Sidebar - suggestions please!

[french frank]

I'm setting up a left-hand sidebar with useful links, mainly to R3-type sites (hence the brief forum closure last night).

If you don't want the sidebar to mess up your unrestricted view of the chat you can turn it OFF (I'm not sure if 'On' is the automatic default or not). Below is an image of what it will, sort of, look like.

The 'Links' block will probably be the first of more than one (two? three?) so we don't want an endless list of everyone's favourite sites, but if you can think of any obvious ones connected with 'R3-type stuff', please offer suggestions, comments below.

This is my initial list:

Radio 3 links

Homepage

Schedule (day’s view) (can't link to weekly grid)

Listen Live

Listen Again (homepage)

Proms 2011 (coming soon)

R3 Blog

Radio 3 old messageboards

[Any other R3 links that you use regularly?]

Other links:

Andrew’s listings blog

BBC News

FoR3 home

[amateur51]

French frank, you're a marvel!

The only additional link I could think of was to r3ok but I'll not be unhappy if that does not happen.

Many thanks for all your hard work

[french frank]

Oh, thank you, am51

Don't want links to every forum in existence but happy with a link to r3ok if enough people want to use it (one hopes for a reciprocal link where posssible!). The link on the FoR3 homepage won't stay for ever because we'll be wanting to remove the 'news' of the BBC MBs closure before too long. Lots of sites do offer reciprocal links but I wouldn't want to take them all up unless they are sites which R3F-ers use regularly, although links are 'good' for us. (The BBC/R3 is the one we're after, but I don't rate the chances, meanies that they are )

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

ff what would people think of having a link to NPR Music; excellent for jazz and pretty good on other music too [but American!]

and thanks once again ff... pretty soon you will be writing poems with sidebars threads and links innit ...

[amateur51]

ff what would people think of having a link to NPR Music; excellent for jazz and pretty good on other music too [but American!]

and thanks once again ... pretty soon you will be writing poems with sidebars threads and links innit ...

Coo Calum! That looks good.

Just like Sky Arts 2 without the subscription and the psycho-shareholder

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

i am sure there are other European sites that have been referred to on occasion where music/arts is the name of the game ...

[DracoM]

Excellent idea, FF.

I imagine that as it is a commercial site, you would not think of provding a link to WQXR, the New York classical music station, OR maybe to a site that lists online classical music stations? I know of one such.

[french frank]

I could probably create a second block with links to other broadcasters. I'm a bit cautious though - who's going to be listeing to R3? ...

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

er good point ff but there are delights out there!

... i just read the word 'unofficial' in the top line, might i suggest that the independent forum for R3 might be a preferable tag?

[french frank]

... i just read the word 'unofficial' in the top line, might i suggest that the independent forum for R3 might be a preferable tag?

I was thinking of claiming the title of 'official unoffical R3 forum' on the grounds that there are various other groups dedicated to R3 but we were the direct heirs. So perhaps, erm, the official independent unoffici ... (Actually, I do quite like 'independent' ) Some day we're going to try to eliminate the vB banner but that may take a few more months dithering

[doversoul1]

I’d suggest that wonderfully unassuming Early Music Radio that you introduced to us, but it will fall into everybody’s favourite category. How about setting up a page for something like Useful links where the members can post their favourite links (other than the obvious ones that can come on the front page)? I suppose even this will have to be in some way monitored or controlled.

And yes, I like Independent, too.

[Nick Armstrong]

... (Actually, I do quite like 'independent' ) Some day we're going to try to eliminate the vB banner but that may take a few more months dithering

This sidebar is a great idea: thanks for the creative thinking and hard work, FF (I've been looking how I turn it on but infer you are in the process of setting it up i.e. it's not available yet... )

I like 'Independent' too. And I have always wished the vB banner could go - what does the dithering result from? It would be so good if in its place was a proud "FoR3 - the Independent Radio 3 Forum" banner. I can't see any reason not to - and hence presume there is some hidden contractual issue with the software people that hinders this?

(I don't like 'official' - in what sense is it 'official' ? )

Excellent idea, FF.

I imagine that as it is a commercial site, you would not think of provding a link to WQXR, the New York classical music station, OR maybe to a site that lists online classical music stations? I know of one such.

Very good idea too, Dracs. And what is the radio station in S. California which I've found to be great when sitting in the inevitable traffic queues in LA? I'm terrible with acronyms... Does anyone else know it - the highlight is the show presented by Alec Baldwin, the comedy actor: sounds a terrible idea but he's great, a really knowledgeable music-head and very listenable-to.

[DracoM]

You and Mark are doing a great job!! Don't get too fussed.

[Mr Pee]

Just like Sky Arts 2 without the subscription and the psycho-shareholder

How do you know what Sky Arts 2 is like? I thought your high moral superiority meant you'd never watched it?

Anyhoo, well done with this latest tweak, FF. These messageboards are as night and day compared to the old R3 site.

[salymap]

French frank, what about a specific link to Po3, especially as it is supposed to be live soon, is it not?

At the moment 'Performance' has Sky and all sorts of other things. Another MBer and myself tried to start several Po3 threads last/this week but they didn't get going at all.