Make and layout your own pages

We plan to add some of this flexibility in the future. What type of content would you add to the pages that you created?

I think of this like pageflakes or netvibes - where you can create custom pages using widgets and rss feeds. I would populate the page with useful online tools and psychology-specific feeds. Perhaps CollectiveX could brand a netvibes/pageflakes page? May not need to re-invent the wheel, just integrate it.

In my CX community I just tried to include 2 videos from Brightcove. Where did I place them? In the only place I am given to do so - the Summary page. The Summary page can not be a dumping ground for things that I want to share but dont have another option. These videos belong on their own areas, or atleast in an area other than the homepage (which incidentally can be viewed in many situation by non-members)

You can place videos or widgets anywhere you see the 'edit' link or in discussion posts. We'll eventually enable more page flexibilty for power users like yourselves. However, at present, we have other more pressing development priorities. We appreciate your patience.

When videos are placed under discussions they are far too many clicks away from being played, and are hidden from view to begin with. This would not be an option for helping promote a video to members.

I recently expanded my group in to DC and the assistant on that site sent back a bunch of thoughts about the layout and asked if I could change text on the tabs, get rid of unnecessary tabs for us, make the side colors or calendar different colors and so on. I explained that I didn't have control over those type of things but that I would share her thoughts regardless.

"1. Is there anyway we can change the very outer borders of the page from white to another
color so there is a contrast between the page and the border? Maybe dark blue
or something. For example: If you look at the calender page, you can barely see the
calendar because its white on white.

2. Can we add and delete tabs on the page.
I would like to create a FAQ tab? I want to take the information that have for the
"Summary" and change it to a "FAQ" page.
Can we delete the "Files and Media" link/tab?

3. I want to cut down on some of the information on the home page to give it a cleaner
look. How do I revise the home page? For example: I would like to remove the section
for "Headlines and Links."

As for her question #3, is there an on/off button for all that information that shows up under the "Headlines and Links"?

@Jonathan - Photos and videos area is coming soon. Expect to see it as a sub-tab in the Files & Media section. Soon after adding the photos and videos section... we'll provide a way to reference new photos and videos from the summary page. Please keep in mind that we can only do one thing at a time... when adding major features... to expedite the process... we like to add a basic version of the feature... then follow-up with incremental improvements over time. So please be patient and understand that there is a cost associated with using a free service.

@Clarence - No worries Clarence. My requests/suggestions are merely for improvement and not to pressure your group in any way. At the same time it would be great if you could share with us what features are a priority.

Thanks again

@Jonathan - Great suggestion. I just added a new forum called "New and Upcoming Features." Now you will have a better sense of what major features are on their way. This will enable champions to chime in with their ideas before we launch the feature. This forum is locked so that new topics can't be created by non-managers (yes, this too is a new feature). However, we encourage you to participate in topics that we create related to new and upcoming features.

Clarence,

If you're still looking to add a videos feature, I have what I think are some powerful suggestions.

To showcase videos, I'd recommend/request:

a) Embed codes should be allowed from any/every video hosting service, not just YouTube & other such "leaders." Your current "HTML Source" WYSIWYG editors are perfect for video embed submissions because they allow embeds of videos using other hosts, like Ooyala & Viddler. So just go with what you already got for video submissions -- Easy for you and the most flexibility for users!!

b) Rather than make a feature that's dedicated just to video, expand the feature to allow managers and site creators decide what form of media the feature is to be used for. For example, a "My Blog" feature could also be used for a "My Videos" feature, a "My Videogames" feature, or a "My Songs" feature, etc. A manager should be able to set up one or all of these features, all using the same exact same CollectiveX tool. All managers would need is:

1. to be able to name the feature (such as "My Videos")


2. to be able to create a tab for that feature, with that name on it; and


3. to be able to customize the text where users submit content to specify what form of media is appropriate (such as "enter your video game embed code in the html source editor below")

To make this feature truly sing, managers need to be able to create 2, 3, or 4 separate features, all with their own tab (under "Files & Media"?), all using the same basic tool.

I've looked far and wide among your competitors and haven't been able to find this combination of features. So I believe you would further set CollectiveX apart if you added them. It would make your service EXTREMELY versatile and adaptable, and thus, much more useful to far more types of businesses. 

Oh, and one more thing... The permissions controls for the File Cabinet REALLY NEED to include the option of BLOCKING DOWNLOADS, not just uploads. In this age of User-Generated Content, confidential uploads (where the file goes to the managers but not to fellow users or the public) is a CRITICAL feature. This limitation may still lead me to abandon my CX site. (Can I hire you guys to create a custom uploader for my site?)

Thanks for your attention.

Paul Benson (currently setting up a video sharing community at http://tvhumboldt.collectivex.com/file_cabinet/show_files)