QUOTE(bunnyb @ Jan 19 2007, 05:12 PM)

It seems as if our gripes about the old lounge still exist and weren't really improved in the change-over (despite our suggestions). We are not newbie friendly, as a forum, and, goodness, we're not newbie friendly as BUSTies when they make a mistake! I'll hold my hands up to getting irate, most of us do, we don't have patience for the cluelessness of newbies at times, but it should be the powers that be that we're annoyed with.
IMO that the issue of being newbie friendly (or not) is not necessarily one that TPTB can control. I mean, yeah, if there were moderators, and if they were actively moderating, a slap could be given when someone's being unnecessarily mean to a newbie, or what have you. But, warnings, suspensions, and bannings don't necessarily fix the problem, especially if the individuals that are being assholes are being dogged about it. And IME, people who do it one time will often do it again and again, despite being told by TPTB to stop.
Yeah, TPTB could set up a FAQ section for new members to have questions answered, or to describe how to do things (like how RV described below how to ignore someone), or what to do when ______ happens. But, in my experience, it won't necessarily get read, and you'll still have the clueless running around.
My point - I think this is as much a community culture issue, as it is an administrative one. If someone's being mean to newbies, tell them to stop being such an asshole and PM the newbie and talk to them and apologize for the other rudeness and explain the rules. Don't just sit back and do nothing, reclaim the space. Or publically start having a welcome mat when someone mentions they're new (or does something wrong and has a fairly recent join date or very few posts) and say 'hey, welcome to the forums! [answer questions/whatever] by the way, we normally don't do that around here - instead, we do [insert thing here]".
QUOTE(bunnyb @ Mar 10 2007, 11:11 AM)

you would have to re-register; there's no way of changing a profile name.
Actually, it's really simple to change profile names - but you'd have to ask someone with administrative capabilities to do it. I know I've changed dozens of login names and display names at the BPAL forums, and it seriously takes about five seconds.
QUOTE(raisingirl @ Apr 24 2007, 07:19 AM)

