Site and Forum suggestions

Search Function

raycope — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:59:07 GMT

The search mechanism is obviously simple character-string match and the result includes quite a few false hits. This can be avoided by treating the search input as token rather than substring.

soldier info

mharicm — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:50:24 GMT

I think when you request an address that you should recieve the info that they write on their page. It makes it easier if they have a huge list of requests.

Thank you for reading.

what should I do?

diggerdeb — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:09:35 GMT

This morning I requested a name. Her number of requests went up so I know it went through...but I didn't get the address. I don't know what I did wrong--maybe wrong email address..I don't know.

But I don't want to request the name again because her request number will go up falsely. What should I do?

Why the new restriction to 10 contacts/month?

zippy — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:55:48 GMT

I just noticed on the home page that we have now been restricted to taking 2 contacts/day and just 10/month. Can anyone tell me why? Sigh. I would think with things beginning to heat up in Afghanistan our support is more essential than ever. Maybe someone can explain the rational behind this rule. Thank you.

Zippy

Coordinating Our Efforts?

pkb1969 — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 07:16:58 GMT

Hello, my name is Pam; I’m from Tallahassee, FL. I’m new to the forum, but have been visiting this site for over a year and a half. This is a great site and I think that it is wonderful that we have a way to connect with and support the troops, even if we don’t know them personally.

I’ve been noting the basic information about each contact that I think I might want to request as it is posted on the site in the hopes of sending out care packages. It is really quite addictive and difficult to narrow down to just a few to support. To be honest, I had intended to start sending packages from the beginning, but felt intimidated by the customs forms and also didn’t understand until recently that the cost of sending to military addresses was more like domestic mail rather than the same as international mail. (There’s a big difference between flat-rate priority at $10.95 per box and around $40 to send the same box to Iraq as if it were going to a civilian in that country!)

Anyway, a thought came to me: It would be very helpful if there was some way that we could coordinate our efforts with others who are supporting the same contact/unit. That way, the things that they have the greatest need for would definitely get to them, and it would hopefully prevent that contact from being sent more of other items than they need. (You know, when they make a special request, and they actually need only a handful of a particular thing, but if everyone who requests the address responds with that item, they could have too many. Or, if one wants to send a new-release DVD, we can be sure that someone else didn’t send the same one.J) In this economy, all of the supporters could benefit from that. Also, if it is easier for someone to send food items, or personal hygiene – things that are easy to pick up on the trip to the grocery store, then they wouldn’t need to be as concerned about things that someone else might be happy to pick up at the mall or a discount store, like entertainment items or clothes and sheets/towels, etc.

There is another organization that has a way to know who is supporting the same person and for supporters to connect with one another. You may be aware of KIVA (www.kiva.org) – it is a microfinance organization that allows people to pick an entrepreneur in a poor/developing country and to lend them money in $25 increments. Each lender sets up a page and your entrepreneurs are listed on your page; when you click on the entrepreneur, the other lenders are listed. There is also a way to send messages to each other (lenders) through the website. That sort of feature may be a little complicated to add to the Any Soldier site, but it would be great if we could know who else has requested the same address so we can connect with each other in some way besides the forum or the chat. Perhaps that could be an opt-in feature for those who don’t mind having their name made known to others. (I hope I’m not being too presumptuous).

Well, I can see that this has become a rather long post – I apologize. I look forward to hearing anyone’s ideas.

Thanks, Pam.

RE: Classics

ann — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:39:00 GMT

Hi Marty - Any chance we could get a thread devoted to the 'Classics" - certain threads from the past are classics of info and when they disappear from view seem to be forgotten by most - not unusual - out of sight out of mind. This sight is fast becoming a gold mine of info.

I'm thinking along the lines of a thread that would have a quick link to threads that are chock full of good info like the sock thread from last yr, the Wounded Warrior thread, last yrs, KOP thread, threads that are very frequently searched for by the 'older' Forum members that remember them.

Even a list of their names w/a link to them would be really helpful as an index into the archives - I think a lot of times people have no idea how much good info is available from previous posts. And we all tend to forget what's already been posted and where in the world it is.

Some way of seeing what info is available (in addition to the search box).

Ann

Might help a little

Ash — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:18:31 GMT

It might help a little if when we request an address we have to check a box that says if we are sending letters, sending a box, or if it's just a one time deal. Then we would know before we request if somebody needs more letters of boxes. Just a suggestion...

Newbie Permathread

Buckethead — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:58:04 GMT

I thought it might be a good idea to have a permanent thread for newbies. Instead of people like me knocking good threads to another page for a simple question, there could be a specific newbie question thread. We post our questions all in the same place, and the vets can pop in from time to time to help us out.

Good? Bad?

Steve

Possible suggestion...

KristenF — Sun, 18 May 2008 20:15:12 GMT

I'll start by saying this website has SO many great features, and I also recognize how much hard work has gone into setting it up and keeping it running! And that any change/added feature probably takes a ton of work, resources, planning and implementing! I LOVE it, and THANK YOU!

But I thought of something the other day that has popped into my mind dozens of times over the past year. I was going through contact after contact, without my little journal next to me to write down the names of the contacts whose pages I wanted to revisit, and thought, "I wish I could bookmark this one so I don't forget." I realize that one doesn't need to be a "registered user" to read contact pages and request addresses, so the absence of this whole foundation of the bookmark concept makes it a little tricky. But I've thought of this so many times that maybe other supporters have thought about it too, and maybe it is a possibility at some point down the road. Maybe this has come up before and it's just not possible now for many different reasons, but if it were to ever become possible/feasible, it would be a great feature to be able to somehow "bookmark" a contact.

