AutoSpies.com 'M' Edition Coming Soon! We Need Your Input!

Spell checker and preview post in the comments!!!!

001

— Agent001 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 5:48:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7   

You do know that you will have scores of angry Lexus fans who would prefer that you call it the 'F' edition instead.

— pushrod27 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 5:52:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Lose the rotating sized pictures at the top of the page that constantly shifts the headlines up and down.

— CBR2200 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 5:53:13 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

how about a section where it has postings from car manufactures themselves. automated press relases?

— vvelez (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 6:02:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Maybe for posts that get a -5 boost or worse, you could have a little dog poop icon pop up next to the poster's name.

— answer (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 6:10:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 10   

How about the ability to block specific users?

Also, there seems to be some coding issues with regards to how Firefox renders some pages.

— jeffy210 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 6:15:02 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

For me I liked the last version a little more. Tis version seems to have a lot of pop ups. I know its revenue for the site but its annoying. Also I accessed the site from my blackberry the other day and I was unable to read the post. It was cut off and there was no way to scroll to the sides. Im not sure if that was due to the device or the website.
T

— TauronB2G (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 6:20:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

An "ignore comment" button.

Spell checker.

Preview post.

Fewer repeat articles (currently 3 of the same articles about the RS6, 2 about Corvette ZR-1, 2 about C63 AMG).

Fewer "worthless"articles. I don't give a flying whatever about what a survey says about the Dodge demon, or what tyres the LS600h will wear.

More "international" content, ie European car news (you have improved on this already)

That you are quicker to ban not people who make the occasional offensive comment but people who spam these boards with made up rubbish and propaganda.

-5 boost equals some sign that it sucks, + 5 equals some sign that it's great.

Autospies "Poster of the year" awards? Best post, most frequant poster, most highly rated, least highly rated etc?

That sounds like a list of complaints, but it's not. This is a really great site which is sometimes spoiled by the (illiterate and stupid) few.

— Rupert (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 6:40:33 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Edit functionality
Preview post before posting.
Allow posting of pictures.
Allow posting of other links.

— AdmiralT20 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 6:43:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

-change the color scheme
-the top menu: change it back to the old way like; spy shots, news, etc
- add a video gallery

— ant3821 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 6:52:43 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Digg.com was Autospies' benchmark the last re-fresh.

— Matthew1 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 7:33:50 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Less inflaming Toyota/Lexus headlines,
and a new color scheme.

— Anthony (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 7:24:37 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Clearly, we need a feature that enables the group to "kick out" losers by consensus.

Might be a separate "suck button" that is designed to not so much like the boost button, but that we think that person SUCKS. And if they SUCK ENOUGH, then their comments get removed permanently. If this happens enough time, then their account gets deleted.

— indoctrin8ed (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 7:32:43 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

001,

What Autospies does best is update stories very regularly. What I would like to see on the homepage (where the manufacturer links are now) is a list of all the stories over the past week (exactly like at the bottom of a news thread).

That way, when you spend a long time writing up an insightful and researched post to a particular thread, it isn't completely 'lost' the next day as new stories push that thread into no-mans land.

Also, those 'growth percentage' threads about how many % a manufacturer has grown in the past month in some city or state -don't really need to know. I consider that more business than car news.

And I think the colour combo is iconic to Autospies, so let any changes in that regard be minor.

— Matthew1 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 7:39:52 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Only one post every 3,600 seconds for a week for those that have used foul language in their posts when describing in a negative manner a highly crafted German car.

El34

— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 8:04:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

How about larger user icons/avatars so you can see them better in the blog posts?

001

— Agent001 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 8:06:15 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

have lexusking edit all content

— 1995e34 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 8:23:42 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Wow! such designation does not in any way infer any bias towards any automaker. Awesome, great, what a wonderful website this is!

— MeanVulcan (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 8:27:37 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

get rid of the ad next to the auto spies icon on the top or move the ad to the bottom of the page. Replace the ad with something that says autospies like in word art or something

— ant3821 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 8:43:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

better use of the available space on the page. whats the deal with the excess margins?

perhaps make this place a little less claustrophobic?

kill the retarded boosting system thats so frequently abused in this forum's frequent brand wars. perhaps a pm function so postors can take their squabbles into private?

— minimalist (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 8:45:26 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Can we have reply notification systems? :)

— MrGunFun (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 10:00:04 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

To be able to go back to your comments without searching back for them and knowing when someone replys to your comment as well.

— SHOWTIME (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 10:04:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

How about, instead of massive titles on the main page that make you go back four pages to find an article you want, typing in a keyword and getting articles relating to it appear?

As others have stated ad nauseum, please put in an edit function, spell check, etc.

If someone is boosted past -10 they should be banned. If not, we should vote to have that person banned, LOL. I can think of a few posters who would be gone immediately...

Hm. I must say the flame wars on this site are a guilty pleasure of mine, so you don't have to change that.

But what about, instead of having massive photo galleries in some of your articles (001), prolonging the loading process, why don't you put a link to the gallery? And filter out useless pictures of driveways that we don't care about in Southern California, please.

Refine the interface slightly- make it sleeker, more modern. Don't change the color scheme; there are no other sites like it. Also, the home page is slightly repetitive. You don't need three lists of the content that's on for a given day.

— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 10:37:59 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Post Picture as a comment.

