Recent Changes @ FreeRepublic

[John Robinson]

A few changes have been made to the forum over the past couple days.

• All replies, and for consistency all articles, are now wrapped in HTML <BLOCKQUOTE>s. This indents the text on both left and right margins. It should no longer be possible to convincingly spoof replies.

• An HTML filter has been installed into the forum software. The primary job of this filter is to remove unsafe HTML constructs. As a side-effect and benefit, it closes open tags. No more HTML shotguns.

• Due to the above mentioned filter, the STYLE attribute has been disabled. Though it has many legit uses, it was used to position text and images at the top of a thread, or in other unsavory places. The STYLE attribute will make a comeback once a style filter is written.

• Since the STYLE attribute was disabled, the use of <SPAN STYLE="background-color: xxxx"> to highlight portions of text was also disabled. To compensate, the <EM> tag has be enhanced for highlighting purposes. At a later time the HTML sequence used to highlight text may change.

• <BLOCKQUOTE> has been enhanced for it's intended purpose: quoting blocks of text. Unfortunately, <BLOCKQUOTE> is often used to indent text without implying a quote, and therefore at a later time the HTML sequence used to quote text may change.

• A quick-and-dirty program now exists allowing you to customize the appearance of Free Republic articles. To use a custom style sheet, use your favorite style sheet editor (or plain text editor) to create a style sheet, save the file to your hard drive, and then follow this link to upload your style sheet to Free Republic.

  This is a technological preview and is geared for a technical audience. At a later date a kinder gentler interface will be created.

A sample customized style sheet:

BODY
{
    BACKGROUND-COLOR: ivory
}
EM
{
    FONT-STYLE: normal;
    BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eeee00
}
BLOCKQUOTE
{
    FONT-FAMILY: "Bookman Old Style"
}
BLOCKQUOTE BLOCKQUOTE
{
    BORDER-TOP: black thin solid;
    PADDING-BOTTOM: 1%;
    PADDING-TOP: 1%;
    BORDER-BOTTOM: black thin solid;
    FONT-STYLE: italic
}

[John Robinson]

Questions?

[John Robinson]

Cascading Stye Sheet (CSS) Links:

What are style sheets?

WebReview.com's Style Sheet Reference Guide

[patriciaruth]

It's like Medicare; everytime you think you've got the HICFA billing form problems ironed out, they change the form with a new set of unknown rules to be mastered before they will pay you.
But lately I'm sure I died and because Hell was full, they sent me to Zork.
Cheers!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Whew! I thought I was going to have to replace my monitor, everything started to look different. LOL

All kidding aside: Thanks for the detailed explanation!

[Ron C.]

Are these going to be made available for general reply posting?

The beauty of FR has always been an interface common to all. But, if favored style sheets become common, seems to me like that will make it easier to radically alter the look and feel of the place. I can see it now, "Get your style sheets here - one special made to suit your personality."

I really do hope that I am dead wrong... 8^)

[knarf]

Another valuable html thread ... (to we that do not know such things from childbirth ... ;)

[praise]

*hug* JimRob

[John Robinson]

I like my design choices, but few people agree with me. So let 'em do the job themselves. ;-)

Seriously, I really do like the idea of a customizable Free Republic. The more gadgets that can be tweaked, the better, IMHO.

My job will be to hammer together an HTML guideline to coordinate HTML usage. Such as using <EM> to highlight, and <I> for italicizing. Or coming up with something different (like using a CLASS="hi" for highlighting.)

[Syncro]

So the marquee feature is disabled?

If so, wht if I type in < marquee > (w/o the spaces of course) a hundred thousand million billion times will tht make it work?

[John Robinson]

I dunno. Try it and let me know. :-)

[Syncro]

Hay John I like it just fine, except for the indentation: it seems that the threads would be smaller without tht thingie, but I understand there is an important reason for it.

[Ron C.]

"..a customizable Free Republic.."

Well - no one can say it will be 'dull' here, never has been, of course ..*bg*

If all were to be client-side, I'd not be frantically looking for the pink liquid right now... but, then the wife tells me I've become, ‘an ol' stick in the mud' anyway - LOL

[John Robinson]

Not only that, but reading narrow text is easier. Six to ten words across is optimum, which is one reason why newspaper columns are narrow.

[Syncro]

Ha ha, ok I don't have a life anyway....LOL

[Dumb_Ox]

Just a heads-up: I've stumbled across a technical glitch of some sort. Occasionally when loading
http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/latest?ao=1
I get articles from a specific topic (Culture/Society, Current Events, etc.) instead of from every topic.

[leadpenny]

Question?

Will your filter filter out Mean-Spirited, Arrogant, Condescending Liberals ?

Really, Thanks. I'll cancel my Eye Doctor appointment.

[John Robinson]

Very odd. Thanks for the heads-up.

[HalfIrish]

All I wanna know is if my "win" on the Trash This Thread thread had any effect on the final outcome.

:-)

[Syncro]

Not only that, but reading narrow text is easier

Yes tht is very true...I just squeeze the windows I am using togehter to get tht effect, but I see your reasoning...I should have know not to question you...lol

[Ada Coddington]

Questions?

I suppose not as I haven't a clue what you are talking about.