This board is for suggestions on improving this site! =) My job is to make sure you have nothing to say on it. ;o) -- Ryan

I always have something to say. (hehe)
my suggestion, pat your self on your back and tell yourself how awesome you've made this site.
-CCL

Well initially this site had too many bells and whistles for me but now I'm a convert! How about a stock ticker ;-)
One more sensible consideration: I recently got a friend sign up with Atlasquest and she completed the profile. She did not apprear on the Updated Profiles, presumably as she is the egg icon, a newbie. Could the newbies be included? Would they want to be included? On some yahoo lists one gets a friendly howdy from the established users when you first sign up... "New & Updated Profiles" ?
Norasta

Ryan,
can the BRP be added to the trip planner like route 66 and the AT are?

thanks!
aw

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can the BRP be added to the trip planner like route 66 and the AT are?

Technically, yes. Will it ever happen? No. The NPS governs the BRP and that would just be an open invitation for them to search for every letterbox within five miles of it.

I may discourage the hiding of letterboxes on NPS property, but I don't want to make it easy for the NPS to find such boxes either. =)

-- Ryan

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One more sensible consideration: I recently got a friend sign up with Atlasquest and she completed the profile. She did not apprear on the Updated Profiles, presumably as she is the egg icon, a newbie. Could the newbies be included?

Almost overlooked this post!

All updated profiles should show up on the Updated Profiles page--even newbies who update their profile. The only exception had been if someone updated their signature stamp, then it didn't mark it as an updated profile. (Mostly for technical reasons than because I don't consider it an "update".)

If she wasn't showing up, it's because there's a bug in the code that I'll have to track down! =)

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On some yahoo lists one gets a friendly howdy from the established users when you first sign up...

If someone really wants to be an ambassador for AQ newbies, I'll be happy to provide some sort of functionality to notify such ambassadors of newly signed up members. I just checked the number of signups in the last week or so and it looks like there's about five to ten newly created accounts each day which might make it challenging to keep up with. I had toyed with the idea of creating a "time delayed welcome message" to make it look like it might actually be a persoanlized message, but finally decided against it as being too obvious and ruining credibility. =) I do like those personal touches, but it's hard for me to keep up with personalized welcome messages for all the new members.

-- Ryan

Hey there Tortuga, I just thought of something that I'd like to see added to this fab-groovy site. How about making the What's New entries searchable by date planted as well as date listed? That way, I could find out which boxes are hot off the presses, not just newly listed on AQ. Funhog

O I C said the blind man....

good thinking!

We think that is a great idea also! The 4 Splinters

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That way, I could find out which boxes are hot off the presses, not just newly listed on AQ.

Sheeze, now that's just proof it's impossible to make everyone happy. Originally, the What's New? page did just that, but people wanted to see a list of newly listed boxes! =)

However, on a happier note, you can get the information you're looking for already through the Advanced Search option. You have to specify at least the country for boxes to list, while the state and city fields are optional. Then change the sort by option to sort by "Newest Planted".

And boom! You've got what you're looking for!

Okay, admittedly, it's not as easy to just clicking on the What's New? link, but it does work! =)

-- Ryan

Great! That will work! Thanks. The 4 Splinters

GT: it's not as easy to just clicking on the What's New? link, but it does work! =)

Max: You're absolutely correct .... Lincoln said it first .... a LONG time ago ....

No problem with a few extra key stroks.... as I said before .. it was the IBM mantra...
"If it was hard to write. It oughta be hard to use!"

Get Smart ... Max

When you log one in, can the "Location Found (Nearest town)" be changed to "Location Found (Nearest Town, ST)" or similar? Seems odd to track the travels without tracking the state and since it only "asks" for the town, some people may leave it out...

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When you log one in, can the "Location Found (Nearest town)" be changed to "Location Found (Nearest Town, ST)" or similar? Seems odd to track the travels without tracking the state and since it only "asks" for the town, some people may leave it out...

It will be done with the next update! =)

-- Ryan

Next time I will post on the correct board too so you don't have to move it. *grin*

Sorry about that, I got click happy before changing the dropdown.

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Sorry about that, I got click happy before changing the dropdown.

Not to worry--that problem will be fixed in the next update too. ;o)

-- Ryan

Well if you already plan to fix all these things, why do I keep finding them to tell you about them?!? *grin*

I was wondering if you could create a group for members to share their ingenious tips. I enjoy hearing of the MacGyver solutions. "This worked for me... Serendipitous Tips ... MacGyver Moments ..." Call it what you like, and add it to Letterbox Central. I always like hearing how others solve challenges.

speedsquare

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I was wondering if you could create a group for members to share their ingenious tips.

