The find posts by and Find all threads started by buttons are not working
 

Happy New year.
I miss these buttons, they are handy for keeping track of my current posts.

from Admin
 

Happy New Year, Durran.

This appears to be a problem with your account, and possibly a few others as well. On my Admin account, I can see your posts/threads, but not on my Test/General Member account. There must be a gremlin somewhere in the works. I'll ask the techies to have a look. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Regards
Chris P
Admin

from Admin
 

Hi Durran,

Sorry to report that we have yet to find a fix for this problem. In the meantime, you can find all of your posts on the public forum by typing in your User Name in the "Search Forums" box just below the log-in area, OR click on the Advanced Search button just below that again, and type in your User Name in the box at the top right.

Regards
Chris P
Admin

Hi Chris
Thanks I never thought of using search.
Good thinking

It's really frustrating not being able to find out who has posted what. It looks like the function only reports threads which are still open and since you close threads after a few days this means that in reality we normally only see a series of 3 or 4 "next", "would love this", etc . . . sort of posts.

When I have stuff to give away I would *far, far, far* prefer to give it to someone who has also given rather than just someone who is hoovering up everything on offer.

While Jumbletown is supposed to be primarily about moving stuff on, I think it should also let people decide who to pass it on to based on their history on the site. Right now there is no effective way to look at someones history.

I did use the search function, but it only seems to show open threads and not closed threads.

I've no problem passing on some stuff to someone who is going to sell it on at a car boot sale or otherwise make money from it, but given a choice I would prefer to give it to someone local and who has a real need rather than someone who drives half way across the country in a van to pick up everything in my house.

When is Jumbletown going to get the history function working again ?

z

[edit] the bottom line is that the way this site works now seems to favour the commercial/hoover rather than the individual user by virtue of hiding their history. I think it should be neutral between both and let the user decide.

This buttion is working for me now I can see all current posts. Thank you JT.

@zag I'd say they hide history to stop google search getting hung up on things long taken.

I know what Admin. will answer to zag, but I have to say I am in favour of showing the history. But I don't know how you can really tell which taker is in need or not, after all, I could say I am a single parent with half a dozen babbies, unemployed, up to my eyes in debt and with the repo men knocking at the door, and no-one would know if it's true or not. So really, the history suggestion would give an idea of what is really happening.

P.S. Just thought, what if people have more than one identity on the site, the history would not give the true picture, then. Back to the drawing board, zag!

P.P.S. Another thought, the history would also show the journey of a particular item. Some of us have received items, and then passed them on, and so on......that might make interesting reading to see where it finds its final 'home'. (I wanted to put a smiley but there aren't any here!! :))

You can be pretty sure that people are on here with multiple IDs alright. Just look at all the usernames that end in random numbers. Most people who sign up to something just once will come up with a name of some sort - babyface, smithers, happydad, anything at all without having to resort to "mary17" or "john75"

My original point is that with history I could see that (say) TickTock gave away a sofa in 2011, and has asked for a few things since. That 'give' is an indicator that this person is a contributor in general terms. The lack of a history isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the presence of a history gives some degree of 'cred'.

I'm not saying that I would only give to someone who has given before, but that in a case where everything else is equal I would choose them over a person who hadn't. Right now, all you have to go on is their spiel.

z

from Admin
 

Hi Guys,

Old ads are removed from the public forum to Admin's Archive, which can only be accessed by Admin. Allowing Members to access this is not technically possible as it would mean giving Members "Admin status" -- this would also give them access to other (secure/private) parts of the website such as the "backend" and the "frontend".

Leaving old ads on the public forum is a possible solution but usually Givers want their ad removed from the public forum (and from general internet search engine access) once their item has been taken. It is not technically possible to remove the Giver's initial post without also removing Takers' posts -- that is, the whole thread has to be removed. (Leaving old ads on the public forum would also mean each forum would consist of 95% Taken items and 5% current items. Admin doesn't favour this solution.)

Re: Members with multiple identities: Some Members may have a personal account and one for a family member or an organisation they represent. Some Members may even have two or three personal accounts. Admin has no way of knowing -- each account has a different email address, and usually only businesses have fixed IP addresses.

