Threaded Mode | Linear Mode

Marcus von Cube · (This post was last modified: 01-18-2015 12:22 PM by Marcus von Cube.)

As we all know, some users prefer the threaded display of this forum. The only way so far to correctly reply to a certain post is to quote it. This leads to considerable bloat if not used with care.

I therefore suggest to add a feature "Reply to this post". It should do exactly the same as the "Quote" button, except that it starts with an empty response.

Is this feasible? It would hopefully avoid some unnecessary discussions. Wink

Another suggestion: I'd like a smiley palette... Big Grin

Edit: Fixed thread title.

Thomas Radtke · 01-15-2015, 08:37 AM

IMO the threaded mode only encourages creating threads within threads. I found it always disturbing seeing that on the old forum software (since they were arbitrarily indented to different positions), but at least it was obvious when contributors took care and renamed the subject. It isn't obvious at all on myBB as there are thread lists which hide subthreads, so I'm very happy with the default linear mode most people uses. It has significantly reduced OT contributions.

The only problem is this particular user not giving it a rest, so I propose removing the threaded view mode.

EdS2 · 01-15-2015, 12:20 PM

A poll could determine how small is the minority who use threaded mode. I'm in agreement: so long as enough people don't use threaded mode, it's not much use. Anyone choosing to use it need not complain if others don't.

walter b · 01-15-2015, 12:28 PM

Threaded or linear mode are nothing more than two views of the same database. The underlying structure (if any) becomes visible only in threaded mode, however. That's why users of threaded mode complain about that mess sometimes while users of linear mode don't care. The old forum defaulted to threaded mode, the new forum to linear mode. Entropy keeps increasing.

d:-/

David Hayden · 01-15-2015, 12:55 PM

Since I don't use threaded mode, I didn't even know that quoting a message creates a reply specifically to that message. The help text on "Quote" is "quote this message in a reply" so there is no indication that it's even possibly to reply to a specific message. This must make threaded view less helpful than it could be.

So even changing the text of the QUOTE button to "REPLY" would be helpful. I think most users would then know that they could remove the quote.

walter b · (This post was last modified: 01-15-2015 01:23 PM by walter b.)

I concur with your request. Replace <Quote> by <Reply> (or <Respond>) and delete the button <New reply>.

And while we're here: Please let a reply take the subject from the post it responds to.

d:-)

EdS2 · 01-15-2015, 01:27 PM

(01-15-2015 01:20 PM)walter b Wrote: I concur with your request. Replace <Quote> by <Reply> (or <Respond>) and delete the button <New reply>.

Yes, that could work - and should be relatively straightforward too.

walter b · 01-18-2015, 07:54 AM

Let's keep our fingers crossed that our honourable moderators concur with that request and do something.

d:-)

EdS2 · 01-18-2015, 10:18 AM

I note that the 'quote' button is actually an image, so it won't be as simple as editing a few characters in a template. Perhaps someone can conjure up a suitable image file.
[Image: postbit_quote.gif]

http://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/images/eng..._quote.gif

EdS2 · 01-18-2015, 07:05 PM

Just send a PM to Dave Hicks with the image file - he either will or won't feel that it's a good idea to update it.

Marcus von Cube · 01-18-2015, 07:43 PM

(01-15-2015 01:27 PM)EdS2 Wrote:
(01-15-2015 01:20 PM)walter b Wrote: I concur with your request. Replace <Quote> by <Reply> (or <Respond>) and delete the button <New reply>.
Yes, that could work - and should be relatively straightforward too.

Since we have the "+" button to deliberately quote any post, we should then modify the behavior of the new reply button to start with an empty window.

**Katie Wasserman** · 01-18-2015, 08:17 PM

(01-18-2015 07:54 AM)walter b Wrote: Let's keep our fingers crossed that our honourable moderators concur with that request and do something.

The software and features of this forum are entirely up to Dave, the moderators have no control over this.

walter b · 01-20-2015, 03:24 PM

Since that topic was discussed more than once before: please notice this old post as well. TIA

d:-)

walter b · 02-27-2015, 05:36 PM

(01-15-2015 01:20 PM)walter b Wrote: I concur with your request. Replace <Quote> by <Reply> (or <Respond>) and delete the button <New reply>.

And while we're here: Please let a reply take the subject from the post it responds to.

(Emphases added)

Any movement in that matter? One or the other or both? TIA for a response.

d:-?

Massimo Gnerucci · 02-27-2015, 05:52 PM

Walter, give us a break.

:p

(kindly provided by the "New Reply" button)

Han · 02-27-2015, 08:54 PM

(01-14-2015 09:36 PM)Marcus von Cube Wrote: As we all know, some users prefer the threaded display of this forum. The only way so far to correctly reply to a certain post is to quote it. This leads to considerable bloat if not used with care.

I therefore suggest to add a feature "Reply to this post". It should do exactly the same as the "Quote" button, except that it starts with an empty response.

Is this feasible? It would hopefully avoid some unnecessary discussions.

Another suggestion: I'd like a smiley palette...

Edit: Fixed thread title.

Does using the quote button and then deleting the quoted text still keep threaded view?

Massimo Gnerucci · 02-27-2015, 09:01 PM

(02-27-2015 08:54 PM)Han Wrote: Does using the quote button and then deleting the quoted text still keep threaded view?

Yes

walter b · 02-27-2015, 09:06 PM

(02-27-2015 08:54 PM)Han Wrote: Does using the quote button and then deleting the quoted text still keep threaded view?

For sure.

d:-)

Marcus von Cube · 02-28-2015, 11:29 PM

(02-27-2015 08:54 PM)Han Wrote: Does using the quote button and then deleting the quoted text still keep threaded view?

Yes it does but on an iPad its quite tricky to edit out the inserted quote. That's why I'm asking for some improvements geared towards (casual) tablet users.

**Dave Hicks** · 03-01-2015, 03:49 PM

I don't have an ipad to test, but on an Android phone using Chrome, I can tap and hold in the text selection box, and then a menu comes up that includes "select all" along with cut/copy/paste. So, quote, tap and hold, select all, cut. Essentially the same operations as on a desktop. (It takes me a little longer on the phone but then, so does nearly everything else.)

It's easy enough to change "quote" to "reply" with no change in functionality. It started out "reply" but some early testers thought it was confusing since most forums label the button with that functionality "quote" so it was changed to the more common label.