Specific ways to improve Free Republic site design

Me

[Stop Legal Plunder]

Love Free Republic but have doubts about the latest site design? Then use this thread to post specific and constructive suggestions about how to fix shortcomings in the new design.

[Smile-n-Win]

Keep it simple.

[EdReform]

We were able to search within a forum for a word or phrase that appeared in either "replies and articles" or "articles only." For example, I could type "ed" in the search box and all the replies and articles posted containing the word "education" would be listed, with the most recent post on top. Please bring back this option. (If that option is available, I can't find it). Thanks!

[Clara Lou]

... and it's not "our" site.
Seriously, Every time there's a change, people grumble (me included). It's going to be alright... really it is.

[vannrox]

P.S. I like the new FR format alot. I just will take some time to get used to. I suggest that you leave the old way as an option for those whom do not like the new format.

[TomGuy]

Drop the flag background on scrolling pages.

Put all the subscribes anything related on the My Preferences page, rather than hidden in obscure locations.

Increase the BREAKING NEWS / FRONT PAGE listings to at least 10 or 15 entries, not 5. And change the FONT.
On the browse page(s), most of the selections in the left column could easily be placed across the upper part of the screen (even if 2 or 3 lines were required) and eliminate the left column altogether.

The Posting page is cumbersome--too much clicking to new pages (for topics), then "okay".

Add a Post to the Topic so one doesn't have to page back to find the #1 post, especially on those threads that get 100+ replies.

On the Posting page, where it has the PREVIEW POST button, since the PREVIEW goes to a new page, removed the POST button from the initial--force a PREVIEW before allowing POST. This would possibly eliminate errors, such as graphics that don't show up due to inaccurate HTML code.

[lonestar]

ditto

[jlogajan]

Sweet Loretta Martin thought she was a woman, but she was another man.

[nralife]

I finally got my Breaking News sidebar to work, but I'm disapointed that it only shows five topics. It needs to show ten or twelve like it did before.

Second Amendment Breaking News (discussion forum)

http://second-amendment-homepage.com

[Let's Roll]

One thing I don't like is the selected post opening in a new window. Is there some way to change that - preferences or something?

[Thud]

Drop all the graphics. I want text - the more the better. I can always turn on the TV if I want mindless graphics instead of news.

[breakem]

I like the flag as much as the next guy, but the design on the posts page is too much. Too much flag taking up too much space. Put the flag at the top and get it over with. The screen now is too busy and too artsy.

[Cboldt]

Provide separate settings for:
1. Number of thread TITLES per page, and
2. Number of COMMENTS visible when a thread is opened.

I like to have about 50 TITLES per page, and I just refresh the page to see what the hot topics of discussion are. But, when I wade into a discussion thread, I like to have about 250 comments on that web page.

[Dog Gone]

Hint: The order you choose them in is the order they load in. Be sure to choose them in the order you want them to show. For example choose breaking news topic first.

That hint doesn't work. It appears that no matter which order you choose your topics (sidebars), the topic that has the latest new thread gets bounced to the top of your screen.

I'm not sure that's bad, but it is different.

[NormsRevenge]

Change IS Good ... adapting to change is a bitch sometimes ...

I like the site look and feel, for the most part , I reckun it will morph again soon anyway and thats OK...

Have fun and there are lots of good suggestions below...

??? When the heck do U FreePers guys sleep? My Hat is off to all of you who put and keep FR online everyday

SEMPER FI
---Norm---

[knuthom]

Desire more than five headlines in the right sidebar (i.e. Breaking News or whatever is selected.)

I agree. There is plenty of space to list more.

[Donzerly lights]

Put 'find in forum' back on profile page.

[Hipixs]

Turn off 'Show Pictures' in browser - this gets rid of the flag background. If you want to see a particular picture, then right click and select 'show picture'; a refresh will hide the picture.

You can also run two instances of the browser - one with pictures and one without pictures. Open the first browser with 'show pictures' selected in options. Then before opening a second instance of the browser run a "pixs off" reg file [copy and paste]:

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"Display Inline Images"="no"

---

The first browser window will show pictures; the second browser window will hide pictures.

[mrsmith]

One sidebar.
Look at all the empty space in the sidebars as one scrolls down the page.
Two sidebars squeeze out the forum comments area.

Put all the options in one sidebar.

One header and one sidebar can hold everything.

One sidebar, not two, one.

Two sidebars are too many- just have one.

IMHO two sidebars is..... redundant.

[Clara Lou]

I just don't think my financial support entitles me to tell the owner whether or not to upgrade his site. We just need to make valid suggestions and be patient.