Smokey
New Member
Baltimore MD
Joined: March 2009
Posts: 68
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Post by Smokey on May 9, 2009 2:05:34 GMT -5
Right then, I'm old and kind of vision impaired. But I did pass the driving license test last week so I must, according to local law be able to see something.
Why are all the links and icons on this board so hard to see? I put on my reading glasses and all but still the little links for the board on the top and bottom are unreadable to me. According to my eye doctor I have 20/15 near sight and I am will make her look at your site if you do not have a good answer about why your links are in a font/background that normal people cannot see.
Tks.
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Post by ctrlz on May 9, 2009 9:20:16 GMT -5
The short answer is that the forum skin is not designed for readability.
The long answer is that changing the default font sizes in your browser may help, and checking the settings on your monitor. (Which we can tell you how to do, if you want to.) However, if the issue is the links in white text (like "reply"), changing font size won't help. The forum admin would need to change the skin to something more accessible.
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Post by eagle on May 9, 2009 11:17:10 GMT -5
What skin are you using? I use the default skin and have no difficulty seeing the links. True, the fonts are small, but I can make them larger if I so choose, but they are by default of a size my 60-year-old eyes can see without reading glasses.
Other issues could be your browser settings, which can over ride some of the site's default settings.
Have you always had this problem at SOS, or is this something new? Have you made any changes to the software on your computer, updated your browser or operating system, for example? Have you explored changing the browser settings for font sizes at all? All of these can impact the way you experience the web at different sites.
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Post by Celeste on May 9, 2009 12:25:58 GMT -5
Is there a reason links are hard to read?Yes, Smokey. It's personal. We don't want you reading them!  No, seriously, I didn't like them either. They came with the forum and I hate them. The graphics are a bit jaggy and the text hard to decipher. The next incarnation of ProBoards has much better default link graphics, I'm pleased to say. I just don't know when they plan to release it. Although we have a default, we are giving people the choice of several skins to use, with more coming. You can change it at any time, then change it back, also at any time. Along with our original administrator who kept the default link buttons, I made a few other skins with new button graphics. I use one of the other skins. My personal favorite at this point is Green Satin Damask. The links are still small, but they aren't as jaggy and difficult to decipher. Hopefully you will find a skin that will be easier on your eyes as well. If not, maybe we can create one. It's been done before! You can change the skin by going to your Profile, select 'Modify Profile', then look under 'Account Preferences'. The skin selection dropdown box is far down in that section. I guess I'm more concerned about the antagonism I'm sensing from you, Smokey. We aren't some arbitrary Authority trying to impose our will on you. We are simply a few people trying to provide a forum for our squalor sibs to discuss things in peace. We do our best. We are NOT gathering together and saying "Oooh! What can we do to make this forum hard on people!" What would be the point of that? If we know someone is having problems, we try to work with them to make it easier. Some things we can't change because of the limitations of the host we are using, but we'll try. Just let us know. Okay?
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Post by Celeste on May 9, 2009 17:00:48 GMT -5
I just added a new skin very similar to the default, but with clearer graphics. Want to give it a try? It is called "Ladybug 2".
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Post by Celeste on May 12, 2009 11:50:50 GMT -5
Smokey? Have you looked at the different skins? Is there anything there that is helpful... or not? It's a little hard to help if I don't get the feedback I require to assist you.
