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The Guide |
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Columns |
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| Fireworks by Gary Hadden in celebration of Independence Day in the US. |
It's not unusual to get requests for new BHQ features. Some of you send email with your ideas. Others pick up the phone to offer convincing arguments for the desired features. We need to pick and choose the ones that will benefit our members most. In evaluating the things we work on, we don't look just at how many people ask, but what we can do that doesn't already exist elsewhere on the Internet. We also consider what we can support. The last thing we want to do is to offer something part way and be unable to keep it running well.
One of the things we hear about often is some form of interactive chat. Since we already have user forums, some people argue, another form of communication would fit in nicely. On the flip side, email forums allow people around the world to share ideas at their convenience. Chat only allows people to interact with one another if they are awake and available during the same hours. Other sites already offer chats that balloon artists can use. If we ever do add chat, it will need something that we already get from the existing forums: archiving of discussions so that people around the world can find the things they missed. We have ideas for an improved chat environment that really would fit in with BHQ, but it won't happen any time soon. For now, those of you asking for chat capabilities should visit other sites that already offer it.
Chats are available at www.mbd2.com and groups.yahoo.com/group/clownsrus. Other chats exist for balloon discussions. These are just the ones we're familiar with.
About a year ago, Larry Moss asked me if I would be interested in helping out with some aspects of BalloonHQ. The conversation occurred just after we, along with a team of 23 balloon artists, had just launched a giant Orange Octopus into the air over Sodus Point, NY. Larry was tired so he probably didn't realize what he was doing offering me this great opportunity, and my pride in the power of balloons had grown ten-fold from the Octopus project, so I accepted with excitement! A lot has happened with BalloonHQ since then, and what an adventure it has been to be a part of it all!
BHQ Forum Stability
The Entertainer and Decorator forums are a popular feature of BHQ, so we have worked hard to stabilize and improve their performance. Because of the increasing amount of spam email, we have instituted a more aggressive filtering method so that junk doesn't make its way to the forums. There are still occasional delays, but postings and digests have become more regular.
To avoid delays in posts making it to the forums, BHQ Members have been enjoying the ability to post messages through the web email interface.
BHQ Monthly Columns
One of my greatest joys has been maintaining the monthly BHQ Columns. Not only do I have the opportunity to read columns before they are published online, but I've had the chance to meet and get to know some amazing and prolific artists.
Readers have benefited from the vast experience and knowledge of veteran columnists like Ralph Dewey, Don Caldwell, Steve Jones, and Mike Kenyon (just to name a few) for quite awhile. In the past year we have also been able to add a few new authors to our "regulars" list like Peggy Williams and Anthony Brown, Jr.
If you have something important to say and would like to submit an article for publication on the BHQ Column pages, drop us a note at editor@balloonhq.com
Problem Submit Form
Having problems with your BHQ account? A quick way to contact us is through the online Problem Submit Form. Since we added this feature, many members have taken advantage of the easy to use interface to pose questions.
Embedded BHQ Portfolios
A few months ago we announced the addition of a new feature to BHQ members. If you have your own website and want to include many of the photos you have in your portfolio, or you have decided you want to expand beyond your own BHQ Portfolio, check out the new features of BHQ Embedded Portfolios.
We have many things planned over the next months. Stay tuned and stay in touch!
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| Li'l Nurse Betty by Melanie Binkley |
Applause! Applause! Balloon Decor & Event Design, LLC. specializes in large decor and themed events. A long time contributor to the BHQ decorator forum, Melanie is always willing to offer suggestions for just about any theme someone can dream up.
See Applause! Applause! Balloon Decor & Event Design, LLC. BHQ Portfolio.
