Forum Re-Design

[Daviddubya]

Everyone,
I just updated the link color to gray, with green/underlined hovers.  Just to test it, I put a link right here in the middle of a post.  On my monitor, it stands out enough without being too jarring.  Can others please report on what you're seeing?
...Matthew

Not much contrast between gray and black.  The link is not obvious.  I had to look twice to see it.

The blue color in the test forum is just a bit easier to see, at least on my screen with my eyes.

Have you considered a slight difference in the font, like making links italics in blue???

 

[Matthew Schenker]

David,
OK, I changed it to the blue color used in the test forum.  I think it shows up well, without being too loud.  I don't want to italicize it, because then we'll have italics showing up all over the forum -- everywhere there's a link.

So, does the blue work?

Matthew

 

[Brice Burrell]

I like the blue, thanks for taking care of this so quickly.

 

[Daviddubya]

Blue is better.  I think that will do the trick.

 

[Forrest Anderson]

David,
OK, I changed it to the blue color used in the test forum.  I think it shows up well, without being too loud.  I don't want to italicize it, because then we'll have italics showing up all over the forum -- everywhere there's a link.

So, does the blue work?

Matthew

Err, I hate to say it, but that blue is a bit too subtle for my eyes, particularly when the background is tinted (the background to every second post in a thread it tinted). I think if I was creating a link in a post, I might manually emphasize it by underlining the text to make sure people realised that there was a link. Whilst I realise that you want something that is tasteful and doesn't take over the place, I find that the blue you've used is a bit too discreet. In fact, I'd prefer black underlined text rather than a discreet colour, but would agree that if every link in the whole forum was underlined, it would look messy. It's only the links within a post that I'm keen to emphasize.

I like the roll-over green, if that helps... 

Sorry!

Forrest

 

[semenza]

Hi,

      The blue is OK. It would be better if they stood out a little more. But seems like the best compromise so far. How about a more intense blue- maybe try the frame color blue.  Might be too much but it couldn't hurt to give it a try.

Seth

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Hey Everyone,
I figured out how to add a section of code so the links appear in their own format in the posting window!!!  So now I can define a link style for posts that does not affect all the other parts of the forum!

As an example, if I add a link here, it stands out without uglifying the rest of the forum.

I set it to be underlined, slate blue, bold.

Opinions?

Matthew

 

[Ned]

I'm happy the links are distinct in text.

Ned

 

[Forrest Anderson]

I figured out how to add a section of code so the links appear in their own format in the posting window!!!  So now I can define a link style for posts that does not affect all the other parts of the forum!

As an example, if I add a link here, it stands out without uglifying the rest of the forum.

I set it to be underlined, slate blue, bold.

Opinions?

I love it!  ;D Now there should be no problems spotting a link in amongst lots of text.

Many thanks for working on this - it's much appreciated.

Regards

Forrest

 

[Brice Burrell]

I like it too, thanks.

 

[semenza]

Hi,

  Thumbs up on the links.

Seth

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
I'm glad we have this discussion, as it has allowed me to make all kinds of tweaks to the code and given me the confidence that what I'm doing works for everyone.  Now that I am seeing how well this process runs, I have to say I can't imagine managing a forum any other way!

As we go forward, everyone should feel free to comment on various components of the forum.  The cumulative effect of both large and small changes gives us a unique space for our discussions.

Matthew

 

[Brice Burrell]

Matthew,
I noticed today when I wanted to attach a photo to a PM there was no "additional options" buttom. Did I miss it or is it gone?

 

[semenza]

Hi,

     Could the "unread posts", etc. simply be removed from the logo area and put somewhere else?  Like in the top grey navigation bar if they were abreviated or shortened?   The more I look at it they seem out of place in the logo field anyway.
     If something was needed to fill that right side area how about an actual logo. Like something that could be made into a members patch 8)

Seth

Hi,

      I just re-read this post I made and realised that the words "actual logo" coould be read as meaning I had a problem with the new FOG header/banner/logo.  I don't- a better word in place of that would be emblem or symbol.

Seth

 

[semenza]

Hi,

        This is in the post I just made above but here it is again anyway.  I still think the "You have  x messages 0 are new" could be elimenated because it pretty much duplicates (except for the quantity) what occurs with "MY MESSAGES" in the navigation bar. A little envelope flashes if there is a new message, and if I really care how many old ones there are I can just click to go there.  And that  "UNREAD POSTS since last visit"  "NEW REPLIES to your posts" should be moved to the gray navigation bar.    It would clean it up and put all that function stuff in one place. 

Seth

 

[greg mann]

I tend to agree with Seth on this one. It seems odd to be reaching up into to header for, what is for me, the most used function on the screen.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

I noticed today when I wanted to attach a photo to a PM there was no "additional options" buttom. Did I miss it or is it gone?

I don't think the "additional options" was ever available with PMs.  To attach photos, just use the "insert image" button from the posting options.  But now that you mention it, I'll have to see how to remove the inline image pull-down from PMs.
Matthew

 

[Daviddubya]

I tend to agree with Seth on this one....

Me three.  As an alternative, eliminate the messages information and move the Unread Posts... and New Replies... links, each on their own line, to the white area just above >.  That seems to place all of the navigation links together.

 

[greg mann]

Actually, I would like an "unread posts" button at the bottom of the page. This is usually where I am when I want to go back to unread messages anyway.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
I agree with those of you who think that the messages notice at the top of the page is redundant with the "MY MESSAGES" link in the main menu.  Also, the "unread posts" option is rather obscure.

Here's what I'm thinking: I'll remove the "You have... messages" note from the header.  Then I'll look into moving the "unread posts" and "new replies" line to the menu bar.

I'll do all this in the test forum first, so we can see what it looks like.

Actually, I would like an "unread posts" button at the bottom of the page. This is usually where I am when I want to go back to unread messages anyway.

There are a lot of possibilities here.  But keep in mind, this is not like editing a document in a word processor.  To put functions in different places in the forum takes manipulation of lines of code.  I'm getting better at this, but it still takes me time to find the right lines for things like this.  Let me take care of the above issues first, then we can discuss other placements of the information.

Stay tuned!

Matthew