Thread Style

Short Question: Which looks better, image 1 or image 2?

Long Question: The forum software comes with two types of post display, one with the user information on top, and one with it on the side. We currently use the former, however I think it might be time to return to the latter. Which do you think looks better?

Explanation: The software used to come with the profiles on the side, but the developers changed that a while back and I went with the new layout. People are using bigger monitors these days though, so while there's nothing to be gained in width if I switch back, there is a gain to be made in length, i.e. you'll get more posts on the page.

Prefer the current purely because I'm used to it. Had to flick between the images a couple of times to work out the difference (also because I didn't read the post in full...), so I'd say I'd get used to a change.

In these ever changing times, the current foot.ie format comes as a re-assurance.

If it aint broke, don't fix it!!!!

I've no intention of changing anything major, believe me! The last time I tried that I was nearly hounded out of it. :)

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

I've no intention of changing anything major, believe me! The last time I tried that I was nearly hounded out of it. :)

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Glad to hear it - we trust ye.

The "Leave it as it is" vote have been stock piling pitch forks and torches, just in case :).

I voted for the info at the top, just because I'm used to it, but I guess if it changed, I'd be used to the new style very very quickly.

In conclusion : although I voted for one option, I don't actually care.

Added a Don't Care option and moved your vote. :)

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Originally Posted by osarusan

I voted for the info at the top, just because I'm used to it, but I guess if it changed, I'd be used to the new style very very quickly.

In conclusion : although I voted for one option, I don't actually care.

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I wish I had your "Devil may care" attitude to this all to crucial of votes. :)

Crap! I got mixed up between one and two and selected the wrong choice. :o Is there any way of reversing a vote? :confused:

Yup, tell me which way to go.

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

Yup, tell me which way to go.

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Great! I voted for the first one but what I wanted to vote for was the one for the profile at the side (option 2). Thanks.

I think the profile at the side looks better so voted for that

This is not change! This is sideways Fine Gael to horizontal Fianna Fáil.

Once more a bias against the left side and the underparts of posts is displayed with no question asked. The continued Cultural Hegemony is perpetuated and none think to challenge it.

In the past the left and the under classes have taken this silently and ate the bitter herbs of excuses while the right side and the upper were cossetted and cared for. We all saw what happened in the Europe of the industrial revolution, when the right side supplanted the role of the upper classification. Far from it being the Herald of equal access to post details for all, it cemented the hegemony in the fora-sphere of the right or upperside, all else descending into a petty battle between the two, it's future outlined in the famous Orwell Blog 1,984.

But there have been successful developments over the years that are systematically ignored. Robert Owen's brave 19th century "Co-operative forum" was a great example, which allowed people to essentially set their own posting point. It was a small enterprise that inspired many, and went on to have several examples throughout the world. However, sadly, as many of them grew, they got bought out or taken over, or traded in their principles for a quick post.

George Bernhard Shaw's award winning fora, probably more noted for their prolificity and long "Read first" notes were a rather eccentric brand, not completely to the left, they were an eccentric left of centre approach, that sometimes were incredibly difficult to read with any consistency. However, Sahw deserves praise for his dedication to his experiments, if not so much their success or general imapact.

The Soviet fora, and their satellites, demonstrated a remarkable and unique nature in the 1950s and 1960s. While the US was embarking on a very slow move from a hardline tight right hand post detail to a softer right, the Soviet direction pulled so hard in the opposite direction that, rather than seeming to be on the left, at times it spilled over the screen, and as often as not could appear to be an even harder right. This flitted in and out of popularity, until the arrival of Tetris, when everyone in the Soviet Bloc started aligning their details inside four variously configured blocks which would descend down the page as you read, getting more and more rapid as you got towards the end of the thread. It came as no surprise to those in the know when the Berlin Wall came down shortly after.

