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General discussion

hate new format for C NET

Nov 10, 2006 5:21AM PST

Go back to the old format for this forum, what I am seeing here...totally terrible!!

Ben

Discussion is locked

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IMHO when you get to understand
Nov 10, 2006 6:48AM PST

all of the variations and capabilities that the new software provides you be apologizing for many days.

Please allow a little time for the majority of bugs to be removed and then do a little reading on how to use the features.

Are you aware that one of the thread formats is not very different from the ealier version.

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In the upper left hand
Nov 10, 2006 7:29AM PST

corner, change the forum display to tree view, and it will be just like before.


Rick

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Tree view...
Nov 10, 2006 8:04AM PST

did it.

The flat view on my screen was around 25 lines with one or two of various UNKNOWN characters.

Had to scroll down couple of pages to find thread. Even then it was funky???

To me tree view is better.

Thanks

Ben

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New format is horrible
Nov 10, 2006 10:54AM PST

I totally agree with anyone that says to chuck the new format. Go back to the old!

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reply to: New format is horrible
Nov 10, 2006 2:10PM PST

Hi All,
I am having a real problem with eye strain.After reading about 15 posts, I can,t bear it any longer.I have to alternate with other forums to give my eyes a rest. My opinion is there is too much white.Washed out look,Don,t like all the posts not lining up.Not a definate bright enough border around the posts also.The posts seem to blend into one another.I am happy with the posts in succession.I would hope Lee would take into consideration that not all of us have brilliant eyesight.This was not an issue with the old site.The point I'm making is how come us members are subjected to all this,when Bleeping Computer and Castle Cops for example can get it so right and your programmers,LEE can get it so wrong."IMHO"
I posted these constructive comments in "speakeasy" without one reply.
Would have been more sense to post it on some toilet wall, all the good it done.
DOUG.

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One reply...
Nov 10, 2006 2:45PM PST

The background of the forums has not actually changed...it was plain white before. The only difference in that regard is that we no longer have the dark green and yellow columns down the sides. Since that is more or less a Cnet-wide change I doubt there is much that Lee and the engineers can do...the decision came down from the top.

The borders, however, are another matter. Personally I don't have a problem with it as I see the alternating between green and white as nicely done. I imagine that it would be simple enough to adjust if it's what the majority wanted, though.

I know it's not a congressional letter, but I felt you deserved a reply. (Sorry, I rarely visit SE.) Just keep in mind that Lee is not the ultimate power, so while he does what he can for us (ex: he quickly had the font color changed from light grey to black after members began requesting it) he does not deserve the blame for what he cannot control.

John

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Reply to John Wilkinson.
Nov 10, 2006 3:15PM PST

Thanks so much for your reply,John.You have explained it well.
Now I know LEE is not all to blame,I will put him back on my christmas list."LOL"
The alternating colour in the posts are great.A darker green border around the posts would be excellent, and stop the posts blending into one another so much.When I submitted the last post, it had a darker border around it, and it disappeared.All in all the changes are great,
just need a little tweaking in my opinion.I will clean my "coke bottle lenses" and keep on truckin as they say.
Kind Regards.
Doug.

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Try the tree view
Nov 10, 2006 6:51PM PST

It shows only one message at a time, hust like the old forum did.


Rick

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I switch between Tree and Threaded...
Nov 10, 2006 7:02PM PST

views frequently.

e.g. I just looked at the relatively long bugs topic and used Tree view to scan for new messages. When I had finished with that topic and started to read this topic I switched to Threaded so I could read all of the messages at once.

Not sure why Flat view is supported. The gain in text on the page is more than offset by the loss of threading info.

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reply to: I switch between Tree and Threaded...
Nov 10, 2006 8:14PM PST

Thanks to you Rick and Owyn for your tips.
Just found the tree and threaded button.
I pressed the Permalink Button and can see much better with the thick
border around the post.
All I need now is an EDIT button so I can delete something I post on the spur of the moment, and then wished I hadn't said it,if you get my drift.LOL.
Thanks to both of you.
Doug.

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I just checked....
Nov 10, 2006 10:34PM PST

Tree View, Threaded View, and Flat View.

Today, they all look great to me.

When I wrote the first post here, the flat view was really scrambled (weird symbols) and really a bad display.

Today, they all looks GREAT! (also did not know of options to change view)

Ben

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To delete relatively easily
Nov 10, 2006 11:22PM PST

use "Report an Offensive Post" and simply request that your post be removed. Due to the fact that you are the author they will do it.

Maybe John or Lee can comment on this. At one time I heard that top management did not want to see a lot of Offensive post mesages. If that is true then using this method to delete may be bad practice, although I do it infrequently. I goof frequently but only delete the goofs infrequently, LOL.

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That's the only way...
Nov 11, 2006 1:29AM PST

While you should always try to avoid that being necessary and the requests are not always granted (ie there are a number of responses) it's the only way of getting rid of a mistaken post. Just make sure you're logged in as yourself when you make the request...no fake IDs allowed. Happy

In regards to limiting the alerts, I don't think anyone wants to see a significant number of them because they indicate problems. (Ideally no one would ever have to use the alert system.) From what I've been told the main issue centered around SE, which at one point Lee sent an open warning to stating that if they didn't keep it in line the forum may be closed. (TPTB had grown weary of seeing dozens of alerts from the lone forum every day.) The SE mods prefer if you use their Yahoo e-mail address so that the rest of us are not overloaded with alerts. Other than that I wouldn't worry about it, though.

John

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Thanx, I was aware of the SE issue
Nov 11, 2006 10:19AM PST

read the warning there by Lee Koo, that's why I asked. I never post in SE, but do look at it to see the battles. LOL

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reply to: That's the only way...
Nov 11, 2006 2:18PM PST

John,I don't think you read my previous post "11" properly.I am aware of the "report offensive posts"button.I said having an edit button at my disposal would be great if I wished to remove a paragraph or so,or even to add a line if I happened to forget first up.An example of this is at BC where you are given 24 hrs to edit your own post.At the bottom of your post it says that you yourself have edited your own post at a given time.
I feel better when some of you admitted you didn't know initially how to change from threaded to tree."LOL"At least I know now I wasn't all on my lonesome.Appreciate all members who have helped me through this initial learning curve.Well done.
DOUG.

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I read it...
Nov 11, 2006 11:31PM PST

But the ability for members to edit and even delete their own posts has been shot down numerous times in the past by Lee and TPTB due to all the misuse that would come with it. (Click here for the Lee's explanation and here for specific situations that would inevitably arise, particularly in SE and BOL.) Thus, while it may be the most requested feature right behind the now-implemented Forum View options (glad you found it Happy ) it won't be coming anytime soon. On a related note, the mods don't have the ability to edit posts, their own or those of others, so all requests must go through Lee.

John

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Tree View
Nov 11, 2006 9:17AM PST

New format looks fine to me after I finally noticed "Forum Display" and changed to Tree View.

I think it looks nice, clean, and up-to-date...just like IE7.

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hate the new cnet
Oct 17, 2011 2:08PM PDT

i am accosted by sounds and pictures that jolt my nerves that cannot be deleted and in addition cannot find the normal way to download software. totally hate this new format and am sad to say will not use cnet again. what a tragedy. it was such a dependable website for such a long time. good bye cnet