New discussion board software - likes and dislikes so far

[paddyinthepub]

I type too much and too slow. Karen, I 'll tell you what I always tell my wife. Said with nothing but respect for her abilty to cut to the chase and get the the job done, no messing around.

you're a fast woman

[paddyinthepub]

Just found out that when you change your profile, let's say your signature, that it auto updates every post you have already posted with the new look.

I don't know if I like it or dislike it, but it is cool.

[wendy]

Another little nuance: if you ask to sort by Newest Postings, it only applies to your current session on the board, and you have to request it at each and every topic. Not super convenient...

Anyone found a way to do a Global sort? And a way to maintain that between sessions? Just curious.

[KarenZ]

Wendy,

I looked to see if it was something I could change in the Configuration Settings of the board without success.

One neat thing though...at the bottom of each thread there's an option to "watch this thread". If you click there, in a nutshell you're turning a watch "on" for that thread. Then, every time someone posts in that thread, you get an e-mail notification. When you want to turn it "off" you simply click there again. Not sure how valuable this for me right now...but maybe down the road I might find it to be of value.

KarenZ

[wendy]

Thanks for looking, Karen.
Like everything else, it will just take a little time to find the pattern that works for me. Don't want to miss any new posts! (not sure I want an e-mail every time one shows up, though... given this board, my e-mail box would be full in no time!!)

[paddyinthepub]

ok here's a reprise of the HAVING to scroll down point. I found the opp to change that to new posts first...and worked great.

Except, go away and come back to the thread, and old posts are again first. So, any way to offer a chance, say in Profile or somewhere, to say I prefer to read all my threads in new posts first fashion.

Or at least move the options window to the top instead of the bottom.

I'm a scrolling down fool these days it seems.

Oh wait, just found something helpful as mentioned in earlier post here.

Click on page beside poster's name and it GOES directly to that post.

NO NEED TO SCROLL anymore....yeah.....I'm good.

[KarenZ]

1. A couple things I noticed this morning. If you're actually online when someone send you a PM, a little red circle pops up and I think it also makes a little "ding" sound. (Oh! It's something you have to turn on in your profile!)

2. I'm pretty sure about this, but not positive. When you send someone a PM, it stays in your "outbox" until it's actually read by the other person - then it moves to the "sent" box. If that's true, it's a way to know if your PMs have been received/read or not. (It's true!)

KarenZ

[Richard + Jela]

We're still having problems being recognised when we access the board - not every single time but mostly we have to log in twice before we are shown as being 'online' and therefore only after logging in twice do we see the icon that shoes new posts.

We very rarely get the automatic log in despite ticking the box to log us in autoamtically at each visit.

Richard + Jela

[wendy]

You're not alone with those problems, Richard and Jela, though for me they only happen on one particular computer that I use (it's not my own, so I'm unwilling to change any settings).

I wonder if there is some "refuse cookies" setting (or similar) that causes those things to happen? (requiring double log-in, and no auto log-in)

[paddyinthepub]

Happening here too. I log in, my handle shows up as online user and I think I'm good to post on a topic. However...when I want to post I MUST log in all over. The log me in automatically feature does not seem to work for me either. It's way worth the inconvenience..sure it'll all be worked out soon enough.

[dexsta]

hey Karen, long time no chat.
If you need a hand with anything on the board, give me a yell. I help manage a Forum with over 2500 members, so I've got a fair idea on what i'm doing.

cheers
Adrian

[KarenZ]

Folks,

I've asked Jim, our webmaster, to jump into this thread regarding the double logins, so hopefully he will respond. I've experienced it also, although there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to when it happens.

KarenZ

[PotatoPicker]

I am pretty certain this is a problem dependent on your local machine (and firewall, and browser) configuration, especially in regards to security settings, cookies, and trusted site access.

When I an using my work computer, pretty heavily secured by my employer, I find I alwyas need to log in twiec, and the automated login does not work. On my home computer, where I have more personal control over those settings, the automatic login works just fine.

[KarenZ]

Thanks for those comments, Jeff. It's just a little inconvenience, right? And to repeat my new mantra (thanks to the guy in the audience at the Mucky Duck in Houston):

It's all good!

KarenZ

[paddyinthepub]

ok, ask and ye shall receive in overdrive in la la land and most our dreams.

potatopicker and ellis go out on house concert tour.....ellis plays and Jeff fixes all our computers......


who's in?

[PotatoPicker]

How about I play and Ellis fixes your computers ?

[paddyinthepub]

Jeff..that works for me as well...as long as they are mostly Ellis covers!

[slab]

I am pretty certain this is a problem dependent on your local machine (and firewall, and browser) configuration, especially in regards to security settings, cookies, and trusted site access.

When I an using my work computer, pretty heavily secured by my employer, I find I alwyas need to log in twiec, and the automated login does not work. On my home computer, where I have more personal control over those settings, the automatic login works just fine.

