Snowflakes: Mgoblog Site Suggestions

--- I am taking a risk by posting this. Please don't hurt me mgo community ---

I just wanted to say thank you Brian for all your hard work in adding to our Michigan athletic experience as I look forward to your blog on a daily basis. I hope this post would not be misconstrued in giving the impression that I am ungrateful or trying to excessively burden you.

I want to present some further suggestions and updates that will hopefully help you. Also, I hope that you will address the community for any future plans or changes.

First, this has been discussed but I want to say again that site is virtually unusable during game time. It is also unusable during significant cfb events that affect Michigan. I had to visit 11 Warriors last night to discuss the MSU – OSU final moments as mgoblog errored out. I want to be able to give your site the hits and interact with this community. This is an ongoing problem that I think can be fixed by purchasing more bandwidth from the web hosting company.

Second, coming up with an interactive chat that will incorporate and bring together our community on game day. We are currently splintered (when the site is not overloaded) across two threads and an unofficial live blog. I am certain a solution exists to provide a fully interactive experience that would require minimal administration. The liveblog experience was not ideal because admins had to chose what comments were adequate and deal with complaints from those who simply just wanted to share in the excitement with other Michigan fans. I wouldn’t be surprised if the headaches surrounding the service has made the blog reluctant to continue it. I have recommended irc in the past as a solution. It allows for administration (banning of trolls, etc.) and fluid interaction. I am sure other solutions exist.

Third, the ability for admins to pin certain threads to the front page. This will allow admin content threads (such as gameday snowflakes) to stay at the forefront while user generated content gets pushed down. Forums current have this ability but maybe something can be coded for this feature on the main page.

There other ideas that are of a lesser importance to me such as an improved format. I am sure other posters have better ideas and solutions.

I know all of this means more work for you but if I may suggest that if you willing to employ coders (outsourcing) who can update the website or present the costs of more site bandwidth and submit it to the community then I, along with others, would gladly pay to cover the costs.

Thanks again for your work and how valuable it has been to our lives.