One-Sentence Statements Sought - Each Describing One Problem With The Website

[DonRocks]

I am asking all readers (not just current members) to issue one-sentence statements, each describing a single problem or issue with this website that they'd like to see improved upon, fixed, resolved, or at least acknowledged. These can (and probably should) be simple bullet-point items.

Examples:

* It's very complicated to upload a photo

* The website is confusing, and makes me not want to bother

* You're an overbearing administrator [for something like this, an additional level of detail would be appreciated]

* I can never find what I'm looking for [again, this could be improved upon with an additional level of detail]

Please do not go into much detail - simple, one-sentence issues are what I wish to hear, and (unless things are just personally nasty and mean) what I will address. Unless things are written specifically to be mean to me, I promise not to edit or erase anything, and I promise to reply to every single point. This is is not an exercise in "patronizing the members"; quite to the contrary, I hope to be able to work on these issues and address them.

I'll be gone all day, and I hope to look things over in the next few days, and respond to each point.

Again, these should be one-sentence items, and if I need clarification, I will ask.

Cheers (and thank you all for being members and/or lurking). If you lurk, and wish to say something, send me an email at donrockwell@dcdining.com, or better still, click here and join.

Rocks

[ktmoomau]

The search functionality isn't great.

[MC Horoscope]

Hard to locate entries on restaurants that I didn't know are listed as being in more than one location.

[Lary]

"Like" button for restaurants in the dining guide, for members who'd like to voice our stupid opinions without writing dumb reviews

[ScotteeM]

I've followed the directions, but I still can't load pictures in my posts.

[weezy]

cross streets and NW, SW, NE, SE designations in the title of threads for DC restaurants.

[Pool Boy]

I've followed the directions, but I still can't load pictures in my posts.

Try a different browser?

Why is there no Shared Google Map with all current restaurants located and link-tie-backs to threads in DR? (same for dead restaurants, for the anal retentive history loving fools too)

[Pool Boy]

When I use search indicating title only, sometimes, even though I KNOW threads exist, the search returns nothing (or not all) relevant threads. [A great example is Palena - there should be three threads, and are, but only two show up when you do a search with keyword Palena and search titles only.]

[lovehockey]

Perhaps the dining thread order should be DC, Baltimore, then Philly/NYC or NYC/Philly?

[DonRocks]

[These are all great, and *exactly* what I'm looking for and need to hear. I will be addressing every single one of them - not just "justifying them," but hopefully addressing them in a way that will work towards resolution of many of them. So far, every single one is a good and legitimate point. Thank you! Please keep them coming.]

[Bart]

Is there a requirement to have 10(?) posts before you can start a thread?

If so, what do you think about eliminating that requirement?

I'm picturing a situation where someone discovers this site and wants to ask a question, but can't instantly sign up and ask the question, so they say, "screw it, I'll just go to Chowhound". Like it or not, we have become a society that demands instant access/gratification/answers/etc. Any slight delay is a turn off and will probably drive people away.

[Pool Boy]

Is there some method to the madness of the ordering of sections/regions/neighborhoods/towns in the 'Restaurant Guide' threads? They are not alphabetic, and the do not seem to have an order I can understand either. It might be good to create a Google Map that is sharable where you can define each of the regions/neighborhoods as you define them, too.

That was more than one sentence, so I am now about to explode. Haha.

[Al Dente]

Perhaps the dining thread order should be DC, Baltimore, then Philly/NYC or NYC/Philly?

 YES!

[beachgirl54]

The "view new content" doesn't work (maybe only for me but I've tried on a Mac, desktop and iPad - no dice).

[Deac]

When browsing the site on an iPad I can't see when the last post in a thread was made.

[ktmoomau]

The "view new content" doesn't work (maybe only for me but I've tried on a Mac, desktop and iPad - no dice).

Have you checked your settings on the left hand side of the page in new content to make sure forums are checked, and that you have in Other it checked by filter by forum?  Make sure you are asking for the right things you want to view. It works for me on PC, Mac and iPad and iPhone.  Maybe you don't have the correct items checked? If you do than no idea.

[Dr. Delicious]

This is silly, but I don't like that the "profile views" includes the number of times I've looked at my own profile. I suppose I don't like to be reminded of my own egotism.

Also, +1 on the search feature for this website sucking the dog.

[u-bet!]

