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Jeff wrote:Can we just expand the $200X classifieds to maybe $10k? We could limit posting access to folks with 25 or more posts, or some other number (that may not be easy to do with your board software). That way you wouldn't get a bunch of one time posters trying to sell things.
This is what I was thinking - something like a $10K limit.
alfadriver wrote:My biggest problem currently with Racing junk is that I can't see it. Zero support for IE6.
So if I had time here at work to browse through there, I can't. Basically, RacingJunk.com is completely worthless to me during work hours.
That seems like pretty good feedback.
It really bugs me that so many sites are 100% abandoning IE6, when so many large corporations have to use older platforms to support their custom Intranets. MS is getting us to use their platforms, then then bait-and-switching us to do more work just to keep up. But it's not that hard to make an IE6 acceptable site.
(and again, don't tell me to update, I can't- our intranet does not support anything but IE6 right now. there are rumors that we will update later this year, but I can't believe it until it happens).
Can you not install multiple browsers on your machine? I use IE for our intranet and web based ERP portal, because I have to. I use firefox for everything else. They will run side by side.
Anythings possible with the software if you know what you're doing, and most things aren't that difficult. But forums are a lousy place for classifieds, for two reasons:
1) from a data structure standpoint forum post is not the same thing as a classified. To be done well, it has different needs.... at the very least, things like price and location should be data fields.
2) it's tough tying forum posts into any sort of billing structure.
DILYSI Dave wrote:Can you not install multiple browsers on your machine? I use IE for our intranet and web based ERP portal, because I have to. I use firefox for everything else. They will run side by side.
No. I've tried. Won't even get out of the intranet to the internet.
They're going to have to upgrade, Alfa. It's getting to where more and more people DON'T support IE6 any more. Hell, even Microsoft doesn't support it any more.
In the meantime, can you install Google Chrome Frame (http://code.google.com/chrome/chromeframe/). It's a plug-in for IE6 that turns it into a non-sucky browser.
Thanks for that tip, Baxter.
IE6 has a horrible reputation for a reason. We are looking at a lot of options to improve our site, including the way it integrates with RacingJunk.com. For now, however, we're going to stick with our partners at RacingJunk.
Classified ads are way down the list of most-used features on the site (both before and after the RJ.com partnership) and we're trying to address bigger issues on both the front and back end of the site (read: the new homepage, article archives, event listings, display issues with photos, etc...) first.
We're listening and working hard to make this the coolest place to hang out on the whole internet. It's a process not an event, though, so your patience is appreciated.
We love you guys...
alfadriver wrote:...But it's not that hard to make an IE6 acceptable site...
Umm... Are you sure about that, cause I know our web guy here at work swears every time he has an IE compatibility issue. To be fair that only happens every day, though...
It depends. if it's your neighbor kid knocking out some basic html in frontpage, it's probably not that hard to get it looking OK in IE6. For anything of moderate complexity, IE6 is the devil, and there's a very good reason even MS has forsaken it. It basically doubles development time and cost. Maybe triples. It easily takes as much time getting IE6 to play nice as it does ALL other browsers combined.
The list of heavy hitters no longer supporting IE6 is pretty large: YouTube, Google, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft themselves, among others, have all dropped support.
Add in the reality that IE6 is currently at about 5-6% of all traffic and dropping rapidly, and it gets pretty easy to make a business case for dropping support.
I for one really liked the old 2010 classifieds, and would really enjoy a classifieds section with a price limit around $10K. Maybe RacingJunk could carve out a section for GRM.
Wonkothesane wrote:alfadriver wrote:...But it's not that hard to make an IE6 acceptable site...
Umm... Are you sure about that, cause I know our web guy here at work swears every time he has an IE compatibility issue. To be fair that only happens every day, though...
I didn't say perfect, I said acceptable. Like this site, for example.
But what you are all implying just tells me that MS sucks, since they convince large companies to base their intranets on one of their platforms, only to not make it easy to upgrade or be back compatable. I have friends who work for the UofM who are stuck with IE5, since their software was written around it, and they can't afford to pay someone to upgrade their software to be compatable with 6,7, or 8.
Why there's an IE compatablilty issue? Makes me cringe.
Anyway, the point is that I can't see the classifieds at work. Kinda sucks.
I like the idea of RJ, don't like the reality, currently.
I also don't see how a 'general interest' auto site can be successful with online classifieds.
If you're small you have to be specific. I sold a bunch on z31.com when I had a Z car to part out. Great market for that specific car. A turbo crossmember sold for $90 in a matter of hours IIRC. It would elicit shrugs here and on CL, probably.
There are probably 100's of good item/interest specific online classifieds that work great.
Practical Machinist is another that I use. Great community.
On the other hand ebay and CL are large enough and have millions of daily viewers and easy searching.
Hell, you can google what you're looking for and find it also via CL and ebay (and many other sources).
No real solutions here.
I'd say a post count of 25 and have a classified free for all...with the common caveats: No commercial ads for example. Maybe have a rolling delete ala CL where every post self-deletes after 30? days.
I guess the above wouldn't help GRM financially, but IMHO you have to be very specific or very big for online classifieds to be a moneymaker. (and in the case of the very specific it's probably not a moneymaker either, just people who love X enough to religiously promote it).
-James
My problem with RJ, is like stated above, that I cannot see only GRM classifieds. I prefer to buy from other GRM people, not that I wouldn't check the other listings, but I'd like the option. The site seems to cater to the big block crowd, and none of my cars have V8's.
I have had problems with the people that post their ads as well, they lack use of the english language or the ability to accurately describe what they are selling.
alfadriver wrote:DILYSI Dave wrote:Can you not install multiple browsers on your machine? I use IE for our intranet and web based ERP portal, because I have to. I use firefox for everything else. They will run side by side.
No. I've tried. Won't even get out of the intranet to the internet.
Put firefox on a thumb drive...
In reply to tuna55:
I can put the software on the machine. That's how I know it wont work. (the job I have also means a lot of software updates so I can calibrate things- kind of a nice perk).
the only thing that's capable of getting OUT of our intranet is IE6 right now. Again, our whole internal structure is based on some unkown structure that IE6 gives us.
I even wonder if the Chrome window would even work.
You guys need to work with much much bigger companies. we have our own intranet set up, and did a long time before the internet became as popular as it has. That's what happens when you need to pass design information from the US to Europe to Australia before the rest of you needed to have e-mail.
(and if I worry that I'm watched that I'm posting- I fully am aware that I am. and have gotten corrected by some of my management on some posts- I kid you not)
BUT- I REALLY do appreciate the suggestions. I'm not just saying that.
Eric
It might be as "simple" as having to duplicate the proxy server information in other browsers to get them to see the outside world if you can get at internal sites. At least that was the case in most of the big cos I've worked at.
In reply to bravenrace:
I didn't mean to take a side on the argument. I was just trying to celebrate that here we can have a dialog with the warden and they are responsive to our comments and suggestions.
All I know is that I used to look at the GRM classifieds and now I don't because I went to RJ once and didn't find it to be useful.
