Usernames online

[Lennon]

Is there any way that Mr AB Editor could have the names of the people currently online at AB at any one time, listed at the side of the page? Many users are well known on this site now, and look for answers from certain users, but also it might be useful to know how many people are posting and answering. I don't know much about the techy stuff on PCs and the net, so I'm not sure if this would even be allowed - just a suggestion though. What do other people think?

[Worker]

Although I don't like or use them, I can see the point of knowing who's in a chat room but here? I'm not so sure. Even if everyone knew who was on-line what purpose would it serve? They couldn't be contacted. It isn't that sort of site.

[sft42]

About 6 months ago a question was asked for suggestions to improve the site during which a long list of things including a shakeup of the categories, a chat room for regular visitors, a discussion forum, keeping post in order after stars were awarded, being able to check which questions had been newly posted since your last visit....amongst others were put forward and very few were acted upon....i think it's a good idea but i wouldn'r hold your breath.

[AB Editor]

Lennon: Thanks for thinking about ways to improve the site, though (thanks Worker) I think you already have a well-argued reason why this idea wouldn't necessarily work. The AB archive is one of its strengthes, and that wouldn't survive if questions were answered in a chat format.

sft42 is correct, if a little miffed, that only some of the ideas we receive get acted on. Cost, simplicity and usefulness are all factors in determining how this site grows.

[sft42]

I don't think I'm miffed at all....The thing that annoyed me most was the lack of acknoledgement and feedback from the ABed to the response the last time round.....that and the constant playing up of the site recently and the fact that every time i post a question or answer these days it crashes my IE6....so here we go again.

[GraceDell]

If the idea of the Answerbank is to have an open forum where anybody can ask a question and anybody can answer it, surely it will change the emphasis if we can flag certain people for answers? Fair enough, there are specific questions that need specific answers, for instance we know that sft42 is a musician and he can answer certain questions relating to the profession, or at least point a person in the right direction. But by placing an emphasis on certain contributors, don't you think you create a feeling of exlusion for newcomers, or devaluing the contribution of others. You may also be changing the emphasis from a community of users to an elitist forum.

[KARL]

I rather think how the site develops is up to its owners - in the end it will survive or fail depending on its popularity. I am not that well informed on ABeditor's responses or lack of them but for protecting and furthering their own interests they presumably follow what goes on, including reading suggestions. GraceDell has a point, elitism might begin to creep in but at present it is still possible to search as much as you like, including by contributor's name. Most questions generate no more replies than can be visually scanned in a matter of seconds - if you are trying to find one by name of person asking then that can be done. I think I am correct in thinking that you cannot search for answers by name, and here is something that might perhaps usefully be improved: Addition of a facility whereby the reply is a search criterion (e.g. somebody replied and mentioned such-and-such, now how do I get back to it ....?) at present I think you need to find the question first.