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Confusing: "Add Reply" and "Reply" Buttons


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I've noticed that there seems to be some confusion between the dark blue "Add Reply" button and the light blue "Reply" button. This is a software design error.

The light blue "Reply" button appends your reply to the end of an ongoing thread.

The dark blue "Add Reply" button appends your reply to the original poster's question.

I find myself selecting the dark blue button when I really mean to use the light blue one, and I suspect others are doing the same.

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I've noticed that there seems to be some confusion between the dark blue "Add Reply" button and the light blue "Reply" button. This is a software design error.

The light blue "Reply" button appends your reply to the end of an ongoing thread.

The dark blue "Add Reply" button appends your reply to the original poster's question.

I find myself selecting the dark blue button when I really mean to use the light blue one, and I suspect others are doing the same.

The obvious confusion on some users' part, apparent from their posting a quoted reply with no further commentary, is that they click the Reply button (which perhaps should be renamed "Quote this Post") and then click the Add Reply button, thinking perhaps that they can then add further comments.

The help screen doesn't really offer much in the way of help on this, but I'll only say that I've never had any problem. I know how it works, and therefore it is easy for me. But I'm geeky that way. And I often say "Brain surgery is easy.... if you're a brain surgeon." There was a time I did not believe I could ever drive a car, or use a reciprocating saw to cut a hole in the exterior wall of a house to install a window or door. But you do it (right) enough times and you stop thinking about it.

Of course, getting into Multi-quote (and embedding them so they have different color header bars) takes a little knowledge (like how the quote tags surround text, much like HTML or XML) but with a little practice even that becomes second nature.

I still think a sticky at the top of the forum with some screen shots and explanation couldn't hurt. But, like prologues in books, who reads instructions? B)

Gonna click the Add Reply blue button now, and see what happens.

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I've noticed that there seems to be some confusion between the dark blue "Add Reply" button and the light blue "Reply" button. This is a software design error.

The light blue "Reply" button appends your reply to the end of an ongoing thread.

The dark blue "Add Reply" button appends your reply to the original poster's question.

I find myself selecting the dark blue button when I really mean to use the light blue one, and I suspect others are doing the same.

The obvious confusion on some users' part, apparent from their posting a quoted reply with no further commentary, is that they click the Reply button (which perhaps should be renamed "Quote this Post") and then click the Add Reply button, thinking perhaps that they can then add further comments....

As I recall, Mr. Elsman favors the outline or 'tree' view of the topics on the forum:

So, for people who prefer to look at the forum that way, the similarity in the names of the 'reply' and 'add reply' buttons is probably even more confusing than for those of us who look at the posts in sequence. I agree with Mr. Mountcastle that it's a user-interface problem. The buttons could probably be better named. However, making the button names longer, which would be one way to avoid confusion, would add visual clutter, and would then be annoying in a different way, especially to regular posters.

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As I recall, Mr. Elsman favors the outline or 'tree' view of the topics on the forum:

So, for people who prefer to look at the forum that way, the similarity in the names of the 'reply' and 'add reply' buttons is probably even more confusing than for those of us who look at the posts in sequence.

I just (temporarily!) switched to the outline display mode and don't think the difference is significant. But, if it is, the solution is simple: switch back to the standard display.

Frankly, after near daily participation for three months, I can't imagine selecting the dark blue button when I really mean to use the light blue one. At least not more than once.

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I just (temporarily!) switched to the outline display mode and don't think the difference is significant. But, if it is, the solution is simple: switch back to the standard display.

Frankly, after near daily participation for three months, I can't imagine selecting the dark blue button when I really mean to use the light blue one. At least not more than once.

Agreed. However, if users report it as confusing, presumably it is confusing to some. And, on another weighty topic, I just realized I don't have any 'dark blue' button on the screen anyway -- the 'add reply' button is black. Different browser, I guess, or different browser setting.

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Agreed. However, if users report it as confusing, presumably it is confusing to some. And, on another weighty topic, I just realized I don't have any 'dark blue' button on the screen anyway -- the 'add reply' button is black. Different browser, I guess, or different browser setting.

Not sure who might be reporting the confusion, but it seems apparent with the number of un-commented quote posts we've seen that some are at last "unsure" initially. As for the Add Reply button, it is a dark share of blue, and in fact is two-toned, with the top half being RGB #243F5C and the bottom half of #1D3652. Juuusst in case you were wondering.

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Not sure who might be reporting the confusion, but it seems apparent with the number of un-commented quote posts we've seen that some are at last "unsure" initially. As for the Add Reply button, it is a dark share of blue, and in fact is two-toned, with the top half being RGB #243F5C and the bottom half of #1D3652. Juuusst in case you were wondering.

Ha. I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit I was wondering... and was wondering how to directly query the RGB values of what I was looking at. Thank you David :lol:

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As for the Add Reply button, it is a dark share of blue, and in fact is two-toned, with the top half being RGB #243F5C and the bottom half of #1D3652.

I'm afraid I don't see the two shades (old eyes!) but, in any case, there's no excuse for clicking on the wrong button after three months of use. It's like going through a red light because it's near the green one. "But officer . . . ".

(Looks like it's turning out to be a slow news day here.)

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I'm afraid I don't see the two shades (old eyes!) but, in any case, there's no excuse for clicking on the wrong button after three months of use. It's like going through a red light because it's near the green one. "But officer . . . ".

(Looks like it's turning out to be a slow news day here.)

If you look at the big, long "Fast Reply" bar, you might better see the two-tone coloring that these "blue/black" buttons share.

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