TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:41 am

keep seeing these threads "anyone in (insert city or state here)?"
i understand the want to know if there are any locals to help with projects, in an emergency, or just drink some beer.
would it be an idea to start some kind of state by state "user registry" where someone could search by their state, city, or maybe zip code, and there be some kind of search within an "X" amount mileage range, that would tell what samba members are nearby, maybe with the stipulation that any contact should be made through PM's or email?
maybe add a voluntary check box to your profile page with a place to list your city, state, zip code, for this search only?
i know that you can add your location in your profile, but people don't always put anything relevant in there.
i know the airs list exists (and i wasn't thinking this would or should be anything like that), but who knows how accurate that is anymore, and not many "newbies" know about it unless they are told about it.
i have no concept of how much a pain in the butt this would be to add to the site, just a thought, since it keeps coming up in the forums.

Sat Dec 23, 2006 10:51 pm

what about something like this with as a sticky
http://www.frappr.com/?a=constellation_map&mapid=137439097500

I've seen one other Forum Member Map (it was better), but I don't remember what it was called. Frapper was just to show an example. I'll see if I can find the other one if this idea is worth anything.

Sun Dec 24, 2006 1:26 pm

There's a sticky in the bay bus forum with a member map.

Jeremy

Tue Dec 26, 2006 7:19 pm

i feel dirty now. :lol:

seriously, so to see that you would have to actually go in the forums (which not everyone does), then go to the bay forum (which not everyone does), and then have to actually read that thread (not everyone would). kinda cuts the chances down of people seeing it.
i was thinking something a bit more site-wide, irrelevant of vehicle type.

ah this is probably a dumb idea anyway.

Tue Dec 26, 2006 8:38 pm

Yeah Hazet, I am with you on this one. Sure would be nice to, you know, hang out and enjoy some beers at a local pub while chatting VW's and life's experiences.

Sigh, Monterey Bay Area... :cry:

Tue Dec 26, 2006 10:23 pm

Are there people in ? posts should be made in the General Forum.

I'm not against some sort of massive map but I've found Frappr to be confusing when you have a lot of people in a single area.

I don't know if it's worth building an online searchable thing on the site?

Tue Dec 26, 2006 10:25 pm

hazetguy wrote: i feel dirty now. :lol:

seriously, so to see that you would have to actually go in the forums (which not everyone does), then go to the bay forum (which not everyone does), and then have to actually read that thread (not everyone would). kinda cuts the chances down of people seeing it.
i was thinking something a bit more site-wide, irrelevant of vehicle type.

ah this is probably a dumb idea anyway.

Yeah, I know what you're saying, I was merely pointing out an example of what your talking about. Theoretically one could put a field for zip code into the database, and use something like frapper to generate a member map. If someone put the effort into developing working code it could be posted to the phpbb forums, as well as suggested here.

Tue Dec 26, 2006 10:36 pm

jeremysmithatshawdotca wrote: hazetguy wrote: i feel dirty now. :lol:

seriously, so to see that you would have to actually go in the forums (which not everyone does), then go to the bay forum (which not everyone does), and then have to actually read that thread (not everyone would). kinda cuts the chances down of people seeing it.
i was thinking something a bit more site-wide, irrelevant of vehicle type.

ah this is probably a dumb idea anyway.

Yeah, I know what you're saying, I was merely pointing out an example of what your talking about. Theoretically one could put a field for zip code into the database, and use something like frapper to generate a member map. If someone put the effort into developing working code it could be posted to the phpbb forums, as well as suggested here.

It would be easy to use a zip code only and build off that but that leaves out all our international visitors.

Wed Dec 27, 2006 1:24 pm

Another site that I go to uses one from here,
http://www.bravenet.com/webtools/guestmap/
Works pretty good.

Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:42 pm

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=212320

Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:06 pm

If this is such a big deal why do only about 10% (at most) of the users even bother to fill in the Location information in their profile?

That really bugs me, especially when they ask for location-specific information and the first response has to be "well, where are you located?"

That said, I notice I have mine blank at the moment so I guess I don't care either. :D

Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:48 am

If you go to the SBS website, there is a map where members can state thier location. When you look at the map, there is a marker showing the location of members who participate. Although, with as many members as the samba has, the map might be a little overwhelmed with markers! Just a thought.

Wed Feb 14, 2007 6:10 pm

coad wrote: If this is such a big deal why do only about 10% (at most) of the users even bother to fill in the Location information in their profile?

That really bugs me, especially when they ask for location-specific information and the first response has to be "well, where are you located?"

That said, I notice I have mine blank at the moment so I guess I don't care either. :D

So Coad, where do you live :?:

Wed Feb 14, 2007 8:26 pm

Maybe something in the community part of the site. You could do something similar to the Show or Club listings, but instead of years, you could post regions. Maybe make it also searchable by Zip, City, area code, State, Country, or region? Would that be too difficult? I ask this, because I do not know much about website mechanics and the such.
I, too, think this would be cool. Maybe if I was planning to go on a road trip or something, I could contact people from an area and see what is up, or for people to hang out with, or such?

Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:14 am

I like the idea as well. I just got back from a trip to Vegas and got to meet some VW people and hang out and BS about our cars it was a blast and know I'm planning a trip to TN from Oregon and would like to see who I'm passing by.

Fri Feb 16, 2007 7:51 pm

67stang302 wrote: I like the idea as well. I just got back from a trip to Vegas and got to meet some VW people and hang out and BS about our cars it was a blast and know I'm planning a trip to TN from Oregon and would like to see who I'm passing by. wouldnt happen to be comin thru SE Missouri would you? mabey in a VW?