Topic: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

I'm currently trying to determine what to do with the profile options for 1.2. It seems I can't figure this out by myself, so you'll have to help me. For a little background, I recommend that you read this topic first.

First of all. I ran some queries to see how many people utilize the profile options for for hiding images, avatars and signatures. The results were a bit surprising:

Option                      On     Off
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
"Show images"             1049       4
"Show avatars"            1049       4
"Show user signatures"    1048       5

What this means is that only a fraction of a percent of all the users in these forums want to hide images, avatars and/or user signatures. Maybe we can just skip those options for 1.2? Before I make any decisions it would be great if more people could supply statistics on this (just do a "SELECT COUNT(id) FROM users WHERE show_img = '0'" and then the same for show_avatars and show_sig).

It has been requested that you should be able to disable images in signatures. I agree. Images in signatures are incredibly annoying and I will definately add an option for hiding them.

It has also been requested that you should be able to turn off the display of smilies completely. I also think this is a good idea. I do believe that the per-post option should remain for those people that want to use smilies, but once in a while must prevent them from being displayed in a certain post.

Here's what I'm suggesting:

? Show smilies as icons
This option will set whether smilies are displayed as icons in posts and signatures regardless of other options. If you uncheck this checkbox, you will never see a smiley icon. With this enabled, smilies will be displayed in all posts and signatures (if allowed by admin and if not disabled for a specific post).

? Show images in posts
I won't bother explaining this one.

? Show images in signatures
I won't bother explaining this one either.

Those three options will replace the current options: "Convert smilies to images by default", "Show images", "Show avatars" and "Show user signatures".

Am I missing something? This is so confusing :/

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

I don't disagree with any of you remarks & suggestions, except perhaps your initial comment regarding the stats you present:

Rickard wrote:

...What this means is that only a fraction of a percent of all the users in these forums want to hide images, avatars and/or user signatures.

I would argue that it means that only a fraction of a percentage of users:

1. Are aware that capability exists to turn these thing off, and;
2. Have gone looking for a way to turn them off, and;
3. Have decided to turn them off.

A majority of users do not change options, regardless whether it's in a forum profile or a desktop application (e.g. word processor). That's not a reason IMO to remove options -- though obviously Firefox developers might argue smile

It might be interesting to look at the percentage of users who have changed their timezone. For those who haven't, I wonder is it because they live in GMT or because they are not aware that the capability to do so exists?

A great many users, especially less seasoned ones, will tend to not use the profile. In it's current state I think it is too wordy, too long, and not focused -- please don't take that as criticism. I'd like to see it restructured so that it displays in a 800x600 window with no scrolling, and presents a series of checkboxes and textfields organized in  categories. Help for each item would be provided separately in a small popup window.

Which leaves the question (your original question!) of which options to include. Perhaps it might be useful to start a list of potentials, organized by category? e.g.,

Identity:
- Real name
- Email
- etc.

Posts:
- Show smilies
- Show images
- etc.

Signatures:
- Show signatures
- Show images in signatures
- etc.

etc.

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

Richard wrote:

It has been requested that you should be able to disable images in signatures. I agree. Images in signatures are incredibly annoying and I will definately add an option for hiding them.

Agree! This is really annoying! Images in posts are often there to show you something connected to the text... unlike the signature images.

Don't know if you should remove some options... I use the built-in-function in opera when I don't want to se alot of images, so it doesn't bother me. Tough desision. Unless the statistics change, it seems pointless to have the options (on the other hand, they're already there, so what's the point in removing them?)

Edit: I like the dont-show-smileys-option too :)

Edit2: Some stats from my forum (~130 users):
0.0% - show_img
0.0% - show_avatars
1.5% - show_sig

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

sleddog: Restructuring the profile page completely isn't something I'm very keen on doing. I did the profile page the way it is today because I hated the way it was done in every other bulletin board. I like it this way. However, I never intended for it to be as big as it is today. One of the things that bothers me the most is the large number of checkboxes for options.

