I was just looking at the flat view again in the Dev site and noticed that the "Remind Me" link is for a thread.<br /><br />Shouldn't this be post specific rather then replying to a thread?<br /><br />Being where it is which post would the link be referring to?<br /><br /><pre>Brew<br />CustomShowCars.com<br /></pre><p>

I agree that it is bad use of this the reason why some people hate them (and so do I when used that way). However I would rather see a small screen popup telling me that the thread was added to favorites (that I can inmediately close and go on with waht I was doing) than a new screen. It's not the new screen actually what I dont like but the fact that the reload takes some time on my connection. <br /><br />

I just read the new addition to the changelog regarding going to the main index page if there are no messages waiting:<br /><blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p><br />April 3, 2001<br /> - Added a profile option to allow the user to select where they want<br /> to go when logging in. They can choose to go to their Control Panel<br /> or to the main index.<p><hr></blockquote><p>Dang!<br /><br />Even better then I had in mind!<br /><br />I love it!<br /><br /><pre>Brew<br />CustomShowCars.com<br /></pre><p>

Ok, I pulled these off.<br /><br />-------------------<br />Scream<br />WWWThreads

I tried adding the horizontal rule down above the icons, but this really didn't look right. I tried adding it in a different color table cell, but that made it blend in with the post below it.<br /><br />What about zap's post later in this thread with moving these options into the cell with the user info?<br /><br />-------------------<br />Scream<br />WWWThreads

Thanks for the icons MTO, they are looking great!<br /><br />-------------------<br />Scream<br />WWWThreads

I like it, but then I'm open to pretty much anything that looks ok[]/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/]. Any other opinions on this layout?<br /><br />-------------------<br />Scream<br />WWWThreads

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr><p>Shouldn't this be post specific rather then replying to a thread?<p><hr></blockquote>I agree Brewskie. A site we are in the process of developing will probably contain threads with replies (posts) numbering in the hundreds. To provide a link to a particular post within a thread would certainly be more useful to us than a link to a thread.<br /><br />Yes, a reminder is certainly better than no reminder at all. Still, if the technical impediments are not there, I would much rather have the option of being reminded to respond to a specific post.<br /><br />Thanks for listening Scream []/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/]<br /><br />Derek<br /><br />

Scream,<br /><br />The dev board looks great! Thank you for all your hard work.<br /><br />Might I inquire as to the possibility of incorporating a couple features?<br /><br />- The first one would be a "bump list;" i.e. the ability for a poster to notify everyone on his/her address book about an interesting thread. Thus, if I was interested in this particular thread, and thought others in my address book would be also, I could "bump" the thread to them. It would be an "internal" mass-mailing to everyone on my address book (a separate "bump" list might be even better). This is a very important feature in a political discussion forum I am involved in and would be greatly appreciated in the wwwthreads site I am developing to replace it.<br /><br />- The second feature follows from the first. I would like the ability to see not only which posts I have composed, but also which posts have been addressed to me (replies to one of my posts) or "bumped" to me. I have seen others asking for the ability to see all replies to their posts, I would like to second that.<br /><br />Thanks again,<br /><br />Derek<br /><br />

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr><p>What about to move the icons to the left side under the userpic etc.<p><hr></blockquote><br />Good idea Zap. It would make for more efficient use of screen real estate. I would perhaps place the text "Post Options" above the Icons rather than beside them, to allow for the addition of icons/functionality in the future without disrupting the layout.<br /><br />Moving "Post Options" above the icons also accomodates those who are running a narrower User Info column.<br /><br />Derek<br /><br />

Sharif,<br /><br />I'm with you on the placement of the user information. Although I suspect my preference is a bit more spartan than yours. In essence my main concern when it comes to layout is screen real estate. The User Information Column consumes way too much of this real estate, especially on longer posts.<br /><br />My preference for User Information would be the following example placed at the bottom of each post:<br /><br />----------------------------<br />Posted on 04/04/01 00:29:49 PDT by Derek (newbie)<br />[Reply | Private Reply | To 33451[//url] | [url=http://www.wwwthr...4&part=]Top | Last]<br /><br /><br />

