Comments About The New Software After Three Weeks - Or So - Of Use

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magpens

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
Messages
15,913
Location
Canada
FIRST POINT - Starting A New Thread

The IAP website is organized into about 30 Forums which you can list by name by clicking on "FORUMS" in the blue bar. . These Forum Names are the same as ever.
If your interest is attracted by the Name of a Forum, you click on that Name and you get a list of Titles for the Threads which our members have created within that Forum.
If you wish to create a new thread within that Forum, you will find a button at the top right to click on. . This button is named "Post Thread".
In the old software, that button was at the left top and was named "Start New Thread", which is a preferrable name for the function of that button, in my opinion.

My reason: It is a Thread that you are creating, not a Post ! .... a "Post" is actually a reply within a "Thread", in my understanding, so we should not name the button "Post Thread".

Positioning of that button on LEFT SIDE is also preferrable.

I will probably spark some disagreement on the grounds that I am being too pedantic .... so be it .... my opinion has been stated :) !

When you Start a Thread, you are required to give that Thread a Title.

SECOND POINT - No opportunity to give a Title to your Reply within a Thread

As you are reading the Posts within a Thread, you might be motivated to add a Reply (or new Post) to the Thread.

To do so is easy because your Avatar is already present at the bottom of the Thread that you are reading ... having your Avatar already there is kinda nice unless you are distracted into thinking that you have already Posted ... but the possibility of such a distraction is perhaps beside the point.

My main point is NOW when you add a Reply to a Thread, you DO NOT get the opportunity to give your reply a title (as far as I can see). . With the old software you could do so.

I used to find it quite useful for Replies to have Titles and would like to see that capability restored.

THIRD POINT - Appearance of Pop-Ups as you are scanning the list of Threads within a Forum

Back to the stage where you are reading the list of Thread Titles within a FORUM. . As your cursor lands on a Thread Title, a Pop-Up appears on the screen allowing you to read the first few sentences in the original post that started that particular Thread.

I find these Pop-Ups distracting and, personally, I would like these Pop-Ups eliminated.

These Pop-Ups are distracting, in part, because they sometimes appear above your cursor .... and sometimes below, which obscures your scanning of further Thread Titles.

OVERALL POINT - Thank you immensely for all the work that has gone into implementing new software

Overall, I am starting to get used to the subtle features of the new software and I applaud the massive amount of work that has already gone into its implementation.
I fully accept the assessment that, at this time, there was a real need to make the change. . THANK YOU to Jeff and all others for your work.

Please do not interpret my comments in a negative light. . I am simply giving my feedback as I see things at this fairly early date. . I know there is much work yet to be done.
 
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mark james

IAP Collection, Curator
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
Messages
12,720
Location
Medina, Ohio
G'Day Mal.

I'm with you on 2 of 3 - You'll get into the Baseball Hall of Fame with that percentage!

1. It's not that big of a deal for the button to be labeled "Post Thread" vs "Start a new Thread." But If I had to vote, I'd agree with your reasoning and go with "Start." Its a bit clearer.

2. I also found it helpful for a "Post" title to be an option. Again, not a game killer, but nice.

3. I actually like the "ghost" pop-ups. I have used them to see if the topics perk my interest.

Yes, I'm slowly getting very comfortable with all the new features, as well as the old ones that have been dusted and rearranged. Kind of like if my wife did me the favor of cleaning my shop and rearranging everything into a logical place 👎🏴‍☠️🤬o_O:mad::eek: (nice smilies Jeff).
 

Curly

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
4,828
Location
Saskatoon SK., Canada.
Mal the Pop-Ups always appear above if there is room. So once you scroll the page down a little to make room they are above the line. If you at some point scroll everything up to the top of the screen there is no room above so they go back underneath. Personally I like the Pop-Ups because it lets me know whether I want to read it especially if I have read part of it before and it shows a few days later and I forgot what it was about. So it lets me steer clear of of topics I don't care about and reminds me of the ones I want to red more of.

What I would like is to be able to move the reply box up towards the middle of the screen when I reply as I feel more comfortable looking into the centre of my screen. The only way to get around that now is to hold the return key until the curser scrolls out of sight and the move curser back to the top and roll the page up. When done writing delete the unneeded space.

