 sj |
||
|
||
From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes
|
|
|
Subject: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Max Date: 26 Jul 01 - 02:52 PM We're a week or two away from a new and improved Mudcat. Don't worry, nothing is very different, Pene and I just took all (well, most) of the suggestions over the last year or two and made functional improvements to the Mudcat. I just wanted to give you one more chance to put your two cents in so we can possibly include it into the new version. I'll try to list some of the things so not to waste time here. Pene and I will also edit this thread for efficiency. NEW FOR MUDCAT Much improved personal message management - Archive and Delete multiple messages, etc. Personal Messages and Quicklinks on every page (in the banner) No more AskSam - More powerful and efficient searching and will crash the server less. More Permathreads in a drop down (less space) - This is in response to a great suggestion in the Elixir thread about making sense of all the wonderful data here on the cat. Better space management and more consistent and intuitive naming of things. Better Links section Software upgrades to make Mudcat more reliable and faster Auction Update (easier to use, less confusion) Automatic formatting in Forum Messages (NO MORE BR's!!!!!!)
And we're gonna struggle to get these done in time: And if we can raise $150 for a great chat program Pene discovered. Hmmm... might be forgetting something. Anyhow, that's it for now. Let me know what else you greedy bastards might want. And NO, I'm not ready to go to member-only posting or IP addresses or email addresses or other GUEST deterrents at this time (I'm still thinking about that). |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Naemanson Date: 26 Jul 01 - 03:02 PM Hi Max, How about a system where the person who makes a thread gets that thread listed as a trace automatically on his/her personal page? This may be more complicated than it seems because of the guests' being able to make threads but not having personal pages. It's Doable. What do others think about this? - Max
By the way, when are you shipping me that CD cabinet full of CDs? *grin* You'll just have to come and get em - Max Brett |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Jul 01 - 03:16 PM As I have said, the Global Venue listings are already available via Mojam, but if a do-able one is going to be here, great. I was specifically interested in Mudcatters experiences and clubs in their local areas. One's they may have played or gone to. So if, say, Bill Sables were to come back over, and the club was perfect for his act, that we could try to get him a gig there. Sort of a Mudcat-as-a-collective-agent kind of thing - Max Seamus Kennedy has a tone of voice he uses when declining to perform requested songs not in his plan for a particular evening, or that he otherwise does not wish to do-- that tone says "I love ya but, nope, no way!" It conveys neatly that he is not operating a democracy, but maybe something even better. *G* So if it's a NOPE on any of the following, fine with me! Could the info on appropriate thread titling be shown on the Create a Thread page? Not sure I understand this. - Max Could the reasons why entering SOME screen name be shown for guests when they create a new post? Not really. - Max Could mailing an e-mail version of the FAQ or SOME welcome/orientation message become automatic when new members join, or could a volunteer take it on? Good Idea, I'll think about this one. - Max Could there be a link to see Member Profiles when reading a post, as an additional option besides reviewing all that person's posts? (LOTS of boards now do this.) We have a little of this in the new site, but I supose we could link it to a profile if they have one in the resources as well. Pene, can we do this? - Max I'll try to work that, and some other ideas I have for MP&I, into my ever-growing to-do list. --Jeff Could a "Save as Text File" button be added for an entire thread or single posts? Now you are just getting lazy. Though I may be able to do something for the whole threads. - Max Could you please NOT add emoticon buttons!?!?!?! No Problem! - Max And if the answer to any of these is NOPE-- whatever, Max, this is still the best site on the Net! ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Amos Date: 26 Jul 01 - 03:26 PM I'd like to be able to select personal archive items or sent messages and then save the whole lot locally either in HTML or plain text format. Alternatively I would like to be able to tell the server to mail me such a text file, if there was some barrier to local save scripting. Got to think about this one. I know where you are coming from, but it might just be too much a pain in the ass to pull off for the 1% that would use it. - Max
I dunno how I'm gonna break the bracket-p habit on my sig now, Max!! I'm so used to bracket peeing on the 'Cat that I don't even think about it! |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Jul 01 - 03:28 PM *G* Belay that Text Save thing, I just realized I can do that from IE with Save As. ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: SharonA Date: 26 Jul 01 - 03:38 PM "whatever, Max, this is still the best site on the Net! " Amen. The only "big thing" I'd like to see is to have the FAQ as a separate "blue letter" item in the banner, instead of first going into the Forum and then looking for the FAQ as a PermaThread. That was very confusing to me as a newbie. We modified its location and may add it to a few places. - Max
Nah, I like freedom and ease. The new PermaThread Tools should solve the problem from the other end. Plus Volunteers can now rename threads. - Max
That's an easy one. I'll make it an option. - Max
Thanks, Max, for all you do. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: MMario Date: 26 Jul 01 - 03:42 PM Amos's item is also available with "save link as" - at least on the PC side. (I don't know if Mac users have that option) I *would* really really really like to be able to date limit a forum search - as before or after a certain date - or between certain dates. - ditto for the thread filter. I'm not going to be able to do it in the supersearch due to limitations in the indexing software, but I can do it for the thread filter. - Max But what is planned sounds really exciting. especially the chat feature - as that may well reduce some of the threads that some people find objectionable. We have already received the contribution for the chat software. Thank you (should I mention who? No, you can admit it if you want, you know who you are.) But thank you very very much. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST,Claymore Date: 26 Jul 01 - 03:48 PM Max, I appreciate your forbearance on the Guest issue, as some of us who have never attempted to impersonate or obfiscate identities, still would like to read and contribute to this great site. Until my personal computer is up and running, I must spent portions of my lunch hour composing, and then submitting when I can. I know it's a privledge you extend, and I attempt to treat it as such. Thanks again... |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca Date: 26 Jul 01 - 03:49 PM Amos, I can do that (save as text file, or e-mail to myself), it's called a Text Browser. Makes such things really easy. Alternatively you can take WYSIWYG's suggestion of using the Save As, or you can cut-n-paste the e-mail into your word-processor/e-mail program. Max, thanks again for the wonderful job of hosting. I think I don't have any "buts". I assume the revamp will correct the "FIST" I get instead of "FIRST" on the searches. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Jul 01 - 03:52 PM No, Mmario, I think Amos is talking about batch saves after the fact, from archive, without opening each one up. Knowing you could do that would allow for a plan where you would archive only what you plan on keeping in a downloaded form later. Like, if I were to be able to tell the machine, "Save me all the messages I sent to (and got from) Mmario, in 2001" and put them here on this drive or on a CD, etc. How about you all learn SQL and I'll let you query the database freely for whatever you want. I can just see it now, SQL practice Thread. I'll just disable UPDATE, INSERT and DELETE functions. So the above SQL statement would be something like: [SELECT * FROM PERSONALMESSAGES WHERE FromMember=MMario AND MESSAGEDATE IS GT 12/31/2000 AND MESSAGEDATE IS LT now()] Note, that I absolutely won't do this (the SQL thing). But I will see what else I can do. - Max ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: catspaw49 Date: 26 Jul 01 - 03:54 PM I really don't give a rat's ass Max, I'll be here one way or another.........much to the chagrin of some. I really would like at least a reminder on the "Create a Thread" page to get people to at least look for a previous thread somehow. WE have nine threads on the movie "Songcatcher" which I think may be more people than have seen the movie............Something in big bold red letters would be nice and it could read:
