whoa (scrolling frame)

[markuskidd]

I must say, this is really awkward to use, and the popup box dosn't help too much. How about a regular browser window, with table widths that scale (as the current popup does). The vertical scrollbar provided by my browser should be sufficient to take care of my scrolling needs  

Other than that, glad to see a modern, full-featured forum system! (returns to usual lurking mode)

[ChrisM]

Thanks for the feedback.  The idea for the framed look is to keep the site windows consistent and to let people jump on for a quick peek at forum activity.

The popup is there for those that want to view the forum in fullscreen.  As well, the popup allows you to continue surfing while still keeping the forums up  

-Chris

[markuskidd]

Hrm.. at least could the popup just be a regular link? I need my navigation buttons etc. It looks like you guys have disabled the poll feature of YaBB, but this seems like an excellent topic for a poll once more of the userbase has joined up again

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[BorgKnight]

Hi guys,

Just a regular lurker getting comfy here...
Great job with the overhaul !

BTW Chris, I just bought that Law And Order game you mentionned a while ago being made in Java/Java3D. Funny thing is, no Java logo is there to be seen on the box... and no mention of a JRE being needed in the manual. Aren't Java game companies required to put the Java logo somewhere in there ?

(I supposed I should just try it, but I ain't got the time right now.)

cheers
BorgKnight

[GergisKhan]

Very nice!  Just one problem I noted... is there a way that the top header could be shrunk?  It seems to be very awkward with a banner that big.

I do like the PopUp though... seems to take care of that.

Congratulations on the overhaul!

[augusto]

Chris,

Congrats on getting a nice message board. I also like the color selection of the new site.

I hate to criticize, but I do find the new website akward tough. It's a page with a scrollbar inside of my browser scrollbar. It's just plain strange.

I imagine in the future you will have articles and the like, are you going to have the scrollable thing below them, I don't know, it's just weird.

As for the popup, it's fine, but oh please, can you make it so it doesn't turn off the browser navigation and menus? It's very annoying to have a browser window and not be able to use any of the browser functionality.

But keep on the good work.

Hey, just saw on TV Sun is going to lay of 8,000. I hope you guys are not hit so bad, specially you and Jeff!

[Matzon]

Ahh nice with a new layout.

some points though:
- the framed browsing of the forum is annoying.
- (nitpicking) the logo's shadow doesn't look entirely great because of the gradient...

Here's for hoping that we get even more users onboard!

[Themroc]

I agree with what has been said about the popup forum:
make it a regular browser window with back-button etc. No need to hide browser controls.

[augusto]

After playing with the site a bit more, I still don't like the message board insdie of the browser with a scrollbar. I have to manage 2 scrollbars to view and edit messages!

Also, on Mozilla 1.2a (Windows) when the message board frame changes content, the rectangle bounds of it flash a bit.

The new message board looks very nice and it's a great improvement, but why not let the browser scrollbar do it's thing and make this a bit more standard?

[ChrisM]

Working on it...

-Chris

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[augusto]

Sorry to nag about this Chris, we all know what a big effort it is to set this stuff up.

Hey, but like I said, it looks a lot nicer. Can't wait to see what it'll look like with the articles.

[Orangy Tang]

Fundamental rule of web design, never, ever, ever, break or remove the users back button, and yet that pop-up does exactly that.  

I'd like it back please.

The layout and colours are nice though But it would be nice if it stretched to fit the browser window instead of a fixed width. Forum software seems good as well, and a proper set of code tags now  

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public class foo extends bar {     public foo()     {          // wonder if this works    } }

[desertrock]

a quick workaround for the scrolling frame:

open the popup, show the page info, copy the url and open it in a regular browserwindow....
.... seems to work fine....

greetings,

holger

[ChrisM]

Again, guys......

Thee frames and popup are being fixed.  They will be updated ASAP.  No need to cut and paste (yada, yada, yada)

Working on the stuff as fast as we can.

Thanks!

-Chris

[ChrisM]

All,

Fixed the 'Forum Popup' Button so that you now have full navagation in that window.  The revamped Forums page will be launched with the rest of the site.

