Thread: Help us Build a Better BHUZ!

Originally Posted by ShoshannaQ

Hi Rosey,
Within the post the new categories are dark purple, and easy to read. On the swap board where you see all of the threads listed the categories are a pale pink of the same lightness value as the light yellow background, and are really tough to see. I'm on Safari, haven't checked Firefox yet.

It's also like this on the "New Posts" and "Shopping Only" searches, and I'm using IE.

Originally Posted by Rosey

Can you be much more specific about exactly what feature you can't see well? I checked the Chrome and IE browsers, and all the new stuff is very visible to me on both those browsers, so it could be your computer. Also tell me what browser you are using.

I took a screenshot of what I am seeing (in firefox). That very pale pink writing is the description of the items in the wap, and is too light to read.

I see the same thing.

Originally Posted by Monica

I took a screenshot of what I am seeing (in firefox). That very pale pink writing is the description of the items in the wap, and is too light to read.

AH ha! Thanks for the screenshot! Will take care of this shortly.

It appears that some of the new swap meet attributes got applied to old threads in a way that was incorrect.

For example, when I did a search for "Available" and "Music", this old thread for a costume that has actually been sold came up:

http://www.bhuz.com/bellydance-swap-...ced-550-a.html


Maybe one of the search attributes should let the searcher filter by age of the thread? "Less that x days ago" or whatever?

What I'd like is for the new posts list to actually display correctly if a minimum font size larger than the tiny default is specified in the browser prefs. FireFox in this case, but this is a coding problem on the page.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

Rosey, wow, that was FAST!

I've had a chance to play with the new search options in Swap Meet. I agree with Monica that using a higher-contrast font color would help a lot. For the size search, perhaps you could use "Petite and Small", "Medium", "Large", "Extra-Large and Larger" as categories? You could use the size chart from one of the online catalog companies as a guideline for what the sizes mean, for example: Lands' End | Swimwear, Outerwear, Casual Clothing and more

Something like this:

• "Extra Small" would be bust 31-34 inches, waist 24-28 inches, hips 34-37 inches.
• "Small" would be bust 35-36, waist 28-30 inches, hips 38-39 inches.
• "Medium" would be bust 37-39, waist 30-32 1/2 inches, hips 40-42 inches.
• "Large" would be bust 40-42, waist 33-36 inches, hips 43-45
• "Extra Large and larger" would be bust 43 or larger, waist 37 inches or larger, hips 46 inches or larger.
• "Children" would be just that.
• "Men" would be just that.

See, I still really object to having it narrowed down too much. By the parameters you defined, I'm a small everywhere but my bust, where I'm a large. plus cup is helpful, because whether it's a 38DD (which I can shorten the band for) or a 32G, it's still a plus cup- but there are too many variables on determining whether something is just 'small' or 'large.' I really appreciate it when the posts are more specific- maybe stating bra size from the outset- 32DD tells me a lot more than just D cup, or plus size for that matter. It tells me much more quickly if I will be able to fit/adjust or not, so maybe that would be an option?

Originally Posted by Lara L

See, I still really object to having it narrowed down too much. By the parameters you defined, I'm a small everywhere but my bust, where I'm a large. plus cup is helpful, because whether it's a 38DD (which I can shorten the band for) or a 32G, it's still a plus cup- but there are too many variables on determining whether something is just 'small' or 'large.' I really appreciate it when the posts are more specific- maybe stating bra size from the outset- 32DD tells me a lot more than just D cup, or plus size for that matter. It tells me much more quickly if I will be able to fit/adjust or not, so maybe that would be an option?

I understand your concern - it's true that many people have top/bottom ratios that are different from the "average".

But anybody posting an item to swap meet still has full control of what they put in their subject line - and their subject line can still identify the type of details you're looking for, if they're a smart seller. Nobody is suggesting that people QUIT offering specific detail in their subject lines.

I'm just suggesting that for some people who find it too tedious to wade through all the never-in-a-million-years-fit-me entries, being able to search on size might help weed out some of the obviously unsuitable choices. For those who wish to take the time and energy to read every entry, or at least every subject line, that option will still be available.

I understand that a general sizing search criterion doesn't work for you, personally, but why would you demand that it NOT be made available to others who might see value to it?

Originally Posted by *Shira*

It appears that some of the new swap meet attributes got applied to old threads in a way that was incorrect.

For example, when I did a search for "Available" and "Music", this old thread for a costume that has actually been sold came up:

http://www.bhuz.com/bellydance-swap-...ced-550-a.html


Maybe one of the search attributes should let the searcher filter by age of the thread? "Less that x days ago" or whatever?

The new system does not work properly with old posts, it will take up to 2 months to get sorted out, but after that it should be great, if sellers will use the system. In order for the system to work sellers have to use it when listing an item. Obviously, this is not possible for old posts unless sellers go back and fill in the fields correctly.

