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Old July 10, 1999, 12:48 AM   #1
boing
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I've noticed a couple things about the board that are new.

When replying to a topic, I no longer get the complete thread on the reply page from which to reference. Is that coming back? I neeeed it!

And really long threads are now coming up with a second, 'continued' page to click on.

You mentioned a software upgrade. More to come?

-boing

[This message has been edited by boing (edited July 10, 1999).]
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Old July 10, 1999, 09:02 AM   #2
Rich Lucibella
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Boing-
Very observant. You're correct. We have set the software so that, when replying, the entire thread does not load below the reply window. This speeds load time. If you need to reference something in the thread you can hit the "Back" button, read the thread, and hit the "Forward" button to be returned to your unfinished reply.

Like you, I prefer the entire thread be available in the reply screen. However, I'd like to get more member input on this before I make a final decision.

As concerns the multipage replies, I think its a waste of time. I thought I had eliminated that feature immediately after I had noticed threads coming out in multi pages. Please provide me an example so that I can correct this.
Thanks.
Rich

[This message has been edited by Rich Lucibella (edited July 10, 1999).]
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Old July 10, 1999, 11:45 AM   #3
Mal H
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Like boing, almost without fail I have to check something in the current thread while writing a response. But, (picture me hitting my forehead with my palm) I hadn't thought of the Backward/Forward routine. That works fine and the load time is short. I had been opening a new window. I vote for keeping it as it is now.
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Old July 10, 1999, 12:31 PM   #4
Kodiac
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Well, with some threads being rather long...
I guess for folks with slower connections than T3 <snicker - grin> This is good...

I say keep it like it is...
Official Internetworking Consultant Opinion.

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Old July 10, 1999, 12:48 PM   #5
boing
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An example of a long, two page thread is "Famous Firearms Follies" in the Handguns forum.

For me, the problem with using the "Back/Foward" buttons for replies is that my computer is soooo slow, that any page takes a fair amount of time to load. For me, I'll put up with the extra load time on a reply page, as long I only have to do it the one time.

Other folks may be out of the Computer Stone Age, though.

-boing
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Old July 10, 1999, 03:35 PM   #6
Rich Lucibella
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Famous Firearms Follies shows, for me, on one page. Recheck it. You may have caught it before I reset the variable.
Rich
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Old July 10, 1999, 09:48 PM   #7
Zach
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Rich...Us IE users...we see an IFRAME for the thread there. An iframe is a little window of a page (in case you, or others, didnt know)
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Old July 10, 1999, 10:16 PM   #8
boing
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Yep. Famous Firearms Follies is one page now.

-boing
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Old July 11, 1999, 12:02 AM   #9
Rich Lucibella
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Thanks, Zach. Sounds cool.
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Old July 12, 1999, 12:51 AM   #10
Gunslinger
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I was just writting a lengthy reply to a post and after using the "back" "foreward" trick my reply was erased.
I vote for going back to the old way of leaving the entire thread visible while posting a reply.

P.S. I should, however, mention that I am one of those cursed with using AOL so that may possibly explain why this happened and it may not be the case with other members.

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Old July 12, 1999, 01:53 AM   #11
boing
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I'm using Netscape, and the same thing has happened to me a few times. Not lately, though.

-boing
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Old July 12, 1999, 10:14 AM   #12
Rich Lucibella
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Remember that you can only go back and forward. If you go "Back" and then open a new page, you will loose your work as the Browser will not know where to go "Forward" to.

Think of it like a maze. If you go down a tunnel and write part of a message on the wall, you can use the "Back" and "Forward" buttons all day long to return to the entrance and "forward" to the message. Once you go "Back" to the entrance and start down a new tunnel, there is no "Forward" command to return you to the message.
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Old July 12, 1999, 11:44 AM   #13
Gunslinger
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Rich if it helps to clarify I did just go back, foreward. It worked the first time. When I tried it again it erased.

