[RFC] Avoiding Confusion in Who Is Online

Note: We are moving the topics of this forum and it will be deleted at some point

Publish your own request for comments/change or patches for the next version of phpBB. Discuss the contributions and proposals of others. Upcoming releases are 3.2/Rhea and 3.3.
User avatar
Pony99CA
Registered User
Posts: 986
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 2:35 am
Location: Hollister, CA
Contact:

[RFC] Avoiding Confusion in Who Is Online

Post by Pony99CA »

Who Is Online sometimes confuses users by showing that guests (and sometimes other users) are doing things that they shouldn't be able to (example). This has led to phpBB adding an According to viewonline a user is doing/reading something they should not be able to! FAQ, but people still ask about it despite the FAQ.

My proposal should help eliminate the questions and is quite simple. Either split the messages into two, like:
  1. User Blah is doing something.
  2. User Blah is trying to do something but was denied due to lack of permissions.
Or at least add an optional "(but was blocked due to lack of permissions)" at the end of the message if they don't have permission to be there.

I'm not sure how difficult this would be to do, but it would save a lot of user confusion (and numerous support queries). If it's possible but expensive, it could have a Load Setting (but my guess is that very few people click the Who Is Online link compared to other board activity).

Steve
Silicon Valley Pocket PC (http://www.svpocketpc.com)
Creator of manage_bots and spoof_user (ask me)
Need hosting for a small forum with full cPanel & MySQL access? Contact me or PM me.


User avatar
ameeck
Registered User
Posts: 86
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2005 6:43 pm
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Contact:

Re: [RFC] Avoiding Confusion in Who Is Online

Post by ameeck »

What informational value does it give and why should a regular user know? Either leave the current behaviour or just omit that online entry altogether.
Please think before you post.

Danielx64
Registered User
Posts: 304
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:42 am

Re: [RFC] Avoiding Confusion in Who Is Online

Post by Danielx64 »

ameeck wrote:What informational value does it give and why should a regular user know? Either leave the current behaviour or just omit that online entry altogether.
What about admins and other staff?

User avatar
DavidIQ
Customisations Team Leader
Customisations Team Leader
Posts: 1904
Joined: Thu Mar 02, 2006 4:29 pm
Location: Earth
Contact:

Re: [RFC] Avoiding Confusion in Who Is Online

Post by DavidIQ »

IMO this guest information is rather useless. Should just get rid of it.
Image

Danielx64
Registered User
Posts: 304
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:42 am

Re: [RFC] Avoiding Confusion in Who Is Online

Post by Danielx64 »

DavidIQ wrote:IMO this guest information is rather useless. Should just get rid of it.
Rogher than get rid of it, make it more useful: http://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/mod/t ... is_online/

User avatar
callumacrae
Former Team Member
Posts: 1046
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:37 am
Location: England
Contact:

Re: [RFC] Avoiding Confusion in Who Is Online

Post by callumacrae »

*Daniel wrote:
DavidIQ wrote:IMO this guest information is rather useless. Should just get rid of it.
Rogher than get rid of it, make it more useful: http://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/mod/t ... is_online/
-1, privacy
Made by developers, for developers!
My blog

Senky
Extension Customisations
Extension Customisations
Posts: 315
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:41 pm

Re: [RFC] Avoiding Confusion in Who Is Online

Post by Senky »

Well, I do not know what is behind of not showing in which topic user is, or (for example here below the topic) who is viewing currently shown topic, but... what? Privacy? Are there any arguments why phpBB decided not to show topics "who is online" lists, but just in which forum user is?

User avatar
naderman
Consultant
Posts: 1727
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2004 2:11 am
Location: Berlin, Germany
Contact:

Re: [RFC] Avoiding Confusion in Who Is Online

Post by naderman »

The decision was made that it invaded privacy too much to display wich particular topic users are currently reading. Hence Who is online is a per-forum feature.

Danielx64
Registered User
Posts: 304
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 3:42 am

Re: [RFC] Avoiding Confusion in Who Is Online

Post by Danielx64 »

Senky wrote:Well, I do not know what is behind of not showing in which topic user is, or (for example here below the topic) who is viewing currently shown topic, but... what? Privacy? Are there any arguments why phpBB decided not to show topics "who is online" lists, but just in which forum user is?
I was thinking the same thing, and I should add that users do have the option "Hide my online status" in the UCP as well.

Post Reply