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New: Rec List Metadata
I have added metadata to recent and recommended reader post lists throughout the site. Now, at a glance, you can see the number of comments and recs each post has before clicking through to it. I have also moved the rec lists up to the top of the sidebar on the TPMCafe homepage for greater visibility. Hopefully having these two metrics in the lists will allow you to gauge -- at a glance -- how the top TPMCafe posts are trending, and what is generating discussion and interest. Over the coming weeks and months, we're going to keep tweaking TPMCafe for better ways to highlight top reader content.
We've also heard you loud and clear on the remaining bugs-- we have two rounds of bug fixes in the pipeline, and I'll post more when they have been deployed.
We've also heard you loud and clear on the remaining bugs-- we have two rounds of bug fixes in the pipeline, and I'll post more when they have been deployed.
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I like it
(but I hate having to sign in again to make a comment)
November 13, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Me-likey Al! This feature rocks. The work and new features are much appreciated. Just one more suggestion. Can you also include the most rec'd list on all reader's blogs as a sidebar? As it stands now, you have to go back to the dashboard or main cafe page to look for additional content after reading something.
Thanks!
November 13, 2008 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nice work Al.
November 13, 2008 10:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's a great addition. I'm glad you made the text grey instead of the initial black, as that looked too busy and distracting.
November 13, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
One more thing, the follower/following info isn't appearing after one makes a comment. For example, I notice that after posting my comment here, your profile picture comes up, by the follower data doesn't appear and the "Follow Me" button doesn't seem to work. A minor issue, but there seems to be a glitch in the system.
November 13, 2008 11:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
My only gripe at this point is that comments don't update like they should. In my Comments section, the most recent comment listed is from November 4. Aside from being logged out for no reason from time to time, I have no other major gripes. Love the new setup.
November 13, 2008 11:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, yeah (and please imagine this comes BEFORE my griping): the metadata thing is really nice.
November 13, 2008 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Did you know that you can get your comments to update by posting or by commenting on one of your own posts? It's a work-around until they get it straightened out.
November 13, 2008 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey! That comment updated right away in my comments list. Maybe it's fixed!
November 13, 2008 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, thanks for the tip, Orlando. Worked like a chahm.
November 13, 2008 12:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now, if we could only edit comments. ;)
November 13, 2008 12:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
That would be nice. It would also be great to be able to show/hide them or fold the thread in some way. And I'm still hoping they implement a way to allow people to give the thumbs up or thumbs down to individual comments. Often the comments make more interesting reading than the post itself.
November 13, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Love the metadata!
November 13, 2008 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now that the software's coming together, I wanna see Al start producing some meta-dada. You know, just posting weird shit that sounds like it has something to do with software, but may be a personal comment, no one can quite tell. A "Confuse-A-Cat" approach to TPM'ers.
Time to hit the meta-dada button, Al!
November 13, 2008 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, Al. Good work here.
Can't wait for the video game - "TPM: Return to HALO". You're going DOWN Quinn! I have Covenant Carbine with your name on it.
November 13, 2008 2:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is there some way to add the number of "views" a post gets in addition to comments and rec's (which I really like, BTW)
There are a lot of self-proclaimed lurkers around here, and it would be nice to see how many people are actually reading what we post.
Thanks for all your hard work and for keeping us informed...makes us feel important to you guys!
November 13, 2008 3:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
we would like to do this-- though it will take some additional development
November 13, 2008 4:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, Al! I noticed the additional info and it's helpful.
I haven't been following the site improvement story closely, so can you tell me if a tracker, as the old site had, is part of the new plans? It was just so helpful in keeping track of conversations and I know many of us who've been around for a while miss it. I like the suggestion for the ability to edit posts I noticed upthread too.
I'm also wondering if you're aware that the button to upload a avatar pic doesn't seem to be working, or at least it won't work for me. Is there someplace that explains how to upload an avatar pic? Size, resolution, etc.? And that brings me to another suggestion: we need a site FAQ - something that would explain the site to the novice (or even longtime users!).
Things really do seem to be improving (the "Preview" button for comments alone represented a great leap forward!), so please take the suggestions in the spirit in which they were intended, not as criticisms. :)
November 13, 2008 4:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I no longer have any record of comments and my latest rec' was on 10/12.
This is a reversion to the previous state of affairs.
Hopefully, it will be rectified.
PS. Like the new features. Kudos.
November 13, 2008 8:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
The All Reader Posts list does not match the displayed posts on the Reader Posts page. The page is several posts short in comparison to the list. (I'm sure someone else has brught that to your attention.)
When will the archive of today's and this week's reader posts resume? (Yup, yup...just have to be today's pain-in-the-ass whiner about that one... you betcha!)
November 13, 2008 8:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for mentioning that Jade...I forgot, and it is the only thing still making me crazy. I know I'm missing a bunch of good posts!
November 13, 2008 9:13 PM | Reply | Permalink