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First revised Peer Directory mock-up

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by Jay Garmon

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As promised, here is the first Thursday Reveal for your consumption. This link (https://www.techrepublic.com.com/i/tr/profile_draft1.gif) will take you to a mock-up image of our proposed Peer Directory Profile Page. This is just a rough draft, but we want your feedback on the implied features.

A few things aren't immediately obvious from the image, so I'll elaborate here. The row of grey boxes near the top respresents where a user's Merit Badges would be displayed. Based on certain site activities, users could earn badges that would recognize certain types of expertise or behaviors. For example, the member who had a certain number or percentage of Tech Q&A answers accepted under the Network Administration topic might earn the NetAdmin Expert badge. Clicking on a badge would display a list of all other TR members who had earned that badge, allowing your to commune with your peers (or locate experts on topics you're a little rusty with). This idea is just barely on the drawing board, but it has proven pretty popular in other places.

Also, you'll note that the Technology Supported and Interests fields are filled with hyperlinked items. Our thinking is that any comma-delimited item placed in these fields would be hyperlinked to a "Library." Each Library link would lead to a list of TR members that have displayed the same interest, as well as a collection of relevant content, newsletters, and possibly RSS feeds for that topic.

If you have any questions about any of the other features displayed in the image, please post them in this thread. We're anxious to know what you like, what you hate, and what's missing from our first attempt. Your opinions will directly influence the development of our community features.

Thanks

Jay

33 replies

by maxwell edison

Top to bottom evaluation

1. Site Alias - not much difference including job role, company, and location. This is just fine as long as the member has the option to conceal his "real" name, company, etc.

2. I like the "merit badge" idea - kinda' like the Boy Scouts (to whom I'm very partial). TechRepublic editors will determined these, is that correct?

3. How does the "Journal" differ from the discussion activities?

4. I see the recent discussions, but will there be a recent Q&A as well?

5. On the Technology Supported and Interests fields, is this something that we define, or is it automatic based on our activity?

6. The same question on the Interests fields.

7. Username's network - Is this a kind of address book for the TR members?

8. Groups - could you explain this a little? Is it internal to TR or outside groups as well?

9. Testimonials - what would prevent someone from flaming another member? Could I control what stays and what goes? I'd hate for Oz, for example, to be able to blast me in my own profile. (Just kidding, Oz.) But the concern is a valid one. I don't think anyone would want a testimonial to say something like, "This guy doesn't know squat. He gave me some bogus advice and I lost the contents of my entire hard drive".

10. Leave feedback - I assume this is to reply to the testimonials? Or is it to leave a testimonial for another? (Or both?)

11. Bookmarks - Same questions as in groups. Is it internal to TR or outside bookmarks as well?

All in all, I like the look and content. I assume the photos would be optional. I also assume that a monkey or a '66 Chevelle SS or something could be used in the photo box.

Hint to the other insiders. The page is difficult or impossible to see on the screen, at least it is on my screen, but it prints-out large and clear (11x17 tabloid).

More later......

by smorty71

2. The merit badges would (most likely) be based on your site activity. For example in Jay's NetAdmin Expert example, we may look at the number of answers you've submitted in networking questions in TQ&A, the number of posts you've made in the NetAdmin discussion area, the number of answers accepted in networking questions in TQ&A, etc. Each of things would have different weights.

3. The Journal is basically a blog. You would be able to post things that aren't necessarily discussion or TQ&A material (Oz_Media's Friday Yuk seems like more of a blog post than a discussion post to me). Members could subscribe to your Journal's RSS feed or they could visit your profile page to read it. In addition, some of our more advanced members might have their Journal posts feed into other areas of the site. For example, if you are a security expert, your journal posts on security may be featured on a security-specific content page.

Also, you could use your Journal to save those solutions that are asked over and over (and over) in the Discussion and TQ&A area. You could link people over to your journal instead of retyping the explanation again.

4. Yes, you would be able to see TQ&A activity as well.

5. & 6. You would select those items. This would help you show more about your areas of expertise as well as let members find others with the same interest. As Jay mentioned, each of those items would link to a page with other members who list the same interest or technology.

7. Yes, that is exactly what the "network" is. We are hoping that members will want to use some of these new tools in order to connect in different ways (i.e. not just discussions and TQ&A). For example, if someone keeps a Journal that you like to read, you may add them to your Contacts list so that you can access it more easily. And for member's visiting your profile page, it is another way to "qualify" you.

8. Groups will allow members to form topic- or location-specific groups. For example, you may see a San Jose MCSE group form. This group would have a forum, a calendar and other tools than would allow them to keep in touch. We hope that some groups would actually like to take their activities offline and meet in person.

