Forum

[mjp]

The forum software has had an upgrade. This version is only a release candidate (which means it's not the final final version), but the thing was there and so was I, so here we are. So to speak.

Most of the changes are moderator, admin and performance related, but you filthy commoners will also notice some changes and/or new things:

• New message editor interface
• Message editor saves what you've typed every 60 seconds (no more lost posts)
• Quote height is now limited, so you have to click to read long quotes
• You can "watch" forums and get notifications when there's a new post
• Responsive theme for tablets and phones (click the "Bukowski" link at the bottom left corner and choose "mobile")
• If you type @ plus the username you can make a link to the user in your post and notify them that you mentioned them
• Signatures are now only available to people with more than 50 posts

Just FYI, here are some of the usergroups and what they can (and can't) do:

Unregistered/Unconfirmed
Can read all public forums, can't really do anything else.
Registered
Can read and post in all public forums, 30 minute post editing time limit.
Registered Users With Posts (two or more posts)
All Registered user permissions, can edit profile, can @tag users in posts (limit of 2 per post), 60 minute post editing time limit, can use private messaging (messages limited to five recipients) and make profile posts.
50+ Posts
All of the above, can @tag users in posts (limit of 5 per post), can add a signature.
500+ Posts
All of the above, can add custom user title, 24 hour post editing time limit (to allow for "morning after" edits).

 

[bospress.net]

500+ Posts
All of the above, can add custom user title, 24 hour post editing time limit (to allow for "morning after" edits).

This is especially nice...

 

[Bukfan]

I like that one too!

 

[Digney in Burnaby]

Was the "log out" part of the drop down on the user name before? Had to look for it. Took all of 12.897 seconds. I'm totally shattered. (Just saw the draft saved thingie happen.)

 

[mjp]

Was the "log out" part of the drop down on the user name before?

It should have been, but I really don't know.

 

[Digney in Burnaby]

Maybe I just haven't logged in enough lately to know where everything is/was. I always seem to get that panicky feeling when I can't figure out how to leave.

Even facebook is different. I go out for a few hours, come back, and the digital world has altered.

 

[mjp]

The digital world is a cruel mistress.

 

[Digney in Burnaby]

I should just learn to relax.

 

[Bruno Dante]

I just realised I've got 444 points on here. In cricket parlance that's a quadruple Nelson. Apparently cricket was popular in Philadelphia for a while and Bukowski lived there for a while too. Admittedly that's a pretty tenuous link.

 

[hoochmonkey9]

The site is much more responsive on my phone now, which I'm currently using to type this.

 

[roni]

[...] 24 hour post editing time limit (to allow for "morning after" edits).

this is a very valuable option (esp. in my case).
Only, I see a problem coming, when people have already answered to a post for a couple of hours and all of a sudden, what they were talking about just changes into something different.

 

[mjp]

Yeah, that's a possibility. That's why the editing limit has always been a much shorter period. But if someone has more than 500 posts I suppose we have to start trusting them at some point. ;)

The site is much more responsive on my phone now, which I'm currently using to type this.

Cool. The mobile theme is a big improvement for anyone checking in on a small screen. Only drawback is when you come back on a computer web browser, you're still in the mobile theme and it fills up the entire browser. Which some people won't mind, but stretching text out too wide makes reading difficult.

 

[skiroomalum]

Clicked Bukowski. Chose Mobile. Lit cigar. Ahhh. Thanks MJP.

 

[mjp]

So...the little banners under some user names ("Forum Staff", "O.G. - Charter Member"), yeah or nay?

I am on the fence.

They are based on user groups. If people like them, we could have more. Or we could have less. Or zero.

 

[Johannes]

Yeah, the "Charter Member"s are back!!
I feel very sophisticated.

 

[roni]

So...the little banners under some user names [...]

they're - esp for newbies who don't know anything about the who's'who of the forum - informative and thus useful.

But it seems to me, there would be a - ehm - let's say - more subtle way to give away the info.

 

[growing beard]

So...the little banners under some user names ("Forum Staff", "O.G. - Charter Member"), yeah or nay?

They look good. Add some bling to the conversations and some authority, too. Now if hoochmonkey would start acting tougher ...

Maybe a banner for awards points, too (over 50, over 100, etc)?

 

[hoochmonkey9]

Bitch I will cut you. Hard style like.

I like the info being there- but the presentation (most likely due to the limitations of the software) sits in my anus like a dead fish.

That's the saying, right?

 

[d gray]

well, if you want to rub people's noses in the fact they're not charter members, it's perfect!

(he said, still bitter that he missed being a charter member by a day or two... )

 

[Black Swan]

I truly don't know what they mean. All I see is a green banner.

 

[mjp]

I like the info being there- but the presentation (most likely due to the limitations of the software) sits in my anus like a dead fish.

The presentation can be changed. It's all just CSS. I don't want your anus to be fishy if it doesn't have to be.

 

[hank solo]

I like the blinginess[?] too (I like to feel special you know), but agree that the O.G. one will look better if toned down to match the site.

 

[mjp]

Like so?

 

[growing beard]

To me the lower banner would be cleaner if it simply said "Charter Member." You probably have your reasons for liking the term 'o.g.' but to me it mostly signifies the sad time when hip-hop took a gangster turn.

Also seems like there should be something in it for integral members like roni, erik, d gray, black swan, ponder, bos, bukfan, digney, etc. Maybe all the 3-years and under crowd should throw you old-timers a luau-themed party complete with leis and limbo and limbo and coconut bras:

, or maybe a pajama jammy jam ("Everyone in onesies!" ...

). I'll be in charge of the grill. My pork chop marinade with apple cider vinegar and thyme is rumored to satisfy.

Or in the meantime maybe there could be a designation for "thousand pointers"?

 

[skiroomalum]

I miss the death-day count on the home page. It.was the first thing I read here that made me laugh out loud. A small grievance to be sure.

 

[Short Bus]

The look to me like scout badges-which isn't bad just wish there were more to earn-you know in a how to make the site more interactive way.
Can we call under 100 posts fresh fish??
I think a Bukowski allusion rather than OG would be better

 

[Purple Stickpin]

Good god, there's no fresh fish here, to be sure.

 

[mjp]

just wish there were more to earn...

Well, we could have 20 of them, but it would make for a long name space there next to every post.

Besides, when something is hard to get, it seems more valuable.

But you've inspired me to change them. I will base the new titles on Sons of Anarchy patches, to further alienate everyone.

 

[mjp]

There. Now everyone will have to guess what they are for.

 

[skiroomalum]

Well, at least now I can claim to be a 1%er.