What I need help with is to determine which options PunBB 1.2 should have regarding the display of smilies, images, avatars, signatures etc. How they will be grouped or how it will be displayed is a different issue.

Edit: I agree that the statistics are inaccurate because of peoples inability to review the options, but I can't really see how it changes anything. If a piece of software has a feature, but most people are either unaware of it or choose not to use it, why keep it?

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

5 (edited by sleddog 2004-05-04 09:58)

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

I don't think restructuring the profile page is a huge job, it's mostly re-shuffling the HTML output. But hey, you're the boss smile

Regarding which options to include, here's my vote:

[] Show smilies as icons

[] Show images in posts

[] Show avatars.

[] Show user signatures
. . . . [] Show images in signatures

So there's 4 options with one "sub-option". I really thnk there should be the capability to turn signatures off entirely. If that option is included, "Show images in signatures" is dependent on whether or not it is set. You could disable "Show images in signatures" with javascript unless "Show user signatures" is set.

Removed:

[] Open links in new window.

Modern browsers like Mozilla and Opera are all about placing more control of the browsing experience into the hands of users. With respect to opening new windows, these browsers provide several techniques for doing so (context menu, shift- or control-click, etc.) I'd suggest removing this option (and setting links to open in the same window in the PHP code). That lets the user control the opening of new windows on a per-click basis using their browser's capabilities.

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

Fisrst of all I'm glad to see that you're still commited to fixing this. Sleddogs suggestion is exactly what I had in mind when posting the original request, so that one gets my vote as well, with some minor adjustments (see below).
If "Show images in posts", "Show avatars" and "Show user signatures" where dropped I don't think it would be any major problem and reducing the number of features in the profile is definately a Good Thing. But lets see what the statistics will tell - the primary concern here I guess is the compability issue.


To sum up, my suggestion for the options part of the profile is:

() Display your e-mail address.
() Hide your e-mail address but allow form e-mail.
() Hide your e-mail address and disallow form e-mail.

[] Save username and password between visits.

[] Include post in subscription e-mails.


[] Show smilies as icons.

[] Show images in post.

[] Show images in signatures

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

sleddog wrote:

I don't think restructuring the profile page is a huge job, it's mostly re-shuffling the HTML output. But hey, you're the boss :)

Do show me what you have in mind, but do it in a new topic.

I'll have a look at the options tonight.

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

I like the possibility of turning off images, sigs, and so on. Few people use them here because it's not needed, very few use images in signatures in this forum (which are terribly annoying in most cases) and even if they do they are not big or animated. But for other forums it would be a BLESS. Don't change it!

As for images in sigs, I just disable them all, as an admin. And I think that's enough. If you want to separate imgs and smilies, well, I'll just disable both groups in my forums :D. And I think most people will do the same --just a guess, though.

Personally, I love the way PunBB handles the user profile. True, there's a lot of checkboxes that make your eyes hurt, but the options are there and while most users will ignore them, you can direct them to the right one if the need arises. I always get lost managing an account on IPB for instance. On the other hand the Admin panel at PunBB is a bit exhausting, but you get used to it pretty quickly.

PS. I cannot give feedback, I'm starting up.

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

Rickard wrote:
sleddog wrote:

I don't think restructuring the profile page is a huge job, it's mostly re-shuffling the HTML output. But hey, you're the boss smile

Do show me what you have in mind, but do it in a new topic.

I'm stretched to the limit with work now, but I'll try to put something together on the weekend if that's not too late.

