Suggestions for Updates to Apple Communities.

Well I've now spent over 5 hours trying to look at new messages in 3 areas that used to take me about 45 minutes before. And I've hardly scratched the surface of only a part of the first area. Before with the blue dots I could rapidly look at just the messages that had new content. Trying to do so under the new system is nearly impossible.

For example, I used to look at Mac OS X 10.5 -->Installation and Setup -->Printers and -->Using 10.5. I could see immediately if any of these areas had new material by virtue of the blue dot at the menu level of all System 10.5 areas. Now I have to use filter to get to the area and then switch to the Discussions tab and then look for bolded messages.

Once I find bolded messages and read the first one, there is no way to go to the next (or previous) message. Rather I have to use "Up to Discussions in [Filtered area]". Then I have to apply the filter again. Then I have to reset the number of messages per page again. Then I have to Start pressing Next page again and again to get back to the page where the last message I viewed was located. Then I have to scroll down to the next bolded message and click it to read.

At this rate I will not be able to read the new messages in Mac OS X 10.5 (Installation and Setup, Printing, and Using), Pre 2009 Mac mini (Using, Expanding and Displays) and Using Apple Discussions in 24 hours of effort.

Its vital that a workable means to quickly locate and view new material in selected areas of interest be found quickly. Having to start almost from scratch after finishing each message is completely impractical.

Well, I had bookmarks in my bookmarks toolbar (FF) for iMac, MB, SL, Discussion Feedback, and a couple of others. Right now, I'm finding that is the only way to get anywhere. So, until there is a better way or changes implemented, if you want to try this - once you find the ones you've always checked, bookmark them into the toolbar (one click access) and you'll have the entire iMac discussion area open. Once there, the new ones are in bold and the ones with a new post show "updated" in orange.

7. Add setting in Preferences to always enable the advanced editor.

8. Fix the reply section, so that the post one is replying to, which shows up above the text box, along with all the other messages, stays there when you switch to the advanced editor. Now, it jumps down below the text box. Very disorienting.

9. Change the from in e-mail notifications to something similar to Apple Discussions Subscriptions, vice the responder. I'm going nuts trying to sort things out or finding them in the Junk folder.

Your Stuff > Discussions:

Message was edited by: Colin Robinson Added screen shot

Don't know if someone already said this but

Apple Support Communities > People

for your profile then under "Your Stuff" tab the activity column needs to be able to be sorted by most recent activity. I am seeing "6 days ago, 1 hour ago, 25 minutes ago, 3 days ago, 40 minutes ago, 1 month ago, 3 days ago, etc". Needless to say it should be able to sorted by column content.

I'd really be happy not to have to sign in a few times a day. Why can't I just stay signed in as I can on a bazillion other sites?

Appears that they fixed #9. Just got one from: Apple Support Communities Updates <discussions-updates@apple.com>. Progress!

I too see progress! Earlier today when I would press keys: apple + <-- I would be taken all the way back to Page 1 of the topic area. Now I am taken back to the Page where I viewed the last message - A HUGE IMPROVEMENT! 🙂

They've also added OP and responder info to the Discussions listing. Slowly, but surely. Too bad there's not much clarification with setting up a home page, sorting of discussions one wants to visit regularly, or adding subforums to that list.

This may have been covered already, but I don't have the patience to comb through all three pages.

OPs need to be told quite clearly when they put their information into Products, that it is necessary for them to list the actual model of their whatever it is. For example, I'm seeing many who only say "iMac" and leave it at that. There should be some directions on how to go about identifying model or OS or other pertinent information.

And, much more necessary, this information needs to be brought back into some kind of profile which is directly accessible from within the OP's question, not several burdensome and time consuming clicks away and back, if it's even there. Remember, not so long ago, when we would say you need to update the information in your profile? Why have those profiles now been made optional? This does not make any sense.

And, the OP should be informed that they mustclearly state the relevant information for the specific OS or model for whatever their question relates to. If we are now going to be ridden in this re-design with gizmos and widgets, we might as well see some benefit: Missing information would produce some kind of required field popup or notice when this information is absent. I know Apple wants to make this whole thing look highly inviting and create a pleasant image for its products. But If an OP can't be bothered to do that, let them go somewhere else. If they called AppleCare, what would a tech say to my computer is an iMac? (Yes, I know the serial would readily give them all the information. But the idea is it should be made easier, not more difficult for us to offer help.)

As far as I'm concerned, the new forum is FUBAR and ought to be immediately reverted to the previous forum which I consider to be an example of a beautifully organized forum, maybe the best I've ever seen.

Yes, the progress is good to see. Location, OP name and last person to reply !

All of this is very helpful.

I still would like to see the binoculars icon (or some such) that indicates in the discussion view, that we are tracking a thread without having to navigate away. The "recently updated" is useful but does replace the need for some indicator for thread tracking in the discussion view.

Also something more then the subtle Bold and not Bold for a read thread- would be helpful. Maybe it's the color of font on white that makes it difficult to discern.