Eileen's Portal

[HansV]

Thanks for the additional info!

[Bigaldoc]

#3: We'll probably remove the Recent Announcements list from the Recent section.

I don't think you ought to do that. It ain't hurtin' anything the way it is... One man's opinion...

[HansV]

The "Recent announcements" and "Latest Global Announcements" sections overlap because of the way we have set them up; there is no real need to have both in the portal. Removing "Recent announcements" from the Recent box would not remove any functionality from the portal.

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[BilasTasol]

Sorry Geoff, I agree with Hans.

Looking at a page on a screen is different from reading a printed page. On a screen I will scan the whole visible page - left and right - before scrolling down. I suspect that many (if not most) people are the same. Also, I find your view posted in Post 6590 is much less clear than the existing Portal page, for which may I add my congratulations to the Admins.

One thing I do agree with you - your views on the Portal are probably greatly influenced by using a small hand-held to view the site.

Regards,

Tony.

Edited: to make reference to Post a clickable link

[HansV]

3. Do we need two sections "recent announcements" and "latest global announcements"? There is an overlap there, and a potential for saving scren real estate.

Geoff,

This was easy to change. The "Recent Announcements" block has been removed from the "Recent" section because it duplicated "Latest Global Announcements".

[GeoffW]

3. Do we need two sections "recent announcements" and "latest global announcements"? There is an overlap there, and a potential for saving scren real estate.

Geoff,

This was easy to change. The "Recent Announcements" block has been removed from the "Recent" section because it duplicated "Latest Global Announcements".

That's good. I like that. Thank you.

I do like that the announcements, which don't change very often, are not a "prime topic"- they can be seen, but they are not one of the important options.

I would still argue for "User Menu" to be moved- perhaps to the right of "menu", or perhaps to replace the vacated "recent announcements". As pointed out, left to right reads better than top to bottom.

For myself (obviously just personal), the "recent topics" menu are not especially useful when one can't go to the last unread post (as discussed). "Menu" and "User Menu" are the items I find myself using the most.

Yes, I am also influenced by my use of a portable device for about half of my browsing. But it also works better for me on a normal computer (which I am using for the moment).

Now if we were going to be really advanced, any use could customise their own portal, but that is pie in the sky stuff .

[HansV]

It is not possible to have the User Menu replace Recent Announcements - the Recent section is a single block in which Recent Announcements, Recent Popular Topics and Recent Topics can be turned on/off, and that's it.

I agree it would be nice if users could customize the portal, but there's no built-in support for that, and we're not going to build this functionality ourselves. We don't have the time and resources, and we want to use standard components as much as possible.

The wwwthreads version of Woody's Lounge that was available from December 2000 until February 2009 was very user-friendly, but it was so heavily customized that it had become difficult to maintain, and impossible to upgrade.

[GeoffW]

OK Hans, thanks anyway.

Just wondering.

Edit: Is there any option to move the User Menu to the right or "Menu"? Not to replace the Gloabl announcements?

Just wondering again.

[HansV]

Attentive Loungers will have noticed a slight change in the layout of the portal: the user menu is now in the upper left, and the menu has moved down. The clock is now in the upper right.

This concentrates some of the most used functions on the left hand side; we hope that this will make the portal easier to use on smartphones without sacrificing components.

[Bigaldoc]

Attentive Loungers will have noticed a slight change in the layout of the portal: the user menu is now in the upper left, and the menu has moved down. The clock is now in the upper right.

This concentrates some of the most used functions on the left hand side; we hope that this will make the portal easier to use on smartphones without sacrificing components.

Boy, ya must've just done that. I looked earlier this morning and (I think!) it was still the "old" way but I could've been still half asleep.

[HansV]

I applied the changes between 14:50 and 15:05 UTC (9:50 AM - 10:05 AM EST).

[Bigaldoc]

There ya go! Just when I turn my back (my shower time, since I'm retired and get to start my day slowly.)

[Hey Jude]

I applied the changes between 14:50 and 15:05 UTC (9:50 AM - 10:05 AM EST).

Talk about time change

[VegasNath]

I really like this new layout, I was thinking about this yesterday but did not get free time to post. Thanks for the changes, the clock seems more logical 'top right' than 'bottom left', and my photo takes pride of place top left. .

I hope you don't mind, but I am going to post what I was thinking last night, only my vision of MY ideal portal you understand...... Not wanting to sound ungrateful in any way, but if the portal was adaptable on a user basis, this would be my ideal.

My ideal "One stop shop" portal.......

• Move the user menu from top right to top left, above the menu, Done, Thankyou!, followed by the board style. (I think that I will use the menu more than the board style)
  Move the clock from bottom left to top right, above statistics. Done, Thankyou!
  Move the 'Who is online' to a new block on the right sidebar, which free's up central space. The length of the left and right side bars would then be relatively equal.
  Put the announcements section back inside the 'Recent' block, freeing up more central space.
  Use the saved central space with the most recent (10 or 20) post's, in the same detailed style as the current 'latest global announcements'

This way, when I log in to the lounge, I can read all of the new post's in my desired forums, and then live in the portal for my loitering time.

[HansV]

The portal doesn't provide a "block" that displays recent posts in a detailed style, and you can't interchange elements of the central column with elements of the side columns, as far as I can tell.

[DaveA]

I have noticed that I am getting less errors when I user the "Back" icon, since this new portal page.
Could they be related?

[HansV]

I have noticed that I am getting less errors when I user the "Back" icon, since this new portal page.
Could they be related?

I don't think so, Dave.

[Bigaldoc]

I don't ever get any "errors" when I use the Back button. Mebbe you could elaborate a bit, huh?

[VegasNath]

The portal doesn't provide a "block" that displays recent posts in a detailed style, and you can't interchange elements of the central column with elements of the side columns, as far as I can tell.

Never mind, my visit's will continue regardless.

[GeoffW]

That's excellent.

Thank you to all for all their hard work!