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

I must say I agree with your first post Rickard, about the images.
What I wouldn't mind to see is also the signature on/one/off option (on and off I don't explain, but the one means that each users sig is only shown once per page, only need a small array to keep the viewed userid's, shouldn't take that much cpu time to use it)
This is also due to the thing that many people have very annoying signatures, huge colorful with irritating colors etc ....

just a suggestion, while we're in those sections anyway (I didn't see it up there, but if I did I'm sorry for having missed it wink)

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

Frank H wrote:

I must say I agree with your first post Rickard, about the images.
What I wouldn't mind to see is also the signature on/one/off option (on and off I don't explain, but the one means that each users sig is only shown once per page, only need a small array to keep the viewed userid's, shouldn't take that much cpu time to use it)
This is also due to the thing that many people have very annoying signatures, huge colorful with irritating colors etc ....

Hmm, yes. That's not a bad idea.

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

I've given this some more thought and there's one thing I'm not sure how I'm gonna solve.

I think we all agree that a profile option that sets whether smilies are displayed as icons or not is a good thing. Adding that is a no-brainer. However, we discussed keeping the per-post setting for smilies as icons as well because people that choose to show smilies as icons may want to disable it for certain posts. Now, here's the problem. If I choose to not view smilies as icons in my profile the per-post settings doesn't make any sense for me. Why have an options for showing/hiding smiliey icons when I've already setup my account to never display them at all? You see the problem?

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

13 (edited by sleddog 2004-05-13 00:47)

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

Rickard wrote:

Why have an options for showing/hiding smiliey icons when I've already setup my account to never display them at all? You see the problem?

Because (as I understand it) the per-post option determines how smilies in the post are treated for all users, not just you or me.

If I type "the ratio is y:x for blah" I want everyone who views the post to see y:x, and not have the :x part converted to a smilie for those who have smilies enabled.

Perhaps the problem is not with the option per se, but with the wording of the label attached to the option. Maybe it could be phrased something like, "Disable graphical smilies for everyone". Just a thought.

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

Yeah, your right. Thanks.

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

sleddog wrote:

Removed:

[] Open links in new window.

Modern browsers like Mozilla and Opera are all about placing more control of the browsing experience into the hands of users. With respect to opening new windows, these browsers provide several techniques for doing so (context menu, shift- or control-click, etc.) I'd suggest removing this option (and setting links to open in the same window in the PHP code). That lets the user control the opening of new windows on a per-click basis using their browser's capabilities.

It's a classic discussion. I like my links to open in the same window, but the general public seems to prefer that at least external links (to pages outside of the current domain) open in new windows. An alternative to the current behavior is to add some logic to the parser to open local links in the same window and external links in a new window. What do you think?

Frank H suggested that we add an option for showing the signatures only once per page. I think it's a good idea, but it will require an option in the profile because it's hardly something everyone will want. Newbies won't understand why their signature only shows up "sometimes". That being said, I think I'll skip it. I'll leave the "Show signatures" option in though.

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

Rickard wrote:

It's a classic discussion. I like my links to open in the same window, but the general public seems to prefer that at least external links (to pages outside of the current domain) open in new windows. An alternative to the current behavior is to add some logic to the parser to open local links in the same window and external links in a new window. What do you think?

I would prefer to have external links open in a new window, and local ones in the same window.   If you are going to remove the option from the profile, then you might set it up in the code to automatically do this.

Myself, I'd prefer to see the option remain in the profile, and leave it in the user's hands to make the choice. smile

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

You're probably right. We'll leave it in.

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

dhdesign wrote:
Rickard wrote:

It's a classic discussion. I like my links to open in the same window, but the general public seems to prefer that at least external links (to pages outside of the current domain) open in new windows. An alternative to the current behavior is to add some logic to the parser to open local links in the same window and external links in a new window. What do you think?

I would prefer to have external links open in a new window, and local ones in the same window.   If you are going to remove the option from the profile, then you might set it up in the code to automatically do this.

Myself, I'd prefer to see the option remain in the profile, and leave it in the user's hands to make the choice. smile

Whether the option is included or not doesn't really matter to me, but I'd just like to clarify what I said and meant.

