Hi Guys,

Would it be possible to add a section to the My Profile area of the site entitled 'My Blogs'?

Doing a blog is a lot of hard work and rather than them disappear into oblivion, could they be linked to the individual. That way it would be easy for people to find a blog on a particular subject say in 18 months time, if like me, it ususally takes that long from purchase to build

What do you think, a reasonable suggestion? It might encourage folks to do their own 'Blog' as well!!

Just a though.

Al

Brilliant idea mate. I support everything you have said.

Chas

Hi Alan. Great idea. It would indeed be a great resource to have.

The big stumbling block though, would be when images are removed ... the blogs lose a lot of their appeal! I have started to write up a feature about my panzer 4s and to tell the truth ... its not fun. Would be so nice if the blog could be saved .... and be edited to remove all the un-needed comments and keep those that add to the actual blog or subject.

Hi Frank,

The build blogs are a great resource. I like the idea of them being saved. I saw the post about turning your blog in to a feature, but to tell the truth, that's like repeating it all over again and I know it would take me considerable time to turn my Grant blog into one, time I'd rather spend building.

They could be Edited and saved under my workbench, or my blog, or if editing would take too much time, then just saved under the individuals profile.

As I say something to think on.

Al

I, personally, don't think it is a good idea to replace features with blogs. I think there would be a danger of people doing that if blogs could be saved and edited. I like how features on the site are up to a professional standard and in a neat format (and displayed on the home page). Features would become more scarce if people could simply save and edit their blogs.

I still like your idea though Alan, but I think the blogs should be saved simply for access purposes.

Chas

Hi Chas,

I wasn't suggesting replacing features with blogs, but some people who do a really good blog may want to turn it into a feature. Different thing, not to be confused with what my original idea was, that blogs could be added to the individuals profile. Personally I wouldn't edit them just leave them as they are warts and all.

Al

Good idea Alan, as I've lost track of my own blogs lately with work replacing modeling the past few months.

I, too, like that idea Alan. One thing that is in place right now is when a review and then a build log is done on the same item, we add a link to that log. I realize this isn't always the case as builds are done without reviews, but it's a start.

I know at one time someone made a suggestion to allow build logs to have a separate "Discussion Group', though I would think your idea would be easier to program, unless it disrupts the programming for the contributor access. As you notice, On Displays aren't listed either (I don't think they are), which in itself will not allow contributor access.

Again, great idea, hopefully something can be done about it.

Turn your Blog into a feature for the site, this way the pictures don't go missing and the item is easy to find. After all the only diff between a feature and a blog is that a blog builds up over a course of weeks.

Hi Darren,

I saw your original post, but you would need to give some guidance or an indication to folks that their work is of a suitable standard. Little point in reworking a whole article only to find out it's not quite good enough lol, lol.

A feature also requires a lot more planning and information, so there is a large time element involved. I'd agree many of the blogs should be turned into either photo features or build article features, but what people think might be good may not be the case.

My suggestion was to help over come the issue of quality and time. People would still be recognised for their Blogs whether or not they got turned into features or build articles, which in turn I hope would encourage others to do the same.

Al

I have asked a large number of members for their builds to be turned into features for the site, in fact I use to ask about 4 or 5 people a day and if I was lucky would get one in about 10 due to the fact that time constraints deter them. I can't think of any build blogs that would not be of help to the membership in building a better model or helping to explain a technique that is not fully understood, however I agree not all blogs are suitable for some reason or other. Instead of waiting for me to pester you why not ask me to show you are willing (by “you” I mean anyone making a blog)

I do understand the point you are making as regards tracking your work for future reference, however Frank is correct in that the pictures are rarely available to make the piece of much help.

1) I'll correct myself as On Displays are listed in your profile under Features, and whatever programming is used will differentiate the two for contributor access. So I would imagine Build logs could be separated also.

2) Good points about photos disappearing, not a good thing and makes the build log pretty much useless.




3) Darren makes a good point, ask him. Shoot him an email or PM with a link to your build to see if it's 'workable'. This may seem as nerve wracking as asking for your first date was, but may work out to something very rewarding.

At the moment under everyone's profile is a link titled "My Forum Posts" and right next to that is another link titled "Topics Started". You can then browse through that to find the posts that someone started that are Blog threads as a more convenient way to locate them...provided you know who started the Blog in the first place that is and they title the Blog thread in a way that makes it easy to identify. As a handy shortcut to access anyone's profile, all you need to do is at the bottom of the homepage click on anyone's username (doesn't matter who), and you'll see a link like this: https://armorama.kitmaker.net/user.php?op=userinfo&uname=chris1 , all you have to do is replace the username after the = sign with whoever's screen name you want to see and you'll go straight to their profile.

On the subject of turning a Blog into a Feature...the work is already 1/2 to 2/3 done within the thread depending on the approach of the author. I typically use the Blog thread as a way to document the notes and WIP photos of a project and then use that as the framework to finetune and produce the Feature. That's why all my Blog threads read as an SBS, I'm writing up what I've done in that particular section or update along with the photos both to update the thread and have the notes to refer to later when I finish. It really then becomes a summarization process of the text and selecting out the right WIP photos to go with it before it goes in as a Feature.

Hi Guys,

Well it was just a thought to help imoprove the site. Bill I know the my topics link OK, but if you post reasonable regulaly than they soon get buried deep in you threads. Seemed to me the sort of thread that would be better under my workbence/my blog as blogs are more than normal posts.

It's up to you folks, whether it's possible, or desireable and I realise the problem when pics get deleted or moved. I still think it's a good way to recognise the contribution of members and make the blog more than a normal post, which is what it was designed for, I think

Right, back to work.

Al

Alan,

Your idea is a good one and it's up to Jim S. to do the necessary programming work to implement it, so it will be passed back to him for consideration. I only pointed out the alternative way to locate things that's currently available as many may not be aware of that method.