Posted on Wed, 02/13/2008 - 04:46 — by CCTModerator
CCTModerator
Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 131
The new forums on ContraCostaTimes.com look a little different, but they are more flexible and will allow us to make many improvements in the coming months. Let us know what you think.
im really not sure bout this yet but the one thing thats really bugging me is the way threads display and i cant find any way to change it from a threaded view to a linear view
We switched to a threaded view to make it easier to tell who's responding to whom. We realize that some readers prefer the linear view and I'll find out whether we can give the user the ability to choose.
I hate, absolutely hate the new format. It's almost impossible to figure out or understand.
I hope who ever designed it was drunk at the time, at least that way he/she's have an excuse.
Maybe this is the excuse I've been looking for to stop spending so much time on the computer. Sorry, but I hate it. Why ruin a good thing? (scratching head)
You can do some new things though.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl: This place got a pool?
Ty: Pool and a pond....... Pond be good for you.
it seems we can only edit our posts if they have not been replied to, once there is a reply the option to edit seems to vanish
im wondering if we still get email notifications if one of our posts is replied to, i liked that
To view forums where you've posted, you have a couple options:
1) Use the forum Search box to search for your user name.
2) Log in to your account. Click the My Account link on the left. Then click the Track tab, which will display all the discussions in which you've participated.
Your salesman forgot to tell you that the product would be hated by everybody....exept perhaps the advertizers who seem to be able to pop into my view like never before.
Still learning the new tricks but am sad that my pictures I had posted on the "James Donlan" post are gone now =(
What happen? Run out of server room?
Also, better make sure you say it right the first time cuz I haven't figured out how one can edit yet.
Help! I've been truncated from 001 to simply 1. It sounds a lot more pretentious. So far I don't like what I see, but I'm willing to give it a chance. I agree with Stoney though that this may end up allowing me to spend more time on other things.
The interface seems a bit clunkier. I especially miss how you used to be able to navigate to a section -- say, East Contra Costa -- and be able to see the subjects of the 50 most recent topics regardless of what town they were posted under. Now all you have is a collection of folders for each city and no way to know what's in them without clicking on one. I don't have time to hunt through each folder to find what I'm after.
I can't figure it out. So far, I don't like it. I really liked the former format a lot. This one looks more like those typical running comments you see under YouTube or Myspace. Some things are hard to see, except for that KFC bucket of chicken that jumps out and scares you half to death. I don't even like the colors. I can't tell who is replying to whom? I guess 001 got his username changed because he can't post pictures? It seems like all the pictures on the old posts vanished. Can we still change the font color so we can use the East County Secret Code when necessary? I'm pretty much lost, but I'm willing to give it some time before I start a new hobbie like collecting scorpians and tarantulas. I hear that's fun.
PS. If this new format was just an attempt to get rid of The Drake and then you will change it back, then I'm ok with it.
BJ, I guess my batting average has improved immeasurably from just .001 to a perfect 1.000. You can't beat that with a stick.
How can you tell which post you are commenting or responding to with this new format? The more I look around, the more I get a headache. I hadn't even thought about no longer being able to offer my quality photos anymore. This is a sad day.
It's the start of a new format and everybody gets a clean slate. I'm sure the law of averages will catch up to you and it won't be long before your .001 again.
"get rid of the Drake"
That has got to be one of the funniest lines I've seen on here in a good while! I posted it earlier. Someone needs to lose a job over this $hit!
The new forums on ContraCostaTimes.com look a little different, but they are more flexible and will allow us to make many improvements in the coming months. Let us know what you think.
I've been on quite a few forums in my online lifetime. This has got to be, by far, the most irritating, confusing, and poorly structured one.
-Yeah, Avatars are cute, but they were not a necessary improvement.
-Where did all of the embedded pictures in people's posts go?
-Why isn't the link to go to the next thread at the end of each topic, instead of having it on the first post?
-Why not include drop-down menus to switch between folders?
-Where did the formatting options go? Some people don't know how to use HTML tags, put the "dummy" buttons back up, they were faster to use. Not to mention the colors were aesthetically pleasing in most cases. I can't even HTML colors in.
-Why not include a "mark topic read" or "mark all messages read" option since the "upgrade" caused many of the posts that had previously been read to revert to "unread"?
-What's with all the "[bleep]" in the middle of words? Tone down the filter.
-Why is my "number of posts" reset? My previous posts don't count now?
Those are a few questions. When I have more I'll let you know.
To summarize, I'm giving the launch of the new forum a thumbs down.
