| Author | Message | ||
| 1989 328 GTS (Vilamoura2002)
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Just a suggestion.Don't you think it would be a good idea to include a java chat online window? Wouldn't it help joining ferrarichat users? | ||
| Bill Sebestyen (Bill308)
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Rob, I think you've got it just about right. Easy on the eyes, simple, and functional. Bill | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
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The color showing on the previously used page title is helpful and looks ok in red. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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What's gone again Martin? | ||
| Martin (Miami348ts)
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it was there and now its gone again.... | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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Ok, it looks like the site is back functioning 100%. I apologize for any inconvenience. The root cause was trying to use MS FrontPage to edit some html pages and that doesn't work well with the message board software. Can't live with Microsoft and can't live without it. ;) | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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Although it's not working today, the "New Messages" functionality works the best in my opinion. It shows only the new messages since your last login. I look at which thread I want to view, get a rough guess at how many new messages have been posted to it since my last login (usually less than 4), then go to the thread and go down that many messages and then scroll/page up until I read them all. Thanks for the input! | ||
| Richard Stephens (Dino2400)
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Didn't mean to sound picky! Like I said, I'm very happy that such a place exists and someone like you provides it for us! I just figured that since you were asking... >The design of the site is for the masses. > However, I still try things to make everyone > happy. I've been known to ignore minor mac display problems on things I design/build/manage myself, so you'll get no complaint from me if you totally ignore it, ha! >I know I'm one of the few message boards that > puts the most recent message first. I can't > believe everyone else doesn't do it my way. > 90% of the time I enter a thread, it's not for > the first time. So the most efficient way to >get where you need to be is having the most > recent messages first. Many of our threads are >over 30 messages long. This is great if you can check the forum often enough that all of the new messages can fit on one screen - you can then read them bottom one first, the one on top of that next, etc. But what if, say, three long new messages have been posted since you last read that thread: the first guy asked a question, the second guy answered it and the third guy added more info. Do you read the messages out of order? I.e. newest first, then the one posted before that, then the one before that? I find it hard to follow a conversation that way! From a usability standpoint, most people seem to feel that the easiest way is new things at the bottom. That way one keeps hitting "page down" or the scroll bar until they see something they haven't seen before. Then they continue down, reading the messages in the order they are posted so that they experience the conversation in a linear fashion, and only have to ever travel in one direction: down. I can see your point though: if we recheck the thread 10 times in its lifetime, we will have to pass by the first few messages 10 times. But even quickly scanning by these words helps the user remember what has been said already (thus reducing similar posts) so personally I think it's worth it. Your way does mean we don't have to pass by any older messages again, and I can see why you like it. I guess the only negatives are that most people aren't used to it and that it means we pass by every long new message at least three times: once when we are scanning down the page looking for the first thing we don't recognize, then again as we back up the page towards the next message we need to read, and then again as we pass by it again going back up to the next message above it. (i'm not sure that makes sense: just go to any thread with like 10 posts in it and count how many times you pass by the 5th post before you are done reading all of them: of course as long as you remember that 5th post, you will never have to read it ever again using this newer messages on top method we have here.). Once again, just giving an opinion - certainly not unhappy: it works great as it is! thanks, Rich | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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Wow Rich, you are a picky one. 1) The scroll bars don't appear on my frames at 1024 by 768. I have to have the scroll bars for all the 800 by 600 users. As far as the mac is concerned, people still use a mac? ;) Just joking. You can follow the link on the counter and see what most people are using for browser and resolution. The % of mac users is also very small. The design of the site is for the masses. However, I still try things to make everyone happy. 2) I know I'm one of the few message boards that puts the most recent message first. I can't believe everyone else doesn't do it my way. 90% of the time I enter a thread, it's not for the first time. So the most efficient way to get where you need to be is having the most recent messages first. Many of our threads are over 30 messages long. 3) You can personally adjust your frames the way you want them. Only problem is you have to do this every visit. 4) If you read farther down in this thread you can see why we went away from the solid backgrounds. Thanks! | ||
| Richard Stephens (Dino2400)
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one more question: is it possible to have the newest messages at the bottom? Reading top to bottom is more usual than bottom to top which requires lots of extra scrolling (i.e. up to the top of each message, then down again if it is long, etc.). This is the only forum I have every seen that puts the latest messages to the top of the older messages in a thread. Just wondering... -Rich | ||
| Richard Stephens (Dino2400)
