DARK SHADOWS FORUMS

General Discussions => Testing. 1, 2, 3... => Topic started by: Mysterious Benefactor on August 11, 2002, 07:39:47 AM

Title: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Mysterious Benefactor on August 11, 2002, 07:39:47 AM
I've recently downloaded several new mods for the forum (to add to the backlog of other features that I've yet to install). Midnite and I have definite plans on what we'd like to install next, but we're also wondering what most interests all of you at the moment. So, please take the time to vote in the above poll. (Yes, polling is a new feature. ;) Only Midnite and I can post polls at the moment, but everyone will be able to very soon. :))

To better make your decision, here are a few more details about each of the above options:

Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Josette on August 11, 2002, 10:02:35 AM
I don't think I can vote as I don't know if any of those would matter that much to me.

A couple of them I definitely would NOT be interested in!  I see no point in collapsing the categories.  I always look at everything and (except for the archive which I hope to be able to spend some time with!) read any of the ones I've missed.

Also, the "Search New Posts" - the "new" indicators seem to work quite well, so it's easy to find all of the new items as it is.  I suppose, on a long thread, it would be helpful not to have to wade through a lot of previously read items to find the new ones.
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Craig_Slocum on August 11, 2002, 07:33:28 PM

I voted for file attachments, I think that's a good idea.  :)
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Mysterious Benefactor on August 11, 2002, 07:33:34 PM
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I don't think I can vote as I don't know if any of those would matter that much to me.

Well, I can certainly understand that not everyone will consider these features as a major addition to the forum. However, we would really appreciate everyone's feedback. I'd ask that you please give the matter some more thought and try to make a choice.

Quote
I see no point in collapsing the categories.  I always look at everything and (except for the archive which I hope to be able to spend some time with!) read any of the ones I've missed.

As I stated above, the point of collapsing categories is to allow the BoardIndex to download quicker. This in turn will save bandwidth, which is definitely an important issue on the forum. If there have been no new posts on any of the boards in an individual category (which you'll note in the example I've provided would be indicated by the no new posts icon), there's really no point in displaying the details for the boards in that particular category. Once I get around to correcting the display of the new posts icon for the Members' Gateway, being able to collapse that category would come in very handy because it's all but a certainty that new posts will not be made in the archive every day. ;)

Quote
Also, the "Search New Posts" - the "new" indicators seem to work quite well, so it's easy to find all of the new items as it is.  I suppose, on a long thread, it would be helpful not to have to wade through a lot of previously read items to find the new ones.

Exactly. Several people have mentioned that it would be nice if they didn't have to wade through several posts before they came across ones they haven't read yet in a particular topic. This feature would be an alternative to having to wade through those posts. :)

Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: RingoCollins on August 11, 2002, 10:21:34 PM
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Exactly. Several people have mentioned that it would be nice if they didn't have to wade through several posts before they came across ones they haven't read yet in a particular topic. This feature would be an alternative to having to wade through those posts. :)


got my vote!  I would still like to see a 'go to first unread post' function- some of the threads have gotten quite long  :) and since i discovered using the page number  thingy, I usually start at the last page and work back to find unread posts ~ so I think this would be the best 'functional' choice in the poll.  The Icon things are cute, but I usually, eventually read everything anyway - so I don't really use them [aside from emoto-cons - love them!]  and I don't think I understand what the file attachment choice would do for us, that we can't do now!?  But if collapsing the categories would be best for the speed and help you guys behind the scenes..... can I change my vote???

Thanks for making this board so much fun, and always interesting, friendly and improving!

Hot Sunday Afternoon Cheers,
Ringo
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Midnite on August 11, 2002, 11:16:11 PM
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But if collapsing the categories would be best for the speed and help you guys behind the scenes..... can I change my vote???
Ringo,

Please feel free to consider that choice in terms of whether the speed of loading it on your computer is or isn't a top priority for you.  And thanks for voting!
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Mysterious Benefactor on August 11, 2002, 11:23:13 PM
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Ringo,

Please feel free to consider that choice in terms of whether the speed of loading it on your computer is or isn't a top priority for you.


That's right. The decision on what to vote for should be a purely selfish one - the one thing in the poll that you'd most like to see installed. [wink2]
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: RingoCollins on August 12, 2002, 01:26:27 AM
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Please feel free to consider that choice!


Let my vote stay the same then! [since there isn't a choice: 'More of The Bunny Years ~ with Photos' ;)]

I predict you are opening a can of worms with the polls![evilb]

Ringo the Selfish Bastard [jester]

and I wasn't a math major, but 150+ read and 22 votes???? [recount!!!] Isn't voting a requirement?? [look at what happens if ya don't vote............]
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Afan on August 12, 2002, 02:31:55 AM
;D ::) Please let my vote be "collasping the
categories".  I love the Board!!  A fan --I have been one since the 1960 beginning of the series.
Afan
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: kuanyin on August 12, 2002, 05:37:17 AM
A vote? I'm still jumping up and down over the polling features! Wahoo!!! [beer]

Oh, personally, I second what Ringo said. Collapsible board would have been my 2nd choice.

