Simon
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Who's online buttonsI've noticed in other forums that they have a small red or green dot next to the username to signify whether a person is currently online or not. Just wondering if we could have a similar system here and if it would be easily addable?
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sean
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It's just more noise in the S/N ratio though isn't it? There's the 'Who's Online' tab, and a list at the bottom of the index.
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Marionb
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It would be quite handy to be able to see whilst reading the posts if the poster was online at the time, though.
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sean
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Why? (Not being arsey, just interested.) I don't reply/not reply differently depending on whether the other poster is on line.
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Marionb
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Dunno why really - just one of those things its handy to know I suppose 
Having thought about it a bit  its quicker to see if someone is online whilst reading a thread (provided of course they have posted in that thread) than having to go up and into a separate "page" to see who's online.
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Azura Skye
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i think it's a good idea - you can see who's up past their bed time (the same as you) and who wakes up bright n breezy.
: )
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Simon
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Just a thought was all. I quite like the facility in other forums as if you are asking a question you can see immediately if anyone in that particular thread is there to answer it. Didn't think it would take much doing as it is just a coloured dot below your avatar. If individuals didn't like it they could always log-in as hidden.
I'm not all that bothered whether we do or we don't have it on DS but if it was a poll I would vote 'yes'.
Jema will know how easy it is but I don't know if he's back from hols yet.
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Simon
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| sean wrote: | | Not being arsey ... |
As if you would be Sean.
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Barefoot Andrew
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Slight problem though... once a web page has been displayed in your browser it's static: i.e. someone who is showing as "online" could wander off for their tea. Only by reloading the page, or clicking a link (e.g. to the next page in the thread) would their status then change. So... of limited use IMHO...
A.
(PS It's possibly to get around this static-ness, but the work rather outweighs the benefits...)
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Marionb
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| Barefoot Andrew wrote: | Slight problem though... once a web page has been displayed in your browser it's static: i.e. someone who is showing as "online" could wander off for their tea. Only by reloading the page, or clicking a link (e.g. to the next page in the thread) would their status then change. So... of limited use IMHO...
A.
(PS It's possibly to get around this static-ness, but the work rather outweighs the benefits...) |
But you do have some idea if they are around or not though.... 
And if there was a poll I would vote yes as well
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Simon
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| Barefoot Andrew wrote: | Slight problem though... once a web page has been displayed in your browser it's static: i.e. someone who is showing as "online" could wander off for their tea. Only by reloading the page, or clicking a link (e.g. to the next page in the thread) would their status then change. So... of limited use IMHO...
A.
(PS It's possibly to get around this static-ness, but the work rather outweighs the benefits...) |
I see what you are saying Andrew but surely a quick reload is no hassle for people using the facility. Normally one would read a 15 post page in a couple of mins anyhow and therefore either return to 'latest posts' or click on 'next page' (if there is one).
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jema
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It is quite easy, I have made this available on myff ages back.
Hardest bit is the graphics!
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dougal
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| Barefoot Andrew wrote: | Slight problem though... once a web page has been displayed in your browser it's static: i.e. someone who is showing as "online" could wander off for their tea. Only by reloading the page, or clicking a link (e.g. to the next page in the thread) would their status then change. So... of limited use IMHO...
A.
(PS It's possibly to get around this static-ness, but the work rather outweighs the benefits...) |
Well, that'd be a lot better than the "who's online" list! (which looks back to activity in the last 5 minutes).
But I'd guess that the simplest thing would be to base it from that same data...
Absolutely no need for any AJAX auto-refreshing stuff...
A simple
Online Now
right under the Avatar would seem a simple means of displaying status (I'd leave it blank for folks offline)
Strikes me as worthwhile to see whether there was any prospect of a quick reply (or conversation).
Not worth a lot of trouble, but nice.
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Simon
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| dougal wrote: | Strikes me as worthwhile to see whether there was any prospect of a quick reply (or conversation).
Not worth a lot of trouble, but nice. |
That was the gist of my initial query.
| jema wrote: | It is quite easy, I have made this available on myff ages back.
Hardest bit is the graphics! |
A small round button (being red or green) isn't too hard to sort. It doesn't have to be a graphic in line with the DS standard buttons as from what I can see it just represents a 'virtual' l.e.d. for status report.
Jema, do you think we could have a practice run of this on the Mafia games forum. I have no idea how to implement it but if you talk slowly I'm sure I will understand.
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dougal
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| Simon wrote: | | jema wrote: | | Hardest bit is the graphics! |
A small round button (being red or green) isn't too hard to sort. It doesn't have to be a graphic in line with the DS standard buttons as from what I can see it just represents a 'virtual' l.e.d. for status report. |
IMHO coloured dots are not self explanatory.
However the appearance (or not) of Online Now needs no explanation (or graphics work) whatsoever.
There seems to be an 'info block' in the left column, with username, (title?), avatar, joined date, no of posts, and location.
IMHO the Online Now text would go in there nicely - both graphically and logically.
Style simply matching the post count.
As above, I'd have it as the next thing below the avatar, on a text line of its own.
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Simon
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Yes, but normally when you 'hover' your mouse over the green/red dot a little pop-up box informs yee of the status of said blob, as in online/offline. One usually gets the drift of it after that.
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dougal
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| Simon wrote: | | Yes, but normally when you 'hover' your mouse over the green/red dot a little pop-up box informs yee of the status of said blob, as in online/offline. One usually gets the drift of it after that. |
Indeed but incorporating popup 'tooltips' just means even more work for Jema !! 
Such things only happen because someone has programmed it !
I was only trying to suggest how something could be done, in as simple a way as possible, and yet still look 'in keeping' with the site style.
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