Just one question about basic performance

[#1]

Will the free flow of unified threads be retained, with successive posts filling the entire width, and with simple forum lists of threads, or:

A) Are we going to be put in boxes with forum member information to the left and possibly buttons to the left/right/bottom, so the flow is broken up and takes up far more space?

B) Will the threads be branched, so everything may become fragmented, and so subjects deserving their own threads will be buried deep?

C) Will the forum lists of threads be furnished with dividing lines and possibly arranged by subject rather than latest posts?

I believe those are the most fundamental question about the new forum; most other issues can be solved within the right frame, if needed.

Several times, strong pleas for mercy have been raised concerning threats A) - C).

It is so nice to easily find and pick a thread with new posts in the forum list, and then to run/read through and partake in a coherent and focused thread of successive posts, without things fading away in different directions, without the disturbance of having to cross unnecessary lines and perform unnecessary scrolling because of disturbing information, which might as well be reached by clicking the poster name or some popup button next to it in the line containing the poster name and time of posting.

Question(s) asked while anxiously waiting to see a preview.

[#2]

Will the free flow of unified threads be retained, with successive posts filling the entire width, and with simple forum lists of threads, or:

A) Are we going to be put in boxes with forum member information to the left and possibly buttons to the left/right/bottom, so the flow is broken up and takes up far more space?

B) Will the threads be branched, so everything may become fragmented, and so subjects deserving their own threads will be buried deep?

C) Will the forum lists of threads be furnished with dividing lines and possibly arranged by subject rather than latest posts?

I believe those are the most fundamental question about the new forum; most other issues can be solved within the right frame, if needed.

Several times, strong pleas for mercy have been raised concerning threats A) - C).

It is so nice to easily find and pick a thread with new posts in the forum list, and then to run/read through and partake in a coherent and focused thread of successive posts, without things fading away in different directions, without the disturbance of having to cross unnecessary lines and perform unnecessary scrolling because of disturbing information, which might as well be reached by clicking the poster name or some popup button next to it in the line containing the poster name and time of posting.

Question(s) asked while anxiously waiting to see a preview.

[#3]

Good questions...

A Hybrid. Yes, there will be more user information and some shaded boxes. Just a reply button below/between the messages. Width of the content will be similar to what we see now. There will be some navigation control over on the right side.

B Default is linear discussions like it is now. I'm not sure if there will be an option to view as threaded discussions. I know that some people really like threads. But I find them difficult to navigate and easy to skip messages (by not ever noticing them) or read them out of sequence, causing confusion. I like a forum to read like a live conversation. One person speaks, then the next, then a reply, in sequence. Private messages could be used if you need a sidebar conversation with someone.

c Topics listed by date/time of last post in the discussion. No lines between the items. I don't see how sorting by subject could work. Everything would be lumped together in "how do I..." and "help!" and "My Adobe stopped working" and you wouldn't be able to find new or relevant discussions.

The topic list will have more info than you have here. Author, Subject line, number of views, number of replies, and the date/author of the latest reply.

John

[#4]

It looks like there may be an option/preference to show threading by indenting messages in threads. But this is a personal option and can be changed back and forth once you find the one you are comfortable with.

[#5]

I'd like to make the suggestion that the CSS be made freely available (rather than having to root it out) for anyone who might want to GreaseMonkey their way to a page view that they might prefer and for parameters which can't be set through user control panels.

[#6]

John,

It sounds as though it will be something like this: http://communities.vmware.com/community/vmtn/vam/studio

That forum was linked to in post #14 here: http://www.adobeforums.com/webx?128@@.59b7e05f

That is more or less what I am dreading.

Please tell us the fear is unfounded.

[#7]

Similar, but not exactly the same.