New Sidebar Era: Fanposts and Fanshots

by Dave on Sep 7, 2008 11:48 PM PDT Comment 36 comments

Now that everyone has settled in to the Blazersedge/SBN 2.0 format, it's time to firm up the sidebar a little. The conversation is good, but some organization is needed to take full advantage of the site features (and to keep us sane during the impending regular season). So here are some brief guidelines for Fanposts and Fanshots.

From this point on:

Fanposts will be reserved for in-depth essays and discussions. The 75-word minimum will apply and be truly enforced. In other words, no more "word filling" to get your total to 75. If it's only a 2-3 sentence thought, it's a Fanshot. There will be two exceptions. There will still be a daily junk drawer in the fanposts for off-topic stuff. Also if MAJOR (meaning Blazer-related and important) news breaks a link or report may be posted in the fanposts even if it's brief.

Fanshots will now encompass any posts of fewer than 75 words. They will include posts about pictures, isolated links, and stand-alone polls even if some commentary is included. They will also include community notices such as occasional ticket offers and the Court Rivals posts no matter how long those posts turn out. In other words if you just want to show us a picture, give us a single link, or talk about a community event then post it as a Fanshot, not a Fanpost.

Beginning this week you will see reminders in the comments of your post if it should have been in the other section. Beginning next week posts will be subject to deletion if they are not in the correct section.

In order to see both sections I would recommend you set your Fanposts displayed on the main page to 20. With more of the shorter posts, links, and such going to the Fanshot section Fanposts should last longer.

Also a reminder that comments in both the Fanposts and Fanshots sections need to stay on topic...congruent with the post in which you are commenting. A lot of people read and post here hoping for information and discussion. Avoid derailing that discussion with tangents, even if they are amusing or well-meant. Give respect to the person who bothered to create the post in the first place by having a discussion with them, guided by their topic.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

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All hail the mighty Fanshots

Yeah, compared to other SBN blogs the Fanshots are the stepchildren of Blazer’s Edge despite the large number of readers and commenters. If people feel their quick links and such will get almost the same attention there that would be a good thing and un-clutter the frontpage.

Odenied: Asked whether he noticed Oden favoring his right knee, Frye dismissed it entirely. "He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors."

by Norsktroll on Sep 8, 2008 3:37 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Has it been that bad?

I dont disagree with ths new policy at all, but I dont think that we’ve been that bad here over the summer?

Although I’ve definately skipped over a lot more fanposts than usual… Aye… It’s all so confusing!!!

Man I love tongue tacos - Mortimer
Only thing better is Trout on a stick roasted over an open fire - annthefan
I have a pic like that of my dog - tominhawaii

by Outlaw is Rejector on Sep 8, 2008 6:29 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes,

I think it has been that bad.

I’ve stopped reading many fan posts before reaching the end because of the off-topic bantering between people who have nothing else to do. I’m sure I’ve missed many insightful comments about the topic, but I don’t have time to separate the wheat from the chaff.

"We’re not going to sit here and get punked by other teams and let them deter us from what we need to do." - Channing Frye, 09//03/08

by jorga on Sep 8, 2008 7:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have stopped reading some posts for the same reason.

I wonder if maybe it would be better to offer a “Live Chat” feature in order to get people to take their rambling “off thread”.

Does anyone else think this is a good idea?

LMA>LA!
LMA's reign as "LaMonster of the Low Post" has just begun!

by LaMarvelous on Sep 8, 2008 12:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Love that thought

Ball Don't Lie

by bothteamsplayedhard on Sep 8, 2008 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Have I summed this up correctly?

Blazer (NBA?) related subject that will generate a discussion = Fanpost

Blazer, NBA link or picture you want to share = Fanshot

Anything off topic = Junk Drawer

Or is that too simplistic?

"We’re not going to sit here and get punked by other teams and let them deter us from what we need to do." - Channing Frye, 09//03/08

by jorga on Sep 8, 2008 7:10 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

More or less

Fanpost = Longer format, in-depth, “I put a lot of thought into this” type pieces. The cake, so to speak.

