Thanks, I've just sent that feature request to PlushForums support along with the other things. See the OP in this discussion for the latest list.

Thanks.

Also, there's no ability to delete posts you've made? Just now for example, I made a brief comment but then saw that someone else basically said the same thing, and I saw there was no option to delete.

There's not as it stands, which is odd, we know. Anyway, if you blank your post content then write "delete @[any mod name] we'll get rid of it.

One thing I totally hate about the interface of this forum is that there's no adequate text editor. I can't centre text, can't wrap text around images, use different fonts, change font size, etc. It would make communicating stuff more interesting if we had a Word document kind of interface which gave you full flexibility.

I'd be against that. This place looks better when it's more uniform.

It would make communicating stuff more interesting — Agustino

More likely it would make the place a mess, which we'd then have to clean up. You do enough damage to the aesthetics of the place with your overuse of smilies. You're not getting any more toys to play with. >:O

One more vote against a word-like editor, which they wouldn't do anyway.

"We are the Mod. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile."

This place looks better when it's more uniform. — Sapientia

it would make the place a mess — Baden

I doubt you look as good in shorts 'Tino. Anyway, you poor oppressed minions can bypass me and Sap as @jamalrob is the one who ultimately decides what to put on the feature request list. Maybe he'll listen to your desperate cries.

One thing I totally hate about the interface of this forum is that there's no adequate text editor. I can't centre text, can't wrap text around images, use different fonts, change font size, etc. It would make communicating stuff more interesting if we had a Word document kind of interface which gave you full flexibility. — Agustino

I abhor WYSIWYG and so-called word processors and think their invention was a terrible mistake. Formatting and style is not the writer's concern. I think the editor is fine as it is and I will not be requesting that feature. I wouldn't mind seeing Markdown support, though.

Formatting and style is not the writer's concern. — jamalrob

Ok, understood. Formatting and style though is a means of communication too, and as such, it is a writer's concern. One of the things that I think has brought philosophy down in the past is that the content is there, but the FORM isn't used to reflect and support it as effectively as possible.

Just italicize everything, like me. :P

Ok, understood. Formatting and style though is a means of communication too, and as such, it is a writer's concern. One of the things that I think has brought philosophy down in the past is that the content is there, but the FORM isn't used to reflect and support it as effectively as possible. — Agustino

I don't see how. And I can't get over the fact that you work in web development and yet you think it's cool for users to be able to change the font and text colour. That's insane.

And I can't get over the fact that you work in web development and yet you think it's cool for users to be able to change the font and text colour — jamalrob

Why not? You are aware that most forums have word processors for posts right (at least the other non-philosophy forums I've been on do, and I remember you could change colors, etc. in old PF too)? Of course on a random web page you don't want people to change the font, etc. of what's already on the page, that would be insane and mess the layout. But a post would live in its own div, you should be able to play with the layout inside as much as you want.

A lot of developers don't pay adequate attention to graphic + typographic design, but I don't understand why not. These are essential elements that should be incorporated and thought out in each design. Most people just stick Montserrat or Roboto with 2 lines of code and then forget about fonts, but that's the wrong approach. The right font + the right graphic design significantly increases conversions, and most clients don't want websites just to look cool, or work cool - they want them to sell for them.

A lot of developers don't pay adequate attention to graphic + typographic design, but I don't understand why not. These are essential elements that should be incorporated and thought out in each design. Most people just stick Montserrat or Roboto with 2 lines of code and then forget about fonts, but that's the wrong approach. The right font + the right graphic design significantly increases conversions, and most clients don't want websites just to look cool, or work cool - they want them to sell for them. — Agustino

This goes against your case, because it's an argument for good design, under the control of a web designer, which is the opposite of what you're asking for.

This goes against your case, because it's an argument for good design, under the control of a web designer, which is the opposite of what you're asking for. — jamalrob

For web pages, not for the content inside posts. If I post something I should be able to decide if it's green or yellow, or whatever. Maybe I want to make this WORD red, for emphasis. Maybe I want it to be centred:

BAM - THIS IS A BIG CENTRED HEADLINE
This is so great you just can't refuse it!

See? I can't even centre that (and it looks disgusting as left-aligned). Maybe I want my post to have multiple chapters - someone can skim read through all my ideas and read only what they're interested in, etc. etc.

I mean most forums do this.

No, that would be terrible. I'm baffled that anyone thinks it would be good.

No, that would be terrible. I'm baffled that anyone thinks it would be good. — jamalrob

Okay, I get it you don't like it, but my question is why not, and what does that have to do with web development?

Honestly Agustino, if you're the kind of person who thinks user-defined fonts and text colours are a good thing, then I doubt we have enough in common for a rational discussion about it. Several reasons have been given in the thread already. It would be messy, and communication depends on common standards, especially common standards of presentation. You say that one of the problems with philosophy is the form in which it's published. Are you saying that, e.g., the World as Will and Representation would have been better if Schopenhauer had been able to get it printed in his favourite purple Comic Sans?

Are you trolling?

It would be messy, and communication depends on common standards, especially common standards of presentation. — jamalrob

Right - you can check out other forums then. I don't remember old PF being messy, or somehow being affected by the "lack of common standards of presentation". I used colors and headlines several times there, and it was very successful, no one said anything. I remember several people, including 180 Proof, using colors and different font sizes too!

Are you saying that, e.g., the World as Will and Representation would have been better if Schopenhauer had been able to get it printed in his favourite purple Comic Sans? — jamalrob

Books aren't the only way of presenting philosophical ideas, and forum posts are nothing like books, so the comparison you're making is besides the point. If I present the ideas of WWR as a poster for example, do you think I'll fill it up with text like a book? Of course not. I will differentiate with shocking images, different font sizes, colors, etc. the important ideas, so that they can be understood at a single glance. And above all that, Comic Sans isn't even a good choice for presenting something like WWR - so if someone chose that, tough luck, he'd most likely be ignored.

Those who are skilled can make effective use of styling elements. It seems you think it's trolling, but there's absolutely no reason to take that stand. You should simply be aware that many forums are doing this, and they're not having problems because of it. There's nothing messy about centring text, using colors, etc.

As for your insinuations that I'm trolling, or somehow these ideas don't deserve respect - that's bullshit. And you know it, or at least you should know it.

I remember several people, including 180 Proof, using colors and different font sizes too! — Agustino

It made his posts unreadable.

BAM - THIS IS A BIG CENTRED HEADLINE
This is so great you just can't refuse it! — Agustino

Are you here to advertise?

Dunno, he might have a point. ;)

:-O

It made his posts unreadable. — jamalrob

For you, which is fine. You are free to disagree and have your own opinion. But there's a long way from having your own opinion, and thinking that other opinions aren't even worth hearing.

I, for example, loved 180 Proof's posts precisely because he made effective use of fonts, styles, colors, etc. to emphasise the important ideas - someone could get it almost at a single glance.

I'm confident you're in a minority, but if you manage to get several more members together and form a movement for change, I'll consider asking the devs to implement it--unless there's a strong counter-movement, as I suspect there would be.

I reckon Being and Time would be easier to understand in WIngdings.

But in all seriousness, WYSIWYG editors suck, and font/colour/positioning additions will just make this place messy.