I second this diagnosis. One of the problems with a persistant sign-in is 'what remains persistant?' - Generally these applications use your IP address (the multi-digit code that signifies your computer or batch of compters on the web) - but your service provider or office might be splitting the same IP address over many computers, or might change the IP address periodically - or may not allow persistant connections. Also, it is important to make sure you allow the use of cookies. Remember, choosing a persistant connection can allow the hijacking of the cookie by accident if someone else is assigned the exact same IP by mistake.

It's a pain, I know, but there is no perfect way to stay connected to a web application over any period of time that is secure.

[paddyinthepub]

I was over at wxpn 88.5 fm in philly researching the music fest lineup for this weekend when I noticed an area setup for discussion. It's a way for the station to keep a finger on the pulse of the music community. It's where I read the thread about Ray LaMontagne losing his temper.

The reason I bring this up here and now? The discussion group over at wxpn.org uses the very same platform as we do here. It was instantly comfortable and somehow familiar. Made me chuckle a bit to think how strange all this looked a short time ago.

I just really, really like it.

Thanks Guys.

[KarenZ]

We're on the cutting edge of technology, after all.

KarenZ

[KarenZ]

I absolutely love the "Preview" function! You can check that links work, fonts display properly, etc. before actually posting!

KarenZ

[paddyinthepub]

karen,

yup and pj

[Lauren]

And another function I like? Highlighting something and then clicking whatever button I want to do to it, such as "URL" to link it up, or "B" to make it bold. I can go back and edit an entire post, lickety split! Awesome!

~Lauren

[KarenZ]

Hey everybody,

I want to edit my profile but keep getting an error message when I try to access it. Will someone try to access their profile and report back?

Thanks!

KarenZ

[Lauren]

Hmmm... I'm getting an error, too:

Parse error: parse error in /usr/www/users/bigslab/slab500/ellispaul/discussion/includes/template.php(127) : eval()'d code on line 115

[KarenZ]

OK....now I know it's not just me. I'm getting the same error. Will look into it and see if we can get it remedied posthaste.

Thanks, Lauren, dear.

KarenZ

[KarenZ]

Profile access and ability to register have now been fixed. Both problems were caused by us trying to prevent spambots from registering. You may have noticed we had some spam the other day from someone trying to sell us video software. Let's all try to keep an eye out for that kind of stuff...and don't hesitate to PM me if you see anything that you think is suspicious.

Thanks guys and gals!

KarenZ

[paddyinthepub]

Yea, I can't believe I fell for that one and actually posted a response to that saleswoman......I'll learn.

I'm hoping that both her ad and my response were dutifully removed.

[KarenZ]

I gave her the ax. It was hard....but after what happened on June 20 (a day that will forever live in infamy in my mind!) I'm not taking any chances. Huh-uh. No way. No more Mrs. Nice Guy.

KarenZ

[paddyinthepub]

Tough love I say. We totally understand. And agree!!!

YA gotta do what ya gotta do and all that.

[wendy]

I really like the PM-notification feature. That sure is handy!

[paddyinthepub]

Here are 2 likes and a question.

Like that you can search a keyword. Let's say down the line you want to re-read the tattoo story. Do a search and all posts pop up that contain tattoo. One of them will be the one you're lookin for.

Like that you can go to the memberlist, click on a member name and view all their posts in one setting. So if you knew you wanted to respond to something that one of the other members had said, you don't have to hunt all over the forum for it.

Question: let's say you send a PM to a member. It's in their INBOX. It's in my OUTBOX or SENTBOX. If I delete it from my sentbox or outbox before they have a chance to read the message, Have I deleted it from their INBOX as well, therefore retracting the message altogether?

Just curious.

[KarenZ]

I don't know. We need to have a clinical trial.

KZ

Question: let's say you send a PM to a member. It's in their INBOX. It's in my OUTBOX or SENTBOX. If I delete it from my sentbox or outbox before they have a chance to read the message, Have I deleted it from their INBOX as well, therefore retracting the message altogether?

Just curious.

[paddyinthepub]

karen....you're on.....i'll pm you...don't look at it.....til morning.....i'll delete it from my OUTBOX or SENTBOX about 1 hour after I send it.

if its not there in the morning....i've retracted it by deleting it before you read it.

the message will simply say .....testing 123

thanks

[KarenZ]

Understood.

KarenZ

[KarenZ]

Paddy,

I did NOT have a PM in my inbox from you....so it looks like your theory regarding the PM feature is accurate.

KarenZ

[paddyinthepub]

Karen, that's good to know. I did in fact send you a PM at around 3pm and then went swimming, whew, it's hot here. Upon returning near 5pm, I deleted the PM I'd sent.

It was titled test123 and the text was simply testing 123.

So that sounds like a valid conclusion. Anybody like or dislike this?

