If you are replying to a post and you realize that the topic and the reply better belong in another thread, e.g. someone starts a brand new thread on a well-worn topic where the answer already exists, you can start a reply in the new thread by clicking on Quote User, but then copy and paste whatever part of the quote that you want to use into the already existing thread.
That way further discussion related to the new post might continue in the most appropriate thread but the new poster should not feel shortchanged because access to his/her entire original post is available through the little blue triangle by the user name in the quote.
To illustrate the idea, I have quoted part of Ninja4Hire's post in Tips and Tricks here. See his entire post by clicking on the blue triangle. MouseRightClick and go BACK to return here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ninja4Hire
.... The only other thing I did first was install "Advanced Configuration Tool v3.3".
Including Links to Outside Material or Other Posts
Here are some tips on how to include links to other posts or outside material in your own posts.
The little Globe/Link icon in the editing window allows you to put the URL behind any text in your post. In another tab/window of your browser, find the download link, return to your post, select the text you want to add the link to, click the Globe icon. Preview your post and test the link (it will open up another tab/window of your browser) to test that the link works. Then click SUBMIT REPLY when you've inserted all the links that you want.
Links to posts in this forum can be obtained by clicking on # link in top right of another post or even better permalink as the permalink takes you right to the post but keeps it in the context of the thread.
Good to provide links to only pretty trustworthy sources as much as possible. Well-known forums or hits that come up in the first few pages of Google usually fit that category in my experience.
It helps everyone if you search for relevant threads before starting a new one. Even if you feel it's worth starting a new one, it might help to make sure your thread is really original and crossreference somewhat related ones. People will be impressed that you know your stuff and you'll help keep everything as organized as possible (admittedly a losing battle - let the confusion begin, as frh said!)
Just click on SEARCH THIS FORUM at the top of the list of threads. Enter a keyword(s) and you'll get a list of threads that contain your keyword. This gives you the bird's eye view.
HOWEVER, if you want the hi-res view, click on SEARCH THIS FORUM but pick "Advanced Search" down at the bottom of the dialog box. You'll already be targeted to search just this forum (the Omnia forum) but now you can be highly selective in what you search for. Besides adding keywords, you can target specific User Names and MOST IMPORTANT, you have the option to show individual posts rather than whole threads only (Show Results As Option: Find Posts by User). By skimming through the snippets of text from the start of each post you can judge what posts might help you and what threads to add your contribution to where you can build a somewhat useful thread of knowledge (the logo in the upper right says "PDAPhone.com is a library of information about converged devices). Your browser remembers your search option settings so you don't have to reapply them the next time.
Most of us are veterans and know this stuff. Some of us should think more about applying it and helping us all out.
As an aside Google's new browser CHROME is very fast and it's out of BETA. (faster than IE8 and the latest FireFox, IMHO). It's what I use to browse this forum. With the + button up at the top, it's a piece of cake to add a new tab for a Search or to visit other threads to get a hyperlink in composing a post. It's a little funky in that, for example, you can't edit HotMail with it (although you can view your HotMail). Shades of Microsoft and Netscape?
EDIT: And, P.S., CHROME is slated to migrate to Android.
-Jim-
Last edited by Jim Lewis : 12-21-2008 at 04:44 PM.
Reason: Add Chrome coming to Android
I have been member of i730 and now of i760 for quite awhile. Searching on any part of Phonehome has been a chore I have liked as much as going to a dentist for a root canal. The result of a search can be numerous pages with comments, opinions, unanswered inquiries and yes solutions to problems (eventually).
It seems to me a mod could use html to color coordinate the possible results from a search, such as:
Red font for proven solutions. Blue for products, software suggested as a solution to the issue. And etc.
And one other thing is it possible to bring the look of this forum out of the 90's? The colors of blue and gray are not as inviting as other forums. How about some change for 2009.
I have been member of i730 and now of i760 for quite awhile. Searching on any part of Phonehome has been a chore I have liked as much as going to a dentist for a root canal. The result of a search can be numerous pages with comments, opinions, unanswered inquiries and yes solutions to problems (eventually).
It seems to me a mod could use html to color coordinate the possible results from a search, such as:
Red font for proven solutions. Blue for products, software suggested as a solution to the issue. And etc.
And one other thing is it possible to bring the look of this forum out of the 90's? The colors of blue and gray are not as inviting as other forums. How about some change for 2009.
Lou did ask us to send him our recommendations for a FAQ section, which would help avoid searching. But....I've been too lazy to do anything......
JohnTChow is the expert on the CooTek TouchPal and I hope he'll do a short write-up for Lou organizing Tips & Tricks for using the TouchPal into a section to go in the FAQ, since I think that would get a lot of new Omnia users off to a flying start.
It's highlighted in RED and sets some pretty good rules for how that Forum will operate. Maybe Lou would consider posting the same here and making our Tips & Tricks a Stickie that sticks in position Numero Uno in the forum?
The thing about the FAQ section is that it can be organized in Outline format and cross-referenced within itself using HTML links. So that alone allows for logical, coherent reading without a lot of searching - don't have to search thru Tips & Tricks to find where the TouchPal summary is, etc. Contains major stuff about using the Omnia in top-down fashion, leaves out minor Tips & Tricks (or puts them low down in the hierarchy). So let's get busy and help Lou create a FAQ section!
One thing that I suggested to PDAPhone a long time ago is a tagging system. My original thought was that a post author would use XML-like tags to capture the categories his/her post fit into. http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/pdaph...html#post50179
But if the tagging system were available to readers, too, we could all essentially vote on how relevant any particular post is to any particular topic and the hot posts would float to the top, organized by their tags. http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/pdaph...tml#post651390
Amazon.com has such a tagging system for products. Think MSDN does, too. Forget which sites but some when you visit the tags are sized according to the number of votes/amount of use
....
One thing that I suggested to PDAPhone a long time ago is a tagging system. My original thought was that a post author would use XML-like tags to capture the categories his/her post fit into. http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/pdaph...html#post50179
But if the tagging system were available to readers, too, we could all essentially vote on how relevant any particular post is to any particular topic and the hot posts would float to the top, organized by their tags. http://pdaphonehome.com/forums/pdaph...tml#post651390
....
I think PDAPhone.com's problem is its success. vBulletin got 'em here and they're probably gonna dance with who brung 'em.
-Jim-
The technology behind the BlackBerry support forum is from a company called Lithium.com. Here's an overview. If you believe their PR, a who's who of companies use Lithium technology for their support forums: AT&T, Sprint, Comcast, Blackberry, Dell, Barnes & Noble, Linksys, Logitech, etc. Lithium - Successful Communities On-Demand
-Jim-
Last edited by Jim Lewis : 12-23-2008 at 02:17 PM.
Tips on keeping the Tips & Tricks thread lean and mean
Posted a tip in the Tips & Tricks thread on how to allow for discussion on tips but keeping the actual chitchat in the Tips & Tricks thread to a minimum.
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