Fanshot = Gee whiz, look at this, wham-bam, quick-hit, “Here’s the link” type pieces…the fun frosting.

Off-topic should mostly be kept to the junk drawer although the occasional OT: Fanpost or Fanshot is still OK. Just try not to go off-topic in somebody ELSE’S post.

—Dave

by Dave on Sep 8, 2008 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

This is a fun site

I find it also quite overwhelming as a new poster. I read posts here for almost a month before getting the nerve up to even get an account.

by Dragonage on Sep 8, 2008 7:40 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

There are a lot of intelligent people on this site, and articulate writers (which is probably more important). I used to think I had unique insight into Blazer basketball, but often when I read comments before posting, I often find someone else has already made my point.

We probably all come from other circles where we are the undisputed Blazer authorities, but its kind of nice here to have a different role.

by MavetheGreat on Sep 8, 2008 7:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah right

I used to think I knew it all, now I realize I only know most everything

"It's how you play the Ga-ame..." - Greg Oden with Justin Timeberlake at the Espy's

by BlazermaniacAndy on Sep 10, 2008 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

long-windedness

and being articulate can be mutually exclusive traits. Let’s hope this move doesn’t backfire.

by Samuelson on Sep 8, 2008 8:47 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Shouldn't be any more of a problem

than it is now. Just sorted better.

—Dave

by Dave on Sep 8, 2008 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Techie question/remark

I rarely go to the fanshots because it’s a bit of a pain to maneuver through them. Once I’ve finished reading a fanshot, I then have to return to the home page to select a second fanshot to read. It seems like the sidebar should list more fanshots, but it doesn’t.

In other words, the two sections operate differently. Is this something I can fix in my settings? I’ve looked, but didn’t see anything.

by Corvid on Sep 8, 2008 10:01 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You can set the number of fanposts and fanshots to display in the settings

E.g. 25 fanposts and 20 fanshots or a larger number if you don’t care that much about scrolling. To get an overview, it can also be helpful to click on the fanshots tab on the top of the screen, then open up the fanshots you are interested in in a second, third, … tab. Whatever browsing style suits you.

Odenied: Asked whether he noticed Oden favoring his right knee, Frye dismissed it entirely. "He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors."

by Norsktroll on Sep 8, 2008 10:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks, but . . .

I upped the number of fanpost/fanshots that are displayed a LONG time ago — it was the first thing I did after the format change. I’m big on scrolling. (I actually broke my scroll button a few weeks ago. It was kind of fun taking the mouse apart and fixing it. But now, I’m being OT . . .)

Sometimes I open up a ton of tabs or windows, but that’s not really my natural browsing style so it seems like a workaround to me. My gripe is that when I’m in the fanshot section, I want to see other fanshots listed on the right. The site’s not consistent in that regard, and it drives me a wee bit nuts.

by Corvid on Sep 8, 2008 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You mean it should display fanshots instead of fanposts on the right hand navigation column?

Never noticed that. Good point. Might be my browsing style that I’m more used to having ten tabs open at most times, or that I look into the fanshots more rarely and then use the top button so I can sort by category ;-)

Odenied: Asked whether he noticed Oden favoring his right knee, Frye dismissed it entirely. "He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors."

by Norsktroll on Sep 8, 2008 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I also use tabs. Perhaps I'm missing something but my

Fanposts tab doesn’t show the recommended Fanposts. Have you figured that out?

"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar

by annthefan on Sep 8, 2008 9:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This should be fixed now.

Let me know.

Thanks.

BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON

by Ben. on Sep 8, 2008 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice

Thanks Ben, that was the only thing I hated about fanshots.

Kilroy was here.

by tominhawaii on Sep 8, 2008 3:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dave

Corvid (and the replies) has a very valid point (I’m not replying to him because I want to make sure you see this) …

Please ask the SBN gurus to allow the sidebar to remain the same no matter what you are viewing. In other words have it always show our selected number of fanshots & fanposts. I know fanshots don’t show when you are viewing comments from the main page or fanposts and apparently don’t show when you are viewing fanshot comments (I hadn’t noticed that). For us to start using that feature as intended it would certainly help to make it more visible and accessible.