Another thing I'd like to have is a cancel button do I can delete a post in case I change my mind about a reply made from an emotional state of mind that could be misinterpreted. Or If I get started and get called away for a few hours.

I also appreciate all the things being done for our benefit instead of Jeff just saying "Here it is, like it or leave."

Pete
 

Lucky2

Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
1,502
Location
New Brunswick/ Canada
Mal, I actually like the new set-up, I find it much more user friendly. I like how it is already for you to make a posting, I find it much easier to comment. And as for scrolling over the title to see what the subject is about, that's always been there, I've used it since I joined the group. I like that it gives me enough info on the subject, that I know if I am interested in checking the subject out. With things the way they are now, I get a lot more from the site then I did in the past. This is just how I feel about the new changes, it is not meant to disagree with you. And I don't mean to be negative about your comments, as far as I'm concerned. We're just having a discussion, not a disagreement. And we both are just being honest with our opinions, no criticism meant on my behalf.

Len
 

jeff

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Messages
8,970
Location
Westlake, OH, USA.
FIRST POINT
In the old software, that button was at the left top and was named "Start New Thread", which is a preferrable name for the function of that button, in my opinion.

My reason: It is a Thread that you are creating, not a Post ! .... a "Post" is actually a reply within a "Thread", in my understanding, so we should not name the button "Post Thread".

Positioning of that button on LEFT SIDE is also preferrable.

I will probably spark some disagreement on the grounds that I am being too pedantic .... so be it .... my opinion has been stated :) !

When you Start a Thread, you are required to give that Thread a Title.

SECOND POINT - No opportunity to give a Title to your Reply within a Thread

As you are reading the Posts within a Thread, you might be motivated to add a Reply (or new Post) to the Thread.

To do so is easy because your Avatar is already present at the bottom of the Thread that you are reading ... having your Avatar already there is kinda nice unless you are distracted into thinking that you have already Posted ... but the possibility of such a distraction is perhaps beside the point.

My main point is NOW when you add a Reply to a Thread, you DO NOT get the opportunity to give your reply a title (as far as I can see). . With the old software you could do so.

I used to find it quite useful for Replies to have Titles and would like to see that capability restored.

THIRD POINT - Appearance of Pop-Ups as you are scanning the list of Threads within a Forum

Back to the stage where you are reading the list of Thread Titles within a FORUM. . As your cursor lands on a Thread Title, a Pop-Up appears on the screen allowing you to read the first few sentences in the original post that started that particular Thread.

I find these Pop-Ups distracting and, personally, I would like these Pop-Ups eliminated.

These Pop-Ups are distracting, in part, because they sometimes appear above your cursor .... and sometimes below, which obscures your scanning of further Thread Titles.

OVERALL POINT - Thank you immensely for all the work that has gone into implementing new software

Overall, I am starting to get used to the subtle features of the new software and I applaud the massive amount of work that has already gone into its implementation.
I fully accept the assessment that, at this time, there was a real need to make the change. . THANK YOU to Jeff and all others for your work.

Please do not interpret my comments in a negative light. . I am simply giving my feedback as I see things at this fairly early date. . I know there is much work yet to be done.

Mal - MANY THANKS for your good thoughts.

FIRST POINT:
I have changed the text of the button to "Start New Thread"
Moving the button is more involved. I'll have to engage the company I contracted with to make the custom theme.

SECOND POINT:
I just queried the old forum database and only 36002 reply posts had titles. So when the feature was available, 97% of posts did not use them. There was a mod to the prior version of our new forum software that provided reply post titles, but it died due to lack of interest. That sort of a mod requires modifying the database tables, and so risks not being able to follow version upgrades. So, while I understand the desire, it's probably not going to happen unless an official mod is made available for it.

THIRD POINT:
You're referring to "Discussion Preview" which I can turn off globally with one click. Personally I like them. I suspect that 50% of people asked would agree with each of us. I can understand that on some devices they might be annoying. I'd be willing to heed the results of a poll.

Again, thanks for your constructive feedback.
 

Scott

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2003
Messages
2,689
Location
Blackfoot Idaho
I think it's cool, new and exciting! I really appreciate your efforts to provide us all with something that is so polished and functional! I have had no problems navigating around and finding what I want.

Scott.
 
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