I'd like a search that actually works, and better links on the main page.  For example, if *anyone* can tell me how to find Gen. Clark's comments, I'd love to know.

The top item on my wishlist would be a bidirectional mailing list gateway.  I think TPMCafe would be a thriving mailing list, but it's a somewhat mediocre website.  It's loaded with excellent content but very hard to use.

I'd like to see a fluid layout.  I agree with the previous poster that the central content area is too narrow.  On my 30" screen it's almost a joke.  It should work on screens large or small.

This comment editor doesn't work very well.  It inserts whitespace where undesired.  Maybe a plain text editor would be better?  Of course the mailing list gateway would obviate this request. 

I'd like a search that actually works,

The search engine the Scoop software offers sucks; I know this for a fact from lots of experience.

You have to play around with the drop-down box and really learn how the searches are separated. If you are doing keywords, always try ticking that box that says "as a phrase". Keywords usually get no results without doing that. (I would suggest that management here actually have that box ticked as the default search; I know other Scoop users have done that.)

One major inherent flaw: it does not work with three-letter words. Nada. Zip. Never. Only the search for a "user" will return users whose names have three-letters. The rest: if your are searching for "FBI" or "CIA" fuggeaboutit. No way.

It would take a very expensive nerd to write the code to fix it and that in itself can cause the site to be corrupted.

It is actually much easier to use regular old google to find stuff here. If you are clever about using the right keywords the TPMCafe posts usually come up on the 1st page.

This comment editor doesn't work very well.

Try changing to the Autoformat editor on your "My Preferences". The default editor gives most people trouble.

Go to "My Preferences." Go to "Interface" link there. After un-ticking the box to shut off the "WYSIWYG Editor," chose "Autoformat" in the drop down box labeled "Post Mode."

Enter the preferences. That will give you a much simpler comment editor with less drain on your system, that most people have no problem with and you won't have those white spaces.

It would take a very expensive nerd to write the code to fix it and that in itself can cause the site to be corrupted.

Well I know my stuff -- and yes, I am expensive -- but I'd be willing to do it pro bono.  I've even worked on Scoop before, and TPMCafe is using some of my code at this very moment.

 
There's no excuse for bad search.  If nothing else, TPMC should replace their non-working search with a Google box that searches the site.

The rating system was a big mystery to me, but I was able to get some help from a contributor who explained it well.  I did not know, however, that you have to click on "Rate All"  to make any rating stick.  Rate All does not make sense, it seems to me. How about Send?  I have asked that the rating system be fully explained in the Frequently Asked Questions section, unless it is already somewhere else, which I have not been able to find. 

I have also wondered about the number of people who make comments; it does seem to be a rather small club.  It may be that is because I don't go over the whole site. 

MichaelAOlson:

I agree that the "rate-all" thing is bad semantics; it confused me too long ago.

You understand the reason it says that?

It's because you can't go down an entire list of comments on a single thread and put ratings on each comment, or whichever ones you want, and only click any "rate all" button on the page, all all the ratings will be entered at once.

So actually, it does better than what you are asking for. You can rate one comment, or 50 comments, with one click. It's just labeled badly.