Site Suggestions & Updates

[ExtremeNinja]

The problem is not the device. It is that the forum, as an application, is only design for display on desktop machines.

In order to be more accessible accross multiple devices it would need either different instances of the application for each platform or would require the use of a responsive theme such as can be seen on the Boston Globe.

If you want to see what I mean go to http://www.bostonglobe.com/ and then resize your browser and watch what happens with regards to the navigation and page layout, columns etc.

It's pretty cool but would be more difficult to implement on a forum where lots of varieties of interactions are present. For the few of you who may have a technical interest, it's mostly achieved through CSS media-queries and javascript.

Enjoy.

 

[The Pits]

I use the native browser on my Android phone, and that automatically re-sizes the text to fit on the page, whichever zoom or orientation I use. It is fabulous at that, it also allows me to do all the bits and pieces that I need to, inlcuding the smilies.

I think it is the browser on the Kindle, not sure if you can download alternative browsers such as Dolphin HD or Opera on to a Kindle?

 

[Brogan]

That's a valid point The Pits, most modern devices/browsers should be able to render the site perfectly well, although you may have to zoom to read the text (depending on screen size).

 

[The Pits]

Brogan with my eyesight I need to zoom to see the text on a 54" plasma screen, but the phone does it really well on a 4"

 

[ExtremeNinja]

1. Why does search sometime return no results and then the same search does return results on a second attempts?

 

[Brogan]

What search terms and parameters are you using?

I haven't encountered that problem personally.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

2. Not a technical I plemetation but some moderators have made mod comments in green recently which is extremely useful. Could this be adopted across the board by all mods? It would be extremely useful. Mod comments in normal black text are lost after a couple of following responses to the thread within which they are in.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Re: point 1: It is a regular occurrence, albeit somewhat random, but occurs when I limit my searches to thead titles. I encounter this very often and have some for quite some time.

 

[Brogan]

It was a rule we implemented on the old site (hence why some still do it) but we dropped it a while ago.

If the moderators are willing then I don't see why mod comments can't be made in green (or another colour) to differentiate them.

 

[Brogan]

It is a regular occurrence, albeit somewhat random, but occurs when I limit my searches to thead titles. I encounter this very often and have some for quite sme time.

Next time it occurs can you let me know the search string and from which page you are performing the search - is it the quick search box at the top right, the main search page - if so which tab, etc.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Thanks Bro. That would be great.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Quick search in the top right. My last two searches were "Suggestions" and title-only checked. The first returned an empty result. I would have searched from the Maldonado thread where you made your last mod comment. There's a story developing, here.

 

[Brogan]

Did you uncheck "Search this forum only" and "Search this thread only" ?

That could be the reason and all I can think of really.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Nope. I hate bugs like this, ones that you can't cosistantly replicate. Incidentally, I have experienced this in multiple browsers, too. I would guess it's server side based on that.

Could it be to do with refresh of your search index or caching or something of the like. I'll leave it with you and let you know if it happens again, providing specific details.

 

[Brogan]

The search index is updated in real time every time there is a new post/thread and isn't cached.

I can't actually reproduce it so at this point in time I can't even report it as a potential bug.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

I'll bet that's it.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Just happened again when I entered "Politics" and performed the search in the same way. 1st time no results, 2nd time plenty.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

You were right, Brogan!

"Search this forum only" checked. I just caught it that time. Obviously that option is not available when you re-search from the results page.

Should the default not be that this field is unchecked? Seems counter-intuitive to have a filter applied by default.

 

[Brogan]

That field is only checked when you use the quick search when within a thread of forum.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

...as I have discovered. It's still counter-intuitive given that the search interface is connected to the site navigation rather than presented as contextual navigation alongside the content.