'Select Author' update

It's just different and technically we couldn't keep adding to the drop-down list for much longer without things becoming problematic. We'll look at some other way of providing a browse author facility that's not part of the actual menu.

I've had to rewrite substantial portions of the library software over the past few years as the size and complexity of it has grown. Many of these changes will have been transparent but there's virtually nothing left of the library software from 4 years ago or so.

I also think that we all get used to things working a certain way but sometimes you simply have to change things to keep the site functioning smoothly. On top of which people will complain about little things such as having to type 2 letters to find an author... if you really want to have trouble finding authors there are several forums I could refer to so I think we need to get this change into perspective.

In the meantime I recognise the benefit of being able to 'browse' authors and will find an alternative way to provide that, but one that isn't part of the actual site menu (and consequently loaded every time any page of the site is loaded.), possibly an author's only version of the Memberlist as you suggested.

In the meantime the quickest way to get to your author page is to bookmark the following when you first visit the site:

http://www.spankinglibrary.co.cc/index.php?func=authpage&author=GuySpencer

Hi

nor sure what happened I was in mid message and it went? So maybe a dup here? Sorry.

I was saying that I can 'learn' how to find my page - but how do I as a new or even existing reader learn to find authors is I don't know how they are listed? If i can't remember my page exactly - how can I or anyone 'remember' anyone else? In fact if there is a new author then I can't remember since I wouldn't even know they were there to look for them.

Its not a problem of typing two letters - its a problem of which two or three letters to type.

Maybe there is a new authro called pingozing or derek jax or... how would i ever know to type in de or pi to find them?

I do understand the reasons for your reorganisation - but can I humbly suggest that if the system has outgrown drop downs then don't use drop downs.

Would it be possible for instance to use an author directory/index - like spanking wiki uses?

My sympathies - its the problem of success. ;)

DJ Black

You said you couldn't find your author page ... I was responding to that.


I've already addressed this in a response to Guy, unfortunately not everything can be provided instantaneously .. today the select author menu item has been changed and tomorrow or next week or whenever I'll provide an alternative means of browsing authors.


I'm no longer using a drop-down... it just looks that way... it's actually a css-styled html list made to look like a drop-down It may look similar but it's an entirely different solution, the system has outgrown drop-down lists with over 300 items in embedded in the menu not the method of data presentation.


It's possible but rather unstructured and not really in keeping with the rest of the site. I'm likely to go for a variation of the Members List with author details instead.

Update: for those enquiring about the loss of the old author list I will in a couple of days be providing a full list of authors via a menu button labelled 'Authors' which will contain the following info for each author (where known):

author name
number of items loaded
number of stories
number of serials
number of poems
number of other items
number of words
date of latest item loaded
location (country)
website
email

plus the capability to go directly to any of their author pages or send them a popup (if they are also members if the library)

Februs you spoil us rotten, now (with all due respect) quit working 24 hours a day and get some sleep.

Gross incompetence! How could you omit the color of their panties?

Some things you are meant to find out for yourself!

Who ever said anyone on this site wore panties?

Februs, I certainly think the work you have done on the authors page old and new is great, just one small point. On occasion I get a popup from someone who writes under a different name and I have no idea what their message is about unless they identify the story I commented on. If I have commented say on six in one day it can become very confusing as to who wrote what. So my question is, will the new author page show both the authors name plus their member name so we know who is who? For newer members like me I know a few, like who Rick M is, but just found out who Katie B is when she uses her other name. So many authors with so many names. Perhaps some would prefer not to have their two names tied together, that I do not know. Thanks for all the work.