LOOK DUMBASS.......DON'T START A FREAKIN' THREAD UNLESS YOU'VE CHECKED TO SEE IF AN EXISTING THREAD MIGHT ANSWER YOUR SIMPLEASS QUESTION OR BE ABOUT THE SAME THING AS THE ONE YOU ARE SO ANXIOUS TO START. FAILURE TO DO THIS WILL ERASE ALL MEMORY FROM YOUR HARD DRIVE SO IT WILL MATCH THE MEMORY OF YOUR BRAIN, OR LACK THEREOF.............or words to that effect.....................just a thought......... Words to that effect have been done on the new site. - Max Spaw |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 26 Jul 01 - 03:59 PM Nicely done MAX!!! Congradulations all the way around. How about an MP3 section? I would love to do this. The technology is not even half the battle though. Logistics in reviewing material for appropriateness, copyright, format, etc would kill our volunteers (or they would kill me). It may also bring unwanted attention to The Mudcat from Publishers. ASCAP found me with a worm searching for media files. Gosh, though I sure would like to do this. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST,artbrooks@work Date: 26 Jul 01 - 04:05 PM There are some technical directions that seem to be repeated regularly, such as how to insert a "blue clicky" and how to load/play a MIDI file. Perhaps these could be put into the FAQ someplace. Or maybe they're already there and I just can't find them. Its in there - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Amos Date: 26 Jul 01 - 04:09 PM I can handle individual threads and messages just fine, MM -- I'd like to automatically select a slew of "Sents" or "Archive" items and save them all of into one contiguous text file on my own hard disk. A. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Kim C Date: 26 Jul 01 - 04:10 PM The blue clicky instructions are in the FAQ- that's where I found them. Under HTML something or other. What about secure e-commerce for t-shirts, donations, auction items? Got it. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Marion Date: 26 Jul 01 - 04:20 PM What I think would be nice is if the option to limit a Supersearch to just Forum or just DT were there on the forum's main page, and not just offered when doing a second search. Thanks for asking Max, Marion This is done in the new site. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 26 Jul 01 - 04:20 PM Aw, Spaw, just when I really thought you were a pussy cat! Thank you Max, for your forebearance towards your 'Guests'; most of us are here to do our bit to help. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Mark Cohen Date: 26 Jul 01 - 04:27 PM Amen to all the praises above. (There, got that religious stuff out of my system. I feel a lot better now...) Everything sounds wonderful, Max and Jeff, not that I've minded the 'Cat as it is. The one thing I didn't see mentioned, which I'd asked Max about earlier, is a "preview" button for posts. This is done in the new site. - Max
Maybe that won't be as critical with the improved formatting, but it still might be nice to read over what you've written before sending it out for all to see. ('Spaw doesn't need this, of course. No amount of proofreading will fix all the dumbass things that are in his posts. Now maybe if Cleigh had an edit button...!) |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Noreen Date: 26 Jul 01 - 04:35 PM I second Catspaw's suggestion, though I possibly wouldn't have worded it quite that way... A compulsory (but avoidable for experienced users) direction/ blue clicky to the Digitrad/Forum search before a new thread is started, would be of benefit. Otherwise, as the exponentional growth in user numbers continues, so will Songcatcher threads... :0) Thanks for asking, Max and Jeff. Noreen |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Noreen Date: 26 Jul 01 - 04:59 PM Brett's idea re tracing personal threads might be useful- particularly for new folks who don't yet know about tracing their requests. Wouldn't do any harm. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Jul 01 - 05:08 PM Max, in reply to you: Could mailing an e-mail version of the FAQ or SOME welcome/orientation message become automatic when new members join, or could a volunteer take it on? Good Idea, I'll think about this one. - Max I volunteer to do it-- using some of the copy I have shared with you in the past, know what I mean? *G* I have been to a lot of boards this year-- I think I know the range of approaches people have used. I'd work with a 'Cat Committee to develop a standard one, too. (A Kittee?) I accept your efforts, thank you. Shouldn't be too hard, Joe has already done much. - Max Could the info on appropriate thread titling be shown on the Create a Thread page? Not sure I understang this. - Max Spaw's idea, only worded as we already have it somewhere in the FAQ or somedamnwhar. And please, Permathread titles if appearing at the top of the forum, in RED so people SEE it. We have them in a drop down box now, at the top of the forum. It is more obvious, yes. I will also include it in the QuickLinks and possibly elsewhere. - Max ~S~
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jeri Date: 26 Jul 01 - 05:31 PM I'd like to echo MMario who was echoing me, who may have been echoing someone else about a "from: ___ to: ___" date option for searches. When I look for something I wrote in 1999, I have to search for everything I've ever written and it takes forever...well, nearly I would also suggest you post a prominent warning message about Catspaw. Maybe you could just change his name to Catspaw49 (Official Mudcat Grumpy Old Fart) ;-) Gosh Max, it would be nice to have the number of PMs we have on the "New Messages Since" page as well as the main page. It'll be on every page. --Jeff On providing the FAQ to newcomers, I'd suggest a welcome message on the page they get after joining, with a link to the FAQ. A welcome message being e-mailed wouldn't be a bad idea, but the FAQ is way too big and would have to be sent as an attachment or an un-indexed text file that someone would have to re-write. That's what I was thinking too, Jeri. A welcome PM like that should work.--Jeff I was thinking of an email containing a link to the FAQ and a record of their login and password so you old farts quit forgetting them. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: hesperis Date: 26 Jul 01 - 05:46 PM Is there any possibility of choosing whether to refresh the same thread you just posted to OR returning to the thread index? Sometimes I would like to go immediately back to the same thread, without waiting for the index to load and then clicking and waiting for the thread to load... I've heard this one before. I think it would be pretty easy to put a check box with the message post to let the user choose. I'll try that out. - Max Aside from that, everything looks great! Thanks, Max! WYSIWYG - "Could a "Save as Text File" button be added for an entire thread or single posts?" Yes, I see you have discovered the right-click. I have a few of the good old BS threads saved like that. (Anyone want most of "Killing the thread"?) Also, more advanced M$ word can import html if you need to save it in doc or txt form. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Jul 01 - 05:55 PM Jeri, I would not send them the FAQ itself, most likely, but the intro to it and a link to it. The most effective e-mails I have gotten as welcomes have come a few days after joining, reminding me to come back, with links to click to see a few things the easy way. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Jul 01 - 05:59 PM ... and one's sign-in info. You save it all (if you are smart) in a Personal Admin file so you can recall who the heck you are wherever you have been, and how you signed in! *G* Wish I'd saved that MyDocsonline! admin file... I have about 30M lost there. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Sorcha Date: 26 Jul 01 - 06:00 PM I don't like Naemeson's idea of automatically tracing threads I have started. I prefer to choose the ones I trace; I don't necessarily trace all the threads I start.
I'm with Amos on the <> thing--it's gotten to be such a habit here (grin) and THANKS for NOT adding emoticons!!
UBB has an option to edit ONLY your OWN threads....no one elses. If we had that we wouldn't have to but the elves to fix typos, html, etc. Maybe we won't need so much html now, but how else would I have ever learned it? We won't be doing that. The preview function should help. --Jeff Will we still need ampersand codes for tildes, fadas, etc and will ampersand code still work? Yes. Yes. --Jeff |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: hesperis Date: 26 Jul 01 - 06:01 PM Yeah, will other html still work? Yes. --Jeff |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Sorcha Date: 26 Jul 01 - 06:08 PM and, will we still need html in PMs? The automatic line breaks will work in PMs too. --Jeff |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: katlaughing Date: 26 Jul 01 - 06:13 PM I don't want all of the threads I've started automatically traced, either, thanks. This is really exciting! Thanks, again! luvyakat |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Steve in Idaho Date: 26 Jul 01 - 06:18 PM I'd opt for leaving the guest folks alone. I am not signed on at home and have to come in as a guest - now if you could let me have the same sign on at two different locations . . . . That I would Love!!! We have had that option for years. You just have to login with the same name and password at each location. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: nutty Date: 26 Jul 01 - 06:22 PM Will the new chat software facilitate Hearme/Paltalk type gatherings? If not, will the Paltalk info still be included in the FAQ's? There will be no audio in our chat, so yes we will keep the Hearme/Paltalk functions. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Sorcha Date: 26 Jul 01 - 06:26 PM Norton, you can do that now. It's easy. Just do the "re set cookie" thing at home. I could do it from the Cop Shop, but for obvious reasons, I don't. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: SeanM Date: 26 Jul 01 - 06:41 PM As to the "auto trace of threads you start"... Would it be possible to add it as a checkbox as part of the 'start a new thread' process? That way both sides could have it - it you want to immediately trace the thread, click the box. If not, don't? That might be cool. Really just using the trace link on the threads page isn't so bad, especially if you open it in a new window. --Jeff And if you could make a 'slap' button... someone does something deserving, you hit it, and their computer reaches out and slaps 'em upside the head... :^) --Jeff Disable mine, of course... M |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull Date: 26 Jul 01 - 06:58 PM I think Mudcat is the best site on the whole internet already, and Max deserves some kind of award for making this site. The Webbies ignore me every year, sigh. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: IvanB Date: 26 Jul 01 - 07:47 PM Max, along the lines of Spaw's suggestion, I'd like to go a bit further. I suggest the subject of each new thread be put through the Supersearch before the thread is created and THEN the maker get's Spaw's message if there are hits. I realize the logic for this would be really convoluted, but if it's at all possible....
We had that as a function for a while, but occasionally someone would try to use funky characters that would throw the search into error and confuse the user. I suppose more advanced error handling could be programmed, but I think this makes a good example of the challenges of updating the Mudcat. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Den Date: 26 Jul 01 - 08:08 PM I think the from - to search idea is good This is done in the new site - Max and I'd like to echo some others by saying thank you to Max and Co. for a great site. I've learned, laughed and cried here, so thanks again, BTW Max can you fix toasters. Den Probably - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Amos Date: 26 Jul 01 - 08:20 PM The "Save This Link As" when applied to "View Your Sent Messages" only saves the list of sent messages. Not the next link out, the messages themselves. I can also save those one at a time. But not multiply. I am going to try a whacker on it to see if I tailor the page I can produce just the HTML of those message displays as a local composite file. Max, I hadn't realized you were running an SQL db behind all this. How can I sneak in some SQL practice??? It's all SQL Amos, all of it. I sure won't teach you, that's for sure. - Max
:>) A |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 26 Jul 01 - 08:29 PM Any questions I might have had seem already to have been answered. If it's not already dealt with, I'd like to suggest, specifically, a more prominent link to the Midi Pages; a lot of people have no idea that they exist, hidden away in that dropdown box. Good Point, I'll think about it. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: IvanB Date: 26 Jul 01 - 08:44 PM Could the drop down 'Category' box on the links page be alphabetized? The Links section will be totally revamped. There is a lot of great links in there, and links (by concept) are what the net is all about. We will make them much easier to deal with and make them more prominent. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: catspaw49 Date: 26 Jul 01 - 08:49 PM Hmmmmmm..............Something missing from this thread and I just can't seem to figure out what. Somehow I get a feeling that............HEY!!!! I know what it is now.........Geez, it's so obvious!...Where's the harpster at? That's what is missing alright......HARPGIRL!.........Geeziz, no sign of her anywhere..................Guess I'll have to post one on her behalf.....Here goes: Max, I want some things too but I have read the changes you're making and I think they are all good except that they are different and that makes them changes that I don't like even though the changes I do like are okay they really suck because you made a change and I liked it the way it was before. I don't mean the way it is now but the way it was before you made it like it is now and I'd prefer it not as it was even then, but even more different than two times before that except the change from now would be different then it is now and that would really suck because I don't like it when things are different as they will be if you change frome the way they are now even if they are better than the way they were then or tweo times before then which doesn't make then seem like I know they will be. I guess I'll just have to get used to it..........harpgirl There now! That's sooo much better! Everything in the thread that goes in the thread, except for the part where she says "Bite me Spaw." Spaw (:<)) I'll let this post stay cause it's pretty much a tradition by now. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Jul 01 - 08:50 PM Max, in reply to this-- I volunteer to do it-- using some of the copy I have shared with you in the past, know what I mean? *G* I have been to a lot of boards this year-- I think I know the range of approaches people have used. I'd work with a 'Cat Committee to develop a standard one, too. (A Kittee?) I accept your efforts, thank you. Shouldn't be too hard, Joe has already done much. - Max I will be in touch with you and Joe first as soon as we get back from vacation mid-August, after we all see and enjoy the new format, about creating the welcome process based on Joe's excellent work. Perhaps Jeff will have some ideas on how to work the auto-notify thing about new signups. A key will be making it brief and snappy with links to lengthier stuff. In the meantime I have e-mailed you a sample from another message board community. I'll see if I have any others saved, for the Kittee to discuss, and batch them for review. I promise, we will keep it simple. People who want to join the Kittee should PM or e-mail me. I have some idears on invites as well. ~Susan Thanks Susan. Joe has some work ahead of him to change the FAQ due to the new changes (no AskSam, different color references, auto line breaks, etc) so he may need our help. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 26 Jul 01 - 09:32 PM I'm looking forward to this. Touch wood. Most times I try to improve things they immediately go wrong in ways I hadn't expected and don't understand. Changing strings on a guitar is about my limit. But Max isn't like that.
Most of the things I'd have asked for seem to have come up in this thread. In most cases they are on the way, it seems.
I've always wished there was some way of getting a snapshot of the Mudcat on some particular date. Time travelling, so to speak. Then we could see if it's true about the Good Old Days. I suspect it isn't practicable though.
NO, this is not possible because of the original (non-linear) design of the Mudcat. While you will be able to filter on a particular date, messages posted later to those threads will show up. Threads have dates AND Messages have dates and its difficult to have them cooperate. The other thing I'd like us to have would be an ability to use the filter more selectively. At present you can choose to show only BS: threads, for example, but you can't use it to not include BS: threads, or whatever. Maybe with something like that people might make more use of the prefix system, and the effect would be that fewer people got grumpy about various things. (Well, sod them - but when they get grumpy it messes up the watering hole for all of us.) I worked on this before, I'll see if I can incorporate it into the new version.
And thank you Max for having made this site the only one of its kind that is fun and easy to navigate. Well, the only one of its kind, actually. (And that's without the coming improvements.) |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull Date: 26 Jul 01 - 09:35 PM I can only think of 1 thing,= If there is a link from one thread to another, is there a way to tell us how many posts in the new thread? eg Click Here(45 posts) or similar.Sometimes long threads freeze up my box and I have to reset it.thanks.john Ps If this is not possible, its ok, I am hoping to get a proper computer eventualy.john That would really be up to the person who posted that link, plus it will change over time. It would be far too much overhead if we programmed a worm to look for thread links and constantly update them. And people make mistakes where computers do not which would inevitably confuse any program we could make. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: JohnB Date: 26 Jul 01 - 10:00 PM Who said they couldn't make a better wheel ! Please leave the Guest's alone though. For several reasons, I do not want to have to set a cookie up on my work computer, which is mostly where I post from as Guest JohnB. JohnB |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Mrrzy Date: 26 Jul 01 - 10:17 PM I like the idea that I could learn SQL here the way I'm learning html, by having a non-work related motivation like searching your db. If people can do it, it'd be great if we could do it, if you will. Sounds like fun, sure, but it is a massive security no-no. Volunteers spend way to much time with your HTML errors. I can just imagine. ha - Max
I also like dear Naemanson's tracing idea, but I read that I'm in the minority so I guess I really like the idea of a checkbox for trace or not when creating threads. Can you have the checkbox only in members-started threads, as in, if guest prefix then no checkbox? (If they dunno what tracing is, let'm read a FAQ... or is that being mean to the newbies?) Also, this is without question the only site I've found for hanging out that truly enriches my life by virtue of its being, and of its way of being. My visual forays through its landscape amaze me. By merely focusing my eyeballs here (since reading is overlearned and cannot be avoided in a literate human), my brain, body and soul are fulfilled, almost as thoroughly and basically as if by oxygenation. It's the icing on the cake of life, and can be the cake, nay, the very bread, if that's what you need. It moves me to poetry, to music, to song... which, knowing my background, is a pretty fur piece, I might add. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 26 Jul 01 - 10:21 PM Is there a way to tell us how many posts in the new thread? eg Click Here(45 posts) or similar.
That would really be up to the person who posted that link, plus it will change over time.
Good idea - I haven't seen anyone do it yet, but I will from now on any time I start a "part 2" of an overlong thread, and I hope others will do so as well.
While you will be able to filter on a particular date, messages posted later to those threads will show up. So will it in fact be possible to open up a forum list of threads relating to a particular date? Because that was what I was meaning, and it'd be brilliant - I wouldn't see any point in excluding later posts to the those threads. (In fact if that were done it would be a nuisance, cutting off discussion arbitarily at that date - very frustrating to anyone reading the thread.) But I've probably misunderstood what you meant. Hi, Kevin - Move your mouse pointer over this link and you will see in the bottom-left corner of your browser that it had 80 messages when I posted it. Move your mouse over any thread link on the Forum Menu, and you'll see the same. Now, take a look at the address bar at the top of your browser and you'll see this: http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=37037&messages=55If you change the number after threadid=, you can go to any thread we've ever had. Try http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=60, for example. I'll do a major revision of the FAQ after I get back from Ireland in mid-August. That should give time for Max to get the new stuff posted and for people to post suggestions/concerns to the FAQ thread. -Joe Offer- |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Sorcha Date: 26 Jul 01 - 10:24 PM "people make mistakes where computers do not".....ya gotta love it!! Laffing! PS--what the hell is SQL?? SQL stands for Structured Query Language. SQL allows users to access data in relational database management systems, such as Oracle, Sybase, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server, Access, and others, by allowing users to describe the data the user wishes to see. SQL also allows users to define the data in a database, and manipulate that data. A good intro is here. The whole Mudcat is stored in a Database, and SQL is what puts it in and gets it out so we can enjoy ourselves in this lovely forum. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Charlie Baum Date: 26 Jul 01 - 10:46 PM I hope that the chat program will work from Macs and other non-Windows operating systems. It will. --Jeff --Charlie Baum |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Jul 01 - 10:46 PM OK Max. I promise it will be simple, inclusive, and integrate various people's viewpoints. People with ideas and opinions about proper welcome of new members can contact me to be included in the process of making this so. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: JohnInKansas Date: 26 Jul 01 - 11:01 PM Re question from Hesperis about "go-backs" If I understand what she's asking for(?) If you are using Internet Explorer, there is a tiny little arrow beside the back button (In the IE banner at the top). If you click the "down arrow" instead of the big "Back" button, it will roll down a list of the last few places you have been Click on one of the "places" in the list, and it will go directly there Saves waiting for a refresh and re-navig(r)ating. I'm pretty sure other viewers have a similar function, but can't give help on them. John |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Banjer Date: 27 Jul 01 - 06:18 AM Love it just the way it is now, will love it even more with the new stuff!! If you could, Max, figure out a magical way for all to get along together and cease the incessant petty squabbling....Seems to me if you can work something as complicated as a computer program, figuring out what passes through some of their simple minds should be no problem at all!!! I'm working on it. I figure its my best shot for the Nobel Prize. - Max
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: pavane Date: 27 Jul 01 - 07:32 AM Just a very small note - Lyr Req: threads can be misleading when they are revived for further discussion after the lyric has been posted. Is there some other way to continue the thread without people wanting to post them again? Not really. If I see a LYR REQ with 80 messages in it, I figure there's a discussion going on or that its old. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 27 Jul 01 - 09:47 AM That tip Joe gave me up above - is fascinating - I've just been looking at the very first thread and I expect to do a lot more of that.
