Complaint re: Trip Reports

[Kiwi Cruiser]

Hi Ally

The Stats package - AW Stats - specifically EXCLUDES all known search engine bots / spiders, unlike other commonly used packages such as Webalizer.

Interestingly, 17.5% of traffic is coming from search engines, but over 78.7% came from Direct Address / Bookmarks. The balance of 3.7% is from referrals from other pages / sites - foremost of which is the old Board.GT-Rider.com

So its seems that once we get a new visitor, the site content gets them hooked and they keep coming back. Getting them to actively participate is another matter entirely. :roll:

Cheers
Ben

 

[BignTall]

Happy Finger - A way I loaded photos onto photo hosting sights is to pick the photos you want loaded, hit the load button then go to sleep at night while it loads em. Let the computer do the work while you go to the gym or go for a ride. It does take forever to load photos especially the photo sights since they are usually american sights. I loaded 35 more photos of my laos trip onto Smugmug and it took a couple hours...and I'm in the states now using DSL. Very frustrating.

but what i was getting at with the gt-rider board being able to host photo's is that i thought it may make it more encouraging for one off, or annual bike riders in thailand to post. if they dont have to settup a photo host site

I agree. Sadly if you want to post photos to most websights you have to host them somewhere. I agree its a pain the bum.

If others have quick methods to upload, especially in Thailand we'd all be ears.

 

[E3L0]

BignTall wrote:
If others have quick methods to upload, especially in Thailand we'd all be ears.

Reduce the size of the image first (in photoshop or similar). You can usually halve or quarter the size of the image from a typical camera. There is a square law involved so file sizes reduce drastically as you reduce the linear dimensions of the image.

 

[SilverhawkUSA]

I use Smugmug for some of my photos. I use Fast Stone Photo resizer (a freeware program that can be found by a search) to resize my photos to 1280x1024 before uploading them. Some use PhotoBucket which is similar.

I do as Big&Tall suggests, and do a batch upload. Although even from Thailand I have not found it to take that long once they are in the above size.

To link the photo to this website, you just go to the photo you want in Smugmug and click on Share this Photo. It will list a number of options and sizes and give you the appropriate URL to use. I never use a photo bigger than 640x480 in my reports and usually even smaller. THERE IS NO REASON TO POST LARGE IMAGES on the board, No one is printing and publishing them I am sure.

Cut and paste the url to your report, place img markers before and after the url and you are done. A little time consuming but not that bad.

 

[shariffudin]

I think all the ride report are very usefull. I print a few report for my reference and guidance. Without the report, i dont think i can finish my trip... i dont ask any question coz if you really read the report, i think enough... From Mae Sot to Mae sariang, i follow capt slash ride report from mae sariang to mae sot... Anybody interested to ride from CNX to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

[SilverhawkUSA]

Captain_Slash wrote: I take all my photos in vga size on my camera then they dont need reducing in size before loading to Photobucket and posting

They may call it a VGA setting on your camera, but it appears that all your photos are posted at 640 x 480 .

 

[tropicaljohno]

Silverhawk

Seems some people just won't write trip reports.

Had a fone call last nite from one of the members currently touring Northern Thailand. He has done over 4,000 kms already, with still aound 3,000 kms to go. When I tried to get him to write a report, any report he said that it would be too boring to read.

I noticed he has nearly 300 posts on the board, (nearly all questions....), so I think next time he rings me asking another question, I will refuse until I see at least one trip report on the board.

Be interesting to see if that makes any difference.

And now for something completely different, just about to leave in 10 minutes, for BKK. Meeting up with Peter Warbuton from Mai Sai, and Dean from Surin, going to check out big bike shops, Red Baron etc, the bike warehouse off Rama 3, and a nite market where they sell bikes, be interesting to see what is there now.

 

[Ally]

The SEO Guy wrote: Hi Ally

The Stats package - AW Stats - specifically EXCLUDES all known search engine bots / spiders, unlike other commonly used packages such as Webalizer.

Interestingly, 17.5% of traffic is coming from search engines, but over 78.7% came from Direct Address / Bookmarks. The balance of 3.7% is from referrals from other pages / sites - foremost of which is the old Board.GT-Rider.com

So its seems that once we get a new visitor, the site content gets them hooked and they keep coming back. Getting them to actively participate is another matter entirely. :roll:

Cheers
Ben

Thanks Ben,

So I take it there are no stats possible to find the split between members & non.

The airing of the stats may have been of some use to the masses though, as well as your good self, in acknowledging there is a lot of work behind the forum that gets read & of course the administrative effort.

warm regards

Ally

 

[SilverhawkUSA]

tropicaljohno wrote: Silverhawk

Seems some people just won't write trip reports.

Had a fone call last nite from one of the members currently touring Northern Thailand. He has done over 4,000 kms already, with still aound 3,000 kms to go. When I tried to get him to write a report, any report he said that it would be too boring to read.

I noticed he has nearly 300 posts on the board, (nearly all questions....), so I think next time he rings me asking another question, I will refuse until I see at least one trip report on the board.

Be interesting to see if that makes any difference.

That is why I am against "rating" the posts. Some may be discouraged if their rating were low. Not everyone has the ability to use the flowery adjectives of Big & Tall or the pure bullshit of one who claims to have seen tigers on the road and sat on Cobras. What is boring to some may be of interest to others. Many posts have been done where English is not their first language and are quite interesting. I think any report is welcome and better than nothing.

 

[Tom Forde]

Hi David,
It's been awhile since we had a chat, I have been guilty as well about trip reports. How many people want to read about Australia?
I am still doing some serious adventure riding on old Doris and getting myself fit for the next little jaunt up to Thailand, probably around the end of September.
I plan to get in through Singapore then ride up the East coast of Malaysia.
So that will be my next Asian report.
The new format is great and yes Robert I read your Chinese report and it made me bloody envious.

Cheers
Tom

 

[PICO-PICO]

I BELIEVE THE DICUSSION IS GETTING OFF TRACK.

Silverhawk wasnt looking for confessions, nor for technical discourses about uploads.However that has been the majority of replies, so far.

He was refering to Davids complaint about a lack of trip reports and his perception of missing feed back. This is the subject.

May the writers self-analyse their primary motivation of writing a report=

Is nt it to a large degree self-satisfaction with your own writing, be it for reasons of fond memories not to be lost or whatever.
And only to a small percentage the writer is writing for the GT audience?

If that assumption holds true than the satisfaction will come from the writing process itself and the ability to show it to the grand children when the wild days of riding will be over for good.

If that holds true is a publication in on this forum not just an added bonus and comments not just further candies ?

And the honorable reader? What makes a good report to him?

How fresh? Are older reports read at all?
Can you say keeps you reading beyond the first click / 30 seconds?
Can you give 3 criteria ?

One important issue

Difference between pure enjoyment reading a report like a short story
OR
usability for your own future riding.
Is the search function good enough to a serious reseach in preparation of a trip

???????

Cheers Pico

 

[dad]

hi pico
u r my 1st post stuffed if i know.
please help me..
h.k.p...