Mouse-over Thread Previews

**Compass** · 19 Jul 2007, 08:35 PM

Some of the boards I visit have this feature. You can hover your mouse pointer over any thread title, and the first several lines of the first post appear in a pop-up box. It's much quicker and more convenient than clicking every thread you're curious about.

I understand it may not be possible with the forum software used for TNL, or maybe it's as easy as setting a flag.

This is what I'm talking about -- I'm hovering the mouse pointer (which disappeared when I took the screenshot) over the "miss movies..." thread:

**Tain** · 19 Jul 2007, 08:45 PM

lol, good to see that bemanistyle is still cycling between the same twelve threads over the past few years. <3

I'm all for this feature though.

**Nick** · 19 Jul 2007, 09:23 PM

We used to have it. I don't like it and never have. Our topic titles are usually pretty descriptive and we don't have too many total-garbage threads with promising titles. I'd rather work on those two points than implement the thread preview. I associate it with too many sub-par forums where you almost have to use it to know what you're getting into so you don't totally waste your time.

I have asked a thread starter to make the topic more descriptive before, and I've never had any problem getting a quick response. I admit that I often let it slide, but it's just not a big deal here. The vaguely titled threads usually have a payoff - if not in the first post then in subsequent ones.

**cka** · 19 Jul 2007, 09:25 PM

database

it's adjustable but over the years I've found that it really doesn't work worth a damn because of the different ways browsers display tooltips

**Nick** · 19 Jul 2007, 09:32 PM

By the way, our forum software can do pretty much anything anyone else's can. I have painstakingly pored over the options, and I think TNL the machine is pretty much perfect the way it is. What we need to work on is making it pretty with updated graphics and keeping it readable through informative and entertaining posts.

I think the thread preview is somewhere between a gimmick and a crutch. What I really want to do is throw a big pile of money at shidoshi or some other artsy person of indeterminate sexuality to pretty it up.