The search function seems hit or miss as to whether or not my search term will be highlighted in yellow when my results are returned (maybe a function of using Safari, but I would think it would work one way or the other).

[DonRocks]

Is there a requirement to have 10(?) posts before you can start a thread?

If so, what do you think about eliminating that requirement?

I'm picturing a situation where someone discovers this site and wants to ask a question, but can't instantly sign up and ask the question, so they say, "screw it, I'll just go to Chowhound". Like it or not, we have become a society that demands instant access/gratification/answers/etc. Any slight delay is a turn off and will probably drive people away.

Let me start by answering an easy one: No.

At least there shouldn't be! If anyone knows something to the contrary, please PM me. As soon as you join, you can start a topic. The only thing you need 10 posts for is to access the Dining Guide.

[DonRocks]

The search functionality isn't great.

When I use search indicating title only, sometimes, even though I KNOW threads exist, the search returns nothing (or not all) relevant threads. [A great example is Palena - there should be three threads, and are, but only two show up when you do a search with keyword Palena and search titles only.]

Also, +1 on the search feature for this website sucking the dog.

The search function seems hit or miss as to whether or not my search term will be highlighted in yellow when my results are returned (maybe a function of using Safari, but I would think it would work one way or the other).

Since four people have brought up the search function, let me address this now also.

We are all held hostage to the Invision search function, which is quite poor. In fact, the few times I've used it, I've searched on something, and the thing I wanted ended up being (for whatever reason) at the very *bottom* of the first page of search results.

Here are some threads on Invision's community forum complaining about the search feature:

"Search Is Terrible"

"Search Feature in Forum is Terrible"

"IPB 'Search' Function"

That having been said, I do not use Invision's search function, and I'm surprised to find out that others do. There is a sure-fire work-around that might seem like a PITA on the surface, but it doesn't take long at all (I'm a very fast typist, so that helps). Do this:

Go to GOOGLE. Not Invision; Google. And type in the following:

site:donrockwell.com palena

That's assuming you're looking for Palena. If you're looking for Bistro Bethem, type:

site:donrockwell.com bistro bethem

Or, for coffee grinders:

site:donrockwell.com coffee grinders

I have never, ever, not once, had this not work like a champ for me - the search *always* comes up #1 on Google.

So, while that may not be the answer you want to hear, that's what I do, so we're all in the same boat. It's possible that Invision might improve their search function in newer versions (we don't use the latest version), but I wouldn't count on it. From my point of view, there was no reason for Invision to have reinvented the search wheel when Google does it so well.

I think once you get used to doing this, you'll be quite happy with the results.

[Bart]

Let me start by answering an easy one: No.

At least there shouldn't be! If anyone knows something to the contrary, please PM me. As soon as you join, you can start a topic. The only thing you need 10 posts for is to access the Dining Guide.

Ahhh, thanks. That must have been what I was thinking of. I withdraw my comment!

[Rhone1998]

not that it's that big a deal, but you don't even need to deal with the "site:" thing on the google search.  Just type in "coffee grinders donrockwell.com" and it will pull up the relevant thread here.

[DonRocks]

not that it's that big a deal, but you don't even need to deal with the "site:" thing on the google search.  Just type in "coffee grinders donrockwell.com" and it will pull up the relevant thread here.

Yes, but with "site:" you're telling Google to *only* return things from a specific website, and nothing else - your method probably works de facto just as well, although if Eater, for example, had an article containing the text, "the members on donrockwell.com had a discussion about coffee grinders," that would likely come up #1.

[Pool Boy]

Since four people have brought up the search function, let me address this now also.

We are all held hostage to the Invision search function, which is quite poor. In fact, the few times I've used it, I've searched on something, and the thing I wanted ended up being (for whatever reason) at the very *bottom* of the first page of search results.

Here are some threads on Invision's community forum complaining about the search feature:

"Search Is Terrible"

"Search Feature in Forum is Terrible"

"IPB 'Search' Function"

That having been said, I do not use Invision's search function, and I'm surprised to find out that others do. There is a sure-fire work-around that might seem like a PITA on the surface, but it doesn't take long at all (I'm a very fast typist, so that helps). Do this:

Go to GOOGLE. Not Invision; Google. And type in the following:

site:donrockwell.com palena

That's assuming you're looking for Palena. If you're looking for Bistro Bethem, type:

site:donrockwell.com bistro bethem

Or, for coffee grinders:

site:donrockwell.com coffee grinders

I have never, ever, not once, had this not work like a champ for me - the search *always* comes up #1 on Google.

