I find two things about the page layout very annoying and would like to suggest an alternative.

I think my usage pattern is pretty typical so I think this would apply to a number of members. But perhaps not because I have seldom been accused of being normal.

When I scan through the forums I am interested in, I am looking at the top of the forum listing because I am interested in new posts. If I don't find any, then I want to click on a new forum to look at. The easiest way to do this is to use the Forum Jump list. But it is located at the bottom of the page and so I have to scroll down to get to it. Could that list be moved up to the top? Or perhaps a second copy be placed at the top?

Then, if I find a thread that I want to look at, either I post a reply or I don't. If I don't, then all I have to do is hit the "Back" button on the browser. But if I do, then after I post my response I am taken to the response in the thread which is located at the bottom of the page. While this is conveniently near the Forum Jump list, most of the time I want to go back to that same forum and the Forum Jump list doesn't respond if you try to jump to the forum that you are already in. Instead, the simplest way is to scroll all the way back up to the top and click on the forum name in the header. Could either the Forum Jump list at the bottom be made so that it takes you back to that forum's thread list even if you are currently viewing a thread in that same forum or, alternatively, could a button be placed at the bottom that will do this - perhaps labeled "Thread List"?

A non-layout suggestion is to increase the length of the time out so that someone that's writing a post has at least ten minutes to submit it before their login expires. It seems like only a couple of minutes at present and when that happens your post does not get submitted even after you log in. So you have to go back and copy the contents of your post to the clipboard and then start a new reply and paste it in. If you aren't very careful, you lose what you have written and since we are already talking about longer than normal posts that is very annoying. I've noticed a number of people that have had problems with this.

Thanks a lot for considering all of these things and I hope you opt to implement some of them.

Cheers!

O.K., Just found out that you can force the Jump List to take you back to the thread list by clicking on GO. Never tried that since normally you only have to select the forum from the list and it immediately jumps there. So that addresses one of my requests quite nicely.

Thanks.

P.S., I really do want to point out how well this site is put together and managed. I'm quite impressed. These few annoyances are trifling details compared to the problems on most sites.

O.K., I just noticed that there IS a second Forum Jump list up at the top of the thread listing for a forum. Has this always been there? Am I THAT unobservant? Or are you just that fast to respond to requests? Frankly, neither possibility would surprise me?

Ideas 1 & 3 are quite simple, and now added. Timeout is now set to 30 minutes. We can try it for a few days, and see if another number might be more appropriate. Sounds like an ideal question for a poll.

Not sure if I got idea 2 right, but I think I do. Forum jump won't jump to the same forum. You can use the navigation option for previous and next thread, but you'd rather see the list of the threads, instead of surfing through all of them.

No simple solution spring to mind, except double clicking on the back button, to go back to the forum display (list of threads).

Wa'il

When I log on I always hit the "View Today's Posts". That gives me a 4-5 page list of the latest threads that have been posted on.

Run down that list, pick the one I would like to start on. "Right Click" on the mouse and "Open in New Window". That keeps my original list of threads intact. I read, reply if I wish, close that window down altogether. Go back to the list and pick another one to Open in New Window.

The best thing about any problems on this website is that they are addressed by Superman himself - faster than light!

Take care.

The View Today's Posts is a thought - and I'll try it - but I don't really want to deal with 4 to 5 pages of posts almost all of which - probably 90% - are in forums that I'm not presently interested in and have never even looked in. If they are grouped by forum that wouldn't be too bad, probably. But on days when I have a lot of time to really browse it's sure an idea to see what topics are being discussed elsewhere in order to broaden my horizon.

As for #2, Wa'il, it's a non-issue. I found that if you click the "GO" button without selecting a forum (the one you are in is the default) then it does just what I want.

Thanks.

I added it last night while replying (didn't see your two replies). In vB terms, it was just a template change.

Wa'il

I am slowly finding my way through the forums. You were so helpful to me when you responded to my sugar delima with my friend and husband. Thanks for the article you sent via this wonderful "web".
I learn something new every time I log on. Speaking of logging on, I don't see a place to do so and then I checked my profile and see that I chose to not have to log on every time.....am I correct?
Thanks so very much for all the sharing of information. It helps!!!
L

Right you are! If you choose the automatic log-in, each time you visit Active Low Carber Forums you'll be greeted at the top right of the page with "welcome back _________" (your member name), the time of your last visit, and links to view new posts and today's active threads.

Doreen

Doreen, thanks for the reply. Are you the Doreen that has written articles regarding L/Carbing? A friend was telling me that Splenda even though it has no calories makes your body react exactly as it does with sugar when it enters your system. Do you have any information on this? If you do have articles, I would love to read them.
Thanks again.
Linda

I have written low carb articles here for Active Lowcarbers. You can check them out by clicking on Low Carb Tips from the orange menu bar near the top of the page.

Splenda does have carbs actually ... both the pourable/scoopable type in the box, and in the little paper packets/sachets. Here's why .. sucralose is the actual sweetener that's in Splenda, and by itself has no calories or carbs. However, the manufacturer adds fillers to bulk it up and make it convenient to use. The fillers have carbs ... maltodextrin and dextrose are the most commonly used. Splenda has 0.5g per teaspoon for the pourable, and 1g carb per packet (each packet is equivalent to 2 tsp sugar)

For more information about Splenda and other artificial sweeteners, check out my article Sweetener Information.

Doreen