There's sometimes a moment on FB when someone posts a gloomy update, and you're in a hurry but want to show that you care, so click "Like", then find that what you're liking is the fact that the car broke down and the child's howling...

I do like the idea of not showing all the likes in the thread on the home page. That way we get to see everything that is happening in all the threads. I like being nosey, so it was great to see that Children's had changed its name to include YA (I only noticed because I saw the conversation in the home page). Good idea.
 
 
Edited by Sharley at 17:27:00 on 17 January 2014

What is that red dotted line, David?

I've noticed that too. It's not on all the forums. It's one of those lines you get below a quote but it's across the whole screen.

Alex29-
 

The thing I don't much like is the list saying who likes what and when it reminds me of a bunch of kids scribbling on the bog door at school! In amongst the comments on work it is 'clogging' and for me presents as a dense impenetrable thicket I never venture to read.
 

I agree. 'Likes' etc shouldn't clutter up the home page. Let's see mainly the works and comments.


 

I haven't pressed 'made me think' I have explained it instead!
 

Thank you, Alex29. Isn't it so much more interesting if we tell people where our thoughts have taken us? Or in what way the comment was helpful? Let's express ourselves! OK, click 'Made me think' or 'Helpful' but then post a couple of sentences too.

James.

Perhaps icon for miserable git could be an empty coffee cup as that usually gets me into git mode! On the other hand as this was kinda my suggestion this could upset folk so probably best ignored. or I will be getting that Bridport dagger and a short plank over water thing again. MC
Edited by Alex29 at 19:25:00 on 17 January 2014

Quote boxes

Issues raised by Poetry Group members

1. The red line works ok on PC but not on I-Pad.
2. In the box for composing comments, the lettering is too small and faint. It needs to be bolder and bigger. Also on I-Pad it is virtually illegible.
3. Please remove the quotation marks which appear in quote boxes before the text of the quote.

I don't know about your other points, James, but I like the quote boxes with quotes before and after.

I much prefer the site changes. It's also great to see old members back and the site being rejuvenated. Each to their own, I guess.



 

I love the likes too. Right now, I feel so bleuch that any literacy I might have had has fled, but I still care about the discussions here and appreciate being able to at least wave a hand vaguely in agreement before rushing off to drink another bottle of gaviscon. 

I think it would be nice to see any likes one has received, as well as likes given, in the "my activity" thread. Then, if they vanished from the "all activity" thread, I wouldn't miss them as much. If likes received aren't listed anywhere, and we aren't given the option to be notified of them, then I think it'd be a shame because all the nodding and smiling and vague hand waving will go unnoticed by the person who is being agreed with, and they'll never know they struck a chord with someone.

You're right, Sharley. It was just that in the Poetry Group those large quotation marks push the first line of verse over a bit and slightly spoil the alignment. But it's a very minor quibble and quote marks are ok generally.

James.

Calliaphone -
 

I think it would be nice to see any likes one has received, as well as likes given, in the "my activity" thread. Then, if they vanished from the "all activity" thread, I wouldn't miss them as much.

That's the perfect solution. So I've clicked 'like' under your comment!

 

Right at the top of this thread I said I agree that Like, Made me Think etc buttons are silly. I've more or less changed my mind about that, though I think if we click 'Made me think' we should do a comment as well, to say what we thought.

James.

Edited by James Graham at 20:46:00 on 17 January 2014

It was just that in the Poetry Group those large quotation marks push the first line of verse over a bit 

Now I understand why it would be better to have the quotation boxes without the lines of text being pushed to one side. Thank you. Perhaps something can be undertaken, noting this issue.
Edited by Sharley at 21:06:00 on 17 January 2014

On some of the new page formats the poster's avatar could be measured by micrometer. The image is unclear - unless it's a full head and shoulders portrait. Yes, I know on a large screen it would be clearer, but I guess most of us use laptops with average-size screens or PCs with average-size monitors.
    
What is the purpose of these tiny pictures, apart from eye-candy for those with sharp vision? From a technical pov, they still need processing power to load up. More to load = slower speed. 
 
Overall, I like the changes. I do. I really do. But not these tiny, tiny pictures.  
  
 

I sound like a constant 'liker' but I love the pictures. If I want to see them bigger, I can click on them in the user's profile. I think it brings more life to the site. You've become a real person, Alan, while I remain a swan (or ten).
 
Edited by Sharley at 12:09:00 on 18 January 2014

It's fascinating that - it seems - that more men have chosen pics of themselves while many women have chosen other objects/animals.

Sharley, if I were David (or / and Anna), I would have a rule that everyone MUST have a head and shoulders portrait. No more of those ten-swan pics :)
Then, even the 2 micro-millimetre by 3 micro-millimetre pictures would be okay - well, a bit okay. 
And what will you do when you're published, and the book cover needs an author photo? Ten swans? Eleven swans?