This new forum format.....

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

…does some things that irritate me. Perhaps some bugs need to be worked out. Or mabee I just have to live with it.

One is when you open a link (even in a new window) then come back to the thread the up/down keys no longer scroll the screen. I use the arrows once in a thread instead of the mouse but after going to a link I have to either use the mouse or get out of the thread and come back.

Another is when you go to reply it takes like 10 seconds or more before you can start typing (and I have a high speed connect).

Another is that you have to right click and select ‘open in new window’ for a link not to take you out of the trains site.

And what’s up with the search feature? It doesn’t seem to work at all for me.

I also miss the list of who is in the forum at the bottom. It’s nice to be able to see that at a glance.

2

The pages don’t display the same in IE7 & Firefox.

With Firfox I get the ‘Message’ bar to select font, color etc. With IE7 I don’t.

3

Click on “options” at the bottom of the screen and one thing that shows up is the list of who is currently on.

Willy

4

…Chad…Agree with the fact it has problems in some areas…My time to wait to write a post is 45 sec…!!! I have dial up…but…that was not a factor At All with the old system.

5

I do not see an options feature to right click on.

6

It’s a button at the bottom of the thread list- just do a normal click on it.

7

It would be helpful to have the ‘navigator block’

Trains.com Forums » TRAINS Magazine Forums » Railroads

At the bottom of the page, as well as the top!

8

[soapbox]Frankly I liked the old format just fine for several years, but I guess “you can’t fight city hall” and I will need to learn to live with this new format…sigh.

9

I must be misunderstanding something here? I do have the ‘navigator block’ at the bottom of the page and the top.(?)

10

I suspect the problem with slow response in general is the banner ads at the top and bottom of every page are reloaded from scratch every time, even though they haven’t changed and are already stored locally on disk. They also seem to have priority over text, particulary for posts and replys. The new format also seems to be causing problems with my connection manager, for example I’ve logged 30 receive errors there in about 10 minutes already but the page itself displays without errors. Could be the weather and Ma Bell or perhaps those errors are from the ads and prevent them from being re-used???

11

Thanks Willy, I still liked the old way where you could just glance at it without haveing the extra step.

Quinten, 45 seconds ?!?!? Wow, I guess I should complain about 10seconds then. I bet that really cuts into your decideing wheather to post something.

What about the search feature? Is it working for anybody?

Don’t get me wrong either. Even with these bugs there are some things I do like about the new format. I just hope these things can be refined a bit.

12

…Just checked again on time to start post…This morning it was 25 sec…so it must vary a bit…but even that is a bit annoying…I realize I don’t try to use all the bells and whistles but still I’d go back to the other one if I had a choice. Just seemed more user friendly.

Photos was one rough spot on old system {for many ordinary users}, so just didn’t frustrate myself anymore in trying to use it and thought this would be much improved…If it is, haven’t seen it yet.

It’s free so can’t complain too much but like so many things in our environment seems change must be made sometimes just for change…?? One thing that does seem different…More adds.

13

You are so right about “change for the sake of change” - it bites. Of course, my attitude is influenced by the fact I’m technology-impaired and have a hard time learning how to work something that has been changed.

REALLY DUMB QUESTION: How do I post a comment in a thread without replying to or quoting a specific post? (See, I TOLD you I’m technology-impaired).

14

It doesn’t really matter which post you reply to in a given thread, as your reply doesn’t quote the referenced post anyway. You could choose any post in the thread you want to post in and hit its reply button- the end result is the same. That’s my understanding of it, anyway.

15

I’ve not gotten “options” to work,to where I can see the names. I have semi- managed to work with
the “Search Feature” and get threads I’ve been looking for,just not forum members.

16

locomutt: If I go to the bottom of the page listing the threads, and push options, at the very bottom of the page is a heading called forum statistics, that lists who is on the forum. Is yours set up differently?

17

I see Nothng that even remotely says “Forum Statistics”!

Our operating system is Windows 2000XP;and using Mozzila Firefox as browser.

18

I have the same setup at home, LM, and it does show up, it’s just not visible until you scroll down off the bottom of the screen.

19

I’m getting it now,wasn’t/ hadn’t been 'til just a few ago. I’d tried to click on “options” a day or so ago,
and couldn’t really get anything and even scrolled AL THE WAY DOWN,and that was not there.
Guess that part of it is just “Magic”.
At least I’ve NOT had some of the other problems some of you all have had,which is a very good thing,
as I still feel like still I’m very computer “Illiterate”!!
(haven’t tried to post a picture yet,on the “New Format”.)

20

{Just took 35 sec. waiting to start typing in this post box}…Now, on seeing who is on forum…I just checked at the page bottom at “options” and then “forum statistics” and if I was looking at it I sure must have been “on the forum” but my name was not listed…??