[bistromaths]

Whatever happened to the intro to the morning show? That song that went on for about 5 mins. It used to be there, but ever since the site has been re-jigged, i can't find it.

If i remember correctly it would have been from about the 5th January, but since the re-jiggification, every single clip has the same 'date added' - not helpful.

Is it just my lack of patience (or lack of thought when re-introducing the clips), or am i right and the clip has gone. Oh yes, and if the clip has gone, would there be any way for it to be re-introduced.

I am kinda new here, so this may not be the right forum for this post, but it seemed most likely. Well, please respond if you do manage to find it.

[huckerby6]

http://pod-135.dolphin-server.co.uk/~ch ... ile&id=664

[bistromaths]

fantastic! thought i had lost it (from the vault that is). great thanks to huckerby6.

But, to continue this thread, does anyone else find it annoying the way the clips have been re-introduced. Yes there is a search engine now (not that it is great, it won't allow similar words, or even that option*)

Also, the dates need to be changed. Not only should there be 'date added', there should also be 'date broadcast', or something. This should make it easier to find clips from certain tmies, for example, if someone added a clip from ages ago, esp. olden chris clips which are now being requested, its not helpful to have the only date on them sometime this year.

Thoughts on this please.

*(for example, typing in jon culshaw will bring up 2 results, whereas there are about 20 or 30 culshaw realted items. bring in a google style or bbc style site search engine)

[Adam]

Do you study Maths at Bristol by any chance? Brave you..

[bistromaths]

Do you study Maths at Bristol by any chance? Brave you..

Ok . . . what now? Makes no sense. Any useful replies?

[Adam]

Don't worry - I never seem to make sense...

I'm sure your comments will be noted by the people at chrismoyles.net.

[bistromaths]

Do you study Maths at Bristol by any chance? Brave you..

Ok . . . what now? Makes no sense. Any useful replies?

Oh, you mean because of my name?

No. Bistromaths is something completely different and made up. Actually, i wonder, who will be the first person to correctly reply with what bistomaths really means and where it is from. I challenge you.

P.S. don't forget my previous posts too, about the site.

[bistromaths]

fantastic! thought i had lost it (from the vault that is). great thanks to huckerby6.

But, to continue this thread, does anyone else find it annoying the way the clips have been re-introduced. Yes there is a search engine now (not that it is great, it won't allow similar words, or even that option*)

Also, the dates need to be changed. Not only should there be 'date added', there should also be 'date broadcast', or something. This should make it easier to find clips from certain tmies, for example, if someone added a clip from ages ago, esp. olden chris clips which are now being requested, its not helpful to have the only date on them sometime this year.

Thoughts on this please.

*(for example, typing in jon culshaw will bring up 2 results, whereas there are about 20 or 30 culshaw realted items. bring in a google style or bbc style site search engine)

Come on. I want some feedback. Hopefully enough to be noticed, cause it is bugging me like a . . . bug.

[Mcqueen_]

You can't expect replies straight away. The new sound files have the dates on their file names anyway and if you read about a bit the sound vault should be relaunched soon with the file names altered and better descriptions to the files which should make finding clips easier..

[bistromaths]

You can't expect replies straight away. The new sound files have the dates on their file names anyway and if you read about a bit the sound vault should be relaunched soon with the file names altered and better descriptions to the files which should make finding clips easier..

Right, and where does it say that exactly? I can't find it, though obviously the newer files have the dates, but i am saying that they should have the 'date aired' in the main screen, the one where you can see all of them. Also, you should be able to sort the serach results and/or the files by name, date added, 'date aired', etc . . .

Would be very helpful indeed. Very helpful. Would like people who agree please.

[Dickie]

Well you design the new s/w for the vault then.

This web site isn't a full time project for anyone. The sound vault is being re-done by myself at the moment. Besides, most clips that people are looking for, they don't really need the dates, they just know what the clip was about, but they will, however, be in the new vault (on files carrying the information) when it is introduced.

P.S. No-one's gonna reply within 20 mins. of your posts, just wait until you get a topic reply notification in your e-mail.

[Adam]

It may seem a big forum, but people come in small numbers throughout the day. Being Patient usually helps.

[iSeb]

although today its quite busy...

[Dickie]

I've noticed that, hence why i've been jumping around all different sections.

Anyone d/l the sports day clip yet?

[iSeb]

i am now

[Dickie]

cool, did you think my little note above the link? Hope people follow it.

[iSeb]

mmmmm, i think you should make one line of it bold... like

If you download a clip could you just do a "quick reply" to say thanks or anything so i get a rough idea of how popular the clips are. Some that i do are getting downloaded quite a bit but get no posts after them. Would just be nice to see that's all!

[iSeb]

although today its quite busy...

And now it slows down.... everyone can breath...

[bistromaths]

Well you design the new s/w for the vault then.

This web site isn't a full time project for anyone. The sound vault is being re-done by myself at the moment. Besides, most clips that people are looking for, they don't really need the dates, they just know what the clip was about, but they will, however, be in the new vault (on files carrying the information) when it is introduced.

