[Quincy]

http://www.themillsfansite.com/communit ... php?t=4101

what a bunch of knobs. probably done because i posted the pizza face picture what a faggot that boy is.

[Mcqueen_]

This site does need a major overhaul, not just a new look. I'd totally restructure it all to focus on the show now rather than the old stuff. It's only every so often news about the show is on the main page which is normally just from google news. It should be more news/details about stuff happening on/about the show ie. Aleds swim. I'll show you what i mean if i get the time

Jono is still a twat though.

[MC]

It's all a question of time. I think Unofficial Mills (bar the forum) has become an excellent fansite, and thats clearly because Jono has a lot of time on his hands to work on the site night and day. Plus he has a very busy messageboard with lots of people eager to help out in various stuff - reviews/fanzines/competitions/sound clips/archives/team interviews.. whatever.

Harris clearly doesn't have as much time with this site, and its been here for eight years so its hardly going to be as busy as a site like Jono's, which is relatively new. We also dont have the numbers prepared to help out anymore - I think chongster does design and thats it. I hardly update the Tedious Links anymore, no one reviews, only Console really does sound clips etc. People seem to have collectively lost enthusiasm with the show.

What I do find kind of interesting though is the fact we (ignoring the last few) have had some very good, postive mentions on the breakfast show (listened to by 7m people) - yet hardly any new members within that time, or at least ones that have stuck around. That either reflects one of two things:

1. Not as many people are as passionate about the show anymore, and inspired to sign up to a fansite about it (like we were).

2. We scare away the new people by being too harsh.

I think its probably a mixture of the two. Not really sure a site overhaul is going to make that much difference without more people keen to help out, although I do like the sound of it.

[Mcqueen_]

yet hardly any new members within that time, or at least ones that have stuck around. That either reflects one of two things:

Do you not think it could be that the homepage is rather stale/always the same? Could contribute. People always fresh new stuff which there isn't much of on the homepage.

Instead of "1 new show clip added" news postings there should just be a list on the latest added sound clips. Same with the news posting, instead of the headline there should be the content on the main page. People will probably visit if the place is recognised as somewhere to go afte the show to get the latest from the show. Obviously as you say it will require time and people helping out to make it work.

[Chris]

So, are you offering?

There has actually been a lot of work done behind the scenes to make sure that things stay up-to-date. The '1 new clip' messages you see are automated as part of a superb system that console has put together to automate show requests. You give us the times, and the site does the rest - the clipping, uploading, mirroring and announcement.

Whatever people feel is happening, the site gets more hits than ever. If you're going to start measuring things in 'hits' as Jono is so keen to do, there's more than six million per month.

I agree the place needs to be freshened up, but what I don't agree is that it needs to clone something else. The most popular parts of the site are the hardest to change, which is a good thing - it means they will be the last to be messed with. Leave the sound vault and the picture gallery alone - the rest, I'm happy to take suggestions on.

If someone want to throw some ideas in for a more informative front-page or other areas, then please do so.

The interaction and fresh news can only come with the assistance of the show team. Whilst we do communicate regularly, everyone is too busy to drip feed the info that makes the mills site seem on top of things.

[DemonHorse]

so what if UM is getting more hits.. have you guys not seen the massive falling out he's had with the people who designed his site and the ones that do sound clips for him?

Also I bet MW has more regulars than UM... even if I am a regular on both.

[Chris]

And if you want to know the direction that things will go in unaided, then look here: http://chrismoyles.co.uk/temp/index.php (which is far from final, apart from the top banner, colours and the general idea that the latest forum posts would liven up the main page). The headings, blocks and the rest are just placeholders.

I'm less keen on the 'cartoony' flavour that the current design has.

What I was seriously thinking about, but was wary to do, was run the whole site from a content management system, perhaps Joomla. This would have the benefit of allowing more people to easily contribute to the site. But it's a lot of effort - and ugly without someone doing the graphics magic.

[DemonHorse]

I like the look. so what is gonna be in the pane that just has TEST at the mo?

[Mafro]

The forums at UM have a very juvenile theme to them, it seems more mature here, probably due to the fact that Mills' show gets more young listeners due do him being on late afternoons.

[MC]

Some ideas off the top of my head..

- A show diary/calendar section of the site, where people can view forthcoming show guests/events/OB's etc. Maybe Aled could help contribute info if he's willing?

- A new twist on the reviews/tedious links section. Maybe a weekly/monthly based magazine thing, featuring some polls, sound clips, pictures, blogs, links to stuff Chris has been talking about.

Basically so we have one part of the site where everything can be found together, rather than half a review here and a sub forum on the messageboard. Also you could then bunch up the TV Reviews and Buzz Off pages into a larger year by year archive, which I would definitely be interested in helping out on. I started last summer on a year by year of Moyles thing but it never really got going.

- Organise and advertise regular chatroom times.. say 8 or 9pm two nights a week for people to discuss the show and of course other guff.

- Definitely a section of the site linking to the podcasts, with a weekly run down of whats on each one.

- Maybe some archive all about Chris on Celebrity X-Factor, The show at the World Cup etc in their own pages. I quiver saying it, but maybe something like a jingle archive?

