avtur Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I notice that when I follow a link which leads to an external source from within a thread e.g. YouTube or other website the link opens in the same window/tab and so leaving the forum, so I can't keep the forum open and follow the link. Is there setting somewhere that can be changed so that by default links will open in a separate window? Also is there an option for an advanced search function? The only option I can see is to search thread titles; being able to search in the body of the thread would be a very useful ... (IMHO) Edited By avtur on 10/03/2012 13:20:44 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 In Firefox, I right-click on the link and select 'Open in new tab'. I wouldn't be holding your breath waiting for improvements to the search function - we waited a long time for that! Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avtur Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 Posted by Pete B on 10/03/2012 13:39:22: In Firefox, I right-click on the link and select 'Open in new tab'. I wouldn't be holding your breath waiting for improvements to the search function - we waited a long time for that! Pete Thanks Pete ... normally on Mac but currently using a netbook with Chrome and Windows XP and your right click suggestion works on that ....many thanks !!!! Regards the search question there seem to be a few features on the forum which are questioned from time to time, I'm relatively new around here so excuse me for asking but how is it that such a high profile forum, runs on a platform which isn't as user friendly as many others. Apologies if there a well known answer to this question ... put it down to my newby status! Edited By avtur on 10/03/2012 14:37:27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W-O Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Posted by avtur on 10/03/2012 14:36:33: Posted by Pete B on 10/03/2012 13:39:22: In Firefox, I right-click on the link and select 'Open in new tab'. I wouldn't be holding your breath waiting for improvements to the search function - we waited a long time for that! Pete Thanks Pete ... normally on Mac but currently using a netbook with Chrome and Windows XP and your right click suggestion works on that ....many thanks !!!! Regards the search question there seem to be a few features on the forum which are questioned from time to time, I'm relatively new around here so excuse me for asking but how is it that such a high profile forum, runs on a platform which isn't as user friendly as many others. Apologies if there a well known answer to this question ... put it down to my newby status! Edited By avtur on 10/03/2012 14:37:27 I can only assume the reason is commercial, to keep the adverts on the sides, remembering that there are a number of publications. There are a number of well known, good and free programmes available which are easy to set up and use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I'm sure a change was made some months/maybe a year ago - it was certainly mentioned. Previously external links always opened in the current browser tab (replacing the "current" forum page - so not quite what Steve W-O is thinking about where eg. youtube videos are embedded in the current page.) Now external links sometimes seem to open in a new browser tab. Mission partially accomplished? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Well yes, it is a bit of a cranky and creaky old machine! But there are probably lots of reasons for that - some of which I could guess at - like this forum is only one of about 14 run in the "MyHobbyStore" cluster so decisions are complex and have work across a wide spectrum network of both employees and volunteers. So changes have to take everyone with them. Bear in mind that this cluster of forums ranges from the technically well clued up (like us and the Hi-Fi guys for example) but it also includes the Patchwork sewers * and Stamp Collectors etc. (bless!) with whom I guess we have to make IT progress slowly if you know what I mean! But you know what makes a forum? It isn't the software - its the people. I honestly believe that we have a great bunch on here. We have some top experts freely sharing their knowledge, we have club modellers and all their experience, we have beginners. We have theoretians, we have top class practical engineers. We have old hands that remember the start of R/C and we have youngsters just starting out. We have plan builders, we have kit builders and we have ARTF flyers - all side by side. And all these types come back day after day, week after week and year after year to build up this high profile, unrivaled, body of knowledge you refer to avtur. And all that despite the "creaky old machine"! BEB PS This is just my personal view - I maybe a Mod, but I don't in any official capacity speak for MyHobbyStore! * Katy excepted -who knows absolutely everything about computers - honest! Edited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 10/03/2012 23:33:39 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Post of the week, BEB - have you been partaking of a mellow malt this evening and found you are at peace with the world? Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Well yes Pete - a glass of red or two might have passed my lips this evening and left me feeling at peace with my fellow man (and even woman!) - but nothing to colour my judgement you understand officer! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Usually when I add a link like this I click on the target tab and select "New Window(_blank)". All modern browsers will then open the link in a new tab unless you have specified to have them open in a new browser window, thereby leaving the original page open. Very old browsers will open the link in a new window regardless (but why use an old browser?). Others must be doing the same which explains why sometimes external links open in a new tab (or window) and sometimes they don't. As for the forum software - yeah it creaks and gets cranky but at least the threads on this one are easy to follow, some are just a mess. Edited By Ian Jones on 11/03/2012 00:36:06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avtur Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share Posted March 11, 2012 BEB .... thanks for your reply ... I thoroughly understand where you are coming from ... particularly when it comes to the wide range of contributors, obviously that is a great asset to the forum. However the very point you make about the 'other' titles on the platform would appear to me to be a very good reason for making the "forum user experience" the simplest and best possible ... this is the front door to many commercial outlets ... All I would say as a typical "joe soap" end use is that this format is not the best. Even you have described it as being "a bit cranky and creaky" which is very honest of you ... the problem is that in todays world there is a high expectation of every thing right the first time around; I think some of the limitations take away from that expectation. As a humble end user I am not interested in the "back office problems" or the "politics" all I'm interested in is how user friendly is it and how intuitive is it ... when I see repeated interventions from the mods (as friendly and helpful as they are) about how how to use the forum then it tends to suggest that something isn't quit right. If the forum is part of a "commercial front door" I think I would be wanting to address some of the comments being made. In this day and age (sorry - yes that's a bit of a cliche) then whether you are an aero modeller, a stamp collector or a serial knitting fanatic ... there are plenty of forums out there that cater for all these different interests ... some are slicker than others ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Open 2 windows. Then you can keep the forum page on one and use the other for the links. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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