the most part suck. If the noobs demand it, please leave a simple editor option for the old pharts who don’t mind typing in something like [code][url=lsc.cvsry.com/SummerRun2-001-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/SummerRun2-001-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Inpsection car turns on the Wye at Pine Summit - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color][/code] to get a nice clickable picture with a caption :smiley:

#9

I kinda agree with Fred on this as many are not puter savy and just wanna share.
I would like to see a link for donations to the site , I really don’t want a freight shed and this place don’t run for free and the last thing I want is a ton of ads to support it.
Thanks Bob for a great informative site with a great crew of guys. I love this site…their are a few others out there but I only share on one!

#10
David Russell said:
I kinda agree with Fred on this as many are not puter savy and just wanna share. I would like to see a link for donations to the site , I really don't want a freight shed and this place don't run for free and the last thing I want is a ton of ads to support it. Thanks Bob for a great informative site with a great crew of guys. I love this site...their are a few others out there but I only share on one!
There is a link to donate on the bottom right hand corner of the front page. Ralph
#11
Ralph Berg said:
There is a link to donate on the bottom right hand corner of the front page. Ralph
Let me rephrase Yep I know....but I'd be willing to bet 50% or possibly more don't have PP accounts ..... Why not a P.O. box for personal checks? If they clear then were ahead of the game, if they don't then we don't lose?
#12
David Russell said:
Ralph Berg said:
There is a link to donate on the bottom right hand corner of the front page. Ralph
Let me rephrase Yep I know....but I'd be willing to bet 50% or possibly more don't have PP accounts ..... Why not a P.O. box for personal checks? If they clear then were ahead of the game, if they don't then we don't lose?
You can send all your donations to me. I'll take cash, paypal, personal check, stamps, etc. I guarantee your satisfaction or double no money back. ;)
#13

He’s ALIVE!! He’s ALIVE!!

The only problem I’ve been having is the one you’re fixing. Slow to load and move from one forum to another. Everything else I can live with.

#14

There are far more savy guys than myself, offering suggestions and I agree with everything that is said. I certainly understand the need to keep up with and adjust to knew technology and it is always a creators desire to want to correct those little glitches, but so many times we all have looked back and thought I wish I would have stopped 5 minutes ago. :wink:

It is very nice to hear from you Bob. Hope all are well.

#15

I thought of a few:

  • For the photo gallery, I’d like the ability to view all of my pictures so I can see what I have submitted.

  • This isn’t very critical, but it would be nice to know if pictures in my posts cannot be found. For instance, I have reorganized my freight shed and moved some pictures into a new directory; now there’s a red X in the post, but I have no easy way of finding that post to edit it.

  • I’d like to have pictures in articles stored in a special area on the site so they are not lost if the member leaves or changes his web hosting. Or rearranges his directories. :wink:

#16

I really haven’t experienced much of a slowness problem. If it is slow it comes and goes and ism’t that slow.
That YouTube connection would be nice because I may soon start using it a lot but following the address that is posted hasn’t been a problem
The ease of use of your site is great. I haven’t seen any others that are easier to use…

#17

I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again. I would like to be able to view all of another member’s phots in the freight shed. As it is now, there are only a few member’s photos that can be accessed on http://www.lscdata.com/users

#18
Steve Featherkile said:
I've mentioned this before, but I'll say it again. I would like to be able to view all of another member's phots in the freight shed. As it is now, there are only a few member's photos that can be accessed on http://www.lscdata.com/users
Although I have nothing to hide, I find it a bit disturbing that someone unknown to me could go through my freight shed. I understand that any photo I post can be lifted. But for someone to be able to go into my freight shed and copy all my photos without my permission would not make me happy. After all, this is space I pay for. Contents should not be available to others without my permission. Ralph
#19

Ralph has a good point. Still, anyone can do that now… Perhaps the code could be written so that the photo cannot be copied.

#20

If it can be seen, it can be copied.