• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

Your thoughts please! How can we improve...

R

Robert Walker

---------------
Joined
Oct 31, 2010
Messages
3,904
Reaction score
408
Points
0
Location
USA
I would really appreciate hearing your feedback and thoughts about the look, layout & functionality of Fauna. Nothing in life is perfect, and therefore there is always room for potential updates, changes and advances to anything, including ourselves. From what you have seen here on Fauna and around the web else where, what are some suggestions you could offer up for potential changes here? Some changes might be incredibly hard to do, but others might be simple alterations that could have huge impact.

It would be nice at the end of thread if we could condense our thoughts to perhaps 10 main actionable suggestions. We are not privy to the programming costs associated with each suggestion, so it is not like they would all happen, but perhaps there are a couple in the list that could really make some affordable impact. Fauna has a huge variety of wonderful options, so this isn't a slam Fauna thread. If you offer a criticism, then please at least offer a helpful suggestion along with it. P-L-E-A-S-E, lets hear your thoughts!

ex. "I would like to see if we could add X feature here that this site has"
ex. "I think if we adjusted X feature already here and had it do this..."
ex. "This function always confuses me, could I suggest this instead"
 
Last edited:
There are no right or wrong suggestions, they are your personal thoughts, so go ahead and offer them up!

I'll start us off: What if we were to move the "Auctions" into the classifieds sections instead of having their own separate forum. Rather then divide viewers into multiple areas lets condense them to one and strengthen both. The separate area for auctions was given a fair chance to thrive by itself, lets now try it combined with classifieds. We could simply ad an "auction" drop down to the prefix tabs.
 

Attachments

  • Untitled-2 copy.jpg
    Untitled-2 copy.jpg
    61.5 KB · Views: 335
I do have one minor suggestion. When you click the Faunaclassifieds logo, it takes you to the classifieds home page instead of the splash page with the new posts information. I have no way of actually getting back to the splash page without actually retyping in the url. There is a hotlink for the classifieds and forum sections on the left side of the page already, but none for the splash page. Is this something that is fixable?
 
Robert Walker said:
There are no right or wrong suggestions, they are your personal thoughts, so go ahead and offer them up!

I'll start us off: What if we were to move the "Auctions" into the classifieds sections instead of having their own separate forum. Rather then divide viewers into multiple areas lets condense them to one and strengthen both. The separate area for auctions was given a fair chance to thrive by itself, lets now try it combined with classifieds. We could simply ad an "auction" drop down to the prefix tabs.
Click to expand...

The reason the auctions were put into a different section is because the regular classifieds sections have "anti-bumping" custom code in place, which would be incompatible with any ad designed to be treated as an auction style sale.
 
Rich, you for sure will know 100x better than the rest of us the ins and outs behind the scenes reasonings. I know there will be some things that just won't work, cost vs. benefit, desire vs. code limitations.

This may be a dead issue, but if some day a work around presented itself, it would be a suggestion.
 
snowgyre said:
I do have one minor suggestion. When you click the Faunaclassifieds logo, it takes you to the classifieds home page instead of the splash page with the new posts information. I have no way of actually getting back to the splash page without actually retyping in the url. There is a hotlink for the classifieds and forum sections on the left side of the page already, but none for the splash page. Is this something that is fixable?
Click to expand...

Splash page?
I use my control panel as my bookmark for this site, and have for years; so I'm not sure what you're calling the splash page...or what it offers that would make you want to go back to it once you're here.

Edited to add:
I think you're talking about the home page (the page you get when accessing via "faunaclassifieds.com"). I see that the link to the forums home page takes you to the forum map (the index page)
 
snowgyre said:
I do have one minor suggestion. When you click the Faunaclassifieds logo, it takes you to the classifieds home page instead of the splash page with the new posts information. I have no way of actually getting back to the splash page without actually retyping in the url. There is a hotlink for the classifieds and forum sections on the left side of the page already, but none for the splash page. Is this something that is fixable?
Click to expand...