So, while that may not be the answer you want to hear, that's what I do, so we're all in the same boat. It's possible that Invision might improve their search function in newer versions (we don't use the latest version), but I wouldn't count on it. From my point of view, there was no reason for Invision to have reinvented the search wheel when Google does it so well.

I think once you get used to doing this, you'll be quite happy with the results.

I use the search function all of the time on this site. I usually search for a name of a restaurant (so I can find the thread instead of having to page endlessly through) and choose to search titles only. <sigh>

I will try the Google thing, but I would suggest findin gout if there is a way to use the 'Search With Google' button websites can install on their own site to act as a search function. Opening another tab in the browser seems like too much of an extra step to me but I am utterly lazy.  As it is, I usually eventually find what I want, but the Google search suggestion, though manual, is a good stop gap.

QUESTION - I see lots of thread (and maybe individual posts too?) that are 'tagged' - Is there a place on the site to search tags? I answered my own question - it is in search! And it sucks ass, too.

[DonRocks]

I use the search function all of the time on this site. I usually search for a name of a restaurant (so I can find the thread instead of having to page endlessly through) and choose to search titles only. <sigh>

I will try the Google thing, but I would suggest finding out if there is a way to use the 'Search With Google' button websites can install on their own site to act as a search function. Opening another tab in the browser seems like too much of an extra step to me but I am utterly lazy.  As it is, I usually eventually find what I want, but the Google search suggestion, though manual, is a good stop gap.

QUESTION - I see lots of thread (and maybe individual posts too?) that are 'tagged' - Is there a place on the site to search tags? I answered my own question - it is in search! And it sucks ass, too.

Why don't you use the Dining Guide? (Well, there's that extra tab thing again.) I will write Invision and ask them about the "Search with Google" button, and let you know what I find out.

I'm not sure how you're searching for tags (I've never tried it before, other than to click on a tab itself, which brings up all the other threads with that tab (*)). Using the Invision search function, I did this:

1) Clicked on the green microscope while leaving the search box blank - this brought up a brand new screen

2) Typed Italian in "Find Words," leaving the box below checked "Forums"

3) On the 3rd line (the one that says "Match"), on the right box, I selected "Only search in titles"

4) Clicked on "Search Now" down at the bottom

and I got a list that looked like I hoped.

(*) Clicking on a "Now Open" tag (which I sometimes do to make sure there aren't any really old threads I forgot to change) I got this page, which is reasonably close to what I wanted to see.

Note: Every thread that rises to the top of Page 1, I make sure it's tagged. I now have the first 1,600 threads (the first 32 pages) tagged in the Washington DC Restaurants and Dining forum, but more importantly, I'm making a sequential sweep through that forum, and now have the first 1,350 threads (the first 27 pages) tagged, titled correctly, and correctly included in the Dining Guide - I'm slowly making my way through the entire forum, and hope to finish sometime in 2015. I also now have a personal assistant who will be helping me with some of these things once she gets my "personal" work done.

Did this answer help you any?

[schulju]

Another vote for ensuring there is better location info at the top of the various restaurant threads; I often wind up having to go out to google to search the restaurant to figure out if it's in a location I'd travel to.  

[schulju]

Unrelated, but what the heck is a "Hamtrak"? (shows up in the thread at the top of the restaurant forum)

[Pool Boy]

Why don't you use the Dining Guide? (Well, there's that extra tab thing again.) I will write Invision and ask them about the "Search with Google" button, and let you know what I find out.

I'm not sure how you're searching for tags (I've never tried it before, other than to click on a tab itself, which brings up all the other threads with that tab (*)). Using the Invision search function, I did this:

1) Clicked on the green microscope while leaving the search box blank - this brought up a brand new screen

2) Typed Italian in "Find Words," leaving the box below checked "Forums"

3) On the 3rd line (the one that says "Match"), on the right box, I selected "Only search in titles"

4) Clicked on "Search Now" down at the bottom

and I got a list that looked like I hoped.

(*) Clicking on a "Now Open" tag (which I sometimes do to make sure there aren't any really old threads I forgot to change) I got this page, which is reasonably close to what I wanted to see.

