Suggestions for a better Free Republic

Vanity | October 10, 2003 | RightFighter

[RightFighter]

I was just wondering if any of you have any suggestions for how to make Free Republic easier to use and a better place in general. This is NOT a criticism of Jim Robinson and I am most appreciative of all his hard work. This site is great and I enjoy coming here to learn about and discuss the conservative issues of the day. This is just my desire to see this site become more "viewer-friendly" than it is in its present iteration. I've had thoughts over the years about this and these are the ones that I keep coming back to:

1. Different background colors for alternating posts within a thread, for readability

2. Ability to set up chat rooms for certain events, rather than using the "Live Thread" concept. The entire idea of a "Live Thread" is somewhat of an oxymoron and EXTREMELY difficult to follow.

3. Smilies and other icons available when posting messages

4. Keeping track of numbers of posts by each user. Many forum sites do this, and some even give titles to users who reach certain posting milestones.

5. The ability to mark a thread for later reading, rather than having to "bump" the thread

[Constitution Day]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! That was long.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Sorry about that! I'll get it removed. Hard to tell what it would look like in the preview. Hey! Add that to your wish list: a larger preview window!

[Diddle E. Squat]

You forgot:

[';asdadl;asdasdakaxl;kadlk - Bouncing head on keyboard

[RightFighter]

Well, I try to concentrate on the Anna Kournikova and and Heather Nauert threads.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I hit abuse to get it pulled. Sorry about that.

[Consort]

Posters should be able edit what they posted.
Edited posts should be identified as such.

[Sir Gawain]

I have a serious one: Displaying a number next to the poster's name showing how many times the poster has hit abuse. It would discourage abuse of the Abuse button.

[PaulJ]

I'm disappointed when I click on the link and find only what I just said myself.

Yes! This is most annoying.

[Enterprise]

Definitely an edit function. I hate it when I THOUGHT I had all the mistakes weeded out and THERE FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE IS SOME REALLY DUMB SPELLING of a simple word.

[Calpernia]

>>>No smilies! Please!

But a nice smile will brighten your day!

[Sir Gawain]

An author search would be nice.

[Constitution Day]

LOL, no biggie. Just giving you a hard time. ;)

[stainlessbanner]

Better Search functionality

[RightFighter]

Re: my post in #64 -

More Heather Nauert threads!!!

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

3. Smilies and other icons available when posting messages

I can't stand the face icons...they use it at will on DU. I've already decided its a liberal thing.

[rattrap]

yikes!

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Thanks for deleting #46!

[new cruelty]

That would be interesting to see. Then others would be able to see the newly edited post as well as the original (much like threads wherein the Moderator has edited the article). However, I could see how that would get overused.

[TheBigB]

ALL threads discussing Anna, Ann Coulter, and Britney MUST be accmpanied by pics of the appropriate hottie. This should be written on the front page. :)

[RedBloodedAmerican]

No Laurie Duhe? I hear she's moving to the Fly-In...