"We’re not going to sit here and get punked by other teams and let them deter us from what we need to do." - Channing Frye, 09//03/08

by jorga on Sep 8, 2008 11:45 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Dave and I can set this in our admin.

I will shoot him an email about it.

Expect it updated soon.

Thanks,

BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON

by Ben. on Sep 8, 2008 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

this should be fixed now.

BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON

by Ben. on Sep 8, 2008 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you so much

I think that will make a difference in how often Fanshots are used.

"We’re not going to sit here and get punked by other teams and let them deter us from what we need to do." - Channing Frye, 09//03/08

by jorga on Sep 8, 2008 1:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Perfect!

Thanks. I had no idea it could be fixed so quickly. I’m looking forward to Fanshots being used more.

by Corvid on Sep 8, 2008 2:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I might have preferred to have just the fanshots when I'm in the fanshots, or the fanshots on top, and same with the fanposts

But having everything at the same place all the time like on the front page is definitely an improvement.

Odenied: Asked whether he noticed Oden favoring his right knee, Frye dismissed it entirely. "He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors."

by Norsktroll on Sep 8, 2008 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i hear you

they’ve locked the fanposts and the ads to the template, so i can’t do anything about those.

BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON

by Ben. on Sep 8, 2008 3:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

One more thing please

Can you make the unread comments in fanshots the same color as fanposts?

Kilroy was here.

by tominhawaii on Sep 8, 2008 4:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

they aren't already?

mine look the same, unless i am mistaken?

BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON

by Ben. on Sep 8, 2008 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They are red for fanshots and black for fanposts

I’m talking about in the sidebars. It’s easier to identify the black numbers since everything else is red.
4 comments, 4 new | 0 recs

Kilroy was here.

by tominhawaii on Sep 8, 2008 5:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

aha

gotcha. that’s bizarre. that’s one for the sb techs… that shouldn’t be too hard to fix though, i think they’re just missing a tag.

BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON

by Ben. on Sep 8, 2008 5:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

Before you e-mail him, I got another one. When they make the link for fanshots, can they make it so it opens in another tab? That is a choice in comments but not in fanshots. At least it wasn’t last time I checked.

Kilroy was here.

by tominhawaii on Sep 8, 2008 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What I hate is the new posts added while I'm reading the current list

This auto-refresh makes it impossible to know what I’ve read that appears above where I’m currently reading. To clarify let me give an example: Let’s say I’m reading Dave’s latest and greatest post and it currently has 43 posts. As I get to post 29 I see a new post appear as I read. By the time I finsih with the list of post and see the total of post’s isnow 67 none of which are new. Now I have no way Of KNow which 24 new posts are new becasue they appeared as i read the original 43 posts and are now no longer “new” and high-lighted as such by a color change.

Does any one else hate this or am I just lazy/morominc becasue I haven’t bothered to to check the settings for an auto-refresh setting?

by NWfan on Sep 8, 2008 5:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

too answer my own question

Yes, I am lazy/moronic. The is a setting to not add new comments. My problem is solved.

by NWfan on Sep 8, 2008 5:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was going to agree with you

well, I still do – it’s very annoying to not know what – or even where – is new.

But the whole changing your setting thing goes out the window when you’re watching/writing the Game Day Open Thread. You have to have the new comments appear otherwise you are hitting refresh every four seconds… I guess it’s a “change your setting” to fit the situation.

"We’re not going to sit here and get punked by other teams and let them deter us from what we need to do." - Channing Frye, 09//03/08

by jorga on Sep 8, 2008 8:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also

could one of YOU just come over to my house and I’ll explain what im trying to do and you can just do it for me, this is actually confusing the heck out of me.

by Dragonage on Sep 8, 2008 6:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs