Icon selection when logging in via Comment reply

[zellieh]

Title:
Icon selection when logging in via Comment reply

Area:
workflow: logging in, workflow: commenting, page: icons

Summary:
I've tried to reply to DW posts whilst I'm logged out, and had to log in via the Comment reply box. The login options work fine, but they don't allow me to pick a user icon.

Description:
When logging in via a comment, there's no way to access your userpics to pick an icon to go with your comment.

I'd like it if logging in via leaving a comment automatically refreshed the page or updated it somehow so that your userpic list became available to you before the comment was posted.

I imagine some people might object to this because it would slightly slow down the log-in process, but I think userpics have become such an important part of the communication process on DW that most people would be happy to have this option.

I have no idea how difficult this would be, but I'm hoping it wouldn't be too hard, since we already have a login option that returns you to your previous page that you were looking at, so I know this sort of thing can be done in principle. I'm just hoping the coders can make something like that work with the comment box.

Poll #2711 Icon selection when logging in via Comment reply

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 42

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
10 (23.8%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
17 (40.5%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
2 (4.8%)

(I have no opinion)
13 (31.0%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[instantramen]

I would love this personally, but I know that not all users make use of their icons so it would have to be opt-in or something.

[zvi]

This would mean that when I comment and login, I have to choose to post the comment twice. D:

Maybe if the comment got posted and there were a way to edit just the icon for a brief window?

[kyrielle]

Except, my icons are public info - I can go see my icons when logged out. So why couldn't the system pull my icons into the form as soon as I finish entering my username? It doesn't need to check whether my password is valid or not - it offers the icons, I pick one, I fill in the password. If the password is good then the whole thing works, if not it doesn't, but I haven't seen anything I shouldn't have. Might even be able to avoid a full page reload since the password wouldn't need validation.

Any change to the user name would have to blank the selected icon back to default, I assume, since it would invalidate the icon list. But that would be a rare occurrence in actual use, I'd think.

[zvi]

That was ... not what I understood the proposal to be, honestly (I understood it to be proposing to refresh after you logged in, and then confirming the comment.)

I'm not opposed to the page ajaxing in my icon names based on the username I put in the login box, but I wonder how expensive a database hit that's going to be.

[kyrielle]

My apologies, I should have phrased better - I was suggesting an alternative approach to the sane goal, to avoid the issue you'd identified. I voted yes w/changes.

[pseudomonas]

No more expensive a hit than loading a separate page with the same info.

[pseudomonas]

ah, I see you weren't suggesting loading a separate page, so this comment was probably unnecessary :-/

[zvi]

Yes, but on a separate page load, we'll hit the database for that page one time. If we're looking for a valid username every time someone starts typing, that could, due to typing or interruption, wind up as three or four different hits, before someone types their intended username completely and correctly. *shrug*

I don't know that it's needed often enough for the impact of it to be a real consideration, it's just a thought I had.

[pseudomonas]

oh, I assumed just load when the username text box loses focus, that should be just once in most cases.

[zellieh]

That is a fascinating idea. If that could be doe it would be more elegant and faster than my suggestion. I like it. I'd like to edit the main post and add your suggestion there, if I can? In case it gets hidden in a thread.

[kyrielle]

Sure - as long as it's clear it's not the original suggestion but an alternate - I've seen that confuse voting. May want to mention azurelunatic's also.

[afuna]

I would love this! My with changes :-)

[draigwen]

Ajax-y refresh would be cool if doable. Otherwise I'd rather keep the current behaviour.

[cesy]

I would love it to do this - I think I tried to suggest something similar once before.

[goodbyebird]

+1

[the_shoshanna]

+1

[queenbarwench]

+1

[zellieh]

"This would mean that when I comment and login, I have to choose to post the comment twice. D:" -- That wasn't what I meant. I probably explained it badly, but what I envisaged at the time was a two-step process: First, you login, then the login returns you to your comment (with the text preserved if you typed any, one would hope), but now you have a list of userpics you can choose from. It would be a lot like what happens when you try to go to a protected entry when you're not logged in.

Although, now that I've seen Kyrielle's comment to you, that would be so much easier, if it could be done that way.

[zvi]

No, a two-step process was what I was objecting to. Anything where I logged in and then commented separately didn't work for me.

[azurelunatic]

Or, if kyrielle's proposed version is impractical, then a text entry box so I can type the name of the keyword.

[kyrielle]

+1

[thedivinegoat]

+1

[cesy]

Yes, this. I think I suggested something like this once before, actually.

[goodbyebird]

This would work too, and probably be less stress on the servers :)
+1

[turlough]

+1

[athena_cat]

+1

[ciaan]

Sounds good.

[jadelennox]

This version has the advantage of being accessible to people who have AJAX not available! Three cheers for accessibility.

[martzin]

+1

[sheelal]

I'd like this idea, too, but I'd want it to be opt-in, or maybe a paid account feature.

[jadelennox]

In theory, I think this is a good idea and something I've wanted. But it would be really nice if there're way to implement it without AJAX. The only time I ever post like this without logging in, it's because I'm going from a link in my e-mail which means I'm using lynx -- no AJAX for me there. Besides, adding new features which are only available to people who have AJAX enabled, while sometimes necessary, makes my accessibility advocate brain hurt.

[afuna]

Hmm, I wonder if a textbox if you don't have JS enabled, and then a dropdown if you do...? Either that or an interstitial allowing you to choose your icon before posting the comment if you're logging in, but that may get in people's ways.