Quick Reply "post reply" button.
 

I've got just one complaint--the "Quick Reply" frame.

Inside this frame is a button labeled "post reply". This button does NOT post the reply that was typed in, but actually erases that reply while going to the old fashioned post reply page.

Outside of the "Quick Reply" frame is the actual "submit reply" button which posts the reply the user just typed in.

I find this interface detail to be bizarre, counterintuitive, and prone to causing frustrating mistakes. My suggestions for a fix are:

1. Move the "post reply" button to somewhere outside the "Quick Reply" frame.

or

2. Modify the functionality of the "post reply" button so that it automatically reads what's in the Quick Reply text field and puts that into the post reply text field. Thus, the post reply text field starts off with what the user had typed in rather than starting blank.

Thanks!

There already are two other 'Post Reply' buttons (one right above the offending button), so I too think it should be removed. If it is changed to save the text like IsaacKuo suggested, it's appearance should be altered so it can be distinguished from the other buttons.

I don't see any harm in just making all of the "post reply" buttons copy over the contents of the Quick Reply field. By default, the Quick Reply field is blank, so the user wouldn't notice the difference if he's used to the old way of replying (before the Quick Reply field existed).

From a usability standpoint, the [Submit Reply] and [Spell Check] buttons should be moved nearer the edit box than the [Post Reply] button. The argument here is that the first two buttons act directly on what the user is working on.

Or at least, make the text above [Post Reply] clearer!

:o)

Logically speaking, the button to actually "post" is below the message text field. Whatever web page you see, the post/submit is always below the text box.

So, logically there should be no confusion in this case either. Also, you have to realise that "Submit" is the chosen/accepted keyword for submiting online.

It really is confusing, especially since it's very typical for the "Submit Reply" and "Spell Check" buttons to NOT be visible at all! Try scrolling down a bit with the mouse-wheel...chances are good that a few ticks down, the Quick Reply frame will be visible, along with the "post reply" button, but the Submit Reply & Spell Check buttons will NOT be visible!

What's worse, is that the surrounding blue rectangle may be entirely visible--including its bottom edge. Visually, this tells the user that there isn't anything more to this control group below the box.

Furthermore, the "Submit Reply" and "Spell Check" buttons actually appear physically closer to the "Similar Threads" frame than the "Quick Reply" frame. These buttons are centered so they're lined up with the also centered "Similar Threads" title. Nothing in the Quick Reply frame is centered to line up with those buttons.

Basically, there are a lot of things visually distinguishing the Submit Reply and Spell Check buttons apart from the Quick Reply frame, and NOTHING visually connecting them. That wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the presense of the "post reply" button. If that "post reply" button were removed from the Quick Reply frame, then any user would instantly realize something was missing and would then hunt for the "Submit Reply" button.

As it is, the "post reply" button is visually the obvious thing to press.

I can change the wording a bit if that would help. If it would look better, we could also put the Submit Reply and Spell Check button in a dark blue lower bar that is more a part of the Quick Reply table.

--jeremy

Putting the "Submit Reply" and "Spell Check" buttons in the blue field might help. Maybe leave them put the light blue background and not a dark one?

Maybe a comment under the "Post Reply" button something like "This will open a new page".

Hmm, is there even any need for the "Go Advanced" button in the quick reply box if "Post Reply" is clearly available directly above?

Sure - Go Advanced carries over whatever is in the quick reply box, so if you change your mind in the middle of a reply, it's no problem.

--jeremy

I'm puzzled. I can't relate anything in this thread to what Firefox/Palemoon shows me. I see a text box with a dark blue header bar labelled "Quick Reply", some formatting buttons, and an empty window for text. At the bottom are two grey buttons: "Post Quick Reply" and "Go Advanced".

I know from experience that the first button posts what is in the window and the second gives a new window with the same text (but a lot more options at the top) and a preview above it. There's nothing here that I find in the least confusing.

I'm with Hazel on this. I've never been confused and have never noticed any difficulty of the sort now being discussed.

Look at the dates on posts #1 to #10.

Ah, I see! A newbie did a necrobump. I wonder why.

Oops!