DISCUSSION: Restore County Search Function in Members List
- Status
M
McRabbet
Re: Restore County Search Function in Members List
I agree -- and I'd like to ask that the State be included as well so a search for any or our member states could be performed. Thanks loads for this.
I agree -- and I'd like to ask that the State be included as well so a search for any or our member states could be performed. Thanks loads for this.
Re: Restore County Search Function in Members List
I can take this one.
I've also had my beady little eyes on this mod. It does the same thing, only it uses Google Maps. Takes the Longitude and Latitude of members, which we happen to have.
The Mod is VBGooglemap Memeber Edition
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=123148
Here is an example of an implementation:
http://www.xboxlivenation.com/community/gamermap.php
I was thinking (again), we could offer our advertisers a premium to include them on such a map.
Do we want to take a look at the Googlemap Mod?
Jim
I can take this one.
I've also had my beady little eyes on this mod. It does the same thing, only it uses Google Maps. Takes the Longitude and Latitude of members, which we happen to have.
The Mod is VBGooglemap Memeber Edition
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=123148
Here is an example of an implementation:
http://www.xboxlivenation.com/community/gamermap.php
I was thinking (again), we could offer our advertisers a premium to include them on such a map.
Do we want to take a look at the Googlemap Mod?
Jim
Re: Restore County Search Function in Members List
I have some thoughts/comments but before I post them I want y'all to understand where my head is at lest you label me a nutcase. :gar-La; After decades in law enforcement I tend to be more cynical and suspicious then most folks. :eusa_thin I do not see a bad guy behind every tree but I would not want to make it too easy for someone with less than stellar motives to find our respective shop locations. :no: Having said that:
1) Why was the search capability disabled in the first place? I am sure there was a good reason and perhaps we should ascertain why before it is restored.
2) Like Rob I did find search capability helpful especially since members from VA like myself are a distinct minority and the ability to find them would be helpful. (future shop crawl ?)
3) I did not look at Jim's sample too closely but if it is GPS based I would be hesitant to implement it since based on my experience the average dishonest individual is also extremely lazy and GPS locations are far too easy to find.
I am done with my paranoid rant now. :rotflm:
I have some thoughts/comments but before I post them I want y'all to understand where my head is at lest you label me a nutcase. :gar-La; After decades in law enforcement I tend to be more cynical and suspicious then most folks. :eusa_thin I do not see a bad guy behind every tree but I would not want to make it too easy for someone with less than stellar motives to find our respective shop locations. :no: Having said that:
1) Why was the search capability disabled in the first place? I am sure there was a good reason and perhaps we should ascertain why before it is restored.
2) Like Rob I did find search capability helpful especially since members from VA like myself are a distinct minority and the ability to find them would be helpful. (future shop crawl ?)
3) I did not look at Jim's sample too closely but if it is GPS based I would be hesitant to implement it since based on my experience the average dishonest individual is also extremely lazy and GPS locations are far too easy to find.
I am done with my paranoid rant now. :rotflm:
Re: Restore County Search Function in Members List
Why was the search capability disabled in the first place? I am sure there was a good reason and perhaps we should ascertain why before it is restored.
It was disabled through a software upgrade, not something we did manually.
Why was the search capability disabled in the first place? I am sure there was a good reason and perhaps we should ascertain why before it is restored.
It was disabled through a software upgrade, not something we did manually.
Re: Restore County Search Function in Members List
I tend to side with Glenn on the paranoia issue.
I've toyed with doing a search by county for the Crawls we are working on. I just am uncomfortable "abusing" my access to what I'd deem personal information.
As near as I can tell, if you fill out your Profile with your zipcode, we display your Long/Lat if someone looks an your Profile.
We also show your address/phone number. I haven't seen an option to hide that, but there are so many options......
So, we already make this info available. Its just not easy to gather.
I won't enable anything (no worries, I haven't figured out how yet) till we hash this out.
Jim
I tend to side with Glenn on the paranoia issue.
I've toyed with doing a search by county for the Crawls we are working on. I just am uncomfortable "abusing" my access to what I'd deem personal information.
As near as I can tell, if you fill out your Profile with your zipcode, we display your Long/Lat if someone looks an your Profile.
We also show your address/phone number. I haven't seen an option to hide that, but there are so many options......
So, we already make this info available. Its just not easy to gather.
I won't enable anything (no worries, I haven't figured out how yet) till we hash this out.
Jim
I probably made this more confusing, but here is what I've done.
This is a Copy of a thread from the Staff To Do forum.
So, from here on, I hope everyone interested will discuss this.
The work request is on hold till we make some decisions.
So, as they say in the Alligator Farm, "go ahead, stick you hand in its mouth, its perfectly safe!"
Jim
This is a Copy of a thread from the Staff To Do forum.
So, from here on, I hope everyone interested will discuss this.
The work request is on hold till we make some decisions.
So, as they say in the Alligator Farm, "go ahead, stick you hand in its mouth, its perfectly safe!"
