Major Road works under way!

The new forum still isn't remembering my login status, despite several cycles of: logout, delete all cookies, delete forum bookmark, log in (requesting "remember me"), re-bookmark the home page. It probably has something to do with my company's corporate firewall and web proxy service. Oh well.

I have a suggestion regarding the skin: the "Forum Menu" on the left takes up a huge amount of window real estate, for items that I infrequently use. I think it was better when they were in a bar on the top of the window, as in the old forum software, or they could be placed on the bottom.

I like the drop-down menu to switch forums. Very convenient.

-Paul W.

I have no "corporate firewall," and I, too, must login every time. I've given up trying to override it after umpteen attempts. I'll try again in the new year.

I admit that I don't have the vision of a 20 year old, but I do find the gray font on the white background difficult to read.
All FWIW at this point.

[David M. Bueker]

All my remaining issues, and this includes both format & login issues are now isolated to platforms running IE. Firefox and my iDevices are all fine, as is my Kindle.

Well, I continue to have log-in issue on Chrome. Yes, I did try to delete cookies, delete bookmark, etc (3 times).I even turned around, sat down, crossed my heart and genuflected toward Louisville.
Ah, well

[David M. Bueker]

There's clearly some stability issues as well. For some odd reason when I just came back now on IE everything looked fine, and my login stayed stable. That had not happened all day to know.

[Robin Garr]

I admit that I don't have the vision of a 20 year old, but I do find the gray font on the white background difficult to read.
All FWIW at this point.

I just remembered that on HotBytes we responded to a similar concern by changing the background color to white. I'll make a note of that.

[Robin Garr]

I have a suggestion regarding the skin: the "Forum Menu" on the left takes up a huge amount of window real estate, for items that I infrequently use. I think it was better when they were in a bar on the top of the window, as in the old forum software, or they could be placed on the bottom.

It's wide in order to accommodate Google AdSense. If you're using an ad blocker, i'd appreciate it if you'd turn it off for this forum. Those views and clicks help us pay the not-trivial costs of hosting this Virtual Pub.

Does anyone really care about "window real estate" any more? It's a rare desktop computer without enough pixels to accommodate the messages with plenty of room outside one's immediate peripheral vision. And devices should find the forum responding to smaller screens with an altered template to fit. I'm not sure I see the problem here, unless you're using a very old laptop or something, in which case, bless your heart.

[Robin Garr]

Well, I continue to have log-in issue on Chrome.

Look at the top of the page before you make your new bookmark. If you see a lot of arcane numbers and letters there, get rid of them and make your new bookmark specific to http://forums.wineloverspage.com/ .

genuflected toward Louisville.

Always appreciated. However, we do not guarantee results from this ritual.

[Robin Garr]

I have no "corporate firewall," and I, too, must login every time. I've given up trying to override it after umpteen attempts. I'll try again in the new year.

Jim, as i just suggested to 'winger, look at the top of the page before you make your new bookmark. If you see a lot of arcane numbers and letters there, get rid of them and make your new bookmark specific to http://forums.wineloverspage.com/ .

It might not work, but it will help kill a little time at least.

I have 2 questions>

1. What does it mean "delete all forum cookies?

2> How does one get rid of all that wasted space/advertising on the left hand side column?

Thanks in anticipation!

I have 2 questions>

1. What does it mean "delete all forum cookies?

2> How does one get rid of all that wasted space/advertising on the left hand side column?

Thanks in anticipation!

Bob, I'll jump in here...2>that is not "wasted space". That is space wherein Robin earns money to help defray the cost of providing this place you love so much, so he doesn't have to ask/require fess from all of us (many of whom, despite their affection for this place, would wander away were he to charge fees). Everything has a cost.

[David M. Bueker]

Bob - "delete all forum cookies" means that it gets rid of the information that the WLDG site places in your computer to make returning each time easier. All websites put cookies in your system. Deleting them means you start fresh. It's not nefarious (at least here...I won't speak for the wider 'net), just part of streamlining the access experience.

Thanks Hoke and David, much appreciated. I am very happy that we are all back in the forum.

Question, I do not seem able to include a "smilie".

[David M. Bueker]

Smilies are temporarily broken. You can do them manually. The buttons are not working though.

I admit that I don't have the vision of a 20 year old, but I do find the gray font on the white background difficult to read.
All FWIW at this point.

I just remembered that on HotBytes we responded to a similar concern by changing the background color to white. I'll make a note of that.

Robin-
At least for me, the background "white" is fine. I just went over to Hotbytes and the font within posts appears darker, or at least more of a grey/black. The font also appears to be a tad larger over there...I didn't see anything in the UCP here that allows the user to change font size, but I may have missed that option.
Trying not to pick nits, but hopefully provide useful feedback

OK so next question: When writing a TN how does one highlight in say black/underline/italics etc.

[David M. Bueker]

Those buttons are broken right now as well. Imagine a big orange sign that says "under construction" and you will have it about right.

Hey! We're Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!!!!

[Robin Garr]

Trying not to pick nits, but hopefully provide useful feedback

You're good.

OK - I found a bug. When I was in the Wine Forum, I clicked on "WineLovers Discussion Group" at the top of the page, thinking I could then click on the Kitchen Forum. It didn't work. It displayed the following:

Bob - "delete all forum cookies" means that it gets rid of the information that the WLDG site places in your computer to make returning each time easier. All websites put cookies in your system. Deleting them means you start fresh. It's not nefarious (at least here...I won't speak for the wider 'net), just part of streamlining the access experience.

In particular, the cookies are the way that the forum remembers that you are logged in.

-Paul W.

[Robin Garr]

OK - I found a bug. When I was in the Wine Forum, I clicked on "WineLovers Discussion Group" at the top of the page, thinking I could then click on the Kitchen Forum. It didn't work. It displayed the following:

Well. that's unusual. I can't make mine do that.

Does it work for you if you click the little house ("home") in the top bar just right of center and then go to FLDG, Howie? If so, then don't click WLDG til we get it fixed.

[David M. Bueker]

OK - I found a bug. When I was in the Wine Forum, I clicked on "WineLovers Discussion Group" at the top of the page, thinking I could then click on the Kitchen Forum. It didn't work. It displayed the following:

Actually that's not a bug. It's always been that way, even on the old platform. Wine Forum and Wine Focus constitute the Wine Lovers Discussion Group section of the overall WLDG. The food section is under the Food Lovers Discussion Group.

[Robin Garr]

Actually that's not a bug. It's always been that way, even on the old platform. Wine Forum and Wine Focus constitute the Wine Lovers Discussion Group section of the overall WLDG. The food section is under the Food Lovers Discussion Group.

Ah, good work. You read more carefully than I did. I thought Howie had clicked on "WLDG" at upper left, which goes to the top of the forum, d'oh.