It seems like that's already covered to me--just each ingenious tip would go on the board where it's most applicable. Like Red's story of transfering an image would go on the carving stamps board (since that's what it's applicable). My soda can stove could go on the backpacker board.

So it makes more sense to put it on the board its applicable to than a board of its own, I think.

Or do others feel very strongly for a new MacGyver Moments board? I can be pushed and bullied, you know. =)

-- Ryan

Wouldn't it turn into a "spoilers" board???

Frightening!

Scheherezade

Ryan,

I'm interested in hearing about your soda can stove =0) I'm wondering if it's anything like the tuna can/ fruit juice can stoves we made at summer camp.
The tuna can was something like a candle, made with cardboard strips, paraffin wax, and wicks. That was placed under the fruit juice can. Made great eggs
I've been saving bottles for hurricane season...maybe I should save cans too.

S~N~K

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I'm interested in hearing about your soda can stove =0)

http://www.pcthiker.com/pages/gear/pepsistove.shtml

These are the directions I used to make my stove. =) The original instructions, at least. I've never tried the "Updated Instructions" which looks a bit more technical and would be a lot more difficult to make while on the trail. =)

Happy trails!

-- Ryan

I notcied this must be something you tinkered with when you did the updates. Used to, when you would host a clue on AQ, the add a picture link was at the bottom of where you typed the clue. Today, the only way I could figure out to add a picture was to view the clue after the letterbox had been posted and add it from there. Then, if I edit the text of the clue, I have to re-add the picture. Is there any easier way? I honestly think it was easier before.

Desi

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Today, the only way I could figure out to add a picture was to view the clue after the letterbox had been posted and add it from there. Then, if I edit the text of the clue, I have to re-add the picture. Is there any easier way? I honestly think it was easier before.

Yeah, I still have to tweak that. It's definitely not the ideal situation at the moment, but I was having "technical difficulties" with keeping the option on the same page. I'll see what I can do so people can add a photo at the same time as the clue. =)

-- Ryan

Thanks Ryan! You really do an awesome job with the site!

Desi

Ryan,

Can you create a "Letterboxing with Kids" board?

Thanks!

Dewberry

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Can you create a "Letterboxing with Kids" board?

It has been done! =)

-- Ryan

Hi!

We'll be heading out your way soon and have been diligently printing out clues from various sites. We think it is great that AtlasQuest has the ability to list mileage and elevation separately for searching purposes, but after printing out clues we see that this info doesn't actually appear on the clue page. We've now handwritten them on the individual pages but it might be worth considering automatically duplicating that info on the actual clue page, similar to what you have done for location info.

Just an idea...

Wisconsin Hiker

Can the "Mark All Posts as Read" and the "View All Messages" not be so close together? I have aimed poorly more than once... A line break is the quick fix but it might look better if they were on the same line like the "Message Boards" and "Go to Message Boards" header. As a side thought, why are they "messages" on one line and "posts" on the next?

OK, so I'm fairly new at this sport. I avidly read every bit of information about letterboxing when we started, both for myself and to my daughter. The sites all talk about how you should ask permission before placing a box, and some stories about bad things that happened when permission wasn't asked. My 10 year old daughter and myself resolved to do this, and soon became confused when it was apparent that not everyone was following this recommendation. Since then, we've found out that the reality is that the vast majority of letterboxers place until they're told not to. I completely understand this train of thought and pass no judgement on it. The parks are for the public, and letterboxing is so much less evil than other uses we see in the parks. However, my daughter and I had quite a discussion on it when we started. She resolutely insists on permission before we place, and I feel it would be a poor trend to teach her otherwise. Needless to say, I'm a far slower placer than finder. Then there was that letter from PA a few days ago. I've only placed one since we started, with plans for others as permissions slowly trickle in. It's a drag, because I really like to carve.

I noticed one of the events marked with an icon that says "letterbox friendly." I wondered if there was an icon like this available for clues, so that I and other folks could mark their clues as such so future letterbox placers would know what the feeling is about letterboxes in a particular area. We could even note in our clues any details, such as "just ask the ranger," or "letterboxes OK with free permit from the ranger," or "place anywhere here, they don't care."

Alternately, maybe a bulletin board or a central place where information could be kept about policies. For instance, I did some research, and I know that Washington State Parks are in the process of developing a policy. That policy is for there to be a free permit for 2 years' placement of the box, subject to some very reasonable guidelines, but in the meantime, we just discuss our desired location with the ranger. It might be helpful if we could leave this information for somebody else.

Anyway, I hope I haven't come across as "holier than thou." I'm absolutely not judging those who ask permission vs. those who don't. I'm just trying to support a decision we made together as a family based on information we found in the beginning.

Respectfully,

Thunderbird