Thank You Perrie
I was pleasantly surprised to see, when I seeded an article a few minutes ago, that Newstalkers has numerous new functions in the editor above the text box for seeds, articles, and comments.
There is now a quote function, which many people appreciate, and a font size function, which I really like, a "clear formatting" function, an anchor function (I don't know what that does) , a page break, and a table insertion function.
All of these are useful to people who want to customize their seeds, articles, and comments.
Kudos to Perrie Halpern, the R.A. and owner of Newstalkers, for helping everyone prepare their seeds and comments in a visually appealing way.
Now i will try out the font size button
Thanks Perrie !
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Really good improvements for the site and more to come.
And now for a list of the problems with the mobile platform that don't seem to be getting any attention.
1. This is an old one (at least two years now) - there are no editing capabilities when posting an article or seed from a phone. This is what you get to work with when you post an article or seed:
2. Yet there are full editing capabilities when you post a comment, thus indicating that the technology is there, it's just not shared between the options of posting an article or seed, and posting a comment. In fact, before the new 'improvements', the format for posting comments on a smartphone was nearly as perfect as it was on a PC. Now that the site has been 'improved', the editing window jumps around all over the place, and is never lined up with the comment section - like this:
3. What's that you say? You'd like to be able to read the article? Too bad, because this is how it displays on the new and 'improved' site, and no, you cannot resize it or scroll left and right, you just have no way to read what is off the screen:
4. Here's one that's been around forever but never gets fixed. There is an ad space at the bottom of the screen in the form of a black bar. It obscures the chat function that was unintelligently placed beneath it. It's a crap shoot whether you can turn off the ad with the tiny little "x" to get to the chat function, unless your fingers are about as skinny as a toothpick. When you do finally hit it, after opening up the ad several times by accident, it comes back as soon as you refresh the screen.
5. And who doesn't love scrolling down to the bottom of comment section to be confronted with nasty advertisement pics that take up the whole screen? There's even one of a girl in a bikini with a penis lump. Classy.
And godforbid the format ever stay the way you set it up on the screen when it actually is posted. This was posted from a PC btw.
Have you tried looking at you phone horizontally, Hal?
Doesn't work. Sometimes it makes it worse.
Yeah. Sideways, the keyboard covers the text box.
Hal,
We have a new wonderful tech, who is working to fix this. Jamroom says that there is supposed to be NO editor at all and I had to plead for it not to be taken away.
I will get rid of the bar at the bottom for you.
In what way? I need some more information.
Are you using the 1991 model year or something a bit newer like the 1995 version BF?
You've mentioned that before, and yet there it is, and has remained since day one. Why on earth the "fix" would be to remove it from the one place that it is working is beyond me. I suppose the theory is that a phone screen is too small for all those buttons to function effectively - but that theory is 100% false. If the editing functions go away, Hal will be going away too. The facts are: it exists, it works, and it just needs to be made available when authoring or seeding an article. It would make zero sense to do otherwise, considering that it has to be a simple adjustment.
Hal,
In a perfect world, what do you need in the text editor for both seeding and comments? We have two rows of items, most of which are not usually used, so what do you use?
The only ones I use personally are text color, bold, italic, align left, decrease indent, increase indent, insert/edit link, remove link, embed local media, and sometimes smileys. These are the basics for me, but others might prefer more. It's just hard when the only option is alphanumeric characters and a spacebar.
Well, you will be glad to know that I have removed the bottom black bar. That's one thing done.
Thank you, Perrie.
I have the same issues.
And I agree, thank you Perrie. I'm seeing some neat improvements I know all of us will like. And I know it is hard to do an overhaul on a moving car. In this case a busy social site. LOL
Exactly, and we are trying very hard to both make changes (sometimes with unexpected surprises), while keeping the site live.
Bullets are back! Thanks so much, Perrie!!!
Would anyone like to comment on the new changes to the text editor?
From my perspective, it's like having new headlights put on a car that doesn't run. Or the landlord painting your front door of the house he rented you with broken plumbing.
I'm surely not a "techie" and don't comment often, but I'd like to thank Perrie for ALL she does for NT.
Totally agree, KatPen. Perrie works very hard to provide the best site for members she can. (smile)
Thank you Perrie for all that you do for the Members here on NT. No software is perfect, and even the best of technology can have burps and hiccups now and then.
The best thing all members here on NT can do to really help Perrie is report the issues with a clear explanation of the issue, and if possible, a snapshot so that Perrie can have a better understanding of the issue you are having. Be concise in your explanation. "It doesn't work" is of little use other than to know something is amiss. But, in order to find out how to rectify the issue in a timely manner Perrie needs more concise information, and a snapshot of the issue that you are having can say a thousand words in what is happening. This is the best way to help Perrie help you and other Members may be having the same issue.
There is no perfect site, and not everyone is going to be happy no matter how hard someone works to provide the best site possible. Perrie does all she can, technology wise and monetarily wise, to meet the needs and wishes of NT Members. I have worked with Perrie at times with some issues that have arisen and I know how ardently she works to get things resolved as quickly as possible.
So if you really appreciate what Perrie has provided for NT Members and want to help make her work easier, when you have an issue or see a problem, which all software can have at times, please have patience and be a concise as possible in explaining what issue you are having.
Just my own thoughts.
Dear Friends: I agree that Perrie does so much for so many with such little recompense.
It is pleasing to see this article recognize even a small amount of what she does for us.
Credit earned is credit due.
In Bill Gates office is a portrait of me sitting at my computer and scratching my head in bewilderment.
Under the painting is a caption. "Don't Let This Happen to You"!
As our Zen Buddhist friends would observe, when it comes to information technology my knowledge is sparse. Yet my ignorance is pure.
That said I do have a request for the site info tech guru.
When I log in, I do not see the sole winning numbers to the Mega Millions sweepstakes.
I would like that.
If not a bother, please post it two days before a large jackpot occurs.
Merely a constructive suggestion.
Peace, Abundant Blessings, and My Rolling in Large Denomination Post Tax Greenbacks.
Enoch.