When I had my ancient PC, I always clicked on forum posted images to open in another tab on my browser. This way, I could continue reading while the image loaded.
Now with a new faster PC, I click to pop up the image immediately on the screen.
There is an "Import to database" option in this window that is not there when I open the image in another tab. I assume it's been in the pop up window since the beginning, I just never knew.

So this means that anyone can just click on any forum image and add it to the data base?
--- without the image owner's knowledge or permission?
--- whether the person clicking "import to database" knows what he's doing or not? For example, if the original image poster had added the caveat, "I'm not sure if this is correct", the reader glosses over that, and imports the erroneous photo to the data base anyway. Where is the fail safe?

I have not clicked on the "import to data base", so maybe I am a little paranoid because I don't really know what happens after that. (I'm not going to try it because I might accidentally import somebody's image!) But it just seems that there are no checks or balances to this method. I certainly don't like the possibility of my photos being thrown about without my knowledge.

What am I missing here?

If someone imports one of your photos to the database, you'll receive a personal message informing you of the action. If you disagree for any reason, you can propose the deletion of the photo.

Is you post a photo of a plant to a forum, then yes, someone else can come and specify which plant that is and link it into the database where it will also appear.

If that happens, the proposal goes through moderation just like any other image upload.

Also, once approved, then you are indeed notified that it's happened. If you didn't want it to happen, you can go in there and get it removed by clicking on "Delete this image" in the database.

Finally, if you are uncomfortable with it being available, I can disable it on a member by member basis. Two ATP members have this setup where nobody can import their photos from the forums into the database.

Well, the very first photo of mine that was imported to the data base was done by someone else, and I was not notified. I only discovered it as I was reviewing my profile one day and found that someone else had contributed my image to the data base and I had an acorn. This was early on, and it really didn't bother me, as I thought it was a quirk. Later, as I went poking around an ATP page, seeing what all the different "buttons" did, I discovered I had a system message that informed me of the action. But there was never any kind of an indication that there were any system messages waiting to be read.

I really don't see how this buried system message qualifies as "being notified". To me, "notification" means a message sent in some way so the recipient knows he is being notified. What is there that prompts me to look for a message? Is it really the responsibility of every ATP user to perform a daily check of the system messages, just in case they may have a message? How many regular members even know what a systems message is?

Since then, I try to check the System messages regularly. More messages have come, but still never any indication (except on the System messages page itself) that anything is new there to be read. I tested it again when I uploaded a photo yesterday to the Lilium data base. Today, on my home page (or any other ATP page), there is still no indication that there is a system message for me waiting to be read. I click on System messages, and there is a new message saying that my photo contribution was approved.

What am I missing this time?

Many forum sites modify their messages button to indicate that an unread message awaits them, similar to the Tree-mail button that changes background color. It is my opinion that some such modification should also be done with the System messages button when a new system message awaits. This would be the minimum adaptation that I would consider being notified. I would hope that in such a case as this (using a copyrighted photo differently than what was originally intended) a notification would be more "in your face". Perhaps a System messages button with a changed background color and blinking or a pop up window.

I don't doubt that it is completely within ATP's terms of use that member contributions to the site can be used legally anywhere in the site. But I don't consider this site to be like so many other forums run by cold corporations. ATP is sooooo much better, kinder, understanding and responsive to member needs. I can't imagine anyone disagreeing with me there!

Rick

Leftwood said:What am I missing this time?

The System Message notification is at the very top of your homepage here at ATP. When you have a new system message it appears in large red letters at the top. But you would have to visit the homepage to see it, but the idea is that the homepage is where everything new happens.

In my mind, that's a "hard to miss" notification and works great for letting people know when something happens. Honestly, I can't see how it can be missed but I'm sorry that you didn't see it for so long, and subsequently felt like you didn't get notified.

Ideally you'd hit the homepage from time to time. That's where your watched threads also appear, as well as watched blogs and your favorite forums you're subscribed to.

As long as you hit the homepage, you don't have to check the System Messages themselves ever since you'll be notified on the homepage.

dave said:
When you have a new system message it appears in large red letters at the top.

Absolutely not! It may have been in upper case, but definitely not a different color! Now I understand everyone's confusion with me, if you all aren't seeing what I am. I am using firefox 19. Does everyone else see red when they have a systems message?

I'll test it again, and look at IE, too, and see what happens. I'll take some screenshots.

My message show at the top on my home page but not in red, it's the same color as the threads. I tend to not notice it most of the time. It does turn red when I hover my mouse over it though as in the second shot.

Sue, I believe the reason yours is not red is because it has been clicked on. If you look at the pic below you see "back to the top" is blue. The other two links are purple like your system message link, because they have already been clicked.

Nope, once I click on that 'You have 519 new system message', it disappears.

And now I did a new edit in the database and have a new system message, which is again purple.

Even through it is a new message, it is still showing that it as having been clicked.

As long as you hit the homepage, you don't have to check the System Messages themselves ever since you'll be notified on the homepage.

I have never been to the home page when I have had a new system message, so I had never seen that other type of notification. So naturally, I assumed the System messages button above the banner was supposed to be in red and large letters. Okay, so now I see the other notification below the banner. It is indeed big and bold enough.


So even though the tree-mail button changes color when I have a new tree-mail on any page in ATP that I visit, the System messages button does not ever change. Now that I know that this is not my only access to new system messages, it makes a little more sense, and I understand the impetus to go to the home page.

So I need to go to the home page to be notified. All this fuss I made, and it all boils down to this. I respect your grand plan for the site, Dave, even though I disagree in this one particular instance. A minor item in the scheme of things. I don't know if everyone else could follow my explanations, but I'm sure glad that you did!

Leftwood said:
So even though the tree-mail button changes color when I have a new tree-mail on any page in ATP that I visit, the System messages button does not ever change.

The system message doesn't change colors when you click it, it disappears. Then it will not show up again until you get a new message.

Horntoad said:Even through it is a new message, it is still showing that it as having been clicked.

It hasn't been clicked otherwise it would be as you said below, gone.

The system message doesn't change colors when you click it, it disappears.

Calif_Sue said:

It hasn't been clicked otherwise it would be as you said below, gone.

It has been clicked. You have to click it to make it disappear, then when it reappears with the new message it is showing purple from the previous time.
I'm am not really sure why it is showing purple. I'm just trying to make a semi-educated guess. I'm sure Dave will sort out the facts tomorrow.

Ahhh, yes, now I gotcha, I knew that, my point was it is always purple, never in red letters as Dave mentioned: "When you have a new system message it appears in large red letters at the top".

Mine are never in red either and I use Chrome, but I do find it easily noticeable due to the bold script.

Ok, I was wrong that the letters were red. They are standard hyperlink colors (blue first, then purple after you've visited the system messages the first time.)

Nevertheless, it's front and center, top of the page, big bold letters, can't miss it.

As for the button that appears in the top menubar that appears on every page. We didn't have that at all for a long time. It was such that to view your old system messages you had to go to your profile and there was a link there, if my memory serves. Someone suggested that for convenience, we add a link to those messages from the menubar, so I added it.

But to make it check for new messages on each and every page you hit would substantially increase the resources the server uses to generate the page, thus making it slower. Each computational piece of work adds to the load. The changing color Tree-Mail icon costs server resources and makes the pages load slower, even if it's slow enough to not be noticeable. It's always a balancing act between good features and good performance. So the system messages do not check for new on each page - only the homepage.

Addendum: this morning I updated it to change the color to red.