Exciting Forum Updates This Week

Erin Holohan Haskell

You're going to see some exciting forum updates this week. We're working hard to improve your experience here and after these updates the forum will be easier to use, especially on mobile devices. We'll also have better search tools.

Thanks in advance for your patience as we launch these updates today and tailor them throughout the week to get the best fit for the Heating Help community. Feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions along the way.

EdTheHeaterMan

Erin Holohan Haskell

Our updates will launch between 11 AM and 12 PM EST today. Hold on to your hat.

DanHolohan

I like it! Thanks, Erin.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

Yes - I like the new display. Nice on the eyes.

STEVEusaPA

I don't see a 'Mark All Viewed' button. Is it gone for good?

Erin Holohan Haskell

STEVEusaPA said:

I don't see a 'Mark All Viewed' button. Is it gone for good?

We'll look into this. Thanks, @STEVEusaPA.

Pumpguy

Text of posts has smaller print size than before. Might be a bit harder on the typical older eyes that usually read these posts.

Erin Holohan Haskell

We'll bump up the text size. Thanks, @Pumpguy.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Lol, Unfortunately my old eyes are finding the print size a little small.

New Year!!!

New Updates!!

hot_rod

I like what I see

Canucker

Folks, you can increase the font size on your device without having to ask @Erin Holohan Haskell to do it. 

Steamhead

I'd suggest that the list of threads on the main page should show who started a thread as well as who posted the most recent reply.

Erin Holohan Haskell

Thanks for all of the feedback and suggestions. We'll be making more adjustments in the coming days.

KC_Jones

I use the site on mobile most of the time, on mobile the text seems bigger and easier to read, so I’m really liking the change.

BillyO

Good stuff going on here

Le John

Nice Job @Erin Holohan Haskell looks so smooth! 

I’ve been trying to post from a mobile device But don’t see the pencil icon at the bottom of the screen like in the previous version. Forgive me - what am I doing wrong? 

Erin Holohan Haskell

Thanks! @Le John if you scroll all the way down, you’ll see an orange button for New Discussion. I’ll see if we can move this higher on the page. 

ethicalpaul

Loving the orange headlines returning after a short absence 😅

Le John

Erin Holohan Haskell said:

Thanks! @“Le John” if you scroll all the way down, you’ll see an orange button for New Discussion. I’ll see if we can move this higher on the page.

Oh - I see it now. I was used to the old style where the pencil was always visible on the bottom of the browser window regardless of the page you were on. I read this site like I read the news so Very thankful for this site.

Gsmith

Has the “mark all read” button been removed? I found it helpful.

Sal Santamaura

I'm always outside the mainstream. This update, like those that have occurred on many sites in recent years, seems intended to make things better suited for phones. Such changes always degrade the experience on desktop/laptop PCs. Oh, well, I'll survive and get used to it.

luketheplumber

I Like it but its definitely gonna take a little bit to get used to.
I'm going to check this out on my phone.

Erin Holohan Haskell

Thanks for the feedback. We're still working hard on more edits.

@Sal Santamaura, please PM me with your concerns regarding desktop and I'll see what we can do.

WMno57

Sal Santamaura said:

I'm always outside the mainstream. This update, like those that have occurred on many sites in recent years, seems intended to make things better suited for phones. Such changes always degrade the experience on desktop/laptop PCs. Oh, well, I'll survive and get used to it.

This May will be the 60th year anniversary of Newton Minow's Vast Wasteland speech.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_and_the_Public_Interest

We have been dumbing everything down to the lowest common denominator for far too long.

Not sure what the answer is. I like the depth of knowledge on this site. I think it is possible to accommodate both small and big screen users. Wikipedia seems to do that well.

iced98lx

The form for a new post seems to be within a container with a needlessly small max width set:


It'd be ideal if that were removed and we had a little more space to write the post width wise:



Otherwise the updates are excellent.

Erin Holohan Haskell

Thanks, @iced98lx. It's showing mobile view on desktop and it shouldn't be. We plan to fix it soon.

Thanks for everyone's patience as we improve.

Kafox15

I'm still getting a max of 10 results when using search. Do you know when this will be resolved?

Erin Holohan Haskell

@Kafox15, the Search has been fixed. Thanks for your patience.

Intplm.

Hello @Erin Holohan Haskell I've noticed that the advertisements in the new format are partially covering up posted content. Have you been made aware of this already? Otherwise, I like the new format. It is looking good !!!!!

Erin Holohan Haskell

Thanks, @Intplm. I'll send you a PM to get more info so we can troubleshoot this.

ChrisJ

If someone mentioned it and I missed it I'm sorry, but I now have to manually mark my notifications as read.

It used to be if I looked at them, they automatically became seen / read. Honestly, it's the only beef I have with the new format. I did prefer the old one, but I don't mind this one besides the notification thing and it's on both desktop running Chrome and my phone running Chrome.

Erin Holohan Haskell

Thanks, @ChrisJ. The notification panel has a glitch that we're working on. There is a dot next to each notification that will (when fixed) disappear once a notification has been clicked on/viewed. You can also click on the Mark All Read at the bottom of the panel.

JUGHNE

I have the ad overlap also.
However on my desktop, if I leave the zoom at 250% for large print, yea..old guy here,
then the right hand column ends up below the LH, have to scroll down to see it.

Previously could toggle over to the right to see that ad and misc info.

ChrisJ

JUGHNE said:

I have the ad overlap also.
However on my desktop, if I leave the zoom at 250% for large print, yea..old guy here,
then the right hand column ends up below the LH, have to scroll down to see it.

Previously could toggle over to the right to see that ad and misc info.

Maybe get a bigger monitor so you don't have to have everything at 250%?
Stuff looks pretty big on a 32".

JUGHNE

I have a 28" monitor. I run at 200-250 for larger pictures
At 175% then the RH and LH items are side by side.
I-pad also has the over lap of Ads. Increasing with zoom, ads still over lap.

ChrisJ

JUGHNE said:

I have a 28" monitor. I run at 200-250 for larger pictures
At 175% then the RH and LH items are side by side.
I-pad also has the over lap of Ads. Increasing with zoom, ads still over lap.

I know it doesn't help you, but I haven't noticed any overlapping ads.
Do they do this at 100%?

Do glasses help?

JUGHNE

I am mainly pointing out changes to the format.
At 175% things look as they did.
Above that then ads are stacked below text.

Didn't I mention all this above?? Would glasses help you Chris?

I have new glasses and just had cataracts removed.

ChrisJ

JUGHNE said:

I am mainly pointing out changes to the format.
At 175% things look as they did.
Above that then ads are stacked below text.

Didn't I mention all this above?? Would glasses help you Chris?

I have new glasses and just had cataracts removed.

I wear glasses and I view everything at 100%.
Things aren't usually laid out to be viewed at 200-250%.

I asked if glasses would help because perhaps they will not. It wasn't intended as an insult or sarcasm.

Erin Holohan Haskell

The website was built to respond to screen/window size and the right column will bump to the bottom under certain conditions.

I appreciate you all sharing your perspectives on how the update is shaping your experience here. Thanks for helping us improve.

JUGHNE

What was handy was having the LH column fill the screen and being able to drag the lower curser to the right to see the RH side.
I can cope, maybe it is my computer.

Chris, no offense taken.