Note: Every thread that rises to the top of Page 1, I make sure it's tagged. I now have the first 1,600 threads (the first 32 pages) tagged in the Washington DC Restaurants and Dining forum, but more importantly, I'm making a sequential sweep through that forum, and now have the first 1,350 threads (the first 27 pages) tagged, titled correctly, and correctly included in the Dining Guide - I'm slowly making my way through the entire forum, and hope to finish sometime in 2015. I also now have a personal assistant who will be helping me with some of these things once she gets my "personal" work done.

Did this answer help you any?

Are ALL restaurants listed in the Dining Guide (meaning all that are open as well as closed)?  It's a good idea to go there and just do Ctrl-F and try that way like you suggest makes a lot of sense (that and the Google thing). I'm good for now.

[DaveO]

I'd like to add something about SEARCH in the forum.   I have about a decade in search engine optimizing experience;  I'm familiar with a lot of discussion forums, modded one, and know a lot of forum owners and operators.

DR.com sits in a forum software package.  Its owned by a company called Invision.  Its used by probably thousands of different forum owners.    The search function STINKS.   It doesn't work well anywhere.  I doubt its fixable.  I've been in forums with programming gurus and experts.  Nobody ever offered or expressed how to fix an Invision Search Box.

Two great solutions offered above DO Work.  Use the site:donrockwell.com solution in either google or bing search.  That does give great results.   Also use this search function in either google or bing.  type in donrockwell.com and put parentheses around a search term:   ie    donrockwell.com "Palena"    That will give excellent results.

BTW:  use Advanced search inside Invision for some things.   Suppose you wanted to find everything that Zora had written about Masa.   Click on the gear icon to the right of the forum search box.

Then you'd work your way through all the fields and options.  You could focus on just Zora's comments by clicking on a forum member's field and referencing her by her forum name.   Then you could fill out the search term "masa" in the appropriate field for search term.

You could sort the comments by most recent or oldest.    that type of search function does work in the forum/Invision search boxes (though I probably haven't used it in a couple of years).  It was very functional in the past.

Lastly here is a TIP that actually might be beneficial to DR.com by searching using the "Site: donrockwell.com method in Google.

I saw reference to a new google patent about search the other day.  The commentator has been writing about google search patents for about a decade.  He knows his "stuff"   Here is the reference.

Now IF google is using indications of the Site:   search application of a sign of high quality....(with their patents there is NO guarantee they have applied the patent or not)   and if it is a sign of QUALITY....then the following kind of experiment might work.

Don:  You should coordinate this:   Choose a restaurant by name.   Have willing members search for that with the following method in Google   Site:Donrockwell.com examplerestaurant

Try and coordinate.  Try and find out EXACTLY how many people do that.  I've done these experiments before.  One issue one doesn't know is HOW MANY repetitive actions one needs to affect google rankings.

I'd choose one restaurant by name.  Just use the name in the site effort.  Don't add any qualifying language such as location or anything else.   Before trying the experiment see where dr.com is ranked for that phrase.   Record that.   Then do the experiment.   See if it pushes the rankings up.  Try and find out exactly HOW many people did this, how many unique people did this, how many people did this on unique devices.   Then check back and see if the dr.com rankings for that search term improved.

Just a suggestion.   Then after you've started this.....erase this part of my suggestion!!!!    

Again I've done these types of experiments before and been part of such experiments.  There is precedent for these crowdsourcing type experiments to work.

[DonRocks]

Hard to locate entries on restaurants that I didn't know are listed as being in more than one location.

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but I've started the process of correcting this, as it has been the single-most requested upgrade in our community's history.

In the Multiple Locations Guide, you'll notice (going down the list) that some restaurants have asterisks, and these are the ones that will be distributed into the single-location guides. For example, take the first entry, Family Meal. You'll see this listed under Richmond in the Virginia Guide, Frederick in the Maryland Guide, and Downtown/Inner Harbor in the Baltimore City Guide.

I've been asking for volunteers to do this for years, and not one person has volunteered, so I'll be doing this as time permits, in order, using my own judgment as to which restaurants should be distributed.

[DonRocks]

"Like" button for restaurants in the dining guide, for members who'd like to voice our stupid opinions without writing dumb reviews

Reviews are the primary reason for this website's existence! Write them, please!