But I take it that the facility I was mentioning, which would give a snapshot of all the threads on a particular day at a particular time, such as midnight, isn't in fact practicable. However, effectively the same result, though slower, can be achieved by working through a run of threads (eg, at random 150 to 160) to get an impression of how things were at any time in Mudcat History.
Even without the improvements, this is one hell of a site with all kinds of hidden goodies. I'm scared that some time the focus of web attention will be focussed in the Cat, and it'll get overwhelmed. Like an unspoilt holiday resort that gets spoilt. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Matthew Edwards Date: 27 Jul 01 - 11:22 AM Some excellent suggestions here, don't think I can add much. I'd like to use the Mudcat supported links at Amazon and CDNow, but these seem to be USA sites and so not much use from the UK (except for items not available over here). Anyway this is already a superb site, Max, I don't know what category will fit after improvements! New superlatives needed!! We're working on International deals now. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: dwditty Date: 27 Jul 01 - 12:28 PM Poor Pene has had to deal with the photo section since taking over from beebs. Might there be away members can post their own photos, adding or changing as we see fit without inundating one of the wonderful folks who bring us this site? dw We work from the basic understanding that you people are crazy. We have to be very careful giving you power of content or technology. We concentrate our programming efforts to make things as easy as possible for us. Automating things and such. - Max
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 27 Jul 01 - 12:37 PM I always make a point of accessing Amazon-uk via the Mudcat - going down to the link on the Amazon USA page, and clicking the UK link. I don't know if it works that way to help the Cat, but it doesn't hurt. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: MMario Date: 27 Jul 01 - 12:47 PM We work from the basic understanding that you people are crazy. see? THAT is why this site is so good! He understands us! |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Roger in Sheffield Date: 27 Jul 01 - 01:13 PM McGrath I was just thinking about checking that first thread myself ....when I scrolled down and found you had done it.....what about thread zero though? My only point is about what should and shouldn't be posted here in an advertising sense I am often sticking in links to instrument makers and shops to try and be helpful but then I also think that is really advertising and wonder if I should have done it On the point that Matthew Edwards made, I would like to be able to contribute when I buy CD's, should I try and tactfully mention this to my favoutite CD shop or can someone more tactful do it? They sure take enough of my cash after someone at Mudcat suggests I listen to this person that person and the group....... Roger |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jeri Date: 27 Jul 01 - 01:19 PM I have some JoeClone input here. Multiple message delete, for those times when a server or router somewhere burps and there are 20 copies of the same message. Maybe another little check box in the threads? That way we wouldn't accidentally delete the first message. Just don't feel like doing this one. We are making changes to eliminate or greatly reduce multiple postings so that should take care of it. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Hollowfox Date: 27 Jul 01 - 04:43 PM Roger, I don't see anything wrong with such recommendations. As I recall, these aren't huge franchises, they're individuals or independent establishments where you're a satisfied customer. This is recommending something to your friends. In the same way, I see 'Cat performers mentioning new CD's that they've just produced as sharing their latest accomplishments more than advertizing. Naturally, if some 'Catters choose to buy a copy, that helps one of our own make a living. This is still different than some stranger barging in with a thread for the sole purpose of plugging a CD to a bunch of strangers. As I recall, on the "title" page of the Mudcat Cafe, the Powers That Be say that they want reviews, etc. I see your postings along those lines. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Trapper Date: 27 Jul 01 - 05:17 PM Max- How about checkboxes to be able to TRACE or DETRACE multiple threads or links at once? This would ruin the tight spacing of the forum. I could probaby do it (detrace) on the personal page though. - Max Thanks for everything! Mudcat is GREAT! - Al |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: gnu Date: 27 Jul 01 - 05:55 PM Just logged on. Only read twenty or so posts. Much toooo complicated for a dumb animal. However, I did note that the gods will edit this thread for efficiency, so if this was said before, I apologize to Max and Pene because they may be the only ones that see it. I would appreciate a thread prefix on EVERY thread. Makes it simpler for weeners to skip the threads they like to post to just to ween about the fact that they don't like the threads they're posting to. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jim Dixon Date: 28 Jul 01 - 01:26 AM When you put in that "automatic formatting" deal, so people don't have to insert HTML line breaks, will it work retroactively? I mean, when there are songs already posted in old threads without HTML, will they now appear correctly?
They will appear correctly. --Jeff On the "start a new thread" page, please add some explanation of what the prefixes mean. I think a lot of people are put off by the "BS" prefix and don't realize that it is intended to be used for ALL non-music topics. In fact, maybe you should do away with the "BS" prefix altogether and replace it with "NM" for "Non-Music." And if you change this, could you change everything retroactively? I think we will improve this, but not likely retroactively. --Jeff I recall when I signed up as a member, I was asked whether I wanted my email address and other information to be available to other members. I answered "yes," but now that I'm a member, I don't see any way to get that info about others. (OK, I know it's hidden, but shouldn't this information be right out in the open? For other members, I mean.) The problem with including all of them in the Member Photos &Info section now is that several members aren't around anymore, and many email address are surely defunct. I want to discuss this with Max and maybe come up with something. If you want your email address included in MP&I, please PM it to me. --Jeff When a person signs on as a member, I think they should receive some explanation about how cookies work. Even a simple statement like "There is now a cookie on your computer - a small file that stores your Mudcat handle and your password. For more information, click here." It's in the FAQ, but that might also be good to include in the the welcome message, maybe on the registration page too. --Jeff When you click on a person's name/handle and get a list of all their messages -- it would be nice to be able to limit that list to a certain period. I don't want to see ALL of Spaw's postings -- that would take hours to download -- but I might want to see what he has posted recently. I have been thinking about that one. Maybe scrolling through one page at a time. --Jeff And could you clarify the rules about how one officially gets permission to make fun of Spaw? I am waiting eagerly for my certificate to appear in my mailbox. I think I've been around long enough, haven't I? Even if you don't count the time I spent in the penalty box for making fun of him prematurely. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: toadfrog Date: 28 Jul 01 - 01:39 AM I find all the fine work amazing. Just one point - when I click "help" on the forum search thingie, I come up with a lengthy treatice in techie jargon that gives not the slightest clue how to do a search. Is it possible that could be streamlined? I suppose we could do that. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Roger in Sheffield Date: 28 Jul 01 - 03:29 AM I just noticed a phone number in a thread and wondered if its in the FAQ or anywhere that it might not be wise to post email addresses, phone numbers and the like unless you realise that you might get junk mailed? Hi, Roger - it's in the Protecting Your Privacy section of the FAQ. Let me know about the number in a personal message, and I'll take a look and see if it should be edited out. -Joe Offer- |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: hesperis Date: 28 Jul 01 - 03:38 AM Oh, and I once suggestested that guests see "trace this thread" but that it goes to a page listing the benefits of membership? I see what you mean, but I think it would annoy some guests and members when not using their cookies. --Jeff And can it be a little more apparent that joining is free? Most sites that say stuff like "membership has its rewards" make you pay for the rewards. I didn't actually join until LH and flattop told me it was free... Good idea. --Jeff |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: The Shambles Date: 28 Jul 01 - 05:08 AM Overlong threads. Can this problem be solved, so we did not have to start another Part 2 thread? Probably not. --Jeff Or is the problem more our end with the limits of the browser of the PC? It's mostly with the performance of the user's connection and computer. --Jeff |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Joe Offer Date: 28 Jul 01 - 06:04 AM Jeff mentioned about "scrolling through one page at a time." I wonder if this might be an answer for overlong threads and search results. Instead of displaying the entire thread or the entire results of a search at once, could we display maybe two screens of information and then have a "next page" link, or links to several pages if more than two? I'd have to do some heavy-duty indexing of PermaThreads if this happened, but it might be worthwhile. -Joe Offer- Probably not for the threads. Maybe for the search results. --Jeff |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jeri Date: 28 Jul 01 - 09:18 AM Just an opinion on the new member welcome message. I believe it should be a short paragraph of welcome, and perhaps a bulleted list of information. If anyone has to use the scroll bar, it's too long.
