html Links in text still possible? etc.

[Doremus Scudder]

Although I liked the older format much better, I can (will have to) deal with this one. It is, however, much more visually distracting (more info than needed, really). Simplicity of use and overview have their advantages, especially when one has little time to spend with the forums. The additional navigation and the unnecessary "smileys," icons, etc. just clutter things up, in my modest opinion. If there are any options for simplifying the view that I am missing, I would appreciate someone pointing them out to me.

There are two things that the old format could do that the new one does not seem to be up to, which I miss.

First, one used to be able to click on html links in the text of a thread and go directly to the web site being discussed. This was particularly helpful, especially when one could right-click and open the link in a new window or tab... Can this still be done?

Second, threads are now listed by the date of the last post by default. The old software listed them by date of the beginning of the thread. This was very clear and helpful. Can this still be done as well? I could find no option for changing the order this way.

One advantage to the new software: Since I will have to learn to deal with this because I find this forum so useful, I will automatically learn the intricacies of the APUG forum (since they use the same software), a forum I have avoided in favor of others for the reasons listed above.

best

[Ralph Barker]

HTML is not allowed in the posts due to it causing problems with various elements of the software. However, the "standard" editor provides similar formatting capabilities, and a mechanism for including clickable links and images. (With the old software, users had to know how to create a clickable link with the appropriate HTML code.)

There are several options for viewing threads. The "unified view" was created to simulate the "recent responses" view from the old forum. There is also a "sub-forum view" that segregates posts by sub-forum (equivalent to "categories" on the old software). You can also select two different linear views or a threaded view, depending on your preferences.

Although APUG uses the same software, Sean has done various custom modifications to their software. Thus, not all features are directly parallel.

[Tom Westbrook]

First, one used to be able to click on html links in the text of a thread and go directly to the web site being discussed. This was particularly helpful, especially when one could right-click and open the link in a new window or tab... Can this still be done?

Yes that happens by default wtihout having to add any tage--just enter a URL (like this www.mac.com) and it should hyperlink it for you. External URLs open in new windows by default.


Second, threads are now listed by the date of the last post by default. The old software listed them by date of the beginning of the thread. This was very clear and helpful. Can this still be done as well? I could find no option for changing the order this way.

See 158224 for some hints on setting a entry page URL for yourself to sort things how you want them to appear (or nearly so).

Hope that helps