Upgradin' time - a call for suggestions

[evan]

I'm going to have some time free soon to do some upgrading of the site. It's not going to be on the scale of last year's upgrade, given that we've already added the store this year and, well, I'm time-poor. I have a bunch of things on my list already to fix, and a few ideas of little things I can add.
Is there anything glaring that anybody thinks needs doing? Or any features that would help people? I cannot promise to do everything (or please everyone), but the feedback really helps and I will definitely discuss things and take things into account for the future.

Hit me!

[scurvydog]

DMC rocks and all the recent changes are fab. Seriously. Mmmm since we have a chart fixation recently what about a DMC chart? Just make it up if you want, it would be fun to see us local bands jostle for position and give each other a hard time or congratulate as the case may be. Base it on listens to songs on DMC! I like charts.

[scurvydog]

1. Scurvy Dogs + For the Quail
2. the 'Bones
3. KTFP
4. The Pukes
5. The Taliband
6. The Dry
7. The Local Hoons
8. Gestalt Switch
9. Taking the Fall
10. Corporate Trash

Hit me...we all like charts...do your own one
AND THEN GOD GAVE US TOMORROW....

[evan]

So, you could just make a chart thread and argue about it there?
I deliberately decided not to record hits on artist pages, pictures, mp3s, etc. I don't know if the other directors agree with me, but it fits with something we keep telling each other abuot not being the arbiters of taste. That's why the "Featuerd Aritist" is random.
I'm happy to keep running radio station charts, and maybe look into a way of making them more of a "thing" than a news item. You can effect changes on those by flood-voting, as I'm sure some members of this site know...

[BakosDeLowang]

I think the site is pretty sweet as it is...
-j

[irulz]

DMC porn.

[RogerG]

DMC porn.

The Two Fat Ladies are no more...

And I can't see Gestalt Switch filling that major gap in the porn scene!

With regards to a DMC top whatever, you can keep track of which forum threads have been read so I can't se why you couldn't keep track of whether a registered user has voted during the week.
I think it would be neat because it would expose songs that we catch live rather than just those that get airplay!

[evan]

It's not about being unable to do it, it's about a choice we made. There's nothing to stop you guys running your own polls!

[Onanon]

having a more-apparent link to the store on the main page - perhaps a bit like the Featured Artist box, but smaller and the first few words of the rant about the cd? showing people, especially visitors, that Dunners music isn't distant from them, it's only one click away?

[evan]

like all the ads I've been running? It's tough, that one. I'll keep mentioning it in the newsletter, which now goes out to about 8000 people, but space is at a premium on the front page.
Maybe in the left column? The trouble is keeping things on screen so that the important stuff is there on first load.

[scurvydog]

Mmmmm yeah the more I think about it the more complicated and hard to work a chart is - even though it would be fun. Good point from Rog about good live songs, but even that would be tricky as many bands don't introduce the title of songs, so it would end up "the third song by KTFP, I think".
Now how about this idea, a bit more of a serious proposal. How about annual DMC awards? People could nominate another band/musician - not themselves I would suggest - have a close of date and then people could vote on-line for the nominated artist/band. Again a close off date. Would be easy to make sure people only voted once, would be a fun thing to do, would recognise and encourage local talent, could generate some good PR for artist and DMC.

[evan]

Call us pansies, but the whole ranking thing is something we are very wary of. The added probelm of a couple of us (staff) being in active (and we think very good!) acts is also an issue. We have to somehow avoid the very easy situation of tall poppy syndrome, while not going the other way. Think of the children!

[brendamnfine]

I have a couple of suggestions:

How about a random link to a song uploaded on DMC on the main page? It would change every time much like the featured artist (only should be a different artist I think). This would encourage people browsing the site to have a listen, and they might even find something they like. I'm thinking maybe a small media player like they have on Myspace.

Also, reckon we could add another one of those navigation bars to the topics page in the forums?
I.e. dunedinmusic.com Forum Index -> Site Feedback

and could each one also include the current page I'm browsing?
i.e. dunedinmusic.com Forum Index -> Site Feedback -> Upgradin' time - a call for suggestions

It's just I tend to look for this, and it throws me somewhat when it isn't on the topics page.

[evan]

I have a couple of suggestions:

How about a random link to a song uploaded on DMC on the main page? It would change every time much like the featured artist (only should be a different artist I think). This would encourage people browsing the site to have a listen, and they might even find something they like. I'm thinking maybe a small media player like they have on Myspace.

I like the idea of a link, but not an autoplayer. Those things break every imaginable interface guideline - something all of us up here in the ivory tower are agreed on is no autoplaying sound. A song link would be fine, but we need to get more media uploaded at the moment only 14 of the 300 odd artists on the site have audio up, which would make for a pretty repetitive rotation.

Also, reckon we could add another one of those navigation bars to the topics page in the forums?
I.e. dunedinmusic.com Forum Index -> Site Feedback

and could each one also include the current page I'm browsing?
i.e. dunedinmusic.com Forum Index -> Site Feedback -> Upgradin' time - a call for suggestions

It's just I tend to look for this, and it throws me somewhat when it isn't on the topics page.

I'll look into it

[scurvydog]

Call us pansies, but the whole ranking thing is something we are very wary of. The added probelm of a couple of us (staff) being in active (and we think very good!) acts is also an issue. We have to somehow avoid the very easy situation of tall poppy syndrome, while not going the other way. Think of the children!

A DMC Award would only reveal the winner methinks. Awards are so fickle that they reflect popularity, not necessarily greatness. My fave band has never won an award. So awards are only recognition of appeal to people. A way of saying 'yeah you are pretty cool this year'. also the people who are nominated would feel pretty pleased I think, even if they don't win as such. Battle of the bands is very popular - for artists and audiences alike - and it is pretty cut-throat and ranking. Yet we all love it and it gives us something to celebrate and argue/discuss about. No news isn't always good news (huh?). I admit it would be pretty ground breaking. Not sure what your point is about DMC staff being in bands. If it is a trust thing I am sure that is not an issue. Unless 'For the Quail' win 'Best New Pirate Band' award. I would raise an eyebrow then. The awards thing was just a thought, as the site is pretty sweet as it is. So I was trying to think out the square a bit and expand the DMC concept. Maybe we could do a poll and see what everyone thought. Only, I realise, if the DMC staff are comfortable with the idea.