Excuse me now, I'm going to go run off to tell Barnabus! I'll take the short cut through the woods to the Old House. Don't worry about ME, I'll be FINE. No, you don't have to go with me (just because of all the recent attacks), I can TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Josette on August 12, 2002, 06:20:32 AM
Question:

The WordPerfect forum I use is very similar to this - but they don't have the capability of tracking whether or not you've clicked on a topic.  So, the "new" indicators are on all the stuff since your last visit, but if you leave and come back before checking out everything, "new" will mean anything new since that previous visit and anything you didn't get to the previous time will no longer be marked.

Fortunatley, we don't have that problem here.  If you don't get to read everything in a thread, there's no way for that to be indicated, but at least any threads "unclicked" will stay "new" until they are.

So, if you get the "search new posts" - which way would that work?  I suspect that it would only track new items since the last time you checked in, and if you didn't read them all at that time, they would lose their "new" indicator.

Also, if I'm right about that last part, would the current system of the "new" tag on the title of the thread still be working as it is now?
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Julianka7 on August 12, 2002, 07:27:43 AM
All this sounds great.  ;)
But I would worry about allowing file attachments.
Isn't that how many viruses get through?
Anyway M.B. many thanks to you and Midnite
for all your hard work. The DS Forums are
excellant! ;D
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: RingoCollins on August 12, 2002, 07:33:30 AM
Quote
Question:

but they don't have the capability of tracking whether or not you've clicked on a topic.  So, the "new" indicators are on all the stuff since your last visit,

Fortunatley, we don't have that problem here.  If you don't get to read everything in a thread, there's no way for that to be indicated, but at least any threads "unclicked" will stay "new" until they are.



SOOOO! That answers a question about some other boards I disrupt!  I go back and look at some stuff, and I think 'hey, I haven't read that'  but it was not marked new......  I just thought it was the program working weird, but wow that makes me appreciate this set up even more - I think it is very easy to stay caught up here!  The marking lets me view a few strange ones quickly when I only have a minute or two, then catch up on the others, to go with my beverage.

[and there must be boards like this for every freakin thing ever made!  Orchids, Islands, Dogs and Cats, The Rutles and the Dave Clark Five]

Thanky jjjjesette - that mister E. is solv-ed!
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Cassandra on August 12, 2002, 09:06:38 AM
Quote
got my vote!  I would still like to see a 'go to first unread post' function- some of the threads have gotten quite long  :) and since i discovered using the page number  thingy, I usually start at the last page and work back to find unread posts ~ so I think this would be the best 'functional' choice in the poll.

I agree with you Ringo. My vote goes for this also. :)
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Patti Feinberg on August 13, 2002, 12:46:52 AM
MB Wrote:
The Moderated Chat is already self explanitory. The surprises will be explained when the chat launches. Would you be most interested in this feature?


I'd love to be able to chat.
(Did we all see the possible 'hint' that recently appeared and was 'answered' by MB on Testing 1-2-3?)?

(I just tried to find an emoticon for chatting, wasn't one).

Patti
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Mysterious Benefactor on August 13, 2002, 11:27:38 PM
Just a quick note to say that voting in this poll will be open through the weekend. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to vote! And Midnite and I would really appreciate it if more of you were to register your opinions. :)
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Josette on August 14, 2002, 06:43:42 AM
Hi MB!  About 5 or 6 posts above this I asked a question.  Perhaps you missed it.  I'd really be curious how this feature would work, as it looks as though we'll be getting it soon!

Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Mysterious Benefactor on August 14, 2002, 07:47:29 AM
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Hi MB!  About 5 or 6 posts above this I asked a question.  Perhaps you missed it.  I'd really be curious how this feature would work

Josette,

I honestly haven't been ignoring you, but I don't really have an answer for you either because I haven't had a chance to test install the feature. The only things that I know at the moment are that it's called "search_new_posts" and the documentation says that it "will search and display new messages in a tree view format". Unfortunately, a better explanation than that will have to wait until I've had a chance to install and work with it. [winkg]
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Josette on August 14, 2002, 09:33:31 AM
Thank you!  How about part 2?  Regardless of how the new feature works, will the old "new" tags work the same way that they do now?  As long as that's the same, the other won't matter.
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: MikeS on August 14, 2002, 04:11:49 PM
Search New Posts gets my vote.
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Mysterious Benefactor on August 15, 2002, 12:42:57 AM
Quote
All this sounds great.  ;)
But I would worry about allowing file attachments.
Isn't that how many viruses get through?

I've had the chance to look through the code for the file attachment feature. I won't go into details, but because of certain aspects of the way the feature is written, there's no way that an attachment which might contain a virus can infect the forum itself. The programmers thought of that in advance. ;) But, of course, there's always the possibility that downloading an attachment to your own computer could be another matter. However, common sense would probably dictate what you might download. It's usually not a good idea to download anything that's from someone you don't know or trust. And it's always smart to have a good virus detection program running on your computer at all times. In fact, just to be doublely safe, we could institute a policy whereby all file attachments on the forum will be scanned for viruses and shouldn't be downloaded until either Midnite or I sound the all clear. ;)
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Bobubas on August 15, 2002, 12:48:21 AM
I opt for the moderated chat, with the find new messages feature a close second.  Bob
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Mysterious Benefactor on August 15, 2002, 12:54:07 AM
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I don't think I understand what the file attachment choice would do for us, that we can't do now!?

