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To answer many of you who have been scratching your head or saying "I didn't know I could do that"… here are some notes about recent changes. Please take the time to read through these 2 posts:

TEXT FORMATING has been added to the forums and blogs to add interest and give you some fun new ways to express yourself. We understand that the new formatting may be confusing for those unfamiliar with it, but give it some time, click on the "FORMATING: HOW TO USE" link under the format boxes for help information, and you'll catch on quickly.

Basically, you type out your post, then highlight an area, and press a button to format it accordingly. For example, type the words 'hello there', mouse over the 2 words and highlight them, then press the Bold or Italics or a color button and the format will be automatically inserted for you. Also note we have added a PREVIEW button to proofread your post before submitting it if you like.

QUOTING
The new way to quote allows you to pick out only the exact text you are referring to, without having to display the whole entire (often long) post. When you want to quote a member, simply press the “QUOTE” button inside their post and you will be taken to the Reply Page with their username and quote already inserted for you. You can leave their entire post in for quoting, or you can delete any extra text you don't want and just leave in the select part you wish to address.

Alternately, if you press the ADD REPLY button at the top of the thread and want to add a quote, you will need to press the QUOTE button to add the quote tags, then type in between the tags the text you wish to quote (or paste the text you have copied from their post). In this case if you want to include the name of the member you are quoting, refer to the code you need that is listed on the left of the Reply entry box.

You don’t need to include a quote in every post you make… it appears the function is somewhat over-used. Quoting is not necessary in many general conversations. Use it only to make it clear that you are answering a specific post or member. Of course, emoticons and any quote imbedded in the original quoted post will NOT show inside your post.

The new way of quoting is a great improvement over the old system where you could only quote a member’s ENTIRE post – where it was not really clear in a long post what you were referring to, and the big quote boxes were space consuming. You may feel the ‘old way’ was easier, but really it’s just a matter of getting used to it.

VIDEOS
Ability to add a Video has been added to give you something new to talk about. Many of you have been complaining about the ‘above you’ or ‘what are you listening to’ threads… Using videos should give you unlimited interesting subjects for discussion. If you have a topic and want to use a particular YouTube video in your discussion, you may add one when you create your thread. Because the Video will be the main topic of your thread, a Video can only be added to the first post - one per thread. You still need to explain your topic and opinion of it in your first post. The Video you add should help prove, point out, or develop your topic, and provide food for thought and discussion. Yes… we’ve heard some of you say.. “If I wanted to see videos, I could go to YouTube by myself”. That’s true! But the point here is to bring up a video that interests you and share it with the Group here for discussion. So big deal… you had 4 or 5 Video threads to scan over on the All Threads page. They were all well marked with the video icon and easy to ignore if you chose to.

We are moving the Videos off the ALL THREADS page into their own separate area. If you wish to view threads with Videos in them, click VIDEOS in the left nav on the forums page OR in the top nav on any site page. We think this is a good solution.

-continue in next post-

TO ADD A VIDEO
YouTube videos can be included in the first post of a thread only. To include a video in your thread, click NEW THREAD, then click the "embed Youtube Video" link, then enter the "Embed Code" for the video in the box. The "Embed Code" can be found on the YouTube site to the right of the video. For Help with this, click on the FORMATTING: HOW TO USE link and scroll to the bottom for Videos

EMOTS
A few new fun emoticons have been added to both emoticon pages for the forums

ECARDS
We hope you have found the new eCard area and are using the cards to send to friends. Ecards can be found by clicking "eCards" in the top nav bar. There is a left sidebar for eCards with links as follows:

ALL ECARDS (lists of all the cards with tabs to sort the list by Staff Created, User Created, and Blank Cards,

MY ECARDS (cards YOU personally have created)

DESIGN ECARD (where you can create a card for all members to use, or for you own use only.)

MY INBOX (your incoming card box) Check here for cards members send to you.
MY OUTBOX (the cards you have sent to others)

MEMBER BIRTHDAYS
We have added a Birthday List to the eCard section. It's a list of members with recent birthdays and it changes daily. So check there from time to time, and send a birthday card to a friend or someone new. It's easy, just click the birthday icon and chose a card for them. You don't need to know the member. Getting an unexpected birthday card would be a nice surprise. We added this feature to get members acquainted and as a fun friendly way to connect.

FORUM CARDS
There are some cards available for you to use to invite new members to join you in the forums.

Staff is continuing to create cards for your use… many members are creating some great cards.. and YOU may create cards also and display them for public use or for your own use only.

ALL the eCards can be totally customized to fit ANY of your own card occasions. When you find a card you like, you can change the greeting and the music for your use. So you can take a Valentines card and make it a happy birthday or get well card if you like.

