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Initial thoughts

Meta
#1

The categories could perhaps do with some work? Meta means nothing to most people as a title. The category list is quite short and might benefit from a few more sections. A particularly well run reflector that I use has nice clear categories that work well. It also has a large team of moderators who relocate misplaced posts to keep it nicely in order.

While the categories are different, there may well be some ideas that might work on this reflector.

A big plus compared to the old SOTA reflector is the mobile frontend.

Thanks for all the work on this Jon.

73 Richard G3CWI

#2

The categories are important and we certainly plan to have more. Meta is a bit meta as you say, probably would be better if it was called Discourse or Reflector Software or such. I think itā€™s one the predefined ones that comes with the software.

Andy

#3

Hi Richard,

Yeah, the categories was a bit of an oversight on my part.

We ran into a few time consuming snags yesterday and issues with the import that meant this morning was a bit of a rush. Two things suffered:

  • The setting up of categories. We are sort of doing this ā€˜on the flyā€™ now and you will see it populate over the next few days.
  • The writing up of helpful intro posts and FAQs. We just ran out of time and I didnā€™t want to delay any more before letting people in. Again, weā€™ll gradually get useful material sorted over the next few days.

You are correct in your use of ā€˜Metaā€™ for discussing the running and mechanics of this facility.

73, Jon

#4

Well itā€™s early days. The Cyclechat reflector has some nice ideas such as a ā€œā€¦Cafeā€ for general chitchat and a ā€œWelcome Matā€ for people to introduce themselves.

I can imagine that the process so far was not straightforward. Still itā€™s great to have a platform that can develop and is a bit more up-to-date.

Thanks again!

vy 73 Richard G3CWI

#5

Richard, I like the idea of a Category for general, random, off-topic chit chat. What about ā€˜The Bothyā€™?

#6

ā€¦or even ā€œThe Pubā€ ?

73 Marc G0AZS

#7

Better would be ā€œRagchewā€!

Brian

1 Like
#8

I thought Iā€™d allocate categories to my old topics (which Iā€™ve mostly done). However I think doing this threw up something which might be a ā€œfeatureā€ of the system.

After changing the category (by editing), to get back to the list of my topics, I used the ā€œbackā€ arrow on the browser (Firefox under Linux Mint). This worked fine for a few, then the next I tried to change had lost the ā€œcategoryā€ dropdown contents - it had only the ā€œchoose a categoryā€ one. The top of page links to other pages had also disappeared.

I closed the SOTA reflector tab, then re-opened it and all was well.

This time, after editing the category of a topic, I used the ā€œJohnā€ link (or whatever it is) on the top right, then picked my topics again. An extra click, but I guessed it probably wouldnā€™t confuse the Javascript that this eminence is built upon. It seems to have been OK, as I didnā€™t get the problem again.

Otherwise no issues so far ā€¦

73
John GM8OTI

#9

I notice that each post in a thread shows how long ago it was posted, in hours or days - similar to Twitter. I must say I preferred the old system where each post was marked with the actual date and time of posting.

Just my personal preference.

As someone else has remarked, I would also like a facility to append a standard signature to each of my posts - as I do with my emails. However, I can live without it.
:slight_smile:

The whole user interface of Discourse seems very reminiscent of Googlemail!

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

#10

Me too, and I have moved a few successfully. However, any dated earlier than this year (or so it seems) do not have an edit button (the pencil logo) visible to me, so I cannot change their category.

A minor point, but I wonder if that is policy, or something I am misunderstanding?

Cheers
Adrian

#11

Donā€™t quote me on this but Iā€™m sure I read something in the Admin notes that stuff older than a certain date was not editable. I can think up reasons why that maybe a design goal, possibly to stop people doing a Winston Smith Ministry of Truth job on what was written a long time ago!

Andy
MM0FMF

#12

Hello Andy, 84 , one of my favourite books in the past. I think the new reflector is extremely good albeit with a few things to be smoothed outā€¦
Good stuff.
Mike

#13

Walt, if you mouseover the grey element that show how long ago the post was posted, the time will appear.

Jon

1 Like
#14

The MT will also seek to allocate Categories to Old Reflector topics as they pop back up on the ā€˜Latestā€™ list.

Jon

#15

Mine went back into 2009. No problems changing category.

I posted another note about the mechanism - I found using the browser ā€œbackā€ function, rather than forum links, seemed to mangle things a bit (a clearer explanation when I originally posted it yesterday!).

73
John GM8OTI

#16

I like it!

I think that its been done really well to be fair.

Nice to see pictures on display now of both profile pictures and of course if you post onto a thread! Should make the SOTA news more colourful, I always thought that was what separated the summitsbase news from the SOTA news, of course the SOTA news probably wouldā€™ve had more hits though!! So now this has got that facility, thatā€™s great!

Will take a bit of getting used to but I am happy!

Well done to all involved.

Now I must make an effort to get up them tharā€™ Hills!!! Need to nail this MG at last!!! Cricket Season ends in 5 weeks, however Iā€™m averaging 42 with the bat this year so I am not that keen on it ending!!!

73 all

Matt G8XYJ

#17

I have just moved over to this new ā€˜reflectorā€™ and ā€¦ so far, so good :o)) It appears to have a lot of potential.
Now then ā€¦ IF I have set my preferences correctly the daily digest (or whatever its called) should be in my ā€˜in boxā€™ tomorrow morning. I look forward to my usual breakfast read :o)

73
Steve
MƘVFR

#18

Thanks, Jon. You live and learn, as they say!
:slight_smile:

Iā€™m liking the new reflector more and more as I get used to it.

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

#19

I have to say I am really enjoying this new platform. I can now read the reflector on my phone without even needing a special app. The mobile version of the pages is working really well for me at the moment from a Safari bookmark on my home screen.

Thanks to Jon and all concerned.

73 Marc G0AZS

#20

The lack of zoom and highlight/select on some mobile platforms (Iā€™m using an Android 4.4.4 and Chrome) remains a problem, and both mobile and desktop views are affected. Most likely effects for me will be mis-clicked actions. (Oops! Deleteed this by accident. Luckily thereā€™s an un-delete.)

The way things I do in one browser sometimes get reflected into another are also a little disconcerting. (Itā€™s decidedly odd to see a half-written post youā€™re still writing on one browser appear in another.)

73