Re: Members requesting several items, JumbleTown not being a charity site, Givers being free to give to whomever they want, Givers' desire to pass on to the "truly deserving," selling-on, and the fact that neither Members nor Admin can know the true "needs" of others ... all of these issues are addressed in the following Admin post in the Support Forum (and User Tips post near the top of all the Givers' forums)...here:

http://www.jumbletown.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=44356

Thanks for the feedback.

Regards
Chris P
Admin

Thanks Chris, and yes, exactly what I knew you would say and I do of course understand that JT doesn't want to get involved in any more admin than it is already. However, I still have to side with zag. How about this though, at present we can see how many posts we have made, I have 524, and zag has 59, if there was some magic way of counting our gives, takes, and wants, and sharing this information it might go some way towards showing our 'personalities' shall we say, how cool would that be? (And I am seriously too old to be using the term 'cool'). Sometimes I just wanted to be rid of something that another JTr needs, and that's fine, but I would welcome counters for the different posts. Then it begs the question, how to treat the 'chatty' posts which don't come under the three headings? Too much for my head I'm afraid. The JT gremlins would have a field day after what they got up to in the Ulster Bank system!!

from Admin
 

Hi TickTock,

The feedback from the techies is that your suggestion is a non-runner. More pointedly, showing each Member's number of "Gives" and "Takes" would give the impression that JumbleTown is a charity site, which it most definitely is not. As I've stated in my post at the link above:

"Since the inception of the site, our policy has been that all JumbleTowners are regarded as equal. Neither Admin nor Members have any way of determining the “neediness” or otherwise of a Taker."

Also:

"The site’s raison d’etre is primarily to help people free up space by passing on unwanted items. The primary concern of Givers should be the desire to free up space in their home/workplace in an environmental way that helps the community.

Givers who wish for their item not to be sold-on should state this on their ad, but of course, they have no way of knowing the fate of their item once Taken.

If Givers want to be certain that their item goes to a charitable cause or what they may consider to be a 'charity-case', then they should contact their local charities rather than post on JumbleTown."

Details...here:
http://www.jumbletown.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=44356

Thanks again for the feedback, and thanks also for your contribution to life on JumbleTown over the years.

Regards
Chris P
Admin

Hi Chris
Thanks for giving my suggestions your consideration, its much appreciated. I was of course already aware of the other thread you mentioned. Just when I saw zag's comments I felt the need to add my tuppence ha'penny worth. I have been giving to charity shops too. The ethos of the site has been the big plus for me always, but the bestest of all is seeing the 'before' and 'after' posts - pure joy!

Re-'hoovers'
 

I could be classed as such in regards some of the wonderful items I have picked up here on this site in the last month.

I am currently, (after 5yrs of waiting to get funds together) able to plaster and decorate my upstairs for my three kids and me.
I have picked up on jumbletown wonderful pieces I JUST WOULD NEVER have been able to afford except for this site but to do this I have invested in time, diesel and stress, not to mention let downs to collect these things.
It has been worth it and I will be forever grateful to jumbletown for this.
I have meet some wonderful wonderful people as a result and if I am ever in a position to return these blessings I will gladly do so.
I am a lone parent, getting help off friends and parent to finally have a bit of comfort and beauty in my home. I have tied sofa's and chairs, cabinets and mirrors to my car in wind and rain. Worried over cushions and weather, traffic lanes and twine. Paid sitters and begged friends for van and trailers. If any of the furniture I am no longer needing was in anyway usable or fit to pass on I usually do it locally and have done. My 'history' per se of 'giving' on this site would be very very poor and I feel sad people are trying to discern in this manner.

Should people decide to sell some items at bootsales etc then I again feel it is a process of recycling that goes beyond traditional benefactor/beneficent methods and could be argued balanced out by the fact that some people do not want to pay fees to have items gotten rid of.

Being rude and making decisions on people because of some perceived idea of a person's character whom they have never met is narrow and contrary to the idea behind the set up of this site I would imagine.

