Tech Group Report 2012-03-31

This is a report for the activities on the Tech group [1]for March 2012. It covers messages 7583 to 8008.Freegle Tech Report March 2010
Messages 7583 - 8088
Members 80

ILoveFeegle website

1.1 Chris has done more work on the new home page. He did a few versions to choose from. This is still work in progress
1.2 When putting a location in the mapping it sometimes shows in the wrong place.
This maybe because Google is using the wrong choice. However Chris cannot resolve the issue at present and members will have to have the gumption to look for another nearby location. Chris will have another look at the problem when time permits.
1.3 Jean has been given editing rights on the web pages to add and amend stuff for Facebook and Direct where necessary. Some discussion is ongoing on having separate pages for Facebook, Direct, and Yahoo.
1.4 Also it has been suggested that we revamp the FAQ - but do this starting from a clean sheet and adding FAQs for questions which actually are frequently raised on the mailbox rather than the ones we think might be.
1.5 Joe James produced a St Patrick's Day doodle in time for March 17th. The doodle calendar and spec is here: http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Freegle_Doodles

 Direct/Facebook

New Stuff
2.1 Direct message maker.
Someone wanted the subject box empty when accepted but left when the post was refused for some reason. e.g. photo too large.
This has now been done.
2.2 Edward has now included a feature to allow members who have something to offer or require an item to have a wish list which will send them a mail when a suitable post is made. This it has been agreed should be called ‘Alerts’.
2.3 The app offers you a "Post Again" choice after a time you can configure
in your group settings. Edward has now added something that allows you to easily
post something to another group. The way this works is that if you post on group X, and are also a member of group Y then it will say "Try on Y" when group Y's settings say it's ok to do Initial settings are the same as the repost intervals for OFFER/WANTEDs, most groups would allow them sooner and should change this or ask Jean if she is still Admin..
2.4 As a result of the mail team raising the problem of a volume of members queries wanting to unsubscribe; Edward has done a new beta version of a form to make it easier for members (either on DIrect or Yahoo) to unsubscribe. You can have a play http://direct.ilovefreegle.org/unsubscribe.php, but this will be enhanced to remind members that they can change their settings as another option before we publicise it more widely.
2.5 We (mostly Cat) are getting a good flow of interesting items on the main
Freegle Facebook page now. Edward has enhanced the app so that you can give
it permissions to repost these on your wall. That way you can do a bit of extra publicity without much effort.
2.6 Edward has added a setting to ‘My Settings’ this will be referred to as ‘Holiday Settings’. This allows members to pause mails for all their groups until a particular date, when they'll automatically be resumed.
2.7 FOP ( Fair Offer Policy.) added to the FB/Direct Message Maker together with some hints to help them fill it in correctly.
2.8 Added a mapping feature to allow members to see where their posts are being mapped to.
2.9 The location map on the My Settings page is now updated when you change the location rather just than when you refresh the page.

Message Maker

3.1 Chris has been working on a photo upload which will allow members to post multiple photos and resize them in a couple of seconds using the message maker.
There is a snag with Firefox still to be ironed out, and it will only be available for those groups whose Yahoo settings allow attachments. The add photo option is only visible to users with Flash 10 or later plugin in their browser.
3.2 Chris supplied Jean with a new list of groups on the old message maker. She has promised to start nagging them again to update. Please contact her at dorothyjeanquinn @ yahoo.co.uk .if you want help with it!
3.3 It was raised that we could do a Welsh translation of the standard Message Maker text. Several volunteers came forward and this is now been worked on.

Yahoo stuff.

It was suggested we could get rid of the quick join box . Edward has plans to do a new updated one. It was pointed out that many groups currently used it, so we would need some time to change over.

