Brainstorm: Ideas for Fan Sites Forum

Hey all.....
I had some ideas of things that might make this forum more fun & useful (and more active), so I thought I would throw them out and see what you guys think. Furthermore, I was wondering if anyone else had some ideas for things we could do/features we could add to this forum?

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The Content Thread - thread where people (webmasters, artists, authors) can submit art/fiction/articles for webmasters to publish if they choose. People submitting content must supply a name and contact link (email or webpage) so that the work can be credited. Webmasters using the work must properly credit author/artist for work. Perhaps we could suck up really good to the art and fiction mods and see if they will help find us artists/authors to submit in the beginning?

Forum Featured Site/The Review Thread - once a month or so, a JCer's site shall be choosen to have their link in the top header. While that site is being featured, a review thread shall be opened for constructive critsisms only (link to which will also be in the top header). Sites for feature/review shall be chosen randomly from a pool of submitted links.

Note: I will be pretty strict about the reviewing comments: no bashing....constructive critisims only. On the other hand, if your site is being reviewed, somewhat thick skin is required - I will not ban someone because they stated they did not like a site, so do not ask. In a nutshell: reviewers, state your comments - positive or negative - constructively. Webmasters, do not freak out if someone offers constuctive critisims. Deal?

JC Webmasters' Association - Association of JC SW webmasters. Links of all members shall be posted on a single page maintained by JMT. Helps to draw traffic to all of our sites. Creation of banners and buttons for association to be sumitted by all members - the more the merrier - shall also be complied by JMT (but not remotely hosted). Button/banner shall be linked back to a home page (with all of our site links) explaining who the association is with a link back to our forum (here).
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Now obviously, all of these things shall not come into fruitation today, but they are just some ideas I had when thinking about this forum to be accomplished in the short run. Thoughts? Questions? Discuss? Ideas of your own?

The Content Thread

This is a good idea, but does it work both ways? Can webmasters request work?

I'm just wondering since I'm not sure that anyone will be posting the kind of material which I need for my site, and I think that it would work better for my site if I could make requests

Forum Featured Site/The Review Thread

Definately a way to get exposure for lesser known sites, and a way for newer webmasters to see how some of the larger sites are done.


My two cents,
-~Aanix~-

Sounds good to me

¤Night

Forum Featured Site/The Review Thread sounds like a great idea. I always appreciate feedback on the work I do (so I can improve in the future). This forum appears to be pretty friendly in nature, so I'm sure there won't be any bashing.

I'm sure everyone here realises the time and effort that goes into a website, and hence won't be so quick to say "your site sucks" etc

JC Webmasters' Association Great idea - I'm more than happy to stick buttons, banners and basic links to other people's sites.

malkie

The Content Thread - This is a good idea, but does it work both ways? Can webmasters request work? [/b]

Hmm.....that is a good idea. Perhaps we should also have a content request thread? I think they should be seperate because I would not want someone's request to get overlooked, nor would I want someone's submission to get overlooked. Thoughts?

A few more words about the SW Webmasters' Association:
I have been a SW Webmaster for 2.5 years, and I have noticed that the webmaster community is pretty tight: everyone wants to "affiliate" with everyone else, and have their links on everyone else's site. I have found, that when this network is used, then traffic to your own site jumps dramatically. Hence the idea for this thing.

I think we should start simple: a page of links to everyone's site that wants to be involved. The only requirements would be 1. your site is SW related, and 2. you display the button/banner (linking back to the page with all of our links) on your site. Of course all sites involved should be PG-13 (no slash fictions guys, sorry), or I would get in big poodoo with the big bosses.

Of course everyone is free to design buttons/banners for this thing...more the merrier.

Hmm.....that is a good idea. Perhaps we should also have a content request thread? I think they should be seperate because I would not want someone's request to get overlooked, nor would I want someone's submission to get overlooked. Thoughts?

I agree, otherwise it would get confusing. Though I think it should be mentioned in the threads to check the other before posting to see if anyone has what your looking for, or wants it, that way it all doesn't get too cluttered. Comments?

Of course everyone is free to design buttons/banners for this thing...more the merrier.

Hmmm, that sounds like fun, I'm going to have to have a whack at it.


-~Aanix~-

What about, for the ring, having a bunch of people get together to make it. Have someone code it in PHP/MySQL, someone design it, etc etc

¤Night

Honestly Night, I really did not want to do a webring type thing, but more of just a page of links to which our buttons/banners would refer. But if the majority of the folks want to go the webring route, I could live with that.