First off, I don't think it is a classic discussion. The "classic discussion" you're referring to pertains to whether links should be coded to open in a new window or the same window, perhaps with a determining factor like whether or not they are "external" links. I think that discussion (and method of HTML coding) is passe. What I raised is a new discussion.

Modern web browsers (like Mozilla, Firefox, Opera, and others, especially on non-windows platforms) are about putting more control of web browsing in the hands of users. Thats why we see features like popup-blocking, javascript controls that prevent (for example) statusbar hijacking, the ability to load alternate stylesheets, etc. Included with this are features that allow the user to control how and when new windows (or tabs) are opened. It is my discussion, everytime I click a link, whether it should open in the same window or a new window (or tab), not the webmaster's decision.

dhdesign says he'd prefer to "...leave it in the user's hands to make the choice". That's exactly what I mean, except that today, the user is able to make that choice using his/her web browser technology, according to his/her decision for each individual link. The profile option represents a decision of the webmaster about which links (e.g., "external" links) should be opened in new windows. Again, that decision should be the user's to make.

Dividing links into "internal" and "external" classes may be seen as entirely arbitrary decision by some users (like me). When I'm reading a post in a BB and the post contains a link to another post on the same board (an "internal" link), I might want to open that link in a new window (or tab) and preserve my place in the original window. When I post a request for help in a BB and someone responds with a reference web site that will help solve my problem (an "external" link), I may want to go to the new site immediately in the current window -- I'm done with that BB for now.

Web links are interconnections between information sources, and how each person uses those sources will differ. Modern web browsers provide users with much more efficient and flexible capabilities for traversing the Internet. Web sites should (IMO) get out of the "open in a new window" business and let users manage their own web browsing with the tools they have.

Just my 2 cents. I'll shut up now smile

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

dhdesign says he'd prefer to "...leave it in the user's hands to make the choice". That's exactly what I mean, except that today, the user is able to make that choice using his/her web browser technology, according to his/her decision for each individual link. The profile option represents a decision of the webmaster about which links (e.g., "external" links) should be opened in new windows. Again, that decision should be the user's to make.

The option in the profile still leaves it in the user's hands - it is each member's choice as to how the links open, not the webmaster's.  I do understand what you're saying - each of us surfs the net in a different manner and have different preferences.  I'd just prefer to have the option still available for each user and let them make their own choice. 

And, just to clarify, it's "she'd prefer", not "he"...;)

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

dhdesign wrote:

dhdesign says he'd prefer to "...leave it in the user's hands to make the choice". That's exactly what I mean, except that today, the user is able to make that choice using his/her web browser technology, according to his/her decision for each individual link. The profile option represents a decision of the webmaster about which links (e.g., "external" links) should be opened in new windows. Again, that decision should be the user's to make.

The option in the profile still leaves it in the user's hands - it is each member's choice as to how the links open, not the webmaster's.  I do understand what you're saying - each of us surfs the net in a different manner and have different preferences.  I'd just prefer to have the option still available for each user and let them make their own choice. 

And, just to clarify, it's "she'd prefer", not "he"...;)

Well I said I'd shut up on this, and I will smile -- except to offer an apology on the "he'd" part.

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

Apology accepted. smile

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

sleddog: You make a good argument. I agree with you 100%. The only question now is if we should keep the option or not. As you might have noticed, if I get the change to remove something from PunBB, I jump at the occation. It's your job to make sure I don't remove too much :)

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

Ok, here's how it looks now. Any comments?

http://w1.421.telia.com/~u42121130/options.png

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

Very good - that's exactly how I think it should be. The only thing that bothers me is the help texts -  they are not 100% consistent, some of them telling what happens if the option is enabled some what happens if the options is disabled. It's not a big deal and not sure I could do better, english is not my native tounge, but I think providing good help to the users should be a high priority.

Re: Revising the profile options for PunBB 1.2

looks good, and CodeDuck has a point, I would say that you should have helptexts to say what happens if you check a box, everywhere, also on the 'toggle' .... or use toggle everywhere wink

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