A call to curtail a few annoyances Options

[Scasper]

Giving it a fair chance.........

Ok, so I've never really given Outline Mode a fair shot, but with your recommendation I've decided to try it out. For the past few days I've been trying to keep the forum in Outline mode.

Here's what I've discovered:

• Pro: It is extremely useful for keeping track of specific Q. and A. or other train of thought and repartee within the main thread.
• Con: It's a severe pain in the butt when people don't click the right "reply" button.
• Con: It's also a huge pain to figure out which posts you have already read, and kind of frustrating when you click on one that you think is new, but it's not, so you have to keep clicking till you find the one that is new.
• Pro: It is easy enough to switch back to Standard in order to find the most recent posts: AKA, the ones I haven't already read. And then switch back, when I'm done.

The first con is only a con in as much as people continue to use the wrong reply button. If everybody were to respect the Reply button, they could happily continue on using Standard, while keeping the Outliners from losing their minds.

Likewise, the last pro is only a pro-Outline in the sense that you're not stuck in Outline.

At this point I don't think the perceived convenience of Outline outweighs its current level of inconvenience. I am, however, going to stick with it for a while longer. It may continue grow on me. We'll see.

[Cory]

Please explain the second con to me..............................
I'm glad to see you're actually trying it as opposed to condemning it out of hand. Goes a lot toward character. [tips his coffee cup to ya]

Con: It's also a huge pain to figure out which posts you have already read...

But I don't understand you comment here. If I look in standard view there are no indications which are read or unread so it seems both modes are deficient in this respect. Am I missing something?

Generally when I come to the forum I read or at least scan everything and leave with all read. That coupled with the fact that I read the forums at least once a day does make it easy for me because I just look for all the ones marked "Today" or "Yesterday". Or if it has been a few days I generally remember the last time I was there and can quickly scan for posts past that date. And one does not need to scan all the post in the thread but rather look out to the tips of the branches and work back since one can not respond to something that happens in the future. This compared to paging down 18 times and then having someone respond to a separate branch from 2 weeks ago... Well I think this is better for my style or reading. But you can see why I fond it annoying when people don't hit the reply button in the post they are, um, replying to. And even if you don't use outline mode I would like to request that people be considerate of those of us who do and use the correct button as it makes no functional difference to them.

[Scasper]

For your clarificated enjoyment. Yes I know I made that word up.

Please explain the second con to me...

But I don't understand you comment here. If I look in standard view there are no indications which are read or unread so it seems both modes are deficient in this respect. Am I missing something?

When I come to the forum in Standard mode, I can simply Ctrl+End to get to the bottom in one quick go, no need to page down repeatedly (though to be honest, I usually just use my scroll wheel, it's set to "pretty darn sensitive" so it scrolls me all the way down very quickly).

The last post or two are the new ones, so I don't have to work to identify them. I've either read them or I haven't. The indication is in their position at the end of the thread.

In Outline Mode, it takes considerable more "work" (as I like to call it), to find the "Posted today" (the indication of which are newest in Outline mode) phrases. And if there are several of them, located on different "branches" of the outline, it can be obnoxious to my eyes, not to mention my point-and-clicker.

Don't get me wrong, I certainly see the value of Outline Mode. I also see value in Standard. I think they are complementary, or could be if the two were wedded in a third "Sexy Mode."

[Scasper]

I've just thought of another Pro......

In Outline Mode you don't have to scroll back up a mile to get to the links back to the forum menu. I prefer the links to the Back Button, so that the threads I've already read get grayed out... I hate going to the same one twice in a row (since I'm too lazy to pay attention to the actual topic header).

And another pro: If I know it's a long thread (like this one), and I know specifically what post I want to reply to, I can use Outline Mode to find that post and open it in a hurry. Especially with this new technique of actually posting a relevant first line.

[Cory]

Last call.
..............................................
So do you all agree I should write up a few of these in a succinct email and ask Joe if he will pin them? And if so are there any other things we would like to add? I just thought of one more and that was search before asking a question.

[Scasper]

Last call.
..............................................
So do you all agree I should write up a few of these in a succinct email and ask Joe if he will pin them? And if so are there any other things we would like to add? I just thought of one more and that was search before asking a question.

It couldn't hurt... and I don't think it would be too difficult for him to pin such an email/post. Probably a lot easier than fixing the broken codeboxes.

[kevin]

Until now I have stayed out of this discussion because this is a 'user' forum. I do have an opinion about one thing. When I see macro script or macro code that is not contained within code tags, I give that topic less attention and, depending on how much time I have at that moment, I often stop reading right then. It is the user's choice whether or not to use the code tags but if you want me to read the issue you should use code tags (for both macro script and macro code). Just sayin.

The 'codebox' '\codebox' tags have the horizontal scrolling bug but the 'code' '\code' tags do not. I have at times edited someone else's codebox tags to code tags to make their post readable.

It seems that the point of this entire topic can be summed up this way: You are asking others to spend their time and effort to read, understand and respond to your issue. You should make it as easy as possible for them. The more effort you put in, the more effort we will put in.

[paul]

It seems that the point of this entire topic can be summed up this way: You are asking others to spend their time and effort to read, understand and respond to your issue. You should make it as easy as possible for them. The more effort you put in, the more effort we will put in.

Well expressed. And, of course, when you submit an issue, if you can also manage to provide the solution then that will make Kevin's life even easier!

[Cory]

Hear, hear
...................................................
I think the opening line should echo Kevin's sentiment. That is if you want to frustrate the long time forum experts and sit around wondering why your questions don't get answered don't follow these suggestions.