Good questions, ZsMommy1. I'll respond the best I can now and follow up once I can get more definitive answers.
Avatars: no, not necessary, but we hope you like them. They're not required.
Embedded pictures: not sure. I'll find out.
Navigation to next thread at end of topic: Good suggestion. I'll forward it.
Drop-down menus: Also worth considering. Will forward it as well.
Formatting options: Also known as rich-text editor. On the list to be added as we upgrade. I'm hoping we see it soon.
Mark topic read: I'll check on this one, though I doubt any solution will address your wish to have messages read in the old format marked as "read."
That [bleep]ing filter: We're fine-tuning it. Let us know about specific problems in this thread: http://forums.contracostatimes.com/forums/node/11280
Number of posts reset: I suspect that we're all starting over from 0. Look at it as a new ballgame.
Ari Soglin
ContraCostaTimes.com
I think I'll take a leave of absence from this forum. I have other things to do that are more important than spending hours trying to figure this mess out. My ultimate suggestion is to cut your losses and revert the message board to it's previous format, it sounds like most people were happy with it.
Someone email me if they make the smart decision to revert.
And Happy Valentines Day to my friends. Go OFEC!!
I've been away for a few days, hoping when I came back, we'd have the old format with all the bells and whistles we loved back on-line. I guess the powers-that-be are oblivious to our complaints; the results of at least two polls regarding the switch; or they are aware and just don't think our wishes are worthy for consideration. Who has to use these forums, management at CCT or us, the folks in the trenches? Ari, how many complaints in the last year did you get about the old format...???????? Bring our old format back NOW, please!
KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID. This is not directly aimed @ you, but you must realize that if it wasn't broke... dont fix it. I bet this site was the most posted of all raider forums without question, now if you see more come aboard now that you have changed it.. then I'll say business is business, and I'll move on...not another word. But I really doubt that you can honestly say that because the numbers won't lie. Change it back and send everyone an e-mail, and you'll see the people swarm like killer bees. I'm telling you guys right now or rather I'm warning you.... change it back or you will lose this base. Dont be foolish. IT'S NOT TOO LATE.
Why was the first thing I posted sent to the end of the line page 3 and this one goes to the first page? Do you want as few to view that post because it's more threatning? I dont get it.
oh my 001 is now just plain 1 and BJ is talking about keeping tarantulas and scorpions this isnt good.
plain not being able to edit isnt cool, if it was done cause people go and edit their posts after causing problems i can understand turning it off but people should at least be allowed a few min after posting to be able to edit mistakes before it becomes uneditable
we gotta have a "mark all threads read" option we really do
i still havent found a way to change the way i view threads, if i have to view threads in a threaded view rather then a linear view im not going to be reading allot of stuff and really hate it here.
why cant i see all the posts in the thread when im replying that sucks as well
when i click on the "More information about formatting options" i lose my post and everything ive written, bad bad bad bad bad!
under the "More information about formatting options" i see no html code for putting pics in my post has this very cool ability been taken away, life with out pics in posts would really suck
did i mention 001 is now just plain 1 and BJ is talking about keeping tarantulas and scorpions, not good not good at all... although BJs wife does have crabs which is allot like having spiders or scorpions just not as scary
EDIT: i take back my not being able to edit i just noticed it says edit on the bottom of my post right after i posted it
if i cant say [bleep] i should also not be able to say [bleep]
EDIT: oh good i cant say [bleep] nice but can i say [bleep] or ASSASSIN?
EDIT EDIT: oh good good but now i cant see a way of deleting this post
EDIT EDIT EDIT: oh cool when i replied to me other post the ability to edit it vanished, so if i or someone else replies to this reply will my ability to edit this post vanish too?
when i click on the "More information about formatting options" i lose my post and everything ive written, bad bad bad bad bad!"
I'll suggest we have that link open in a new window. In the meantime, you can right-click and open in new tab or window.
As for photos, I'll get more information and get back to you on that issue. Several users have posted about it.
Ari Soglin
ContraCostaTimes.com
cool beans Ari and thanks for taking the time to reply to our Qs.
yeah opening in another window would be the best thing, i know how to open things in new windows but im sure there are many who dont
PLEASE! Bring back the sorting options! While you're at it, why not completely reverse all the changes? And we've got to re-enter favorites, personal info, signatures??? Really dumb changes. Avatars? Who cares...?
This is going to take some getting used to.
It looks liek we've lost the ability to use color fonts, change font size, used bold print and underline. At times, those capabilities added to the posts.
