Forum suggestions

1) Link embedding:
Recently it occurred to me that when someone posts a link in a topic you actually have to copy and paste it. For long links the URL may extend beyond a single line and as a result you may have to copy 2 or more lines into the address bar.

Many forums use UBB Code, which is like an even simpler version of HTML. In this you can have it so that text will become a clickable link using something like this:

[url="http://www.poems-and-quotes.com"]P&Q Site[/url]

Many sites also have keys to insert all the codes to do this for the non-technical users.

2) "New Topic" and "New Post" markers:
Sometimes I find it annoying that there are no alerts for new activity in the forums other than my remembering the post count or the last time someone posted.

I am sure (from experience) that it wouldn't be too much of a job to have a system where a forum is highlighted in a different colour text if there's a new topic (or more) and each new topic is tagged as such, with subsequent new posts in a topic highlighting it with a different colour.

3) Forum moderator IDing:
After the recent KenBore debates got completely out of control I think it would be wise to have some quick system to identify who to contact if you spot trouble brewing or issues with the site rules.

Where you have in the topics the little "Answer" icon, it would be good (and possible) to have a "Refer to Administrator" button that could send a message to either the mod forum or the mod PM system. This way a moderator could be alerted with ease. And let's face it: as of now that isn't that easy.

4) Forum polls:
Nothing gets people posting like a bit of good ol' fashioned democracy! I've seen dozens of different topics on here that could really benefit from having a poll to summarize the discussion.

5) "Last post by":
Sometimes during a debate you may only be interested if particular people have made a comment/post. Having the last user to post a message displayed often encourages people to take debatesmore seriously. Or indeed less seriously if needs be!

Oh, and courtesy of TaperedDreams: forum searching.

^^ Very well done Ed, I will Look into these. :)

Ciao, Joe

2) "New Topic" and "New Post" markers:
Sometimes I find it annoying that there are no alerts for new activity in the forums other than my remembering the post count or the last time someone posted.

I am sure (from experience) that it wouldn't be too much of a job to have a system where a forum is highlighted in a different colour text if there's a new topic (or more) and each new topic is tagged as such, with subsequent new posts in a topic highlighting it with a different colour.

^ Yeh it sounds like a good idea, but may I ask... When does a new topic become an old one? Wouldn't there end up always being a new topic?

New topics would be specific to your own log-in activity. You log out: topics become old. You log back in: the forum's log-in cookie identifies what's changed and new posts will highlight the topic. Topics that have no new posts will be in an "old" colour.