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Post by minkster on Apr 19, 2010 18:09:09 GMT -5
At the last NCTA Board of Directors meeting, I was asked to research how to improve our current website. The decision was made to start a new website because our current website does not allow for more than one website coordinator to add new information, keep the site updated, or to make any changes. This creates a lot of work for one individual. Remember that everyone who is on the NCTA Board of Directors are volunteers. No one gets paid. We do this because we all love trapping and want to keep our heritage alive.
Our only solution to solve this problem was to set up a new website. This may cause everyone to have to sign up again but we hope you will find this small inconvenience a step in the right direction to improving communications with the membership. The NCTA Board of Directors also made the decision to keep the talk forum as a link on the new website but everyone may have to sign up again. Details will be coming soon.
Before we open up the new website to the public, we want to gather information from those of you using the website and talk forum to find out what you like and what you don't like about the current website? Most trappers like myself want to be outside and are not as computer literate as we would like to be. For this reason the NCTA has received assistance from some university students who have more computer knowledge to help us make the new website even better. We want to ask you, the user, what information do you want to see on the main page of the website? What is important for you to have updates on? How can we improve the website?
Please send me a PM with any thoughts or suggestions so the NCTA can do everything possible to make the new website a better communication tool for all NC trappers. NCTA Board of Directors would like your input before we role out the new website. Once we do we hope you will enjoy the new improvements. Thanks Todd Menke
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Post by Ldsoldier on Apr 20, 2010 6:14:37 GMT -5
Simplicity is key.
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Post by rye on Apr 20, 2010 10:28:47 GMT -5
This forum is pretty sound... I would ask for one change though... lock it. A new member must be approved by a mod before being allowed to post. and Nothing can be viewed unless you are a member. This will help folks be able to talk openly and put to rest the "be careful what you say" work in the shadows mentality.
At a minimum, block off all but the informational areas.
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Post by wildman on Apr 20, 2010 11:07:18 GMT -5
I concur with Rye--this forum program and format are good--maybe a few too many gadgets that most of us don't use. I do wish it would be locked, either to members only or to approved users, so we would have fewer problems with biting our tongues. Sometimes we need to be able to frankly discuss issues some find unpleasant, and doing so at the convention just isn't always practical.
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Post by wildman on Apr 20, 2010 11:08:45 GMT -5
And can the webpeople make the links active, ie newsletter, etc.?
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Post by mountainman on Apr 21, 2010 11:49:15 GMT -5
-----"be carefull what you say", work in the shadows mentality"-----
Some things should not be said -period, especially things that can make trappers an easy target for antis and look bad to the uneducated public. For many years there has been info and advice printed in the major trapping publications to educate trappers about ways to speak, write, post pictures etc to show trapping in a positive light yet there seems to always be some that either don't get it or perhaps simply don't care enough to protect our heritage. Also I believe it would be best if some people would refrain from making political comments...it would be nice to regain more trapping priviliges (HINT, HINT)....Please be ethical in all you say and do.
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Post by Ldsoldier on Apr 21, 2010 22:52:55 GMT -5
Mountainman, you can be ethical and still say things that people may not like. Some parts of trapping can be offensive to some people, ethical or not. While I don't agree with making all or even the majority of the site members only, I would like to see a members only section where we can have a "private" discussion (or at least as private as the internet can be, anyway).
Take the snare thread a while back for example (Please, I'm NOT trying to resurrect it, just prove a point). I don't think anybody was being unethical, or even saying things that are untrue, on either side. However, there were things said that could easily be misrepresented to the unknowing public.
This is a discussion that needs to take place due to the possible divisiveness of the issue, however it can't take place on a public forum due to the antis' skill at spin and misrepresentation. There are very few times that we're all together to discuss something, and these forums offer something that face to face discussions often lack, structure.
I believe the overall public nature of this forum is great, and provides a wonderful service for trappers and the public alike, and believe it should be kept. However, I see nothing improper about a private, members only section as well.
