Landing Pad

[Daryn]

Hey all!

Now that I'm back and moved into my new place I can get back to work on scififur. I would like to know whether or not any of you use the Landing Pad page? It seems like all we have there are articles, so maybe that might be something that we might look at repurposing for something else.

What do you guys think? When you go to www.scififur.net , what is it that you want to see?

[macrorufus]

Don't want to sound dumb... but I can't find the landing pad?

[Rick Canaan]

Don't want to sound dumb... but I can't find the landing pad?

Daryn and I were talking about this yesterday, and the kind of response you gave was my point in the conversation about the Landing Pad. In particular, its usefulness to the forums.

I for one, never go to it. I don't see the point, when the reason I visit the forums, is to well, visit the forums. The Landing Pad is just something that is there, to me, but which serves no real purpose. The point I was making with Daryn, was that this is an attitude likely shared by the majority of our members. There are members, too - obviously - who are completely unaware of its existence. It is pretty obscure, requiring navigation to it from the forums. But once one navigates to it, there is nothing on it that can't be found on the forums, themselves.

Also, and this was something I noticed straight away, is that it can be a little confusing for newly arrived members. "Is this even a forum?" is the impression I would think it would give most people who are unfamiliar with the site. There are no clearly marked links, inviting one from the Landing Pad to the forums proper.

I think, honestly, that the Landing Pad is based on an anachronistic concept and that it should be removed entirely. It came with the vBulletin4 software, but as far as I am concerned, it is something that is just added in as fluff, and adds nothing that proves beneficial to a forum like this one.

My vote is that the Landing Pad should be removed all together.

[Daryn]

You know, the Landing Pad was originally supposed to be a spot to feature content created by members. The trouble is, vbCMS isn't ready for prime time yet. I even find myself clicking through to the forums more often than I do looking at the Landing Pad. It struck me that if that's the case, why even have a lackluster section bringing down the look and reputation of the site? So I've removed it. And you know, it's nice to just go to the forums and be right where you want to be.

[SliceOfDog]

I'd never really considered this before, but it's very true. It's only use was promoting articles, which isn't really worth the confusion it would probably bring to new members, like you said Rick. However, if I can make a suggestion, could we start a new page for Articles, maybe between XAP and Wiki, just so that members who do a lot of articles, like Adonisus, won't miss out on the promotion of their writing. We don't want to put off any of our creative talent

[Daryn]

I'll look at doing something to help spotlight stuff our users do. I don't think another page is the right way to go though. That's basically what the Landing Pad was and nobody really paid it any attention. It needs to be something that's hard to miss, as of yet, I've not figured it out.

[Nelle Kozera]

Interestingly I haven't looked at in months. XD I thought it was annoying so I just bookmarked the Forums and bypassed it altogether.
I also see that its gone now. o.o