As many of the older members will remember, things were much simpler a few years ago when we had one login and only one main domain (armorama.com). We could return to those days by having "kitmaker.net" be our primary login domain. What this would mean is that anyone trying to reach say "www.armorama.com" would automatically be redirected to "armorama.kitmaker.net". This would mean one cookie for all domains and one central domain. Some of the other club sites work this way already (BENELUX, IPMS-UK, Turkorama).
From a user perspective this really shouldn't change their basic site experience, except to make it simple to stay logged in on any site they visit. The only downside I am seeing with this plan is that our Google search relevancy could be hurt by it as Google will not appriciate the redirect. Google is already indexing the other subdomain sites though so we shouldn't loose search page results, just the ranking that some sites like Armorama currently enjoy.
That part I will have to try to work around.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Thanks,
Jim
Network Talk
For discussions about network-wide site topics, announcments, etc.
For discussions about network-wide site topics, announcments, etc.
Hosted by Jim Starkweather
Should we move to a single login domain?
staff_Jim
Publisher
Member Since: December 15, 2001
entire network: 12,571 Posts
KitMaker Network: 4,397 Posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 09, 2007 - 10:45 PM UTC
wildspear
Member Since: April 03, 2007
entire network: 960 Posts
KitMaker Network: 43 Posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 09, 2007 - 11:07 PM UTC
Hey all,
I'm not up to date on the in's and out's of web pages but I don't see any problem with what we have. You get to fine tuning something so much you run the chance of doing damage to it. Kinda like how far should we detail a build, too much and it get stressful. I vote to leave the site the way it is unless there is something to be fixed.
I'm not up to date on the in's and out's of web pages but I don't see any problem with what we have. You get to fine tuning something so much you run the chance of doing damage to it. Kinda like how far should we detail a build, too much and it get stressful. I vote to leave the site the way it is unless there is something to be fixed.
slodder
Member Since: February 22, 2002
entire network: 11,718 Posts
KitMaker Network: 2,584 Posts
Posted: Thursday, May 10, 2007 - 12:12 AM UTC
Personally, I don't have a preference. The multiple domains work for me just fine with no down side.
As long as navigation between them is easy (and it is currently).
As long as navigation between them is easy (and it is currently).
Sabot
Member Since: December 18, 2001
entire network: 12,596 Posts
KitMaker Network: 2,557 Posts
entire network: 12,596 Posts
KitMaker Network: 2,557 Posts
Posted: Thursday, May 10, 2007 - 12:13 AM UTC
Sure, every once in a while I enter one of the domains that I do not normally enter (like using the .com vs. .net). When I go to post, I find out that I am not logged in.
While I never log off of the site when I leave, I think I would have to log in about 10 times to insure I am logged into all sites under the various .com or .net domains.
While I never log off of the site when I leave, I think I would have to log in about 10 times to insure I am logged into all sites under the various .com or .net domains.
WeWillHold
Member Since: April 17, 2002
entire network: 2,314 Posts
KitMaker Network: 185 Posts
Posted: Thursday, May 10, 2007 - 02:17 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Should we move to a single login domain?
Absolutely.
Why?
Quoted Text
From a user perspective this really shouldn't change their basic site experience, except to make it simple to stay logged in on any site they visit.
Hopefully a seamless change that is a satisfier for your membership.
Steve
propboy44256
Member Since: November 20, 2002
entire network: 1,038 Posts
KitMaker Network: 0 Posts
Posted: Thursday, May 10, 2007 - 08:17 PM UTC
Ive been around long enough to remember having to log in only once for all tabs. It would be nice to go back there. Its a little more work, if your logged in at one place, and you wnat to respond to a forum topic in another, and you have to log in again. Id say go back because like me, I look at more than just model geek. The only tab i do not use in the site is the historicus forma. My 2 cents
Gunny
Member Since: July 13, 2004
entire network: 6,705 Posts
KitMaker Network: 1,084 Posts
Posted: Friday, May 11, 2007 - 05:00 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Ive been around long enough to remember having to log in only once for all tabs. It would be nice to go back there. Its a little more work, if your logged in at one place, and you wnat to respond to a forum topic in another, and you have to log in again. Id say go back because like me, I look at more than just model geek. The only tab i do not use in the site is the historicus forma. My 2 cents
This option is still present, mate. . .if you enter the network and log in at the Kitmaker Homepage, you can navigate, post, and enjoy all of the sites of KitMaker. . .all of the time!
I think losing the search ranking priorities would be a step backward, IMHO. . .
TacFireGuru
Member Since: December 25, 2004
entire network: 3,770 Posts
KitMaker Network: 747 Posts
Posted: Friday, May 11, 2007 - 05:13 AM UTC
Ola Jim,
For me, it's "either-either-or." However, if the "gist" of it is that it won't affect the "experience" and will make it "easier" for the members...then why not?
Now here's another that I'm not hip to:
Mike
For me, it's "either-either-or." However, if the "gist" of it is that it won't affect the "experience" and will make it "easier" for the members...then why not?
Now here's another that I'm not hip to:
Quoted Text
(Okay...kinda hip to that) and Google search relevancy.....
