RideForum.NET

Creating features takes time. If you are like me, you want it all and you want it now! Take a moment and vote.

Got more ideas? Share your ideas--reply and let the community discuss!

GPS Route Library: This might be a pain to create ... Well, it would be. But the ability to zoom in like on Google Earth and have routes show up as you get more local with the ability to toggle through each route displayed so the others disappear but the one is hilighted on the map.

Yeah, I know, full of ideas but don't have the coding experience to create it.

That does sounds fancy---perhaps too fancy for my skeelz. I like it, though.

Actually, I do know how to use the Gmaps API, and you can do a lot with it. Maybe we can build something that helps locate routes by searching the map. 'll play with it....WHEN I have time.

I am banning xr-nut from the board because this forum will not tolerate people who only type in large, red font!

It seems pretty clear the GPS Routes Library feature is a winner. I really hope to get that feature developed. Burn out is definitely a real concern, but as long as the community is active and healthy, that will be all the encouragement I need.

I vote we keep Troy adequately supplied with plenty of hops-enhanced burnout extinguishing liquid.
When you crashed and burned on David H. trails, did you waypoint the location or create a geocache of broken DR parts?
Been there, done that!

No, but if I go back and setup a geocache, I'll put my bent handlebars and perhaps a piece of my ribs in there.

As for burnout, that should not be a problem for me as long as I'm getting to ride. If this forum gets used to help facilitate riding, that will keep me encouraged.

I have my first child on the way--May 20th--so my life and riding schedule will be changing in a big way.

Maillists such as the Yahoo Groups maillists are very useful tools. I personally belong to kcdualsports, midwest-dualsporters, and Flint Hills Adventure Riders. What I don't like about maillists is that EVERYBODY gets every message. For general announcements, this is great. However, how many times have you seen 2 or 3 peoplel use the maillist to have a 20 posts long discussion that does not involve the other 100 people on the list?!

This is where a forum is perfectly suited. You can subscribe to individual topics to only be notified if those topics are updated.

BUT, what if you really don't want to have to check the forum for new discussions? What if you prefer to have an email notification that some new topics exist? Well, I can upgrade RideForum.NET with a "Digest" feature that allows registered users to configure their account to receive daily or weekly emails containing the new messages from the forum. This sounds nifty, but I don't think I'd personally use it since I like to visit the forum almost daily anyway--and the forum makes it very easy to find the new topics and posts.

Is this something a number of you would want? If so, I'll add it to my list of planned upgrades. If not, it's one less thing to think about! (I'm a fan of less-is-more!)

Thanks for your input! I mean it when I say I want this forum to be a tool that you all love to use.

ANNOUNCING the Links Tool.
http://www.rideforum.net/links.php

This is a tool that allows all of us to add to our Links resources. If you know of a great online resource for anything motorcycle-related, add it to the Links page. Just click "Links" in the menu at top.

The tool allows any logged in user to add and edit any of the links. So we are trusting the community at large to maintain the list. You are welcome to edit an existing link description if you think you have something useful to add or change. Please keep the descriptions as concise as possible.

Hopefully the Links tool will become a resource that we all can use to "remember" all those websites that we recommend from time to time.

I hope to provide more tools to improve the website as time allows. Thanks!

I wondered about some sort of calendar that users could self edit. That way you could put in rides and link to the thread or something like that.

JaySoy wrote:I wondered about some sort of calendar that users could self edit. That way you could put in rides and link to the thread or something like that.

That is a STUPID idea. Who'd want something silly like that?! Just kidding of course...that's something I've wanted to do really since day one. There are lots of options of course, but picking the right solution that is relatively easy to integrate and more importantly easy for the people to use is the tough part.

Google Calendars are very nice and can be used in a public setting like we need. The key part of the integration, though, is the link you suggest from the calendar entry to the ride thread.

Although I do think this is an obvious feature we'd like, and it would be popular, I don't think it's difficult to just go to the Ride forum and scan down the topics---people should be putting the date in the subject line---and recent and upcoming rides should be at the top of the list naturally.

This forum software is the popular, open-source phpBB. If any of you has some web dev skeelz, I'd welcome your contributions to maintaining and adding features to this system. I can create a "sandbox" site for you to play in while you develop new features for the RideForum community.

Other cool things I'd like to see----an easy way for ride leaders to click a point on a map and cause the GPS coords to be entered into the ride posting in a standard way such that when people view the ride details, a map could be generated showing the meeting place. This is very doable with the excellent Google Maps API---but don't kid yourself, it's a lot of work to get it developed and tested.

Keep the ideas flowing!

Check out this rider map:

http://www.4strokes.com/ridermap/

I'm not sure how they built in that tool, but it would be cool to see what part of town rider's live in. Might make it easier to organize rides?

They are integrating with Frappr. I like the idea of Frappr, but I'm not a fan of their interface. I could build something similar using the Google Map API....but of course that means sitting down and coding on something other than paying jobs.

JaySoy wrote:I wondered about some sort of calendar that users could self edit. That way you could put in rides and link to the thread or something like that.

The calendar is here!
http://www.rideforum.net/viewtopic.php?p=1477

My vote goes for route maps and photos. I don't GPS but I love looking at maps, photos and stories. GLBarton

I am official retracting the Hayden tow strap remark. After the last trip to AK he clearly had the XRR dialed in! At least before, when he had troble starting we could get a head start on him. Know all we see is a tail light !!!
As for my request for the forum; The picture galary would be very nice, but if you have read any of posts I am in need a spell checker badly MY spelling is so bad I acutually have to think of simpler words than I would normally use just so I have a chance of spelling it . I feel like an idiot every time I post/Therefor I seldom post........Ya I know Safari will say it has nothing to do with spelling

How about I start hauling extra gas for a certian small tank husky in exchange for spell check
Now if the husky will just slow down so I can keep it in sight