Some recent changes to the site

I got the keys to the admin panel, so I took it out for a spin on the weekend. Here are some recent changes you should be aware of. Some of them were really, really minor, so I'll probably forget them. If you disagree with any please let me know.

1. Increased the posts per page to 40 (previously 15). This means threads won't be as long in pages, and pages will initially take slightly longer to load. However it means fewer times to click "Next page", allowing you to catch up on a long thread quicker. The maximum setting for this is 50, and if reaction is positive I'll crank it up.

2. Multi-Quote enabled. Thanks to Dash for figuring out how to use it. Basically, you can respond to a number of posts in a single reply. Just click on the icon (it will turn a darker shade to let you know a post has been selected for multi-quoting). When you've selected all the ones you want to quote, go to the top of the page and hit the button. I am not sure, but I would not be surprised if you could only multi-quote posts that are on the same page (another good reason for setting the posts-per-page limit higher).

3. Forum width has been increased to 90% of the page. Huh? You probably won't notice, but the grey area to the left/right of the forum page went from 12% of the screen width (each) to 5%. Gives you a little more viewing area, especially useful if you are still using an old clunker 4:3 CRT.

4. Set limits for resizing of embedded images. If the image is wider than 1024 pixels or taller than 800 pixels, it will be resized. I don't know about you, but I've had problems when people posted wide images -- my browser simply truncated them. I had to right-click and select View Image to see the full one. This should help. Perhaps 1024 is still a little too wide, since we have 10% of the window for the grey borders, 200 pixels for the column holding the Latest Topics and Poll, plus a few pixels here and there for space between columns and such. Let me know what you think.

Good ideas, all to improve the forum which is really what we all want to see happen. This is a great place and will only get better with you guys making these improvements.

I've been noticing that it is taking me longer to load the reply to a PM page. I wonder if it is something on my end or not?

Dash wrote:Good ideas, all to improve the forum which is really what we all want to see happen. This is a great place and will only get better with you guys making these improvements.

I've been noticing that it is taking me longer to load the reply to a PM page. I wonder if it is something on my end or not?

I have not done anything in that area.

Strictly speaking, these changes are "improvements"; just tweaks of existing settings. There are so many different places to tweak that it's impossible to know all of them (and understand them as well). For example, Clutch always knew there was a Multi-Quote feature, but didn't know how it worked, so he never enabled it. You figured it out, and here we are.

A lot of the other changes would have to do with usability, and for that we need feedback. For example, I had issues in the past with wide images posted inline, so when I saw the setting for resizing images beyond a certain size, I tweaked it. Like I said, it's probably still too high, but at least we know it's there.

wprager wrote:

Dash wrote:Good ideas, all to improve the forum which is really what we all want to see happen. This is a great place and will only get better with you guys making these improvements.

I've been noticing that it is taking me longer to load the reply to a PM page. I wonder if it is something on my end or not?

I have not done anything in that area.

Strictly speaking, these changes are "improvements"; just tweaks of existing settings. There are so many different places to tweak that it's impossible to know all of them (and understand them as well). For example, Clutch always knew there was a Multi-Quote feature, but didn't know how it worked, so he never enabled it. You figured it out, and here we are.

A lot of the other changes would have to do with usability, and for that we need feedback. For example, I had issues in the past with wide images posted inline, so when I saw the setting for resizing images beyond a certain size, I tweaked it. Like I said, it's probably still too high, but at least we know it's there.

Oh, it has to turn a darker shade for the multi quote to work, I was getting frustrated.

Actually, not really a darker shade. The lettering is reddish or pinkish or whatever, with a grey background. When you click it, the background turns a similar shade to that of the letters, from this:



to this:



It's a bit too subtle for my liking.

I just changed it to the other available style, which I believe is a bit more obvious.
and

Unfortunately these are a little larger, but I think they are more in line with the style of the "Thanks" button.

It also has a +/- in the icons. + means it's not selected (so clicking on it will add it).

wprager wrote:Actually, not really a darker shade. The lettering is reddish or pinkish or whatever, with a grey background. When you click it, the background turns a similar shade to that of the letters, from this:



to this:



It's a bit too subtle for my liking.

I just changed it to the other available style, which I believe is a bit more obvious.
and

Unfortunately these are a little larger, but I think they are more in line with the style of the "Thanks" button.

I kinda liked the red multi link as it added a little colour to the screen and make it no so blah with all the grey.

wprager wrote:

Dash wrote:Good ideas, all to improve the forum which is really what we all want to see happen. This is a great place and will only get better with you guys making these improvements.

I've been noticing that it is taking me longer to load the reply to a PM page. I wonder if it is something on my end or not?

I have not done anything in that area.

