Topic: Seeking your feedback - forum performance & update

[ethan]

Ethan,
I 2nd the request for a "Go To" or "Jump To" page. Clicking on your past posts from your profile, for example, shows you have 270 pages but I would have to navigate through the dots between pages 11-269. The alternative of course, is to do an advanced search for specific users but it has only days minimum 1 to maximum 9999. A specific date there would help, perhaps a pop-up calendar? Also, I know we have "Show unread posts since last visit" but if I know the last time I was online and want to search only *your* posts since that date, a "Since Date" feature instead of between certain days that fall between 1-9999 would help. Perhaps a pop up calendar there as well?

Finally, currently a mouse-over of a user name next to their post, shows "View the profile of "user"" after a mouse click. How about a mouse-over producing more options like "Send PM," "View More posts," "View Public Profile," "Add user to friends," or even "Ignore User" if (God forbid but it happens), we no longer want to see their posts?

Other than that,  very much for all your and other mods hard work to keep this the best place to hang our hats!
 

arizonamman, thank you very much for providing your feedback. They are definitely great ideas. I think Pop-ups you mention require scripts. I don't know how to write the scripts but I will do some research and see if the forum can accommodate your suggestions. If you know how, I would appreciate your help.

As for sending PM (in case you didn't know  ),
there are little icons below avatar to send PM and email.

[ethan]

canmore, thanks so much for the detailed information.

One question - if one bookmarks http://ennisjack.com/index.php?wap2 on the mobile device, there is no need to have a script to ask the user to select, right?

The problem is that a new user may not know this link.

About accessing the forum with mobile devices, it works, I tested it several times from work with many different smart phones ex:  Blackberry, iPhone, HTC Android... As long you have a 3G high speed connection you're fine and also as long you could live with a small screen but some smart phones have a zoom in feature so to make it simple it works as long you have a good wireless high speed connection. 

Mobile device with Internet connection does work but the high graphic version takes time to load. What canmore is suggesting is a simple text version without graphic.

LC - thanks for offering to help with the script. If you could help search SMF support regarding redirecting mobile users to WAP version, that would be great. I will work on the forum which is friendly to text version on mobile device.

[lancecowboy]

canmore, thanks so much for the detailed information.

One question - if one bookmarks http://ennisjack.com/index.php?wap2 on the mobile device, there is no need to have a script to ask the user to select, right?

The problem is that a new user may not know this link.

Mobile device with Internet connection does work but the high graphic version takes time to load. What canmore is suggesting is a simple text version without graphic.

LC - thanks for offering to help with the script. If you could help search SMF support regarding redirecting mobile users to WAP version, that would be great. I will work on the forum which is friendly to text version on mobile device.

It appears that transfer is automatic as of version 1.1.

http://docs.simplemachines.org/index.php?topic=401.msg530#msg530

SMF's support of wireless protocols is always enabled unless the Forum code is modified. The WAP, WAP 2, and i-mode protocols can be accessed by adding ?wap, ?wap2, or ?imode respectively to the forum's URL. For example:

    * http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?wap
    * http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?wap2
    * http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?imode


As of SMF 1.1 an automatic detection of the protocol is attempted. Entering a Forum URL without any parameters should be sufficient to show the Forum in the proper protocol.

If you are interested in modifying the above functionality of your installation of SMF, the sub templates used for the above wireless protocols are located in the Wireless template.

So it should be sufficient to simply enter ennisjack.com on the smartphone.

[vedrana]

I don't like to jump in with my limited knowledge of the matter, but yup! Me-did-that- once: ennisjack.com on my Samsung Omnia! It worked...

[ethan]

It appears that transfer is automatic as of version 1.1.

Thanks, LC. Automatic transfer means that if someone uses a mobile device and enters ennisjack.com, it will simply redirect to a text version?

I don't like to jump in with my limited knowledge of the matter, but yup! Me-did-that- once: ennisjack.com on my Samsung Omnia! It worked...

loreen, thanks for sharing your experience. Was it a full graphic version of forum?

[vedrana]

loreen, thanks for sharing your experience. Was it a full graphic version of forum?

   Uh! I think so! As I can remember! 

I'll try that again and let you know. 

[Raisa]

I don't know about you guys but for month the search engine has been acting up for me I get either no results at all or very few when I know there are many, I just tried a search for threads tittles with "Jack" in them and it came with three results only... come on!

Hoping the new sw would resolve the issue and I find the quick jump for a specific page an excellent idea.

The only improvement that comes into my mind is this what Cham wrote. I easily forget the exact names of the threads, but usually I have found what I wanted trying different combinations.