I am very much a laissez-faire moderator here ... except when I'm not, and in three instances (titling, tagging, and the Dining Guide), I'm a total control freak. The Dining Guide is my baby, the buck stops with me, and I take full responsibility for its contents. I've worked over 12 years, and if I told you how much money I've spent during that time, educating myself about area restaurants, you (assuming you have a half-ounce of sanity) would accuse me of either exaggerating or flat-out lying. But I wouldn't be. Suffice it to say that my education as a restaurant critic (which started *long* before I was at eGullet) and website host (which started in 2003), costs as much per year as a decent college education. 'Nuff said.

So, no "Likes" in the Dining Guide. *However*, for several years, I have thought of instituting our own award program - there are no more capable judges in all of Washington, DC than seasoned members of this community, and I've been kicking around the idea of "Best of" awards in various categories, awarded not by me (although I would have a vote), but by a committee of our most experienced, reliable members. This would necessarily start out small: a congratulatory post, bragging rights for the restaurant, and a certificate to hang on their wall - and it would evolve over the years and decades into who-knows-what. However, for it to evolve, I will need funding. The "James Beard-like Awards" won't be coming anytime soon, but I know that if you compare our experienced members with the judges on the RAMW committee, it is a no-contest, absolute joke as to who is more qualified, unbiased, and capable of awarding *true* "Best-of" awards to various restaurants If a volunteer would like to take the lead on this so we can commence this project, please write me; otherwise, it will continue to lie dormant, just as it has for several years.

[Pool Boy]

Anyone who suggests 'likes' or 'ratings' for this site have a half good idea. While I personally do not consider this type of thing necessary, I can see why some people might like to see this. I think it dumbs things down so that you do not have to read the posts here. Look for 5 star places. Show me the place with the most likes blah blah blah.  Personally, I would rather read a well composed review, or hell, even a blunt and brief one that just tells it like it is than just look at a star or like rating. That is me. But there are an awful, awful lot of people out there that are now conditioned to look for and expect this.

As for a DonRockwell Awards tingerdinger, that is a fun idea. You could keep it really, really simple to start - Best Restaurant (period). Best DC Restaurant. Best MD Restaurant. Best VA Restaurant. Best Chef. Best Pastry Chef. Best GM. Best Bar. Inclusion for consideration would be existing and running in the award period (pick a 12 month period, award a month after the period ends), that is still open when the awards are selected and announced. That's it. The rest would be narrowed down by an awards committee to maybe 3 or 5 choices, then do a poll vote by registered DR members (or do it vice versa). Or just let the awards committee pick it and add another award called People's Choice Best Restaurant for all to vote on. Could be fun.

[Lary]

I was just looking for a way as a member to praise a restaurant (not star ratings, just likes, which are already incorporated into the site) without saying something stupid (see here) or the same thing everybody else has already said (long line, lychee salad). It would also connect members who realize they like the same stuff. But i like the site as it is.

[DonRocks]

I've followed the directions, but I still can't load pictures in my posts.

Scottee, since you wrote this, and since Josh "Liked" this, I'm going to assume, for now, that my directions are outdated, and go through and write them again here, while uploading a picture. Let me know where they differ, please, and if it still doesn't work, I'm going to get you on the phone and walk you through, because it might be something like an operating system.

[Note: This has changed again since we upgraded to a new version of Invision - these directions are current as of Mar 25, 2016.]

1. Be in Full Editor (the one where you see the "icons" on top); only the Full Editor has the capability to upload pictures. For example, I had begun replying in the little box at the bottom of the screen, and then realized I wasn't in the Full Editor, so I clicked on "More Reply Options" (that's one way; the other way, if you're inside a thread, and click on "Reply to this Topic" at the top-right of the page, you'll sometimes have an option that says "Use Full Editor" - either of these two paths will get you into "The Full Editor." If you don't see the icons (with Font, Size, the , etc.), you're not in the full editor, so be sure you are.

2. On the bottom-left of where you type, there's a section called "Attach This File" with a paper-clip icon next to it. Above "Attach this File," it says "Choose File..." Click on that button. Note that I have the maximum single file size set to 6 MB which is WAY bigger than you should be uploading (if you're uploading a photo greater than 1.5MB in size, it's too big). Another "behind the scenes" setting I've set is the allowable extensions (.jpg, .gif, etc.) for a photo, so if your photo is something other than these, you need to write me and let me know what it is - I will add that extension to the permitted list if I can. (There are currently about 5-6 extensions that are allowed). Anyway, click on "Choose File..." Then, after you choose it, click on "Attach this File."

