# General > The Literature Network >  Forum Update

## Admin

I upgraded the forums to vbulletin 3.01 today. This was a major update. You'll notice quite a few different things. I will be tinkering with the design for awhile I'm sure. If you notice any bugs or have any comments please post in this thread.

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## ajoe

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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## ajoe

Interestingly, now I have no clue how to upload an avatar. I went to "Edit Avatar" but couldn't find the upload thingy.

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## simon

The blue is a nice change, it is easier to get at information now too.

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## rocksea

the changes r welcome, but the icons r not fitting properly, they shud be smoothened n tuned into. the extra facilities r good it seems. but the look has gone. needs better finishing.

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## amuse

i like the "Similar Threads" section at the bottom.  :Smile: 

ooh, i also like how it tells you how full your mailbox is.

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## den

Doesn't remember log-in cookie, so have to re-enter username and password once I've logged out even though the `Remember Me?' box is checked.  :Confused:

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## ravana

It got quite pretty. 

Most liked "view first unread" . Was that before? I'm a little non-attentive.

Admin, does that "*" on my ID mean that I'm invisible?

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## Admin

> It got quite pretty. 
> 
> Most liked "view first unread" . Was that before? I'm a little non-attentive.
> 
> Admin, does that "*" on my ID mean that I'm invisible?


 Yes, it does.

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## Admin

If you're having problems staying logged in you'll probably need to delete your cookies. The cookie from the old forum is interfering with the new one.

Avatars should be working, sorry they weren't carried over. The size is now 100x100 and 20kb.

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## emily655321

Kewl.  :Biggrin:  

Gripes: Not more smilies?  :Frown:  And still brown. 
Time of day is now half an hour slow instead of half an hour fast.  :Tongue: 

Thumbs up: Bigger avatars!!  :Biggrin:  Yay! The editing process is a lot quicker too.
And I like the "first day of the week" option.
And the "quote message in reply" is really cool.

Isn't "Edit Avatar" and "Edit Profile Picture" the same thing?

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## emily655321

Oh, and I like the bold links for threads with new posts. That's really helpful.
One thing I've always wondered though: why don't the "new post" icons next to threads disappear once the page is refreshed, after you've read the thread? It says they're still new until you log out/back in.

Oh god, I know, I'm so nit-picky.  :Tongue:  It doesn't bother me, I'm just curious.

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## ajoe

For the life of me, I can't find the smilies list!

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## den

waaaa, I want my cookie back!  :Tongue:  I deleted all cookies, log back in, it still doesn't remember me ... 

ajoe, smilies are to the right of the text box when you go `Advanced' to post  :Wink:  

It doesn't seem to tell you anymore, with a mark on the topic icon, if you've replied to a thread. (?)

You can now have an image as avatar, that shows beside your posts, as well as a second image when someone clicks on your profile. 

I still like the background colours! Glad they didn't change.

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## emily655321

> You can now have an image as avatar, that shows beside your posts, as well as a second image when someone clicks on your profile.


Oh, ok thanks.  :Cool:  

I like the PM alert option too! Not that I get many PM's, but still.  :Tongue:  And I foresee the numbered posts being very useful too.

[edit] Ooh ooh! I like the drop-down box on member names too.
[more edit] And the profile link from the avatars. That's cool. Why is there a little blue dot on posts, under the avatars etc.?

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## Admin

> It doesn't seem to tell you anymore, with a mark on the topic icon, if you've replied to a thread.


There is. It is a small arrow. 




> Oh, and I like the bold links for threads with new posts. That's really helpful.
> One thing I've always wondered though: why don't the "new post" icons next to threads disappear once the page is refreshed, after you've read the thread? It says they're still new until you log out/back in.


Its a technical thing with how web browsers handle sessions and cookies -- so not something that can really be fixed. 

One of the things I plan on doing is replacing and or adding a bunch of smilies.

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## den

The blue dot tells you emily if someone is online or not, if it's green, they're `on'  :Biggrin:

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## emily655321

*screams* ghost!  :Tongue:  Okay, thanks.

Cool, cool. I'll stop adding to my crazy-huge post count now, and just watch the new stuff silently.  :Tongue:   :Biggrin:  (When I'm this interested in every minute change on a site, it's time for me to get a life.)

