Time for website format update?

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braden
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Last seen: 6 years 9 months ago
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Joined: 09/01/2013 - 10:13pm
Time for website format update?

Hello OLGA community!

I read that the OLGA website's last update was in 2008. I am fond of the currrent website's format, although I envision some aspects could be significantly improved. I am worried that the OLGA website is reaching less people than it could, because of outdated formatting in some aspects of the site.

So I will list off what I see as some of the positive and negative aspects of this site in its current form:

Positive

+ economic/low cost

+ neatly organized interface with tabs for Home, Gamers, Family, Chat Room, etc

+ friendly color thematic that doesn't hurt your eyes

+++ NO ADS!!

+ Simple, easy to use

Negative

- Slow navigation, no quick way to get back to familiar threads (one must sift through all the new and old threads to find a thread they previously commented on, then sift through comments. Is this intended?)

- No real "comment alert" system that alerts you that someone commented on your post, other than private message alerts (like on facebook)

- Interface is barebones...not even a single video introduction for new members or 1st time visitors....I think for younger gamers a lot of text can be a big turn off

- Chatroom doesn't indicate when others are typing, like MSN does, so you wonder if they are afk

-Video face-to-face meetings would be nice. Of course, this is expensive.

In other words, I would try to "facebook" the OLGAANON site by giving it beefier notifications and hopefully some kind of video capacity for chat meetings (always skype?). I should mention that chat meetings have the advantage of providing more anynomity (which can be good).

How would I plan to pay for this?:

-Related ads (books specifically geared at ending addiction)

-Finding Sponsors

-Demanding just a LITTLE more from Members

Out of the 3 options, I like #2 the best. I compliment OLGAANAON for running this site so cheaply and efficiently for such a long time! I just think it is time to move forward technologically with the Olgaannon , because I think the old-school text-only interface is throwing off some younger users and causing them to lose interest in this site prematurely.

Pls give feedback. Thanks!

dan1
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Last seen: 9 years 10 months ago
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Joined: 05/04/2012 - 6:42pm
Thanks, braden, for the

Thanks, braden, for the suggestions. They are really excellent. As we update, we'll be paying attention to these and other things people have been saying over time.

It's also great that you realize that these things are expensive.

The only difficulty with what you suggest is that OLGA, as a recovery fellowship follows the 12 Traditions. http://olganon.org/?q=12_Traditions

We follow these traditions in order to maintain our focus as a recovery fellowship, so that our mission (helping the suffering gaming addict) is never compromised, our fellowship is never governed (we are instead led by our group conscience), and no outside group or individual ever has any influence over what we do and say. In order to do this we are fully self-supporting and actually would decline contributions from those who are not in the fellowship (ouside sponsors of organizations always, always end up having lots of influence and sometimes control).

All this being said, we then need support from members. And to have an updated website with some of the capabilities you suggest (and others that have been talked about for some time), we will need more support. In order to maintain our independence and our mission, that support will have to come from us.

http://olganon.org/?q=donate

I am a recovering computer game and gambling addict. My recovery birthday: On May 6, 2012 I quit games and began working a program of recovery through OLGA No computer games or slot games for me since December 12, 2012. No solitaire games with real cards since June 2013.

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