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EarlG

(21,945 posts)
Fri Jan 4, 2013, 04:36 PM Jan 2013

DU upgrades for the New Year (including the much-requested "Auto-trash by keyword" function) [View all]

This discussion thread was locked by Skinner (a host of the Announcements group).

Last edited Fri Jan 4, 2013, 06:11 PM - Edit history (1)

Happy New Year DU! At the end of 2012 we almost finished a number of updates and new features but didn't have time to implement them before the holiday break. Some of these changes are minor, some not so much.

This is part one -- there will be more coming (including "Subscribe to people&quot in the near future.

[font color="red"]Correction: Originally this announcement stated that Jury checks will now be performed on the Latest and Greatest pages only. Actually, the checks are performed on the main pages of all forums and groups as well as the Latest and Greatest pages.[/font]

Auto-trash threads by keyword
Is there a particular subject that you just have no interest in seeing on DU's Latest or Greatest pages? Now you can auto-trash threads by keyword. To use this function, visit My Account > Trash Can and check out the Trashed Keywords section. Enter a keyword there, and thread titles which contain that keyword will not appear on your Latest or Greatest pages, or while you are browsing a forum or group.

My Posts and My Subscriptions tabs light up when there is new content
Wherever you are on DU, you can now see at a glance if someone has replied to you, or if someone has posted in a group that you subscribe to. The My Posts and My Subscriptions tabs will light up whenever there is new content. Once you have clicked through to either page, the corresponding tab will return to its regular grey color.

Jury checks now run on the Latest and Greatest pages, and in forums and groups, instead of on threads
Previously, when a Jury was required, the system would select the first six eligible members who clicked on a thread anywhere on DU. This ensured that Juries were always filled with members who were actively using DU at that moment, but had the unfortunate side effect of interrupting people's browsing -- just when they clicked on a thread that was of interest to them, they would get a request to serve on a Jury. We have changed this so the check is now performed when members visit the Latest or Greatest pages, or when they visit the main page of any forum or group. In other words, we're going to interrupt people when they're looking for something to read instead of when they've just found something to read.

Star member notifications
Star members are now automatically notified by DU Mail one week before their star is due to expire. If their star subsequently expires, they will receive one more DU Mail message to notify them of this fact.

Updating post count and user registration numbers on the home page
Those who were here before the advent of DU3 will recall that we used to have an updating post count and user registration count on our Latest page. This feature was left out in the transition to DU3 and replaced with static numbers. This has now been fixed so that the numbers update automatically. You can see this feature in action in the "Enter Discussion Forums" box at the top of the home page.

More coming soon...

62 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Very clever, as always. Thanks! enough Jan 2013 #1
Awesome. Noticed the tabs lighting up, though I broke DU. Behind the Aegis Jan 2013 #2
Oh, my, you think like me. Deep breaths... freshwest Jan 2013 #10
well instead of going back to grey, I'd like them to go to PLAID BlancheSplanchnik Jan 2013 #41
LOL...saw it when I came home from work tonight... sheshe2 Jan 2013 #44
Thank you Admins!!! Scuba Jan 2013 #3
thanks admins.. keeps getting better!!! oldhippydude Jan 2013 #4
ok, dumb question here.. one_voice Jan 2013 #5
Actually I think it performs the check when you hit a forum or group as well EarlG Jan 2013 #15
That'd affect me too, so it'd be good to know one way or the other n/t Violet_Crumble Jan 2013 #20
Okay, thanks! one_voice Jan 2013 #22
Answer: EarlG Jan 2013 #23
Thank you for the answer. I was on a jury an hour or so ago, so I thought that was it n/t Violet_Crumble Jan 2013 #35
Awesome... SidDithers Jan 2013 #6
See above... EarlG Jan 2013 #17
the may 7th 2001 democratic underground........ madrchsod Jan 2013 #7
+1,000 freshwest Jan 2013 #11
Wow! THAT is old school! FailureToCommunicate Jan 2013 #32
Thanks for the upgrading, EarlG Cha Jan 2013 #8
My god, tis as if you were reading my mind about several of these changes. dixiegrrrrl Jan 2013 #9
May I ask about the requested new groups? BainsBane Jan 2013 #12
I would like to suggest an 'opt out option' for the My Posts and My Subscriptions tabs lighting up. Tx4obama Jan 2013 #13
I didn't much care for the yellow, so I changed it with a User Style Sheet. Make7 Jan 2013 #58
i really want to be able to go to My DU barbtries Jan 2013 #14
I don't visit the Latest & Greatest pages so am I out of the jury pool? Kaleva Jan 2013 #16
See above... EarlG Jan 2013 #18
Thanks. I should tell myself to read the whole thread before posting. Kaleva Jan 2013 #21
This message was self-deleted by its author Violet_Crumble Jan 2013 #19
I am THRILLED with the keyword auto-trash! pacalo Jan 2013 #24
I like pie; KG Jan 2013 #25
Well, ElboRuum Jan 2013 #49
Thanks for the upgrades and the 2013 politics section. Couple of questions- graham4anything Jan 2013 #26
I like the keyword auto trash feature. Thanks! KurtNYC Jan 2013 #27
Auto trash by key word = awesome!!!! n/t tammywammy Jan 2013 #28
how about an appeal or edit option for jury decisions pasto76 Jan 2013 #29
Oh noes! You can't call liberals 'pinheads' on a liberal board! muriel_volestrangler Jan 2013 #37
Thanks, EarlG ReRe Jan 2013 #30
I love the light ups for new content! Thanks you guys! k&r Little Star Jan 2013 #31
Wait... where's the abject plea for $ ?? FailureToCommunicate Jan 2013 #33
Auto-trash threads by keyword is amazing! Lone_Star_Dem Jan 2013 #34
I knew that there was something going on, LOL Rhiannon12866 Jan 2013 #36
Could we turn down the orange in "My Subscriptions" TrogL Jan 2013 #38
Good job guys! LiberalFighter Jan 2013 #39
Question about auto-trash by keyword Jim Lane Jan 2013 #40
autotrash! Clever!!! You guys spoil me, seriesly BlancheSplanchnik Jan 2013 #42
Great work SoapBox Jan 2013 #43
Would have killed for auto-trash during the twinkie epidemic! bunnies Jan 2013 #45
I hadn't even noticed the "My Subscriptions" was lighted up - good thing I read this thread :) patricia92243 Jan 2013 #46
Way at! My posts just grayed out! lonestarnot Jan 2013 #47
How does one subscribe to People? antiquie Jan 2013 #48
Finally ...a way to trash all gun threads automatically. Thanks much. L0oniX Jan 2013 #50
Can you also auto trash anything from a DU member? L0oniX Jan 2013 #51
That's what the ignore function's for n/t Turborama Jan 2013 #55
EarlG, Can we disable the My Posts and My Subscriptions tab lights? freshwest Jan 2013 #52
You can change how this works with User Style Sheets. See post #58. Make7 Jan 2013 #59
You are our one of our best technogeeks. Thanks! freshwest Jan 2013 #60
You guys are crazy good. Rose Siding Jan 2013 #53
These are all great upgrades Renew Deal Jan 2013 #54
Thanks for making DU a great place to hang out. hrmjustin Jan 2013 #56
Palin libodem Jan 2013 #57
Thank you EarlG! Do you know if the main page will be fixed to honor "Ignore"? NYC Liberal Jan 2013 #61
Do you have an estimate on when the upgrades will go into effect??? patricia92243 Jan 2013 #62
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