Lounge Lady, we didn't used to have the "from:" field in our profiles visible on every single post we make, but now it is visible. Can you change it back so it's not visible on every post? I just find it annoying to have that extra information there all the time.
LL: FWIW, it's easy to skin out -- Look and Feel / [skin name, pick 'edit template'] / Topic View / renderrow
However, IMO, there is something more important that should be edited in the skins: the Contact Information portion of the Profile Portal is visible for everyone, even those that aren't logged in. It's relatively easy to skin out. Look and Feel / [skin name, pick 'edit template' / Profile View / personal_portal_main
Replace:
CODE
<!-- Contact Information -->
<div class='pp-header'>{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_contact_info']}</div>
<div class='row1' style='padding:6px; margin-bottom:1px; padding-left:10px'>
<div id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-aim'>
<{PRO_AIM}> <span id='pp-entry-contact-entry-aim'>{$member['_aim_name']}</span>
</div>
</div>
<if="$member['id'] == $this->ipsclass->member['id'] AND $this->ipsclass->member['g_edit_profile']==1">
<div class='popupmenu-new' id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-aim_menu' style='display:none;width:auto'>
<div class='popupmenu-item-last'>
<fieldset>
<legend>{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_enter_aim']}</legend>
<input type='text' size='20' maxlength='200' name='value' id='pp-contact-value-aim' value='{$member['aim_name']}' /> <input class='button' type='button' value='{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_save_button']}' onclick="ips_personal_portal.save_settings( 'contact', { 'contacttype' : 'aim' }, 'pp-contact-value-aim'); return false;" />
</fieldset>
</div>
</div>
</if>
<div class='row1' style='padding:6px; margin-bottom:1px; padding-left:10px'>
<div id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-yahoo'>
<{PRO_YIM}> <span id='pp-entry-contact-entry-yahoo'>{$member['_yahoo']}</span>
</div>
</div>
<if="$member['id'] == $this->ipsclass->member['id'] AND $this->ipsclass->member['g_edit_profile']==1">
<div class='popupmenu-new' id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-yahoo_menu' style='display:none;width:auto'>
<div class='popupmenu-item-last'>
<fieldset>
<legend>{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_enter_yahoo']}</legend>
<input type='text' size='20' maxlength='200' name='value' id='pp-contact-value-yahoo' value='{$member['yahoo']}' /> <input type='button' class='button' value='{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_save_button']}' onclick="ips_personal_portal.save_settings( 'contact', { 'contacttype' : 'yahoo' }, 'pp-contact-value-yahoo'); return false;" />
</fieldset>
</div>
</div>
</if>
<div class='row1' style='padding:6px; margin-bottom:1px; padding-left:10px'>
<div id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-icq'>
<{PRO_ICQ}> <span id='pp-entry-contact-entry-icq'>{$member['_icq_number']}</span>
</div>
</div>
<if="$member['id'] == $this->ipsclass->member['id'] AND $this->ipsclass->member['g_edit_profile']==1">
<div class='popupmenu-new' id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-icq_menu' style='display:none;width:auto'>
<div class='popupmenu-item-last'>
<fieldset>
<legend>{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_enter_icq']}</legend>
<input type='text' size='20' maxlength='200' name='value' id='pp-contact-value-icq' value='{$member['icq_number']}' /> <input type='button' class='button' value='{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_save_button']}' onclick="ips_personal_portal.save_settings( 'contact', { 'contacttype' : 'icq' }, 'pp-contact-value-icq'); return false;" />
</fieldset>
</div>
</div>
</if>
<div class='row1' style='padding:6px; margin-bottom:1px; padding-left:10px'>
<div id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-msn'>
<{PRO_MSN}> <span id='pp-entry-contact-entry-msn'>{$member['_msn_name']}</span>
</div>
</div>
<if="$member['id'] == $this->ipsclass->member['id'] AND $this->ipsclass->member['g_edit_profile']==1">
<div class='popupmenu-new' id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-msn_menu' style='display:none;width:auto'>
<div class='popupmenu-item-last'>
<fieldset>
<legend>{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_enter_msn']}</legend>
<input type='text' size='20' maxlength='200' name='value' id='pp-contact-value-msn' value='{$member['msnname']}' /> <input type='button' class='button' value='{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_save_button']}' onclick="ips_personal_portal.save_settings( 'contact', { 'contacttype' : 'msn' }, 'pp-contact-value-msn'); return false;" />
</fieldset>
</div>
</div>
</if>
<div class='row1' style='padding:6px; margin-bottom:1px; padding-left:10px'>
<{PRO_CONTACT}> <a href="{$this->ipsclass->base_url}act=Msg&CODE=4&MID={$member['id']}">{$this->ipsclass->lang['pm']}</a>
</div>
<div class='row1' style='padding:6px; padding-left:10px'>
<{PRO_CONTACT}> {$member['_email']}
</div>
<!-- / Contact Information -->
</div>
<div class='pp-tiny-text'>{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_profile_views_desc']}</div>
with
CODE
<if="$this->ipsclass->member['id']">
<!-- Contact Information -->
<div class='pp-header'>{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_contact_info']}</div>
<div class='row1' style='padding:6px; margin-bottom:1px; padding-left:10px'>
<div id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-aim'>
<{PRO_AIM}> <span id='pp-entry-contact-entry-aim'>{$member['_aim_name']}</span>
</div>
</div>
<if="$member['id'] == $this->ipsclass->member['id'] AND $this->ipsclass->member['g_edit_profile']==1">
<div class='popupmenu-new' id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-aim_menu' style='display:none;width:auto'>
<div class='popupmenu-item-last'>
<fieldset>
<legend>{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_enter_aim']}</legend>
<input type='text' size='20' maxlength='200' name='value' id='pp-contact-value-aim' value='{$member['aim_name']}' /> <input class='button' type='button' value='{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_save_button']}' onclick="ips_personal_portal.save_settings( 'contact', { 'contacttype' : 'aim' }, 'pp-contact-value-aim'); return false;" />
</fieldset>
</div>
</div>
</if>
<div class='row1' style='padding:6px; margin-bottom:1px; padding-left:10px'>
<div id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-yahoo'>
<{PRO_YIM}> <span id='pp-entry-contact-entry-yahoo'>{$member['_yahoo']}</span>
</div>
</div>
<if="$member['id'] == $this->ipsclass->member['id'] AND $this->ipsclass->member['g_edit_profile']==1">
<div class='popupmenu-new' id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-yahoo_menu' style='display:none;width:auto'>
<div class='popupmenu-item-last'>
<fieldset>
<legend>{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_enter_yahoo']}</legend>
<input type='text' size='20' maxlength='200' name='value' id='pp-contact-value-yahoo' value='{$member['yahoo']}' /> <input type='button' class='button' value='{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_save_button']}' onclick="ips_personal_portal.save_settings( 'contact', { 'contacttype' : 'yahoo' }, 'pp-contact-value-yahoo'); return false;" />
</fieldset>
</div>
</div>
</if>
<div class='row1' style='padding:6px; margin-bottom:1px; padding-left:10px'>
<div id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-icq'>
<{PRO_ICQ}> <span id='pp-entry-contact-entry-icq'>{$member['_icq_number']}</span>
</div>
</div>
<if="$member['id'] == $this->ipsclass->member['id'] AND $this->ipsclass->member['g_edit_profile']==1">
<div class='popupmenu-new' id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-icq_menu' style='display:none;width:auto'>
<div class='popupmenu-item-last'>
<fieldset>
<legend>{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_enter_icq']}</legend>
<input type='text' size='20' maxlength='200' name='value' id='pp-contact-value-icq' value='{$member['icq_number']}' /> <input type='button' class='button' value='{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_save_button']}' onclick="ips_personal_portal.save_settings( 'contact', { 'contacttype' : 'icq' }, 'pp-contact-value-icq'); return false;" />
</fieldset>
</div>
</div>
</if>
<div class='row1' style='padding:6px; margin-bottom:1px; padding-left:10px'>
<div id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-msn'>
<{PRO_MSN}> <span id='pp-entry-contact-entry-msn'>{$member['_msn_name']}</span>
</div>
</div>
<if="$member['id'] == $this->ipsclass->member['id'] AND $this->ipsclass->member['g_edit_profile']==1">
<div class='popupmenu-new' id='pp-entry-contact-wrap-msn_menu' style='display:none;width:auto'>
<div class='popupmenu-item-last'>
<fieldset>
<legend>{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_enter_msn']}</legend>
<input type='text' size='20' maxlength='200' name='value' id='pp-contact-value-msn' value='{$member['msnname']}' /> <input type='button' class='button' value='{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_save_button']}' onclick="ips_personal_portal.save_settings( 'contact', { 'contacttype' : 'msn' }, 'pp-contact-value-msn'); return false;" />
</fieldset>
</div>
</div>
</if>
<div class='row1' style='padding:6px; margin-bottom:1px; padding-left:10px'>
<{PRO_CONTACT}> <a href="{$this->ipsclass->base_url}act=Msg&CODE=4&MID={$member['id']}">{$this->ipsclass->lang['pm']}</a>
</div>
<div class='row1' style='padding:6px; padding-left:10px'>
<{PRO_CONTACT}> {$member['_email']}
</div>
<!-- / Contact Information -->
</div>
<div class='pp-tiny-text'>{$this->ipsclass->lang['m_profile_views_desc']}</div>
</if>