9. That is definitely a concern that we also have. To be honest, we aren't far along enough yet with our thinking on that one.

10. That link would allow someone to leave a testimonial for that member whose profile they are viewing.

11. Bookmarks would be internal TR stuff and external stuff. We want it to be a page that you use to save the most helpful IT info you find. We also want to do a List feature within the Bookmarks that allow you to share lists of Bookmarks with others. For example, you may want to create a list of "Top 10 sites for VoIP info" that other members could access.

All of these features are in the very early conceptual phase, so if you see something that just doesn't resonate with you, let us know. Also, if you have ideas for enhancements to anything you see, share that too.

Thanks for the questions,
sm

by willcomp

I especially like the proposed ability to post common answers on Peer page. In the few months that I've been active in Q&A, have seen several repeat problems, some more than twice.

Dalton

by maxwell edison

Top to bottom evaluation

1. Site Alias - not much difference including job role, company, and location. This is just fine as long as the member has the option to conceal his "real" name, company, etc.

2. I like the "merit badge" idea - kinda' like the Boy Scouts (to whom I'm very partial). TechRepublic editors will determined these, is that correct?

3. How does the "Journal" differ from the discussion activities?

4. I see the recent discussions, but will there be a recent Q&A as well?

5. On the Technology Supported and Interests fields, is this something that we define, or is it automatic based on our activity?

6. The same question on the Interests fields.

7. Username's network - Is this a kind of address book for the TR members?

8. Groups - could you explain this a little? Is it internal to TR or outside groups as well?

9. Testimonials - what would prevent someone from flaming another member? Could I control what stays and what goes? I'd hate for Oz, for example, to be able to blast me in my own profile. (Just kidding, Oz.) But the concern is a valid one. I don't think anyone would want a testimonial to say something like, "This guy doesn't know squat. He gave me some bogus advice and I lost the contents of my entire hard drive".

10. Leave feedback - I assume this is to reply to the testimonials? Or is it to leave a testimonial for another? (Or both?)

11. Bookmarks - Same questions as in groups. Is it internal to TR or outside bookmarks as well?

All in all, I like the look and content. I assume the photos would be optional. I also assume that a monkey or a '66 Chevelle SS or something could be used in the photo box.

Hint to the other insiders. The page is difficult or impossible to see on the screen, at least it is on my screen, but it prints-out large and clear (11x17 tabloid).

More later......

by oz_media

Your layout is extremely well done, easy to navigate (for the most part) and seems to be a much more concise read on the members activity.

The graphic does enlarge (with XP just hover over the bottom right corner and use the full size button), or just make sure your auto image resizing box is unchecked in IE options and it comes up really nice.

I agree with Maxwell on the testimonials section (especially me, right Max?!):D

The BLOG option is a great idea, I assume people can subscribe to the blog if they choose to.

The merit badges are great! I suppose you could also come up with Chief Peer (or Eagle peer for our US peers).

As for profiles, I think real names would be okay but that's about it. Photo's I see as okay too, but I think as Max suggested, just having some form of AVITAR would me more widely accepted.

Making much of this content MANDATORY in order to build a profile would be something I am interested in, I think it is too easy for people to sign up in 2 minutes, offer NO information and simply start flaming or asking for help, with no information provided, people don't close questions and don't respond to help when it's offered. I would prefer these people didn't find it so easy to come and go but actually wanted to become part of the community and stick around, make a few friends/enemis and be a part of the whole program.

DEJA has a BBS that's great for those who just want answers but there is no commmunity aspect to it at all. Friends aren't made, peer networks aren't built etc.

I do like the overall page LOOK and style though, can I suggest some background color? As I am sure you know, the Builder.com site uses a charcoal backer that lends some contrast to the sections of the page. If not, perhaps some backgrounds on the various DIV's. Just to break it all up a bit. Even greater padding/margins in the DIV's would help the text flow and you would't require the fat borders.

Overall, well done though!

by smorty71

To address the issue of members not filling out profile data, we will require that certain fields be completed (interests, tech. supported, job title, maybe bio) before a member can post.

As for the color scheme, this is just a grayscale prototype. The final version will be much more colorful and detailed than the mock-up.

Thanks for the comments,
sm

by Jay Garmon

...he's our chief Web designer. You guys basically have a direct line to the guy who will be deciding what all of the community improvements will look like. Take advantage.

--Jay

by oz_media

JIVE software, arguably the worst and most inept BBS engine available. Why the change? It is so unreliable!

