LJ Inbox improvement

[theljstaff]

Hello again, lj_feedbackers

Comments

[slinkslowdown]

The only thing I can personally think of that I'd want is either an ability to toggle between fuzzy and specific date formats or only specific dates used on inbox items.

[astronewt]

I'd like that one too. I'd personally lean towards specific only, or that specific is always available through on-hover. (Essentially, some way so that specific is always available.)

[slinkslowdown]

I like that hover idea.

[hpstrangelove]

Yes, having specific dates would be nice.

[hpstrangelove]

1) I'd love to be able to search! For a username or text in the message, or by date range (maybe they exist now but I don't know how to do them).
2) I'd love an option for a 'cut' version of the message like my flist.
3) Get rid of the 2" info on the left side of the page - totally useless to me, or at least give me an option to not display it. Maybe others like it.
4) Ages ago, there used to be page number links along the bottom of the page so that you could click and go directly to that page. You can do it now but have to go to the address bar and type in the page number there. I ended up bookmarking all the pages in groups of ten so I an quickly get to a page (yeah, I have lots of posts in my inbox so paging is important to me).

[astronewt]

2) Could you elaborate a bit on that cut point? Do you mean something like "if a PM is over X characters, automatically display it with part of it hidden to shorten up the page"?

3) Yeah, I think this would become something with more user-defined elements so that it would be useful to each user. Folders or labels, that sort of thing.

4) Good catch! I don't use the Inbox much, so I never used it, but remember it being there.

[slinkslowdown]

I like the idea of folders or labels.

Also seconding the cut idea [as you've described it above] and the page numbers.

[hpstrangelove]

2) Sure, on this one I'm comparing it to how posts look on my flist. Part of the post can be hidden/shortened from view if there is a 'cut'. The inbox displays the entire post, which can be really embarrassing if the post includes NSFW content. I know there is a little black 'arrow' next to the flag on each entry and that collapses the post, but you have to do it for each post. It would be nice if I could set that as the default for all posts, or have the 'cut' work the same way on inbox posts as it does on the flist.

3) Being able to create folders would make that part of the page way, way more useful.

[wendymr]

I would like to see threaded messages (as with gmail, for instance). As it stands, if I reply to a message and it's a message I want to keep, if I want to review my reply I have to go into my sent folder to see it.

Also, for composing, can we have a font that's easier on the eye, and the ability to use limited HTML (eg bold, italics, smart hyperlinking)?

Colours would be lovely for times when I'd prefer to intersperse my reply with the original message - making my reply stand out. Alternatively, the ability to use quote - /quote for bits of the original message I'm quoting.

[slinkslowdown]

+1 basic HTML use.

[astronewt]

Basic HTML, definitely on my list. Would you personally want to see a toolbar for it (like the commenting or new entry interfaces), or just the ability to use coding in general? (Some people like toolbars, some find it cluttery, etc.)

[amiyuy]

Keep it consistent with the other parts of the site, so if the default posting and comments interface have toolbars, the inbox should too.

[theemdash]

I would love for the ability to sort my inbox posts by community. I use it to follow several communities, including ones that I moderate, and finding those posts I need to deal with versus ones that are just for my entertainment is quite tiresome.

Being able to make folders or labels would help with my issue, though, so count my comment in support of that!

[astronewt]

That's exactly the use case I was thinking of for the label/folder idea -- let you sort into groups/folders/labels for individual comms. (Or, though I have no idea how difficult this would be for implemenation, maybe have automatic filtering be available -- "if the notification/message contains Whatever text, sort it to Wherever" type of functionality.)

[kelkyag]

And/or tagging, with community names and/or senders available as tags.

[mr_spock]

It would seem that nobody working at LJ has ever heard the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

[wendymr]

I don't agree that it's 'not broke' - see my suggestions above. As things are, if at all possible I try to take a conversation to email rather than LJ inbox if I think it's going to be more than a couple of exchanges and it's someone I trust with my email address.

[mr_spock]

But, that is exactly my point. These are BLOGS, not email accounts.

[wendymr]

We are talking about the inbox, used for private messages. That's not a blog, it's the closest thing there is to an email account.