Talk navigation simplified

I've implemented a new, simplified design of the "left navigation" on Talk.

Go to Talk to check it out: https://www.librarything.com/talk

If you don't want it, okay. See below for how to change it. But try it out first, will ya?

For both the "New" and "Old" designs, I've removed links that go to nothing. So, for example, if you haven't starred any topics, there is no starred-topic option. The same goes for Mentions, Your Groups, Started by You, Groups You Admin, Favorited Messages and Ignored Topics. Most members haven't done most things, so the page will be simpler by default.

The New Design fronts the options that get clicked on the most—Groups and Posts and Starred Topics. Other options are move to a "More" divot. The divot stays open or closed by itself. If you like, keep it open.

The New Design also fronts LibraryThing's "Book Discussions." A lot of members have no idea we do this--show members discussions going on about their books, or books in general. The Old Design hid it. I think that's a mistake. If we want people to talk about books, we need to make that easier and more attractive.

Here's how it might look for you:



Still don't like it? Give it a week? Still don't like it? There's now a "Settings" button on Talk, where you can choose the new or old design.

>1 timspalding: The divot stays open or closed by itself. If you like, keep it open.

I really like this. I seem to remember that it used to work that way; regardless, it's a win for me.

>1 timspalding: I've removed links that go to nothing... Ignored Topics.

This is not working for me. I know I have ignored topics (in fact, I've just ignored another topic to ensure I have one), and I still do not see Ignored Topics anywhere, including checking under both divots.

I like that 'Your books' and 'Your books alone' (as was proposed yesterday) was changed to 'Your books' and 'Your titles'. That makes more sense to me.

>2 GraceCollection: This is not working for me. I know I have ignored topics (in fact, I've just ignored another topic to ensure I have one), and I still do not see Ignored Topics anywhere, including checking under both divots.

Thanks. I'll check it out.

>2 GraceCollection: Fixed. It will take 5-10 minutes before you see the fix. Thank you for pointing out the bug.

>4 timspalding: I already see it! Thank you so much for fixing it fast.

I basically like it, though if you click on Your Authors there is no explanatory heading like all the other views have.

I would have preferred if "Your books" and "Your titles" switched places, but I guess I'm in the minority in finding the latter more useful?

Thanks for letting us use the old design. I don't like being the one to complain about changes but I really don't think the redesign this time is an improvement (for my use at least). If Mentions had been replaced with Started by You, fine, but this isn't good enough for me to even want to try it. In the previous discussion thread, I said that I use "Started by You" sometimes, but I underestimated myself - I use it more than I thought and it's just annoying to not have front and centre.

ETA: Your Books vs Your Titles is incredibly confusing to me, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was confusing to others.

>8 PawsforThought: Your Books vs Your Titles is incredibly confusing to me

Also, I suspect Swedish isn't the only language that doesn't even make the distinction. In Swedish, "titel" properly only refers to the actual words on the cover, not the book itself. That's metonymic use, and those are usually quite language-specific. I tried to get around it by translating "Your titles" to "Books you've got", but it's still really confusing. And in plain English, of course, both mean the same thing. I think "Your book world" or something would be much clearer instead of "Your books".

I was warned by reading this thread first, and the discussion about it earlier, and I still found "Your Books" and "Your Titles" to be extremely confusing.

"Titles" isn't something used anywhere else on the site that I'm aware of, and it looks like a duplicate of "Your Books".

I wish "Your Library" didn't have the collections meaning, because it would have been the perfect option for all related discussions.

What is the difference between "Your books" and "Your titles"?

EDIT:
Oh I see, "Your Books" is "Topics about your books and authors" and "Your Titles" is "Topics about your books".

Clear as mud.

I know I have ignored topics, but I don't have an Ignored Topics option.

I also don't have a Settings button.

ETA. Oh, I see, it's there on the main Talk page, but not when I'm looking at a thread, unlike all the other options. Very confusing.

>12 NinieB: Have you ignored topics or groups? I have never figured out a way of seeing what groups I have ignored. I do occasionally run across them, without so far ever regretting my decision.

>12 NinieB: Ignored topics is under Your Talk, then More, then the last option when it opens up the More.

>12 NinieB: fwiw, I'm not seeing ignored topics there either. And I know I've ignored topics.

Honestly? It makes absolutely no difference to me, as I always use "All Topics", unless I accidentally ignore a topic or I'm notified that something needs to be addressed in a group I administer. But that's rare.

>12 NinieB: and >15 knerd.knitter: And I don't have any ignored topics but still have the option in the menu.

I was surprised how many ignored topics I had. Most of them must've been ignored by mistake.

>12 NinieB: >15 knerd.knitter: Fixed.

>13 MarthaJeanne: To see your ignored groups you have to go to Groups > Your Groups (on the left) then scroll to the bottom
(I double-checked that I could find this yesterday and then went on a gleeful group-ignoring-spree)

I agree with everyone else that "Your Books" vs. "Your Titles" makes absolutely no sense. I think I've figured it out? but I have no interest in the former and I'm never going to remember the completely arbitrary difference.

Won't 'Your authors' also include all the same books as 'Your books' that includes 'Your authors'?

I also like this new feature.

However, I would like to have the option to sort books and authors that I started or finished most recently.

>21 MarthaJeanne: I *think* it's for the author Touchstones vs work Touchstones.

So it's the single or double brackets, not the authors connected to the books that are mentioned.

But i only just realized this difference when I saw your question. It's very confusing.

>22 birder4106: However, I would like to have the option to sort books and authors that I started or finished most recently.

I hear you. I don't think we really have enough to do that yet. But if things get hotter, I'll look into it.

>21 MarthaJeanne: Won't 'Your authors' also include all the same books as 'Your books' that includes 'Your authors'?

Actually, pretty much yes.

I think that argues for removing it and just having two options. Hmm.

>25 timspalding: They aren't referring to author vs work touchstones, then?

>26 keristars:

They're abouts, which are like touchstones but set on the topic level.

The point she's making is that I've made "Your books" include both your books and your authors. This will be the same as your authors. This is basically true, but has some edge cases around different cataloging.

>27 timspalding: Oh, I'm very confused about what those options in the drop-down menu are, then.

Abouts can be work or author or series, can't they? My assumption was the Books link was about Works, and Authors was About Authors, and no series right now because it's buggy.

>24 timspalding:
Thanks Tim.

When I click on 'Your Books' under Book Discussions, I see discussions about books that aren't in my library. Authors, yes, but those particular books aren't ones I have cataloged.

>30 Karlstar:

"Your books" includes both titles and authors. See https://www.librarything.com/topic/373974#8955012 If you want to limit the results to one or the other, you have to click on "More", where you'll find "Your Titles" and "Your Authors".

I've removed the "more" on "Book Discussions." There's now "Your books" which is your books ONLY, "Your Authors" which is anything about your authors, and "All Discussions."

>32 timspalding: Oh, that feels so much better. Thanks, Tim. :)

>32 timspalding: Thank you, much better!

>32 timspalding: Can you also make the string "Book Discussions" translatable?

>32 timspalding: Consistent messaging please...

All Discussions header : "All topics about books and authors"
Your Books header : "Topics about your books"
Your Authors header : ""

>36 lesmel:

Fixed. Fix going out with another change tomorrow.