I had tried to post this reponse several time before finally giving up.

The servers or engine are absolutely the most frustrating when you have typed out a response only to have it lead to 'The Page You requested Cannot be Found.'

I have tried from multiple PCD's, utilizing T-1, DSL, Extreme speed Cable and even through a clients PBX connection on Fibre.

This is by far the most frustrating part of TR, day or night, seems to be quite random, the site and submissions just work fine one minute and dead the next.

by hal 9000

It's happened to me on numerous occasions and even when I've been in the site you will suddenly for no apparent reason get a "Page not available screen"

That is the one single thing that does need addressing to make it better that it currently is.

Col

by apotheon

Jive is a Java-based server-side database-driven content management system for websites. It combines the blazing fast speed of interpreted code with the ease of quick adjustment and flexibility of executables compiled from C source code.

Actually, I'm not being entirely fair.

No, wait, I am being fair. It really does kind of fit server-side web services that badly. I imagine, however, that there must be some Java gurus at TR, or that someone struck a great deal with the Jive guys. There must be some reason associated with available expertise or financial concerns that prompted them to go with Jive.

by ozi eagle

Having been out of the office for a few days I have the advantage of others thoughts and I find that they have covered everything I could think of.

The site looks great. Well done.

by thechas

I generally agree with the above comments.

I have some trepidation about Oz's ideas for mandatory information in our profiles.

At a minimum, this will scare off many of the PC users who come here only looking for some help and support.

At worst, too much information being readily available opens the door to identity thieves.

There definitely needs to be some kind of review process for the testimonials section.

On one hand though, is it really needed?
Not that I don't enjoy reading other peoples joyous responses to my efforts to help them. I just don't know how necessary or valuable a feature it would be.

In the interests section, how about a number of non-IT options. Even with the time we spend here after work, some of us have lives beyond IT.
At a minimum, allow us 3 or 4 fill in the blank options for our main hobbies.

Another issue that I personally have in posting a profile is that technically speaking, I am not a "traditional" IT professional.

Sure, I work with computers a lot, and know a fair amount. However, my primary job function is not in any IT category or function.

I build and maintain complex computerized test panels for avionics systems.

My degree and training is in electronics not computers.

Of course, my background is part of why I know so much about hardware. I can design and trouble-shoot a voltage regulator or clock oscillator circuit.

Anyhow, it looks like the site improvement project is off to a good start.

Chas

by oz_media

When I mean filling out a profile, it does not neccessarily mean with personal information.

YOu have seen the guys that just cruise in, they have an alias, NO job description, certs (if any) listed, nothing. They ask a question, and disappear, perhaps popping in to see if they get an answer but that's it. They post the same question to four other sites, because it's quick and easy.

I think making it mandatory to fill out a profile, whether factual or not, would deter these people who have no interest in being part of a community and just want some free advice, often with not even a mention of thanks or even closing the question. :) Good to see you joined in !

by smorty71

Just to clarify, not every person who comes to the Discussions and Technical Q&A will have to have a profile.

Only members who want to post something will need a profile page. The goal is to have everyone qualify themselves a bit (and avoid what Oz describes above). We will try to keep the required fields at a minimum, but we really think that these member pages will be something that members will want to maintain in order to showcase their skills.

by hal 9000

Recently I had to ring Mercedes for a cost on a Transistorized Ignition Module for my Classic Mercedes. I was told that they where No Longer Available but that there was 1 left in Germany for something in excess of $3,000.00 Au + GST on their 3 year old price listing and that when that one was sold no more would ever be made.

My solution was to build my own and just insert it into the existing case and use the existing connectors so unless you actually pull it apart you would think it was original. Maybe even then most would think that it was original because they are not repairable items and most just do not look inside. To me it was nothing more than a 555 IC and a decent power trani in a TO220 case with a few passive bits and pieces added on.

The whole thing took about 30 minutes to actually make and most of that time was wasted in making it fit the existing case.

Col

by maxwell edison

.
Personally speaking, From Me To You, if TechRepublic ever "requires" my real, personal and/or private information, for any reason whatsoever, my new Beatles song, as far as TechRepublic is concerned, will be Hello, Goodbye. If they ever do "require" it, I'd have to wonder about the Fool On The Hill that came up with that bright idea. And I've Got A Feeling that This Boy won't be the only one to say Run For Your Life.

You may Ask Me Why I hold such an opinion. Well, talk about creating the potential for Helter Skelter, and In Spite Of All The Danger, this one could really have people screaming for Help. That policy has the potential for abuse Here, There and Everywhere. So Please Please Me by rethinking that option, and trust that We Can Work It Out, some way, to the Satisfaction of everyone. So Get Back to the original line of thinking, and let people make their own decision whether or not they want to share their real, personal and/or private information with some unknown entity over the Internet.