I think the photo ID is cute, but somewhat frightening. We'll probably see more cartoon characters than real photos of the posters.
I have no idea what "HTML tags" are, so I guess only the "computer geeks" will be able to use them. Personally, I find the "KISS method" more aceptable.
Nice look, but they don't work like they used too. I like the old old one that showed "Unread Msgs to Me", which I haven't been able to find that on this new one yet. But I guess I can get use to it.
While I agree with all the criticisms and I got my initial vent out of the way last night, I've had a chance to get over the initial shock to the system. Seriously folks, this isn't a matter of life or death. And most importantly, IT'S FREE! If we were paying extra for this privilage then we'd have a legitimate beef, but this service is provided at no charge. I'm sure someone is taking down all these complaints and hopefully they'll make some changes. It would have been nice though if they'd given a more extensive explanation as to why they found the need to change things.
Yeah, but if it's free, they aren't making any more money from us than they were with the former format we all liked better, so why change it? I would think their advertisers would be upset if people are quitting the boards because they don't like it.
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I noticed it bleeped the Vice President's first name in one of my old posts.........so it's got that going for it. For Clarification! I did not type [bleep] Cheney. It is obviously a big left wing conspiracy. I'll bet someone on the Berkeley City Council is behind it.
Peas
Carl: This place got a pool?
Ty: Pool and a pond....... Pond be good for you.
The navigation is clunky and viewing posts is horrible. I have no idea which post someone is replying to. Some of the capabilities of the previous format could have been carried over to this new format.
It has potential, but rolling a new thing out too early is not always a good thing. Was any testing done with a group of the target audience? I am willing to bet that it wasn't. I'd say Bill Gates had a hand in this one! LOL
THIS NEW FORMAT IS REALLY HARD TO NAVIGATE, I DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS. THERE'S TOO MUCH GOING ON, TOO MANY THINGS TO READ IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHO POSTED AND WHEN. THE OLD FORMAT WAS GREAT PLEASING TO THE EYE AND REALLY DIDN'T NEED ANY IMPROVEMENT VERY EASY TO NAVIGATE, YOU GOT IN READ WHAT YOU WANTED POSTED AND MOVED ON TO THE NEXT POSTING. PLEASE PLEASE CHANGE IT BACK.
I miss the font tag.
The new format wastes a lot of space with its column for the 'avatar'. We are here to trade ideas, not picture postcards.
Was this a project of some high school in the Bay Area? You should give credit where credit is due.
Navigation is a pain.
how come the cc times admin who is asking the question, how this new layout is liked, does not answer..?
i still don't like it
ps:
i also would like to have the newest posting on top, and not last. can that be changed?
LOL! The dog on Dilbert probably wanted it.
I'm going to just reply to the last post instead of the particular person I am responding to because I feel that the last post should always appear at the end, not moved up under the post it was addressing.
Maybe I just need to get used to that though. There might be more continuity in the discussions, but I'm worried I might miss new posts because I'm not used to scrolling back to find new comments.
Yeah, this idea of putting new posts out of chronological order is really bad. Too time consuming trying to find new posts. The inability to state who you're replying to is going to cause a lot of confusion and misunderstandings. Fights, chaos, mutiny, villagers with pitchforks, looting, pillaging, a total breakdown of civilization is ahead.
IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!!!!!!
I admit I might not be the sharpest fauchard in the armory, but changing the format of the discussion boards could prove to be the worst thing to happen since the turn of the century.
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Would that be "Evil HR Drector Dogbert"?
I would put money on, it's someone right out of college thinking they're improving things for us. They're thinking right now "bunch of OFEC's afraid of change. They'll get used to it" HEY ...yea you that changed this. I don't make you drink metamucil. Why do I have to relate to your forum format?
There I feel much better. The metamucil must be working.
Peas
Carl: This place got a pool?
Ty: Pool and a pond....... Pond be good for you.
Totally sucks. Tried to use it after working a 12-hour shift....working my job for 12.5 hrs was WAY easier than working this forum!
It's hard to navigate, all of the previous negative comments "DITTO'.
I enjoyed links and pictures.
This format ONLY makes it easier for CCTs to navigate OUT who and what they want to.
Please bring back the old format...unless of course, this is how you exercise mind control and clear out dead wood......oh wait.....that is what's happening.....aaargghhh.....the voices....the voices are in my head telling me.....wait......my head is spinning.....where are my posts????? Is this really the East County Forum???? Where's
Posted on Wed, 02/13/2008 - 04:46 — by CCTModerator
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