[edit] But btw, Admin -- b****in avatar.  :Biggrin:

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## amuse

when you hover, they say invisible, online, etc.
i think? that's what you're asking...not sure.

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## Admin

What does everyone think about keeping the buttons blue? I think it might work to make them easier to find.

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## emily655321

I say turn EVERYTHING blue.  :Biggrin:  But I'll settle for blue buttons.

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## Admin

Blue is too cold a color. Orange and brown evoke feelings of curling up with a book infront of a fire. Blue evokes feels of reading a computer manual while sitting in a cubicle.

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## emily655321

*pout* Fine, so now I'm cold.  :Rolleyes: 
Have it your way.

 :Tongue:

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## den

I like the blue buttons on tones of orange background, there's good contrast. 

However the dropdown menu when you click on someone's nickname, dark blue on dark brown background is hard to read.

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## ajoe

I'm looking to the right and I'm still having a hard time seeing anything. *scratches head in frustration*

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## den

ajoe .... you have to click the `Post Reply' button under the last post ... 

if you use the Quick Reply feature you then have to click `Go Advanced' then you will see all the smilies  :Smash:   :Ladysman:   :Mad:   :Rage:   :Wave:

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## ajoe

Bah, who cares? I know how to do cooler emoticons anyway.

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## Admin

I think some newer members might not realize that there is another method than the quick reply box.

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## emily655321

ooooh i love the dancing thing

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## amuse

i didn't like the blue when i first saw it, and it has yet to grow on me. seem to be in the minority though. maybe the "coldness" is why.

oops! didn't see you'd answered em's question, den. mine says invisible.  :Wink:

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## ajoe

He's okay, but I like this one better:


Yeah, I'm gonna stop junking this thread. Sorry, Admin.

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## ajoe

You know, I personally don't think orange/brown matches with blue. Just an opinion.

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## den

*

Hrm, maybe it's just my comp,  ... but pages are loading reaaaaaaally slow, much slower than the last version. 


*

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## Admin

I think its probably your computer. Although some of the new features, like similar threads, means that the server has to do more work -- it wouldn't cause anything that should be noticable to people.

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## subterranean

Good job admin, though the colors aren't perfectly match.. :Smile: 
But hey....the emoticons are good progress...
Thanks anyway Chris

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## Sancho

Nice upgrades, Chris. I think I should learn how to do an avatar though and change my status. I went from "Bibliophile" to "registered user" (sounds like a heroin user who had to register down at the local precinct.)

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## verybaddmom

YAY....Thank you Admin. it felt like i went away for a couple of days, and when i came back i found my living room rearranged. but i am so excited. there are many fabulous new things. it will take a while to find all the changes, but this is very very cool. many thanks.

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## crisaor

> _Oriiginally posted by rocksea_
> the changes r welcome, but the icons r not fitting properly, they shud be smoothened n tuned into. the extra facilities r good it seems. but the look has gone. needs better finishing.


I agree. The envelopes and the icons in the last post thing need a little smoothing, or having a black border in order to make them look better.
Other than that, the new look is pretty cool. I like it.
BTW, I can't seem to find any link to the archives of each forum. What am I missing?

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## emily655321

I like the idea of a black border. It would make it easier to focus on the posts. I've been noticing that I don't enjoy staying here as long as I used to, and I figured out it's because it's hard to focus my eyes. The bright white around the outside is distracting and it hurts my eyes. Is there more white than there used to be, or am I imagining it? Anyway, a bold border in the middle of the screen would make it easier, or maybe blue or peach or grey instead of the white?

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## IWilKikU

Blue dot means that user is offline, green means he/she is online.

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## den

:As Sleep:  geeeeeee ..... is it just me? or to others too does it seem really quiet around here since the update? 

I know I haven't been around much, work is taking over my life  :FRlol:  

Just wondering where everybody is.

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## amuse

*very quietly*...honestly, i liked the old format better.

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## papayahed

I thought I disabled the emil notification that replies have been added to cetain threads but I'm still getting notices.

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## Koa

AAAAAAAH I'm back at the forum after a few days (missed you all!) and what I find....It's aaaall different!!! I didn't expect it! For some reason it gets shocking when things like this happen when you've been away for a while (well just a few days)...