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Post by Celeste on May 13, 2009 16:57:06 GMT -5
Thanks blackswan! I didn't want to get rid of the ladybugs, but I found a skin that is easier for me to read - and I love it. It did change the style of the ladybugs and I wish I could have the same style of ladybug with this color scheme, but the being able to read the scree easier is worth the switch. Way cool info here.  Since the only feedback I got on the new ladybug skin was favorable for the links, but negative regarding the read/new messages, I changed the new ladybug skin to have the same read/new message icons as the old. I hope you like it better. (I'm crossing-posting this in 'By-ways:If you don't like the ladybugs...') |
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Smokey
New Member
Baltimore MD
Joined: March 2009
Posts: 68
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Post by Smokey on May 22, 2009 2:05:17 GMT -5
Smokey? Have you looked at the different skins? Is there anything there that is helpful... or not? It's a little hard to help if I don't get the feedback I require to assist you. So I post this May 9 and by May 11 you are impatient because I am not answering? You can assist me by understanding that the time I spend on this forum is like #103 on my list of five things I can get done today. Another 20 things I do because I have to. Maybe 15 things get done because I do not like squalor. I would hate being completely organized. SOS and all have been real supportive over the past years in helping me get over some clutter. In no part of my life can a Saturday (for me) post about a recreation like housework get addressed in one week. And, yeah, I know that is part of the problem. On the other hand I have tossed 2,000 books, torn down shelving, shucked out my overdue bills and cleared out my yard and basement stuff. All that work was done with online help. And I thank you, I really do. Just, well, for me online is not really a fast way to communicate. I did try a skin or four. It took some time. Maybe I could have spent my time better but I did work with it for a while. Thanks for the new idea. |
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Post by eagle on May 22, 2009 9:29:41 GMT -5
Smokey? Have you looked at the different skins? Is there anything there that is helpful... or not? It's a little hard to help if I don't get the feedback I require to assist you. So I post this May 9 and by May 11 you are impatient because I am not answering? You can assist me by understanding that the time I spend on this forum is like #103 on my list of five things I can get done today. Another 20 things I do because I have to. Maybe 15 things get done because I do not like squalor. I would hate being completely organized. SOS and all have been real supportive over the past years in helping me get over some clutter. In no part of my life can a Saturday (for me) post about a recreation like housework get addressed in one week. And, yeah, I know that is part of the problem. On the other hand I have tossed 2,000 books, torn down shelving, shucked out my overdue bills and cleared out my yard and basement stuff. All that work was done with online help. And I thank you, I really do. Just, well, for me online is not really a fast way to communicate. I did try a skin or four. It took some time. Maybe I could have spent my time better but I did work with it for a while. Thanks for the new idea. Smokey, we all understand how busy each of us can be. And we all understand frustrations, as we all have them. However, Celeste was doing her best to respond with a solution as quickly as possible, and she was hoping you would give her some feedback about the viability of the solutions to your complaint. Without the knowledge that member x won't be back to check on the response to her complaint until 10 days later, but member y wants an answer yesterday, is simply not something the admins can figure out on our own. Perhaps the next time you have a complaint about the technical aspects of the forums, you might consider adding something about how long it will be before you check back again. That would at least give us a heads up that you won't be seeking an answer at all for x amount of days. For those who want their responses promptly, we usually get a thanks for answering so promptly, and that makes us believe that's what the majority of the members want, or at least appreciate. BTW, we're still wondering if any of the other skins, or the new default skin has been helpful to you. When you have time, and are back online, please let us know. |
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Smokey
New Member
Baltimore MD
Joined: March 2009
Posts: 68
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Post by Smokey on May 28, 2009 8:46:22 GMT -5
Sorry Celeste and other admins. I mean't my comment more as a self-deprecating  as in it takes me so very long to get around to doing anything. No complaint intended, just a neutral comment. I'm very impressed by how quickly messages are read and replied to. Watching any of it makes me feel a bit like a terrapin on an 18-lane high speed road. You all do an amazing job here and I thank you. |
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Post by Celeste on May 28, 2009 10:05:13 GMT -5
 Thanks for getting back to me about the readability of the new skin, Smokey. Tone is hard to convey online, isn't it? I cross signals on a frequent basis -- and I try HARD to be aware of it. Obviously, I don't always succeed! I'm sorry we made assumptions about your intent, incorrectly at that. If you are still having any trouble whatsoever with reading the screen and navigating, let me know. I'll work with you to do what I can to make it easier for you.
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