Black Voices Member Feedback Blog http://feedback.blackvoices.com Black Voices Member Feedback Blog http://feedback.blackvoices.com/media/feedlogo.gif Black Voices Member Feedback Blog http://feedback.blackvoices.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/They're Here! http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/11/20/blackvoices-new-message-board-community/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/11/20/blackvoices-new-message-board-community/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/11/20/blackvoices-new-message-board-community/#commentsFiled under: ,

Your brand new Black Voices Community has arrived!

Before we send a formal invitation to the masses on Monday, get your sneak peek today and see all the new features we've created using your feedback.

Whether you are a new or existing member of the Black Voices community, you will be thrilled! Here are just a few things you will notice that make our community different from others.

- Follow other members and add friends to your roster
- Send or share discussions with others via email, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and more
- Reply directly to another poster using our quote feature
- New, enhanced profiles store all your comments and replies to you!
- And more great features!

Ready to get started? Visit the Community today. No login is necessary but when you create a free account you unlock all the great benefits of being a Black Voices member.

See you on the boards!

New Black Voices message boards

 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-11-20T10:08:00+00:00Important message: Display nameshttp://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/10/23/display-names-on-boards-beta/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/10/23/display-names-on-boards-beta/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/10/23/display-names-on-boards-beta/#commentsFiled under: ,

Here's an important message for our Board BETA users at http://conversations.blackvoices.com.

Users who registered prior to September 2, 2009 AND created a display name different from their screen name may see their screen name revealed when posting a comment to the message board. We expect to have this problem resolved Monday, October 26 and apologize for any inconvenience. If you feel uncomfortable with your screen name being displayed keep in mind you can still log in, make updates to your profile and read the messages across our forums.

If you have additional questions, please leave a comment and I will reply.


Tiffani
BV Staff

 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-10-23T15:35:00+00:00New Board Features Have Arrivedhttp://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/10/19/blackvoices-boards-beta-new-features/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/10/19/blackvoices-boards-beta-new-features/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/10/19/blackvoices-boards-beta-new-features/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Dear members,
I have great news concerning the new message boards currently in beta at http://conversations.blackvoices.com. When I read your feedback each morning I see the same theme: fonts, and signatures. These are popular features and I'm happy to share that the team has worked very hard to add them to our new boards.

Fonts
Select from many styles to add personality to your posts. For even more expression, don't forget you can change the font size and color.

Select different font styles


Signatures
I know everyone has their preference. Quickly and easily turn signatures off for a cleaner experience. When you're ready to view them again, visit any discussion and select 'On'. Keep in mind, your signature will be hidden as well.

Hide or show signatures


Invite Friends New!
This is a new one, members. Whether you're an existing or new member to the Black Voices community you now have the option to invite your friends to visit your profile. To really stay connected, encourage them to join BV.

1. Sign in first, then select the option to edit or update your profile. Select Invite Friends from the list to the left.

Invite friends


2. When the pop up displays, enter one email address per invitation.

Enter your friend's address








 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-10-19T15:22:00+00:00Ready for Boards BETA?http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/10/07/blackvoices-message-boards-beta/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/10/07/blackvoices-message-boards-beta/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/10/07/blackvoices-message-boards-beta/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We're gearing up for the rollout of our new message boards at http://conversations.blackvoices.com. We've already introduced quite a few new features as part of our Boards BETA release. This phase allows us to share upgrades with you and get your feedback before it rolls out to the masses.

What's New

Reply With Quote: Address a member by replying directly to their comment. Select Reply With Quote and their comment is automatically captured. All you have to do is add your own reply. See below for an example of how it appears once published.

Reply directly to a member's comment


Replies to You: It's hard being so popular. Thankfully, when members reply to your comment on the message boards, you can find it. Login and visit your profile to see an archive of all your responses and go directly to the discussion to continue the conversation.

Replies to you


Keep your name: This one is for our veteran members who joined prior to September 2, 2009. If you created a nickname different from your AOL login, don't worry. You can keep it! When you log in and post you will see your true display name. You treasure it, and so do we.

Display name


What's Coming?

In the next four weeks watch out for more features ...

