Free Republic Update: Pings, Tabs, Time and More

[John Robinson]

Just installed a quick change to the pings page. It brings it more in line with what it is expected to look like. One particular change is the "greening" of comments from you, to more easily differentiate something you've posted vs. something posted to you. Not so sure about the way that looks, so please give me feedback.

With this update the tabs on the pings page get memory: the page will remember the last tab you have selected. This tab memory will be extended across the board. I'm currently reworking the 'tag' index pages to accommodate this.

I'm also trying something new with regard to time. We will try using your computer's clock to set the time zone. This uses JavaScript, if you don't have JavaScript enabled you'll see "04/08/2008 2:31:48 AM PDT" (etc), but if you do you'll probably see something more like "Tuesday, April 08, 2008 5:31:48 AM" [for an eastern time zone.] I'm leaving it up to your computer to format the time stamp, so your experience may vary. These new time stamps will be extended across the board as I update the hundreds of locations where the time is displayed.

The very next update (probably a day or two away) will stomp out the last of the "More" bugs, enhance the search function, and quite possibly extend the 'manage blocks' page with new blocks and a better interface to select them.

In future updates we'll have the ability to add multiple pages to our profiles. And each page will be versioned-- you'll be able to restore previous versions of a page should something go horribly, horribly wrong. This is actually a precursor to a larger project, which will allow multiple people to collaborate on website projects. Think of a profile page on steroids, complete with custom sidebars, an upload area (images, possibly sound clips) and whatnot.

On the less visible side of things, I will be consolidating the internals quite a bit... we've managed to gather similar functionality across a large number of programs. I'd very much like to tidy that up. For example, there are 4 or 5 different 'thread programs' used on the site, each with their own posting programs, etc (example: the state boards.) It would make my day if I could bundle up all these distinct functions into one place. The presentation-- how you will see things-- may be different for each type of thread, but the underlying data structures and logic (and routines like spell check) will be consolidated. This will be a huge change to the internals (if only because I'll be fiddling with 50+ million comments in our database.) Once that is implemented we'll have editable comments and articles.

Anyway, somebody shut me up, I'm rambling now.

Update: Preview Site

By popular demand, I will attempt to maintain a beta site to demonstrate new bleeding-edge features without affecting the regular forum too harshly.

Currently have the new index code (aka Latest Posts) installed. Tabs have memory, next time you visit you'll see the last tab you had visited. Additionally, each tab on the index page remembers its brevity setting. So you can have articles with text, and activity and comments with headers only, if that is what you prefer.

I moved the "RSS" link and sidebar control (now called "Add to My Page") down to the bottom of the page. Just really didn't need to take up precious top real-estate for those things.

Currently "Add to My Page" is non-functional, you'll get the manage blocks page but the current listing will not be added as a block. And some of the "More" links are still bugged. Those are the next tasks.

[jdm]

What about the idea of two breaking news sidebars, one for domestic and one for international? Bad idea?

[SlayerOfBunnies]

One particular change is the "greening" of comments from you, to more easily differentiate something you've posted vs. something posted to you.

FR is going green!? The sky is falling - the sky is falling!

Just messin'. Thanks a ton for all of your hard work, sir.

[xzins]

Your work, Mr Robinson, is absolutely amazing. I have no doubt that you have created the best forum software anyplace.

Thanks.

[6ppc]

John...I have a request.

The Comments link at the top and bottom of each article page always takes you to the Comments tab, and I prefer the Brief tab. Can you add a preference for which tab to display, or alternatively add Brief next to the Comments link on each page?

Before the changes my posts list always showed the Brief version, and now I have to click the Brief tab to get there.

Tbanks for all you do!

[txlurker]

Everything looks great! Thanks to you and Jim for all you guys do.

[Guenevere]

I like the green ‘replies’..... it helps distinguish where I’ve been!

[kitkat]

***Yup, but I renamed it “Mark All as Read”... I think “Clear Pings” scared people. lol.***

I can’t believe you installed that feature. It’s what I’ve been wishing for, but was afraid it was too much to ask for. THANK YOU!

Now, if somebody would just tell me what the heck TABS do, (in fourth-grade language, I’m not too bright), then I’d be a happy FReeper.

Oh, by the way, if I don’t reply for a couple of weeks, thank you in advance. I’m heading for some eye surgery in a few hours.

[deport]

bookmarking

[deport]

FYI.... newest info

[wagglebee]

John, I don’t know about anyone else, but the green gives me a headache. Also, if any FReepers are color blind it might be almost impossible to see.

Is there an option to either disable this (default to black) or change colors.

[Bender2]

Re: It's called a bar. Start a tab, find a dark corner where you won't be bothered, and dream away.

Gadzooks! It... works!!!!

My morning maid... is soooooooooo happy about this!

Rats! Looks like I surely picked the wrong day... to give up drinking!

I told you, do not... call me Shirley!!!

[bcsco]

If you can see into that other dark, recessed corner, that’s me sitting there. Only, it’s too early for the booze (in the week, as well as the day). It’s iced tea for me for now.

[bert]

I like the green.....

[prairiebreeze]

I like the green in the pings section. thanks!

[wagglebee]

I’m sure that a lot of people like the green and I may be the only one who gets a headache looking at it. I think it’s a great idea to have the option of differentiated posts to you from posts by you, I was just wondering if there was a way to put a drop-down in the preferences section where you can change the color.

[deport]

Regarding the time stamp:

In the article/thread window I get the following for a time stamp:
Tuesday, April 08, 2008 5:05:24 AM

On the article/comments/activity window I get the following:
04/08/2008 6:16:39 AM PDT

Thus the fix works for the article window but not the others unless I’m not setting something correctly. I have my time zone set to central.

Thanks for all you do......

[TexasBeth]

Thanks for all of your hard work. When I get to the bottom of the page, I always click on “top of page”. It’s gone now.

[BufordP]

Since you're planning to utilize client-side JS now, I have another suggestion. I set my preferences to open a Slave window to view Articles and Comments. How 'bout adding...

this.focus();

...to the JS?

[Responsibility2nd]

The very next update (probably a day or two away) will stomp out the last of the "More" bugs, enhance the search function....

Thanks much for all the hard work you have put into this site.

Might I make a suggestion? You may already have this in mind as you enhance the search function.

When we click on search a drop down box with options opens up. I think most of us Freepers have learned how this works. We grumbled and complained, but we learned.

But, could you make the default "Titles" instead of "Keywords"?

Most of us search by titles. It would save lots of time.

Thanks.

[ThePythonicCow]

could you make the default "Titles" instead of "Keywords"?

I like that suggestion.