# New Feature: Contact Staff



## Mike Bobbitt (21 Aug 2007)

Folks,

An idea came to us from a user to add a new menu item to make it easier to contact a Staff member who is currently online. We thought it was a great idea so we've added it to the menu. There is now a "Contact Staff" item on the menu bar, and it shows only Staff who are currently online. The list is sorted with the "most recent" Staff at the top, and clicking on a DS's name will take you directly to the PM form.

The generic "Contact Us" link at the top needs some work still, but the general concept is there.

If you have any questions, problems or suggestions... just let us know!


Cheers
Mike


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## Mike Baker (21 Aug 2007)

Mike, another great idea for the site. I hope it works well. Thanks.


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## geo (21 Aug 2007)

Great idea!
Thanks much


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## 3rd Herd (21 Aug 2007)

geo said:
			
		

> Great idea!
> Thanks much


Echoed
Wondering what that was at first then thought to check new topics.


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## TN2IC (21 Aug 2007)

Great idea Mike. Some one earned a beer.

Regards,
TN2IC


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## navymich (21 Aug 2007)

Mike Bobbitt said:
			
		

> If you have any questions, problems or suggestions... just let us know!



I know the all-member-online at the bottom of the home page is set for 1/2 hour.  My suggestion is to have the Contact staff set for 15 mins.  My thought behind this is that typically, if a DS isn't active after 15 mins, they might not be back right away if they haven't logged off, and therefore if the question/comment that was put to them was of a priority matter, the member isn't then having to repeat it to another current member.  Some might say just to pick the top DS on the list as they are the most current as Mike says, but I'm sure there are others, like myself, who are either more comfortable with certain mods, or just have a better report with them.


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## armyvern (21 Aug 2007)

Mich, 

They can always check the mods profile to see the time "Last active." That should tell them whether the half hour is winding down or whether the mod is actually "active."


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## armyvern (21 Aug 2007)

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> Mich,
> 
> They can always check the mods profile to see the time "Last active." That should tell them whether the half hour is winding down or whether the mod is actually "active."



And thinking about that a bit more ...

Perhaps if clicking on the "Staff Contact List" above took the member directly to the mods profile (instead of the PM screen), users would be able to see the "last active" time right away, and then simply scroll down and click on the glowing green PM button to send the PM if they are satisfied.

That might work.  ???


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## mudrecceman (21 Aug 2007)

Nice feature.  Mike sounds like you almost have the beginnings of a CCB (Configuration Control Board...) on the go now!


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## deedster (21 Aug 2007)

Good work Mike!
Nice feature.


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## George Wallace (24 Aug 2007)

Lorraine Brown said:
			
		

> Re: Hwy 401 East...
> With all due respect, and in honor of our fallen soldiers, why are we not dedicating and re-naming our new CANADIAN AIRCRAFT after ALL our Canadian soldiers ? In our books they should all be considered "heroes" for having the courage to risk their lives and ...
> 
> I do not understand how we can dedicate this stretch of Hwy 401 to our fallen soldiers when in reality it was recently named the WORST and MOST DANGEROUS Hwy in Canada.
> ...



 ???

I am missing something here.


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## Mike Bobbitt (24 Aug 2007)

Too slow George, I already split moved and merged it. I gotta take my victories when I can, you guys are normally way ahead of me.


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## Good2Golf (24 Aug 2007)

Mike, I like the feature...gives folks a choice (not that it's needed, but perception is reality, right?)

Duey


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## Greymatters (21 Sep 2007)

Is it me or is the 'Contact staff' at the top of the page a new feature?  Or am I just being obtuse and not notice this before?

I am curious about why a specific name is there, currently 'Cdn Aviator' - is he the 'staff on duty' or something similiar? 

_(Edit - merged from another thread...)_


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## armyvern (21 Sep 2007)

It's been there for a month now.  ;D

Perhaps you missed this thread??

It's been worked on since. If you, or anyone else, needs to contact a staff regarding any matter, you can simply look up there to see who's online. Click on their name and it will automaticlly open up a PM to that particular DS.


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## Yrys (21 Sep 2007)

I've miss that thread  !

Hey, no staff online now. doeas that mean that we can wreack a little havoc here,
until someone come back   ?

(just kidding, no need to demote me ... further  : )


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## armyvern (21 Sep 2007)

Nope ...

I'm here.

