Ideas....

[Bob]

Maybe some way of color coding things so you could tell how recent the text is -- Is it from last year?  Is it from today?    Maybe something with the background colors for that.

Maybe some way of allowing the user to group topics themself.  Maybe it would be possible to have the as they are now, then hit a button and see all the thread in one mass list -- Instead of jumping from board to board, you can see all the threads at once.

[nilsjohan]

It is always so exciting to read your ideas and suggestions, Bob, which are most often great but sometimes just...ehh...interesting...

The basic problem with adding such features is that the default forum software package is regularly updated and for every modification and tweak we make we will have a potential problem with the next update. If we are not dealing with serious usability issues or website integrations problems we currently prefer to not make changes in the default software (we have enough already... ).

This doesn't mean you should not share your ideas since some of them may be easy to implement immediately and some may be considered in the future.

The color coding thing is possibly more complicated than useful but the "mass list" may be a possible new feature at a later time.

[Bob]

Maybe being able to click another button at the end of the "Most Recent Posts" part so you can see another page of recent posts that are slightly older.

[nilsjohan]

Very good idea, but for now I have just changed the "Recent posts" page to display the last 30 post instead of only 10 as before. What do you think, is 30 an appropriate number for this page?

[diegosmom]

SMF has a feature that lets you see All Unread Posts since your last visit. Maybe that would be closer to what Bob is looking for.

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?action=unread

Perhaps you could enable this feature on the index?

[Bob]

Wow!   Thanks diegosmom.  Very cool.

When I read the recent posts, I just read.  I get to the end of the list and sometimes want to read more.  So 10 or 30 might not matter.  30 is of course better though I would think. 


I see the links above and below the threads.  Nice.  It's the "tree" of the site . But since there are only about 7 different board, couldn't we have all the buttons there?  I know there's that "Jump to" box, but one click on a button would be even easier.  (Yes, I am THAT lazy.)

[nilsjohan]

Two new links added under the weclome message at the top...
What do you think?

[Bob]

They can get me back with one click, but.... I can probably just hit refresh or back to do the same screen or the previous menu.

Otherwise, I use the Jump To box -- more clicks though.  If each board were listed in small print where these new links are, that would just be one click.

I understand the main "piano board" and the "nonpiano board."  I see the difference of ideas, but they really go back to the same page don't they?

[nilsjohan]

Well, I was refering to the two links in the top left corner right above the current date and time:
Show unread posts since last visit.
Show new replies to your posts.

They can get me back with one click, but.... I can probably just hit refresh or back to do the same screen or the previous menu.

Otherwise, I use the Jump To box -- more clicks though. If each board were listed in small print where these new links are, that would just be one click.

I understand the issue but I'm not sure it is a good thing to add even more buttons or links to the pages. It might be more confusing than useful for most users.

I understand the main "piano board" and the "nonpiano board." I see the difference of ideas, but they really go back to the same page don't they?

Yes, they go to different positions on the same page and are not very useful. I might remove them...

[Bob]

Ah yes, those buttons.  They seem useful.  Lots of potential.  I like what I see so far.

Maybe just all the boards in one simple line?

[Bob]

I like the recent unread posts.

Not to bother, but...

The next step would be if the user could sort those threads -- sort by board, by original poster, by recent posters....  Just a thought.

[Bob]

I try to post something.  I get the "you just posted something and you have to wait a certain amount of time" reply.  I hit the back button, but my words aren't there anymore.  Gone!  Gone!  Gone!     I have to retype all that or give up.  Is there a way to fix that?

[gorbee natcase]

What about a digital chess board in the chat room

[Kassaa]

The chatroom is so slow already with the use of Flash .

[Dazzer]

Say i'm surfing aroudn the forum. Note i'm not logged in (since the cookies rarely work). then i see a interesting thread that i want to post in. SO okay i decide to log in. Then it brings me back to that silly HOME page and i have to navigate my way through all the forum again (or press Back numerous times to get past the logon)

Now with other forums that isn't a problem. it brings you to the place you logged in from.

so a few solutions
1)tracking cookie
2)a POST variable at the top.
3)a small log on form on every page.

edit: just realised i kinda hijacked the thread. apologies!

[nilsjohan]

I try to post something.  I get the "you just posted something and you have to wait a certain amount of time" reply.  I hit the back button, but my words aren't there anymore.  Gone!  Gone!  Gone!     I have to retype all that or give up.  Is there a way to fix that?

Yes, it is fixed but the drawback is that when you use the back button to navigate in the forum you get old cached pages. Always use the navigation links on top of the board to navigate and you will get fresh pages.

[nilsjohan]

Say i'm surfing aroudn the forum. Note i'm not logged in (since the cookies rarely work). then i see a interesting thread that i want to post in. SO okay i decide to log in. Then it brings me back to that silly HOME page and i have to navigate my way through all the forum again (or press Back numerous times to get past the logon)

Now with other forums that isn't a problem. it brings you to the place you logged in from.

Yes, it is a problem which we have not yet solved.
It depends on the fact that we do not use the forum to get members logged in, but a separate system. This is to be able to give you access to the protected content such as the sheet music, mp3-files and other future content.