Unread Posts

[Sloe Gin]

Oh come on folks, how difficult is that?!! If they're left unticked there will be people complaining that they wanted them ticked.

But there is a "check all" button, so that isn't a problem.  No, it's not difficult, it's just that currently you have to scroll between top and bottom three times - to the bottom to untick the "check all" box, back up to select the sections you want to search, then back to the bottom to click "search".  It's time-consuming and unnecessary, when by simply changing the default everyone could do their search in one sweep.

Although it would be good to have a 'mark as read' button, what's the point of marking all posts as read? Just don't look at them! Or am I being thick? 

Well, as I said above:

you see I don't often use the "unread posts" facility as there are a lot of sections I don't have an interest in at the moment.  I prefer to go straight to the areas that may have something relevant to me.  Then I click on the posts that look interesting, or to which I might be able to contribute, and it would be so useful to be able to clear the rest each time I visit. 

and a host of old posts marked "new", that I'm never going to read, is very distracting.

[JAP]

Hi Newf

No, I haven't seen anything so far.  I can't understand the wall of silence.
... 

I can't either.

It would be a simple courtesy if RootsChatters were to be given even a brief response to the effect (say - IF this is the situation) that Admin is struggling just to keep the site going at present and, unfortunately, doesn't have time even to make repairs (other than those which are absolutely essential in order to keep the site functioning) much less to consider improvements. 

And, reading the posts from Arranroots, it appears that even the Mods are confronted by the "wall of silence" and are reduced to (emphasis added)

guessing that what hasn't been altered has been put onto the too-hard pile.

JAP

[Berlin-Bob]

It would be a simple courtesy if ......

At different times and on different posts, answers have already been given.
I will repeat some of the answers here:


There have been many postings asking whether this or that feature would be possible:
RootsChat uses a free, proprietry software, which was "tweaked" for nearly a year, before going online.  We regularly ask Admin (on your behalf and on our own behalf) whether various requests would be do-able and often hear that it has already been tried, but leads to worse performance.

There have been many postings that RootsChat is running slow:
RootsChat has been constantly expanding with more and more members, more and more postings.
As of writing, this stands at Members: 66334  Posts: 1817113  Topics: 283319

The success of RootsChat has led to the situation that the volume of traffic means we are rapidly reaching the limits of the current hardware and software.

RootsChat is a privately owned website, admin and moderators all have family and jobs and other responsibilities, apart from looking after RootsChat. 

RootsChat is free:
This means we cannot simply lease faster servers to solve access problems.
This means there is no dedicated team of programmers who can sort out problems, or add features.

To aid in the running of the site, some members have suggested that RootsChat become a subscription site,
but since it's conception, the site owners have always said

      RootsChat is free and always will be

... and this is still their reaction to all such suggestions.


For the moderators and admin, the main concern is to keep the site running
- running smoothly and running fast is even better, but at the very least running !! - rather than have no RootsChat at all !!

For the time being, please think of RootsChat as "WYSIWYG": What You See Is What You Get".
All requests for changes are considered and are usually commented upon.
However, please be aware that what sometimes sounds like a simple request will need carefull consideration in terms of performance gain or loss and cannot always be answered quickly.

I apologise for the fact that "admin" is sometimes too busy to answer personally, but rest assured, he is still there "with his box of tools" and working on your behalf.


Bob

[JAP]

Hi Bob,

...

There have been many postings that RootsChat is running slow:
RootsChat has been constantly expanding with more and more members, more and more postings.
As of writing, this stands at Members: 66334  Posts: 1817113  Topics: 283319

The success of RootsChat has led to the situation that the volume of traffic means we are rapidly reaching the limits of the current hardware and software.

''''

In the light of the section quoted above, it occurs to me that it might be prudent to remove - at least temporarily! - the flyer which appeared at the top of this page before I pressed the reply button, namely:
"News: Please tell others about RootsChat - the bigger we make it the better it will become! Let your family history and local history society group know."

Many thanks Bob for your post.

Regards,

JAP

[kerryb]

And also it would be prudent to remove the advertisement for free webspace as that is no longer true!!!  Or at least hasn't been for 11 months now.

Kerry

[Pels.]

In the light of the section quoted above, it occurs to me that it might be prudent to remove - at least temporarily! - the flyer which appeared at the top of this page before I pressed the reply button, namely:
"News: Please tell others about RootsChat - the bigger we make it the better it will become! Let your family history and local history society group know."

In the circumstances this is surely self explanatory .. RootsChat depends on the goodwill of Trystan, Sarah and all the voluntary moderators .. !

It also depends on advertising revenue, would anyone choose to advertise on a site that isn't wishing to expand all the time .. in business the bigger the company, the bigger the clout .. !

Therefore more money in the coffers to purchase better equipment .. and so it goes on .. so .. no new members leads to no new advertising deals etc etc .. !

[newbe_nz]

In the light of the section quoted above, it occurs to me that it might be prudent to remove - at least temporarily! - the flyer which appeared at the top of this page before I pressed the reply button, namely:
"News: Please tell others about RootsChat - the bigger we make it the better it will become! Let your family history and local history society group know."

In the circumstances this is surely self explanatory .. RootsChat depends on the goodwill of Trystan, Sarah and all the voluntary moderators .. !

It also depends on advertising revenue, would anyone choose to advertise on a site that isn't wishing to expand all the time .. in business the bigger the company, the bigger the clout .. !

Therefore more money in the coffers to purchase better equipment .. and so it goes on .. so .. no new members leads to no new advertising deals etc etc .. !

Well said Pels,

Newbe

[JAP]

Hi Pels. and Newbe,

Obviously 

BUT - if the site should grind to a halt ... 

Best regards 

JAP

[Berlin-Bob]

BUT - if the site should grind to a halt ...

... then we will do whatever's necessary to get it back up and running - A.S.A.P.

Feedback about RootsChat, now and again, is necessary and we don't want to stifle it, but could we just all accept this for now:

For the time being, please think of RootsChat as "WYSIWYG": What You See Is What You Get".
All requests for changes are considered and are usually commented upon.
However, please be aware that what sometimes sounds like a simple request will need carefull consideration in terms of performance gain or loss and cannot always be answered quickly.

... and get on with what we are really here for   

So,

ready  ...........

.......................... steady ...................

......................................................................   Look Ups !!!!