TO MODS/ADMINS: Collaboration on the Ambassador Project?

[sicofante]

I've been peeking a bit at the vBulletin forums and I'm surprised. According to this poll (http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=203008) tags don't seem to be part of the current official release, so we might be the privileged users of a modified vBulletin version? If that's the case, it would be nice to know who's responsible for that mod and we might contact them with ideas...

You can check interesting threads about tagging in vBulletin here (http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=172275) and here (http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?p=983441).

Very late at night here in Spain, so I guess I'll go into "idle mode" now too.

(MM: if this post belongs to the thread you're planning, I beg the mods move it there.)

Hi everyone,

The following was posted at the Ambassadors idea's thread (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=1640646#post1640646). I've copied it so we can follow from here:
__________________

I would suggest to keep the tags idea in the fridge and get back to it later if new technologies allow it, or maybe I'll contact who modified Ubuntu's forum code and ask. I wouldn't let this stop or delay the first implementation of the ambassador's idea. You can bet I would love to see a link-based ambassadors subforum. I'll be lurking around vBulletin's forums and will let you know if something can be done about it. I've learned so far that mods are pretty usual for the vBulletin forum software, so there's some hope... I'll let you all know in the coming days.

............

EDIT: Guys, tags in Ubuntu forums are an add-on by Zoints (http://network.zoints.com/tags/). You can see what this add-on looks like and a very long thread about it at its vBulletin thread (http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=127244). The default option to show tags is almost exactly what we're looking for: it behaves like an ordinary subforum. The add-on supports a simple mode that must be setup by the forum administrator. For some reason, Ubuntu forums use that simple mode. It couldn't be easier to have the virtual subforum for ambassadors: just ask the Ubuntu forum's admin to turn that simple-mode switch off.

Now I have no idea of who's Ubuntu forum's admin, but I'm sure some of you do.

There's also one drawback: I don't think you can post DIRECTLY to that virtual subforum. I also don't know if the virtual subforum can be made somewhat "sticky", so there's no need to do a tag search each time you need it, but I'm sure it won't be that hard to find a solution to these issues. I have to go now, but as promised, I'll be researching this thoroughly (while somebody asks the admin to turn simple mode off...)

............

EDIT2: Now that I think of it, it might be a good thing that you can't start a new thread directly at the ambassadors subforum. You can reply though, so that makes it still usable as an ordinary subforum.

Also, there's an easy way to create a direct link for a given tag, so there should be easy to show an "Ambassador's virtual subforum" link anywhere in the main forums page.

(Sorry for so many edits, I know I should collect all the information first and then post, but I'm somewhat in a hurry right now.)

Here's a picture of the option that must be setup in order to see a list of tagged threads the same as an ordinary subforum.

[maniacmusician]

I'm sure at least some of you have been keeping track of the project. There's a very long thread in this very same forum. We've gotten to a point where we're getting ready to take action, and we're making sure all our bases are covered before we go ahead and do anything.

The reason for this thread is, I want to find out what the forum staff can do to collaborate with this project and make it easier for it to exist?

Certainly a subforum would be nice, to be able to stay organized. I am going to request that the subforum be in the Cafe, as it draws the highest amount of traffic (at least of the kind of users we need to pay attention to this). I know this goes against forum convention, but this project is in the best interest of everyone, so I was hoping that a bending of the rules would be permissible here (this isn't a request for you to act on this, This is just a discussion thread to scope out possibilities for us)

There has also been some discussion going on that puts forth the idea of using the tagging abilities of the forums to our advantage here. The idea is that mods and ambassadors will be able to add a special tag (like amb, or something obscure that wont get used by accident by a normal user) and that this will create a nice list of threads for the ambassadors. Is there a way to give ambassadors this tagging power? and would it work? I would take it a step further and include a tag after we're done reviewing the thread (such as amb_done) so that we know we've already seen it. would appreciate some feedback on this. Also, regarding this matter, comomolo has done a little bit of research and asks that his post may please be moved to this thread (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=1638586 )

there has also been an idea proposed for a "submit to ambassadors" button. do you think this is a viable option? should it be used alongside the tags or will we use one of them?

