Request: Pause in Forum Spy when cursor hovers a thread

[iBlue]

I know it's been mentioned before (and in random scattered posts) but since that thread is a couple years old, I thought I'd start a new one and maybe try my luck.


When the spy is really moving it can be difficult to click on the thread you actually want. It would be most excellent if when your cursor is hovering a thread that the spy pauses so that you can more easily click on the desired thread/post.

I imagine it's not a simple thing to implement, and I'm sure MR staff are still busy with WWDC fallout, but I thought I'd ask in hopes of it being placed on a potential to-do list for the site tech/admins.

What do you think?

(If a mod thinks this would be better as a poll, feel free to add one. Wasn't sure myself what the best way would be)

 

[OllyW]

If you think it's bad trying to keep up with a mouse or trackpad, try doing it on an iPhone.

 

[iBlue]

If you think it's bad trying to keep up with a mouse or trackpad, try doing it on an iPhone.

I have just posted this from a powerbook after having clicked the wrong thread not once, not twice but three times.

 

[Compile 'em all]

I requested that feature 2 years ago. Nothing till this date.

Good luck!

 

[iBlue]

I requested that feature 2 years ago. Nothing till this date.

Good luck!

I know, I linked your post. I figured another couldn't hurt.

 

[Compile 'em all]

I know, I linked your post. I figured another couldn't hurt.

Ah yeah, just checked the linked post now . Well, lets see what happens this time around.

 

[Schtumple]

It's ok when using a mouse, but yeah, trackpads are a pain, I do find myself occasionally clicking the wrong link, and it can become annoying after a while.

Trouble is, how would forum spy know when to pause when you're hovering over it, surely it would constantly pause when your mouse was just left in that area, maybe a keyboard shortcut would be better, like pressing "P" and it would pause for 5 seconds or something... Is that at all possible?

 

[iBlue]

Trouble is, how would forum spy know when to pause when you're hovering over it, surely it would constantly pause when your mouse was just left in that area, maybe a keyboard shortcut would be better, like pressing "P" and it would pause for 5 seconds or something... Is that at all possible?

Hmmm, dunno. The links are only active (the text turns orange) when you are hovering them directly and that is the point where I wish it would pause.

 

[xUKHCx]

Hmmm, dunno. The links are only active (the text turns orange) when you are hovering them directly and that is the point where I wish it would pause.

Indeed I wish it would pause, I often go to the wrong thread. It may even reduce the loads due to people actually going to the right threads

On a practical note with the storm of WWDC just passing there will be a little while where we are pulling the boards of the windows, checking the chimney and chopping up the fallen trees rather than finding a new lampshade for the hallway

 

[Schtumple]

Indeed I wish it would pause, I often go to the wrong thread. It may even reduce the loads due to people actually going to the right threads

On a practical note with the storm of WWDC just passing there will be a little while where we are pulling the boards of the windows, checking the chimney and chopping up the fallen trees rather than finding a new lampshade for the hallway

Sounds promising

 

[rdowns]

It's the reason I rarely use Forum Spy. New Posts for me.

 

[xUKHCx]

Sounds promising

To be honest I carry no real weight on the matter, after all I have suggested this feature before and look where we are at

The second statement was merely discussing the situation and trying to manage expectations. With WWDC there are a few things here and there that need to be sorted and the main person(s) who can actually deal with the bobbins* are dealing with those issues. They will then have to start on their todo lists (as well as personal lives) which got shelved in the preparation for WWDC as well. So you can see how things can slip.



*proof I have no idea what needs to be done and thus the scale of the project involved.

 

[Schtumple]

But it's still good to have mod backing at the end of the day.

 

[iBlue]

Trying my luck again with this.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I never saw this before and damn if this would not be awesome on an iPad or other mobile device. I can't tell you how many times I play the game of clicking a link and hoping spy stops in time.

 

[maflynn]

It feels like I'm fighting a losing battle this point.

 

[0007776]

I'm assuming there is some good technical reason for not implementing this, but I would love it as well. It seems like whenever I use the spy I go to click on a link and end up in some thread that I have no interest in at all.

 

[iBlue]

I think there is a javascript event called onmouseover that may be able to achieve this. I don't know a lot about it but I'm sure there are people around that do.

 

[Intell]

I also would like this. The Spy today was flashing past and I clicked on the wrong thread many times. No doubt adding unnecessary server load.

I think there is a javascript event called onmouseover that may be able to achieve this. I don't know a lot about it but I'm sure there are people around that do.

That JavaScript event could work, but the problem may be the backend of the Spy and how it gathers its data.

 

[maflynn]

Spy seems to be back to a manageable speed at this point. I think yesterday is the exception rather then the rule on using spy effectively. We had around 19,000 users on the board at once posting furiously. Things are starting to calm down from that frenetic pace

 

[iBlue]

I think it would be a helpful addition even when the site is not bombarded with posts.

 

[0007776]

Spy seems to be back to a manageable speed at this point. I think yesterday is the exception rather then the rule on using spy effectively. We had around 19,000 users on the board at once posting furiously. Things are starting to calm down from that frenetic pace

I sometimes have problems with it moving as I try to click even on normal days. So I think it would still be useful.

 

[fireshot91]

Yesterday with the release of lion, I could DEFINITELY have used this.

 

[Tilpots]

I think it would be a helpful addition even when the site is not bombarded with posts.

Me, too. I mostly watch the Forum Spy on my iPhone. I'm not a fan of the mobile site at all. Clicking on the link to get to Forum Spy is hard enough (can't tell you how many times I've been to the Buyers Guide), then having to click the link in motion? It's a royal PITA.

Somebody find Knox and get his take...

 

[Intell]

I've been thinking about iBlue's suggestion of the JavaScript event onmouseover. It won't work on an iPhone. In fact, the iPhone isn't really even able to tell the Spy to change the blue text to orange. I'm guessing that the pause function would occur whenever the text is orange. In that case, the Spy may get "stuck" when viewing on an iPhone. Example, it you see a thread called "Apple Sucks" scroll by and you tap on it, view it, and go back to the Spy. Then in the place where the "Apple Sucks" thread there is now a titled "Google Sucks". The "Google Sucks" thread is now orange. This happens because that's where the iPhone's "cursor" last was.

This could cause problems to those on touch screen devices. I don't even think the iPhone provides a trigger for the onmouseover event in JavaScript. Similar problems have popped up on touchscreen devices running mouse based interactive Flash animations. The Flash is wanting a mouse, but there isn't one. Thus, it can't properly operate.