I also don't want to see mandatory prefixes, although I don't believe Max or Jeff is considering it.
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 28 Jul 01 - 10:06 AM There was a suggestion once that it might be possible to arrange it so we could choose to load long threads backwards, so the more recent ones came on first.
If that option could be provided it'd take away a lot of the hassles with long threads, since often the first few threads will load before it packs up. I'll try it. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 28 Jul 01 - 02:28 PM McGrath, were you asking that "Sort Descending" be made available as a generic preference setting so that it applies to all threads opened by the user? I wish we had THAT. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: catspaw49 Date: 28 Jul 01 - 03:04 PM Well Kevin, if you don't read the whole thread before you post, you're likely to be posting the same thing or same set of lyrics or opinion that's already been posted, sometimes already 2 or 3 times by others who "just don't have the time" to read the thread. In which case, your scintillating bit of prose won't get read by those people anyhow! I know Kevin that you DO read threads and I understand your point, but it's a real pet peeve of mine as you know. Sorry....... Spaw |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Joe Offer Date: 28 Jul 01 - 03:57 PM I don't like the idea of sending e-mail to new members. There's so much Spam that I think new members might get spooked by getting e-mail. I think it would be better to have a newly-submitted membership lead to a welcome page that gives succinct guidlines for finding your way around. Somebody has suggested a PermaThread for new members that allows them to introduce themselves and receive welcomes - maybe the new member welcome could give a link to that PermaThread and suggest members might like to introduce themselves. I think it's easy to overwhelm new members by being too welcoming. I don't know how people are from other parts of the world, but we U.S. Midwesterners like to test the water a bit before people smother us with hugs and kisses. -Joe Offer (Midwesterner in exile in huggy-kissy California)- |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: catspaw49 Date: 28 Jul 01 - 04:25 PM I gotta' agree with Joe on this one. How about a simple welcome and some simple directions to the FAQ and an invite that they explore around the site. I'm a born and bred midwesterner too, but I'm from the huggy/touchy/feely part, but even so, I too think that we can be a bit overwhelming at times. I explored this place and never posted a thing for a couple of months. Everyone is different, but I think we can come up with a message on a page that follows their membership if possible, that simply says a few welcoming words with some simple directions. The e-mail stuff gets really old with anybody who surfs and I think some folks would skip it as simply another spam-loke thing from yet another site. Max and Pene......Can we add a page that comes up automatically after their membership is confirmed that does this? And Joe.....Watch out, I may even kiss your balding little head when we meet.............. Spaw |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 28 Jul 01 - 05:41 PM An email to new member would be a waste of time - but a Personal Message might be better. For one thing it wouldn't be lost in the spam. It would also draw people's attention to the PM facility, and it is quite easy to overlook the fact that this even exists.
The FAQ is quite long, and covers a lot of ground. A short friendly welcome message pointing out a few basic things, with a link to the FAQ built in - that would be quite useful, I think.
And by friendly I don't mean too warm and huggy - this is a global community, and these things vary a lot, and you don't want newcomers overwhelmed, as catspaw said. More to the point we've all seen the gushy stuff we get in spam from con-artists, and I tend to discount and distrust that kind of thing, until and unless I feel I know the people a bit better.
Personally I enjoy finding out things a bit at a time, exploring the place. So I would favour just a few brief guidelines. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Joe Offer Date: 28 Jul 01 - 05:53 PM Bingo! Great idea, Kevin. I'll betcha Max and Pene could get something like that to work. -Joe- |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull Date: 28 Jul 01 - 09:48 PM Roger-I think the phone number you are talking about is mine,thanks for mentining it I gave it to Kendall, but I forgot that everybody else can see it, and I have forgot how to send a PM to someone who has not sent me one. Joe-Now that Kendall has my nimber, is there a way you could remove it from the thread, i'ts in the Kendall Comes To England thread.thanks a lot.john Got it, John. -Joe Offer- |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull Date: 28 Jul 01 - 11:09 PM Thanks Joe |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Sorcha Date: 28 Jul 01 - 11:52 PM Let's face it folks and friends. Everything can't be fixed for everybody. It can't possibly be Maxs' problem if newbies (either to the Cat or the Net) don't know how to move the mouse and find clickies.
Moving the mouse and finding clickies was exactly what I did when I was new to both the Net and Mudcat....and in the end, that is really the only way to learn. Click on something that has a "hand" and is click-able, and see where it takes you. If you don't like where it takes you, learn to use the Back button.
When I was new to the 'Cat, I moved the mouse and clicked on everything available to click on, and spent several days just exploring. Not everybody does that, and we can't expect them to, can we?
In fact, I seemed to be so "tuned" to the Cat when I finally posted that at least one person thought I was someone else......but not everybody has a "research" mind-set.
I like to find out what is where and what is going on before I jump in the pond, but we all know from Guest postings that this in not necessarily the case. Reference the ones that come in with a title in the head line and no please, thank you, etc. These are not un-common. They seem to think that we are a Computer Generated Response, not real people. Max, you are doing a fantastic job as a web-master; I only hope this place doesn't burn you out. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: The Shambles Date: 29 Jul 01 - 04:26 AM Time to start a new thread for this subject now? |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: MudGuard Date: 29 Jul 01 - 04:37 AM One more request: it should be impossible to use an empty subject for a posting. Some people post without a subject, but in some places (e.g. New messages since last visit) use the subject as the text for the link - so these postings can't be reached from these places. Btw, thanks Max and others for maintaining this place! |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 29 Jul 01 - 02:35 PM It turns out I won't be working on any new-member stuff. I have messaged Max on it. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: nutty Date: 29 Jul 01 - 05:16 PM As I spend 90% of my time on Google ..... searching for songs, lyrics etc. for mudcat ...... is there any possibility of a direct link |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Snuffy Date: 29 Jul 01 - 07:31 PM Is there any way to make it easier for Dick and Susan to update the online DT Database (nothing since Oct 99), or are the problems at their end? Wassail! V |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Joe Offer Date: 29 Jul 01 - 07:53 PM Hi, Snuffy - Dick has had some messy computer problems. He's working on getting back on schedule, but I think there are still some things to be resolved. Jim Dixon and Susan of DT and I have been harvesting like crazy and sending hundreds of songs and tunes to Dick. -Joe Offer- |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 30 Jul 01 - 02:23 AM What is an "emoticon button"? |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: MudGuard Date: 30 Jul 01 - 02:52 AM emoticon button is a button that allows you to insert emoticons into your posting. These are either some characters like
;-) :-( 8-) and so on
or small (16x16) icons of smileys like |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: SeanM Date: 30 Jul 01 - 03:06 AM Most IM and chat programs have 'emoticons'. ICQ doesn't use them for basic P2P messaging, but it's on the chatrooms. I think the 'old' MudChat room had 'em, or some variant. I seem to remember a rash of trout slapping occuring... M |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: bbc Date: 30 Jul 01 - 07:56 AM Very little comes to mind that needs improving; I enjoy the site very much, as you know. Just a couple of things--1) Is it possible to search for all the posts by a member, other than by clicking on his/her name on a particular thread? 2) Do you think we need some kind of automatic way to start a new thread when a thread gets to 100 posts? I realize that may be a problem, since not all threads merit continuing. Just wondered. Member Info. section is zooming right along. I appreciate all that you do, Max, Jeff, Joe, & others! bbc |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: voyager Date: 30 Jul 01 - 08:32 AM my .10 cents....
1. Subscription services (features for paying members)
2. Research Tutorials...(not just an FAQ)
3. Can we access the Mudcat Radio archives?
4. Where can I send my donation towards the Chatroom software?
5. Linked Editors (I hate the Mudcat Text box)
voyager - 'a satisfied user'
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: MudGuard Date: 30 Jul 01 - 09:23 AM 5a: use Notepad to type your message, select all, copy, switch to Mudcat Text box, paste, done! Works with any editor! |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jande Date: 30 Jul 01 - 10:09 AM Voyager.... You can already type your response in Notepad and insert.(If I understand what you mean..?) Max (& associates)...