[KarenZ]

I like it. Who doesn't wish on occasion that they could take back something they said? It sure happens to me.

KarenZ

[wendy]

Ditto!!
but how will that work with the PM notification system? Just curious, not concerned.

[paddyinthepub]

I agree, nice to be able to take something back if you want. Just a great reminder to any neatniks out there who might go cleaning up their outbox and sentbox Private Messages and then wonder why there was never a response....it's because when you delete it before it's been read by the intended......you've retracted it completely before they had the chance to see it and respond.

I like it fine, just hope folks catch on to the feature, that's all.

[paddyinthepub]

I like the fact that so many of us are now lurkers. Example, see a chance to post, log in/ post/ logout. Here one minute gone the next. See the list of users, like now, 3 guests only. And I know who it's likely to be.

You girls are so busted.

I used to log in on the old forum in the wee hours and there would be nobody out there but EllisPaul and paddyinthepub.

man, what a rush......in this whole world wide web just me and the man looking over the thoughts of the day.

kinda like it is when I'm driving along listening to Ellis in my car.

paddy and the man......doesn't have quite the same ring as Chico and the Man, but I'll take it.

[KarenZ]

Wendy,

I suspect when you log in, if there's (still) a PM in your box you'll get the pop-up and if there isn't, you won't.

KarenZ

Ditto!!
but how will that work with the PM notification system? Just curious, not concerned.

[wendy]

That makes sense, Karen.
I was wondering about the e-mail notification that sits in que on my server until I log in. Would that be deleted, too? I'd be a bit surprised if it was. (again, I'm not concerned, just curious - typical scientist here... )
My brain is not up to devising a test at this moment, but maybe after this weekend

[paddyinthepub]

I need a lil help with this one guys.

Had a long post written and ready to "submit" when poof, it was gone.

Actually, I got a login screen...as tho I was not logged in. So I logged in expecting to be redirected back to my text screen to either preview or submit....nuttin..nada.....huh uh....where did it go?

If it's happened to you lately...let me know.....otherwise I'll assume it was just me and my computer.

Also, do ya think the text is still retrievable.....on a temp file on my pc?

Was there a better place to ask this: I gotta problem here type question?

[paddyinthepub]

No post mode specified

The only clue as to why the text might have not posted.

Anyone?

[bonuela]

Not sure about this board, but in general computer-ese you can sometimes use the Back arrow to retrieve the post, but only immediately after. When I "blog" I will right click and copy long entries before I hit save in case I have logged out while typing. This way I can just log in right click and paste and as you like to say...Walla.


So I guess I'm saying. This one's gone.

[KarenZ]

Paddy, I don't have an answer, but having gotten burned quite a few times myself over the years, if I know I'm going to post something really long, I type it in Word first, then copy and paste. I know it's not much consolation at this point, but it'll save future frustration.

KarenZ

[paddyinthepub]

Bonnie...thanks and to quote a few:


It would take an acrobat, But I already tried all that, I'm gonna let him fly. - Patty Griffin

I'm afraid I think you're right - Ellis Paul

I hold out some hope tho - it was a doozy!!!

I tried every trick in the book to relocate them words.

[paddyinthepub]

I like the fact that this forum comes equipped with FAQ section. I tried it yesterday and realized for the first time that it's a basic "how to" as it pertains to using this software. I barely noticed it all this time. I was going to pose a question to the more computer literate among us. Hec, I'll pose it anyway, even tho I'm sure it could be easily answered over in the FAQ section.

I'd been hiding out for a few days, that is, I'd changed my profile to the "hide online status" mode which meant that whenever I logged in to the forum my online staus remained stealth as in "hidden user". It was fun while it lasted in a secret agent kind of way. It's really not my style tho.

So I decided to come out again and change my profile back to the regular old way. It was there that that my question came up. At the "hide online status" option I changed it to "NO". Once entered, I'm back in full view every time I log in.

Here's my question: I was given two options at the bottom of my profile. One was to "Submit" and one was to "Reset". While I chose to click on "Submit" and it worked just fine, I am still curious what would have happened if I had clicked on "Reset". Yes, there really is a question coming: What's the difference between "Submit" and "Reset" at this point in the User Profile setup?

TIA.

[KarenZ]

Paddy,

In the "Preferences" section of a user's profile, certain defaults are set initially. For instance, the default setting for online status is "hidden". You can change any or all of the 8 default settings. If you wanted to return to the default settings, you can simply hit the "reset" button. Kapish?

KarenZ

Here's my question: I was given two options at the bottom of my profile. One was to "Submit" and one was to "Reset". While I chose to click on "Submit" and it worked just fine, I am still curious what would have happened if I had clicked on "Reset". Yes, there really is a question coming: What's the difference between "Submit" and "Reset" at this point in the User Profile setup?

TIA.