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Post by g3trappernc on Apr 22, 2010 16:30:07 GMT -5
Take the snare thread a while back for example (Please, I'm NOT trying to resurrect it, just prove a point). I don't think anybody was being unethical, or even saying things that are untrue, on either side. However, there were things said that could easily be misrepresented to the unknowing public. I disagree. There were MANY things written in that thread were unethical and distasteful, but that is in the past now. I would like to keep the talk forum similar to what it is today, but we do need a couple of changes IMHO.... 1. More than 1 moderator that has the ability to modify, edit, sticky or delete posts. 2. If possible, an area that would require approval for posting privileges. www.nchuntandfish.com has a "Muzzle Blast" section for hot topics where only people who are approved may post (people that are known and vetted). This keeps a lot of pot stirrers and instigators out of the mix. If you could limit reading privileges as well, that would be a plus in my book. I volunteered 2 years ago to be a moderator and help police the site, and I was approved by the board to be a moderator, I just could never get anyone to flip the switch |
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Post by varmintshooter on Apr 22, 2010 19:20:27 GMT -5
Minkster:
I would like a web page that has the information the one we have is supposed to have.
1) A clear map of the districts and the BOD names and contact info. Upcoming events
2) NCTA Application with all information about joining. Also information about the NCTA, history, goals, etc.
The store page could go
3) Matters of interest - trapping related (upcoming proposals, news spots) or NCTA related (youth events, hunts, civic events, educational, etc)
4) NCTEP dates and times
5) I would like to see a spot just for the convention - Smithfield and the Mountain, and gatherings like the spring fling.
6) I would also like to see internet addresses for trapping related stores. New trappers need a place to find gear. Old ones to. In the same fur dealers, local and some like NAFA. Also information on selling fur in different ways (green, skinned, dried)
7) If someone is new to trapping we should have some of the basic information available to them with sites to search for more information.
8) and then the talk forum
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Post by bmlutra on Apr 25, 2010 21:57:10 GMT -5
Varmitshooter is dead on. More basic info is needed. Also eliminate having to go through photobucket. Have a pic album section that is set up by each of us so the pics are with the site. Other forums have this, if we already have this then my bad.  |
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Post by rye on Apr 26, 2010 6:55:33 GMT -5
Very well thought out and stated Varmintshooter.
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Post by minkster on Apr 26, 2010 11:27:36 GMT -5
We will keep the new website simple as I agree that is key.
As far as a members only section, that is possible but would not serve the purpose as mentioned above. One of the animal rights tactics is to become members of those organizations they oppose to go undercover and gather information that they can use against us. Since all the Board members are volunteers it would be a huge time committment for someone to keep track of this. Even if we paid someone to do this I don't see the benefits? It is important to remember that the website and the talk forum are public sites, think before you hit send because when you post something anyone in the world has access to it. If you write something that you think may be questionable do everyone a favor by deleting it before you hit send. If you type something that can be used against us, I can almost guarantee you that it will be used against us one way or another.
Those who don't know, the talk forum and the website are two separate sites that are linked together. We agree that more basic information is needed on the website that needs to be updated at least quarterly to keep members and non-members informed. However, at the same time we need to have more moderators with access to the talk forum to keep information that is questionable off the site. There are some issues that should not be discussed on the website or any talk forum, period because it will be used against us. Remember, once it is in print you can never take it back!
The website is intended to help increase communication to all trappers but we must maintain our professionalism to continue to promote responsible trapping to the general public. Thanks for the input. Todd
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Post by rye on Apr 26, 2010 13:09:13 GMT -5
"once it's in print, you can never take it back"
sure you can! Rodney figured out that delete button on my posts A Long time ago!
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Post by Ldsoldier on Apr 26, 2010 21:22:41 GMT -5
Nothing on the internet is ever truly gone.
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Post by varmintshooter on May 8, 2010 6:05:58 GMT -5
9) It might be too late but an Auction/fund raiser + personal sales page.
Personal sales page would be anything hunting/ trapping/ fishing related including videos.
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