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Forums General Discussion working out the site kinks?

working out the site kinks?
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11:32 am
September 4, 2010


Rebecca

Member

posts 40
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Even if there were a way to see which posts I had already read instead of having to skim through every post in the thread.  On the old board, the ones you had opened were a different color.  This board is the only one that makes it so hard to find your place.

 

Rebecca

2:19 pm
September 4, 2010


Graham

Niagara Region, Canada

Member

posts 139
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Using the SMF type board (theartglassfactory) as an example

I have it in my bookmarks – not the log-in page, but the "messages since your last visit" page, and I get a list. I click on on the "new" button for one topic that I'm interested in and read all messages posted on that thread since my last visit and maybe reply. I then go to my back button and return to the new massages page. I can repeat for other threads that interest me. Then click on "marke all messages read" and I'm off to do the same thing at "stainedglassville" and "stainedglassartisans"

You make their system sound complicated, but it's not. A "different system " holds no particular attraction to this old dog, unless it makes my life simpler. And as for the "administrator's dream" aspect – that's all well and good for you, but if it's a "user's night-mare" not so good for me.

It's like those government programs that are really convenient to the civil servants, but a pain in the ass to the citizenry.

……………. there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worthwhile doing as simply messing about in boats.

2:21 pm
September 4, 2010


Angel

Admin

posts 187
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Looks like we finally got around to the "I don't like your house" phase of a new program.  Wink  It's to be expected.  Can't please everybody.

So, let's see.  You don't like skimming a whole thread for a NEW message.  You don't need to do that if you choose to use the Board features .  That seems to be the heart of the problem…learning a new way…stepping out of the familiar patterns provided by the recent SMF programs that everybody is using now.  They're good and useful but I really hate imitation.  I wanted something different.   This new SF was designed with the intelligentsia of Glass Forums in mind.  It's welcome to all but not "specifically" aimed at newbies (whom we cherish and teach).   

Now, let's see.  I was just on an SMF Board.  They put up a list of the last messages posted daily.  That makes it easy to log on…reject the subjects and move out…fast.  OR, if you find a title you like, it takes you to it where it could be buried in a large multi-message (or even a multi-page) Topic and maybe you need to read the rest of the topic to make sense of that message.  You're left to SKIM the whole topic.  Alternately, you'd need to skim the CATEGORIES…of which there are many.  In those, you see the list of topics along with the date of the most recent message (which you can click on to read).  The NEW message alert seems to be inactive there and some of the topics haven't had a post in MONTHS (nothing demeaning in that…it's the status of most Glass Forums these days).  You're left reading the dates of the most recent topics to find new stuff. 

OK…I'm in and out of this Board all day.  I  had e-mails alerting me to the previous 3 messages (because I subscribe to every topic) with a link that took me directly to the message.  That happened one at a time.  Didn't need to log in…just read and X-ed back to e-mail.  EVERYBODY has this same convenience.  If I HAD chosen to log in, there would have been a notice on the Navigation line of "3 topics with unread posts".

There would have been a red flag on the Discussion Forum line alerting to NEW posts.  When I opened the Topic list, the Topic with NEW posts would be at the TOP of the list and have a RED FLAG.  On the extreme right side would be Rebecca's name as the last poster.  No need to skim the topic…just click on her name to get to her message.  If I wanted to scroll up from there to read the other 2…no problem.  OR…use the DOWN arrow that brings you to the bottom of the topic.

OR…The Boxes at the top of the Forum page would have lit up a RED color…telling me that there were new subscribed or watched messages. 

HOW THE HELL can anybody MISS finding NEW messages in this program?  Yes, navigation is different.  You don't get spoon fed when you log in….but there's nothing difficult involved (unless you're color-blind).  Maybe the Program presents TOO MANY options?  So, choose one that works for you because they ALL work.  The OLD SF had separate message titles.  They changed color from RED (when unread) to black.  There's no longer a Glass board program in use now outside of the old "threaded" outdated ones (like WC) that have COLORED MESSAGE titles…it's a defunct feature…get over it and move on.  I sort of miss threaded messages, but it's the last generation of programs.  We have to let go.

WordPress and Simple:Press are an administrator's dream.  I don't have enough space to list all the Forum programs I've hosted over the past 27 years.  This one has the best security (my prime directive as you know) and most adaptability of any so far.  I want people to enjoy using it (and learning something new) and be comfortable and secure.  I had to learn it too…as well as the Admin side…and it was definitely a different experience.  I like learning and updating.  Relax, people.  It ain't ROCKET SCIENCE.  It's just little red flags pointing to communication among friends. Cool

2:32 pm
September 4, 2010


Graham

Niagara Region, Canada

Member

posts 139
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I'm just trying to figure out how I replied at 3:19 to a post that I had already read, but that was posted at 3:21.

Now I understand why you like this program, Angel. It's a time machine. It's like Dr. Who's bloody call box.

……………. there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worthwhile doing as simply messing about in boats.

2:56 pm
September 4, 2010


Angel

Admin

posts 187
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Graham said:

You make their system sound complicated, but it's not. A "different system " holds no particular attraction to this old dog, unless it makes my life simpler. And as for the "administrator's dream" aspect – that's all well and good for you, but if it's a "user's night-mare" not so good for me.