1) Would it be possible/desirable to put the name of the thread's originator in a column on the main threads page? 2) For those people, like myself, who often use the 'Cat from public places (libraries, etc) or work, but would like to log in normally (so we can Trace threads or read our PMs) with the "reset cookie" option, but don't want to leave the cookie behind when we leave, I'd like to have a "remove cookie" button or menu item? 3) this one is for pure laziness... but could there be a check-box that adds our signature auto-magically in the text-box? The ideas people have suggested and that you are implementing sound like wonderful upgrades to an already wonderful environment. Thanks! ~ Jande
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: katlaughing Date: 30 Jul 01 - 10:27 AM Forgot, but I have mentioned it before, the most important chamge I'd like to see is being able to delete a PM from the page on which I read it, so it doesn't even have to be sent to my archives. Thanks, kat |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Sorcha Date: 30 Jul 01 - 05:51 PM Is there an actual date for this yet? Will the Cat and all mirrors be down for a while? |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Sorcha Date: 30 Jul 01 - 08:24 PM Just thought of another one---multiple copies of the same PM to different members? Like in e mail cc? |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST,Lyle Date: 30 Jul 01 - 08:44 PM Suppose we wish to do a forum search for something Art (for example) posted in the last month. It would be much faster if we could limit the date for the search rather than wait for all the items Art has posted. Is that possible?? Lyle |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 30 Jul 01 - 09:37 PM It would be possible to have a table showing the thread numbers against the date, so if you wanted a taste of Mudcat Summer of 1997, for example, you know what the magic numbers to enter would be. If it's not something that can be done by computer magic, someone might like to do it by hand. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jeri Date: 31 Jul 01 - 01:03 AM There's a way to filter out BS threads now, but it's a bit clumsy and not very many people know about it. The folks who don't like the BS threads might appreciate it if you put a "no BS" option in the drop-down box or somewhere else that makes sense. Now, if you could just get people to use the prefix, or find one they would use... |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Mr Red Date: 01 Aug 01 - 07:14 PM cookie driven personalities have responses that slag-off the members that like to slag-off others and give gentle sycophantic ones for the sensitive shy modest souls like me. Yes I know Douglas Adams got here first in the HHGTTG but he wasn't far wrong on such things, and he wasn't completely flippant neither. Don't go away - it can help beginners with more verbiage, maybe a halfway house for the halfwits and cut right down on it for the Spaw class Catscratchers. User selectable. (eg as profiles) |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Bill D Date: 01 Aug 01 - 09:02 PM "multiple copies of the same PM to different members? Like in e mail cc?"....ummmm...that's a dangerous one. I already struggle gently with mass emails...cutting & pasting would only take a little longer. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 01 Aug 01 - 09:23 PM I'm with Bill D on that One of the joys of PMs is that they are all individual messages, not even friendly spam. (And anyone whose been reading some of the threads recently will be aware of problems that can arise with multiple mailings, however well intentioned.)
If anyone wants to send the same message to a bunch if people, it's easy enough to do it, one by one - just takes a little longer. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull Date: 01 Aug 01 - 10:19 PM I think letting people send PMs to every member at once could be asking for truoble, I am not too botherd, but I think some people would not like to get PMs from people they dont know. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: The Shambles Date: 02 Aug 01 - 02:59 AM Sorry to return to the subject of overlong threads but, is there any way new posts to original threads can be prevented, once Part Two has been started? For this can get a little confusing at times..... I don't think this is technically possible, that is, I don't think it can be programmed. We have to count on users actually reading the thread. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jim Dixon Date: 03 Aug 01 - 11:48 AM The "Age" filter on the Threads page currently only goes up to 3 years, but the threads database is apparently nearly 5 years old. I suggest you add options for 4 years, 5 years, and "no limit." This is Done. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Grab Date: 03 Aug 01 - 01:42 PM Probably missed the boat now, but... If you're in a discussion with ppl and you want to take it to PM, you have to use copy-and-paste to get their name into a PM. Clicking on a person's name above their post gives a list of all recent posts by that person; could that page have a little addition at the top to do a PM and fill in the person's details automatically? The process for PMing would then be: click on name, click on 'PM this person', enter message. As opposed to: select name with mouse, copy name, click Personal pages, select 'send message', paste name in box, click 'go', select the single name that comes up, enter message. It'd just be that bit slicker... This is Done. - Max Great job anyway, and many thanks for doing all this! Graham.
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Justa Picker Date: 03 Aug 01 - 07:49 PM You can't prevent it entirely Mousethief, if someone is hellbent on stirring up trouble BUT you can drastically reduce it. Most people will either log on from the same computer at home, and the same one from work, if they're checking the forum at work. So for the most part you have 1 - 2 consistent IP originations per user here. Of course if one has say cable internet on 1 home computer and a dial-up ISP connected to a 2nd home computer, (not very likely or common) or they want to invest the time to go to a friend or relatives to logon from their computer not much can be done. No one's privacy is being violated with this encoded IP method. Your actual IP is never visable to anyone on the Forum, but your scrambled/encoded IP address is. Big deal. No one but Max and other designated administrators would have the ability to descramble and reveal it, and besides your actual IP is automatically logged whenever you visit here I would imagine. It simply applies a consistent set of numbers and symbols after the poster's name which correspond only to that IP address, so you can (with a little detective work) determine if a "guest-troll-flamer's" encoded IP matches that of say an existing member's encoded IP. Bingo, game over, and relative anonymity out the window for that member choosing to post as a guest. And also, being able to distinguish between numerous "Guests" in a thread. Yes, there are a few flaws with this method, but having it, I think is far better and offers a little more security to the community as a whole than not having it, and witnessing the things we've been seeing around here lately what with Kat and Mousethief's member names getting hijacked, and other flaming bullshit stuff done anonymously. I guess though that if you wanted to post something highly personal and use a "Name Withheld By Request" beside guest, you'll have to drive over to your Aunt Judy's or something. I think the minor inconvenience is worth it. I'm still thinking about this one. Noted. - Max |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Bill D Date: 03 Aug 01 - 07:54 PM IP scrambling would 'probably' not help much, as there are ways to easily subvert that....(no, I'm NOT gonna tell those who don't already know).... my CONTINUED wish is for a requirement that something be typed in the From: box...that would not solve it all, but would help...Yeah, it is also easy to set 3-4 cookies and have multiple 'memberships', so we'll never be able to control those with a penchant for mischief....vigilance is the only way |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Justa Picker Date: 03 Aug 01 - 07:57 PM I think I know the "method" you're referring to Bill, but even with that method, the IP or encoded IP will still be consistent. Anyway, eventhough I don't think it stands a snowball's chance in hell of being implemented here on Mudcat, I wanted it to be included in this thread for posterity. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: hesperis Date: 04 Aug 01 - 11:20 PM Um... dynamic IPs. Not static ones. I'd look like a different person every time I posted. I'm not the only one? |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: SeanM Date: 04 Aug 01 - 11:33 PM I'm with Hesperis on this. I'm on dialup, dynamic IP conny. Every time I log in, I've got a (although only slightly) different IP. As to the 'lock' on overlong threads.... Is that something that might be doable for the Legion of JoeClones? While I wouldn't want even remotely for EVERY member to have the ability to lock threads, and while I can see the bickering starting from a mile away for threads being locked that AREN'T because of a 'part II', it might be valid to have a "This thread has been locked due to length, please refer to XXXX II for further discussion". I don't think it's THAT critical, though. Most of us all are pretty good about switching, and the part IIs usually steamroller the part Is off the board pretty quickly. I still want my slap button though. :^) SeanM, member, emoticon defense league for folks who dont like punctuation or capitalization |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: pavane Date: 06 Aug 01 - 07:01 AM Just woken up - SEARCH WITHIN RESULTS would be really useful for the forum searches |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jeri Date: 06 Aug 01 - 07:31 AM An alternative to the IP number thing: require e-mail confirmation when someone joins. They sign up, Mudcat sends them a code number to type in to activate the membership as a one-time deal. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: katlaughing Date: 06 Aug 01 - 11:04 AM I agree, Jeri, that would be a good solution, too. In the case of the bogus one that was started this week with my name, the email addy was also bogus. with what you are proposing they wouldn't have been able to activate it. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: pavane Date: 07 Aug 01 - 08:40 AM Wouldn't that deter people from joining? Is that a good idea? |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jeri Date: 07 Aug 01 - 08:58 AM I always assume if I'm going to type an e-mail address in, someone may check it. There is a fear of spam, but no one's ever been spammed by Mudcat. Folks have to type a valid e-mail into places like PalTalk to join (and I HAVE been spammed by them). I'd guess other message boards require it, but I have no firsthand knowledge. One note - I was wrong that this is an alternative to Justa Picker's IP number idea. The IP numbers will show up regardless of whether someone is a member. The e-mail confirmation will only prevent some of the abuse of membership. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Brían Date: 07 Aug 01 - 09:43 AM Sorry, Joe if this is a redundant request, but I would like to be able to log on to mudcat from another PC to be able to have my screen name come up and to check PM's when I am not at home. Also is it possible to have some type of spell check? Brían. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jeri Date: 07 Aug 01 - 12:19 PM Brían, you can log into Mudcat from any number of computers. Just go to "Membership" and click on "Reset Cookie." If it's a shared computer, you might want to log back out when your done. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 07 Aug 01 - 02:15 PM As a long-time user (early 90s) of other forums and mailing lists, I have come to expect certain items and features being organized technically for my convenience as a reader, and some for my convenience as a poster. As a reader: 1. Sort descending is a great convenience. When one has already read the entire contents of the thread, its a bit of a pain to have to scroll down to the most recent messages. I like the idea of it as a click on option. 2. As an occassional reader, I would like scroll pages by date. When one only occassionally visits (and by this I mean several times weekly or less) it would be nice to have some sort of option to only view the days/weeks/month thing. Irish traditional music list archive site has this feature as an option by month, but that is much too cumbersome for the volume. So by day seems much more accessible to me. As to posting: 1. Though I choose not to be a member, if I did, I would expect notification of my membership in the mailbox of the address use when registering. The information should be simple and straightforward, and absolutely NOT a long message (ie FAQ included). 2. Following on from above: I expect to have my membership registration info (password, etc) remailed to me upon request, as well as included in my welcome email. As WYSIWYG has mentioned, for those of us who use the Internet a lot, we can lose the data we store at sites with alarming regularity (which is one reason why I've quit signing up as a member at websites--A Good Change in My Behavior I think). 3. Keep "How to" pages current and separate from the FAQ. Refer all new members to it in their welcome emails, and if possible do a pop up box when creating a new thread that directs guest users to the "how to" page. My opinion is that "How to" tech stuff should not be included in the FAQ. I expect FAQ to deal with content. It seems that the changes being considered will really enhance the site--keep up the good work! BTW--what IS the process for nominating for Webbies? ;-) I personally love the idea of providing only surly, cryptic emoticons. C'mon people--emoticons can be very cool.