Originally Posted by Lara L

See, I still really object to having it narrowed down too much. By the parameters you defined, I'm a small everywhere but my bust, where I'm a large. plus cup is helpful, because whether it's a 38DD (which I can shorten the band for) or a 32G, it's still a plus cup- but there are too many variables on determining whether something is just 'small' or 'large.' I really appreciate it when the posts are more specific- maybe stating bra size from the outset- 32DD tells me a lot more than just D cup, or plus size for that matter. It tells me much more quickly if I will be able to fit/adjust or not, so maybe that would be an option?

LOL! I sympathize! But in 100 years of ready to wear, manufacturers haven't been able to get sizing perfected, so we certainly won't! All we can do is make things a little more convenient for most people.

Originally Posted by zorba

What I'd like is for the new posts list to actually display correctly if a minimum font size larger than the tiny default is specified in the browser prefs. FireFox in this case, but this is a coding problem on the page.

Please send a screen shot. I checked New Posts on my machine in Firefox and didn't see a problem.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

It's also like this on the "New Posts" and "Shopping Only" searches, and I'm using IE.

Hope to take care of this later today.

I don't know how small this will be as a photo. The posts have a pink font that is really hard to read on the light yellow backdrop and they are all spaced fairly far apart so scanning is difficult.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

I understand your concern - it's true that many people have top/bottom ratios that are different from the "average".

But anybody posting an item to swap meet still has full control of what they put in their subject line - and their subject line can still identify the type of details you're looking for, if they're a smart seller. Nobody is suggesting that people QUIT offering specific detail in their subject lines.

I'm just suggesting that for some people who find it too tedious to wade through all the never-in-a-million-years-fit-me entries, being able to search on size might help weed out some of the obviously unsuitable choices. For those who wish to take the time and energy to read every entry, or at least every subject line, that option will still be available.

I understand that a general sizing search criterion doesn't work for you, personally, but why would you demand that it NOT be made available to others who might see value to it?

Quite simply, as a potential seller, I am concerned that someone will do a search for "small" and not have my item pulled up at all. I want my item to be seen by the broadest range of people who would be interested in it.

Originally Posted by Rosey

LOL! I sympathize! But in 100 years of ready to wear, manufacturers haven't been able to get sizing perfected, so we certainly won't! All we can do is make things a little more convenient for most people.

I know, believe me! This is exactly why I *don't* want it narrowed down that much. Either broad enough that, if I sell something, it will reach all the people who might be interested in the item (like regular/plus cup) or specific enough that folks can enter *exactly* what they are looking for (and I will be very impressed if you find a non-bulky way of doing that!)

Originally Posted by Lara L

Quite simply, as a potential seller, I am concerned that someone will do a search for "small" and not have my item pulled up at all. I want my item to be seen by the broadest range of people who would be interested in it.

Either way, as a potential seller, there will be people who won't see your listing.

Under today's system, your entries will be seen by people who have the patience to dig through hundreds of entries that would never fit in a million years in search of the one not-yet-sold item that might.

But people like me who lack the patience to do that would never see your entry. If there were a way to screen by size, people who rarely/never use swap meet today might start doing so.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

Either way, as a potential seller, there will be people who won't see your listing.

Under today's system, your entries will be seen by people who have the patience to dig through hundreds of entries that would never fit in a million years in search of the one not-yet-sold item that might.

But people like me who lack the patience to do that would never see your entry. If there were a way to screen by size, people who rarely/never use swap meet today might start doing so.

so, in a sm. md. lg. etc. system, what would you suggest I do? post my costume under both small & large? make a special 'disproportunate' category? Honestly, I'd love to see a tool for just making the key measurements visible before clicking through to the post- maybe instead of 'size' have 'bust/underbust/hip measurement'- that would let folks sort through sizes at a glance, tho I don't know that it would help a search function.

I'm all for making the system more user friendly, I just want to make sure we think it out & really make it efficient. I don't like sorting through everything eeither, & often want to scream "put the cup size in the title." I agree with you on the need for sorting, what I'm asking for is a more accurate way to do it.

So, right now, there is an entry for size that looks like this
Costume Size: Medium (bust 37-39 inches, waist 30-32, hips 40-42)

Except my costume is actually a bust 38-42, waist 26-30, hip 34-38- so why not let people enter the accurate measurements rather than imposing false standardization?

Originally Posted by Lara L

So, right now, there is an entry for size that looks like this
Costume Size: Medium (bust 37-39 inches, waist 30-32, hips 40-42)

Except my costume is actually a bust 38-42, waist 26-30, hip 34-38- so why not let people enter the accurate measurements rather than imposing false standardization?

