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A couple tiny suggestions

Dr. TimoDr. Timo
in Forum Stuff
In the vein of your "Forum quality is predicated by good UI / layout" talk I have a couple of suggestions:

1) Remove the "X.X k views" and "Y.Y k comments" vanity metrics from the discussion listing. They are just clutter and serve no purpose.

2) Remove the avatar of the original poster from the discussion listings. This is also just a vanity feature and is even detrimental to the user experience. I don't want to know that Rym started this discussion chain in 2007, I want to see who the most recent commenter is (preferably I would like to see the most recent three).

These suggestions are, of course, matters of opinion, but I think they are reasonable ones.
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Comments

  • BronzdragonBronzdragon
    I see you're under the impression that Apreche (or Rym) could be arsed to spend some effort on this.

    I'll predict what Apreche will say. "Make me an CSS file if it bothers you so much, and I'll consider using it."
  • Dr. TimoDr. Timo
    I don't expect these suggestions to be implemented unless there is an easy option switch or selectable alternate officially supported theme.
  • NeocloudNeocloud
    I really liked being able to quickly access my starred threads. Now, there is an extra click involved. Also, not having a "back to discussions" link at the bottom of the comment window is somewhat frustrating. Not sure how easy these would be to change, but I would assume that since the old forum and new forum are/were Vanilla, that they would have similar functionality.
  • RochelleRochelle
    edited October 2013
    So lazy. So Jeremy. I also miss it, but it's not a big deal. (1 hour edit time now. Cool.)

    Also Home = Back To Discussions, if that's what you mean.
    Post edited by Rochelle on
  • AprecheApreche
    edited October 2013
    You people act like I have control over such small details. This forum is now hosted by Vanilla themselves. If you want the forum to look different, talk to the Vanilla people who we are paying much money.

    If you want to donate enough money to pay for it (above and beyond what we are already paying), they will help us to develop a completely custom theme, like the Penny Arcade or NS2 forums have. If you want to make a custom Vanilla theme on your own, go for it. All I have done is select the most tasteful of the available default themes. That is all I will do.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • CremlianCremlian
    edited October 2013
    So wait, who's the contact who runs the forums then? So we can talk to someone who could help us :-p
    Post edited by Cremlian on
  • GregGreg
    Cremlian said:

    So wait, who's the contact who runs the forums than?

    *cringe*
  • AprecheApreche
    http://vanillaforums.com/
  • MattMatt
    Alligators are ornery because they got all them teeth and no toothbrush.
  • CremlianCremlian
    Won't we have a lot of trouble telling Vanilla to change something on your forums :-p
  • Dr. TimoDr. Timo
    Scott,
    Apreche said:

    All I have done is select the most tasteful of the available default themes.

    This I doubt. Also, having administered several Vanilla forums I know how easy it is to import non-default (but still officially approved) themes. Several of them are simple, tasteful and adress the issues I mentioned. I mean there is even a theme that looks exactly like the old forum.

    I don't care if you are too lazy to do this, all I wanted to do is call your attention to a couple of instances of exactly the kind of shit UI you disparage in your talk.
  • AprecheApreche
    edited October 2013
    Which theme is that that you want? Is there truly a theme that not one person will have any issue with whatsoever? This one is the best of the default choices in terms of modern web design, web best practices (works on mobile), and lacking in bugs. Remember, it's not just a theme for you, it's forced upon everyone.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • BronzdragonBronzdragon
    Can we look at the 1hour edit lockout? It was implemented because there was no way to tell if a post had been edited at a later date or not. There's never been an issue before where people nefariously edited their post after a long time. Just think about it a little again, that's all I ask.
  • AprecheApreche
    Bronzdragon said:

    Can we look at the 1hour edit lockout? It was implemented because there was no way to tell if a post had been edited at a later date or not. There's never been an issue before where people nefariously edited their post after a long time. Just think about it a little again, that's all I ask.

    I actually thought about this the other day. I posted on G+ asking who wanted my Google Glass invites. Some random Internet people replied. I said I wasn't going to give it to someone I did not know. This guy wrote a whole spiel about how he was a entrepreneur with a tech startup and what not. I told him that not only would I not give it to someone I did not know, but that a guy running a tech startup would be the last person I would ever give it to. He later edited his long spiel to say "comment redacted".

    What valid reason could you possibly have to edit your post after an entire hour other than cowardice? I only ever edit a post immediately after submitting it in case there is a typo, or something I forgot.
  • Josh BytesJosh Bytes
    Only cowards edit their posts after an hour.
  • CremlianCremlian
    edited October 2013
    typos, major factual errors that you notice, information that is now obsolete that could be misleading if someone new reads the thread (like contact info, DS codes or game codes you've given away).

    For example the entire introduce yourself thread :-p
    Post edited by Cremlian on
  • RochelleRochelle
    edited October 2013
    Not to mention a certain internal forum thread with updated contact information.

    Also, I'm sure that some people will be happy that the insert image, links, and what not above the comment box will be please to know it is back.

    :) :D ;) :( :\ :o :s :p :'( :| B) :# o:) <3 (*) >:)
    Post edited by Rochelle on
  • AprecheApreche
    Cremlian said:

    typos, major factual errors that you notice, information that is now obsolete that could be misleading if someone new reads the thread (like contact info, DS codes or game codes you've given away).

    For example the entire introduce yourself thread :-p

    If you make typos, you should fix those immediately, not an hour later. If you don't notice a factual error or typo after an hour, you should suffer for your wrongness. For the other things, read a new post. It clearly says the time of the post on the comment. If someone uses a friend code from years ago, that's their problem. Also, don't use the forum for that!
  • ChurbaChurba
    Get your forum hosted at Vanilla, they said.

    It'll make life easy and everybody happy, they said.
  • Josh BytesJosh Bytes
    lol
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    edited October 2013
    Churba said:

    Get your forum hosted at Vanilla, they said.

    It'll make life easy and everybody happy, they said.

    What they didn't know was Scott would make the transition from unmoving dictator to non-responsible bureaucrat all to quickly.
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • CremlianCremlian
    Can we elect a new Scott forum mod? I mean we have 5 or so of them to pick from :-p
  • MATATATMATATAT
    I'M SO UNHAPPY AAAAAGHHH :#

    Are there Pusheen smileys because Facebook has them.
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    edited October 2013
    Cremlian said:

    Can we elect a new Scott forum mod? I mean we have 5 or so of them to pick from :-p

    Someone with, say, political experience? ;-)
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • MattMatt
    Fuck, who has the conch?!
  • ChurbaChurba
    Cremlian said:

    Can we elect a new Scott forum mod? I mean we have 5 or so of them to pick from :-p

    If only we had two more, we could all just do one day a week.
  • ColdguyColdguy
    Matt said:

    Fuck, who has the conch?!

    I bid 2 teeth for it. Got to get my extra card.
  • StarfoxStarfox
    Apreche said:

    What valid reason could you possibly have to edit your post after an entire hour?

    Well, you used to be able to change the title of your threads, or whisper a few posts to yourself for reveal later.

    But sure, if you want to cater to the lowest denominator, go ahead.
  • SailSail
    Whispering? Vanilla lost whispering years ago.
  • Josh BytesJosh Bytes
    You can send other forumites messages from their profile. I haven't tried it yet though. It's probably also on lock down.
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