That's all, just a suggestion! I Love AS, it's awesome just as it is!

Simple "GREEN" change

Acoustic — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:03:54 GMT

I just saw in some report that when you make a screen darker, like black instead of white, it reduces watts, saving electricity. (How do they know this stuff?!?!) So I have a suggestion: Make the background for the forums and things black, or at least a darker color if it is not too much trouble.

http://www.blackle.com

Thanks,

-Nick

I want MORE POWER!!!

Anonymous — Sun, 20 May 2007 15:38:14 GMT

Power to the junkies! Revolution now!

I want to be able to start a new category (eg, Community Center) and a new forum (eg Site and Forum Suggestions).

spell checker

ABCgal — Sun, 04 May 2008 19:09:46 GMT

How about a spell checker feature for the forum as well as the contacts' postings?

MAPS!!!

Anonymous — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:24:40 GMT

Ah, yes... I'm a main-lining junkie now... I was thinking how wonderful (Sorry Marty, you'll hate me...) it would be to have maps available on line where 1. we could put a "blue dot" for our location so we could see our fellow supporters across the country/world, and 2. a green dot for our soldier's home towns (plus their home base-a black dot?) to honor them and let them see their relation to us and each other; and 3. a red dot for their deployment area! Wouldn't it be cool?? Since we have no way of having a "convention" where we could all meet each other it might be fun.

Any thoughts?

I even wonder as I go to my local Dollar Tree store and find someone has taken ALL of the ______ (How dare they! LOL), I wonder if it is a AS supporter I don't know....or a potential one right in my little town! LOL

Just "trippin'"... (Boy! Does that date me, too? LOL)

Deb

how to alert for misuse?

itsmesheila — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:26:11 GMT

Not sure where to post this, but this morning I see what I feel is an inappropriate post (really just spam like) and wasn't sure how to flag it. I emailed support@anysoldier and marty. Is that what we should do or is there a better way?

thanks.

suggestion: link back to forum from setup page?

nissus — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:37:14 GMT

Unless I'm just totally missing it, there doesn't seem to be any way to get back to the forum pages from the forum-setup pages other than clicking "home" and then clicking on "forum" again (which will open it in a new window). Most of the forum pages have the little bar at the top that shows "where" you are in the forum, with the uppermost layer being the "Forum.AnySoldier.com" link that takes you to the main forum page (I love that that link is there, I use it all the time) -- is there any way to have that same link show up on the setup page, as a way to get back to the actual forums?

Thanks,

//Mary (nissus)

Number of troops and times requested on same list?

Momma Mellie — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 21:54:56 GMT

Hey, Marty,

Is there anyway to put both the number of troops supported and the number of times requested on the lists that appear at the left at the same time? I know space is at a premium, but it would help so much to know if 500 troops have been requested 30 times or was it only 10 troops. It would make it easier to even things out. I requested one contact for 500 that had only been requested 28 times, but others with a small number have been requested 50 or even 100 times. Maybe the people who request large groups are able to send large numbers of packages and this isn't important. But you asked for suggestions.

Thanks, Mellie

Quilting Bee, anyone?

Kenamaro — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 02:03:32 GMT

Please check here:

http://forum.anysoldier.com/forums/31/ShowForum.aspx

Sue Horn & HIDDEN HERO

ceecee — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:13:31 GMT

Kudos to Sue Horn and HIDDEN HERO, her program directed toward helping those injured in service to our country. Information on this program can be found by clicking on the "News & Stuff" page on this site's main navigation tool bar.

ceecee

locations?

apatterson268 — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 17:43:59 GMT

How about a folder for the different states? Like those from Arizona, California? So we can each connect if we want.

Receive contact information and the soldier's request

peachkaw — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 03:34:21 GMT

When you request an address you have to go back to the list of names and look up the soldier to review their requests. It would be nice to have their request come with the contact information.

Love the site otherwise, I'm so glad I finally found it! I'm addicted and so is my family!

I think AS should make this!

Acoustic — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:28:46 GMT

Moved to correct spot. Sorry about that.

Bookmarks

KCatsimanes — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 21:07:32 GMT

Marty,

I'm not sure if this has been asked before, but do you think you will ever be able to add a "bookmark" to keep our specific soldiers posts in some type of "favorites" folder or something similar?

Thanks, Karen

Santa's Sleigh

ann — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 17:23:11 GMT

Marty - Love the Santa Sleigh! As long as that's Rudolph I'm sure he has all the power he needs!

Thanks for the interesting stuff this month - it has been a welcome humorous relief from the hustle and bustle of the season. Like the new calendar too.

Ann

P.S. Christmas Eve - Santa's Sleigh - Snow flakes falling - really neat - Thanks Marty - REALLY COOL STUFF!!

Forum in Main Nav

Miriam — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 01:35:09 GMT

A Forum button in the top navigation (where Home, About Us, etc.) is would be great.

a forum link at the bottom of the page?

Bardea — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:59:29 GMT

Hi Marty and Team,

My suggestion is for a time-saver/lazy surfer link. When I'm in the forum pages, I have to scroll back to the top of the page for the forum link, or I use my back button a couple (or more, depending on length of post) to get back to the main forum page.

If it's not a major PITA, could you put a link at the bottom of the forum pages... or is that not an option b/c of the way the pages grow when more replies are made?

thanks for hearing my suggestion! Sara D.