If you are talking about the graphics logo in the upper left hand corner of the screen, when I click it it goes to the front page of the forum -> http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/index.php? I believe this is where most people would prefer the entry point when looking for a "home" button.
 
Part of the reason for the auctions being separate was because when people started wanting that feature again, the classifieds were closed to posts by registered members...which meant that participating in auctions would have been limited to contributing members, OR that sellers would have to accept PM'd bids by registered members & be vigilant about updating the ad with the current high bid (which would have created all sorts of problems).
 
The splash page/screen is the primary/"front" page. The one that the following link takes you to:
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com.

The forums home page is, of course, the following:
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/index.php.

I would not mind it if clicking on the logo would take you to the splash page/screen.
However, I would hate it if all FC links (located near the top of all pages) took you to the Splash page. That would be a pain since you would constantly have to take an extra step to get back to the forums home page (where I prefer to be).
 
The "splash page" -> http://www.faunaclassifieds.com is really considered as the entry point from someone just finding the site for the first time, in my opinion. Once someone gets into the forums main page itself, I believe that they will tend to stay there and really have little reason to go back to the splash page at all. Realistically, the forums main page IS FaunClassifieds.

But maybe I'm wrong. So tell me why anyone would want to go back to the splash page after finding the forum main page. I would have to say that I NEVER go to that page myself unless I specifically want to check the Site Sponsors section, which seems to only work on one browser I use on alternate Tuesdays.
 
Maybe it's just me, but the splash page is actually what I constantly go back to rather than navigate the very busy forums/classifieds links page. The primary reason is that I can click on the "New Posts" button next to my user ID and easily find all the updated threads since my last visit.
 
Oh, one more minor thing. If you're on the splash page and go to "Quick Links" and then select "Your Classifieds," the link is broken and refreshes the splash page instead of taking you to your classifieds page. The link fixes itself once you enter a forum, but it is an extra step.
 
My suggestion would be to figure out how to get the FC pages to send out an undetectable wavelength that would turn lurkers into social butterflies.;)

Onto being more serious ...

I believe we touched, a wee bit, on making FC more mobile friendly (without Tapatalk) for, yet undisclosed, certain mobile phones.
I have no problems, with my smartphone, except for not being able to leave a comment when giving Karma (but can still give Karma. So, it is not a huge deal).
I suppose that if anyone is having problems, with different mobile phones, they could speak up and, perhaps, leave suggestions.:shrug01:

I don’t have any suggestions, at this very moment, for improving the FC site. However, if one comes to me, I will post it.:)
 
I have occasionally accessed the site through that page; but I don't find the content particularly useful TO ME...and, for a while, a portion of it was downright annoying (again, TO ME). I'm not the one that has to deal with the page layout; but if that page is popular, a link could be added to the navigation bar...OR, if that throws things off, the Fauna Homepage could probably be added to QuickLinks.

Personally, my first stop is my User CP - easy access to PMs, my Classifieds Panel, and review of activity in threads to which I'm subscribed. After that New Posts (or Today's Posts via QuickLink - sometimes the content is different, especially if I've had to log off for some reason).

Going back to auctions - that section looks pretty dead. Relatively few auctions posted, even fewer get any activity. It might help if that section was more visible - either including it in the homepage link to the classifieds, even though it's a separate section; or adding a link to the homepage navigation bar. I don't know how much of the disuse is people just not knowing about it; but, as it exists, I consider it a waste of space.
I know auctions have been increasing in popularity again (elsewhere); but - as Rich has pointed out in the past - investing in a more specialized auction platform when what is here doesn't get utilized, is a risky investment. Sure, it MIGHT pay off - spurring an increase in traffic and useage, and thriving on its merits...or it could sit there, still unused, despite the financial outlay.
 
snowgyre said:
Maybe it's just me, but the splash page is actually what I constantly go back to rather than navigate the very busy forums/classifieds links page. The primary reason is that I can click on the "New Posts" button next to my user ID and easily find all the updated threads since my last visit.
Click to expand...