What else do you think needs to be done in order for this to succeed? Your opinions really are valued and respected, so please post if you can.

Thanks.

PS. I'm already planning on asking some people to help us get together a launchpad team so that we can start getting official contact with the dev's. I plan on doing this after the issues presented here have been resolved. So the next step will be more firm actions to really get this going.

[PriceChild]

I've moved that post here... but it was made before so it has appeared above... not much i can do to change that really unless he were to post again.

[ubuntu-geek]

Cool i'll follow up within 24 hours.. I am very busy atm.

[ubuntu_demon]

Why don't we merge this back in

A New Idea: Forum Ambassadors
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=278375

Let's have the discussion in one place. I already told forum staff about this thread in the staff forum. I'll bump that one. IMHO that will suffice.

Should we merge it ?

[ubuntu_demon]

my personal proposal for the Ambassadors idea (updated):
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=1626856&postcount=21

[yman]

Why don't we merge this back in

A New Idea: Forum Ambassadors
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=278375

Let's have the discussion in one place. I already told forum staff about this thread in the staff forum. I'll bump that one. IMHO that will suffice.

Should we merge it ?

I think the two threads are for two different crowds, yet this is supposed to be a discussion between the high ranks and the people who are working on this. tough call. I was going to say you shouldn't, but now that I bothered thinking I don't know.

[ubuntu_demon]

I think the two threads are for two different crowds, yet this is supposed to be a discussion between the high ranks and the people who are working on this. tough call. I was going to say you shouldn't, but now that I bothered thinking I don't know.
IMHO having multiple threads only makes the discussion more chaotic.

[sicofante]

I think this thread was born just to discuss how to implement issues on the forums (like the way tags are handled). As far as I'm concerned with that, it can be closed. It would be nice if some admin could confirm that somebody can change the Zoints add-on options and create a link to the virtual subforum. Otherwise there's no use in following this discussion here (and no need to merge the thread with the other either).

Just my 2 cents.

[maniacmusician]

There is no need to merge the threads. this was started to send an inquiry to the staff as to how we can collaborate to make this thing happen. The staff hasn't even responded back yet so to close or merge the threads would not be wise.

could a mod please remove the first post? comomolo has given a more detailed outline of his idea in post #5, so the first post no longer serves a purpose. following that, could an admin please respond to the OP (mine) where a bunch of questions were proposed? we want to get this thing moving as quickly as possible.

last but not least, ubuntu_demon: if you have proposed an idea for the ambassador project, please post it to the wiki at http://wiki.ubuntu.com/ambassadors and perhaps put your name down as an applicant (i remember you earlier volunteered to become an ambassador, correct?)

phew, i think that covers everything.

[John.Michael.Kane]

maniacmusician this thread is good to go. comomolo posts have been merged.

[ubuntu_demon]

last but not least, ubuntu_demon: if you have proposed an idea for the ambassador project, please post it to the wiki at http://wiki.ubuntu.com/ambassadors and perhaps put your name down as an applicant (i remember you earlier volunteered to become an ambassador, correct?)

phew, i think that covers everything.

I added my name and the link to my (rough) personal proposal.

[maniacmusician]

thank you :) I will go read that later on tonight, after I finish up with this dastardly amount of work I have. (or maybe when I take a break from this work). I really wish i was less busy, I would be able to get this to move along that much faster.

[maniacmusician]

could an admin please reply to my first post? I want to figure out the level of collaboration we will have with the forum staff so I can go ahead and create specs for launchpad and even create a launchpad team. In the spirit of being systematic and keeping this organized, I wanted to get this issue out of the way first.

So, admin(s), any responses?

[ubuntu_demon]

could an admin please reply to my first post? I want to figure out the level of collaboration we will have with the forum staff so I can go ahead and create specs for launchpad and even create a launchpad team. In the spirit of being systematic and keeping this organized, I wanted to get this issue out of the way first.

So, admin(s), any responses?
my personal response :
I don't think we should worry if we create great specs, get good people together and get support from the developers. The stuff should first be in place before any decision can be made by the admins.