As I said, you can put anything that pleases you into the post's subject line. As a seller, if you don't wish to pick a size from the drop-down menu, you can skip it.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

As I said, you can put anything that pleases you into the post's subject line. As a seller, if you don't wish to pick a size from the drop-down menu, you can skip it.

this doesn't really answer my question- why not just allow a space to have the actual measurements right on the post instead of a generalized small medium, large? I would think this would be *more* helpful- I know I'm not the only one who struggles with non-standard sizing!

The top post has a limited number of characters (often the titles are chopped off on my screen) but with that added space which is offered as it is now, why not put more useful information there?

To me, this basically says those who fit the 'norms' should be able to easily search for their size, but anyone with non-standard sizing doesn't deserve the same consideration.

Originally Posted by Lara L

this doesn't really answer my question- why not just allow a space to have the actual measurements right on the post instead of a generalized small medium, large? I would think this would be *more* helpful- I know I'm not the only one who struggles with non-standard sizing!

The top post has a limited number of characters (often the titles are chopped off on my screen) but with that added space which is offered as it is now, why not put more useful information there?

To me, this basically says those who fit the 'norms' should be able to easily search for their size, but anyone with non-standard sizing doesn't deserve the same consideration.

No controversy needed! Now there is an optional field to fill in specific measurements. Still working on getting the fields to appear better in the thread list.

Originally Posted by lylagus

I don't know how small this will be as a photo. The posts have a pink font that is really hard to read on the light yellow backdrop and they are all spaced fairly far apart so scanning is difficult.

I hope to get this fixed soon, bear with me.

Originally Posted by lylagus

I don't know how small this will be as a photo. The posts have a pink font that is really hard to read on the light yellow backdrop and they are all spaced fairly far apart so scanning is difficult.

This is what I see as well and I didn't even notice the pink at first, (I thought the forum had screwed up somehow - it looks really weird) I had to hunt down this thread it wasn't showing up in new posts. After finding and reading this thread I went back to new posts, couldn't see the pink mentioned so I highlighted it to see if anything was there. Looks like for me a lot of new threads/posts are not showing up when I click new posts.

As for sizing, each country has different sizes, I am a 12-14 ( 12 in pants 14 in tops) Australian in US I'd be a 10-12, so for me measurements are much better.

I understand the benefits of the new swapmeet format, and I am sure that for those who are actively involved in it, that will be a great tool. However, the bad news is - on a mobile device, the new format is problematic. The display where posts take a lot more space vertically requires an unreasonable amount of scrolling, when I zoom in enough to be able to read things, my iPod displays 2 or 3 posts' headers at a time. I would even go so far that as a result, Bhuz with the swap posts included is unusable on a mobile device, I am afraid. (Can't share a screen shot of this, I don't think my iPod has that functionality.)

And, along the same lines, with the ISO forum included in the "exclude shopping" search, this problem impacts users who are not looking to buy or sell. Maybe that can be avoided by modifying the exclude shopping/shopping only searches?

Originally Posted by steffib

I understand the benefits of the new swapmeet format, and I am sure that for those who are actively involved in it, that will be a great tool. However, the bad news is - on a mobile device, the new format is problematic. The display where posts take a lot more space vertically requires an unreasonable amount of scrolling, when I zoom in enough to be able to read things, my iPod displays 2 or 3 posts' headers at a time. I would even go so far that as a result, Bhuz with the swap posts included is unusable on a mobile device, I am afraid. (Can't share a screen shot of this, I don't think my iPod has that functionality.)

And, along the same lines, with the ISO forum included in the "exclude shopping" search, this problem impacts users who are not looking to buy or sell. Maybe that can be avoided by modifying the exclude shopping/shopping only searches?

I have removed the extra fields from the thread index list. The extra fields were added to help when using search, they aren't necessary in the thread list, and as you say, they seriously impede smart phone users.

There is plenty of room in the thread title field to give measurements, that is the best way to handle the measurement issue.

That seems like a very good solution - it takes advantage of the new features (being able to do search), while at the same time avoiding the drawbacks of displaying too much information (taking up a lot of vertical space).

Thanks Rosey, I am quite relieved to see the old format back

Originally Posted by Georgine

I agree with this, I makes it hard to read, and I don't like to look. I know you need the adds but I am considering getting an add blocker it is so annoying.

My apologies about this! We are trying out a different look. I am beginning to think that the blinking advertisements aren't really doing anyone a favor, and we may need to move back to static easy on the eye ads.

Don't forget that it is important to support our advertisers, if you want BHUZ to continue.

I am finding that because of the blinking, I am actually not looking at the ads at all anymore. I have to tune them out in order to not get a headache. When they were on the side I actually looked at them, and clicked on them. I remember the ads before, now I can't even tell you what a single one is.
I do support the advertisers btw, I understand the need for the ads. Maybe if they stopped blinking my eyes would go back to focusing on them.