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Have you seen how it looks on the Mac in IE? Not quite the same as on the PC. The ad in the left frame doesn't show up for one thing, and there is not enough space between the words 'register or edit" and "ferrari chat" in the left frame, and a mysterious gap between "model list" and "links". Also: How about removing the scroll bars in the left frame? I get them in IE on both Mac and PC at 1024x768, and they take up a lot of space. (I suspect that the ad size is wider than the width you have set for that frame: no point in having an add wider than you'd like that frame to be because none of us will ever scroll over to see the right side of the ad. Therefore I'd suggest either putting smaller ads, or increasing the size of the left frame to exceed the ad size, then the scroll bars will be gone.) From a design perspective, the borders around the two frames could go away as well - If you really want to distinguish between the two frames, a thin vertical dividing line between left and right frames would be plenty. Different colored backgrounds is another common way to distinguish between the navigation and content frames. Just my opinion. Any way you set it up, it is a marvelous asset to us all. Thanks! -Rich | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
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I think any color is fine just so it shows what page you were previously on. | ||
| Michael A. Niles (Man90tr)
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Good idea, I liked the change in color to prompt me that a new message was there. Red would be fine. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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I made the font black. Before it would be a blue if it was a link you hadn't gone to yet and then purple after you had visited it. I'm not sure if that's what you are talking about? It is easy to make it two different colors for if you have visited it or not. Maybe black and red? | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
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I don't know if anyone has noticed it, I won't ask a question, when you go back say from Tech. Q&A to Gen Diss. the Tech. Q&A used to be a different color so you knew that's the page you were just on. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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All the messages from the removed sections are still available in the database. The search, new messages, last day, and last week functionality isn't working right now, but it should be back up within a few days. | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
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The White bar with the red and green letters really is much better. It changed on my screen this A.M. . If the bar on the left continues through each page at least it will be less noticeable. | ||
| William_Huber (Solipsist)
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Rob, Nice update. I like the white background With the green & red letters. I hope other will agree witrh me. Keep up the great work! | ||
| Ben Lobenstein 90 TR (Benjet)
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Rob - Please archive the 110 postings from "Concours, Track Days, and Autocross", before you dump the section, so we don't lose any info that may have been valuable. Thanks, -Ben | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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The search problem may be related to something else, I've sent an email to the developer and will let you know. Thanks. | ||
| Pauli Salmu (Psalmu)
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Is it just me or is the search currently not working? "Sorry, your search for ferrari did not match any pages." (That's just a funny example, not what I was actually trying to find :-) | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
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Rob, As I indicated before, Why not leave the red bar on the Ferrari Chat. Com page only? Do we need it on every page? One of my suggestions. Magoo | ||
| BretM (Bretm)
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Pretty cool. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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How could I of ever doubted anyone? Now that I've implemented some of your suggestions I agree it's a better design. Please keep the suggestions coming. 800 users can make this a better site than just 1. Some other changes... 1) Very soon there will be a neat Classified section to post for sale, wanted, and special events. I think you'll like the functionality and the ability to post pictures with your add. For example, you can look on one page at 8 cars for sale with a large thumbnail pic on each one. That's why I've removed the For Sale and Wanted folders. However, those messages are still in the database if you need to search for something. 2) After another one of our user's great suggestions of having a Regional Events/Info folder, I think we can now get rid of the Concours, Track Days, and Autocross folder. This section only had 110 total postings over the past year. 3) The spell checker was removed by the message board developer on the last release. I'll see if there's a way to get it back. I'm really trying hard to Keep It Simple. Please keep all the suggestions coming. | ||
| stu cordova (Balataboy)
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Nice Rob - New change is very nice! I like the colors much better and the white is much softer on the eyes! | ||
| Ryan Bell (Ryan99f355)
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Hi there. I'm new to the board, but yeah I think it looks pretty nice. I'd love to see this in an Ultimate Bulletin Board or Zeroforum configuration, but this is pretty good too.  | ||
| 1989 328 GTS (Vilamoura2002)
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Rob, I like the page very much.And I think that is the oppinion of everyone. About the background you can make an horizontal 2/3 colour background, calculating the size of text so that it goes in exactly on each colour. Of course text is easier in #FFFFFF A java script background can be randomly made as well. Have a look at New Page 1 this has to be changed. I know how many hours you'll have to spend in front of your PC until you get want you really want. So, enjoy while you do it. That's the best way. | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
