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Postcode: Better location searches
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
Hi,
We'll soon be asking for the first half of your postcode to help improve how location searches are performed.
So if you live in Totteridge and Whetstone in North London (for example), you would enter "N20". In the longer-term we will start using this to do better searches rather than the stupid postcode-letter or region stuff. So you might be able to say, "give me couples within 20 miles" which would make more sense than searching the "East Midlands" region which currently covers an area from South Yorkshire to East Anglia!
Some concerns/answers:
PRIVACY: The first half of a postcode covers a pretty big area, so it's not like you can pinpoint a house or even a street from this. But, to protect privacy:
* We'll never show your postcode area on your profile.
* If we show distances between profiles we'll only keep them vague e.g. "0-5 miles, 5-10 miles" rather than exact numbers.
* If you're still concerned (and you shouldn't be) there is nothing stopping you entering a postcode slightly different to your own so if you lived in YO2 you could enter YO3. You'd just get less accurate matches.
HOW WE'LL ASK FOR THIS: There will be an obvious link on the site shortly which will ask for the first half of your postcode. Once you've entered it, the obvious link will disappear. The only way to remove the obvious link will be to enter a postcode.
Comments / feedback welcome
Admin x
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You haven't put in the postcodes for Jersey, Channel Islands, get the message:-
That didn't seem like a valid postcode so we've not saved it.
You only need to enter the first half of the postcode e.g. N20 |
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"You haven't put in the postcodes for Jersey, Channel Islands, get the message:-
That didn't seem like a valid postcode so we've not saved it.
You only need to enter the first half of the postcode e.g. N20 "
We'll get this sorted.
Admin x |
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"You haven't put in the postcodes for Jersey, Channel Islands, get the message:-
That didn't seem like a valid postcode so we've not saved it.
You only need to enter the first half of the postcode e.g. N20 "
Ok these should be on now if you want to try again?
Thanks for letting us know about the problem.
Admin x |
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By *ezebelWoman
over a year ago
North of The Wall - youll need your vest |
If you dont enter a postcode will your profile still show up on searches by someone looking in your area?
For example if someone searches for M postcodes, would mine show up because Im in Manchester, even though I havent entered a postcode?
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"If you dont enter a postcode will your profile still show up on searches by someone looking in your area?
For example if someone searches for M postcodes, would mine show up because Im in Manchester, even though I havent entered a postcode?
"
If you don't enter a postcode we'll just fudge a postcode from what we know e.g. at the moment for someone in Manchester we'd know you were on the M postcode so we'd maybe assume M1. Just means that you'll get less accurate "nearby" searches and you'll show less accurately too
Plus, the annoying red message will only go if you enter a postcode so we'd expect over the next few weeks pretty much all active users will enter one.
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By *abioMan
over a year ago
Newcastle and Gateshead |
Because some people prefer to be vague can I ask if there is going to be some sort of opt out as I can see some people being freaked out if some people are in a sense too close and it is flagged up... |
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"Because some people prefer to be vague can I ask if there is going to be some sort of opt out as I can see some people being freaked out if some people are in a sense too close and it is flagged up..."
There's no opt out. If someone is worried and they live in YO2 they could say they live in YO4. Who's to know?
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By *abioMan
over a year ago
Newcastle and Gateshead |
The only reason I asked is that another site did this.... Followed by suddenly loads of people living in Shetland and Orkney, the channel islands, the isles of scilly and the western isles..
Then they made it optional and people were a lot happier |
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"The only reason I asked is that another site did this.... Followed by suddenly loads of people living in Shetland and Orkney, the channel islands, the isles of scilly and the western isles..
Then they made it optional and people were a lot happier"
Given that nearly all searches are "proximity based" (even at present) we don't see how we can make an opt-out work. If people want to put in an inaccurate postcode, it's up to them and we've not got a huge problem with it (although if they were in LS6 and we'd recommend they put a central postcode like LS1 if they're concerned about privacy). If they put in an inaccurate postcode it just means their results e.g. local updates etc. will be nonsense.
We will be crafting this system so it's privacy friendly as we lay out in our first message (no exact distances, not on users profile, etc.).
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By *heRainManMan
over a year ago
Warrington & Glasgow |
"Given that nearly all searches are "proximity based" (even at present) we don't see how we can make an opt-out work.
Admin x "
What about an e.g. XX99 code for the over-paranoid? This wouldn't match up when people searched (well, except other paranoids  ). |
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By *raigCouple
over a year ago
cardiff |
Hi , Prior to this great age of googgle it was possible with a post code just of 2 letter and 2 numbers with other vague details such as nicknames to trace people...how do I know...well use to have a research job doing it.