There has been a mad rush in my home these last few months to collect bits and bobs to make our space special. I've said before the items collected here have contributed immensely to my kids quality of life and mine. I did feel a 'glip' in my stomach when I read some members comments here and realised I might be seen as a 'taker' and not a 'giver' so in my defence I add this note and hope it goes some way in explaining how this member uses the site and why. I would hate to offend anyone but at my worst I will say what I feel must be said. There is a history and story in every piece I have gathered into my home buttressed by the goodwill and kindness of the person who gave it. If you do not give it kindly then perhaps don't give it at all.

Kind regards all, Murrayhead aka Helen

from Admin
 

Many thanks Murrayhead for encapsulating the purpose and spirit of JumbleTown in your thoughtful post above.

Regards
Chris P
Admin

I'm sorry if I've come across as rude. That's not my intention.

My concern as a giver is that I have very little context to base my decision on. My request was with a view to *helping* me make a decision as a giver. While many givers simply want things out of their house to the first person to respond, some givers presumably want to be able to give it to one person over another.

If there is not supposed to be a choice of taker, then why does the site allow more than one reply to a post ?

If there is supposed to be a choice of taker, then how are givers supposed to make that choice ? What information is it acceptable to use in the decision ? How do you get that information ? Is history on the site not as good an indicator as anything else ?

z

[edit] there's reference to this issue "being done to death" in previous posts. Does this not indicate perhaps that many givers have similar thoughts ? Maybe these thoughts are valid, given the number of times the discussion comes up.

....
 

.... thats way to complicated for me. You have something ....you want to give it away...give it. You have something .... you want to give it away to someone you 'feel' deserves it...hold interviews. I can see your criteria requires now at this stage people who can string more than 'two words' together and people who give things over those who don't. Thats cool...its a free world. You did not have to reply to me today, I'm okay with that. You are right I do not fit your criteria I understand. I would not have embarrassed myself by responding to your post had I known but Ya live and learn...

I imagine the practical use of Jumbletown allowing more than one person to reply to a post is not so much to create an opportunity for the 'giver' to make a decision as to create a queue should the 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc etc not be able to collect, not want it, be a time waster, have a mishap or change of mind etc etc... its a speedier and more practical function of the site.

regards h

Hi Murrayhead. I think you are taking this the wrong way, really. I understand you say you need items which you cannot afford and although our situations are not exactly the same, I can’t afford to buy a lot of stuff either. But the way I look at it is this, there are probably many others in exactly the same situation as yourself who keep missing items. I would like a system which makes it fairer for all and also more helpful for the givers – I cannot see how you couldn’t agree with that. What could be wrong in spreading the love? Are you not willing to share? There has been no malice in my posts, I assure you. Anyway I’ve said my piece and JT won’t be changing. (I can hear Chris clanking chains as he considers locking this thread up).

:)
 

Yeah I can hear what you are saying Tick Toc. I just think you are making a very simple process complicated is all. I was mostly referring to Zag as I posted on his thread today and pm'd him but he did not respond and then reserved the items for someone else, which is entirely his prerogative. Then reading the post here I felt there was very moralistic approach to his criteria and in some way I felt shameful. I had to have a chat with myself about it and then I realised the amount of work it takes to find what you need and collect it, pay cost and spend time its not easy. 'Takers' provide a service too. We are not the 'poor relations' of this partnership, we need each other. When the cycle completes I will probably be donating my furniture to your grandchildren and so the cycle continues. I took no malice from your comment at all. I just think the site functions very well and if it ain't broke don't fix it.
As for their being plenty people 'missing out' I see loads of items not taken and other stuff being acquired 24/7 all over the country. I think sometimes you have to leave these things to the gods. When I came on here first I couldn't get any of the stuff I needed and then suddenly I started to get lucky. Sometimes I'm first on the list, sometimes I'm way down. The first does not guarantee I will get it and the second doesn't guarantee I won't. Id like to think when I am giving items back in I will let the site's basic and completely functional system do the job its built to do without any moral 'woo hah' from me, and the gods can do the rest :)

from Admin
 

Hi zag,

To answer some of your queries:


The only context that any of us can be sure of is that you wish to pass on an item to someone that neither you nor Admin knows anything about. Your decision as to who gets the item is mostly arbitrary -- you simply choose from a list of names. (You might select a person closest to you, the first or seventh person on the list, a newbie, or the person who can collect the soonest, but their history of giving and/or taking on the site is only revealed by their number of posts; their "need" is unknowable/unverifiable, even if they write a note about being in need.) The key point is that being charitable or helping the "deserving" is a co-incidental "by-product" of the environmental imperative that informs the site. As the true "need" of any Taker is unknowable/unverifiable, it shouldn't enter into the Giving and Taking process. Some Takers may wish to try to read between the lines, but that's their business. As we state in umpteen posts around the forum, JumbleTown's business is "to help people free up space by passing on unwanted items" [and that] "the primary concern [or business, if you like] of Givers should be the desire to free up space in their home/workplace in an environmental way that helps the community."