Thanks,

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Old July 12, 1999, 11:48 AM   #14
Rob Pincus
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I'll cast my vote for going back to having the entire thread load on the reply page.
We strive here for quality posts, and many is the time that I have been saved from a mistake by simply scrolling down to see exactly what was said and who said it....

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Old July 12, 1999, 03:46 PM   #15
El Chimango Pete
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Composing a reply 'offline' helps - we got really slow connections here and pretty high rates; others may have the same problem. The only trouble is that as the brain-cells grind out an answer ever so slowly, then doing it again so's to think twice and post once - some young whippersnapeer out there has stuck in a reply in the meanwhile... ah well, the young shall inherit the Earth (and Y2K Plus)
Anyway, helps to have the whole thread handy or at least the last part of it.

Hasta pronto - from the Third World er..."On the Road to Development..."
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Old July 13, 1999, 09:19 AM   #16
Rich Lucibella
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Will change it back.
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Old July 13, 1999, 10:43 AM   #17
boing
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Democracy is alive and well on TFL!

Just nag the poor b@st@rd 'till you get what you want.

-boing
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Old July 13, 1999, 11:24 AM   #18
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Thank you Rich.

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Old July 13, 1999, 07:18 PM   #19
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Just FYI, the reply will only display in IE because of the use of inline frames, something Netscape doesn't handle well.

Spark

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Old July 13, 1999, 09:08 PM   #20
chucko
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Thanks Rich!
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Old July 14, 1999, 09:47 AM   #21
Rich Lucibella
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Spark-
I thought I'd changed this back yesterday. However, my Netscape still doesn't show the replies at the bottom like it used to. Any suggestions?
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Old July 14, 1999, 07:21 PM   #22
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Like I said above, it's because of inline frames.

Lookey here, folks, here's the deal:

The guy who wrote the software changed it for his own reasons, I can only hypothesize why. For better or for worse, for Netscape users, it's gone, because of the inline frames issue. Netscape can't do them, so the thread won't download with the reply window for NN users.

IE users, you can see the thread in the reply window just fine.

Personally, I open another window when I am going to post a reply because I can switch back and forth between the screens and not loose my place, which happens a lot when I scroll.

Everyone try this now: Right click on the Post reply icon. Select Open in New window. Reply in that. Want to switch back to this screen? Hit Alt+Tab and you can switch back almost instantly! Believe me, this is one Win95 keyboard shortcut I use alllllllll the time, more than Copy and Paste.

Using the Alt+Tab method, and opening threads in other windows, I can read every thread I want, without forgeting which folder was red and which one wasn't. Try it, it's easy.

Anyhow, the simple fact is that this method saves bandwidth, Almost 1/3rd of it. TFL doesn't have Advertising, and bandwidth isn't cheap. It's a small price to pay, especially when you know how to open the reply window seperately.

Spark

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Old July 14, 1999, 11:01 PM   #23
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Whenever I have a post of a few sentences or more, I compose it in my favorite word processor (Word) and then cut it from there and paste it into the TFL form text box. That way, I avoid those embarrasing spelling errors. To refer to what I'm replying to, I just Alt-Tab back and forth between Word and the browser window with the TFL message.
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Old July 14, 1999, 11:37 PM   #24
Rich Lucibella
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Guys-
When I agreed to switch back to the old format, I didn't realize that it was no longer an option in the new software release. I spent a bit of today trying to hack a fix...no joy.....Spark to the rescue (again).

Spark-
Thanks a million for the fix. I didn't know this existed.
To All: Follow Sparks suggestion. When necessary, right click on the "Post Reply" icon. This will save the original window and open the Reply in a new window. You can easily toggle back and forth.

Now you can have it it your way and we can save bandwidth at the same time. Win/Win.
Rich

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Old July 14, 1999, 11:47 PM   #25
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No big deal, it's a Win9x shortcut that many people don't know about. It just comes from messing with all the tools for a while....

Anyhow, I find it easier to do this for everything because I like having 50 windows open so I know what I want to read.

Spark

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