Reply to whole topic or reply to indivdual post?

Feedback on Carers Connect
1

I think the new format needs have its labels modified to make it clearer which “reply” button is which. The former is more appropriate when one wishes to make a general comment to a topic. The latter should, I suggest, be used with more discretion.

If one replies to a post, the whole of that post is displayed, and the new reply is shown beneath it. It becomes very tedious and consuming of space when a lengthy post, sometimes more than a page long, is replied to with a single sentence. I would encourage members, if they reply to a post, to trim down the original post to a sentence or two containing the main point they want to reply to.

Perhaps this point could be clarified in the user guidelines?

1 Like
2

just trying this out Denis. Also wanted to say good to “see you”

Edit: This was created with the reply just to you button and it doesn’t appear to quote your whole post first.

3

If you want to make a reply to just a portion (or even just one sentence in a post) - highlight the portion you want to quote - you should then see a (very) small box that says “quote” if you click on the “quote” it will place that portion of the post only in the box where you type your reply.

4

Thanks for your prompt reply, Melly. I can’t find a “reply just to you” button. I think we are all on a learning curve with this new-style web site.

5

Thanks SusieQ. You have seen my reply to Melly. So the “reply to post” button no longer quotes the whole post. I have done this using your advice for quoting a portion of a post and it works!

We live and learn! I think this is a good system - it discourages quoting long posts in entirety.

6

We certainly are, Denis.

7

The “reply just to you” button is the greyed out “Reply” at the bottom the post you are replying to - the blue “Reply” at the bottom of the page is for a general reply to the topic.

8

Are you using a laptop, tablet or phone, Denis? They forum displays slightly differently depending on the device.

9

I use either a laptop or desktop computer, Melly. I don’t use my mobile phone for this purpose. I’m sure that as time goes on I’ll get used to the new features.

10

Hello Denis. Thanks for highlighting the difference between the grey and blue reply buttons. We’ll update our guidelines to make this clear for other members.

We’d also welcome any other suggestions for helping members get the most out of Carers Connect. As you say, we’re all on a learning curve with the new site!

Michael

11

I did actually try it on my mobile phone the other day. It actually works very well on a mobile phone - in read mode anyway. I did not try to make a post with my mobile.

12

Hi Denis, it displays differently on a mobile, some functions work better than others in the mobile format.

13

Overall, this new Forum site is easier to use, once on has got the hang of it, than the previous one, and one can do smarter things with it. The Discourse platform is a good choice. Other organizations that use Discourse include BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT. If it’s good enough for the British Computer Society . . .