As you may have noticed, we’ve changed some things. Basically, the way the forum is indexed has changed. Posts now have links based on the post name. However, in changing things, we have unintentionally upset some people due to changes in the way that they use the forum.
So I’d like to know what has changed that you don’t like. So far, I’ve got:
The functionality of the main index button has changed. I have temporarily changed it back, since it wasn’t working right if you were in the “Messages” window. But this may change. Please let me know if you liked it always going to the tri-forum, if you want it to refresh the menu you are in. Thx.
Clicking on a link in a post now takes you to the top of the thread, not to the first “new” post since you last refreshed or entered the forum (which was how it worked previously, in case you didn’t know). I am working on this.
So please list this sort of stuff here. It will take me at least until Monday to address these, as I’ll have to work with our host.
Thanks. Remember we are doing all this to make it BETTER!
The Main Index button actually keeps taking me to a particular thread (the bigzach skater youtube video one) when I click on it, even from the lavender room. Sometimes it takes me to the triathlon forum, sometimes to that thread.
I liked the way it used to work (always taking you to the triathlon forum) but that’s probably because I’m used to it.
I’m not sure if this is you or my browser, but I used to get a refreshed page when I hit the ‘back’ button, but now I get the old page. I liked the refreshed page.
Both the items you mentioned are annoyances to me. I liked the main index going to the tri forum because I’m used to the way the button worked. I could just as easily learn to use the jump to forum button, but it’s a smaller button. Hey! There’s a print thread button there that I never noticed!
Other things that would be nice as you tinker with the site would be to have the navigation buttons on top repeated at the bottom of each thread, so I can change forums after I read a thread without having to go back to the top of the page or waste clicks using the browser’s back button. Also, I’m on a Mac using Safari. Other websites I visit (mostly music and photography) are run by Mac-savvy people, and I don’t have the trouble with image displays and missing/defective features that I do on Slowtwitch.
The functionality of the main index button has changed. I have temporarily changed it back
Good, leave it that way, please. I got used to that “main index” button returning me to the main room.
**Clicking on a link in a post now takes you to the top of the thread, not to the first “new” post since you last refreshed or entered the forum (which was how it worked previously, in case you didn’t know). I am working on this. **
Work faster! Or, GET TO THE CHOPPA ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
**2) Clicking on a link in a post now takes you to the top of the thread, not to the first “new” post since you last refreshed or entered the forum (which was how it worked previously, in case you didn’t know). I am working on this. **
Frankly, I can’t understand how this function would make the forum better. I can see how it would make it more annoying. For threads that are only one page deep, obviously it hardly matters. But for the threads that have multiple pages, I don’t want to have to find out where the last post I read is in order to follow along. Some of our best threads (Dirty Secrets and Strange Denizens of the Pool for example) are 30+ pages long. I know that if I have to page through all of those responses to get to where I want to read every time I will become annoyed. I am sure I am not alone. Please rethink this change before implementing it.
As far as the other rule change, I could care less where the Main Page button takes me. I can solve any problem like that on my own by saving either forum to My Favorites in my browser.
Thanks for giving us a place to let you know what we think.
Jaylew nailed it. The Main Index link should take you to a refreshed view or your current forum. As a site administrator you want people clicking the links as it adds more tracking and information to your users surfing habits. Back buttons (unless you run without cache on the local browser) will give different results in the tracking logs. You want your advertisers to see how many times a page is viewed and how long they are active in that area. Keeping the links functional to that area and getting people in the habit of clicking a link for a refresh is good for your site statistics.
Nice-to-have that I would like to see is a Main Index button at the bottom of a page - so once you scroll through a one or multi-page thread and you want to get back to the main page you then don’t have to scroll all the way back up to the top of that page to click on the Main Page button.
Main forum should take you back to, and refresh, the forum you’re currently in, not the tri forum everytime.
A main index button and butttons to jump to other forums at the bottom of the page would be nice too.
If you are viewing your Private Messages, where would you like the main index button THERE to take you?
That one’s a little tougher. It would seem to be logical to take you to your list of messages. But unless you receive alot of messages, it might not be as useful to see a constantly refreshed messages list. I could probably go either way, but I’d still probably prefer going back to a list of my refreshed messages as there have been times when I’ve received numerous messages and it would have been useful(when organizing the TDF game or when selling stuff). Plus it makes sense for continuity purposes.
I think the people who like using the main index button to go to the main tri forum like to do so b/c it’s two fewer steps than using the drop-down menu(and more visible). People will almost always choose a button over a drop down if given an option, but I don’t know if there’s room or if it would be too cluttered to have 4 more buttons on the screen.
I definitely miss the feature that takes you to the part of the thread you hadn’t read yet. Its pretty cumbersome to scroll down looking for that red “New” symbol.
I absolutely agree. Even though the “new” didn’t always work exactly right, it is way better than dropping me at post #1 when the last time I opened that particular thread might have been at post 90 on page 4. I try to do minimal surfing here at work, and minimal clicking for me is definitely better!
This is only peripherally related … nothing to do with the way things work, but it is a forum change. I really like the way you did the submit buttons on the poll, subscription form, etc. running vertically along the right hand side. Very clean. Thanks!
“Clicking on a link in a post now takes you to the top of the thread, not to the first “new” post since you last refreshed or entered the forum (which was how it worked previously, in case you didn’t know).”
I think this is actually an option, under “Edit Profile” rather than the default in case that helps you track it down.
OK, having given this some time to simmer, here are a few suggestions:
Each page has at the top - and repeated at the bottom - a button for each forum, including Message. Refresh from browser button. This eliminates the Jump to Forum pulldown, which is too many clicks, plus you can change forums from a thread.
Big pictures don’t cause long text lines. Limit the line length for text - or show me how I can set it up to do that - so that when someone posts a mural-sized photo I don’t have to scroll left and right to read every post in the thread.
