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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

I would like a reply to the "Reply" issue

309 replies

DappledThings · 03/11/2023 09:07

Just thought I'd start another thread to get more attention on this again as there has been no answer as to whether it is even being looked at.

A few comments on MNHQ's recent thread about the new feature pointing out nobody asked for that but a lot of us have asked you to fix this.

To summarise: The button marked Reply does not do what it says. It adds a post, it does not do a reply. MN has no reply feature but, bizarrely, chooses to have a button that pretends it does. This leads to threads full of "replies" that have no context and are impossible to follow. Plus posts saying "sorry, not sure why my reply didn't work, I clicked reply"

OP posts:
Thread gallery
32
Whinge · 03/11/2023 09:17

I agree.

I wish they would just move the quote button to where reply is. So many people have no idea edit / quote even exist, and it seems ridiculous to hide features that are actually useful.

YourNameGoesHere · 03/11/2023 09:18

Adding my voice yet again to this issue. Honestly HQ have been 'looking into it' for an eternity. If you have no plans to change the misleading reply button to the quote button for the love of all that is good just admit it.

WatchOutMissMarpleIsAbout · 03/11/2023 09:21

I agree. I’ve lost count of wanting to reply to a poster and having to remember to quote instead which you actively look for!

Borangejuice · 03/11/2023 09:28

Yes, it's daft and very misleading.

Long thread yesterday with lots of conflicting advice and the OP comes back and says "Exactly!"

Exactly what? There were about 50 posts before this - mostly offering different advice.

It's not unreasonable to presume that hitting a "reply" button linked to a specific post means that you are replying to that post (and that it will be clear that this is the case).

LookItsMeAgain · 03/11/2023 10:10

It would make things easier if you swapped where the Quote button is (or get rid of it entirely and replace the functionality behind the 'Reply' button with that of the Quote feature.

Could that be done without having to reinvent the wheel?

HauntedGusset · 03/11/2023 10:49

LookItsMeAgain · 03/11/2023 10:10

It would make things easier if you swapped where the Quote button is (or get rid of it entirely and replace the functionality behind the 'Reply' button with that of the Quote feature.

Could that be done without having to reinvent the wheel?

The quote button was at the bottom of posts for a while but then for no apparent reason got moved.

I say no apparent reason but actually it was to make room for the "thanks" and "save" buttons which are nowhere near as useful. The "reply" button is so pointless 😬 I cannot understand why MNHQ think it's so important!

Whinge · 03/11/2023 10:53

I say no apparent reason but actually it was to make room for the "thanks" and "save" buttons which are nowhere near as useful.

I really wish you could change the buttons under posts, but if not then I think the layout should be

Quote - Edit - Thanks - Report - Bookmark

The save and share features are just clutter, and get in the way.

Giveuprobot · 03/11/2023 10:55

LookItsMeAgain · 03/11/2023 10:10

It would make things easier if you swapped where the Quote button is (or get rid of it entirely and replace the functionality behind the 'Reply' button with that of the Quote feature.

Could that be done without having to reinvent the wheel?

I mean, being able to reply to posts is a feature of quite literally every other forum based website so it's baffling why MN can't manage it.

Newestname002 · 03/11/2023 13:51

@DappledThings

To summarise: The button marked Reply does not do what it says. It adds a post, it does not do a reply. MN has no reply feature but, bizarrely, chooses to have a button that pretends it does. This leads to threads full of "replies" that have no context and are impossible to follow. Plus posts saying "sorry, not sure why my reply didn't work, I clicked reply"

Thank goodness - I had begun to think I was losing my marbles... 🌹

MNHQ
LilyMumsnet · 03/11/2023 15:50

Hi OP

We're just looking into an update for you so we'll be back when we have more information. Flowers

Whinge · 03/11/2023 16:08

LilyMumsnet · 03/11/2023 15:50

Hi OP

We're just looking into an update for you so we'll be back when we have more information. Flowers

I want to be hopefully optimistic that the update will say - You're right, reply is confusing and it will be replaced with the quote feature.

But I suspect the update will just be another version of - We're discussing it in the office.

almondseagull · 03/11/2023 16:09

agree - and what is the point of SAVE and BOOKMARK ?

HorryHornblower · 03/11/2023 16:11

You bookmark a post so next time you open or refresh the thread it takes you to your bookmark. That one is an incredibly useful feature

TheSmallAssassin · 03/11/2023 16:11

Bookmark is really handy, I use it all the time, mostly to mark the OP's last post, so that when I come back to the thread, that's where I start reading from.

Whinge · 03/11/2023 16:12

HorryHornblower · 03/11/2023 16:11

You bookmark a post so next time you open or refresh the thread it takes you to your bookmark. That one is an incredibly useful feature

I agree. Bookmark is my most used feature.

Edit for all those annoying typing errors is the second most useful 🤣

NoWordForFluffy · 03/11/2023 16:41

Borangejuice · 03/11/2023 09:28

Yes, it's daft and very misleading.

Long thread yesterday with lots of conflicting advice and the OP comes back and says "Exactly!"

Exactly what? There were about 50 posts before this - mostly offering different advice.

It's not unreasonable to presume that hitting a "reply" button linked to a specific post means that you are replying to that post (and that it will be clear that this is the case).

So many threads where I've no bloody clue who the poster is replying to, about what and why because of this! It's ridiculous.

BraveMaeve · 04/11/2023 16:32

I'd really like this resolved too, it doesn't make sense as it currently is.

Bobtheamazinggingerdog · 04/11/2023 16:37

Any update since yesterday afternoon?

Username6445 · 04/11/2023 16:42

It’s really bad web design and I don’t understand why, on a site as big as popular as this one.

@LilyMumsnet Why have a function that doesn’t work as the user expects?

What is there to even discuss? Surely it’s embarrassing and shouldn’t have even gone live with this error.

PaminaMozart · 04/11/2023 16:43

Agree with switching the quote and reply buttons around.

However, if a post being quoted has more than, say, 200 characters, could we have an automatic message flashing up - along the lines of "Are you sure you want to quote this ENTIRE post?" 🤓

Ostryga · 04/11/2023 16:55

PaminaMozart · 04/11/2023 16:43

Agree with switching the quote and reply buttons around.

However, if a post being quoted has more than, say, 200 characters, could we have an automatic message flashing up - along the lines of "Are you sure you want to quote this ENTIRE post?" 🤓

Or just automatically compress quotes with a ‘read more’ function so all quotes are a couple of lines only.

coxesorangepippin · 04/11/2023 16:57

Just realised this

There's a ton of other glitches since the 'update'

NoWordForFluffy · 04/11/2023 17:02

Ostryga · 04/11/2023 16:55

Or just automatically compress quotes with a ‘read more’ function so all quotes are a couple of lines only.

Show quote history

This is a good idea which is why MN haven't already done it!

CompaniesHouse · 04/11/2023 17:03

Omg. I had no idea about bookmark. Thank you PPs.

I agree with the rest of the above.

Bobbotgegrinch · 04/11/2023 18:19

Adding my voice to this yet again, it's by far the most annoying thing on the website, and it's such a simple change to make.

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