Ideas and suggestions

[nilsjohan]

Piano Forum is a community and the aim is to develop it according to our members' wishes and needs. We would like to hear what you think about Piano Forum.
Could anything be better?
Is anything missing?

[bethie]

It would be nice if the profiles were more extensive. Exactly what we do (piano teacher, professional, student), how long we have been playing, our favorite composer, music, etc... even non-piano details, possibly.

[nilsjohan]

Thanks for your advice, bethie!
It is a good idea and actually something I am working on.  As soon as it is finished this will be included in the Piano Forum!

[Added 25/1 2002:
I am still thinking about if and how to add this feature. The problem is that if I change the format of the member files, it is going to be really difficult to upgrade the forum software in the future.]

[bethie]

I really appreciate all the work you are putting into this, nilsjohan! Piano Forum is a wonderful site to be able to come to.  There is so much to learn here.

[pianoloverus]

I think the quality of the posts on this message board are very high, but it is disheartening that so few people seem to frequent this board (or at least reply to messages). Is there anything that could increase the number of responses?

[nilsjohan]

I agree with you pianoleverus, but I am not worried about it.
The main thing that can increase the activity of the forum is simply more visitors. Remember that Piano Forum was launched in September 2001. The number of visitors is increasing by 60-100% every month and I am confident that this will continue.

As I am more concerned about a high quality of the postings, rather than the quantity, it is a balancing act to get the right people to join. The aim is to keep the discussions on a professional level.

One thing we all can do to help is to invite friends, colleagues, teachers, students etc. Use "Recommend this site to a friend" at https://www.pianoforum.net/tellfriend.html or just tell them!

If you have an idea about how to get more people to join, please let me know.

[rmc7777]

I found this website just recently and am hooked on it.  I really enjoy conversing with other pianists and reading their opinions and insights on classical piano.  If there is any way that you can spread the word about this site to other pianists, please do so.  

[IvoryTickler]

Love the site!  Any way to alphabetize members names?  Also, would it be totally inappropriate of me to ask if any of the guy members are single and available?  Heh heh - kidding!  

[mojohk]

Yeah, I agree about the alphabetizing the names...that would be nice.  I also have another question--it's lovely having the email service--would it be possible to add more formatting options to it, i.e. text choices, colors, smileys, etc.?  And maybe someday would it be possible to add an e-card section?  It's only once in a while I come across music-related or piano-related e-cards, though the one on the Alfred Brendel site was very cool.  But anyways, I love Piano Forum, and I appreciate its creators very much.  Why didn't anyone else think of it before?

[benedict]

I am not sure the forum would not be more dynamic if it was one forum for all the subjects. It would perhaps make more exchanges.

This is just an idea. I hope it helps.

Your forum is very friendly and a nice place to go to.

Congratulations.

Benedict

[nilsjohan]

I am happy to hear you like this site!

About alphabetizing the member names - do it yourself!
Here is how: In the member registry, click on "View by letter" (I know, its hard to see it is a button/link) and there you go! Just chose a letter and you have all the members starting with that letter in alphabetized order.

The e-mail service is administrated by Everyone.net and it is not under my control to add new features to the service.  However there are some ways to achieve what you are asking for.

Option 1 - for the poor and code loving pianist

You have to know the basic HTML tags to to this. It is not very complicated, for example if you write <b>hello!</b> you get bold text like this:
hello!
If you write <font color="blue">blueberrybill</font> you get:
blueberrybill
Just include the HTML tags in the message and check the "Send as HTML" option below the message body.

Option 2 - for the rich and lazy pianist (hmm...sounds like a paradox...)

Sign up for the Mail Plus service to your Pianomail account.
Mail Plus includes these premium features: eliminates advertisements, POP3, authenticated SMTP, 4x more storage space (25 MB), Everyone.net Spam Shield, auto response and technical support.  It still costs only $19.99 per year.

The keyword here is "POP3". It allows you to use your Pianomail account in your favourite mail program such as Outlook express, Netscape, Eudora etc. Then you can use all of the features and formatting options included in those programs to spice up your mail.


You have an interesting point, benedict. It would certainly make the forum more dynamic but I think, also less structured. As an administrator I assume I have tendency to prefer structure and that is why I even never thought about mixing the subjects.
I am not really convinced this would be better and I don't see any big problems with exchange over the subject lines right now. Do you?
I will think about it!

E-cards is a very good idea! Booth for giving you a good service but also to promote the site. Are any of you good at creating nice looking cards you are welcome to help.

I just thought about combining the ideas from bethie and Ivory Tickler. We could maybe have an option in the profiles to check if you are "single and avaliable"...

Any more ideas?

[KoalaBear]

how about a forum for young pianists (under 12, for example)? So these kids can discuss, vent, whatever between them.

[dinosaurtales]

OK While you are at it, how about a forum for adults?  There are a few of us on the forum,  but most of the forum seems to be high school and college students.  I really enjoy the topics,. but there are several that are unique to us older folks.  For instance, master classes, finding teachers, and music camps.  Most competitions and camps are geared for talented young people.  Why should the kids have all the fun?  I am sure there is an interest for such things for talented (and maybe not so) adults.  But it would be good to banter that stuff about without getting it mixed up in the general topics.

[msylvest]

Second that:

OK While you are at it, how about a forum for adults?  ...

[cziffra]

Where oh where is the Bach forum?  there should be an entire board devoted to bach, for all topics relating to the 48, the art of fugue, and all his other glorious entrants into the musical literature.  he is such a staple part of the piano diet, after all.  

[allthumbs]

I agree with you pianoleverus, but I am not worried about it.
The main thing that can increase the activity of the forum is simply more visitors. Remember that Piano Forum was launched in September 2001. The number of visitors is increasing by 60-100% every month and I am confident that this will continue.

As I am more concerned about a high quality of the postings, rather than the quantity, it is a balancing act to get the right people to join. The aim is to keep the discussions on a professional level.

One thing we all can do to help is to invite friends, colleagues, teachers, students etc. Use "Recommend this site to a friend" at https://www.pianoforum.net/tellfriend.html or just tell them!

If you have an idea about how to get more people to join, please let me know.

The above link doesn't work or is no longer available. I don't recall seeing a "Recommend this site to a friend" button anywhere. Is there one?

Cheers

allthumbs

[Bob]

Maybe PF can advertise?  In the professional piano journals.  It would cost money, but I imagine the response would be higher quality piano people showing up since it's directed toward a targetted audience.  Not that the site isn't for everyone, but imagine there must be more Bernhards out there.

Maybe Change can put the pf site in his book if it's not already there?

Contact the MENC and MTNA maybe for ads or free reviews of the site?