Top of Page Navagation Buttons

[Netopia]

Why is it that the buttons at the top of the page don't work with alternate mouse clicks? I regularly have situations where I might be reading in a forum and then decide to do a quick search. My preferred way to do this would be to right-click and open in new window (in IE) or middle-click and open in new tab (in FF) and then close that tab when I'm done searching. Unfortunately, it doesn't work. I have to left-click on the button, which takes me away from the forum/thread that I'm currently on.

Another situation might be if I'm waiting to see if anyone has posted to some particular thread that I'm involved in. If I could simply open another tab with "My Forums" without having to leave whatever I am currently reading, it would be MUCH handier.


Is there any reason that these buttons couldn't be made to operate like any other link within the system?

Joe

 

[Gamingphreek]

Jeez i never noticed that. Im interested also.

-Kevin

 

[n0cmonkey]

It was an active design choice. I believe it's been brought up before, CTho9305 complains about it occassionally.

 

[Netopia]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
It was an active design choice. I believe it's been brought up before, CTho9305 complains about it occassionally.

Does this design choice have any advantage to the user? I actually found the ability to open other windows from these buttons (in previous versions) much more functional.

Joe

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Netopia

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
It was an active design choice. I believe it's been brought up before, CTho9305 complains about it occassionally.

Does this design choice have any advantage to the user? I actually found the ability to open other windows from these buttons (in previous versions) much more functional.

Joe

None that I'm aware of. I moan and groan about it (to myself) everytime I feel like messing with my profile.

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Netopia

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
It was an active design choice. I believe it's been brought up before, CTho9305 complains about it occassionally.

Does this design choice have any advantage to the user? I actually found the ability to open other windows from these buttons (in previous versions) much more functional.

Joe

None that I'm aware of. I moan and groan about it (to myself) everytime I feel like messing with my profile.

Javascript probably makes a nice check on the feature chart when trying to sell this software to PHBs in large corporations, which is my personal conspiracy theory about why the functionality regression occurred with the navigation buttons. You're welcome to come up with your own idea, but regardless, I think almost everyone on these forums except Jason Clark himself would agree that the new buttons are no better - and a number of us (including myself) think that they are much less convenient.

 

[Netopia]

It's more than just "less convenient", it's actually a usability step BACKWARDS.

Joe

 

[Kyteland]

Originally posted by: Netopia
It's more than just "less convenient", it's actually a usability step BACKWARDS.

Joe

Since when has that ever stopped progress?

Not quite as convenient, but this (and every) page has something like "FORUMS > FORUM ISSUES < REFRESH > " right under those java buttons and you can right click/middle click those to open a new window, and then use the java buttons to go to your search/profile/whatever. One extra step.

That said, I'd still like to be able to middle click them.

 

[Netopia]

Nice work around and I agree that it would be nicer and cleaner to just middle click 'em.

Joe

 

[Netopia]

So do the people who write the software ever read here and, if so, do they ever respond and help us to understand design desicions?

Joe

 

[ProviaFan]

Originally posted by: Netopia
So do the people who write the software ever read here

Yes. Jason Clark is webmaster of AnandTech and also CEO of Fusetalk, the people who make Fusetalk. Though he sometimes likes to distance himself from his decision making role in his company when it involves stuff that he knows we don't like, that doesn't change the fact that he's still in charge "over there."

and, if so, do they ever respond and help us to understand design desicions?

Joe

If he has ever given a real reason beyond "it's what our customers want" (in other words, "just because"), I haven't seen it. Lots of useful features seem to have been deleted on a whim, when at least he could have left an option in the profiles for those of us who like it "the old way" (reference: thread date sorting, etc.).