With this review of the history, one can see that real change can only be having the post display rotating between all the sides and options, in a communally agreed fashion, thereby giving each side of post, page and screen an equal access to having a say in who said what. Anything short of that is a travesty that not only reduces the left hand and bottom side of the post, not forgetting the centre, but it reduces the upper orders and the right too. As noted programmer Gramsci noted in his respected Scritti Forumatti, what helps the weakest of our post details helps the best, and surely we can all agree that all our posts could and should rise on the same tide.

Failing that, I'd settle for the side for the time being.

Due to my complete inability to make a decisive decision I voted don't care.

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Originally Posted by Battery Rover

I think the profile at the side looks better so voted for that

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This.

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Originally Posted by Dunny

This.

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What do you mean Dunny?

That I agree with BR and that my reason for picking 2 is the exact same.

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

Yup, tell me which way to go.

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Last person that told you that got an instant ban.


I'm not too fussed - think I prefer the profile on the side.

I guess, now that people can have different/bigger avatars and pics in their sig, whichever one reads best while accommodating these would be my preference.

Option 2 for me, but not hugely fussed if it changes...

I always want what I have not got, so side for me too.
Until it gets changed, of course! :mad:

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Originally Posted by Dunny

This.

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.... + 1

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Originally Posted by noby

I guess, now that people can have different/bigger avatars and pics in their sig, whichever one reads best while accommodating these would be my preference.

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I think that's the dealbreaker.
With all the info accumulated on the side, it's neat, it's tidy, it's all in the one place - visually it makes more sense, it's easier to comprehend. Thus, it looks better. I mean, you wouldn't like a bird who's head was in one place and her ass five yards away: much better to have it neatly aligned.

Seems pretty weighted towards the side, so "Screw It, Let's Do It", as the fella said...

All ok?

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

Seems pretty weighted towards the side, so "Screw It, Let's Do It", as the fella said...

All ok?

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Voted for it myself. Just one thing though - could you, please, put styles on the 'new thread' and 'post reply' buttons so they appear like they used to? Other than that it pleases my eyes.

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Originally Posted by A N Mouse

Voted for it myself. Just one thing though - could you, please, put styles on the 'new thread' and 'post reply' buttons so they appear like they used to? Other than that it pleases my eyes.

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Yeah, even just aesthetically, the rounded green button looks so much better than the square red one.

Ah but pushing the big red button is just irresistible! (which, I suspect, might be the point.)

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Originally Posted by dahamsta

All ok?

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The "thanks stats" don't seem to have been integrated, maybe purposely so, I dunno.

The guy who did the original template did a set of buttons for me - a sample is attached - but as vBulletin developed buttons were missing and wrong, and I didn't have a development kit to speak of. So I colourised the standard vBulletin buttons myself, and switched them out. I never liked the colourised standard buttons though, they're very big and extremely ugly.

I made my own buttons with CSS yesterday, with the intention of swapping all the rest out with something similar, however that's not going to work as some of them are scripted with onClick actions. Instead I'm going to take screenshots of what I have, and use those images instead. I'll see what I can do about rounding them. Red to encourage clicks, certainly, but also because I can't use the darker green used up top, as it gets losts in the header bar just below it.

I removed the Thanks stuff from the sidebar as it was looking very cluttered. I'm going to put the Club from the user's profile there instead. The Thanks stats are still in user's profiles.

adam

I've restored the stard buttons until I find something better,

[QUOTE=dahamsta;1221799]I removed the Thanks stuff from the sidebar as it was looking very cluttered. I'm going to put the Club from the user's profile there instead. The Thanks stats are still in user's profiles.
It looks like there's plenty of room there to me. :confused:

It was handy having the stats over there as I could see if someone thanked another post without having to click around my profile. It's nort a big deal but it'd be nice to have it back.

Yeah, I'd agree. It's easier to establish my self-worth that way. Although a "User's club" caption would be good too.

I knew there was supposed to be doing! All done now.

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Originally Posted by Schumi

It was handy having the stats over there as I could see if someone thanked another post without having to click around my profile. It's nort a big deal but it'd be nice to have it back.

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Way it should be imo. If I had my way post count would be disabled too.:)