I'm going to explore now but...hey hey I see a whole lot of new smilies!!!  :Banana:   :Eek:  

(and yes blue doesnt match too well with brown :P)

And crisaor's and Kik's avatars look scary now  :Wink:   :Wink:   :Wink:

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## den

Amuse, I'm trying to get used to it here too.  :Cold:  

I find it much more unrefined and `chunky', half the page consists of the reply box and headers and footers and borders around text and stuff. I don't mind the colour scheme, it's the fonts and sizes that irk me. 

Ok I'll shut up now.  :Biggrin:

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## crisaor

> And crisaor's and Kik's avatars look scary now


Err... thank you?  :Wink:

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## ravana

Admin,some threads aren't shown. For an example: "new comers b" in general liteature. I remember it, because at the first time I posted there.

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## subterranean

I wish we cold choose the back ground color too and just orange...

i want PURPLE..... :Biggrin:   :Biggrin:

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## emily655321

I'm with you on that one. People who like this can keep it, and people who want purple (or blue or green *ahem*  :Nod: ) can have it as a User CP>>Option..?

Is it hard to do? Would it take up too much memory?

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## Koa

Purple Purple Purple!!!

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## Jay

Geez, no purple! lol Green, blue, gray... hmmm... but purple? No way!  :Biggrin:  :Biggrin:

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## Koa

> Geez, no purple! lol Green, blue, gray... hmmm... but purple? No way!



 :Eek:   :Mad:   :Rage:

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## emily655321

Hey, if it's just one of several options, what do you care? You don't have to look at it if you don't want to.

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## Jay

Hehe, easy there Koa  :Wink: , I don't see Chris changing the forums color anytime soon  :Smile: .

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## emily655321

:Frown:  I suspect as much.

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## Admin

It is possible to make it a user option.

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## Jay

Cool  :Biggrin: , hinty  :Tongue: .

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## emily655321

:Eek:   :Smile:  ........ :Angel: 

 :Banana:

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## subterranean

> Geez, no purple! lol Green, blue, gray... hmmm... but purple? No way!


Oh Jay, this is little bit "color racist" ...dont you think  :Biggrin:   :Biggrin:

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## Jay

LOL SubT hehehe... ok, I admit it, I HATE purple  :Biggrin: , with passion  :Tongue: . But then only some shades, some are acceptable even when being purple  :Wink: .

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## Koa

:Frown:  I LOVE purple, incase it wasn't clear  :Biggrin:  I almost only wear black and purple. Everybody makes fun of my purple...but I'm just obsessed  :Biggrin:  I want the world to be purple!  :Banana:

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## Admin

I just upgraded the forum software. This was mostly a behind the scenes security update, nothing you guys actually interact with should have changed. Yet, let me know if you see anything odd.

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## Stanislaw

uhm, the layout has changed?  :Confused:

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## Anselmus

I think the forum is very well setup - I'm thrilled to be here  :Smile:

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## subterranean

Can we have skin colors option please..?

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## Stanislaw

> Can we have skin colors option please..?


Yeah that would be cool!  :Thumbs Up:

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## amuse

you know, on winamp's site, they discuss skins, but i've yet to find out what they are - ?  :Blush: !

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## Koa

i had found Depeche Mode skins for winamp but I forgot how to find those...

amuse, skins are like...uhm like a dress you put on winamp so it looks like you want it to...sort of...

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## amuse

well am i in the dark ages and still wearing bonnets and petticoats or what!  :Biggrin:  thanks for the info, Koa!

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## subterranean

:Biggrin:   :Biggrin:   :Biggrin:   :Biggrin:   :Biggrin: 





> well am i in the dark ages and still wearing bonnets and petticoats or what!  thanks for the info, Koa!

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## RJbibliophil

How do you make links in the message text? like, the kind with text and everything?  :Confused:   :Confused:   :Confused:

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## Logos

Click the hyperlink button which is a little globe icon under the color drop down menu above the submit reply box, that will give you a pop up window where you enter the text you want to show, then it will ask you for the website link.

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## emily655321

Or you can do this:

[url=http...etc]Your text here.[/ url] (except without the space between the "/" and the "url")

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## RJbibliophil

Thanks Emily and Logos!

 :Wave: . . :Wave:

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