BLANK CARDS
We have also been adding "Blank Cards". These are super easy cards that are setup with nice background color and music but NO GREETING. So you can tailor them for whatever card purpose you have – or send one just to get acquainted. Just click the Blank Card tab in the All eCards section and customize one of them.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Some of you like the new changes, some of you don't. You all have a right to your opinions. But seriously… listen to yourselves. Look how much of your time is spent moaning about the past and how good it was and how much worse it is now. Yesterday? That was the day that you complained about the ‘above-you’ threads, about us adding emoticons, rate photos, about the new polls, about the new forums, about not being able to put a link to a video in your thread that you wanted to share with everyone, about how good it was a month ago, or a year ago, etc, etc, etc. Lighten up. A new quote button and a few videos is not the end of the world.. And, contrary to what you’ve heard, the sky is NOT falling!

For those who have problems with change, stop complaining, be patient, give things a try, and a chance. You always have a choice to use them or not. WE think change is good and improvement is always our goal. Not everything will work out well, but we’re going to continue to try new things here, and to tweak and tune them until we’re happy with the result. Changes will be ongoing here and we have lots of plans for 2008, so hang on, and...

Enjoy...



As we’ve said before… You are the Forums. The Forums are you.
You ask, “what happened to the conversations?” If you don’t like the threads, the content, or the topics being discussed, add some you do…

Personally I like all the new changes.. and started a thread earlier to help others to understand how to use them, but i'm sure you mods already know this.. thanks for all that you have done..

what about being avle to add a video of yourself talking on your profile so that people can see what you really loook and sound like ?

Oo Hello MODs..

While we have you for a moment.. do you think we could have something that lights up to say if we have and Ecard?

That would be handy.. otherwise they tend to sit there for days.


::: kisses MODs feet:::





(Phooweee blimey!)

I, for one appreciate the new changes, as do a lot of others. I know some of us (myself included) are like a child with a new toy & get carried away & at first go overboard in playing with it, but after the novelty wears off it will end up in the toy box with all the other toys. It will only be played with when needed.



THANK YOU for all the new toys.

video messaging's not a bad idea either mods




i'm well impressed ny all the changes myself ( especially the size and quality of the youtube videos you can upload also the brilliant audio quality



if we're not allowed to have video profiles or video messaging can we quote our youyube.com username account where connectingsingles members can possiby go to our youtube .com account and be able to watch those video's of of people talking to people today or this week ( VIDEO BLOGGING ) ????




because it would help to make it such a great site ...and put it a way above a lot of dating websites !...especially with the great new additions like the polls the greating cards new emoticons formatting and video forums

i think it would make it the best dating website in the world ....UNTOUCHABLE

Moderator wrote:



This is such a superb idea!

Figuring out a way to please the people who like it,
and a way to please the people who don't.
This is the kind of thing that defines the title moderator.
Thank you!

Way to go cs now we can really shake our groove thing and boogie on down.

Thinking about it now .. It makes so much more sense .

Plus moving the videos idea is simply great !!!

Thankyou .. for all the extra features!!

hi mods indyfella and girlnextdormouse


i've just seen that now !...brilliant idea !

if only we could have the same thing for video profiles and video blogging with members of connecting singles being able talk themselves !!!!



then less people would have to go away from connectingsingles which is a brilliant site to be really start visually connecting with people !!!

things are really beginning to happen with video now ...you can record yourself on your mobile video phone now send straight to youtube.com from your mobile phone ...and you're " on air " in 5 minuites with people watching the video you just sent from your moblie phone by just pressing a button 5 miniutes ago




but they're not a dating website



my only other dream would be to able to see a far eatern forum or to be able to connect with people from malaysia singapore vietnam thailand phillipines burma hong kong china india pakistan etc etc




there's no forum for them ....how does

EAST MEETS WEST ON CONNECTINGSINGLES ?

As moderators you should not be condescending and disrespectful, we are not children. The quoted text sounds like a grade school teacher lecturing a class of 6 year olds.

have you got out the wrong side of bed this morning gentlepaws

I love all the new changes; especially being able to type in color. I think with time everyone will get used to the new format and it will get easier to understand. I've offered assistance to those having difficulties.

I do love the idea of moving the videos over to their own page. I noticed that A LOT of people have been trying out the video feature a lot so there were several pages to go through to get to the regular posts.

So, thank you Mods! The changes are great in my opinion.

Mods...thank you all for trying to make the site its best for everyone and am sure its hard to please everyone all of the time...an impossible task. I do appreciate it, even tho I rarely say it.

Thanks as well for the explanations on the usage of the new features and mostly for moving the videos...

Thanks mods for the new features

I think they are a great improvement to the forums and the sites overall image

Thank you, Mods, for moving the videos!

Is there any chance that text formating will be added to the email message feature?

That way, folks can send pictures and videos to their friends through mail.

That would be handy.. otherwise they tend to sit there for days. ::: kisses MODs feet::: (Phooweee blimey!)[/quote]






lol Claire! Do you have any idea how many feet you kissing?


However ... thanks MODS ... us usual. CS site gets more serious

No but my lips are sore