Quoted Text
(have a vague idea....higher in the heirachy (sp?) is better). What DOES this mean to Armorama? Is it "hits," adverts, or a collective a a variety of things. There's my "curiosity" again Jim.......just the ranking that some sites like Armorama currently enjoy
Mike
grimreaper
Member Since: April 11, 2005
entire network: 417 Posts
KitMaker Network: 0 Posts
Posted: Friday, May 11, 2007 - 09:27 AM UTC
I'm in the same boat with Gunny (no pun intended), as I log in once at kitmaker.net and cruise all the areas remaining logged in on all of them. Works fine like it is. 
Gunny
Member Since: July 13, 2004
entire network: 6,705 Posts
KitMaker Network: 1,084 Posts
Posted: Friday, May 11, 2007 - 03:19 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Ola Jim,
For me, it's "either-either-or." However, if the "gist" of it is that it won't affect the "experience" and will make it "easier" for the members...then why not?
Now here's another that I'm not hip to:Quoted Text(Okay...kinda hip to that) andGoogle search relevancy.....Quoted Text(have a vague idea....higher in the heirachy (sp?) is better). What DOES this mean to Armorama? Is it "hits," adverts, or a collective a a variety of things. There's my "curiosity" again Jim.......just the ranking that some sites like Armorama currently enjoy
Mike
Ahoy, Mike!
I'm far from a web-building guru meself, but I think I can answer this one, mate. . .
1.) All websites have a domain, (ie. www.yadayada.com), and search engines find and access your site by said domain
2.) When you start a new website, thus adding a new domain to the vast amount of domains zooming around in cyberspace, this new domain has to be either recognized (and thus found more easily) by a search engine automatically (Google, Yahoo, etc) or added manually for a fee (which is NOT cheap, and not always guaranteed)
3.) There is a huge amount of traffic and data moved at the present domain, and therefore, is recognized easily by Google. . . new domain= less OR no recognization by the search engine(s), which is the "relevency" that is in question here, I do believe
So in essence, I think it would be hurting the Network (Armorama mostly, as Jim has stated, as Google is already recognizing the other site sub-domains), and would take a while to get back to where it is now in the ranks.
Plasticbattle
#003
Member Since: May 14, 2002
entire network: 9,763 Posts
KitMaker Network: 1,351 Posts
Posted: Friday, May 11, 2007 - 03:40 PM UTC
Im not very knowledgeable about all the net-talk. Thanks for the run down Mark.
Maybe a silly question, but if all were on the one domain, would it not mean that all hits were making a single domain higher in the rankings, rather than several domans spreading the hits. Armorama is a pretty well-known name and being higher in the rankings, would it not be better in the long run.
I like the new tab system where all sites are easy to reach and change between. Its great to get the full width of the page again, instead of having that column for showing whats on other pages on the right side. One log-in would be more user friendly. Good job Jim!!
Quoted Text
So in essence, I think it would be hurting the Network (Armorama mostly, as Jim has stated, as Google is already recognizing the other site sub-domains), and would take a while to get back to where it is now in the ranks.
Maybe a silly question, but if all were on the one domain, would it not mean that all hits were making a single domain higher in the rankings, rather than several domans spreading the hits. Armorama is a pretty well-known name and being higher in the rankings, would it not be better in the long run.
I like the new tab system where all sites are easy to reach and change between. Its great to get the full width of the page again, instead of having that column for showing whats on other pages on the right side. One log-in would be more user friendly. Good job Jim!!
Gunny
Member Since: July 13, 2004
entire network: 6,705 Posts
KitMaker Network: 1,084 Posts
Posted: Friday, May 11, 2007 - 04:35 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Im not very knowledgeable about all the net-talk. Thanks for the run down Mark.
Quoted TextSo in essence, I think it would be hurting the Network (Armorama mostly, as Jim has stated, as Google is already recognizing the other site sub-domains), and would take a while to get back to where it is now in the ranks.
Maybe a silly question, but if all were on the one domain, would it not mean that all hits were making a single domain higher in the rankings, rather than several domans spreading the hits. Armorama is a pretty well-known name and being higher in the rankings, would it not be better in the long run.
I like the new tab system where all sites are easy to reach and change between. Its great to get the full width of the page again, instead of having that column for showing whats on other pages on the right side. One log-in would be more user friendly. Good job Jim!!
Hmmm...Didn't think of it that way, Frank!
Great theory, not a silly question at all, and quite honestly, the web-heads are going to have to help us out on this one, mate, because honestly, I haven't the answer...but you've turned a rusty cog or two in my morning fuzzed brain!
Although we do now (and have had since the split) have a single log-in, my friend, accomplished by starting out on the Kitmaker home page, logging in there, and then you are logged in automatically on all the KitMaker sites...one single domain would make for only one cookie for your computer to remember, but I honestly don't see the benefits of a single domain vs the way it is now, as far as user friendliness goes. . . unless there would be a cookie issue along the way for some members, thus justifying a need to dump your cookies, which would then be just limited to the single domain, thereby only having one cookie to dump. . .phew. . .?!
 |
WEB HOSTING BY
Copyright ©2021 KitMaker Network and Kitmaker Network, a subsidiary of Silver Star Enterprises
All Rights Reserved. Please read our Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy.
All Rights Reserved. Please read our Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy.