Formatting and image button problem

AABarefoot

Barefooters
Apr 27, 2011
99
0
6
TJ, i am not attacking you, im just super frustrated
i dont get why this forum is so complicated. i just spent 15 minutes trying to get a list to show up like this:



"List:

where i can

sepertate

individual lines

by hitting

the enter key"



BUT i have images in my post, so i have to disable rich text. which means when i type what you see above into the non-rich window it turns into:



"List: where i can seperate individual lines by hitting the enter key."



can we PLEEEEASE just get an image button on the rich text toolbar!!! PLEASE! because this is driving me crazy. i dont mind inserting the pictures, i really dont, but i want what i type to be what shows up in the post. for whatever reason its decided that me hitting the "enter" key doesnt count. its dirving me crazy. please help me!





TJ - i know BRS is your baby, and im picking on her, please dont be mad at me, i am just SO FRUSTRATED!! there are so many cookie cutter forums out there i dont get why this one is so non-user friendly. it makes me not want to post things, or just post links to other things. which isnt cool, becuase i want to try and add to the discussion here, not someplace else.



Im sorry - i know i am being awful. i just had to vent someplace.

Aaron
 
Hey, AABarefoot, let me be

Hey, AABarefoot, let me be totally blunt with you: have you donated to the BRS?

Though I agree what we have has quirks and frustrations compared to some cookie cutter forums, the site obviously functions well enough to keep the discussion going.Given that it is basically working, the content management system we have isn't going to change anytime soon. It has some good capabilities compared to cookie cutter sites, too, so really what we need to do is some programming fixes.

However, no one's getting paid for this, as I'm sure you realize. TJ spends time administering the site and the discussion; she doesn't have the time to be a Drupal developer as well.

It's kind of like the pitch that you always hear from PBS: this is a community supported resource. If you want it to continue to exist/improve, you've gotta be part of it. Maybe it's worth-- a dollar a day?

We have thousands of members now. If just a few of them stepped up, we could pay a good Drupal developer to do some tweaks. (Though actually the top priority things are probably related to security and spam prevention.)

Now if you have contributed, excuse my ire. In that case I hope everybody else realizes that a site this complex does require some maintenance, and one way or the other it costs real cash money. Just remember every PBS pitch you've ever heard -- for anyone contributing $100 in the next 5 minutes, there's a mug signed by Longboard!

Just my 2 cents.

Thank you!
 
Thank you, Stomper.  I

Thank you, Stomper. I appreciate that some people actually get it.

AA, I could add that button to the text editor, but it introduces new kinds of trouble to the site and to me when people can't figure out how to work something, and I have to take the time to help them figure it out. I tell you what. I will think about implementing it, and if I do, you AA, have to agree to be the one to take all the questions, complaints, and whatever else trouble it may induce and resolve them. Clicking the "Disable Rich Text" option seems so much easier now, don't you think? Oh, and a private message would have brought honey. Sorry, don't mean to pick on you.

Now, who wants to ask about the spell checker that costs a bunch of money to implement? ;-)
 
you caught me - no, i have

you caught me - no, i have not.

please dont take what i say next as any sort of dig - just being the Devil's advocate.

but i think your solution just points out the flaw in the system. The best web family i belong to besides BRS is 360Tuna.com. I havnt donated anything to them. and their forum runs just fine. I totally get that BRS is more than just a forum on the web. But why cant it be an amazing web resource where the forum is a cookie-cutter(aka proven) platform. ESPECIALLY if our fearless leader(and i meant that in a good way, i wasnt being sarcastic!!) doesn't have the time or money to develop and run the thing!! all the more reason!

but this isnt constructive, too late to change that now, right? we would lose all the current data, which isnt worth it. honestly, if you added a picture button to the rich-text menu and made it so that when i hit "edit" it doesnt turn my post into a word puzzle i wouldnt have any complaints. till then i will try and contain my venting.

Sorry again,
AA
 
What?  That's it? 

What? That's it? Seriously? You don't want to step up and take over some of the admin work, like the questions that come from implementing a new feature on the site?

Also, this site is so not-cookie-cutter. Thank God! Cookie-cutter sites are boring and don't have the capabilities that we provide. Our site implements modules that add functionality to it. That functionality is what enables barefoot and minimalist runners to make safer transitions and enjoy running so much more. Here's an extensive list of the free resources the BRS gives to its members:

Forums: The most active forums going on barefoot and minimalist talk. Learn and grow with other members, new and veteran alike, as you transition to healthy running. We have forums for Barefoot & Minimalist Running; Ask the Docs; Gear & Footwear; Health, Nutrition, Injuries & Medical Conditions, Mileage Reporting, New Member Introductions, Races & Events, the Barefoot Pub, and state/country forums as well.

Chapter Clubs: Join in on group runs and races with other members in your area or head up a chapter in your area and arrange meetups.

Calendar of Events: Stay informed on the barefoot and minimalist running, racing, and meetup events taking place around the country, in your area, and where you may be traveling to.

Ask the Docs Forum: Get answers from medical professionals about your barefoot or minimalist living and running health. Each of our three doctors (MD, Podiatrist, and Chiropractor) is a barefoot runner!

Map of Barefoot-Friendly Doctors & Specialists: Find a doctor or specialist near you who won't treat you like an outcast for your running-style, or you can share those barefoot-friendly docs you learn of with the rest of us.

Member Map (Coming Soon): Put yourself on the map, and locate friends and mentors in your area to run with.

Map of Barefoot Running Instructors (Coming Soon): For those who need an extra bit of help and some one-on-one instruction.

Product Reviews: Share your experiences and rate a product you may have tested--gear & footwear--and read what others are saying about products you may be interested in buying; footwear can be rated by Weight, Flexibility, Zero Drop, Toe Box Width, etc., etc.

Course Reviews: Rate a course, trail, or race on barefoot-friendliness you have experienced, so others will know what to expect should they want to run it too.

Home Page News: Stay informed on the latest in barefoot and minimalist running and the news that impacts our sport.

Blogging: Share your experiences with others or learn more about your friends’ personal triumphs and trials in an all-inclusive place.

Library: Review our Library, fast becoming THE go-to source for academic research and info on the benefits of barefoot and minimalist running, review how-to instructionals, and learn safe transitioning through Barefoot Running 101.

Mileage Clubs & Mileage Reporting: Be inspired and motivated by logging your barefoot and/or minimalist running miles and inspire and motivate others along the way. Earn a merit award at the end of the year to display proudly or keep as a memento of your hard work and efforts.

International Barefoot Running Day: Annually, barefoot runners get together all over the world to share camaraderie, express unity, and share with the world an alternative, viable way to run.

Stomp of Approval Program: The BRS’s Stomp of Approval is given to those individuals, organizations, and running events that show support for barefoot and minimalist running to display on their sites.

Communication: Communicate with other members through private messaging.
 
TJ - haha, first off, i had

TJ - haha, first off, i had no idea i could PM with this... to me that seems even more awful than what i did. that aside.



i TOTALLY get that it takes money. i really do. so create a membership/dues situation. allow access without being a member but offer extra goodies etc to members. let us choose from different dues levels and auto-deduct every month. from $5 to $50/month.



And i will HAPPILY take all complaints, questions, etc... on the IMG button! i mean, ive offered to help a bunch of other ways, you know i am happy to give my time to the BRS!



and yes, hitting the "disable rich text" is easier, i kind of wish it would default to that. BUT you cant edit once you post from disabled AND it ignores the "enter" botton. which i understand is just annoying and not that important but its a pain in my butt.



when its all said and done i just needed to vent. my post looks semi-grammar challenged as there are weird extra line spaces everywhere, but its still there. haha, not like people read the things anyways! hahaha



not that you have time but i will give you my login for 360Tuna.com and let you go mess around there and see how their interface works.



so bring on the IMG button! i can deal :)

AA
 
Okay, I've taken time to look

Okay, I've taken time to look at 360tuna.com, and I must say, BORING! Seriously. Boring. The entire site is one-dimensional. Everything looks like a text link. What's with all the many RED Xs on the Gallery section. In order to see a picture of whatever is behind the red X, I have to click on the red X, but I would rather have thumbnails that give me a clue as to what the enlarged picture was without having to blindly go into it to see what it is. So there. All sites, even cookie-cutter sites have their pluses and minuses. All sites, even cookie-cutter sites have their problems.

The most important resource we offer here is "community" (a supportive, dedicated, and caring community), not some website.

I get thank yous each and every day from lots of folks who are truly appreciative of what our community offers them and has done for them. People tell me all the time that they are running pain and injury free directly due to the community and the resources the BRS offers them. That's what matters to me. That's what it's all about.

How have we helped you?
 
hey hey hey! when i responded

hey hey hey! when i responded to stomper you hadnt replied yet!



i know the SITE isnt cookie cutter - i in no way suggested that. like i said, keep the site as awesome as it is now! but JUST the FORUM could be cookie-cutter. please dont think i dont know how intense this site is, its awesome. i would never suggest you change anything else. this is all moot as that would have been a decision to make a long time ago not now.



like i said, bring on the admin crap! ill handle it.
 
you have helped me!! ive read

you have helped me!! ive read more about running since joining than i thought possible. as you know, because i bug you about it all the time, i CANNOT WAIT to get involved with other BFRs in my community. as soon as that tampa BAY chapter gets started :)



if you guys hadnt helped me and i didnt beleive in the BRS why would i complain? i would just stop coming here. I am complaining about posting a shoe review which i do because i can afford to buy the shoes and test them so maybe, just maybe, i help ONE person that is thinking about buying some shoes. im trying to give everything i can to this community.



and again with the SITE v. FORUM. i am JUST talking about the Forum. not the rest of the site. your site is awesome. i wasnt picking on site. i wouldnt change the site.



so close this thread, because we are going around in circles. i was venting. i love it here, so i should donate money. end of discussion.
 
You don't see the little

You don't see the little email and PM icons under your avatar under every avatar of everyone you communicate with? You never thought about clicking on my profile link from my avatar to send a message to me?

i TOTALLY get that it takes money. i really do. so create a membership/dues situation. allow access without being a member but offer extra goodies etc to members. let us choose from different dues levels and auto-deduct every month. from $5 to $50/month.

We've talked about this, but in the end, what does a paying member get that a non-paying member doesn't get? Do we take some resources away that are helpful to all and give them only to those who pay? No. I cannot and will not do that. Our resources are for everyone. I will not keep something from someone that will ultimately mean the difference between happy, healthy running and the opposite. Jamie (Paleo) and I are working on a fundraising campaign, and we are considering "PBS-style offerings" (tech shirts, cotton tees, license plates, etc.), but I won't be able to implement this by myself. I will need people to volunteer to help organize the shipment of these items and in a timely manner, since no one should have to wait too long to get them.

Again, we decided to leave off the Image button on purpose, to lessen our adminstrative overhead, but to also limit a backdoor that could potentially allow hackers to damage our site. So just know, that some of what you think may be a simple implementation could potentially come with a price, either monitarily or worse.

Thanks for stepping up to help out, AA. I'll put the Image button up (for a limited period) by the end of today. We'll field all questions about it to you. How have you offered to help in the past? I don't have you listed on our volunteers list. We have lots of positions we could use your help with. Please let me know.
 
It's funny that we keep

It's funny that we keep posting at the same time. Ha!
 
well add me to the volunteer

well add me to the volunteer list!! I sent a MESSAGE! offering my services as a photographer, willing to travel for the site(being im a pilot and all), i offered, even though im not a chapter president, to represent BRS at local runs and events! i offered to chair the Tampa BAY or St Petersburg Chapters until you find a local running guru who could do a better job than me! all these things i have already offered.



if the IMG button is just a Admin so-many-hours-in-a-day thing then i am happy to pick up the extra questions, etc... If however, its a legitimate problem, aka a serious security risk then dont bother. I doubt getting the non-rich text box to recognize my "enter" key isnt a security risk. So do that instead, that accomplishes the same thing for me. i can live with the editing



AA
 
oh! and i forgot about the

oh! and i forgot about the paying member thing: then dont give them anything extra. i was thinking about discounts on shwag, stuff like that, nothing that takes away from the running or BRS. But who cares, some people are cheap, some dont have money to offer, but make it easy for people to give money!! on a routine basis! thats where you will make the real money for the site, if there was a little box that said "donate monthly" so people only had to do it once! then every month you get a donation from them!



just a thought
 
oh! or you could make it so

oh! or you could make it so that we can put actual IMG links into the rich-text window... that fixes it too, without using the button. then youd have to mess with the edit so it would show the link and not the picture, because im pretty sure the pictures dont survive upon re-saving...
 
AA did you notice that you're

AA did you notice that you're just talking to yourself?

Anyways thank you for stepping up to the plate.
 
I remember the offer to pilot

I remember the offer to pilot for pictures. Have you thought about flying to the NYC Barefoot Run to get some pictures, maybe making a collage we could share with other barefoot running groups? I know John would think that was cool. I wonder if he already has a personal photographer. We are awaiting Warren at the moment on the chapter though, remember.

We do have a donate button at the bottom of the right-hand side of the site. Dr. Stoxen said we should move it to the top. I told him I thought that was tacky. He disagreed. He thinks it will be more noticeable. The only thing about it is it doesn't say "monthly" on it. Not sure I want it to really. I don't want the BRS to be a burden to anyone, and I don't want people to feel like they HAVE TO donate. We just want the ones who can and want to, to donate.

Linking from within (enabling the input formats) from my understanding also opens a back door. We can't allow unlimited photo storage right now. We have to use off-site storage. Some people will add images that are several megs in size. This slows down the site, especially when lots of folks are doing that.

Okay, it's already 5:30 here, and I haven't got the botton enabled. It won't take but a second to do it, but I have trouble finding that second.
 
Actually, I think I will shut

Actually, I think I will shut down the computer for a few hours and go for a run, clear my head, do some thinking. I love to run.
 
Not sure if this has been

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but here goes nothing. When you disable rich text (I could be mistaken here), it looks like html code for text which means someone could just type in the characters to put in line breaks to get the text to be more vertically aligned? I'm a little old school in a modern age even though I'm definitely not a programmer, but it shouldn't be that difficult. Just a bit of informal looking up through google to learn the characters, and a few additional keystrokes when inputing text. I remember having to do everything from the command line! :O I love GUI interfaces, but like speed dial, they turn your brain slowly into mush.

John T.
 
That is a thought, DT.  And

That is a thought, DT. And in fact, if you click on the "More information about formatting options" inside, at the bottom of the Input Format box, it gives you all those basic codes to use.

The problem is it's tedious, and people don't want to do that. I don't blame them. We need to resolve this, so people have a more pleasant posting experience.

It's really a matter of finding the time to do some of these things, and farming out the work costs money. (I have already learned way more about web development than I ever cared to. My background is in networking, servers, switches, routers, stuff like that, not web sites.) I wish some people with web development skills would step up and take over some of this work, voluntarily, of course. ;-)
 
Anyway, I'm having second

Anyway, I'm having second thoughts about enabling the Image button...