* Edit my post
* Font styles
* Hide signatures of other members
* Invite friends to visit your Black Voices profile
* More options in your account settings allowing you more control over who can see your BV board activity
* Automatically make any URL in your comment hotlinked

Don't see a feature you want? Drop me a comment now.

 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-10-07T16:01:00+00:00End of Summer Sweepstakeshttp://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/09/14/blackvoices-sweepstakes/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/09/14/blackvoices-sweepstakes/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/09/14/blackvoices-sweepstakes/#commentsThis contest has ended.
Winner will be announced shortly right here.
Stay tuned!


Enter the Black Voices sweepstakes
Ready to stock up your library with some of your favorite Tyler Perry flicks and E. Lynn Harris picks? Black Voices is throwing a sweepstakes and you could be the lucky winner of a $500 shopping spree at CodeBlack.com and all for just a couple of clicks and a few minutes your time.

1. To enter the sweepstakes just visit our new message board here.

2. Return to this post and leave a comment telling us what you think about the new boards. Be honest. We can take it. Be sure to use a valid email address when leaving a comment or we'll have no way to contact you and tell you that you won!

3. On or about September 29, the winner will be announced right here.

It's that simple.

Don't forget to check out these important rules first.

 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-09-14T11:08:00+00:00Wild, Wild Westhttp://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/09/14/kanye-west-vma-reaction/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/09/14/kanye-west-vma-reaction/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/09/14/kanye-west-vma-reaction/#commentsFiled under: ,

When Kanye West took the stage during Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards it wasn't to present or accept a Moonman for his talent as an artist. Instead, he stole the show from Taylor Swift just as she began her acceptance speech for winning best female video. The hot budding singer and songwriter was left in what appeared to be tears when West excused himself, grabbed the microphone from her, and proclaimed that singer Beyonce should have won instead. While Kanye's words were met with boos from the audience, our message boards heated up with virtual claps - and slaps for West. Take a look at just a few of your comments then click a link below and join the conversation today.

From Kanye West is an idiot discussion (466 replies and growing)

Black Voices member Casey18735 "I would say that Kanye had no class if he did that at the BET Awards because he thought Beyonce should have won over, say for example, Keke Palmer. Kanye's behavior was just classless, tasteless, tacky and generally uncalled for." Casey18735

Black Voices member Shorty_Casper"That's why Kanye will never be adored and have the status of Michael Jackson." Shorty_Casper



Black Voices member CaramelQueen01"[Taylor Swift] looked like she didn't know what to do. This was Kanye again trying to make headlines. I didnt really know the girl's video, but if it had more than just standing in a catsuit and stilettos....she deserved the win." CaramelQueen01


Looking for an outlet to discuss this story with members?

Related stories on Black Voices

 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-09-14T10:27:00+00:00Update on New Message Boardshttp://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/09/04/message-board-issues/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/09/04/message-board-issues/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/09/04/message-board-issues/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Community Manager Tiffani

Last week, I invited you to visit our message boards in beta available at http://conversations.blackvoices.com. The activity and feedback witnessed in the past week is tremendous. I want to thank you all for taking the time to explore the new boards -- boards we built with your input -- and for taking the time to provide helpful feedback.

Now, I want to take this time to address some of the most frequently asked questions. More after the jump.

To help you navigate through the bugs we've identified, the new features we're introducing later this year and the ones we're exploring now, I've created a list below. Please don't leave this page without dropping off a comment. I will respond to your comment so don't forget to select a notification when someone replies to you.

Known issues we're resolving and expect to be fixed between now and the end of the month

1. Join date and post count inaccurate for users who joined prior to September 1, 2009
2. AOL user name displaying instead of BV nickname for users who joined prior to September 1, 2009
3. Posting a reply automatically captures the previous poster's comment.
4. Non-offensive words are filtered

New features coming this fall

1. Edit your post within minutes of publishing it
2. Preview your post prior to publishing it
3. Private messaging
4. Delete your profile image
5. New font styles
6. Message board search

New features we're exploring for you!

