VetSurgeon Features

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 08:38:18 GMT

[quote user="SilverstarDJ"]One idea that I have found useful on other forums is a quote feature whereby there is a notification or list of people who've directly quoted you and a link to that post. Not sure if anyone else would think that would be a good idea ?[/quote]

Yup, that feature is built into the new system!

Re: VetSurgeon Features

No Name — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 12:17:17 GMT

One idea that I have found useful on other forums is a quote feature whereby there is a notification or list of people who've directly quoted you and a link to that post. Not sure if anyone else would think that would be a good idea ?

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Linda Filshie — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 20:15:50 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]

Hi Linda

You can already do that!

Click 'More Options' under the post, and mark as favourite from there.

In the main menu, you can access anything you have marked as favourite under the 'My Account', ' My Favourites' menu item.

Favourites are also in the new platform we are developing.

I have just this moment told the developers to go ahead and start work. Very exciting!

[/quote]

Oops, just "suggested this as answer" when trying to click on more options, sorry!

Re: VetSurgeon Features

CatherineThomas — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:01:14 GMT

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]

[quote user="CatherineThomas"]Can there be a link directly to the forums on the top menu, rather than having to choose it from the list under Community?[/quote]

If you just click on "Community", without bothering about the drop-down menu, that takes you direct to the forum.

[/quote]

That works on my computer but it doesn't work when I'm on my phone.

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 09:28:16 GMT

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]How about sorting things so I can receive new posts to subscribed treads on my practice email address - they're still not getting through, despite extensive fiddling at this end. [/quote]

I've never understood that problem. Emails seems to be working fine at our end, so the only thing I can think of is that they are going into a spam folder at server level (ie before reaching your computer inbox. But if it is something to do with us, I am hoping it might just go away when we upgrade!

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 09:24:09 GMT

[quote user="Rob Davis"]

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]and include extra features and functionality to allow an extra layer of information and experience sharing.[/quote]

This bit does sound interesting and potentially useful. The difficult thing will be trying to ensure that it doesn't get clogged up by certain people with strong opinions and little evidence (not naming any names )[/quote]

[quote user="Elisabeth Knappett"]don't know whether the references should be graded as to how 'scientific' they are? Or is that making it too complicated....[/quote]

These are kind of related points.

Elizabeth, I think it would be very difficult to grade information according to how scientific it is. I mean, if the Lancet can get it so badly wrong, what chance have I?

However, I also think that the great thing about communities like this (and specifically in a small profession like the veterinary profession), is that quite quickly, people get to know who actually knows what they're talking about - either because of their reputation offline, or because of the details and qualifications in their profile (including the qualification badge that appears next to a forum post), or because of their track record.

You've got me thinking, though. Firstly, I need to review and upgrade how the badging system works. Currently, on registration, we just ask whether small animal or large animal, GP or referral, then discipline. We don't show qualifications. That's left to the user to add to their profile. The one mark of qualification is the specialist badge, which I upload myself manually to individuals' accounts. I think I need to move in the same direction as the RCVS Register, and ask for qualifications on registration and then display them automatically.

I also need to review the way that credentials are displayed on the site. Works fine in the forum, but need to review elsewhere. Make sure that they are displayed adjacent to comments, for example.

Finally, we have the points based system which displays points based on activity and currently displays the polnts under the number of posts in the forum.

Problem is that it is really just a measure of quantity, not quality. I need to review this too. I think it can probably be reconfigured so that it really reflects only quality. For example, at the moment it gives points for posting. Could remove the points for posting and ONLY give points for when other people mark your post as a good ('like' or stars), or more rarely as a 'favourite'. I think the latter would really sort the wheat from the chaff!

The would all make it easier for a newcomer to the site, who does not know of someone's reputation, to put information into context.

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Elisabeth Knappett — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 22:56:04 GMT

I like the idea of a compendium with the ability to discuss/post references to different protocols in different species but with uneditable dose ranges taken from NOAH etc. There was a thread recently discussing the use of meloxicam in rabbits that has changed the way we medicate them, don't know whether the references should be graded as to how 'scientific' they are? Or is that making it too complicated....

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Niall Taylor — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 22:11:35 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]and before anyone says it, I am asking for the new platform to take you to the last unread thread[/quote]

Huzzah!!!

How about sorting things so I can receive new posts to subscribed treads on my practice email address - they're still not getting through, despite extensive fiddling at this end.