It's like those government programs that are really convenient to the civil servants, but a pain in the ass to the citizenry.

I'm happy that you have places which make it unnecessary for you to use your brain, Graham.  Confused  One thing you're missing is that we have only 2 Categories on this simple Board.  Not necessary here to weed out messages from the Mega-category places you prefer.  Some places have 20+ separate Categories…and still get 3 or 4 messages a day on average.  It's just the status of Forums in this age of "social communication networking". 

An administrator's dream is something I don't expect you to understand because you've never been one.  It consists of an adaptable program with built-in security and the ability to provide a place for the members to feel a family closeness and have a place to learn as well as get attention for their work.   Sometimes it's simply for social interaction.  I happen to think that the people attracted here are among the "Cream of the Crop" in Forums and I trust their ability to adapt.  There's a good group of users here who simply stepped through the Board learning curve and are enjoying it all.  Some are also hosting WP sites.  I don't think any of them are much more intelligent than you, but they're more open minded.  There's no nightmare here and if you're having one, I suggest that you wake up and play where it's comfy and easy for you. 

2:57 pm
September 4, 2010


Rebecca

Member

posts 40
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Yeah, I'll get used to it, but it's not user friendly.  If I do what you say above and click on my name, I would go to my post, which is the first post on the new page.  Then I wouldn't know if there was something on the last page that I have missed, so I have to back up a page and skim (from the bottom or the top, it's still annoying) until I find the first one.  Then read the new posts on that page, and THEN have to go forward AGAIN to the next page to read that last post to see how it fits in with the others.

 

I DO NOT want to get emails for every post.  I have enough emails already.  I just want to pass through a couple of times a day and see what's new.  I would like to click on the little red doohickey that says there is something I haven't read and have it take me to the first one in the thread that I haven't read.  Or have the ones that I have read flagged.  Or have the ones that I haven't read flagged.

 

You can't please everyone, you have to please yourself.  If it works for you, that's fine; but I reserve the right to gripe about it.

 

Rebecca

3:17 pm
September 4, 2010


Graham

Niagara Region, Canada

Member

posts 139
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Post edited 3:26 pm – September 4, 2010 by Graham

You say "we have only 2 Categories on this simple Board."

Over on an SMF board there's only one catagory that I look at "Posts since your last visit" and that shows me a couple or maybe a half dozen posts that I know I haven't read, and some of which I zip past 'cause they are of no interest..

I can find everything I have to on your board, it's just not as convenient, and the other boards aren't as complicated as you would have us believe. I can live with this, I only chimed in to agree with a poster who, like me, finds some things not as good as we'd hoped.

……………. there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worthwhile doing as simply messing about in boats.

6:07 pm
September 7, 2010


chaniarts

Member

posts 40
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i work in the computer business. yes, users don't like changes.
however, they also don't like when you take away capabilities with new
releases. typically, one wants to add capabilities.

There would have been a red flag on the Discussion
Forum line alerting to NEW posts.  When I opened the Topic list, the
Topic with NEW posts would be at the TOP of the list and have a RED FLAG. 
On the extreme right side would be Rebecca's name as the last poster. 
No need to skim the topic…just click on her name to get to her message. 
If I wanted to scroll up from there to read the other 2…no problem. 
OR…use the DOWN arrow that brings you to the bottom of the topic.

and
if there were multiple unread posts, how would one find all of them,
without having to scroll back and attempt to remember which ones you've
actually seen?

 There's no longer a Glass board program in use now
outside of the old "threaded" outdated ones (like WC) that have COLORED
MESSAGE titles…it's a defunct feature…get over it and move on.  I sort
of miss threaded messages, but it's the last generation of programs.  We
have to let go.

 

this isn't correct.

 

you may have been better served if you had chosen http://www.phpbb.com/ instead. it appears to do everything this one does,
including security, and also appears to belie your statement that no
other bb has colored items that show the difference between seen and
unseen posts.

6:55 pm
September 9, 2010


Cheryl

Connecticut

Member

posts 7
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I have always loved Angel's boards… All of them.  I used to be here with other names, but no one probably ever knew that, because I was a "lurker".  :)  Now, I'm here and reading and will definitely participate.  I looked at her instructions tonight, for the first time, and I found them PERFECT!  The board is loading fast for me and I am not having any difficulties.  I am used to a board like this though, because I was a UT player and this is the sort of board that we used for that.

 

NICE job Angel!  I've missed you and all that you have to offer.  I'm glad to be back.  And NOT to be lurking any longer.

 

Cheryl

9:03 pm
September 9, 2010


Bev-MI

Member

posts 18
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30

Welcome out of the darkness of Lurkdom! Glad to have you here. Laugh

9:38 am
September 11, 2010


Rebecca

Member

posts 40
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Cheryl said:

The board is loading fast for me and I am not having any difficulties.  I am used to a board like this though, because I was a UT player and this is the sort of board that we used for that.

 

Cheryl

Glad to have you out of lurkdom and which UT is that?

 

Rebecca
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