A new button: fix thread mistake

So there have been a few threads recently about "oh no, I messed up my poll" and "oops, my thread is in the wrong forum".

LQ could add a new button that isn't as scary as "report" to help out people who want to modify their thread but don't have the permissions needed to do it. (It's counter intuitive to report your own post.)

There could be a list of check boxes or text input boxes on the page:

Change title
Move Thread
Change Poll
...

While it would still need moderator approval, it would give the mod an idea of what needs to be done.

Perhaps by reducing the confusion with the "report" button we might prevent some double posts.

The report button would still exist, but would be more for reporting posts that don't follow the rules.

titanium_geek

Alternatively, the button could be a forced preview. Once you've read it over and decided that it's fine, you can submit.

If you later find that you've made a mistake, a mod can fix it. For money.

I could see that working as a new menu item under "Thread Tools", available only to the OP, mods, and Jeremy, of course.

Cheers

Yep, we could even run a bidding war, with the highest bidder able to make the OP look like they want it to.

I'm interested in why you think the Report button is scary or why you think it's counter intuitive to report you own post. The verbiage on the report page explicitly mentions your own thread being moved as a valid use case.

--jeremy

That's exactly the problem, Jeremy: the wording on the report page isn't seen if you never click "report". It has a big (\) no symbol on the button and it isn't clear that there is a text box to fill in- it could be like the thanks button that does something without needing more info from the user.

You might think it is a "Report for deletion" or "report to get this user in trouble" and just generally negative- something you wouldn't want to bring down on yourself. So you never click the button in fear.

titanium_geek

I am afraid to use the report button, I have had a dream where my computer goes up in smoke and the monitor melts with XP smiling at the end of the dream.

Maybe we could use the balloon text option and put a very short explanation in there for when you hover over the button?

side note on the balloon text: Thanks should be "Thank this person".

TG

Originally Posted by XavierP Maybe we could use the balloon text option and put a very short explanation in there for when you hover over the button?

If someone has a sufficiently terse suggestion, we'll certainly consider it.

--jeremy

Originally Posted by titanium_geek side note on the balloon text: Thanks should be "Thank this person". TG

The alt text for a couple of the buttons has been cleaned up.

--jeremy

Would "Contact Moderator" be better than "Report This Post" on the Report (Jensen) Button?

For long time LQ members we know what the report button means, but for new members I think it might be very unclear.

I like minrich's idea for "contact a moderator" as the balloon text, and I'd like to change the (\) to a "contact" icon, maybe a stylised telephone, or letter/envelope? Or even a stylised person. A moderator's hat!

TG

We had to change the balloon text because the
original version gave Larry Webb nightmares.

JK...

Originally Posted by titanium_geek For long time LQ members we know what the report button means, but for new members I think it might be very unclear.

This is very true... I recall when I first joined LQ. Let's just say Yahoo had a very different way of utilizing the REPORT button on their Message Boards. The one here with the red NO icon meant "don't click that!"

Originally Posted by titanium_geek I like minrich's idea for "contact a moderator" as the balloon text, and I'd like to change the (\) to a "contact" icon, maybe a stylised telephone, or letter/envelope? Or even a stylised person. A moderator's hat! TG

Very good ideas there, TG.

Cheers