3. Finally, as a 3rd step, place the cursor where you want the file to go in the post, and then find the file that just got attached (it will be right above the stuff in #2, and click "Add to Post." This will actually put the file inside your post (if you don't do it, it will be down at the very bottom, wherever the system feels like attaching it, so it's best to do it yourself), and you'll see something that looks like this: [attahment=6193:NMAAHC.jpg] (it actually says "attachment," but I removed the "c" so you could see what it looks like).

4. At this point, your photo has been uploaded, will be part of your post, and you should click on "Add Reply." To remove your photo, simply click on "Delete," which is right next to "Add to Post."

5. And sure enough, my photo was uploaded and attached to the post (I'm typing this line after having posted). Why don't you click "Quote" on the bottom-right of where you're reading this, and try to mimic what I just did. My text will all be "Quoted" so you can follow along (I can delete your post when you've successfully done it). Everyone else can try it, too, and just type something like "Please delete me," so I know it's just a practice run that can be deleted.

[ktmoomau]

Anyone who suggests 'likes' or 'ratings' for this site have a half good idea. While I personally do not consider this type of thing necessary, I can see why some people might like to see this. I think it dumbs things down so that you do not have to read the posts here. Look for 5 star places. Show me the place with the most likes blah blah blah.  Personally, I would rather read a well composed review, or hell, even a blunt and brief one that just tells it like it is than just look at a star or like rating. That is me. But there are an awful, awful lot of people out there that are now conditioned to look for and expect this.

As for a DonRockwell Awards tingerdinger, that is a fun idea. You could keep it really, really simple to start - Best Restaurant (period). Best DC Restaurant. Best MD Restaurant. Best VA Restaurant. Best Chef. Best Pastry Chef. Best GM. Best Bar. Inclusion for consideration would be existing and running in the award period (pick a 12 month period, award a month after the period ends), that is still open when the awards are selected and announced. That's it. The rest would be narrowed down by an awards committee to maybe 3 or 5 choices, then do a poll vote by registered DR members (or do it vice versa). Or just let the awards committee pick it and add another award called People's Choice Best Restaurant for all to vote on. Could be fun.

See what I did there???

[Seanchai]

So, no "Likes" in the Dining Guide. *However*, for several years, I have thought of instituting our own award program - there are no more capable judges in all of Washington, DC than seasoned members of this community, and I've been kicking around the idea of "Best of" awards in various categories, awarded not by me (although I would have a vote), but by a committee of our most experienced, reliable members. This would necessarily start out small: a congratulatory post, bragging rights for the restaurant, and a certificate to hang on their wall - and it would evolve over the years and decades into who-knows-what. However, for it to evolve, I will need funding. The "James Beard-like Awards" won't be coming anytime soon, but I know that if you compare our experienced members with the judges on the RAMW committee, it is a no-contest, absolute joke as to who is more qualified, unbiased, and capable of awarding *true* "Best-of" awards to various restaurants If a volunteer would like to take the lead on this so we can commence this project, please write me; otherwise, it will continue to lie dormant, just as it has for several years.

The Chicago based LTH Forum has a similar restaurant appreciation award called Great Neighborhood Restaurants nominated and voted by members:

http://www.lthforum.com/2013/03/gnr/

[DonRocks]

The Chicago based LTH Forum has a similar restaurant appreciation award called Great Neighborhood Restaurants nominated and voted by members:

http://www.lthforum.com/2013/03/gnr/

Yes, and this is something I've thought of for years (it is this which has prevented me from implementing it).

After too many years, I'm now in a position to create some real value to this website, and I plan on it. This awards program will be one of those actions.

[silentbob]

I wish it were possible to open a thread and automatically jump to the first unread post -- if the blue dot on the far left is intended to do that, it doesn't seem to be working for me (either on Safari or Firefox).

[DonRocks]

I wish it were possible to open a thread and automatically jump to the first unread post -- if the blue dot on the far left is intended to do that, it doesn't seem to be working for me (either on Safari or Firefox).

Oof, I don't see how you could use this website if you *don't* do that - on the right side of the screen, you'll see the person who posted last, along with the date (or time) they posted just underneath their name - click on that date or time. and you'll go right to it.