Jim
I did not want to be negative about restoring the search function. The info available via a state/county search is readily available in every post we make. I just do not want anything beyond that available to anyone except those with proper staff access. :wsmile: Being able to search by county/state is an asset as Rob pointed out. :wink_smil
I saw nothing negative in your points, rather some common sense concerns.
I think its quite valuable to question not just what we do, but why we do it.
Being on the tech side, sometimes I lose perspective on the implications of changes. Shiny google maps and blinking lights tend to blind me
Jim
I think its quite valuable to question not just what we do, but why we do it.
Being on the tech side, sometimes I lose perspective on the implications of changes. Shiny google maps and blinking lights tend to blind me
Jim
When we had the Google map function up and running, you couldn't find a persons house by viewing it. It just got you in the general vicinity. Which I think is helpful for members trying to locate others around them. You would still have to contact them to find out exactly where they are located. But from a new members perpective, it is nice to see how many other members reside in your area.
As far as the 'personal' information (phone number, address, full name) that is supplied for the various discounts, and general website operations. That information is only accessible by a few of the staff members. And knowing these folks it will never be abused.
I agree that being able to search the member data base by city, town, county and state is an asset and gives no more information out than is helpful to connect our local woodworkers with others in the area with same interests.
It might be a lot of work and could be more of a hassle that worthy, but I really liked the Google maps function that showed where (in abstract terms) all the membership is located. I think that would be a benefit to new members (an a recruitment asset).
MTCW,
Dave
As far as the 'personal' information (phone number, address, full name) that is supplied for the various discounts, and general website operations. That information is only accessible by a few of the staff members. And knowing these folks it will never be abused.
I agree that being able to search the member data base by city, town, county and state is an asset and gives no more information out than is helpful to connect our local woodworkers with others in the area with same interests.
It might be a lot of work and could be more of a hassle that worthy, but I really liked the Google maps function that showed where (in abstract terms) all the membership is located. I think that would be a benefit to new members (an a recruitment asset).
MTCW,
Dave
I found two references to maps.
This is for a Frappr Maps, which is still out there btw:
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f23/member-map-526/
and
Looks like Steve tried out vbGoogleMaps. His version was 1.0.0, its not at 3.6.8. Also, as near as I can tell, the vbGoogleMaps was removed. I can follow up with Steve on this.
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f39/google-maps-new-feature-maybe-5246/
Jim
This is for a Frappr Maps, which is still out there btw:
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f23/member-map-526/
and
Looks like Steve tried out vbGoogleMaps. His version was 1.0.0, its not at 3.6.8. Also, as near as I can tell, the vbGoogleMaps was removed. I can follow up with Steve on this.
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f39/google-maps-new-feature-maybe-5246/
Jim
My thoughts:
- The search should not be more granular than county or city. While shining blinking maps are great, you shouldn't be able to locate someone (either by address or GPS). There is a lot of personal info floating around here. You can view someone's photo gallery to see if they have tools worth stealing, figure out whether they have a dog, then look up where they live and see how easy a quick getaway will be.
- We may already be divulging too much by displaying people's town & county. It might be worth it to create another "opt-in" that users can select to indicate whether they want the info displayed in their posts, and whether they want to be found via the search.
- Contact info such as phone number and longitude/ latitude is only visible to the staff. My test user account cannot see that info (which is a good thing!)
- The search should not be more granular than county or city. While shining blinking maps are great, you shouldn't be able to locate someone (either by address or GPS). There is a lot of personal info floating around here. You can view someone's photo gallery to see if they have tools worth stealing, figure out whether they have a dog, then look up where they live and see how easy a quick getaway will be.
- We may already be divulging too much by displaying people's town & county. It might be worth it to create another "opt-in" that users can select to indicate whether they want the info displayed in their posts, and whether they want to be found via the search.
- Contact info such as phone number and longitude/ latitude is only visible to the staff. My test user account cannot see that info (which is a good thing!)
M
McRabbet
I believe that the Lat/Long coordinates in our Member's Public Profile is the center of the Zipcode, not the users address. As a test, I plugged my values into Google Earth and it missed my house by about 3/4 mile. I do not feel insecure from those values being public.
Bump. (I swear I am forgetting more than I'm forgetting).......
I'll pull out the google maps discussion and start a new thread. Sorry I derailed this.
Sounds like we mostly agree that restoring the county search thing is ok. Doesn't reveal any more than is already in public view.
If no one says otherwise, I'll make that happen over the weekend.
Thanks,
Jim
I'll pull out the google maps discussion and start a new thread. Sorry I derailed this.
Sounds like we mostly agree that restoring the county search thing is ok. Doesn't reveal any more than is already in public view.
If no one says otherwise, I'll make that happen over the weekend.
Thanks,
Jim
I say make it happen, in the years we had it no one was targeted by any posts here that we know of. OK, I know that is going to the extremes, but a generic county, city search should be harmless as 75% of us can be found via google search anyway. My phone number is unlisted and non published, but it can be had via Google:dontknow::dontknow:
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