All this talk about conservation of screen real estate triggered a memory. Take a look at this thread and see all the space wasted in the left colum when it's a long message. Perhaps it's the 'side' layout we should be considering getting rid of! <br /><br />A lot of space would be freed up this way to house all the extra buttons and nothing would be lost.<br /><br />[]http://www.wopr.com/w3tuserpics/Eileen-sig.gif[/]

As a followup on this. I tried moving the post options icons into the user cell but this posed a couple of problems. I couldn't force the icons to be placed at the bottom of the cell and make it work in all browser because of the varying rowspans needed. Problem 2: When a user posts a short post it makes a large chunk of blank space in the post body area. Problem 3: This won't work when a user sets post headers to top.<br /><br />So, if at all possible it would be best if we can keep the icons in the post body area, since there is plenty of room for more icons to be added. We just need to find a way to separate it a bit like Brewskie was talking about.<br /><br />-------------------<br />Scream<br />WWWThreads

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr><p>Take a look at this thread and see all the space wasted in the left colum when it's a long message. Perhaps it's the 'side' layout we should be considering getting rid of!<p><hr></blockquote>That's exactly what I mean Eileen. Thanks for illustrating what I was trying to say. In an earlier thread, it was pointed out that a majority of people were using the side option for displaying user info. The problem is that no-one tried to get to the bottom of why people were not using the top display. I believe the reason people don't use the top display as much is because it is, if anything, even more obtrusive than the side display.<br /><br />I feel that, if we were to have the option of a simple "bottom of message" user display option, together with or followed by simple navigation/Post Options, many more users would use this simple "bottom display," than the current side display.<br /><br />Derek<br /><br />

i think that putting all the thread stuff should go next to reply, edit buttons....<br /><br />[:red]--------------</font color=red><br />http://extremeforums.org

Scream,<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr><p>So, if at all possible it would be best if we can keep the icons in the post body area, since there is plenty of room for more icons to be added.<p><hr></blockquote>Please consider the possibility of giving us an option of putting the user information itself in the body area, together with the icons (see an example here).<br /><br />This would give us a lean look, with optimimal utilization of screen real estate.<br /><br />Thanks for all your hard work.<br /><br />Derek<br /><br />

I like your "lean look" Derek. Perhaps that's an option that should be investigated further?<br /><br />http://www.yourvacationdreams.com

Thanks Vik,<br /><br />Although I can't take credit for the idea. I got it from taking a look at the forums on FreeRepublic.com where you can routinely get threads with hundreds of replies in them. Take a look at this thread (warning, thread is 575k in size) for example, it contains 320 posts, and could not be manageable without the "lean look."<br /><br />Disclaimer: I only used the thread above to illustrate a point, not pushing any political agenda here.<br /><br />Derek<br /><br />

Yes, that is one quite large thread. The one draw-back, albeit small, is that it's kind of "flat" in the sense that there isn't much visual appeal. But it does allow for a lot of conversation on less real estate.<br /><br />http://www.yourvacationdreams.com

I agree. I also think that a "boring" look is easily resolved by judicious use of color and separating elements.<br /><br />I really think that the reason many people use the left user information column rather than the top option, is that people are selecting from the lesser of two unpalatable options (no it's not as harsh as that, but it's the best description I can come up with without breaking out the thesaurus :), and you might find that a great many would select the "lean look" over the current options.<br /><br />Load times would certainly improve for the user, since there would be no unnecessary information downloading (if I want to see what someone looks like, I can certainly go to their profile and check them out). With a new "lean look" option, webmasters would also have the space to do more around the board, like including left side menus.<br /><br />I hope Scream will consider the idea.<br /><br />Derek<br /><br />