Strictly speaking, these changes are "improvements"; just tweaks of existing settings. There are so many different places to tweak that it's impossible to know all of them (and understand them as well). For example, Clutch always knew there was a Multi-Quote feature, but didn't know how it worked, so he never enabled it. You figured it out, and here we are.

A lot of the other changes would have to do with usability, and for that we need feedback. For example, I had issues in the past with wide images posted inline, so when I saw the setting for resizing images beyond a certain size, I tweaked it. Like I said, it's probably still too high, but at least we know it's there.

wprager wrote:Actually, not really a darker shade. The lettering is reddish or pinkish or whatever, with a grey background. When you click it, the background turns a similar shade to that of the letters, from this:



to this:



It's a bit too subtle for my liking.

I just changed it to the other available style, which I believe is a bit more obvious.
and

Unfortunately these are a little larger, but I think they are more in line with the style of the "Thanks" button.

wprager wrote:It also has a +/- in the icons. + means it's not selected (so clicking on it will add it).

Phoenix30 wrote:

wprager wrote:Actually, not really a darker shade. The lettering is reddish or pinkish or whatever, with a grey background. When you click it, the background turns a similar shade to that of the letters, from this:



to this:



It's a bit too subtle for my liking.

I just changed it to the other available style, which I believe is a bit more obvious.
and

Unfortunately these are a little larger, but I think they are more in line with the style of the "Thanks" button.

I kinda liked the red multi link as it added a little colour to the screen and make it no so blah with all the grey.

Here I go, multi quoting like a mad man!

yay maybe this new multi quote will cut down on the number of post spezD gets

Phoenix30 wrote:

wprager wrote:Actually, not really a darker shade. The lettering is reddish or pinkish or whatever, with a grey background. When you click it, the background turns a similar shade to that of the letters, from this:



to this:



It's a bit too subtle for my liking.

I just changed it to the other available style, which I believe is a bit more obvious.
and

Unfortunately these are a little larger, but I think they are more in line with the style of the "Thanks" button.

I kinda liked the red multi link as it added a little colour to the screen and make it no so blah with all the grey.

Then by all means grab a copy of the "On" version of it and edit it to make the slightly-red background something more solid. Something to make the difference between the two more noticeable.

When you're done, send it to me and I'll try to figure out how to install it. I briefly tried changing it using Gimp, but that app really isn't very intuitive, and I have nothing else that's better here.

SpezDispenser wrote:

wprager wrote:

Dash wrote:Good ideas, all to improve the forum which is really what we all want to see happen. This is a great place and will only get better with you guys making these improvements.

I've been noticing that it is taking me longer to load the reply to a PM page. I wonder if it is something on my end or not?

I have not done anything in that area.

Strictly speaking, these changes are "improvements"; just tweaks of existing settings. There are so many different places to tweak that it's impossible to know all of them (and understand them as well). For example, Clutch always knew there was a Multi-Quote feature, but didn't know how it worked, so he never enabled it. You figured it out, and here we are.

A lot of the other changes would have to do with usability, and for that we need feedback. For example, I had issues in the past with wide images posted inline, so when I saw the setting for resizing images beyond a certain size, I tweaked it. Like I said, it's probably still too high, but at least we know it's there.

wprager wrote:Actually, not really a darker shade. The lettering is reddish or pinkish or whatever, with a grey background. When you click it, the background turns a similar shade to that of the letters, from this:



to this:



It's a bit too subtle for my liking.

I just changed it to the other available style, which I believe is a bit more obvious.
and

Unfortunately these are a little larger, but I think they are more in line with the style of the "Thanks" button.

wprager wrote:It also has a +/- in the icons. + means it's not selected (so clicking on it will add it).

Phoenix30 wrote:

wprager wrote:Actually, not really a darker shade. The lettering is reddish or pinkish or whatever, with a grey background. When you click it, the background turns a similar shade to that of the letters, from this:



to this:



It's a bit too subtle for my liking.

I just changed it to the other available style, which I believe is a bit more obvious.
and

Unfortunately these are a little larger, but I think they are more in line with the style of the "Thanks" button.

I kinda liked the red multi link as it added a little colour to the screen and make it no so blah with all the grey.

Here I go, multi quoting like a mad man!

You forgot this:

A couple of weeks back I tried to get this site a better ranking. I tried doing a google search for "nhl playoff hockey discussion" and GMHockey.com didn't show up. I checked up to around page 15 and still no sign of it. So I tried adding some more keywords, alt text to image tags, and various other tricks I've heard suggested. Checked it out a few days later -- a big fat nothing.

Well, just for fun, I tried it just now, and this is the result -- top of page 2!

That's awesome!

I knew someone did something when I googled it last week and it was a lot higher than I remembered it. Good job!

I bet we can get it higher....if i get the time I'll build an SEO list for you guys.