 Problems Raised and Fixed

5.1. Difficulty logging into Direct when a Facebook member.
Now it is possible to have a choice of how to log in. This is needed especially for Moderators who may wish to view their new look Direct page and sidebar .
5.12 Links in mails not working.
This was fixed quickly but is not retrospective so those sent out in the interim will still not work.
5.13 Link to photos on reposts no longer shown.
Edward quickly fixed it.
5.14 It was pointed out that the New Direct Generic page wasn’t picking up group membership
numbers. Edward sorted it and it is now shown..
5.15 Can anyone sort out my logo I’ve got an egg at the moment?
Ollie offered to do him a new freegle logo.
5.16 Chris found an error whilst testing loading photos on FB and Edward fixed it.
5.17 Edward thought there should be more Tech group owners, and has added Ollie and Chris.
5.18 It was mentioned that other groups have a separate page on the Task list for completed items. This has now been done and task list updated.
5.19 Unable to upload attachments on Tech . Settings have now been changed.
5.2 There was a question on republishing being repeated, after clicking on link
It was quickly fixed,. Found to be a consequence of mixing and matching between
posting via FD/FB on the group..
5.21 ‘My posts tab ‘ got squashed up and unable to see replies.
This was quickly fixed.
5.22 Changes made to FD which should mean that we don't get any more warnings about insecure content, or broken padlocks, etc. These were particularly annoying on IE.
5.23 Wall posts failed. This was a result of Facebook withdrawing its permission to post as a lot of members had blocked the posts. Edward appealed and it was turned back on. He is now looking at ways to reduce the annoyance factor..
5.24. Members replies weren’t getting through. Promptly fixed.
5.25 Groups getting lots of FD members which were not being used up. Problem was found to be the absence of a welcome email as it was receiving this that triggered republisher into knowing it had been approved. Edward has changed this now, so it will no longer be a problem.

Problems outstanding.

6.1 A member raised the problem of Facebook members being unable to see photos on Yahoo posts. This will be sorted once Chris’s new message maker is ready. Hopefully it will inspire still more Yahoo members to use the message maker too.
New photo upload to be completed.
6.2 .Problems with trial Digests when all mods are not using the same settings.
At present all mods need to be using the same version of the Moderator plug in set to the same digest setting whether on or off. Failure you do so results in them being stopped and started for members each time another mod goes on.
At present it is turned it off for three groups as the account which is the culprit seems to be one used to set up a mod group.
6.3 Groups with few posts, do not have any, to show new members. Edward is hoping to design it so that instead of just being able to allow up to 7days posts, there is a scroll bar which loads whilst you search. We would not then need to restrict the amount of posts, because of its effect on the page loading time.
6.4 Several members have had problems joining and signing into Direct. Unfortunately none of them have persevered enough to allow Edward to diagnose the problem, as they have just found other ways to join.
6.5 Alerts only allow single words at present. A lot more complicated to allow more so one for the to do list.
6.6 Mailbox team raised concerns about the complexity of sorting out answers to members queries. Edward has made it so they are able to access some data, and we have agreed that the webpages need looking at and simplifying. Hoping to complete it next month.

Questions raised and answered.

Q. Should we amend Yahoo joining emails to cover direct use.
A. Don’t bother, they don’t go out to fb members.
Q. When clicking on stuff sometimes the box opens out of screen.
A Facebook issue which our techs cannot change.
Q. How can we help Members who have changed their mind about the reposting options?
A. Send them to http://direct.ilovefreegle.org/settings.php so that they can trigger a new request.
Q. I have been getting large batches of FB members at once. Why?.
A. We've had a couple of occasions when we've had large delays processing mail.
There is a knock-on effect of that which means it might request some more, because it hasn't yet noticed that the others have been approved. They will eventually get used up.
Q. Groups with strict posting rules finding members are responding to follow up mails when they have used up their allowance.
A. You can change your follow up email to say something like
' please only repost wanted posts if you have not already used up your allowance of four posts per month.' Instructions are here http://wiki.ilovefreegle.org/Republishing_FAQ#How_do_I_edit_my_group_settings.3F
Q. How do I delete a post on Facebook and DIrect?.
A. Facebook users who are Admins can just log in with their account and click on the post on the wall if there and delete it. They can then delete it off the posts . They also should go to Twitter and delete it off there.
Q. Has a way been found to get the locations entered by members on FB to the moderators.
A. Not yet thought about it ..
Q. Are you intending to add any more boxes to the settings anytime soon as the wiki needs updating?
A. Please hold off. I would restructure that page a lot to make it much more friendly - group together related settings better, make it clear what is basic and what is advanced, and so on. Volunteer needed with basic html and PHP skills.
Please volunteer if you have these and would like to do it.
Q. I am changing mails in pending and they are going on incorrectly.
A.Be sure to correct both copies if you are getting a hmtl version as well. Otherwise just delete the bottom copy.
Q. a member noticed his full name was showing but no one elses and wanted to change it. A. It was pointed out that this is true of all members, that they can see their own but no one elses.
Q. Is it possible for me to sign up members, who give me their details at events say as I can add them to Yahoo?
A. Yes . Just join them to Direct using their email address and send them the password to change.

If anyone is interested in this stuff you are welcome to join us, even if you are technically challenged. Non techie mods who are willing to try out innovations are always appreciated.

Jean
Freegle Tech
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Freegle-Tech

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