P.S. No-one's gonna reply within 20 mins. of your posts, just wait until you get a topic reply notification in your e-mail.

Hey listen, i didn't want to do the thing, but all i wanted to do was air my grievances. Surely that's a helpful thing. Anyway, i didn't realise that this wasn't a proper or official thing, so some of my ideas may actually be im-practicle.

All that aside, I think the most useful tweak that could be arranged for the s/e would be keywords. Give the clips keywords, and then configure the search engine to use a similar search method to Google's, though obviously without them being prioritised using a similar formula to Google's since that also includes number of links, which is unnecessary.

Also, It is my first day here, so i don't know how busy it will get, and how busy it usually is. Once i have been coming here a while, I will probably get used to it.

P.S. What exactly are you doing with regards to SEO? Are you hiring people to do that? I'd be interested to know. Not because i do that work I just realised it may seem like that.

[Adam]

I'm sure Chris Harris would be happy to hear from you.

Why not contact him at mailto:[email protected]

[Dickie]

SEO?

[Chris]

The files in the database right now are temporary. The posting date is set to the same date as it was easier to upload them that way. The old Sound Vault was hosted at a company who no longer decided they could support us, therefore what with moving the clips, launching the new vault software and sorting out the new hosting, there was a lot to do all at once.

The project to revamp the SV has been ongoing for a number of months and is in Dickies capable hands. His hard work will be worth it when you find properly named clips with proper descriptions. This should improve your search results.

As the file date will be part of the file name I might add the clips with the posting date matching the clip date – it depends how much work it turns out to do. The whole exercise involves the creation of a large database import script – something that would take forever if it was purely manual.

Once everything is working I'll be able to give the people who provide the Sound clips (i.e. Dickie right now) direct access to upload files and add them to the SV. This will improve the update speed and provide long-term availability for the clips.

There's something like 500MB of clips sitting in a folder waiting to be added to the vault. It seems stupid to make the effort if they are all going to be erased and re-added shortly.

[bistromaths]

The files in the database right now are temporary. The posting date is set to the same date as it was easier to upload them that way. The old Sound Vault was hosted at a company who no longer decided they could support us, therefore what with moving the clips, launching the new vault software and sorting out the new hosting, there was a lot to do all at once.

The project to revamp the SV has been ongoing for a number of months and is in Dickies capable hands. His hard work will be worth it when you find properly named clips with proper descriptions. This should improve your search results.

As the file date will be part of the file name I might add the clips with the posting date matching the clip date – it depends how much work it turns out to do. The whole exercise involves the creation of a large database import script – something that would take forever if it was purely manual.

Once everything is working I'll be able to give the people who provide the Sound clips (i.e. Dickie right now) direct access to upload files and add them to the SV. This will improve the update speed and provide long-term availability for the clips.

There's something like 500MB of clips sitting in a folder waiting to be added to the vault. It seems stupid to make the effort if they are all going to be erased and re-added shortly.

That's great. I'm glad too hear that the current set-up is only temporary, though I am slightly confused as to why the old SV wasn't kept, and the new one constructed on a separate server, and then when it was ready finally, they could be swapped round, avoiding any confusion and temporary go-betweens. Kind of like at Google, where they rotate monthly between 3 servers, for a slightly different reason, but still similar. I realise that an operation like that though would probably be too complicated for the stiuation you are currently in, and maybe too technical. I don't know, I don't have a complete understanding of how this works.

Also, I would be glad if, eventually, it would be possible to be able to sort the results, or maybe even just when browsing, into the catagories, such as sorted by date or by rating, those 2 probably being the most useful.

As I said before, I do not have a full understanding of how easy or difficult this would be to implement, I am just saying a few points that I feel I want to raise, because I sometimes feel like I am wasting a lot of time trawling through the archives.

I mean these messages to be helpful, not aggrevating or naive (in terms of the technical implications.

P.S. very useful replies, and a very well structured forum. quick responses and helpful advice

[bistromaths]

Ooh, and by the way, I just had an idea. Now, i'm not sure whether you've already done this, or are thinking about doing it, but you could have a poll, vote, etc . . . about what people and members would like to see changed regarding the SV.

I mean, since, from what I can gather, it is still in the process of re-jiggification, then this would be a wonderful and productive time to do this. That way you can find out if any of your ideas will be necessary, as it would be a waste of time to change something, only to find out that people liked the old version better (kinda like real player 10 ).

I'll stop wittering on now and leave you alone.

[Chris]

That's great. I'm glad too hear that the current set-up is only temporary, though I am slightly confused as to why the old SV wasn't kept, and the new one constructed on a separate server, and then when it was ready finally, they could be swapped round, avoiding any confusion and temporary go-betweens.

The ability to use the old server was removed with no warning - there was no chance to smoothly migrate to the new servers.

The new SV will be exactly as the current one is, just properly categorised with more verbose descriptions and possibly correct dates.