Flags, thanks and SEO

[Jools]

All~

You may have noticed a flag in my data area to the right of my posts. You can all have them by going into your UCP and then going into the profile tab and selecting it.

There are also new options in there for selecting the measurement and temperature systems you prefer to use. These don't affect anything YET.

We are introducing a system to allow users to thank a poster for their post. This is what the thanks is about.

SEO, or search engine optimisation, is a technical advance that makes the site more search engine friendly and allows you to supply additional keywords when posting.

The point of this is to let you know this is in the pipeline and that it will be formally announced when all up and running.

Cheers,

Jools

[Marc van Arc]

This being an international forum, I'm personally not very happy with the flags.
Did you have anything special in mind with this new feature?

[Jools]

Increasing awareness of the multinational nature of the site. Better demographic statistics and some people find it fun. What's the nature of your objection Marc? Happy to discuss.

Jools

[Shane]

I see both sides to this one. What about a PC Catfish flag as a choice? Would that be possible?
I am finding it interesting as I never knew there were so many site users from Singapore.
-Shane

[2wheelsx2]

I am not able to choose my flag, since whenever I change anything in my profile, it says "The field “Location” must be completed.", even though it is.

[Dave Rinaldo]

There is a "new" second location field.
That had me for awhile, also

[2wheelsx2]

There is a "new" second location field.
That had me for awhile, also

Thanks Dave.

[Jools]

Yeah, the first location field isn't mandatory but the second one is. It's a particuarly messy way to mandate one field at least is filled in!

Jools

[Jools]

I see both sides to this one. What about a PC Catfish flag as a choice? Would that be possible?

Well, that's a bit like allowing someone to enter "Earth" or "The Solar System" in their location field?

But, yeah, I get that part of it, that they might be a downside, but if we are to discuss that, then let's have a statement why this might be a bad move so we can debate.

This allows us to differentiate between someone who is in country or to identify someone who is "a fish out of water" like MatsP or, until very recently, you! The flags statistics also help a lot with spammers. We can make it a straight ban if flag, location, IP address and possibly content of first post don't add up.

I am still looking for a Scottish flag!

Jools

[Shane]

Well, that's a bit like allowing someone to enter "Earth" or "The Solar System" in their location field?

Isn't location required (for good reason)? I need to know if I should reply in inches or centimeters. Some may not equate flag waving with providing their location.

I do agree that distinguishing location from nationality is a nice benefit.

I am still looking for a Scottish flag!

Can I have mine too?
-Shane

[WhitePine]

I want my flag too...

[Shane]

I want my flag too...

I thought the mascot was the fastest land animal in North America

Remember Jools and his John Wayne toilet paper?

-Shane

[apistomaster]

Wow, I did not think there were so many undercurrents that come to the fore when I originally posted my questions. I do like the waving flag feature but it will take me awhile to figure out how to add it.
I always get a bit lost in the user cp regions.

About Singapore; that island nation is a hotbed of fish fanatics. Breeding plecos is always a hot subject on www.aquaticquotient.com, a part-time hang out of mine. It is really interesting to compare notes with the the hobbyists in the developed regions of SE Asia. It is a broad base of interest forum from plants, vivariums, inverts and fish.
They often have better access to some Apistogramma species, for instance, than we in the west but in other areas like wild Discus access and prices are much lower in the USA than say Singapore but probably similar to those in the UK and the Continent. Wild Discus mostly have to pass through Miami on their way to Japan or Singapore. Most of all I like the different POV's and techniques that come up. The earth is flat now.
English is the standard forum language so it is as accessible for westerners as planetcatfish.
I have been dispensing wild Discus advice on aquaticquotient for many years. I also recruit many wild Angelfish aficionados from aquaticquotient to www.finararama.com where I am a loose cannon moderator.

[Richard B]

me too!

[Bas Pels]

This allows us to differentiate between someone who is in country or to identify someone who is "a fish out of water" like MatsP or, until very recently, you! The flags statistics also help a lot with spammers. We can make it a straight ban if flag, location, IP address and possibly content of first post don't add up.

I am still looking for a Scottish flag!

Jools

Personally, I would like to use the flag as a statement - My nationallity is already given, so why bother about stating the obvious?

My main interest is fish from Uruguay, so I'd rather waive the Uruguayan flag than the Dutch one.

But, even though I made over a thousant postings, I'm a bit weary about being considered as a spammer

[apistomaster]

Hi Bas,

I don't know but if you don't agree with everything I post then you must be a spammer.
Besides, you haven't posted as much as me so you are only a minor league spammer with a much better grasp of chemistry than me. You keep those cold water Uruguayan fishes; that makes you pretty suspicious to me. But by next summer, I will have a new air conditioner and then I can raise Austrolebias species again. It is 90*F/32*C as I write this and the mercury(actually digital) read out is rising and expected to reach 97*F/36*C so I can't be held responsible for this tongue-in-cheek rant.

[Jools]

Personally, I would like to use the flag as a statement - My nationality is already given, so why bother about stating the obvious?

My main interest is fish from Uruguay, so I'd rather waive the Uruguayan flag than the Dutch one.