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I noticed if you click on the "Topics" button, all you will see is the messages, the red tool bar is no longer there, no matter what topic. | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
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Rob, The one thing I do find bothersome is the red bar following you on the Gen. Ferrari Disscussion page and also the Technical Q&A page. If it could be kept to the Ferrari Chat. Com page it would not be distracting when you are commenting on the various subjects under these headings. Like it is always present in the left eye vision. The site still operates in a easy going, simple way that makes it great. I just find the constant red bar objectionable. Thanks, Magoo | ||
| Awang (Wang)
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Hey I'm just happy I get this site .... | ||
| stu cordova (Balataboy)
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Rob - also, not taht itz a big deel, butt what evar happin to tha spell check? I hate looken lik an ideot cuz i caint speall! | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
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How about just rotate the background color. Rosso Corsa today, Fly Yellow tomorrow, Azzuro California next week, etc. Looks just fine in red, Rob. | ||
| david schirmer (David)
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Rob, I like the single color field. Maybe it could be toned down a bit so it doesn't fry everyones eyes. The Italian flag theme was a nice thought but I always felt it made the type a bit difficult to read. I think that this site is a good example of function taking precedence over gratuitous design elements. | ||
| martin J weiner,M.D. (Mw360)
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No- I'm anti-communist! | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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I'm loving the red, but I can tell it's not going to last. I'll try working with the Italian flag some more and making it look more professional. Is there anyone that likes the red better? *sigh* | ||
| Timothy J. Dressel (Tjd)
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Rob, Looks good. But one little problem. I'm sometimes reviewing the postings at work when I should be making $ for my employer. That red band really sticks out. Heretofore, I've just narrowed the window and horizontally scrolled the image to the white area. Now I need to totally shrink the window. --tim d | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
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Yeah, If that bright red bar is going to be there all the time it is distracting. It interrupts your concentration on the comments. Maybe I'm wrong but I didn't think we had the advertisement along side the comment or thread page before did we? I thought it was only on the opening pages. | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
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The red catches my eye too, but then it won't let it go! | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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Pauli, I'll try to update that tonight. I would like to get more green and yellow in also, my personal opinion is I like how the red catches your eye. I'll first try to play with font colors and some other stuff to see if you like. | ||
| BretM (Bretm)
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Yeah I kind of like the tri color more, it was relaxing and easy to look at, the red kind of jumps out and grabs your eye. I like the red, white, green theme. Maybe instead of blue lettering it could be red or green. You could also use yellow to in some cases, the color of Modena. Just some thoughts. | ||
| Pauli Salmu (Psalmu)
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May I suggest a really tiny improvement in user friendliness: I think earlier the frameset page title was "FerrariChat.com" which was very clear in browser's Back and Forward lists but after the update it says only "New Page 1". Should be easy to restore... | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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opps, I accidentally got rid of For Sale. I'll get all of those messages back on there tonight. The problem with the tri-color is it's an image background instead of a straight background code for one color like red. Also, the color transitions lined up weird with the text. We'll see what everyone says, I can always figure something out and get it to work. | ||
| Mitchel DeFrancis (4re308)
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I like it Rob, maybe throw a few Cavallinos around the screen! | ||
| Craig Dewey (Craigfl)
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So what happened to "For Sale" ?????? | ||
| William_Huber (Solipsist)
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I guess change cannot avoided, but I liked the Italian tri-color background. There is something missing in the red background. | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
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Rob, What Willis may be saying is that it is a softer look. However you probably changed it to show off the advertising better which needs to be considered. | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
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Bring back the Italian tri-color background on the the left side. | ||
| stu cordova (Balataboy)
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Hey Rob, Looks very good - nice and clean - I like that! Simple and very user friendly! Glad you didn't do anything drastic! Thanks -Stu | ||
| Michael A. Niles (Man90tr)
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Looks great!! You DA man. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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Do you like it? Please give your feedback. I think it looks a little more professional. Also, I can tell from my hit counter that about 30% of you have your computers set at 800 by 600 resolution. FerrariChat.com and in my opinion, other sites look better if you use a resolution of something greater (like 1024 by 768). You can change your resolution by right clicking on your desktop and going to properties and then settings (Windows98). |