— 528i (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 10:53:17 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

I want to see a monthly editorial, more articles written by/for 001. Everything posted on this website has been taken from others. Be a bit more pro-active in your reporting.

Def could use a spell check, because clearly everyone besides S4 does not have proper grammer and spelling.

Organize the galleries!!!!!! They make no sense!!! There are so many great pictures that get lost in them...I really dont care for the video section or the reviews, I might pay more attention to them if you intergrated them into the home page somehow. A general cleanup, couldn't hurt either, the colors are fine.

Other then that, keep up the great work!

— no1listensanyway (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 10:53:29 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Well, I must admit that I find the pop-up text advertisements particularly annoying as I highlight text as I read on the computer. Suffice it to say that these pop-ups obstruct the text significantly.

I like Rupert’s idea of poster awards. Perhaps it would encourage certain posters to curtain their more impulsive rantings- although I am not holding my breath on that point.

I really don’t like the idea of popular voting on posters in so much as removing them from the boards. Despite what one hears, democracy is a horrible form of government and policy making, and when we, in the United States in particular, say “democracy” we don’t actually mean democracy. Ayn Rand hit it on the head when she called it “The dictatorship of the mob.” I simply don’t support such out of principle. Sometimes the truth is not popular, sometimes people and indeed the mob needs challenged. Granted, that challenge is often reciprocated with defensiveness. Democracy is simply the opportunity for the majority to be wrong.

The thing that I believe to be the primary strength of this site as opposed to others is that the administration and the owner participate in it. This blog is not faceless, and I think that is something which is to your exceptional credit 001, and I think that it says a lot that you ask for input in your product development. That is what I truly like about this site.

— cdoke (View Profile)

Posted on 9/5/2007 10:53:55 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

I would like to be able to place photos along with my comments. Like they say, pictures are worth a thousand words.

— GTR35 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 12:28:01 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Post Pictures as a comment.

Post Pictures as a comment.
Post Pictures as a comment.
Post Pictures as a comment.
Post Pictures as a comment.
Post Pictures as a comment.
Post Pictures as a comment.
Post Pictures as a comment.
Post Pictures as a comment.

— 528i (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 2:05:29 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

The Good
Excellent features and structure
Ability for users to post exposes more news & stories

The Bad
Freedom of users to post any BS they want
MANY user postings are biased
MANY user postings are childish and stupid
MOST User postings have no added value to your website, it actually diminishes your potential
Name selection for 'new' edition is a biased name cosnidering you're trying to reach out to all auto enthusiasts

Should Do
Control your content -establish rules
Control your content -do not allow stupid/biased user postings
Control your content
Control your content, and, did I say control your content?

— MeanVulcan (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 7:37:59 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

How about a warning system.

Three warnings and the user is banned.(Users like david 989...etc)

and even do something whenever a flame war is started.example block more entries to that blog.

JUGNU

— JUGNU (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 7:53:43 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

We have really good ideas ^^^

How about a small bar that shows the number of comments a member posted?

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 12:34:51 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

No edit button!!!

Do you know how much people would change their posts just to say "No I never said that"!

Also ban david 989

— Rupert (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 12:56:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

BMW isn't the only M line.
Mercedes M Class
Infiniti M Series

— Agent004 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 7:17:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

First off, this site is great - love the boosting features, the flame-inciting titling and the user commentary.

Couple of suggestions:
Grammar lessons and IQ tests for certain questionable posters

Ability to bold or italicize font (although some people may abuse this feature)

Optional line for current automobile underneath username (I understand that a lot of people will lie, but it might still add a litte bit more insight)

Post size limitations (Please make post sizes generous but not endless. I do not appreciate entire posts of uesless articles in the commentary; a hyperlink would seem to be more effective.)

Favorite comments from others:
- Spellcheck/Edit feature
- Please, please, please remove the adtext that pops up when you roll your mouse over certain words
- Post pictures as a comment

Least favorite comments from others:
- Showing the number of comments a member posted does not adjust for useless comments and even encourages more inane, pointless posting - perhaps a weighted average boost rating next to the username?
- Intervening to stop flame wars (I find these quite entertaining)
- User-generated site banning (people or flamers from one side may just ban another poster for one poor comment, whereas a site moderator may ban the poster based on the recurring nature of his/her commentary)

— Cynical (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 1:15:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

M edition should refer to the mobile friendly version a la cnnmobile.com. I wish I could check autospies.com when traveling - airport lounges come into mind, just reading thru my N95 would be much more convenient.

The address would still sound funny: mobile.autonews.com

— JWalkerLegrande (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 2:41:21 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

theere should be a function that if someone replies to your comment you get an email to notify you, with so many articles you kinda loose track..... but that's just me

— AMGZING_fanboy (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 4:43:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Grammer could be spelt wrong because of useing a t9 dic on your phone,like me.

— BMfan (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 7:50:57 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

M is always going to be better than F...proof right here!

— chris760 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/6/2007 8:51:20 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

how do you post or make links?

— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/7/2007 8:57:15 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

BAN: Benzw124, can't spell, makes dumb statement with ignorance.
david989, because he would sell his mom to pimp for an LS. misleads the word prestige, and ignorance as well.

— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/7/2007 9:02:32 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

I like the site,
BUT
I don't know the meaning of "Boost" buttons.
I've never found where they have been described or how they are used. Please place a link at the top of the page where they are described.

— BMW995 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/7/2007 10:13:37 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0