- Updated biogs, maybe a weekly/monthly thing where we can all e-mail team members questions (I think Adam would probably love to help out with something like this).

- Also changing the trash can section of the forum to something like "Lets get ready to ramble" might be a good idea..

[Mafro]

- Also changing the trash can section of the forum to something like "Lets get ready to ramble" might be a good idea..

I like that.

[Chris]

Something I've always tried to do, and something I think I'll stop, is to retain all the content that's ever been created for the site. This is why we have 'Buzz Off', 'TV Reviews' and that kind of thing. It's always been difficult because it's tied me into a decision I made years ago about how this stuff was going to work, and basically better things have come along to replace it, but it'd be too difficult to migrate from the old to the new.

I'm thinking of dropping or archiving somehow the guestbook, tv reviews, buzz off and a bunch of older pages that were created. Whilst I want this to be a good current and historical repository, I think having this much old material floating around is part of what makes the place seem stale or old.

[fish heads]

To go off course, just for a second, Jono has closed the topic about discussion between the two sites - and that's exactly why his forum (imo) will never be as interesting as this place, becuase although Chris might not agree with what some idiots here post, he will moderate it in a fair way rather than making it an internet equivilant of a dictatorship.

As for the site, I am willing to contribute as often as I can. Now Moyles is back this week, I can start doing a few reviews again (i had time during the world cup, but I really didnt like those shows) starting tommorrow - but probably not all week

[DemonHorse]

yeah to be fair he did recently demote some ppl that were admins... and it seems they are VERY bitter about it... and theres been a 'mysterious' abusive guest tonight.

[David]

I hate the fact the "regulars" of this board are seen as a bunch of grumpy old bastards. The last time we got a influx of new visitors 95% of them were twats, so of course we were going to be grumpy to them. 5% (mostly the ones that stayed around) seem alright.

Unofficial Mills is used more like a chat room.

[Mafro]

yeah to be fair he did recently demote some ppl that were admins... and it seems they are VERY bitter about it... and theres been a 'mysterious' abusive guest tonight.

Didn't Adam throw a hissy-fit when that happened to him?

[DemonHorse]

A bit yeah... I think he started saying Jono owes him cash for the site... and since that I don't think he's been seen on there.

[kendra k]

it's interesting that they seem to think that the "old regulars" are the most abusive people on here, when clearly it's been newer members recently. i wish i could listen to moyles more and actually contribute something to the site. (who knows, maybe when i become a database maven, i can.) it'll be interesting to see where UM goes in the next 5 years or so. it's amazing that chris harris has been running this site so well for so long, and while i think that a historical archive is a great idea (hence, i'm becoming a librarian), it is a lot of work and maybe not worth it.

i can't wait to see what happens when jono grows up a bit.

[fish heads]

I do think the archive should be kept in some form. It's really what gives us the edge as the longest running Moyles (and indeed R1) fansite. Although newer material should take prominance it would be foolish to get rid of the old stuff completly as I think someday in the future it would be regretted

[Adam]

A bit yeah... I think he started saying Jono owes him cash for the site... and since that I don't think he's been seen on there.

I think you have your people mixed up... Jono doesn't owe me any cash?!

[DemonHorse]

ah sorry, my bad.

I have a PM from Jono about it but not sure whether I deleted it..

[Adam]

AdamX did the local government style makeover of the site, Obviously Jono has not paid him for his work.

Jono is an odd one ..

[DemonHorse]

Seems from what Jono tells me there was never an agreement over money. Nothing written anyway... dunno what AdamX's side of that story is but I do know he's not posted since he was demoted... don't know whether he's gone away (ie on hols) or what...

[MC]

Been thinking a fair bit about how to improve the site this week.

I'm thinking of dropping or archiving somehow the guestbook, tv reviews, buzz off and a bunch of older pages that were created. Whilst I want this to be a good current and historical repository, I think having this much old material floating around is part of what makes the place seem stale or old.

Just been flicking through some of those pages you mention - Buzz Off doesnt seem worth archiving in my eyes, as its only half complete anyway. The guestbook I wouldn't have thought is worth retaining either (when we have the forum here), the TV reviews maybe.

I agree about the site feeling a bit old - even though stuff like "Desktop Stuff" and "Be Moyles" are good, there is hardly anything even close to new on those pages. The biogs and FAQ definitely need updating (I am working on doing newer versions of those).

What do other people think? The more people give their opinions the better. What would you drop/keep? What new stuff should the site have on it?

[Eddie]

I think, that the thing the main page is missing is a propper photo - maybe of moyles, maybe of the team. I don't mean an abstract, faded into the background picture as we had of Chris in the past, or a cartoon as we have at present but a proper, professional looking photo or two. I also don't mean that the photo should just be plonked there, it would have to work with the theme/graphical design of the site but what looks boring with the site currently and the new design Chris is playing with, is the lack of any pictures - it's just text in boxes which isn't insantly welcoming. The photo or photos would obviously have to be updated as Chris/the team changed appearence but there could be one there that always stays there - a graphical statement rather than a picture for news or something - do you see what I mean? I'm not sure I've explained myself very well?!