-Chris

[morebrackeen]

it doesn't look like the popup is fixed... it's missing the menu bar and status bar.

why does it have to be a popup? why not just make it a link? if someone wants it in a separate window, they can click "open link in new window"

[ap_kelly]

Hey there, just noticed the new look and feel.

It's very cool, but I'd have to agree with the many comments already on the scrolling frame inside the window, its a little awkward.

Keep up the good work!

[Jeff]

Well I'm biased but i justw ant to give Chris a big thanks for researching this and setting it up  

Just the code blocks alone should be a great asset to our community  (And you guys should see what hes done with the main site, itll be great when its back up and should be far more interractive and stay much more up to date! )

[morbo]

Wow...it's like watching an Imax movie! Thanks, Chris.

[ChrisM]

No more frames for the forums.

Next things to add:
 - Advanced navagation buttons
 - Site navagation buttons

Coming soon....

-Chris

[augusto]

Thanks for getting rid of the frames. It's looking fantastic.

When do you guys think you're going to have the articles and other non-forum releated stuff back up?

Also, is there a list of "codes" for this forum. Like what should i use for posting code?

[ChrisM]

Augusto,

Turned formatting buttons for posting, should make it very easy now

We hope to have the full site up and running next week.  Just ironing out the kinks and making sure the formatting is correct, not to mention adding the content

-Chris

[augusto]

Wow the formatting ^buttons are [size=2]really[/size] cool.

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public void paint(Graphics g) {     Graphics2D g2 = (Graphics2D)g;     g2.setPaint(new GradientPaint(0,0,Color.RED, 100,100, Color.YELLOW);     g2.fillRect(0,0,100,100); }

Nice!

<a href="http://flash? wonder what this does ..." target="_blank">http://flash? wonder what this does ...</a>

[ChrisM]

The flash tags lets you reference a flash animation from a URL.

-Chris

[markuskidd]

*please* don't use crazy javascript links to connect to this forum. if users want a new window, they will open a new window for themselves. if i want half of my icons at the top of IE removed from my forum window, i will do it myself. <sigh>

edit: you must resist the web developer's urge! resist!  

[ChrisM]

The intent here is to keep as much of the "Java.Net" branding.  Having other URL's that differ is not maintaining a consistant look and feel.

We will be providing redirectors and further integration as we move forward.  But, for now, this will have to stay.

Sorry!

-SG

[markuskidd]

I think I was misunderstood. All I am saying is that the link you offer on the .net site shouldn't open a new window via javascript that has some of its features disabled. I have tested the URL by itself by removing your popup code, and it still has all of the java.net branding. Does that make any sense?

[blahblahblahh]

The intent here is to keep as much of the "Java.Net" branding.  Having other URL's that differ is not maintaining a consistant look and feel.

We will be providing redirectors and further integration as we move forward.  But, for now, this will have to stay.

Um, but this thread is quite ironic. All those posts from october 2002 (I felt a bit confused by the time warp for a few moments there ) which say NEVER TAKE AWAY OUR BACK BUTTON and similar things - and here JGO is repeating that mistake again?

For what very little it's worth, YABB is now working correctly in Mozilla 1.3+ - the formatting is now correct (code boxes used to appear with a dark background in mozilla), thanks for that (it does make a positive difference - it's much easier to read now!).

I can understand a claim that you are forced by marketing people to do this - but this is just like the jokes about how different corporates like to shoot themselves in the head: I'm guessing a lot of people are already REALLY annoyed by having the forums disappear practically over night, with no warning. If a brand manager is holding a gun to your head on this, surely you can explain to them that its not worth alienating the *currently* loyal community?

To be frank, it appears that you have no-one with community-management experience on board at the moment: taking down a forum without notice and without migration ranks right up there as one of the worst possible things to do to your community. I have some respect for what you have achieved, but it makes me wince in pain to see beginner's mistakes like this; you've been to the GDC - did no-one get to attend the community-management lectures? It's not rocket science...