View Full Version : Annoying Flyovers


Dan Mumford
August 6th, 2005, 07:27 PM
Chris,

When my curser goes down the list of threads, I get a preview of what's inside pop up. I think they're called flyovers or something like that. To me, they are really annoying and I'd like to know how to get rid of them. Is it a setting in internet explorer or is it in your forum program?

Dan

Chris Hurd
August 6th, 2005, 08:18 PM
Hi Dan,

It's a setting in the forum software. I think it's a good thing to have, as it lets me take a quick peek inside a post without actually having to click on it. But let's put it to a vote... all those in favor of keeping the flyover? Those opposed? Let's hear how y'all feel about it.

Mike Teutsch
August 6th, 2005, 08:29 PM
Really irritating! Wish I could turn them off.

Sorry,

Mike

Chris Hurd
August 6th, 2005, 08:59 PM
I'm sure I want to know, Mike!

;-)

Just because I like it doesn't mean we can't change it. Other opinions, folks?

Dan Mumford
August 6th, 2005, 09:26 PM
Is it possible to make it a user option, or is it global; on for one, on for all? For me, it pops up just long enough to be distracting when I'm trying to read the thread title. So I move the curser and another one pops up. I can see your point of being able to skim the posts without actually entering, but, you must be a fast reader, as the longer posts are gone before I can finish reading.

If it will help, I'll chip in on a Microsoft Optical mouse with a back button! ;-)

Dan

Stephanie Wilson
August 6th, 2005, 10:16 PM
Chris,

When my curser goes down the list of threads, I get a preview of what's inside pop up. I think they're called flyovers or something like that. To me, they are really annoying and I'd like to know how to get rid of them. Is it a setting in internet explorer or is it in your forum program?

Dan

I really like the "flyovers" because it saves me time. It allows me to preview the content of the post and keeps me from reading the entire question and answer thread. If I recognize that I don't know anything about the subject, then I gladly jump off.

Always the Best,

Steph

John M Burkhart
August 6th, 2005, 11:29 PM
I too appreciate the flyovers. Please don't remove them.

Matt Champagne
August 7th, 2005, 12:58 AM
I have never even seen what you are talking about. I use Opera as my browser...perhaps that is why (and also perhaps a solution to your problem)

edit: woah nevermind...I just noticed the fly over happen. In opera though for the first five seconds the flyover is at the very bottom of the screen in the 'status bar' location...and then it will finally pop up. And the fly overs only happen when your cursor is not positioned directly over the link to the topic...the fly over occurs when you are in the box of the topic title, but not over the URL.

So opera doesn't totally ignore the fly overs, but it will probably make them alot more convienent for you....like I said...I never even noticed them until you mentioned it and I actually made it occur on purpose.

Mike Teutsch
August 7th, 2005, 07:45 AM
As far as being able to peek into a topic, it is kinda neat. But, it only allows you to peek at the first post, the one that started the thread.

For example, on the current new posts page is, "24P is dying," but the fly over gives a peek at just the first post, and not the 85th post. So each time you have the flyover you get the same info, even it there are 1000 posts to the thread. You get the same info each time.

Personally, I just move my cursor off the page or keep it moving around, when I can remember to do it. If there was a way to turn it off and on, that would be the best, but if not, maybe better to leave it for those who like it.

Mike

Meryem Ersoz
August 7th, 2005, 09:17 AM
please don't remove them. they are convenient, and a time-saver. the people who don't like them should just scroll their cursor a bit to the left or right of the post title, and they won't have to be bothered by them. it's pretty simple, really.

Boyd Ostroff
August 7th, 2005, 09:30 AM
I'm not crazy about them either, but I just do what Meryem suggests. Personally I don't think they're all that useful because they always show the FIRST post in a thread, regardless of how old it is. If they showed the most recent post then that would be useful - is that an option? But seeing a three week old starting post in a 4 page thread doesn't really help.