The file attachment feature would allow people to share files that can't be posted on the forum. It's true that someone with their own Web space who might want to share something like that could just provide a link to it in their post. But with the file attachment feature, even people who might not have their own space, or whose host doesn't allow for remote links (like GeoCities, for example) would be able to share files with their fellow posters. :)
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Mysterious Benefactor on August 15, 2002, 12:58:33 AM
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How about part 2?  Regardless of how the new feature works, will the old "new" tags work the same way that they do now?

I don't foresee any reason why they shouldn't. The "new" tags and the Search New Posts feature would be controlled by two entirely different systems scripts. [winkb]
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Josette on August 15, 2002, 06:12:08 AM
Thank you again, MB!  I guess I'll go ahead and vote after all!  Being able to check the new posts without wading through previous ones would certainly be nice.  And, if the other potential problems I asked about do prove to exist, as long as the current system is still in effect, then that wouldn't matter!

Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Josette on August 15, 2002, 10:03:16 AM
This is totally weird.  Having said I'd finally vote, I went back to the top, and I think I clicked the "vote" button.  All I found was the results, but no way of voting.  I tried bringing up the topic fresh.  I tried back a few more times.  Then, I left the site and came back a couple of hours later.

It's still the same thing.  When I click on the topic, all I see is the results - the number of votes for each item and the total votes, no buttons for "vote" and "results" - and then all of the replies below that.

Where did the voting go and is this something with me or has it happened to everyone?
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: jennifer on August 16, 2002, 05:10:12 AM
I voted for the chat because i am basically clueless about the rest ?!?  and this seems like the most  fun
reading the rest was making me dizzy![spin]

jennifer

my second vote would be more message icons!
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: victoriawinters on August 18, 2002, 05:18:03 AM
my name is victoria winters....

i say chat, chat, chat...  i can never get enough of talking about my favorite show dark shadows and talking to my dark shadows buddies...

Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Miles on August 18, 2002, 05:57:40 AM
Hmmm, I don't like this.  I voted for new messages a few days ago thinking it would be a lock, but now chats is making a comeback.   :P
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Midnite on August 18, 2002, 08:59:21 AM
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This is totally weird.  Having said I'd finally vote, I went back to the top, and I think I clicked the "vote" button.  All I found was the results, but no way of voting.  I tried bringing up the topic fresh.  I tried back a few more times.  Then, I left the site and came back a couple of hours later.

Josette, this is exactly how the polls work-- the button you clicked was labeled Submit Vote, and since everyone is allowed one vote, the current results will continuously display for any cousin that has already submitted a vote.  So, before you clicked the Submit button, did you make a selection [check one of the radio buttons]?
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Josette on August 18, 2002, 10:11:56 AM
Quote

So, before you clicked the Submit button, did you make a selection [check one of the radio buttons]?


No, that's just the point!  When I clicked the submit vote or whatever the button was called, I expected to find the list of choices and some place to check or click to indicate which I was voting for.  Instead, all I saw was the results.  I thought perhaps one is just supposed to click the desired item, so I tried that and I tried clicking anything else that looked promising!
It was just the results and that's all I've seen ever since.  I never made a choice and I never even saw a "submit" let alone click it.

Anyway, in case I never get to do it - put me down for the "Search New Posts"!!
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Midnite on August 18, 2002, 09:27:55 PM
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It was just the results and that's all I've seen ever since.  I never made a choice and I never even saw a "submit" let alone click it.

Anyway, in case I never get to do it - put me down for the "Search New Posts"!!

You must've seen the original poll because that's the only time a "vote" button appears in the polls, and you must've made a selection before you clicked it because a vote did register for the above selection under your IP number/username.  So you're all set, and thanks for voting!
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Josette on August 19, 2002, 06:40:01 AM
Actually, I think that's even "weirder"!!  All along I wasn't voting, but would look at the results.  After several days I finally posted that I would vote, clicked on the vote button, and I swear I saw no way of making a choice and never actually voted.  So, if you say it went through and on the correct one, I must assume there was a ghost here doing it or something!!
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Mysterious Benefactor on August 19, 2002, 08:32:00 AM
Thanks so much to the 48 "cousins" who voted in this poll. Midnite and I really appreciate it!

As for the other 24 "cousins" who checked out the poll but decided not to share their opinions (despite my impassioned pleas :(), Santa Benefactor might just have 24 lumps of coal with your names on them. (And Santa Benefactor might not just be speaking figuratively... [vryevl])
Title: Re: **** New Features? ****
Post by: Josette on August 19, 2002, 10:11:12 AM
You have it already!! :)  That sure was fast!!

I tried it just now.  There was 1 new item for me, and it worked and worked and didn't come up with anything.  I don't know if waiting any longer would have made a difference.