sparkgap
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suggestion for "sticky threads"
Mods/admins:
Just wondering, is it possible to restructure the forums such that the "stickies" are split off from the other threads? I mean a format
like:
----------------banner here---------------------
SPACE
---------sticky threads--------------
SPACE
--------regular threads-------------
I'm thinking this would be more convenient for browsing the forums. How about it?
sparky (^_^)
"What's UTFSE? I keep hearing about it, but I can't be arsed to search for the answer..."
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Axt
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I hate the stickies!
^ Though that would help.
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12AX7
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3rded.
For the life of me I can't tell what the hell threads are read and unread. Some new icon selections woul help here.
Tim
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Darkblade48
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| Quote: | Originally posted by 12AX7
3rded.
For the life of me I can't tell what the hell threads are read and unread. Some new icon selections woul help here.
Tim |
Agreed. The little arrows distract me as they cause me to think that those are threads I haven't read yet...and it turns out there are no new
posts 
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chemoleo
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Ok, here's your chance to turn your moaning into a constructive improvement: 
We can of course exchange that little arrow  with an other gif file.
For example, something like this: 
This would then be placed in front of the sticky threads, just like the little green arrows.
So, I welcome suggestions for little 'sticky' gif's which are not confusing, and pleasing to a forumite's eyes
PS why stickies in the first place? the idea was bring the big&useful threads back out of oblivion. Are people of aware of the 'Today's
post' function by the way?
[Edited on 1-5-2005 by chemoleo]
Never Stop to Begin, and Never Begin to Stop...
Tolerance is good. But not with the intolerant! (Wilhelm Busch)
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Organikum
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no stickies.
or just as few as are really necessary.
[Edited on 1-5-2005 by Organikum]
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12AX7
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"Today's Post" is the only way I've been able to get around since you started stickying things. Otherwise I have to look
at the actual post reply dates. Why don't the left hand sidebar icons light up for new posts!?
Tim
P.S. Agreed, the sticky threads should stay as such. Just make it so new posts are indicated as such.
[Edited on 1-5-2005 by 12AX7]
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neutrino
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| Quote: | Originally posted by 12AX7
"Today's Post" is the only way I've been able to get around since you started stickying things. |
Agreed
What you could do to cut down on confusion is to make the state of a thread (new posts/no new posts) much more visible, with more distinct icons for
each state. That and the space sparkgap spoke of wouldn’t hurt.
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The_Davster
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I like the idea of sticky threads...
However for making it easier to see which threads are new and non-sticky, the sticky thread icon could be made a bit longer. I had some free time on
my hands, so I made a few possible ones(with paint).
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Organikum
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I suggest to make only ONE sticky thread in the chemistry forums. This thread shall contain links to the most important threads - those which are now
sticky and clutter up the board.
/ORG
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12AX7
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All in all, what I don't get is-
Why do the sticky threads have a green arrow in the first place? Every other single board I've ever been to has a dot or pin or whatever on the
leftmost icon to indicate this status.
New posts are indicated by either highlighting said icon, or adding an arrow in the subject space, as the green arrow (hence the confusion of stickies
being seen as new threads). Those that use an arrow in this space also have it hyperlinked to go to the first unread post, which is often
convienient.
Tim
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cyclonite4
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I agree with Organikum, as I did make that suggestion in the other thread about this
But out of the gif's rogue chemist drew, I'd go with the one on the topmost thread, the stretched arrow.
\"It is dangerous to be right, when your government is wrong.\" - Voltaire
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sparkgap
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I wasn't moaning, chemoleo; I was suggesting
Anyway, I think the sticky threads should stay sticky, given their importance, but it would be nice to delineate their difference from normal threads,
and those puny arrows aren't quite adequate. Separation is good, but bigger icons like those suggested/posted above are good also.
Pretty please, with cherries and strawberries on top?
sparky (^_^)
"What's UTFSE? I keep hearing about it, but I can't be arsed to search for the answer..."
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chemoleo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by 12AX7
Every other single board I've ever been to has a dot or pin or whatever on the leftmost icon to indicate this status. |
That's why I invited new templates to replace the green arrows with!
| Quote: | | the sticky threads should stay sticky, given their importance |
Well that was the idea... to dig them out of
thread oblivion.
As to new posts being highlighted - yah, taht confuses me too. It never did this properly within the subforums, although it does work on the index
main page. (i.e. a deep blue letter means new post since last visit, and a faint blue letter means already viewed) Thus I don't see so much the
problem, as this didn't work properly (highlighting icons) in the first place. Todays' Posts seems most reliable for this anyway (at least
for members checking daily). Shall I make a Sticky on the use of the 'Todays' Posts' function? 
I agree with keeping the number down. Maybe invoke a little rota, where big threads are regularly turned over, like roasting a big piece of good meat
and exposing only one side at a time to the flame?
But some will surely find this confusing again  - so probably we will end up with a
sticky containing the respective links, as suggested several times, with a nice new icon. End of story I suppose.
Anyway, I welcome more sticky creations
[Edited on 1-5-2005 by chemoleo]
Never Stop to Begin, and Never Begin to Stop...
Tolerance is good. But not with the intolerant! (Wilhelm Busch)
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neutrino
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A bit of a harebrained scheme, but could we have sub forum in each subforum where the sticky threads are located (in addition to their old spots on
the normal forums)? The link to each sub forum could be located at the top of its parent sub forum and have the standard blue letter indicator.
Although this would somewhat undrmine the whole point of sticky threads, wouldn't it?
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sparkgap
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I don't think "rotation of stickies" would be a good idea, chemoleo. Would you like it if one night you go into your house and find out
that where your home lab once was is now your kitchen, and all the other rooms in your house were switched like so?
I conceived a thought similar to neutrino's before, but decided it was over-the-top, so I decided to suggest separation from regular threads
instead. 
sparky (~_~)
P.S. Sure, make a sticky on "Today's Posts"... after you fix the other stickies!
"What's UTFSE? I keep hearing about it, but I can't be arsed to search for the answer..."
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PainKilla
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I always thougth stickies were for threads of high importance that people could refer to as a reference, and are often posted in. Since we are not
biggest community, some threads have taken over 2 years to reach the size they are now (excluding DPPP .)
I think the only thign stickied should be either, like Organikums' idea, or just a thread or two that are posted in very often.... organic
chemistry for example needs at most one sticky, and that is debateable... Begginer I suppose could have a sticky once Bromic's book is finished,
unless we post links to helpful chemistry sites there. The other subforums could have stickies, but no mroe than two, since excessive stickies is
rather annoying...
I always use today's posts as well.
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The_Davster
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I'm so flattered
EDIT: I now realize it is not my exact design, but still...And to whoever modified it, it does look better that way.
[Edited on 3-5-2005 by rogue chemist]
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