Automatic countdown timer for "discuss" area of question page. Why? Thread poster: Jack Doughty
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Jack Doughty 
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:37
Russian to English
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In memoriam
Does anyone see any point in this feature? I don't.
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savaria (X)
Hungary
Local time: 07:37
English to Hungarian
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| Good for nothing | Sep 18, 2008 |
I don't either.It urges us to write as quickly as possible,full of mistakes,slips of finger...
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Özden Arıkan
Germany
Local time: 07:37
Member
English to Turkish
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Hi Jack,
It says "Automatic update" next to it. So, as far as I understand, if you keep the page open and if someone else replies to your comments in that field, or continues the discussion in any other way, you'll be able to view their input without refreshing the page yourself.
I hope someone will correct me if I misunderstand the feature...
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Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:37
Russian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER In memoriam | A sort of chat room? | Sep 18, 2008 |
But I still don't get it. Does it work if someone happens to see an entry as soon as it comes up and posts a reply to it? But how often does that happen? And as savaria says, who wants to be forced into typing something in at frantic speed trying to beat the clock? Is the person who posts something in a discussion area not notified of replies anyway?
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savaria (X)
Hungary
Local time: 07:37
English to Hungarian
+ ...
Özden Arıkan wrote:
Hi Jack,
It says "Automatic update" next to it. So, as far as I understand, if you keep the page open and if someone else replies to your comments in that field, or continues the discussion in any other way, you'll be able to view their input without refreshing the page yourself.
I hope someone will correct me if I misunderstand the feature...
That might be true,but at the very same time what you have written(which might have actually been a longish and even crucial explanation,it disappears at the very same time...and it cancelles all our work full of effort.
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| It put me off | Sep 18, 2008 |
I wanted to add something in the discussion section yesterday, but when I saw that little timer ticking the seconds away, I thought "WTF?!" and changed my mind. It's extremely off-putting and I also fail to see the point of it, at least without further explanation of what it actually does - which isn't at all clear.
[Edited at 2008-09-18 09:45]
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Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:37
Russian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER In memoriam | I'm beginning to get the idea, I think... | Sep 18, 2008 |
I think it is meant as a sort of chat room. I have three screens available, a desktop with two monitors and a laptop. I am often using two of these, but very rarely have all three open. But if I did, I could keep the discussion area to which I had contributed open on one screen and glance at it occasionally to see if anyone else had added anything. But I could do that anyway without a countdown to update. I suppose someone with only one screen could reduce the question with the discussion a... See more I think it is meant as a sort of chat room. I have three screens available, a desktop with two monitors and a laptop. I am often using two of these, but very rarely have all three open. But if I did, I could keep the discussion area to which I had contributed open on one screen and glance at it occasionally to see if anyone else had added anything. But I could do that anyway without a countdown to update. I suppose someone with only one screen could reduce the question with the discussion area to a very small window, just showing enough to tell if anything was being added. But the update countdown would still not be necessary for that, though it might be a convenience.
But does anyone use the discussion area in this way? ▲ Collapse
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Özden Arıkan
Germany
Local time: 07:37
Member
English to Turkish
+ ...
| There is no time pressure | Sep 18, 2008 |
That is, you don't have to complete typing your comments within the time shown on the timer. It just shows you when the next update will take place. I have just tested it using two browser tabs at FireFox: wrote a message and let the counter run down to zero before submitting it. My message was not lost. I hit the submit button after zero. Then started typing another message in the second browser and let the counter run down to zero again. Before I submitted my second message, the first one I ha... See more That is, you don't have to complete typing your comments within the time shown on the timer. It just shows you when the next update will take place. I have just tested it using two browser tabs at FireFox: wrote a message and let the counter run down to zero before submitting it. My message was not lost. I hit the submit button after zero. Then started typing another message in the second browser and let the counter run down to zero again. Before I submitted my second message, the first one I had typed in the first browser tab appeared on the screen in the second browser tab once the counter hit zero.
[Edited at 2008-09-18 11:01] ▲ Collapse
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| A new option will be provided | Sep 18, 2008 |
Hi all,
The objective of the update timer is, as described above, to let you know of other entries to the discussion without you having to refresh the page.
Since some members find this timer annoying, we will provide the option to keep it hidden from view (while keeping the functionality).
Regards
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Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:37
Russian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER In memoriam | Thank you, Enrique | Sep 18, 2008 |
That should satisfy all concerned. I think I'll opt out of it myself.
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juvera
Local time: 06:37
English to Hungarian
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| Would invisibility take the irritation out of it? | Sep 20, 2008 |
Enrique wrote:
The objective of the update timer is, as described above, to let you know of other entries to the discussion without you having to refresh the page.
Since some members find this timer annoying, we will provide the option to keep it hidden from view (while keeping the functionality).
Regards
If you hit "submit" at the wrong time, - and I am not sure what is the wrong time, but it happens, - your text disappears.
At least we should know what to do, like wait?!!! for the next round, and not to submit around zero, or what?
I don't want to check the counter all the time, let alone wait for it to reach a magic number, or avoid it.
And of course, when it is invisible, I cannot, but it seems, it could still wipe my text out.
At least can we have a clearer explanation of the effect of the updating function on the timing of submission?
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| Small improvements to these features | Oct 9, 2008 |
Hi all,
Two small improvements requested by the community have been implemented:
a) The discussion box is now open by default, giving users the option to have it normally closed
b) It is possible to hide the refresh counter while preserving its functionality (to show you new entries in the discussion without having to refresh the page)
You can see the available options in the picture below:
 ... See more Hi all,
Two small improvements requested by the community have been implemented:
a) The discussion box is now open by default, giving users the option to have it normally closed
b) It is possible to hide the refresh counter while preserving its functionality (to show you new entries in the discussion without having to refresh the page)
You can see the available options in the picture below:
Regards,
Enrique ▲ Collapse
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| What the refresh counter does | Oct 9, 2008 |
juvera wrote:
If you hit "submit" at the wrong time, - and I am not sure what is the wrong time, but it happens, - your text disappears.
At least we should know what to do, like wait?!!! for the next round, and not to submit around zero, or what?
I don't want to check the counter all the time, let alone wait for it to reach a magic number, or avoid it.
And of course, when it is invisible, I cannot, but it seems, it could still wipe my text out.
At least can we have a clearer explanation of the effect of the updating function on the timing of submission?
The role of the refresh feature is to show you new entries in the discussion without having to refresh the page. The counter simply tells you when the new refresh will take place.
You can post whenever you want, the counter has no relationship with the posting of your entries.
Regards,
Enrique
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