 8)


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## Greymatters (21 Sep 2007)

I was away for a few weeks back then and must have missed that one, thanks for the link...


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## armyvern (21 Sep 2007)

No problemo ...


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## Greymatters (21 Sep 2007)

Wait a sec...if you're online now (judging from the speed of the response), how come your name isnt on there?    ???


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## armyvern (21 Sep 2007)

GreyMatter said:
			
		

> Wait a sec...if you're online now (judging from the speed of the response), how come your name isnt on there?    ???



My user settings for "show on-line status" in my profile are currently set to ...

"No."


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## Greymatters (21 Sep 2007)

To add:

I tried the link to the Contact Us page - is it feasable to have on that page the names of all the current Mods?  Or is that redundant?


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## Greymatters (21 Sep 2007)

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> My user settings for "show on-line status" in my profile are currently set to ... "No."



Ah, seen (or in this case, read),  that would also explain the 'offline' under your photo in the post.... kind of a 'covert Moderator' status....  ;D


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## armyvern (21 Sep 2007)

GreyMatter said:
			
		

> To add:
> 
> I tried the link to the Contact Us page - is it feasable to have on that page the names of all the current Mods?  Or is that redundant?



There,

I switched my settings for you (I just neglected to switch 'em back last night) so I should show up now.

I think the contact list above is for getting in contact with a mod quickly ... for whatever reason ... when you need one who is online.

Other than that, if you want to just PM a mod who is offline (thus not showing), you can always go to their profile to send a PM.

But I think you have a good idea for Mike if it's possible. When you click on the "Contact Us" hyperlink in that bar that, besides the little note, there were a listing of all the site mods with the PM box next to their names (green box for online, white box for those offline). I don't know if it's possible though.


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## armyvern (21 Sep 2007)

Hmmm,

Perhaps that main drop down list can even be modified to include all staff onto it ... with their status box beside their name. That way you'd know immediately whether they were online or offline and could make contact to any of them from this location.

Perhaps with those mods with green status boxes (thus online) listed at the top by auto-sorting which places the most recently active mod at the top of the listing.

Interesting.


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## Greymatters (21 Sep 2007)

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> Perhaps that main drop down list can even be modified to include all staff onto it ... with their status box beside their name. That way you'd know immediately whether they were online or offline and could make contact to any of them from this location.
> 
> Perhaps with those mods with green status boxes (thus online) listed at the top by auto-sorting which places the most recently active mod at the top of the listing.
> 
> Interesting.



That sounds even better!

Im not sure if it has a practical use, other than seeing who's on line or not, but I think it would show just how many people (Mods) it takes to monitor during any part of the day.  Perhaps it would be a boost for site credibility?  (As if it needs any more...)

However, itwould be a negative for the least active Mod.  He/she might be labelled a 'slacker'...   ;D

Heh, Mike's going to hate us for coming up with this stuff... wait till the site starts jumping in the morning and a few hundred others start giving ideas...  >


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## Greymatters (21 Sep 2007)

Oh, forgot to add....



			
				ArmyVern said:
			
		

> I switched my settings for you (I just neglected to switch 'em back last night) so I should show up now.



Just for me!!!!???    :blotto:   (hehe)


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## armyvern (21 Sep 2007)

GreyMatter said:
			
		

> That sounds even better!
> 
> Im not sure if it has a practical use, other than seeing who's on line or not, but I think it would show just how many people (Mods) it takes to monitor during any part of the day.  Perhaps it would be a boost for site credibility?  (As if it needs any more...)
> 
> ...



That listing up there changes constantly now. Whichever mod last pressed "click" for whatever reason shows at the top of the list. It just only shows "online mod."

There's no rhyme nor reason to the number of mods on the site during any given time or part of the day ... when we're here, we are; when we're not, we're not. The list would mean nothing towards which mods are here more often etc. 

Me?? I'm an insomniac, ergo I can usually be found hanging around most of the time.

Vern


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## Mike Bobbitt (21 Sep 2007)

You can see the full list of Staff here:

http://forums.milnet.ca/forums/index.php?action=mlist;sa=search

Just enter "Directing Staff" in the text box and select (only) Search by position in the checkboxes.


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## Yrys (21 Sep 2007)

Mmm. 30 peoples there ...

Nice list if someone ever want to petition one of the 20  DS who didn't make a " Meet The Staff" interview   ...

(if you include Mike B.)


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