[quote user="CatherineThomas"]Can there be a link directly to the forums on the top menu, rather than having to choose it from the list under Community?[/quote]

If you just click on "Community", without bothering about the drop-down menu, that takes you direct to the forum.

Cheers,

Niall

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Rob Davis — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 16:09:39 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]It would also be kept up to date[/quote]

By whom? For unlicensed drugs, the doses are empirical and different sources may differ (hence the need for expert editorial control in the BSAVA formulary)

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]and include extra features and functionality to allow an extra layer of information and experience sharing.[/quote]

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Arlo Guthrie — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 10:47:52 GMT

[quote user="Rob Davis"]

The compendium could be useful, but as others have said, the combination of NOAH and BSAVA formulary already do the job pretty well. I know that they are not instantly updated, but both are revised frequently. It would need to be better than these to be useful. I would also have some concerns about anybody being able to alter suggested doses etc - the BSAVA formulary is edited by specialists - there would have to be some form of modulation or traceability on entries.

[/quote]Hi Rob, the idea I am working on would mean nobody is allowed to alter the actual data (doses etc). It would also be kept up to date, and include extra features and functionality to allow an extra layer of information and experience sharing.

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Rob Davis — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 10:14:20 GMT

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Linda Filshie — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 09:33:01 GMT

Ah-ha - I shall make use of that! Thanks.

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 17:53:35 GMT

Hi Linda

You can already do that!

Click 'More Options' under the post, and mark as favourite from there.

In the main menu, you can access anything you have marked as favourite under the 'My Account', ' My Favourites' menu item.

Favourites are also in the new platform we are developing.

I have just this moment told the developers to go ahead and start work. Very exciting!

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Linda Filshie — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 17:38:15 GMT

I don't know if it's possible to do but an ability to 'favourite' or bookmark posts so that you can find them easily later would be great - there're some really rich seams of information on here but knowing you've seen something once and finding it again is another matter.

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 14:28:35 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]Er...what about those annoying ones that 'popped up' and obscured the tool bar we have complained about!![/quote]

Those weren't 'pop ups' (which are adverts consciously designed to pop up out of nowhere, usually in the middle of the page). They were just wrongly coded flash banners which appeared exactly where adverts always do, but because of the coding error, caused the menu items to appear under the advert.

I know, it sounds like i am talking semantics, but I'm not. There is a big difference. And it only affected some users. And we fixed it pronto.

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]I presume he means that if resources are concentrated on new stuff and/or the site gets too 'busy', it may detract from the core function which is the forum.[/quote]

The forum's continued success is very much top of my list of priorities! Everything else is secondary.

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 14:17:41 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]But if I offered you a new information resource that was better than available elsewhere, I would hope that it would become one of the first places you would look!).[/quote]I guess it is just a matter of habit, old habits die hard.

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]I don't quite get Bob's point.[/quote]I presume he means that if resources are concentrated on new stuff and/or the site gets too 'busy', it may detract from the core function which is the forum.

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]Er, but we have NEVER had pop-ups! It has always been a strict rule of mine. [/quote]Er...what about those annoying ones that 'popped up' and obscured the tool bar we have complained about!! IIRC there was at least a Drontal one and a Petplan one. Might not have been intentional but it still happened. However it obviously worked as although I've said the adverts pass me by I remembered them. Now whether this would make me more or less likely to buy their products is another matter""

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 14:15:35 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]This is one of the few places Adblock is disabled on my computers. The adverts are of interest![/quote]

[quote user="Bob Russell"]just care should be taken to make sure it is not![/quote]

Don't worry, I'm going to be VERY, VERY careful. My livelihood depends on it!

Stage one is to upgrade VetNurse.co.uk and road test.

Stage 2 will be to ask a few members over here to visit vetnurse and check they are happy with it.

Only then will I switch it on here.

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Bob Russell — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 14:11:12 GMT

My point is that on a lot of occasions companies and businesses go into new areas and it distracts and detracts from the original successful recipe.

I did not say it would be detrimental, just care should be taken to make sure it is not!

If it enhances then go for it!

This is one of the few places Adblock is disabled on my computers. The adverts are of interest!

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 14:00:42 GMT

[quote user="Andrew Kent"]So I like the idea of a basic formulary to which people can add references for new uses etc.[/quote]

Thanks for sticking your hand up, Andy!

[quote user="Andrew Kent"]Another similar thing would be an easier way for people to share knowledge of certain things.[/quote]

This goes in the direction of wikis, which we have on the site, but which I have never felt are user-friendly enough, or (in the current format), compelling enough to get enough people to share enough stuff.