There's also a feature a lot of people don't know about - if you're inside the Events and Gatherings forum, for example, just to the left of the "replies" and "views" counters, there's a downward-arrow that lights up when you move the cursor over it. Once it lights up, click on it, and you can see the first post and last post without even leaving that screen. You can go to the last post from there as well by clicking on the words "last post." I don't use this feature much because I read every post, but others might find it useful.

Click on the Events and Gatherings link, then click where it says "Today, 5:07 PM" and you'll come right back here.

[Bart]

Don - that's close, but not quite what Silentbob was asking for.

Some forums I frequent will allow you to go your last unread post, even if there are 10 more posts after it.  By clicking a certain button, the site will send you to wherever you left off in the tread.  Your method will take you to the very last post, so you then may have to scroll up 10 posts to see the last one you read.

(Too much italics?)

[Pat]

I wish it were possible to open a thread and automatically jump to the first unread post -- if the blue dot on the far left is intended to do that, it doesn't seem to be working for me (either on Safari or Firefox).

Clicking on the blue dot takes me to the last unread post.  And it works using Safari, which is often very balky for me at various tasks.  I just tried it on several threads I had read some posts in but had not kept up with recently, and it took me right to the first post I hadn't read.

Maybe marking everything read and then starting over might help reset something that's gone awry?  Otherwise, I don't know why it's not working for you.

[DonRocks]

Clicking on the blue dot takes me to the last unread post.  And it works using Safari, which is often very balky for me at various tasks.  I just tried it on several threads I had read some posts in but had not kept up with recently, and it took me right to the first post I hadn't read.

Maybe marking everything read and then starting over might help reset something that's gone awry?  Otherwise, I don't know why it's not working for you.

The blue dot actually takes me (using a Chromebook) to the last post also, but I didn't want to mention that because silentbob clearly stated that it didn't work for him. Still, I should probably report that as a bug if it is one.

Don - that's close, but not quite what Silentbob was asking for.

Some forums I frequent will allow you to go your last unread post, even if there are 10 more posts after it.  By clicking a certain button, the site will send you to wherever you left off in the tread.  Your method will take you to the very last post, so you then may have to scroll up 10 posts to see the last one you read.

(Too much italics?)

Bart, maybe this is what the blue dot is for (however, if you (not too much italics!) have posted in that thread, it's not a dot; it's a star. So maybe clicking on the blue star will work? Otherwise, it seems like a redundant function, and I'm not sure why they even have it.

Maybe people can chime in and say what they use the highlighted blue star for, and if there appears to be a bug or inconsistency, I'll report it to Invision.

(I also realize I've probably skipped some posts up above in the thread, but I'll get to each of them - Scottee, did my directions for uploading a photo work?)

[Bart]

Clicking on the blue dot takes me to the last unread post.

Oh My God!!! That's awesome! Thank you! I never even realized the blue dots/stars were clickable.

Works in IE too.

Thanks!

Edit - - Don you and I were posting at the same time - - - Yeah! Blue dots/Stars. Thanks! That's exactly what I wanted but didn't think we had.

[DonRocks]

Oh My God!!! That's awesome! Thank you! I never even realized the blue dots/stars were clickable.

Works in IE too.

Thanks!

Edit - - Don you and I were posting at the same time - - - Yeah! Blue dots/Stars. Thanks! That's exactly what I wanted but didn't think we had.

They're only clickable if they're highlighted; otherwise, you've already read the entire thread.

Bart, did clicking on a highlighted blue star take you to your last unread post? When I post, I'm automatically taken back to the post I just wrote, so it's literally impossible for me to have any unread posts of my own. Given what happens to me, I don't understand how *anyone* could have any unread posts of their own. Or maybe clicking on the highlighted blue star takes you to the first unread post *after* your last post?

Another thing people might not realize we have (like that first/last example I gave a few posts above) is the "return to top" button. If you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page, right in the center is an up-arrow (which is hard to see because it isn't highlighted). Anyway, you can click on that, and it zooms you back up to the top of the page. It's on every single page, and you can do it right here and now by scrolling down to the bottom. Look carefully for it - it's right in the middle.

[Bart]

Bart, did clicking on a highlighted blue star take you to your last unread post?

Yep! It did it in this thread, but my first unread post was also the last post so I wasn't sure if it really worked, so I tried clicking the "star" in another thread and it indeed took my to my first unread post, which was 3 or 4 up from the last post in the thread. Success!

