Today I explored some new features in the Discourse (open source, yay) platform that runs OEG Connect. If you take a look at the main entrance, perhaps you will notice what’s new.
Pixabay image by geralt reused under the Free to Use Pixabay content license
Search Top and Center
There’s a lot of things here! Search is your friend. What was previously under a magnifying glass icon is now top center as an instant OEG Connect search. But there’s more, click the 3 line icon on the right of the search box for a raft of search options (within a category, by date, by tag, etc).
Welcome Banner
When you visit OEG Connect, that search box is slid below a big welcome banner. If you are logged in, it will even greet you by your user name (oooooh, it’s so personal). If you are not logged in it will say simple “Welcome to OEG Connect”
Better Featured Topics
For a while we have listed at the top of the main entry the four most recent topics tagged featured. There were some technical issues with the way that was done,. so instead we found a better plugin that does it more elegantly,
Now on every visit to the main entrance, you will see four random posts tagged featured so its not always the same.
If you create a new topic and want it feature, well add the featured tag yourself. Go ahead? (Hint- the display as you can see is better if there’s an image, so if you have a topic to feature, make sure you upload at least one image).
Emoji Icons for Categories
Do you make use of the left side navigation panel? Previously all the categories were displayed with different colored sqaures. Now each has an emoji, woah, this is innovative!
Did you know you can customize what appears there? Just look for the little pencil icon next to the Categories label. You can pick the ones you want to see there.
Wait For More!
Look soon for a regular series of Connect How to tips. But look around, and while you are at it, why not reply to a topic? Or maybe add one of your events to the OE Events area? Got something to share? Add links and details to the OE Sharing Zone, it should not just be stuff from me.
Just want to pose a question? Or declare your ownership of an island full of penguins? Anything goes in the OE Global Plaza
In any category / area, start something new with the New Topic button. And if its worth featuring on the front page, well use the magic tag.