But I think you may have something there, and we could look at developing that section to overcome these problems.

So I'm popping that idea in the suggestion tin to discuss with developers too. Thank you.

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 13:53:30 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]And in answer to the question - in my case virtually none. Not that this detracts in any way from the quality or value of this material, it is just that it is not the first place I would look naturally,[/quote]

But if I offered you a new information resource that was better than available elsewhere, I would hope that it would become one of the first places you would look!).

I don't quite get Bob's point. I mean, I don't understand how he thinks that other stuff on the site could be to the detriment of what is here already. Adding a compendium, for example, won't mean the forums stops working, or something. Actually, it could significantly enhance it. I think we might be able to display related forum discussions adjacent to a product listing (in addition to related scientific studies etc).

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]I confess even the adverts pass me by ![/quote]

Given we're funded by advertising, I'd prefer you didn't make that kind of remark, or better still lied through your teeth and wrote about how you log in each morning JUST to check what new adverts are running on the site

I'm joking. There's been quite a lot of research which shows how brand awareness / familiarity is raised very effectively by banners, even when readers say they don't digest them and click.

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"](other than the annoying pops-ups that used to happen)![/quote]

Er, but we have NEVER had pop-ups! It has always been a strict rule of mine.

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 12:44:42 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]The danger is that the site tries to do too much and this leads to the detriment of what it does so well now! There are already lots of things available apart from forum activity and I wonder how much use is made of this at the moment? [/quote] My sentiments also.

And in answer to the question - in my case virtually none. Not that this detracts in any way from the quality or value of this material, it is just that it is not the first place I would look naturally, I confess even the adverts pass me by (other than the annoying pops-ups that used to happen)!

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Andrew Kent — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 10:40:06 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]Hard to get a sense of how popular a dedicated VetSurgeon compendium (ie enhanced NOAH Compendium) would be from this discussion. If anyone else is reading this thinking 'good idea' or 'bad idea', please do say so.[/quote]

I like the idea - the NOAH compendium is useful for licensed indications of drugs but other than that is not. The BSAVA formulary is not that dynamic and so can be out of date plus it cannot include everything.

I frequently use other texts, for example Plumb (which I access through VIN) which often has a much wider range of uses and doses than the BSAVA formulary.

So I like the idea of a basic formulary to which people can add references for new uses etc.

Another similar thing would be an easier way for people to share knowledge of certain things. So if you have a specific protocol for something or a guide to something that you would be willing to share with everyone else it could be uploaded. I realise this is possible through the uploads on the site but it would be more user friendly if it was indexed in some way, by topic for example. There is an enormous wealth of knowledge out there and I think facilitating its sharing would be helpful. It may, however, require some form of editing/moderating to ensure that it doesn't get overloaded with crap!

Andy

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Linda Filshie — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 10:37:47 GMT

A minor tweak, but it would be helpful to have the page number navigator at the top of the page as well as the bottom. I know we're meant to read in the Western style of left to right and top to bottom but I quite often scroll up and down through the comments.

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 10:08:42 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]The danger is that the site tries to do too much and this leads to the detriment of what it does so well now! [/quote]

Well, this idea of providing a better compendium is largely about the work involved in the initial programming, which is not unsubstantial, but when complete should largely automate the processing of data.

[quote user="Bob Russell"]There are already lots of things available apart from forum activity and I wonder how much use is made of this at the moment? [/quote]

Well, I was very chuffed (and didn't expect) to see that in a survey of veterinary media (about a year ago, as I remember), VetSurgeon and VetNurse together came top as the most widely used online source of veterinary news.

I've also been really pleased to see that the jobs section is much more widely used than it was. I remember the days when we might see one job posted a week. Now rarely a day goes by without a number of jobs being posted. And it was very satisfying to get a call from a competing classified ad service the other day, enquiring as to whether they could advertise their job section in ours!

The CPD and Events section has always been busy. No real change there.

Re: VetSurgeon Features

Bob Russell — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 09:29:29 GMT

I gather it is difficult enough to get sufficient high quality articles already. This is one reason why the Vet Record sometimes veers off into the decidedly obscure!

Perhaps a little more realistic for VetSurgeon members to exchange links to articles they have found of value.

The danger is that the site tries to do too much and this leads to the detriment of what it does so well now! There are already lots of things available apart from forum activity and I wonder how much use is made of this at the moment?