New Website Forum – Discussion Topic

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Dave,

Yes, the moderators testing the site have criticised the excessive use of advertising and screen layouts but Mortons call the shots and want Model Boats and Model Engineer to fall in with their house style. It is understandable but there may be room for compromise. Nothing is set in stone at this point and changes are being made all the time.

Colin

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Many pages seem to have the “Newest Topics”  and the “Active Topics” lists repeated side by side, which seems to be a huge waste of real estate.  I definitely prefer the old style of “Latest Post” list with included details of the latest posts such as poster, date of original and a link button which takes you to the last post.

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

A word of thanks to those who have worked to make this all work. I suspect those doing the work didn’t make the decision that we might challenge but they are the ones who have worked hard to try & implement them. Thank you.

I would prefer the post to extend the full width of the screen but if that is not what we are getting then why does the “Newest Topics” and “Active Topic” list only appear if you are logged in? If just casually viewing the forum without logging in it remains a blank space.

I also note that the magazine shown as “Latest Issue” is, as of today, actually last months issue. I am sure that this is just something that has slipped under the pressure but have we lost the preview of the next issues that used to appear about 7-10 days before the issue was released?

What is the significance of the “@chrise” that appears under my forum handle on my, & everyone else’s, posts?

I agree that the immovable purple banner at the top and the space for the latest issue down the side consume far too much of the screenwhen viewing anything other than the forum – article etc.

[Dave ReedParticipant @davereed72029]

 

Hi Colin

I appreciate that advertising is part of the modern world. However the ‘purple screen eater’ doesn’t have any direct advertising or anything not available on the main title screen or the advertising panel on the right of the screen.

If you keep a couple of toolbars then you’re reduced to about half the screen for viewing the content. Advertising is OK and needed, but the purple bit just seems a waste of space to me.

Dave

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Mortons attention has been directed to this Topic for user views and there are similar arrangements on the ME/MEW website.

The layout is under review as an outstanding issue. (one of many!)

Colin

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

I have lost all the avatar images for the 2nd time today, Example below.

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

I have also losgt them out of posts (they were there earlier today)

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

All the Avatar images have vanished! I have reported it.

Colin

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Colin

As I said above it isn’t just avatars it is also all images in threads. Even the picture of the latest issue has gone.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Yes, all images. Somebody is tinkering…

Colin

Edit:

I can see some of the images when using the Moderator Dashboard  but they seem to have lost the link to the public site and forum. Not sure when this will be fixed given that it is Friday afternoon….

Edit:

Images back at 16:20

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Colin,

Well done for all your effort.  You must be exhausted by now.  We can all make do and it’s much better than nothing!

One question. It’s not urgent so please just clarify it when you have time.  The FAQ page says it’s possible to attach 12 pictures to a post of 8Mb size.  Is this per picture or the sum total of al the pictures?

Best Regards,

Len

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Thanks Len, yes things have been a bit busy!

My understanding is that each individual image can be up to 8MB. However it makes sense to reduce them if possible to speed loading and save on site bandwidth etc. I always reduce my photos to Desktop resolution (around 400-500kb) as that is all you are going to see anyway.

There seems to be some uncertainty about the extent to which the site can resize photos but so far I’ve not seen a way of enlarging them on screen in which case no point in uploading large images.

If I find out any more I will post the info.

Colin

[Dave Smith 17Participant @davesmith17]

Am I being particularly dense, or is there no ‘see new posts’ function on the new forum? I use quite a few forums covering different interests and the ability to see everything that’s been posted since I was last there is very useful.

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Down the bottom of the main page there is a list of the last ten ‘Active Topics’ and a list of ten ‘Newest Forum Topics’ but they are only headings.  I always used to use the ‘Unread Posts’ list as my main page so I really miss it.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Dave, No, you are quite right, there is not currently a ‘latest posts’ facility as this is not built into the bbPress software. We just have recent and active topics which is not the same.

This has been flagged up as a major issue by the moderators to Mortons. It requires a ‘plug in’ to the standard software and at the moment the priority is to resolve bugs and other issues before adding features. I am hopeful that the facility will be provided soon.

Colin

 

[Dave Smith 17Participant @davesmith17]

Thank you for the quick reply. Hopefully, this will be added before too long, as I would rather not have to look through everything to find out what’s changed.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Keep on getting *checking security of connection* when trying to access via my pad, just hangs…but get on OK via phone (both new and linked together??) Ashley</p>

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I’ll check it out later Ashley, got to go out for a bit.

Colin

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Ashley,

Just tried my iPad and no problems.

The message you see is the Cloudfare security protocol looking for dodgy IP addresses and other suspicious things. I assume your iPad is sharing the same router as the laptop?

Can you try using another browser. e.g. Google instead of Safari?

Is there a small ‘I am not a robot’ box?

Colin

[Dave ReedParticipant @davereed72029]

Hi Ashley,

It could be that your browser on pad has stored data that causes this. If it’s an iPad and you’re using Safari, this might fix it:

 

Go to Settings / Safari / Advanced (at bottom of list)

Go to Website Data and tap Show All Sites, then tap Edit (at top)

find the entry for modelboats.co.uk, tap the red ‘-‘ sign then tap delete.

 

This should remove all Safari settings for modelboats.co.uk. You’ll need to re-enter user and password when you go back in

 

Dave

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Has anybody else noticed whether all their posts have transeferred over from the old forum? Ashley has foud some of his to be missing. Mine appear to be there but TBH I can’t remember what I was posting back in 2008!

Some of the ME people say not all posts have come across.

The ME Forum is still having some problems, very slow response times and a number of features not working or not working properly.

Colin

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

I have tried to see if my old posts are here hut I have no way of knowing. 2 observations:

1. The use of how long ago father tha dates in menus is very unhelpful.

2. Some threads just look wrong eg this one:

https://www.modelboats.co.uk/forums/topic/wothsup/

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Chris,

Re 1: Yes, it’s all too vague and referencing postings etc. is one of the outstanding issues. There are however more urgent things to fix first.

Re 2: That was a thread that went nowhere back in 2007. Just the one post as shown. Vinnie actually did a Feature Article instead. The irrelevant post was never removed.

Colin

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Colin,  a lot of my old posts are missing.  No doubt because I’m now a ‘2’ instead of a ‘1’.  Don’t know why I need a number at all.  I think years ago there was a plain ‘Len Morris’ on this site and that’s how I became a ‘1’ but never saw anything from him.  Too old to be that bothered now, so here I am, a Newbie!

Len

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Ashley, you mentioned that some of your old posts were missing – any idea what they were about and when? Your first post showing on this site is the same one you had on the old site on 6th March 2011.

Colin

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