Is there a map to find the Member Map?

Has the Member Map been eliminated? I always considered it a useful, but under-utilized, tool. Now I cannot find it.

Yes, it's gone - very old and very inefficient software no longer maintained by the original author, and after a while it wasn't worth my effort maintaining it either.

Okay, soooooo how does a newcomer find someone nearby willing to help?

Start by looking in Library > Local Help. If that doesn't yield a close member try Member List > Advanced Search, in the Location field put in variations on your location. Or ask in a thread for local help.

Jonathan

Said it before,will say it again, should be mandatory to have your local under your screename.
Where do's Gugi Live?? Utopian??

I found the advanced search frustrating for locating user locales.

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Said it before,will say it again, should be mandatory to have your local under your screename.
Where do's Gugi Live?? Utopian??

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Agreed.
I didn't realize my location was no longer visible but I have fixed that now. Thanks for the heads up. Now all the straight shaving throngs in Rochester can look me up.

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Originally Posted by gugi

Yes, it's gone - very old and very inefficient software no longer maintained by the original author, and after a while it wasn't worth my effort maintaining it either.

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Thanks for letting me know. I was afraid it was something like that. Unfortunately it was never used as much as it should have been. Hopefully someone someday can find a more workable version that could be brought in.

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Said it before,will say it again, should be mandatory to have your local under your screename.

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It doesn't look you've thought much about it, though. In my view it should be optional because you can't make people to put their correct location. No location is better than a wrong one or garbage.
As an example:
Attachment 167703
here is what Kali looks like:
Attachment 167704


Likewise some people think that members ought to use their real names instead of made up stuff like pixelfixed - again we don't make this a requirement, just like we don't require address, date of birth, SSN, mother's maiden name etc.

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Originally Posted by Utopian

Thanks for letting me know. I was afraid it was something like that. Unfortunately it was never used as much as it should have been. Hopefully someone someday can find a more workable version that could be brought in.

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The problem is inherent in the way it was done - somebody wrote it back in 2006 and at that time the google interface for putting dots on a map was one at a time. So when you get more than several hundred members the map takes few minutes to get populated. Most forums with the basic skill to set that up could easily grow to few thousand members and at that point the map is next to impossible to use.

What you need is a map that uses the newer interface so that it loads quickly - then it'll be used. There was something like that I was looking into at some point, but I don't remember anymore what was the problem with it. Will check again what's out there that may be adapted for us with small modifications.

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Originally Posted by gugi

It doesn't look you've thought much about it, though. In my view it should be optional because you can't make people to put their correct location. No location is better than a wrong one or garbage.

Likewise some people think that members ought to use their real names instead of made up stuff like pixelfixed - again we don't make this a requirement, just like we don't require address, date of birth, SSN, mother's maiden name etc.

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"Search Members", enter "New Jersey" in the Location field and I'm getting "The connection to the server was reset while the page was loading."

Even though I may be looking for some help in the near future, I totally agree that information about the member should be up to the member himself.

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Originally Posted by Siguy

"Search Members", enter "New Jersey" in the Location field and I'm getting "The connection to the server was reset while the page was loading."

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I'll have to look at the logs why is this happening. It works properly for me - Chrome 35.0.1916.114 on OS X 10.7.5

Sorry, gugi. I forgot the browser. ::: Firefox 29.0

Same result with Chrome Version 35.0.1916.114

I'm fine with PM so as to not derail the thread. See you on the back side.

I'm not a web developer, but I know that Google Maps has an amazing range of capabilities. This implementation seems to be fairly straightforward, especially if step 7 could be streamlined or automatic.

That's one way of doing it, but I don't like it very much because in practice it doesn't work very well.

I think the way to do it is to have a map automatically populated from the locations members set and also limit the display to only 'active' members. Having a map with people who haven't been around for years only adds unnecessary clutter and makes it difficult to locate those who are currently interested both in wet shaving and in relationships with others and that's what such a map is really for.

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Originally Posted by gugi

It doesn't look you've thought much about it, though. In my view it should be optional because you can't make people to put their correct location. No location is better than a wrong one or garbage.
As an example:
Attachment 167703
here is what Kali looks like:
Attachment 167704


Likewise some people think that members ought to use their real names instead of made up stuff like pixelfixed - again we don't make this a requirement, just like we don't require address, date of birth, SSN, mother's maiden name etc.

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If you look at post #3,this member is one hr away from me
I know this because he says he lives in Vacaville, Calif,he is asking for help,what sort of Help I have no clue.
But being so close I am more than willing to meet with him If I can help him in any way I can.
I may be the closest member in relation to his location of any SRP member,I know this because I know where he lives.
To me, a Members location has been a usefull tool,I have had members come to my house many times,cut some scale material.turn a brush handle,hone a razor,make some scales etc.
Am in no way saying your local should be a requirment but it can be usefull when members are asking for help.

Of course I agree that it's useful, that's why I've done more than anybody else on this site to make it easier to set up and more visible, but making it a requirement is I think a step too far.

I am very much concerned with how things work in practice, not as an idea, so I am actually looking at the actual numbers and how this or that policy is affecting them. By numbers I mean the real numbers of how many members set up their location, how many of these locations are very generic (e.g. US, Asia, Australia, VA, MS,...), how many are useless (e.g. over here, nice place, location location location,...).

I think we are at present almost at the best we can do - about 90% of the registrations set locations with a break up: 25% generic+garbage and 65% useful. I don't think going for the remaining 10% currently empty locations by forcing everybody to put something in there is a good strategy.

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Originally Posted by gugi

Of course I agree that it's useful, that's why I've done more than anybody else on this site to make it easier to set up and more visible, but making it a requirement is I think a step too far.

I am very much concerned with how things work in practice, not as an idea, so I am actually looking at the actual numbers and how this or that policy is affecting them. By numbers I mean the real numbers of how many members set up their location, how many of these locations are very generic (e.g. US, Asia, Australia, VA, MS,...), how many are useless (e.g. over here, nice place, location location location,...).

I think we are at present almost at the best we can do - about 90% of the registrations set locations with a break up: 25% generic+garbage and 65% useful. I don't think going for the remaining 10% currently empty locations by forcing everybody to put something in there is a good strategy.

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I totally agree with Bill, should be a requirement! its not like you need to put in your actual address but at least a country of origin.

For example i was just reading this thread, http://straightrazorpalace.com/aucti...ml#post1344822
Bram talks about his location, and im trying to understand the ebay situation but Bram has no Location stated.

I've told my wife that I have sworn to roam the lands searching for lost shavers. Now, she understands my need for a motorcycle and frequent trips to Vegas.

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Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I've told my wife that I have sworn to roam the lands searching for lost shavers. Now, she understands my need for a motorcycle and frequent trips to Vegas.

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I wouldn't want to put a map between a man and his motorcycle, and I've heard all dirt roads in US lead to Vegas, so one just follows the dry riverbeds.

RevolverMaps - Free 3D Visitor Maps

How about this free app that says who is currently on the site?

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Originally Posted by CaliforniaCajun

RevolverMaps - Free 3D Visitor Maps

How about this free app that says who is currently on the site?

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I don't think that's useful. Applications like this just collect the IP addresses from where pages are loaded and then reverse lookup them in a geolocation database.

You need something that interfaces with the forum software so that it can assign screennames of active members to the map. Otherwise it's just a map with bunch of pointers showing where the site pages are downloaded from - who really cares about all those spammers from india, china, brazil, russia, etc. that are hitting the site all the time.