Forum upgrade

[said]

Hi everyone

I thought I would set up a thread for you to post any queries about the new features on Talking Point.

The FAQ system is pretty comprehensive so it is best to first check there first, but I will try and answer any questions that come up.

Forum FAQ

• General Forum Usage
• User Profile Features
• Reading and Posting Messages

Blog FAQ

• General Blog Usage
• Reading and Posting Entries
• Group Blogs

Said
(New Media Manager)
Alzheimer's Society

 

[germain]

Hello Said

(or do we now all have to call you "sir" as you're the new manager ?)

Can you answer/sort out some very silly questions for me ?

1. I used to be able to see which threads I'd read on the main forum because they were "un-highlighted" after I'd read them - I can't seem to do this anymore.

2. All the threads seem to have underlined titles - why is this - its very hard on the eyes for me.

3. What is a blog ?


Thank you very much (curtsey, curtsey)

Germain

ps please pass on congrats to yourself and all who got the site up EARLY - surely a "first" in the achievement of IT projects !

 

[jenniferpa]

Not Said but I'll have a stab at 3) (I'm not seeing what you're seeing with 1) and I have no idea why 2)

A blog (contraction of weblog) is essentially an online diary but which allows reader feedback (although that can be restricted). It's designed to be added to on a regular basis. It is not private, however, so don't put anything on there that you don't want read.

If you want to use it (or even just try it) feel free. One thing to note - blogs are on the whole not moderated so while we'll attempt to keep up standards, a blog may well not be read by a moderator. There's been some discussion about this latter point and I think I'm speaking the truth, but I hope I'll be corrected if not.

 

[Margarita]

1. I used to be able to see which threads I'd read on the main forum because they were "un-highlighted" after I'd read them - I can't seem to do this anymore

I know what you mean .

The one you had not read where highlighted when someone posted in them , So when your read the one that where Highlighted, went out of that thread they where un- highlighted .

I just done it and it work for me , when I went in to Sylvia thread when someone posted it was highlighted , when I went out it was not highlighted .

Must be because people have not posted a lot in the main forum

 

[jenniferpa]

There haven't been many posts so far; have a look here http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=55 which is a new forum

- all of those should be highlighted.

 

[JPG1]

Germain, same here ... all underlined. But not bold.

It's difficult to see which posts/threads you have already read.

jennifer's link worked fine, with bolded heading, in that particular link. So perhaps ... until and unless you refresh the page, once you've read them ... then you are still wondering about the underlining, which I agree, Germain, is hard on the eyes.

But not the same on the main forum, as per jennifer's link.

Message to Said: are you the new "Media Manager" or the "New Media Manager"? If the latter, then which new media are you managing?

And are you the same Said as the new member "Said Dajani"?

Don't know which one of you to bow down to yet, but ... maybe both! Forum certainly loads more quickly; refreshes more quickly; connects more quickly ... that's not bad for starters!!

.

 

[jenniferpa]

It's "new media manager" as in digital and online media as opposed to regular print and broadcast media.

The underlining appears to fairly common on this version of the software. When someone from the web team has time I'm sure they'll pop in to explain why is has to be this way or say what can be done about it (having no idea myself).

What if you all look at New Posts http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/search.php?searchid=1258721 ? You should see some highlighted there, and some not (the ones you've read).

 

[Grannie G]

Poor vision has always prevented me seeing whether or not a post is highlighted .
I look for opened or closed envelopes.

 

[said]

bold thread titles

Hello everyone

My good lady doesn't really approve of me taking work home so I will have to be brief...

I think this has been answered but new threads that you haven't read yet will still appear in bold.

It's just that there haven't been that many new threads yet as most people won't be expecting to be able to use TP till tomorrow morning.

As Jennifer said, if you go to the forum called Alzheimer's Society News which is itself a new feature you should see threads you haven't read yet and they will appear in bold.

 

[KenC]

Hi Said.

I have looked at the new web site, and I like what I have seen so far. Everything seems so much brighter.


Well done for all your hard work.

Ken

 

[said]

Hi Said.

I have looked at the new web site, and I like what I have seen so far. Everything seems so much brighter.


Well done for all your hard work.

Ken

Thanks Ken

That means a lot

 

[Grannie G]

Hello Ken

It`s lovely to see your photo back on your avatar. You look much nicer than a cat.

 

[Grannie G]

Posts not yet read show a yellow square with a V inside. Posts read do not show the yellow square.

 

[sue38]

Blogs

I was thinking of starting a blog as sometimes I want to post about my dad, not to ask for advice or support, but just to get things off my chest and record his progress (if that's the right word ).

I don't want people to feel obliged to reply, but of course am happy to receive comments, so I think the blog section is a good idea.

I looked at the section and was reading the blog control panel, thinking that all looks straightforward, until I came to:-

In order to reduce the amount of spam on your blog the administrator has provided the option to provide an Akismet key.
Wordpress API Key:

Any ideas?

 

[Grannie G]

Oh heck Sue. I didn`t see that. When you find outr please let me know.

 

[Sandy]

Hi Sue,

I don't know for sure, but it looks like Akismet is a service that helps bloggers reduce the chance of SPAM comments being added to their blogs:

http://akismet.com/faq/

It sounds like it is included as an option in the software that drives the blogs on TP.

It should theoretically make it easy to moderate the comments made on your blog and identify/remove SPAM. Not normally a big concern on TP, but I understand that the moderators try and get most of it before we see it on the message boards.

I would enable it and see what happens!

Take care,

Sandy

 

[jenniferpa]

See here http://akismet.com/

It sounds like something that you needn't concern yourself with UNTIL you get spam on your blog (unlikely here, since someone would have to register before they could get to that point).

 

[gigi]

Friends

I'm a bit concerned about this "friends" business...

Can I ask the purpose of it?

I thought we were all "friends" here...and I'm a wee bit concerned that groups of "friends" may deter others from joining in unless they are part of that group...and may even make them feel excluded therefore unable to post.

Personally I see this part of TP irrelevant. Does anyone else feel the same?

Love gigi xx

 

[jenniferpa]

Well I do, but I think it's part and parcel of the forum software. If it's not possible to turn it off (and I don't think it is) I think we have 2 options - ignore it or befriend everyone. I'm speaking as me not a moderator here.

 

[Helen33]

Hi Gigi

I thought we were all "friends" here...

I don't understand it really but I do know that we are not all friends. I have come across someone who really does not like me and makes it very clear although I have never knowingly done anything to upset this person. She just doesn't like me and wants me to know. This makes me very happy to have my own room with my own friends. It makes me feel safer. Because I have no experience though - only time will tell for me what the benefits and deficits are.