Whether you give to Taker A or Taker B is your decision; however, the site is not configured to give you information about Taker A or B. As far as we're concerned, value judgements simply don't enter into the process. Either you wish to give away your item "blind" or you don't. If the latter is the case, then JumbleTown isn't for you.

Murrayhead in post #16 has it spot-on: "...allowing more than one person to reply to a post is not so much to create an opportunity for the 'giver' to make a decision as to create a queue should the 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc etc not be able to collect etc." I'll add to that by saying that as it's not Admin's item, we are not in a position to say that you have to pass it on to the first, second, or third person who requests it. We do, however, limit expressions of interest to ten because that seems an ample number for a Taker to make their (mostly) arbitrary decision.


Givers can base their decision on the location of the Taker, or how soon they can collect, their number of previous posts, which may be all offers :) or all requests :) A Taker's posts on active ads should also be viewable, gremlins-aside. (Click on a Member's User Name to find their posts on active ads.) In short, a Giver who understands the site's purpose and modus operandi shouldn't care about a Taker's history.


Look at the Taker's location, position on the list, number of posts etc.

The only available history about a Member is their join-date, their number of posts, and their posts on active ads. Extrapolate from that what you will...

Admin has had the above discussion on more threads than we care to remember...since 2006. (I had thought that the Support Forum post I link to above would put an end to them, but obviously not.) In short, the discussion would be pertinent if JumbleTown were a charity site, but it's not and never will be. It's an environmental site that can help Givers save money in disposal costs and can also, co-incidentally, help Takers.

Regards
Chris P
Admin

I am honestly sad that it has come to this. I've been a member for a good few years and like others I have met many nice people through it. I've received benefits and others have benefited from my things. This is my defintion of community.

Murrayhead - you have taken this up incorrectly - you don't know my criteria. I outlined some of them earlier in the post, but that's not everything. You didn't get one item yesterday, but I replied on post and texted you asking you to call me to pick up the other item you requested at a time that you indicated was good for you - "Helen - I sent you a text earlier tonight. It's reserved for you - please PM to set up a time."

My reference to "more than 2 words" is simply because a series of "next please" posts makes them all indistinguishable from each other. The posting guidelines include discussion of the sorts of reasons why people like more than "me next" responses - http://www.jumbletown.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=4673

Ultimately it boils down to this - "a Giver who understands the site's purpose and modus operandi shouldn't care about a Taker's history" - I guess this means I don't fit the model of a giver on Jumbletown. I care about more than simply freeing up floor space in my house. If this is wrong or bad then so be it.

z

Text message
 

I decided, giving the nature of request/response and time not to collect zag. I hope that did not inconvienance you. No hard feelings and happy jumbling. Helen

well said ticktock
it is nice when everyone gets a chance. when i miss out on somthing i hope somone who needs it just as much as me gets the item.

?
 

I'm beginning to see a pattern here :)

I'm really really not trying to be rude here but would you guys not be better off giving straight to a charity? I can see it means a lot to you NOT only that someone 'deserves' it more than another but that YOU have some extra tools to help you decide who 'deserves' it more.
Hmmmmm so that perhaps rules out donating to a charity, yeah its a bit of a quandary alright.

Give to charity V's make yourself feel godlike? ;)

Just a thought.

normally i search the wanted ads and pm to people who are genuinly looking for the item, that way you know that person really wants it. thats how i avoid the hooverers

good point!
 

That is a good idea Stanley83 and truly altruistic ... see, jumbletown is a gem to allow that service too. <3

I agree with that,too,Stanley83. Taking a look at the Wanted forum is always a good idea,though in the past I have offered stuff to people on there and not heard back,so it's not always reliable!