Meryem Ersoz
August 7th, 2005, 09:38 AM
they're really most helpful when searching old posts--when you're scrubbing through 85 pages of audio information looking for something specific among the general titles, you can get at least a hint of whether the link will be germane to your particular search or not.

Dan Mumford
August 7th, 2005, 10:43 AM
I think the titles themselves give clues as to whether the topic is something you want to read. However, I've seen many topics take unusual twists and turns not indicated by the title nor first post. That is why I read through the posts, even if they don't appear to be of a major interest to me. The iritating part is when I'm trying to read the title and the flyover pops up. I have to move my curser and if it goes a little up or down, another one pops up. To me it is just as easy to read the title, and if it is of interest, I click it. If not, I go on down the line. If I go in to read the post and find it doesn't apply to me or my needs, it's a simple matter of hitting the back button on the side of my mouse.

I guess I also use the curser to guide my eyes because they naturally follow the curser as I move it down the page, (thereby causing every flyover to pop up) and if I see something I want to read, the curser is there ready to click without moving back and forth.

I think if Chris asked the program's writer, he could get it changed to a user option that we could turn on or off according to our preferences.

OK, I'm done,

Dan

Trond Saetre
August 7th, 2005, 12:55 PM
I prefer having them.
It shows what the topic is, or at least the beginning of it.
But maybe it could be a user option?

Mike Teutsch
August 7th, 2005, 04:41 PM
Ok, last post on this topic unless I'm asked a question or something! I thought with all the attention to this feature, I would try to make use of it and see if I could get used to it and like it.

So, I let the cursor rest on some topics to peek inside. Turns out, on my browser anyway, that it only stays lite for 5 seconds, which is not enough time to read what it shows on most of them.

So I guess you can look at this two ways, if you love it, read fast and learn. If you don't, just let the cursor rest and it will be gone in no time!

Woha! In the middle of a big thunder storm right now! Lightning all around, and one just hit right by me. Lite up the front yard and the back year at the same time, and no time delay on the sound. Don't smell anything burning yet! Better go for now. I guess there are a lot more annoying things than pop-ups.

Mike

Robert Martens
August 8th, 2005, 10:33 PM
I gotta put in a vote for the flyovers--very, very useful. I log on, and see a whole bunch of new threads (or I'm browsing, and find a bunch of old ones) that I've never read. I just let my cursor rest on the title for a moment, and I see if the topic is something I'm interested in. If not, I leave it be, instead of constantly going in and out of different discussions. This is especially useful for threads with nebulous titles.

As far as only previewing the first post in a thread, well, if you really WANT to see the later posts, then chances are you're already interested enough in the thread to click into it right away, without hesitation. Once you're in the thread, you don't see the things, so they're not such a bother.

Now, I was annoyed a touch at first by the things popping up right in my line of sight while trying to read a thread's title, but I've found it to be a fairly easy adjustment to just give my mouse a little nudge when necessary, to keep the cursor and subsequent flyovers out of the way. Not to mention, most titles are already short enough to be read at a glance.

That's just me, though, and I wouldn't complain about their removal, if that's what most people want. I'm easy like that. :)

Jay Gladwell
August 9th, 2005, 08:32 AM
I vote to remove them. They're like an annoying gnat buzzing around.

Jay

Rhett Allen
September 20th, 2005, 04:12 AM
Sorry to chime in so late but I've been away for a while. I will say that they are one of the reasons I left for a while (well, that and traveling). I hate them, they are constantly in the way.

Robert Knecht Schmidt
September 20th, 2005, 09:32 AM
So I guess the verdict is they're not a user-configurable option? I have sort of a love-hate relationship with them as well. They usually don't stay up long enough to be completely useful.

Sean Hansen
September 24th, 2005, 09:49 AM
I seem to use them everytime I am going to check out a new post. Allows me to know if it is relevant to what I am searching for or if I can help answer someones' question.

But I can see other members' points about it. And if they do go, it's not going to matter too much. Just click the post and check it out. Not what you are looking for, just use the good old back button.