Making circle changes from the hover menu should be less easy

[sincere]

Title:
Making circle changes from the hover menu should be less easy

Area:
entries

Summary:
It is currently too easy to accidentally make circle changes through the hover menu, accidental or otherwise. I propose changing the current <i>two</i> links that require no confirmation before acting to <i>one</i> link that will redirect to the Add to Circle or Manage Subscription page with full text options.

Description:
Several times in the last two weeks alone my mouse has passed, either purposefully or accidentally on the way to clicking something else, over someone's usericon. The hover menu doesn't open until the instant I am attempting to click somewhere else, and now I have clicked on one of the many links in the hover menu. <i>Immediately</i> I have subscribed to someone's journal, unsubscribed from someone's journal, granted someone access to my personal entries, or removed someone's existing access to my personal entries. This simple misclick can result in as many as two email notifications to let someone know that I changed their status -- when I had no intention of doing anything like that.

It's embarrassing to accidentally grant access to someone you're just talking to casually on a community, and even more embarrassing to then go "Uh, sorry, never mind" and take it away again.

I don't see why the hover menu makes this so easy. This requires only a single click and it's just done, but when I do it on the profile page, where I am <i>much</i> less likely to click on those links accidentally, it takes me to a separate page going "Are you sure?" first.

In addition, the hover menu has a lot of text on it, and it appears and disappears very quickly. Once I misclick, I usually have to hover over the icon again 3-4 times to see what I changed, and then to get my mouse to the link to change back again.

My solution to these problems: Replace the "Subscribe/Unsubscribe" and "Grant access/Remove access" links with just one link, which will redirect users to the existing Add to Circle or Manage Subscription pages (depending on their current status in your circle). This both removes the accidental adding problem, and makes it easier to use.


<b>Potential pros:</b>
+ No more accidental circle changes. Big pro for me.
+ Fewer links means less chance for misclicking in general.
+ Users won't have to sort through as much text to find the link they want.
+ Seems more accessible for readers who have reading or clicking difficulty than providing so many options on the tiny, there-and-gone-again hover menu.


<b>Potential cons:</b>
+ Some ease of use removed, requiring an extra page load to change circle status.
+ If there is any accessibility reason for the pile of links and text on the hover menu, that should be taken into account.
+ If you were hoping to meet your future spouse via a misclick granting them access and them falling in love with you while reading your private meanderings, this may reduce the odds of that happening.

Poll #9258 Making circle changes from the hover menu should be less easy

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 69

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This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
9 (13.0%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
16 (23.2%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
23 (33.3%)

(I have no opinion)
18 (26.1%)

(Other: please comment)
3 (4.3%)