I am well aware that Jtown is not a charity but it does annoy me when I see the traders line up for something and then somebody who may really want it miss out. But that's the luck of the draw,I guess! I have given stuff away to people I thought needed them and seen the items up for sale the following week on another site.

Murrayhead,I wouldn't let this put you off asking for stuff,or anyone else giving stuff away,Jumbletown is still a great site. I have not only got my hands on stuff I have needed for the house/my kids but I have also managed to get rid of lots of stuff that were no longer of any use to me. I also made lots of friends along the way :)

I never dreamed this would ever happen on one of my posts on JT. It is very sad indeed. My commencement date is 2008, and I have never encountered this kind of atmosphere here before. It is a great pity and very disappointing. I felt my request for a history was a positive one for the site, the service and the users, and fair to all concerned. I have to accept the final decision of the Administrators. It is a pity one person took it so personally and is prepared to fight with very bitter words to prevent their history being seen. If my history were seen you might find that I have received more than I have given, but I don’t really know as I can’t remember all the items I’ve given. But I really would not mind my history being seen by anyone. A lot of my posts though are chatty ones and a lot of ‘well done’ posts on the Before & After thread.

Thank you Stanley83 and Narizota for your brave support. I confess I wondered if anyone else would join in. When I started on JT I also missed many items, and still do, but hey ho, I accepted it and just enjoyed the competition, I always try to apply a pinch of good humour to everything. Also a lot of items are given and taken via PM so it won’t show on the thread and that’s fine too, both sides are happy.

I really think it is unwise to advise givers to stop giving on JT. JT would soon close down if all givers took that advice.

I too check out the wanted section, and I am there a few times as well myself, but you also find the traders lurking there too. As I said before, I cannot judge who is needy and who is not. I just feel there are more hooverers now than there used to be.

By the way, just a quick question for Chris, wasn’t the site originally intended to keep our stuff out of landfill by moving along, thereby saving the planet? It was the eco-friendliness that kept me here, not just moving along.

I’m sorry for all this Chris, I never meant for this to get out of hand. I am finished now.

:)
 

ah no I won't Narazota... :) last week I picked up some really lovely 1950's pieces locally and my son and I are doing them up as shabby chic pieces... two for my daughters room and two we hope to sell for a wee profit so I can get him a laptop for when he goes to college. I don't see anything wrong with that, its all a recycling process plus my kids are learning refurb skills/economics/environmental awareness and quality time with family. I found some of the comments about hoover's annoying. Any person who is willing to go out on cold dark evenings and gamble costs on seconds that other people are going to bin should not be looked down on especially if they are willing to work on the item and re-vamp it. Another aspect overlooked is some people cannot collect things and the service provided by some traders of moving on used furniture allows them access to this item that they may otherwise never have. The site allows EVERYONE to post so no reason 'hoovers' get all the stuff. I think jumbletown intelligently recognises these factors and thankfully allows this free trade regardless of sniping. I too may have a preference of who I give to in later and better times but like Stanly83 I'll find my own way of deciding and try not to be rude and condescending.
Anyhow thanks for all the comments, hope I haven't upset or offended anyone, some of what I've said is tongue in cheek and others I mean very sincerely :)

moving on now though.... h

tick tock
 

Don't be upset nobody is giving out to you...I can see your intentions are good. Maybe you are misunderstanding my point. I do truly understand yours. The history request is not my issue its the attitude with which people use it. I can clearly see you are generous and warm in attitude, Please do not be offended I did not intend that but I did feel I needed to say something regarding people being rude to to others and ask them not to judge too harshly when they don;t know them. That is all :) chin up

sellers
 

Zag. I totally agree with your points. I have benefited and given in equal measures on this site. It's totally karma at the end of the day and I usually keep all the pm's I've gotten so I have figured out who the reply to every offer I've put up are and just ignore those requests. I've no prob with an individual tacking if it's for themselves and in time they may be able to give themselves. Keep track of the sellers constantly on and then you should be ok. Its a great site and is good that most of us use and and benefit from swopping things that we don't use and things we do need. Keep up the good work jumbletown friends. Quinnp