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This is a little hard to parse so correct me if I'm making some wrong assumptions here.
The issue seems to be that if an author posts an article that is too small then it won't be accepted by the members who will ask that the article be posted as a tip instead. This in itself isn't the issue - the issue is that the guidelines aren't clear enough on this point.
Is that the problem? If so, that's easy.
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project | Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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Chris Maunder wrote: Is that the problem?
That's what I inferred from reading the chat-conversation twice.
I suppose when someone tries to submit a really small article (word count), you could ask them if perhaps they want to post it as a tip-trick instead.
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Chris,
I don't think it's the issue of Article/Tips. Looks like the guidelines are not followed and above all, it's status is still in "Compose Mode".
Don't forget to Click on [Vote] and [Good Answer] on the posts that helped you.
Regards - Kunal Chowdhury | Software Developer | Chennai | India | My Blog | My Tweets | Silverlight Tutorial
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I think the discussion was posted to convey the difficulties new authors face when posting articles. I didn't have too hard a time when I posted my first article, though there are areas where some improvements would be nice. Here are some random suggestions off the top of my head:
- Don't require an email for updates to an article once it's been approved and such.
- Make it extremely obvious that the article is not published, and the reason for that. For example, a repeating background image on the article that says "this article is not yet published because you didn't click [Publish] yet" or "this article has been published but is not viewable by most members because no high ranking members have approved it yet".
- When a user is about to publish an article, check the amount of text and pop up a dialog that says "this article isn't very long; would you like to publish it as a tip/trick instead?" Clicking "OK" would then post it as a tip/trick.
- Would be nice to be able to change the type of article from "Full Article" to "Tip/Trick" (or the reverse). Probably should only give the author that ability.
Like I said, I'm fairly happy with the process, but some of that might help other members. Then again, making it difficult may keep the article quality higher than if any old person with 5 seconds on their hands could post an article. Based on that observation, I think there should be a CCC that must be solved in order to publish an article. 
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aspdotnetdev wrote: Don't require an email for updates to an article once it's been approved and such.
This is only for "edited" articles and is in place to save the sanity of the editors. However, I know it tests the patience of authors, so we have workarounds. More improvements coming.
aspdotnetdev wrote: Make it extremely obvious that the article is not published
I have just, not 2 seconds ago, done this (though not as garish!)
aspdotnetdev wrote: When a user is about to publish an article, check the amount of text and pop up a dialog that says "this article isn't very long; would you like to publish it as a tip/trick instead?" Clicking "OK" would then post it as a tip/trick.
How about a different approach: on the first page of the submission wizard I have a "post a tip" and "post a full article" link set?
aspdotnetdev wrote: Would be nice to be able to change the type of article from "Full Article" to "Tip/Trick" (or the reverse). Probably should only give the author that ability
This is on the TODO list
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project | Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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Chris Maunder wrote: so we have workarounds
Interesting. Such as?
Chris Maunder wrote: More improvements coming.
Excellent.
Chris Maunder wrote: I have just, not 2 seconds ago, done this
Excellent.
Chris Maunder wrote: How about a different approach: on the first page of the submission wizard I have a "post a tip" and "post a full article" link set?
Sounds like a good idea.
Chris Maunder wrote: This is on the TODO list
Excellent. I'll look forward to it in 2020! 
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Is there a forum about testing? Tools, how to, best practices, ...
V.
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There is one[^] that has "Testing" in its title.
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I did see that one, but beta testing and testing the code (unit, stress, performance, regression, ....) isn't really the same thing. eg. I'm running some load tests with VS 2010 and have a problem, which forum do I go to?
V.
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V. wrote: which forum do I go to?
When none of the forums seem to fit, try the Lounge.
The forum I linked to isn't very old. It was called "Collaboration and test" once; Chris added "beta". It never has been popular.
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lounge came to mind, but "testing" comes close to "programming" ... hence my question here. Don't worry I'll figure my problem out; somehow.
V.
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You could also post in "Application Lifecycle", however I haven't seen any real activity there yet.
I don't think you would get lynched when posting in the Lounge, especially as the weekend is near.
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Two days ago I discovered the forum message pinning was functioning again, after a long period of unavailability. Yesterday and today, it again fails to perform its magic. Please fix this, it is a great feature to have when a thread grows.
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It's working perfectly for me...
Browser?
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project | Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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The browser I use most of the time is FireFox 3.0.19; today's investigation seems to indicate it is the only one around here that fails on CP forum pinning. When I try IE7, FF3.6.8, or Chrome, it works well.
It probably stopped working on FF3.0 around here[^], and hasn't ever since, till last Sunday.
I have no clue what could have caused it to fail and later to succeed, and now fail again.
I guess I'll move on to FF3.6.8 now (I don't ever want the latest most popular), so as far as I'm concerned the relevance of the pin bug is small.
However I now have two questions, you're not getting away that easily
1.
is there a way to prevent FF3.6.8 to open a new tab at a random position? when I click a CP link (the new tab variety), on older FF up to 3.0 I get the new tab at the far right, which is fine; doing the same on FF3.6.8 (admittedly, another machine and OS), the new tab can appear just anywhere, most often at the leftmost-but-one position.
[ADDED]
Q1 solved: about:config, browser.tabs.insertRelatedAfterCurrent=false
for me FF3.0 is now a thing of the past.
[/ADDED]
2.
could we please get a new button on the "Edit message" page for suggs&bugs forum, pressing it would stuff the answers to your typical questions (what browser? JavaScript enabled? cookies enabled? ...) right into the message.
TIA
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Could we have a limit to the length of the subject field, say 100 characters, to prevent people from posting ridiculously long titles that scroll over multiple lines? This[^] one's a monster for instance.
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Hear hear.
100 characters on entry, and 1 line on display should suffice.
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How long is 1 line?
Now how long is 1 line deep in a thread with the reader's browser set to take up only half the page width?
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project | Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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It's currently at 250 characters and to be honest I'm loathe to fiddle with it too much.
0.53% of message subjects in the last month are over 100 characters, and 0.01% are over 200 characters. Changing the limit will affect very, very few members and will solve an issue that is extremely rare, but at the same time I just know someone in the lounge will want to do something ridiculous and potentially amusing and there will be a sad face that day.
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project | Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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640KB ought to be enough for any subject line.
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Chris Maunder wrote: someone in the lounge will want to do something ridiculous and potentially amusing and ...
huh?[^]
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Personally, I'd rather they fixed long-time issues or added features that improve the site's usefulness. Twitter support is (IMHO) pointless.
.45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"The staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - J. Jystad, 2001
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Only if they add a "shoot me now before I post completely meaningless drivel" option that will be automatically triggered by this.
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Today, I found that we can 1-vote any question or answer without any mandatory comment.
Is there any specific reason, why are we back to that? With mandatory comments, people were restricted vote 1/2 until they had some decent reason.
Further, the moment you click radio button your vote is casted. Again, I don't find this good for various reasons.
Any further modifications in queue?
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