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 07 Aug 01 - 02:29 PM P.S. I am only in favor of maintaining the guest user option as long as it can be done without the site users getting my IP or my email. It might be helpful to explain briefly on the "how to" pages (the privacy issues page perhaps?) just what the technical differences are between posting on a publicly accessible website discussion forum, a Usenet discussion forum, or a private mailing list. It seems to me that an awful lot of Mudcat users don't know or understand (and therefore can't appreciate) the differences regarding identity affixed to an email account, identity affixed to a log-in name, identity affixed to an IP, etc. It might go some towards ending animosity between member users and guest users. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Aug 01 - 02:36 PM On a related note, I have been thinking how helpful it would be for people who post here a lot to know one basic fact about others-- are they a longtime usenet habitue, or new to the Web, or somewhere in between? Because it seems to me that new-to-the-Web folks get evaluated by old usenet assumptions, and these assumptions contain everything from soup to nuts-- including long-held feelings about old flamathons suffered. Mudcat seems to run by usenet principles-- but it isn't usenet. It's a hybrid, or a mutation, and sometimes I think the resentments and fears com from the gaps between those frames of reference. And oh yeah, NO FRAMES! ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 07 Aug 01 - 03:09 PM And as a long time Internet user, I think the idea that members ought to be able to find out private information about other users by technological means (ie that Max use the technology to provide long time Mudcat users information about newcomers, whether guests or members) to be incredibly Big Brother oriented. And another PS: I ignore the thread prefixes entirely. Not only does it seem like a useless bit of pedantry, it also lean heavily towards "enforcer" sort of environment. One of those "I want other people to behave the way *I* think they should." There is already way too much of that here. Also, even if I sign on as a member using a verifiable email account, I don't want that information being available to members or the public, unless I choose to (make it optional). While Mudcat doesn't spam, it is much too easy for spammers to capture that data from Mudcat (membership has it's advantages for spammers too). As to the hostility between members/guests over identity, I think the situation was created when Max decided to deal with trolls assuming the identity of members by creating a two tier system of posting. While the impersonation was appalling to some, particularly the victims of said trollers prank, I think dividing the forum into an "us members vs. them guests" technically was a big mistake. I always thought of it as an over-reaction, which would have been better handled by dealing with said offenders Internet provider, and ignoring it. The solution was overkill which built in cliqueishness and elitism institutionally, IMO. Which continues to plague the forum. It doesn't bother the members, of course. But seeing that as a newcomer, for some (and maybe many who never bother posting because of it who just go away) it smacks of an inbred elitism. I'm purty sure Max won't go back to one size fits all posters, though. Which is too bad. Mudcat seemed much more democratic and egalitarian in the pre-member/guest split days. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: katlaughing Date: 07 Aug 01 - 03:20 PM Members already have the option to keep their email addy private. Mine has never been listed on the resources page. There is a box to tick when one signs up. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jeri Date: 07 Aug 01 - 03:27 PM Guest, if there were a way to prevent identity snatching, I'd be all for dropping the "guest" prefix. (If something could be done to check the database for a name before allowing an un-cookied poster to use it.) It bothers this member when flame wars continuously erupt because of the associations both members and guests have with the prefix. I'm also against making information a person wishes to keep private public. Scrambled IP numbers wouldn't do that, unless they were easy to un-scramble. I just don't feel they'd work that well. There are some fairly big ISPs out there (AOL and worldnet in the US and abroad, demon, freenet in the UK) and all the scrambled IP numbers would probably look very similar. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 07 Aug 01 - 05:15 PM Jeri and others who wish to be able to forcibly identify anonymous users against their wishes: I think this whole "identity snatching" is an unhealthy obsession among a very few Mudcat members. As I said before, I really do empathize with the people it happened to, and know how appalled they must have been. But it was also easily correctible without making a mountain out of a molehill. I mean, how many times did identity theft of members happen, out of all the messages that have ever been posted on Mudcat? And why the technical change to address the problem? All that needed to happen was for Max or someone with the ability to do it on Mudcat's behalf, deal directly with the offender's Internet provider, for Max et al to delete the offending messages, block offenders IP address (or all messages from offender's provider if they are one of the troll/flame/spam providers), and to post a message explaining what had happened. But by using the "technical solution" to protect member identities, I think a Mudcat monster has been created--ie,the cure has been worse than the original disease. Because the cure has institutionalized hostility between anonymous guest users and the membership, and raised the paranoia level among some member users to ridiculous levels. It has also led to what I view as a very unhealthy obsession with forcing anonymous guests to adopt an identity, just to satisfy this paranoid obsession among a handful of members. Now, I don't believe that was anyone's intention when members began demanding a solution to the problem of assuming a member's identity. But it is what seems to have happened. As I said over in the GUEST thread earlier today, the security/privacy issue does matter to many people. One of the most common ways of tracking people on the Internet is by doing keyword searches for log-in names, passwords, IPs, and email accounts. If someone wishes to protect themselves against that sort of monitoring, they will not use a consistent name, whether fictional or real, to log on. Just because some Mudcat members are more concerned with protecting their own identity than they are with protecting all users' identities, doesn't mean they should be allowed to forcibly expose the identity of anonymous users. These privacy/security issues may not matter to a lot of Mudcat members and guests, but I assure you, being Internet savvy about these privacy and security issues isn't a load of crap. It does matter to a lot of people. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jeri Date: 07 Aug 01 - 05:31 PM Guest, try reading my message again. Especially the sentence where I wrote "I'm also against making information a person wishes to keep private public." |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Aug 01 - 05:54 PM Guest, with all due respect, this is an idea catch-all, not a soapbox thread. People are asked here just to share what they might like to see, and why, or how it would work-- Max decides. IMO, new debates will not be part of the currently-planned solution-- this is more a set of solutions addressing past debates, and a list of reminders on things we might like Max to keep thinking about. If you have stated an idea and/or a position, just trust him to see it and think about it. It's like a brain-storming session at a workshop-- ideas are dumped into the hopper without too much critical evaluation, and if we stop to argue the merits of any one idea it inhibits the creative process. The arguments do and will occur-- most already have, IMO. *G* And will again. But not in this thread. See? ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 07 Aug 01 - 06:05 PM Jeri, While I appreciated what you said about not revealing private information against user's wishes, I also note that you seem involved in the conversation about how to block guest users from posting without first using an identifier like an email account, or linking an email account with a unique Mudcat identifying number (ie a password). It seems to me your two positions are contradictory (no flame intended here). On the one hand, it seems to me one of your stated overriding concerns is to protect member identities by forcing non-members to identify themselves in some way (ie email or password, instead of by cookies). I read that to mean you believe those who choose to remain anonymous shouldn't be allowed to post without identifying themselves in some way which discloses their identity to Mudcat. But then you say no one should have to divulge private information if they don't want to. Requiring an anonymous user to identify themselves before posting does force them to divulge private information they don't want to provide. Because you have suggested anonymous users be forced to use some identifier to sign in, I considered your statment about not forcing people to divulge private information against their wishes, to be in contradiction of some of your previous statements. I am aware that IP data is captured for each poster, BTW. The problem for me is making it easier to match IPs to log-in features, to content through keyword searches, as I've stated. It is the combination of those identifiers which make it easy to trace people on the Internet. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Bill D Date: 07 Aug 01 - 06:07 PM *ONE MORE TIME*....using a name..with or without a cookie set does NOT compromise your 'real' identity!...there are LOTS of folks with 'memberships' here that I could not find if I wanted to!...some I have no idea what continent they are on!...When Max's computer 'reads' a cookie, it is NOT identifying where you are...just that you have a regular name....and this forum is NOT spidered by search engines.