I never really paid much attention to the dots/stars before, but now I've noticed that if you "mouse-over" the dot/star, a little pop up appears that says, "First unread post". Is there any way you could have that be the column heading? Don't know if it's possible with this software, but that would certainly make it clearer for people like me to let us know that the option even exists.

[DonRocks]

Yep! It did it in this thread, but my first unread post was also the last post so I wasn't sure if it really worked, so I tried clicking the "star" in another thread and it indeed took my to my first unread post, which was 3 or 4 up from the last post in the thread. Success!

I never really paid much attention to the dots/stars before, but now I've noticed that if you "mouse-over" the dot/star, a little pop up appears that says, "First unread post". Is there any way you could have that be the column heading? Don't know if it's possible with this software, but that would certainly make it clearer for people like me to let us know that the option even exists.

It would take custom coding - it can be done, but I don't have the know-how, and would have to pay a programmer.

I'm glad it works for you!

[cheezepowder]

Oh My God!!! That's awesome! Thank you! I never even realized the blue dots/stars were clickable.

Works in IE too.

Thanks!

Edit - - Don you and I were posting at the same time - - - Yeah! Blue dots/Stars. Thanks! That's exactly what I wanted but didn't think we had.

Thanks, I also never knew about the blue dots!

[DonRocks]

cross streets and NW, SW, NE, SE designations in the title of threads for DC restaurants.

Louise,

It first started bothering me several years ago that certain parts of the website didn't contain the four quadrants, but it wasn't the titles that bothered me; it was the Dining Guide. At first, it seemed like a concise way to be "tight" and conserve space, but after awhile, after the thing kept growing and growing, I wished I had begun using the designations (NE, NW, SE, or SW) for the neighborhoods - in particular, for the restaurants that had closed since those entries contain the addresses, and Washington, DC addresses are incomplete without those quadrants.

My rationale at first was that all restaurants within every sub-section, i.e., neighborhood, would fall within the same quadrant - the only exception is "Capitol Hill North" which can potentially contain restaurants from NW (e.g., Bistro Bis) or NE (e.g. Bistro Cacao), thus creating ambiguity, although those two are still open and don't have the addresses listed.

In the actual thread titles, I decided not to include them because the neighborhood alone should be sufficient to tell the user what quadrant it's in (with, of course, the exception of Capitol Hill North). This assumes, of course, that the reader is familiar with the neighborhoods. It might also get tiresome for the viewer to see the four quadrants, NE, NW, SE, or SW in thread, after thread, after thread, so I decided not to do it in the titles or the tags. You're the first person to ever bring this up, but I, myself, have thought about this very issue for several years, albeit in a slightly different context.

There's also a question about the scattershot neighborhoods in the Dining Guide, which can be construed as being related to this one - I'll address that also, and will include this topic in my response there. I do want to reorganize the ordering of the neighborhoods at some point in the future, and maybe when I do, I'll group them in the four quadrants.

If you have any follow-up questions or comments, please continue - I feel like I might not have addressed your concern.

[liz2041]

That New York is listed above DC.   

[DonRocks]

Why is there no Shared Google Map with all current restaurants located and link-tie-backs to threads in DR? (same for dead restaurants, for the anal retentive history loving fools too) 

It might be good to create a Google Map that is sharable where you can define each of the regions/neighborhoods as you define them, too.

 

It's too much work for me. I've asked for volunteers in the past, and have never gotten any. The first person who ever offered to do this was NashMan1975, but that was years ago, and he hasn't gotten back to me. I would love his help right now - it would be a great feature. If anyone's in touch with him, could you tell him I'm calling in my favor now?

As an example, we have our one-and-only map in the "West End" neighborhood in the Washington, DC Dining Guide (just to see if I could do it, and I did that very quickly). Nashman? Anyone? Care to  Volunteer? Other than Pat and cheezepowder, we don't really have anyone here volunteering for anything, at least not that I'm aware of. I'd love to find people to help me do things - please contact me if you're interested: I *need help*!

Sooner or later we're going to get to one of these questions that has an answer you really might not want to see, and it's because of two things: this request, which not one person has responded to my having asked for over 2 1/2 years - people really needed to know what was going on with me, because then they would have understood - and the harsh reality that we're going to have to eventually present ourselves to the public as a for-profit business, and I don't mean amateurish little Google ads. That's been in the works all-along, but because of item #1, it has necessarily been on hold; at some point in the future, it will be time to begin.