With google so much easier.......prefer being a vague as possible to make it hard for researchers to trace us....not help them by providing more information.....I want to opt out of this for privacy rerasons |
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"Hi , Prior to this great age of googgle it was possible with a post code just of 2 letter and 2 numbers with other vague details such as nicknames to trace people...how do I know...well use to have a research job doing it.
With google so much easier.......prefer being a vague as possible to make it hard for researchers to trace us....not help them by providing more information.....I want to opt out of this for privacy rerasons"
Firstly, this information isn't going near google. It won't be shown on profiles.
Secondly, as per the discussion above, for the easily spooked just enter duff data (e.g. from the information you have public on your profile, it says you live in Cardiff - just enter CF1). We'll assume the XX1 postcode of whatever you have on your account if you choose to not update the info anyway 
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"post code probs
have been trying to add the 1st part of our post code as the site asks but it keeps saying that our post code is not valid plz can you sort this out."
It was missing from our database, try again
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"
Plus, the annoying red message will only go if you enter a postcode so we'd expect over the next few weeks pretty much all active users will enter one.
Admin "
just a suggestion but how about a blanket email to all members (sadly it seems not all users are so savvy as to see something new on their profile and bother to look in here for news  ) |
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"
Plus, the annoying red message will only go if you enter a postcode so we'd expect over the next few weeks pretty much all active users will enter one.
Admin
just a suggestion but how about a blanket email to all members (sadly it seems not all users are so savvy as to see something new on their profile and bother to look in here for news )"
We might give people a poke later but over 20,000 people have updated their postcode so far so it seems most are seeing the pink bar. We don't like to email or PM accounts unlesss absolutely necessary because it's annoying for them!
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Would just like to say that I think this a great idea, thanks It will make the searching a lot easier.
Am I correct in assuming that if you are in a different postcode (work or travel) to the home postcode, that the meetings search will do the distance thing on the other postcode rather than the home one? |
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"Would just like to say that I think this a great idea, thanks It will make the searching a lot easier.
Am I correct in assuming that if you are in a different postcode (work or travel) to the home postcode, that the meetings search will do the distance thing on the other postcode rather than the home one?"
I was about to ask much the same does it appear somewhere that enables us to edit?
I looked on the system but cant see where.
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"Would just like to say that I think this a great idea, thanks It will make the searching a lot easier.
Am I correct in assuming that if you are in a different postcode (work or travel) to the home postcode, that the meetings search will do the distance thing on the other postcode rather than the home one?
I was about to ask much the same does it appear somewhere that enables us to edit?
I looked on the system but cant see where.
"
MY ACCOUNT page, EDIT PERSONAL DETAILS lets you edit
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By *scottMan
over a year ago
Uttoxeter |
Long overdue.
It is nice to be on a site that keeps developing.
And well done for keeping the "free" options on site up to a usible level. We have put several couples/singles onto this site for that very reason. |
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By *heRainManMan
over a year ago
Warrington & Glasgow |
"Can't update my postcode as your database won't accept it."
I thought only the UK and one other European country (Netherlands?) used Postcodes? Does Bulgaria also use them? You might need to point Admin to them, if there's a list available on the web.
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"Can't update my postcode as your database won't accept it."
Suggest just use your old postcode in scotland (same as you have on account at moment) We don't yet cover bulgaria 
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Hi, I think this is a brill idea, well done fab. Now am just being thick or is this postcode search not fully up and running yet? I go to 'advanced search' and I can add a postcode. However I have no way of choosing how many miles I want my search returnes to be from me. I'm in Doncaster at present but I'm getting results in Sheffield and hull. So I suppose what I'm asking is, will this feature be available and if it already is how do I use it?
Thanks guys!
X |
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"Hi, I think this is a brill idea, well done fab. Now am just being thick or is this postcode search not fully up and running yet? I go to 'advanced search' and I can add a postcode. However I have no way of choosing how many miles I want my search returnes to be from me. I'm in Doncaster at present but I'm getting results in Sheffield and hull. So I suppose what I'm asking is, will this feature be available and if it already is how do I use it?
Thanks guys!
X"
It's not yet being actively used. We'll post a note when we start to use it to return results (actually, it will be noticable because the search form will change slightly).