For me the forum is good like it is now and I want to thank you all who are taking care of this wonderful place technically 
And I love these emoticons 
 

[ethan]

Ethan and other mods
     I think the forum is fine as it is but I'm sure that your judgements will see to it that any upgrade will be a service to the forum. Thanks to all of you for all your hard work.
Wolf Nasty

The only improvement that comes into my mind is this what Cham wrote. I easily forget the exact names of the threads, but usually I have found what I wanted trying different combinations.

For me the forum is good like it is now and I want to thank you all who are taking care of this wonderful place technically 
And I love these emoticons 

Thanks, Wolf Nasty and Carmilla.

I agree that the forum is fine as it is and we have been blessed without major technical problems or security threats. The upgrading is to reduce potential risk and to take this opportunity for some improvements.

Thanks for giving us feedback and please keep them coming.

[lancecowboy]

Thanks, LC. Automatic transfer means that if someone uses a mobile device and enters ennisjack.com, it will simply redirect to a text version?

loreen, thanks for sharing your experience. Was it a full graphic version of forum?

I think it means SMF automatically detect that the user is using a mobile device, and re-directs to the appropriate WAP page.

[ethan]

That is cool. Thanks, LC.

[canmore]

The automatic redirirecting is not working on my ipod and an emulator of android i have, i took 2 screenshots of the main page of the forum in simplified version and full version to compare :
It is easier to use with the simplified version as you don't have to zoom each time you want to see something and the navigation is faster when you are out of 3G network. The problem is it doesn't ask the version you want to use and directly go to the full version.
The simplified version is not easy to guess as the address is http://ennisjack.com/index.php?wap2&action=forum. I don't know why the automatic detection is not working on ennisjack.com.
Maybe the default of iphone and android is to use the full version.

PS : Pierralex said it is to geeky for him and he understands nothing about what we are talking about :p

[lancecowboy]

The automatic redirirecting is not working on my ipod and an emulator of android i have, i took 2 screenshots of the main page of the forum in simplified version and full version to compare :
It is easier to use with the simplified version as you don't have to zoom each time you want to see something and the navigation is faster when you are out of 3G network. The problem is it doesn't ask the version you want to use and directly go to the full version.
The simplified version is not easy to guess as the address is http://ennisjack.com/index.php?wap2&action=forum. I don't know why the automatic detection is not working on ennisjack.com.
Maybe the default of iphone and android is to use the full version.

PS : Pierralex said it is to geeky for him and he understands nothing about what we are talking about :p

Do you mean SMF is not detecting the smartphone? There can be a number of possible reasons:

1. the SMF version is currently less than 1.1.
2. the forum's template was modified.
3. the phone settings specified the default modes

I don't know much about smart phones. My cell phone is a REALLY old one. If you want, I can dig into the iphone and android phone documentation. It's not too geeky for me. 

[ethan]

canmore, it is not geeky at all.  Thanks for the screencap. I will be working on a version to be WAP friendly. That means the image on the frontpage has to go.

I really don't know how to make the forum detectable for using mobile devices though. We will do some test after the testing site is up.

[ethan]

but it's not working well with ennisjack because of the welcome page and its big image (http://ennisjack.com/index.php?wap2). It works only with the main page of the forum : http://ennisjack.com/index.php?wap2&action=forum

canmore, I did a minor change on the welcome page and I think

http://ennisjack.com/index.php?wap2

should work now and show "Board Index". Can you please try?

[titabeille]

Dear Ethan,

For me the forum is perfect like it is know.  Perhaps some improving could be done with the "Search" item  .
Thank you so much to have created a so wonderful place : "Ennisjack" gives sun in my life  .

[Twisted]

More smileys Nooo, it's perfect like the way it is.

[canmore]

canmore, I did a minor change on the welcome page and I think

http://ennisjack.com/index.php?wap2

should work now and show "Board Index". Can you please try?

Yes it works on my ipod. My mac isn't running right now so i cannot try on the android emulator of the sdk but it should work too.

[ethan]

Thanks, tita and Twisted.

More smileys Nooo, it's perfect like the way it is.

We are working on them. 

Yes it works on my ipod. My mac isn't running right now so i cannot try on the android emulator of the sdk but it should work too.

canmore, thank you very much for checking. Once the testing site is up, please help us check if it works fine.

[jessicat80]

This might just be me being lazy, but I think it would be cool to have a link at the bottom of the page that will take us to our "replies to unread topics we've posted in". It wouldn't need to have the whole setup like it is at the top of the page with our personal icon, hours spent on site, etc. But just a simple link at the pages bottom to take us back to our unread posts. Just a thought


And P.S. Having the youtube vids show in threads would be great! Hope you get it to work Ethan, thanks for all your hard work.