But if, for some reason, it did come to that, as far as I'm concerned, I'd simply say, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da life goes on, and I'd take Maxwell's Silver Hammer away on my Yellow Submarine, and become a real Nowhere Man.

So my vote, hopefully With A Little Help From My Friends, is to just Let It Be.

(By the way, in case you're wondering, it's twenty - and even one from the R.S.)

by hal 9000

Every new user had to at the very least enter even some very basic details?

Just like the current Peer Listings.

Wouldn't this be far better than seeing someones e-mail address as an Alias even if it is a Yahoo or Hot-mail address?

I do not see anything wrong with my personal listing and I chose what I filled in which could be a pile of "BS" and there is no direct reference to me and only long term people here would know I'm from AU and even fewer know I'm in Queensland let alone where I'm actually at or other personal details.

Col

by willcomp

Personally, I don't have any problem with providing basic information. What would concern me is direct contact information such as eMail address, phone number, or street address.

Name, town, job description, certifications (and I don't have any), hobbies and interests, and areas of expertise are all innocuous and most should have no qualms providing such information.

It is in our interest to have a basic idea of who we are dealing with.

Dalton

by oz_media

How creative, but I concur with your point all the way. I can agree with TR requiring a real, verified email address, but I think the personal profile should be optional, yet a profile of SOME SORT must be mandatory just to slow the ease of signups. I think if people WANT to become worthwhile community participants, they will have no problem filling out some form of profile.

But I agree wholly, 'personal' information should NOT be mandatory but filling out a few fields should be.

by smorty71

Maxwell:
We will not be displaying anything like your name unless you specifically request us to. You will be able to have a site alias displayed in place of your name (in fact, that will be the default). Your e-mail address will never be visible unless you use it for your site alias.

The other information that we want to require (interests, tech. supported, location (city, state, country, job title, etc.) will be to help others in the community understand the person behind the comment (i.e. does this person really know what they're talking about?)

We definitely want to respect user privacy when it comes to name, e-mail address, etc.

BTW, the private messaging feature that we have on the mock-ups would be an on-site messaging feature (common to discussion boards) that would not use your personal e-mail address at all.

Hope that helps.

by smorty71

The "Interests" section will allow you to input anything you like. So you could mix IT and non-IT interests if you like. The cool part (at least we think it is cool) is that each comma-delimited interest you place in the Interests section will link to other members with that same interest.

by oz_media

Cross referencing similar interests, however it is usually opposites that feed off each other here.

You mentioned above that people would be able to use an email address as an alias, PLEASE STOP THAT. Lets say bob@yahoo.com has been getting help on an Outlook question from me, it has progressed into several off-TR emails back and forth between us.

Now, SpamMonsters web crawler crawls your site (as has happened before more than once) now Bob's email gets spammed and spoofed. I either get a follow up appearing to be from Bob or I get spam in droves because his address book is hammered. I have EXCELLENT soam protection but if I build an exception for someone I am communicating with, I may jeopardize my own as well as clients systems.

I think if people are not smart/creative enough to come up with something OTHER than thier email address, what can they possibly offer here?

by hal 9000

You just see their e-mail address with no link to the Peer Listings so they do have a direct link to themselves.

Personally I would prefer to see new members registered and listed on the Peer Listing so at least they have the option as to weather or not they want unsolicited incoming e-mail.

But I suspose it is something we have all been through and lived out the other side right.

Col

by hal 9000

Seems that Digital Cameras seem to malfunction when pointed at me for some reason.

I'd be left with a "Baby Photo" from about 47 + years ago.

Col

by oz_media

Some form of 100X100 graphic to represent you in the forum. Doesn't have to be a photo but in your case it could be a Ducatti or a roo or comething, I could use a music related icon etc.

by maxwell edison

.
You can certainly call me paranoid for wanting to protect my privacy, but that doesn't mean I'm paranoid - at least not according to my definition of the word. Cautious and prudent is what I would suggest.

Moreover, I'm not just speaking for myself, but for future members as well. After all, that's the purpose of this, isn't it? And all I'm suggesting is that if the site requires a verifiable "real person" behind the site alias, then a lot of people, in my estimation, will be turned away from the site by their own caution.

But if the site actually wants to limit the number of people who visit and/or sign-up for membership, then it's a great idea.

by oz_media

Then again, what form of verification could TR use? Credit card? Social Insurance Number? It wouldn't happen.