Admin x |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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we have set our essex based home address postcode, how ever we sometimes travel to london for selected weekends and would like to change our postcode so people in the london area can match to us. how do we then change this from our essex postcode to london postcode and back again and what is the length of time it takes for the system to update the change of postcode?
thank you |
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"we have set our essex based home address postcode, how ever we sometimes travel to london for selected weekends and would like to change our postcode so people in the london area can match to us. how do we then change this from our essex postcode to london postcode and back again and what is the length of time it takes for the system to update the change of postcode?
thank you"
"My account", "Edit personal details"
Updates instantly
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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brilliant piece of work
word of advice for those who would use a default password if concerned about privacy. If your postcod is PA, remember that PA1 = Paisley which is next door to glasgow.
However, remember that the PA postcode region covers the Whole of Argyll and includes a number of Scottish Islands that are 100s of road miles away from PA1.
To my knowledge
PA20 - isle of bute
PA21 - tighnabruich, argyll
PA22 - colintraive, argyll
PA23 - dunoon,argyll
PA24 - cairndow, argyll
PA25 - Ditto
PA26 - Ditto
PA27 - Ditto
PA28 - Campbelltown
PA29 - Tarbet
PA30 - Lochgilphead
PA31 - Ditto
PA32 - Inverary
PA33 - Dalmally
PA34 - Oban
PA35 - Taynuilt
PA36 - Bridge of Orchy
PA37 - Oban
PA38 - Appin
PA41 - Isle of Gigha
PA42 - Isle of Islay
PA43 - Ditto
PA44 - Ditto
PA45 - Ditto
PA46 - Ditto
PA47 - Ditto
PA48 - Ditto
PA49 - Ditto
PA60 - Isle of Jura
PA61 - Isle of Colonsay
PA62 - Isle of Mull
PA63 - Ditto
PA64 - Ditto
PA65 - Ditto
PA66 - Ditto
PA67 - Ditto
PA68 - Ditto
PA70 - Ditto
PA71 - Ditto
PA72 - Ditto
PA73 - Ditto
PA74 - Ditto
PA75 - Ditto
PA76 - Isle of Iona
PA77 - Isle of Tiree
PA78 - Isle of Coll
Same is true of the IV postcode area which covers a vast area north, south east and west of IV1 Inverness city.
Also KW postcode area which is Kirkwall, isles of Orkney but in fact covers UK mainland area of caithness also.
I should think that FAB people living in these remote areas might be concerned about about privacy where a postcode area might literally cover only a few houses! Equally, if PA1 or IV1 is used by Admin as a default in absence of voluntary update, that would potentially skew the search results.
For these reasons, I would advocate that when the new search is brought online, those who have not voluntarily updated postcode should be permitted to remain as PA or IV etc as at present.
But if that's not an option, could admin not invent default codes like PAzero or IVzero rather than risk skewing search results that are meant to be improved.
I'm not sure if it will be a major issue - just flagging the potential. |
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By *j_mark OP Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod Totteridge/Whetstone |
"When will this new feature be going 'live?'
Should be good new tool for finding peeps
Cheers"
It will be live within 12 months. We'd like to give a tighter timetable but we have a huge amount of work on our plate and we'd inevitably get it wrong!
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Are there any plans to make the meets & events pages more localised? I often find that only 1 in 20 meets are within 50 miles of me.
Localisation by potscode letter would be enough |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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BUMP!
Now that pics from Aus and US & Canada show up on new pics. can you localise pics a bit PLEASE! when I use web at home I have to pay for bandwidth & I don't like the fact that I waste it on viewing pics of people in a differnt county!!! !!!!!!!!! |
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By *oubleDeesCouple
over a year ago
belfast, northern ireland |
"Hi,
We'll soon be asking for the first half of your postcode to help improve how location searches are performed.
So if you live in Totteridge and Whetstone in North London (for example), you would enter "N20". In the longer-term we will start using this to do better searches rather than the stupid postcode-letter or region stuff. So you might be able to say, "give me couples within 20 miles" which would make more sense than searching the "East Midlands" region which currently covers an area from South Yorkshire to East Anglia!
Some concerns/answers:
PRIVACY: The first half of a postcode covers a pretty big area, so it's not like you can pinpoint a house or even a street from this. But, to protect privacy:
* We'll never show your postcode area on your profile.
* If we show distances between profiles we'll only keep them vague e.g. "0-5 miles, 5-10 miles" rather than exact numbers.
* If you're still concerned (and you shouldn't be) there is nothing stopping you entering a postcode slightly different to your own so if you lived in YO2 you could enter YO3. You'd just get less accurate matches.
HOW WE'LL ASK FOR THIS: There will be an obvious link on the site shortly which will ask for the first half of your postcode. Once you've entered it, the obvious link will disappear. The only way to remove the obvious link will be to enter a postcode.
Comments / feedback welcome
Admin x
"
What about Ireland where there are no postcodes ? |
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