1. Store photos and videos in your profile
2. See recent activity by members you're following
3. Save your favorite forums or discussions
4. Frequent posters classified by a special title and badge
5. See who's online at anytime
6. Privacy features to remain anonymous online
7. Chat
8. Polls
9. Search for friends online by common interests
10. User created groups
11. Ability to invite a member or find a friend on Black Voices using your address book


What other features would you suggest? Leave a comment and tell me.

 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-09-04T12:12:00+00:00Countdown to the New Communityhttp://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/08/18/new-blackvoices-message-boards/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/08/18/new-blackvoices-message-boards/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/08/18/new-blackvoices-message-boards/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I have an important message to share with members who participate or visit the Message Boards on Black Voices. In September, we will introduce an entirely new forum to the Community. These new message boards will launch in Beta, a trial environment which we'll continue to update based on your feedback and the knowledge we have today on which features are most popular among users. Select the 'Read More' button below for more or continue reading.

Important information regarding message boards

As an active member of the community, I understand how important it is to maintain the relationships established with other members and how much we love to discuss and revisit some of our favorite topics. In fact, I have a few favorites of my own within the Entertainment and Health forums. With that said, I want to give you ample time to save these conversations if you like and answer some anticipated questions.

Where can I find the new forums?
After September 2nd, hop on over to http://conversations.blackvoices.com to view the new forums. Can't wait? Head over there now but expect to see enhancements when Boards BETA goes live on 9/2. You can login and post a new topic or reply to an existing discussion at any time. Updated: After 9/2 all existing users will see their BV display name when they post. Those who register after 9/2 will see the AOL user name created at login. If you post prior to 9/2 your AOL user name will display when you post.

Why are you changing the message boards?
There are a few reasons but the most important one is stability. This is the most common feedback received among users today. It's frustrating to be in the middle of reading a discussion thread or replying to a comment before landing on an error page. We believe we can offer a better experience through this new community built from the ground up. Not only is it more stable but there are less sign in issues and it's much faster.

What new features can I expect in the new forums?
That's just one of the many perks about this new Community. In addition to the new forums being faster and more stable, we're introducing several enhancements: the ability to see a live feed of new posts published by your online friends known as follow, an archive of all your posts, easier method for uploading videos and photos, and a one-stop shop of all the replies directed to you across any forum.

Will I still be able to access old discussions?
While the new forums are in beta, the existing message boards will remain accessible, meaning you will be able to view and post. When we exit the beta phase and publicly launch the new forums later in the year, however, the boards you play in today will no longer be available and you may be redirected to a new, similar forum. If you have a favorite thread on the current boards, I encourage you to print it or copy it and paste it within a document editor or even email it to yourself for safe keeping.

Will my login change?
Don't worry. The user name and password you currently have can be used to access the new forums. In addition, your screen name or display name will not change. Similar to how it works today, it is not necessary to login to view the message board. Updated: this applies to existing users only. New users who register on the site after 9/2 will see the AOL name they created at registration.

Will I have to update my profile again?
We will take care of that. You may have to return to your profile and make some updates but we will transfer your avatar as well as most of your stats for you.

Will I lose my post count?
Your post count will not be impacted as part of this upgrade.

If I have not addressed your question below please leave a comment so that the answer can be read by everyone in case others share your concerns.

 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-08-18T14:38:00+00:00Board updates 7/27http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/07/27/conversations-new-board-features/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/07/27/conversations-new-board-features/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/07/27/conversations-new-board-features/#commentsFiled under: ,

I've got great news to share with you regarding BV Conversations, the new message boards coming very soon! Some of these changes are brand new and other features are favorites of the community.

Click Read More and get ready to be impressed!

1. Profile Hub: browse through profiles of members or perform a search for specific people using the filters. An advanced search (filter by interests, age, education, etc.) to come. You can reach this page by selecting 'Browse People' located to the bottom left on any forum page. A link above the fold will be added at a later date.

Profiles

2. Signatures: express your personality through your signature. They can be added or edited from the Settings page. The link is located to the left but only visible when logged in.


3. Participation flag: a favorite, it allows an icon to display next to the discussions in which you've participated. Log in, post to any discussion and visit the forum hub to view it for yourself.