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Amos Date: 07 Aug 01 - 06:08 PM One small difference that might help -- not trivial to create -- would be assigning "GUEST" logins a 3 digit number, which would be the same any time a GUEST login from the same IP# occurred. That way as long as a G was uswing the same machine, which i assume most do, he'd be the G xxx, and at least have a consistent presence by that number, willynilly. A |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 07 Aug 01 - 06:14 PM BillD, Which begs the question, how did that pesky worm Max refers to above in a message about MP3s, find Max/DigiTrad? Because you don't believe Mudcat is being monitored doesn't mean it isn't.
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Jeri Date: 07 Aug 01 - 06:21 PM Folks, I know I wrote it, but I find it so difficult to understand how this post of mine could be so badly misunderstood that I think we're now in trollville. As for me, I won't mind if Max deletes anything of mine that constitutes "debate" rather than "suggestion." |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 07 Aug 01 - 06:31 PM What problem exactly is it that some of you are asking Max to fix here? Are some of you so obsessed and paranoid, that now you want Max to make yet *another* technical change, so anonymous users' won't be allowed to post in the forum? Max already technically cured the member identity theft problem. This latest "suggestion" smacks of witch hunting to me. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 07 Aug 01 - 06:50 PM Jeri, Trollville? I think that is an over-reaction. Because I view two of your positions posted here to be contradictory and said so, doesn't make me a troll. Susan, I appreciate you have vast personal knowledge about the history of Mudcat debates. I don't. But bravo for trying to silence my contribution to the thread. I'll leave it to Max to delete what is superfluous to the thread, just as he said he would.
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: catspaw49 Date: 07 Aug 01 - 06:51 PM We have a very regular Guest.....goes by the handle "Russ"......Now someone might steal his Guest ID, but he prefers to remain as a Guest for other reasons, whatever they are........Fine with me. Because he does this, I frankly consider him a member. I can't for the life of me see the problem in maintaining a standard ID unless your desire is to flame or troll. Strikes me as an easy thing to do and unless you're a paranoid of the first order, what could the big deal possibly be? The longer you go here Turnip the more sold I get on the idea of posting scrambled ISP's. And doing a web search returns fewer than 1500 hits on catspaw49 and I have over 12,000 posts here....that was on Google, I didn't try the myriad others. What is the big deal about maintaining an ID here Turnip? Spaw |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Aug 01 - 10:22 PM Guest, a friendly and neutral heads-up is not an effort to silence anything. Just like someone describing HOW a thing can be done is not an opinion that it SHOULD be done. Hey, tho, whatever! I appreciate your vast personal knowledge of my motives, intent, and mindset! I dunno WHAT I was thinking, I guess! ~S~
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Bill D Date: 08 Aug 01 - 12:03 AM worm????..If ASCAP used a "worm", all it did was locate a set of lyrics in the database!!!!!...They don't want certain lyrics posted without permission, so they have an automated program that looks for them...NOT in this forum...in the static database!!!!.. You try telling a programmer of 'worms' that he needs to monitor all the chat rooms and forums of the WWW for names and IP numbers and watch him roll his eyes. It just don't work that way...educate yourself!!!!!! |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 08 Aug 01 - 08:38 AM Bill D, Max used the word "worm" in his post. I was merely referring to his usage. BTW, had your blood pressure checked lately? |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Bill D Date: 08 Aug 01 - 11:36 AM yup...127/84, when I take my pills....201/113 when I read posts by those whose logic changes hourly so as to maintain a position no matter what evidence is put forward...My posts did NOT 'beg the question'...YOU failed to understand what a 'worm' can do or not do. So now you 'merely referred'? *giggle*.... .I sure wish we could set down somewhere over a beer. I'd love to just listen for an hour as you explain to me what dangers and travails you'd face by using a consistent name in a folk music forum....(and, yeah, I am beginning to wonder at myself for getting so worked up over it....must be my training in logic & Philosophy welling up when I see faulty excuses and reasoning for a-typical behavior.) |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 08 Aug 01 - 01:01 PM Seems to be a whole lot of mudslinging going on here. Back on topic...I don't understand what it is some Mudcat regulars are asking Max to change regarding the guest user option? If someone would clarify that point, perhaps some guest users could offer their perspective? Or is that Not To Be Allowed here? VBG |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Grab Date: 09 Aug 01 - 11:27 AM I may be pushing it with two requests, but... When you're entering stuff in the text box and you hit "escape" accidentally, it's gone. Forever. Bye-bye text. This is something of a pisser if you've just entered a whole song, or a big long reply. Any chance that "undo" could undo this deletion, please? Cheers, Graham. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: pavane Date: 09 Aug 01 - 11:35 AM Graham, You can overcome that yourself, by typing it into a text file first, then cutting and pasting into the text box when finished! |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Amos Date: 09 Aug 01 - 11:47 AM Max: I have two programs that can harvest web pages. One of them is Adobe Acrobat 5.0, the other is called WebWhacker. The idea is you point them to a top level page and indicate the depth of reach (levels down along links) and it goes off and captures those pages, so you can read them off line. One of the neat things i was able to do with the Acrobat tool (which does the same thing except makes a PDF file) was to point it to a saved listing of Peter T's Thoughts for the Day, and create a PDF file in which they all were neatly and attractively presented chronologically. He was delighted. However, when I try to use the same technique on my Sent or Archive lists, it fails because the user access is defined by the Get_Cookie. I know in some web server setups you can acheive access by configuring the URL with http://username:password@site.domain.TLD. But with the 'Cat, only the cookie will do, which is probably a good thing generally. However, my question is could you make any adjustment so that I could capture my own messages back in batch? I know I can save each one separately as a text file. For example woudl it be possible to provide access using the above passsworded URL format to the personal.cfm routine? Or some other method? Thanks, Amos |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: harpgirl Date: 09 Aug 01 - 08:56 PM I would like to see Max post only under his own name from now on, so I can be more clear about what he thinks. |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Bill D Date: 09 Aug 01 - 11:20 PM "I don't understand what it is some Mudcat regulars are asking Max to change regarding the guest user option? " my wish is that the 'from' box would require SOME entry....I suppose that a guest could get in with a simple "A" or "-"...but that would help those who simply forget. We often see posts where a person with no cookie posts again to tell us who he was. I have seen several chat rooms where an attempt to post with no name got a message..."please enter your handle/name"... Now, having said that, I know that Max has indicated that he does NOT intend to do that at this time...so.....*shrug* |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST Date: 10 Aug 01 - 08:20 AM Is there a way to provide a links page with entry fields for sending corrections to DT which would streamline and speed up the process? |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: GUEST,genie Date: 11 Aug 01 - 02:51 AM Please use title case, instead of all capitals, in listing songs in the DT. All caps are harder to read than sentence or title case -- especially when in a closely spaced list. The underlining (to make it a hyperlink), I think, makes the all-cap format even harder to read.
|
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Firecat Date: 11 Aug 01 - 05:06 PM Why is everyone slagging off emoticons? I LIKE them! :-))))))))) |
|
Subject: RE: From Max: Last Chance for Mudcat Changes From: Amos Date: 11 Aug 01 - 05:19 PM Prefab emoticons are like fast-food hamburgers. No matter how cleverly done, they lack something against the genuine article....a hand-keyed emoticon says much more than a little yellow inserted happy face, IMHO!!! lol! A. |
| Share Thread: |
(JoeClones, I know that external images are not allowed but please let this little one here for some time at least - thanks).