Bringing Members Together By Profile Data.

duartix

This is something that has just ocurred to me.

I live in Portugal which is a relatively small country and I would really like to meet other members that are geographically close to me, or share experiences with other members that share the same climate. Even with this forum it's not something easy to do.

This forum could be a invaluable asset to help bringing people together, and I'm not even talking about other forms of associativism that may arise...

I would like to know how many other forum members feel this way!

My draft of proposal is:

1 - To build an Excel Book/Access Database/whatever with member information gathered from members public profile information.

1. Name (ex: Duarte)
2. Email (ex: duartix@hotmail.com)
3. Phone number (ex: Private)
4. Place (ex: Lisbon)
5. Location (ex: 38N -9W) (gathered here )
6. USDA Zone (ex: 10)

2 - Make this file available for all forum members who wish to: talk to/meet/share experiences/ask for advice with other forum members.

3 - Actively participate in the construction/update of such a list.

This is no easy task as there are 2000+ members, however I have no idea how many of those fills out their profile data so it could be a lot less.

Think about it: you could meet people that live next to you, know where they bought their tools, tell them which site did you use to import some insecticidal soap you couldn't find anywhere, show them your trees, organize collecting trips, WOW, the possibilities are endless in such an easier way...


Please vote for 1,2 or 3.
Optionaly vote also for option 4 (or don't).

Because of option 4 this is a multiple choice poll.

Thanks, and submit your votes.

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D3rutat

I might be stupid, but doesn't 3+3+1=7

Attached Images

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Attila

Not a bad idea.

TreeBay

That poll was configured to allow multiple selections by any user, so you can select as many options as you want.

The forum is based on a database, to which custom fields can be added, and the information is in there, if it has ever been entered. I don't think I would want to manage people's phone numbers because if there is even one complaint, it simply isn't worth it. (Telephone numbers can often be converted to addresses by reverse directory lookup websites. Try entering your own phonenumber into the search box at Google:

http://www.google.com

Then click the link to have it removed!

FYI, users who identified their Country as Portugal:

amartins, duartix, El-Tubaron, jml, Manuela, maria, Miguel, Miguel Bonsai, Miguel.Almada, Paulo Artur, Sérgio Silva, SpotMatic

Regards,

Matt

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duartix

@Treebay:

First of all, thank you very much for the list of Portuguese users. I apreciate it! I don't feel so alone now.
But because I felt uncomfortable asking you for this information and giving you the trouble of extracting it (which I guess isn't easily available for the regular member), I though it could be done in an automated way from the members profile information.

I've debated myself over if should propose this to you by PM because you have a lot more relevant information as the board administrator, but it wouldn't make any sense to bother you unless the forum members were interested in such a thing. So I opted for the poll.


My intention here is to start a debate, so I proposed a draft. I don't believe also on publishing phone numbers so that's why I proposed 3 care measures:

1- Members don't need to suply their phone number so it can be NULL (Private) or never even exist. The email adress is good enough.

2- Only public information from the member profile could be gathered. The key fields here are: Location and USDA Zone.

3- Only forum members would have access to this file/page/database/whatever...

It saves you some trouble, it could (or not, that's why the poll) help none/some/a lot of the users to come together.


@all:
Think about this: with latitude and longitude coordinates is far too easy to locate close members for those people who are wider spread (or at least they think they are!).

I think I recall this hapening on the forum:

"Hey X, I found out I just live within a 2h drive from you. I'll be paying a visit to your nursery this weekend!"
And I'm talking about well known members within one country alone...


Imagine those who live in the same city and feel isolated!


(EDIT) I've also edited the poll introduction text, because I was under the impression that, at the beginning, some people were voting for option 4 but not for 1,2 or 3 which makes little sense.

TreeBay

>Hey X, I found out I just live within a 2h drive from you. I'll be paying a visit to your nursery WHEN YOU'RE NOT HOME!

See what I mean? I don't think I can facilitate this for the simple fact it can be abused. With the next forum update it should be possible to search on Country and perhaps state or county. PMs are always there if you want to contact a member, and they wish to be contacted.

Regards,

Matt

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duartix

Good point!
I don't have a nursery and I live in a country capital (thieves would have to look at about 200000 flats) so I have a tendency to look at things in my perspective.

Members with great value collections need to be extra careful about publicising their moves, or even their location, which is very sad...

Yet this could help those other members who do want to be found!

Still, the forum update is good news.

Thanks, Matt!

My wife is under a downpour for the time to have already made 2 phonecalls, so I'm gone!
Have a nice weekend!

D3rutat

Thanx matt. that clears it up

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duartix

@Treebay:

Since there is a forum update in the works, and to add up a little to my last post, I would like to sugest you to think about adding searchable latitude and longitude fields (just the degrees!) to the member's profile.
As in for the USDA Zone you could include this site to users who wish to fill their location.

For me this would have less use since I live as far from the border as any portuguese could be (so your list of portuguese members was all the help I could wish for, thanks again ), but members living in a country or state's border could still miss other members that could be close to them.

Anyway that's just a suggestion.

About bonsai thieves and location information, I've been thinking about it and IMHO I think there is very little advantage (if any at all) a thief could gain by using those location coordinates (just degrees) to his advantage as in opposed to the users profile Location field.
Usually the name of the place where you live can localize you much finer than just the latitude and longitude coordinates...

So nursery owners beware of what you show on your profiles...