4. Hover: stats display when the user mouses over any thumbnail. You can Follow a member using this menu.

5. Upload photo: we heard you loud and clear. Now when selecting a new profile image, browse files on your computer to select the correct photo.

6. Hide original message: a convenient feature for those discussions that reach multiple pages of responses. The original post is hidden by default after the first page. However, if you ever want to refer to the first post, simply select 'Unhide' at the top of any discussion page.

Now that I've shared with you our latest enhancements, I'd love to hear back from you. Share your feedback in the forum or add a comment right here.

Tiffani

Community Manager

 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-07-27T11:59:00+00:00Send BV to MySpace, facebook, Twitter and Morehttp://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/07/17/send-blogs-to-twitter-myspace-facebook/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/07/17/send-blogs-to-twitter-myspace-facebook/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/07/17/send-blogs-to-twitter-myspace-facebook/#commentsFiled under:

Notice something new? We've added a great new capability to our blogs allowing you to share posts across any of your favorite social networking sites including facebook, Twitter, MySpace and more!

Simply select any of the social networking icons or for more options hit SHARE. When the menu displays, pick your desired web site. The post will publish to your profile instantly. Authentication on the third-party's web site may be required.

Got questions? We're all ears. Share your own feedback by adding a comment and tell us what you think.


Share BV with your friends

 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-07-17T11:22:00+00:00Members on Michael's Memorialhttp://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/07/07/jackson-memorial-watch-chat/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/07/07/jackson-memorial-watch-chat/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/07/07/jackson-memorial-watch-chat/#commentsFiled under: , ,

While the media covered the memorial service of music's greatest icon, members turned to Black Voices to chat about the performances, celebrities and say one final good-bye to the King of Pop. We share a few of your comments below. Join in the conversation by visiting the Black Voices message boards.

Member GodivaTee Member GodivaTee
"Today will hit home for a lot of people ... today is the finale of saying goodbye." Reply to this post


Member SyllyMember Sylly
"I was choked up seeing MJ's daughter singing along with "We Are the World"." Reply to this post


Member Indigo1974Member Indigo1974
"That prayer was AWESOME - especially, 'the king of pop will now bow his knees for the King of Kings'." Reply to this post


Stay connected all day as members come online to share their thoughts on the service.

Discuss: Memorial Watch and Chat

Discuss: What did you think about the memorial?

Discuss: More reaction to the memorial



Search Black Voices for more Michael Jackson articles and coverage.

 

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]]>michaeljacksonTiffaniLW2009-07-07T15:41:00+00:00Blogsmith Help & FAQshttp://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/06/10/blogsmith-faqs/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/06/10/blogsmith-faqs/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/06/10/blogsmith-faqs/#commentsWe're here to help. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions we receive from members about our blogs. If you need additional assistance, click here (a new tab or window will open) to send email and a member of the Black Voices staff will respond to you.

1. I want to activate my comment but did not receive a confirmation email.
2. Do I have to activate my account each time I post a comment?
3. I selected Returning Commenter because I've posted on Black Voices blogs before but it's asking for a user name and password. Where do I find that?
4. What happened to the blogs that used to appear on the left side of the page?
5. How can I add my web site to your blog roll?



1. I want to activate my comment but did not receive a confirmation email.

After you submit a comment on Black Voices, we'll send an email to the address provided asking that you validate your comment by clicking on the activation link. This step is required before your comment gets published. The email will come from the address service@blogsmith.com. Be sure to check your spam folder if you have not received the email within fifteen minutes. So that the activation email does not fall into your SPAM folder in the future (or get blocked entirely by your email provider) we suggest adding us to your address book.

2. Do I have to activate my account each time I post a comment?

No, if you have an existing AOL, AIM, or Black Voices account you can post a comment immediately and avoid the wait. Simply navigate to the comment window and select the tab 'use Your AIM screen name.' After you enter your screen name and password, the page will refresh with the name and email address associated with your account. Please note, your comment will be published under your screen name.

3. I selected Returning Commenter because I've posted on Black Voices blogs before but it's asking for a user name and password. Where do I find that?