I don't understand - the New Posts link is accessible from most (if not all) pages. If you like the "splash" page, I'm not going to try to steer you away from it...but if you like it because you can click on the New Posts button, you might be wasting steps by going back to it. It's in the same place on this very page :shrug01:

Maybe I'm missing something, or misunderstood?
 
snowgyre said:
Maybe it's just me, but the splash page is actually what I constantly go back to rather than navigate the very busy forums/classifieds links page. The primary reason is that I can click on the "New Posts" button next to my user ID and easily find all the updated threads since my last visit.
Click to expand...

Like Harald, I have always logged on into my User CP. When the "Splash Page" was redone a few years ago, I think that was the last time I looked at it until now.

I like logging into the CP because it brings up immediately my subscribed threads and forums. Then I can easily click on the "new posts" link that is on top of every page. Then I will usually look and the forums homepage. I have always considered it the main page for the site.

The "Splash Page" has never really appealed to me.
 
My thoughts about the splash page - I like it for a single reason. There are large pictures of the animals available next to the most recent classifieds listings. If there was a way to browse all the classifieds in this mode, it would be awesome. Maybe there is and I just don't know? Anyway, just my two cents. Viewing the pictures of everything is fun and not having to click is non-commitment based - like having fun walking around at a show looking at things without bothering the person at the table. If something catches your eye, you can look closer, but you got a good look from the thumbnail as it is.

The thing that I think could be most improved with fauna isn't the architecture of the site or anything like that, it's the lack of forum interaction. I'm not sure why people don't post discussion topics very often here. Every time I've posted I've gotten nearly immediate, good answers or useful discussion. Definitely not a site problem as much as a user problem. Perhaps something could be done to encourage discussion forum posts?
 
Okay just trying to put some shared suggestions to bullet points. I think we all realize everyone appreciates suggestions even if actually doing something about it might simply not be feasible. So in order of posting, not importance.

1. Auctions: Combining them into the classifieds
2. Splash Page: linking the FC Logo to it & perhaps adding it to the Nav bar or Quick links.
3. Mobile Friendlier: ability to leave Karma comments
4. More Participation in Forums: __________suggestions?
 
Here is an observation I have noticed. People like seeing "new and active" things happening. New classifieds, new threads, new discussions being posted.

Lets take a site with 100 new classifieds, 20 new topics, 50 discussion responses per day. (totally making up figures).

SITE A: condenses all 170 items into one common viewing area, similar to a FB page.
SITE B: divides those same 170 items between 17 locations.

There is no more traffic on SITE A, however it feels like there is more "activity" and things are hopping over on SITE A. SITE B has the same amount of traffic but because it is divided, a user may only see her/his own niche and only 'thinks' 10 things have gone on during the day, and site feels less used and not as active.

Same traffic for both, one feels different than the other. SITE A gives a false perception of being more active than it really is. SITE B does the opposite.

So one suggestion would be to condense/combine some forums, both boosting perceived and actual activity to the merged forum. This is my logic behind combining AUCTIONS & CLASSIFIEDS. The same could be true for other forums like combining all the Colubrids together, etc.

Having users exposed to other merged threads & classifieds might expand their horizons into other areas then they realized they liked before.
 
Robert Walker said:
Having users exposed to other merged threads & classifieds might expand their horizons into other areas then they realized the liked before.
Click to expand...

On a (non reptile) site I visit frequently, off to the right and below some of the ads on each of the main pages of each of the forums is a list of the 'most recent posts' (I think they list 10), I like that feature and have joined some interesting conversations just by seeing the most recent post feature.
I'm sure the advertisers must like it also.
And it is not intrusive, if you didn't want to look at the most recent posts it would be OK.
 
Back
Top