You're right people aren't going to provide real names, some will some wont just as today.

There's no way TR would ever be provided the information needed to 'confirm' a real name and so aliases would still be used, I think pretty much anyone can agree with that.

Therefore an alias should be enough, perhaps even mentioning so in the registration page, 'make up an alias or use on the forums' so people wouldn't be prone to use real names and find everyone else with aliases, ALSO DON'T LET PEOPLE USE EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR ALIASES!!!

I can't belive the number of supposedly IT staff who use an email address (even if only Yahoo) for an alias. Spiders will nail all those guys ad anyoe who happens to be in thier address books, I don't need SPAM and viruses from peers.

by maxwell edison

.
I have no problem with a profile page - in fact, I like it. And it's not that different from what you have now, but just expanded a bit, and something we can fill out as we see fit.

But if TechRepublic wants to know who that person really is, whether or not that information will be made public, you'll get a lot of people who will choose not to participate.

Personally speaking, I don't think I want to provide a name other than my pseudonym, Maxwell Edison (heck, most people probably think it's my real name anyway), at least at this point in time (I could be persuaded otherwise, I suppose); I don't think I want to provide my real place of employment or my real location; and I don't think I want to provide my primary email address, just my generic (and disposable) "Yahoo!" email address ( maxwell_t_edison@yahoo.com ).

This isn't a site like ebay or Paypal or a bank, where a person's real identity is critical. And I don't think I'm not alone in my opinion.

But just to clear up what TechRepublic is thinking about requiring, whether that be made public or kept "behind the scenes" for TechRepublic personnel eyes-only, will you comment on the total scope of your plans in that regard?

For example:

Name: Maxwell Edison (admittedly my pseudonym)
Address: Denver, Colorado (I visit there often)
Phone number: 555-5555
email: maxwell_t_edison@yahoo.com
Company: Yes, I work for one (or, I suppose, I could lie)
Job Title: IT Department (or, I suppose, I could lie)
Interests: Music, Golf, Watching for black helicopters
Certifications: None (or, I suppose, I could lie)
School: The School of Hard Knocks (or MIT, whichever I feel like saying)
Sex: Whenever possible

Will you require anything other than what I listed - regardless of whether or not that will be made "public"?

by oz_media

Just as many know me as Oz, even though people such as yourself do know my real name.

Actually, one US peer who I have emailed quite a bit sice being hee STILL calls me Oz in personal email, so I think you will always be Max and not David, Grant or Rick...

I would like to see certs listed, if any and if not just an honest No certs but 25 yrs hands on.

It would be nice to know what STATE or Province people live in, however obviously company name and address would not be wanted.

A simple:

Name: Bob Jones
Area: Oregon, U.S.A.
Certs: MCSE
Hobbies and other Interests: CSNY
Objectives: To help those on TR who will be able to benefit from my knowledge and to learn from those who hae kowledge to pass on. etc.

Something like that anyway, non-personal information that offers your skillset/interests and explains what you are bringing to the table and what you hope to get back out.

by Jay Garmon

..is still being worked out. About the only item of data I'm *certain* will be mandatory is a valid e-mail address, if only so we can contact you as necessary (and get you to sign up for newsletters like, say, Geek Trivia) regarding violations of our user policy.

What I *am* certain about is that specific features will be accessible only to those who provide us--not the community at large--with key information. From a liability standpoint, we simply can't give you a blog without knowing your real name, a valid mailing address (though not necessarily home address) and how to contact you. If a user were to go off his rocker and start conducting felonious activities via the blog (terroristic threats, posting links to pirated software and media files, distributing illegal porn), we'd be liable, so that feature simply isn't available to the strictly anonymous.

As to the remainder of Maxwell's suggested fields, yes, they will all be available. We probably won't require any of them besides an e-mail address for base membership.

However, here's our mantra:
Every piece of data the user gives us MUST improve the user experience.

If you tell us you support Windows XP, that volunteered data should return to you a cavalcade of sorted content and features geared around and for people who are interested in Windows XP. Every item of data you fork over should refine and enrich the TR experience. That's the trade-off. We won't make you tell us anything, but we will make telling us worth your while.

Once we get our social networking features off the ground, users will be able to start user-defined groups. The leaders of those group may (and probably will) require that your profile meet certain criteria for membership. It's entirely possible and likely that certain groups may require that members divulge real names. They could also require that you live in a certain geographic region, or that you have a particular cert. If you don't want to admit that, you'd be blocked from the group. So you won't be required by TR to tell us much of anything you haven't volunteered already, but your peers may demand to know it.

Jay

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