CB UI change

Chatterbox: Down to Earth

CB UI change

CB UI change proposal to the esteemed Webmaster of this site

Dear Esteemed Webmaster and Admins of this site, as well as whomever it may concern,

I, Sinusoidal Polyglot, hereby propose a change to the User Interface of the chatterbox.

Yes, I know it is difficult to do so, but some changes I believe are nessecary.

1. Add a search bar feature so that you can search if you can't find a particular thread (Going on google isn't always the best tactic for working, and can yield you some pretty weird results like golden lion tamarins for sale)

2. ADD A PRONOUNS BOX. By now, most of us know each other (we haven't had new people join us in a while, the newest was Celine who we've already got to know), but others change their pronouns once in a while, particularly our genderfluid friends (the only one I know of is Scuttles, if there are any others, please give a shout out!)

3. Create accounts. Now, The only information would be not your email, but the Chatterbox name you're using and some password. This could prevent impersonations in the future. I know we haven't had some impersonations in a while, but I have lived through a relatively recent one (where Kitty Cat was impersonated on the Random Thoughts/Things thread). This is a huge problem and accounts could help.

4. Add longer titles. A lot of us need longer titles to get the summary out. Better yet, maybe even add a title box.

I know this will be hard and you may not be able to do it, but if you can, that would be appreciated. There have been many changes to the CB since the beginning. And I think a new Ui would better suit not the CB of the past,  but the CB of the future.

Warmest regards and wishes,

Sinusoidal Polyglot 

These suggestions have been passed on to the Webmaster and Admins.

Admin

submitted by Sinusoidal
(November 23, 2023 - 6:32 pm)

back to the Down to Earth

Nooooo please don't change the UI, @admins! i mean, of course I'll respect whatever you decide, but I honestly don't think it's necessary and I love the Chatterbox website so much exactly as it is. So many websites out there are constantly changing, often for the worse, but the CB has stayed just the same for years, and I would love to think that it will always be the same. I especially think accounts aren't needed - the CB is more open to everyone without them, and impersonation is not a problem at all. I believe I've seen the instance of impersonation Sinusoidal referred to above, and according to Kitty Cat it was not an impersonation. Anyway, I know I'm way too sentimental about websites staying the same forever, but I just wanted to say that :)

Rest assured, Poinsettia, we're not contemplating any changes.

Admin

submitted by Poinsettia, a sea of crystal waters
(November 29, 2023 - 8:42 pm)

Great, so now both my ideas are rejected. I'm useless. 

You have some good ideas, but we don't have the staff time to implement them.

Admin

submitted by Sinusoidal
(December 3, 2023 - 3:46 pm)

I agree with the Admins! You DO have good ideas- I think that having a pronouns box would be cool! I understand how you feel, with being brave enough to express your ideas but getting them shoved away. I am just gratefull the CB exists, but of course, as it is with everything, there is always room for improvement. Just know that you have been heard, even if you didn't get the response you hoped for. 

submitted by @Sine, it's Hawkstar, age Stars , My thoughts in Korea
(December 3, 2023 - 6:25 pm)

polygot, as good as these suggestions are, we are guests in the chatterbox. courtesy goes both ways. a good guest does not readjust the furniture in their host's house.

anyway you can put pronouns anyway. just use a location box. i did. 

submitted by Lord Entropy, they/them
(December 3, 2023 - 6:49 pm)

I do like the idea of a pronouns box and a search bar. But I also like the way CB is accountless---while there are sometimes impersonations, they are few and far between these days, and I think CB works better as an open platform with no sign up required. And I find the strange color scheme and slightly defunct and somewhat difficult to use UI kinda charming. It gives the CB webpage personality. And while we're discussing potential updates for the CB that will never actually happen, I think it would be nice if there were a picture option for the CAPTCHA ("click all the images with crosswalks") to be more accessible for people with dyslexia.

 

Not that my opinions on it matter all that much, because updating CB isn't a priority for Cricket Media and probably never will be. Maybe in another 20 years...

submitted by Scuttles
(December 4, 2023 - 10:21 am)

YES i was about to mention the CAPTCHA. I have weird vision issues and such (not getting into all that) and i hate that thing so much. i do think something like "click to make sure you're not a robot" or something quicker might be better though, and also not require (as much) vision. (idk if that'd work for someone who was fully blind or closer to that, though, so that might also be a thing to look into. 

or maybe there could be two or three CAPTCHA options that allow more acccessibility for different groups? i do kind of feel like CAPTCHAs as they are are kind of an important CB thing but I think it's even more important that people aren't shut out from being able to access it :D 

submitted by Blackfooted YEScat, Blackfooted Bobcat XD
(December 4, 2023 - 10:38 am)