Here are the results of the 4hv.org poll . Thanks for your patience while I tallied the results. Overall, there were 102 responses to the poll. The numbers you see may not be exactly what you'd expect, as some people skipped questions, and some people answered the same question with multiple points. Once again, a big thanks to everyone who took the time to respond.

As you can see, there was a lot of helpful feedback about the way things are going here. There were also a lot of helpful comments that just can't be included in such a simple summary. Some people went to really great lengths to make their opinions known. Now that I have the feedback I needed, I'd like to address what I plan to do to improve 4hv.org.

Planned changes to 4hv.org:

Better forum software: First, and foremost, we need better software running the site. e107 is fine for what it is, but clearly, there are a lot of needs that just aren't being met with the current software. After a lot of looking around, taking into consideration the things below that I plan in implementing, there's really only one option: phpBB.

Wiki integration: One interesting thing uncovered by the poll is that we could more than double our current base of wiki contributors, if the wiki simply weren't so darn easy to ignore. Probably the best solution here is to integrate the wiki more with the site. Its purpose needs to be made clear, it needs to be easier to use and log into, and it should be prominent enough that people realize it is there and what it does.

Revamped forum rules: Some of the rules we have are unclear. Some of the rules we have are old. In any case, there are an awful lot of them to remember. Better forum software will allow us to automate many of the rules, and thus remove them from the list. Example: automatic image resizing and double post prevention would allow us to remove those rules from the list.

Careful selection of users: The general consensus seems to be that we are having a problem with our signal-to-noise ratio, and that I need to re-introduce some sort of screening process for potential members. I know from experience that open registrations can lead to a lot of "noise" in the forum. I also know that an application system can frighten good people off, while still allowing potentially bad members in. I also know that an application system is costly in terms of time and effort to maintain. The best solution that I've seen is to allow users a "trial period," wherein new users will be able to make an arbitrary number of posts. At that point, the user can't make any more posts unless they have a high enough rating through the site's feedback system. This is the system I want to implement here at 4hv.org.

Streamlined design: 4hv.org's layout needs to be streamlined to allow easier access from a variety of browsers and devices. People with mobile devices or low bandwidth need a better way to access the site. We also need better implementations of things like RSS feeds, that make the site more convenient to use.

New forum structure: Some parts of the forum are not very active, while others can be almost too active at times. We all need to re-evaluate the current topic structure and decide what can go, and what needs to be expanded.

Moderator transparency: A few notable conflicts on the board have pointed to the need for greater transparency in the moderating process. Again, the new software proves itself to be useful here: a public log of all actions taken by moderators or administrators will be available for anyone to read. The hope is that this will foster a greater understanding of what moderators do, and also prevent any possible misunderstandings over their actions.

A new front page: The front page of the site can get awfully stale at times. It also does not do a whole lot to explain what 4hv.org is, or what it does. While announcements are certainly important, it might also be nice to include some information about who we are, what we do here, and why we do it. Not only do I want to re-write the front page, but I also want to let our members submit items for inclusion on the front page, such as featured images or projects, in a simple manner -- possibly without moderator intervention, for trusted members.

Make use of what we've done: This forum, as well as the two archives, contains massive amounts of information. All three, as well as the new software, must implement a much better search function, so that information can be found. This will help in keeping the same questions from popping up over and over, as well as draw new people to the site, possibly via Google searches.

Increase activity: Once the majority of these changes are in place, we will be in a much better position to start attracting new members to 4hv.org. This can be done in a variety of ways. I'd like to make simple banners and buttons available for linking, as well as possibly investing in placing ads in relevant locations. Several members kindly offered their assistance with recruiting people at their workplace, or at their university. Efforts like that will go a long way to ensuring that we are reaching our highest potential.

Other tweaks: I've already disabled the CAPTCHA on login, since it turns out a lot of people were annoyed by that. Hopefully the potential for password brute-forcing is minimal. Note that completing the CAPTCHA will still be required in order to register or reset your password. Many of the other suggestions made can be implemented on new software: math rendering tools, user image galleries, user video / youtube galleries, and more.

How you can help:

Donations: Every dollar helps. The less I have to work to pay for 4hv, the more time I have to work on 4hv. I understand that not everyone can donate, and that not everyone wants to -- but if you are able, it would help me a great deal to be able to get this undertaking completed sooner, rather than later.

Feedback: Any feedback on the planned changes would be helpful -- maybe I left something out, maybe something just seems wrong. You can leave a comment on this news item, drop a note in the suggestion box, or contact me directly via private message. Any contact at all is always welcome and appreciated.

Moderation: If everything goes as planned, we will probably also need a few more moderators to round out the team. I realize this goes against the poll, but the general feeling amongst the moderators is that we need more help. The public moderator log should help people understand what is going on "behind the scenes." If you've thought about moderating, this might be a good time to join the team.

I apologize for the length of this news item, but I feel this is an important matter. 4hv.org turns seven years old this July, and I'd like very much for the site to continue to be a useful resource for another seven years, and beyond.

Again, let me emphasize, any feedback at all is welcomed. Please feel free to drop me a note with anything you might have to say.

Your Humble Administrator,
Chris