 

[jessi]

This is my only forum and I'm usually lost here, lol.  Sometimes I'd like to find a message, or old poem, lol, and I am not able to do that.  I have the view your reply at, but they are old and I can't use that info.  In other words, I have no idea how to search back through the forum.  Clear as mud, but that's the way my poor brain works, lol.

jessi

[chameau]

This is my only forum and I'm usually lost here, lol.  Sometimes I'd like to find a message, or old poem, lol, and I am not able to do that.  I have the view your reply at, but they are old and I can't use that info.  In other words, I have no idea how to search back through the forum.  Clear as mud, but that's the way my poor brain works, lol.

jessi

It's already easy to find on the actual forum Jessi, from the top of any page where you could be on the forum, click on the profile button to see your profile.


From your profile go to the bottom of the screen under Additional Information, click on the Show the last posts of this person link to view a list of all your posts.

That easy

[Tom]

Ethan, I've never had any problems with any aspects of the forum....perfect.  I am very happy for you and my other mates to make any changes you feel necessary and hopefully beneficial to all members. 

[jessi]

It's already easy to find on the actual forum Jessi, from the top of any page where you could be on the forum, click on the profile button to see your profile.


From your profile go to the bottom of the screen under Additional Information, click on the Show the last posts of this person link to view a list of all your posts.

That easy

Thank you.  I knew there must be a way. 

[ethan]

jessicat, tom and jessi, thank you very much for your feedback. 

This might just be me being lazy, but I think it would be cool to have a link at the bottom of the page that will take us to our "replies to unread topics we've posted in". 

That is a great idea so one doesn't have to scroll up again for the link. I think it should be easy.

[jstephens9]

I need to read this entire thread, but I definitely like the idea of being able to embed youtube videos. That is so much better than a link although some youtube videos do have embedding disabled by whoever posted them. Also, and this may already exist here, I would love to be able to insert images without having to go through Photobucket first. Is this possible now or will it be possible with the new design? Please do keep the large array of smileys. I like them. I do like the flags too since they immediately let you know where people are from. I believe I do remember a map of where people are from too. Where is this now? And will this stay? I have not been a very active member here yet so I'm not sure of all the existing features so I may not know what I am missing.

[ethan]

jstephens, thank you so much for providing your feedback.

Yes we will have the YouTube and other video sides embedded in the post after the upgrade.

I would love to be able to insert images without having to go through Photobucket first. Is this possible now or will it be possible with the new design? Please do keep the large array of smileys. I like them. I do like the flags too since they immediately let you know where people are from. I believe I do remember a map of where people are from too. Where is this now? And will this stay? I have not been a very active member here yet so I'm not sure of all the existing features so I may not know what I am missing.

Given the number of pix being posted in the forum (like delicious Jake and others), it would fill our server space quickly and in the end, we would have to do a house cleaning (and we don't want to delete these images). Because of this reason, the forum encourages using other image sites such as photobucket to host the images. It is inconvenient but it is a great help to the forum. 

The country flag will be still there. However, the map will not be available. The link to the map is on the top and bottom of the menu.

http://ennisjack.com/index.php?action=mm

Please keep your feedback coming. Thanks!!

[jessi]

If I had not been forced, lol, to find photobucket and start using it, when my PC crashed I'd have lost some irreplacable photos.  Don't change nothin', just wanted ya to know. I have lots of family and friend that are grateful.  BTW, If I had not posted some of my first poems here, I'd lost them too.  I have to say thanks just from me on that one, lol.

jessi

[chameau]

You could print any page of any thread if you wish Jessi, the pictures won't follow but you'll the text, the print button is in the lower right corner of all pages.

Talking about printing, will the new s/w allow the print of posted pictures?  I'm quite sure I know the answer but just in case...

[LALITO_19]

  hi every1 it's been quite a long time since i wrote in this forum, yet i haven't forgotten about you every1, i have been so busy with university that i haven't been able to be in all the forums im in, i could say that this forum is already good, it could get better but i can't think of something to make it better so all i can say is "surprise me", i may not be here so often due to my studies but i want you all to remember something...

No matter the distance we are from each other, we are only one heart beat away from all people we love, we keep each other in our hearts so much that we become part of it, and one beat of it calls for the sweet memories of our friendship, and there we stay forever.

hope every1 likes my words that as i said long ago, it's what comes from my heart to tell.

i wish every1 well being and happiness, i wont be here so often but as i said you are all one heart beat away from me  people.

[ethan]

Talking about printing, will the new s/w allow the print of posted pictures?  I'm quite sure I know the answer but just in case...

Here is a tip for printing topics with pictures. After clicking "print" button, just add ;images to the end of URL and the page will display with images.

For example, the link of printing this page is

http://ennisjack.com/index.php?action=printpage;topic=15642.0

If you want to also print the page with images, just add ;images to the address in your browser like this below

http://ennisjack.com/index.php?action=printpage;topic=15642.0;images

LALITO_19, thank you for writing to us. You will be surprised with the upgrade!

I could not agree with you more for being one heart beat away. Good luck with your study and whenever your heart feels us, you know where to find us.