Mmm, not quite true. Your location on the planet is already given, your nationality is not although most will be the same.

There isn't really any way I can check that people are honest about their nationality, so I don't think it's a big deal if you lie about your flag. Your location will then make us think you're a Uruguayan living in the Netherlands. Not so bad a thought! And that wouldn't make you look like a spammer.

Location is really important, the flag is a bit more to do with if you are likely a native English speaker and indeed it's always interesting to find a fellow countryman out in the tropics somewhere.

Jools

PS What random piece of nonsense resulted in us having three flags with bears on em?

[apistomaster]

Location is really important, the flag is a bit more to do with if you are likely a native English speaker and indeed it's always interesting to find a fellow countryman out in the tropics somewhere.

Jools

PS What random piece of nonsense resulted in us having three flags with bears on em?

I agree with the expat or similar idea conveyed by the flag.

My first thought when I saw the muzzled and chained bear was, "Is that an oblique reference to the former Soviet Union?"

[Jools]

My first thought when I saw the muzzled and chained bear was, "Is that an oblique reference to the former Soviet Union?"

Nothing quite so cold war, just the good old English tradition of chaining a bear to a tree and baiting it. Glad we live in an age where at least that kind of abuse is extinct. It's a striking flag though. Not as mad as the Norfolk one which appears to have duck footprints across it.

Jools

[apistomaster]

Interesting. I had to read what bear baiting meant in the UK vs USA.
Here, bear baiting is the illegal setting out meat scraps to attract bears so they are easily shot by hunters. Both are perversions of true sport.

I never had the gall(pun intended) to fly fish by myself, reclusive streams in Yellowstone National Park where there is a sign in the parking lot warning, "Beware of Grizzly Bears."
To be fair, maybe that is a way to balance the scales?

[racoll]

No bears on the Buckinghamshire flag, just a swan, again either chained up, or sporting some serious bling (probably spent too long in Aylesbury, innit). Looks kind of evil too.

Looks like the local flags are getting more support than the national ones!

[apistomaster]

Shall we go reductio absurdum and use family coat of arms?

[Firestorming]

This being an international forum, I'm personally not very happy with the flags.
Did you have anything special in mind with this new feature?

Marc, it is an option no one has to decide either way, if you want to fly your flag go for it, if not I guess you just cruise along as before. I don't see what there is to be unhappy about.

[Marc van Arc]

What's the nature of your objection Marc? Happy to discuss.

If that has been there all the time (which I don't doubt), I've completely missed it. Guess I was too occupied with other things at that time.

Reply below.

[Marc van Arc]

This being an international forum, I'm personally not very happy with the flags.
Did you have anything special in mind with this new feature?

Marc, it is an option no one has to decide either way, if you want to fly your flag go for it, if not I guess you just cruise along as before. I don't see what there is to be unhappy about.

My "problem" with the flag waving is this: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/flag-waving
I thought PC - being an international community without boundaries - could do without this.

However, if everybody is happy with it, who am I to question that?

[Jools]

My "problem" with the flag waving is this: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/flag-waving
I thought PC - being an international community without boundaries - could do without this.

However, if everybody is happy with it, who am I to question that?

Hi Marc,

Ok, I see that might be an issue but I'm coming at this from the point of view of an awareness (and emphasis) of the international nature of our community. More flags mean more nations. If these and the locations weren't there then many users would think this is just an American or UK forum.

I think you are right and certainly totally entitled to ask why the flags have appeared and raise the concern.

Flags can be emotional things and certainly if we get anyone "waving" them in the way you suggest, I will not tolerate it. However, the intention at least is another way of saying we're all different but all in one community.

If they cause a lot of trouble they will likely be removed.

Cheers

Jools

[apistomaster]

I never expected to start a controversy when I asked about the waving flags and how one could insert one.

I think a flag or written location enhances the "United Nations of Catfish Fans" nature of the planetcatfish.com members.

And it is only a nice option.
It is more frustrating on the forums when forum members do not designate where they are because it hinders others from providing more specific advice or information that is more relevant to where the poster lives.

[MatsP]

To set it, you go to the User Control Panel, and then the "Profile" tab, and there is a "national flag" a bit down the list of "profile things"...

I think this link should work for everyone:
http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/ucp.php?i=164

--
Mats

[PlecoCrazy]

I think a flag or written location enhances the "United Nations of Catfish Fans" nature of the planetcatfish.com members.

And it is only a nice option.
It is more frustrating on the forums when forum members do not designate where they are because it hinders others from providing more specific advice or information that is more relevant to where the poster lives.

That pretty much sums up my opinion as well.

[Viktor Jarikov]

While "flagology" is nice, I think Jools' innovation has nothing to do with it - I mean local, historical, and other (world-wide)-unrecognizable flags. We'd have enough trouble recognizing the 200 or so flags of existing countries. Needless to say, they are small on the screen - small details on small flags will be unrecognizable/illegible.

I am for it.

Another option, a bit dry, is to simply put in the line "Nationality".

I notice location is sometimes listed twice for some members. (e.g., see Trent's post above) Imperfection? Bug? When the post is shorter than the details in the window on the right, it only takes up another line on the page with no content, making us all do more scrolling and page turning.