If you have posted on the Black Voices blogs before as a New Commenter then you have received a comment activation email from us in the past. Within that email you will find a unique user name and password. Can't find the email from us? Don't worry. Create a post under New Commenter, select 'Remember Me' and be sure to save the validation email with your user name and password this time around.

4. What happened to the blogs that used to appear on the left side of the page?

We cleaned up a bit so that stories and topics written by our staff are easier to find. However, we're still featuring some of our favorite blogs. You can now find them in the BV Blogroll located on the bottom right of most of our pages.

5. How can I add my web site to your blog roll?

We're always looking for sites to add to our blog roll. If you have a blog to share please send it to us. Links appearing in the BV Blogroll are at the sole discretion of our editors but if we add your site or have further questions we'll let you know. Submit it here (a new window will pop up).

 

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]]>faqfrequently-asked-questionshelpTiffaniLW2009-06-10T13:39:00+00:00New Feature Alert - Follow Your Friendshttp://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/05/22/follow-friends-blackvoices/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/05/22/follow-friends-blackvoices/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/05/22/follow-friends-blackvoices/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Here's some exciting news before the weekend. We just unveiled a couple more new features this week!

Following

Now you can follow other members on Conversations. When you follow a member, we store the list in your profiles and whenever a member you're following publishes a new post you'll be able to see it all on one page. The same goes for those who are following you.

"What can members see when they follow me?"
This portion of the feature will be available in the near future. When it's live, your followers will see a live feed of posts as you publish them. Don't worry! We will not reveal anything not already visible to the public

How do I follow another member?
You can add members to your "following" list by visiting their profile and selecting "Follow" under their image.


"Who can see my followers and those I'm following?"
Both lists are visible to the public when they visit your profile.

Take a look at the other members following me right now then visit Conversations and log on to follow your friends.


Follow feature in Conversations

 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-05-22T16:08:00+00:00New Feature Alerthttp://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/05/15/my-history/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/05/15/my-history/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/05/15/my-history/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Good news! We've released a new feature on the BV Conversations message board. This is our construction site so to speak for our upcoming message boards.


* History: this new page is a one-stop shop for all posts which you've authored within the BV Conversations message boards. It's often difficult to navigate to every post you have made and now we've made it a little simpler. Expect to find more enhancements to this feature at a future date.

How To Find Your History Page

1. First, you must be logged in
2. Once you're logged in, select the drop down arrow next to the My Stuff box next to your name (see below screen shot)
3. Select the History link
4. Now you'll land on a page full of your posts. Nothing there yet? Start posting away. All your messages from May 13 and beyond will now appear here!

How to Find History Page


Please come over to the Feedback Forum and tell us what you think.


Tiffani

 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-05-15T16:03:00+00:00Notice Something New?http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/05/05/threaded-message-board/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/05/05/threaded-message-board/http://feedback.blackvoices.com/2009/05/05/threaded-message-board/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We've made a few more changes to Conversations, our private alpha site where we're building a better message board for you.

When visiting a discussion within a forum you may notice a few changes. We cleaned up the design a bit and changed the default setting to view replies. All messages are displayed at Threaded, meaning if anyone has responded to an individual post in a thread you can view them with just a couple of clicks. Below I show you how.

Step 1: Visit any forum. In this example, I am using the Feedback Forum. Notice the Sort by option now displays 'Threaded' as the default (you can change this at anytime by clicking on the arrow to reveal the drop down menu).
Step One - Visit a forum on Black Voices Conversations


Step Two: Next, you have two options. You can reveal all the replies to posts on that page by selecting 'Expand All' in the upper right portion of the post or you can reveal replies on a post by post basis (2.2) by clicking on the button at the bottom of that posts. Only posts with a reply will display this option.


2.1 Expand All feature
Using the expand all option


2.2 Revealing replies on a post by post basis
Step Two: Notice the replies


Step 3: This is how the page will display when you view the replies to a post within a thread. Now you can follow the conversation and sometimes the mini-conversations that evolve in a discussion.
Reveal all threaded replies

 

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]]>TiffaniLW2009-05-05T15:30:00+00:00