Extra bar on the side

[KW]

What on earth are you talking about? I just asked about the distracting information bar thing on the left side of the screen. Google search and Helen owning the board was never mentioned. I think Helen is swell and I really don't know or care what you mean about a Google search on BITOG site.

I just want to make the distracting side bar to go away not find these belittling comments about my query.

Thank you,
KW

 

[crinkles]

i've always had it, and find it pretty useful.

 

[greenaccord02]

I can honestly say I don't peruse the site as much because of it. Why can't I choose what my BITOG experience will be like?

 

[Colt45ws]

Ive never run without it. The Google site search is useless, but I like the recent topics and stats.

 

[mechtech2]

And the option to remove it is now not available because...?

 

[GMGuy]

Too distracting on the left side. If it needs to be displayed, put it at the top or bottom as typical with ubb layouts. My eyes don't like this one bit, feels like I'm going cross-eyed.

Alex.

 

[Vikas]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
This site is useless without people/members.

Why is this forced upon us?


Because Helen asked Wayne to make sure everyone has the Google Search button on the left pane. I thought it was pretty clear from her instructions.

- Vikas

 

[greenaccord02]

That's not a very good reason, I'm sorry to say.

 

[Scooter_man]

What we need is a poll from the members - if it is unanimous (or very close to it) then maybe the point will be made.

mechtech2's above quoted comment is true and it's been done before. I would really hate to see that happen here, but when it all comes down to it - the people/members really do make or break a site.

Rob

 

[Vikas]

Guess what? Now standard google results i.e. searching from www.google.com, I get the annoying left pane from too. There is no way to get rid of it. Surprisingly, IExplorer does not have it but Firefox does.

- Vikas

 

[GMGuy]

Originally Posted By: Vikas

Because Helen asked Wayne to make sure everyone has the Google Search button on the left pane. I thought it was pretty clear from her instructions.


Have you a link to the thread in which this all transpired?

I havn't spent a lot of time here recently, and have been doing bulk reading when I do, but now, that bar makes reading a nuisance, and I find I'm only checking out a couple things and I'm gone.
And I'm reading on a 1280 x 960 monitor, I'd hate to see it on my old 800x600 crt scrunching the text even more. I've got a bigger monitor so I don't need to read newspaper column sized text. Sorry, but it is a sore spot for me. I'm here to read the content of messages, not see what the recent topics are (I look at active topics already, I don't need that on the right. And newest members? Yeah? So? Something else that can go in the header or footer. Whos Online? Yeah, I'm curious sometimes, but thats what the drop down menu at the top is for. Stats? not something I need to have my eyes dart to while reading either.
Search? Yes,Search is useful, but again, header or footer if you want it visible at all times.

If you are going to force all that onto each viewing page, a sticky on how to search could be forced on everybody as well.
googe search: "search words here site:www.bobistheoilguy.com"
et, Viola. =-)

Alex.
Black text. White background.
Data fields top and/or bottom.

 

[GMBoy]

The sidebar may be annoying, but it doesn't bother me. After all, I like this site and it's free. Free = no room to complain.

 

[Cogito]

I don't need to see that junk all the time, it just makes the rest of the page scrunched up. Put it on the top or bottom and the reading ergonomics will be improved.

 

[crinkles]

just buy a 3" bigger screen.

 

[Papa Bear]

I ran a piece of duct tape down the left side of my monitor... problem solved.

 

[CivicFan]

At first it was annoying but after a few days I am happy to report that I have found quite a few useful threads that I would not have read without the notifications on the bar.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
I ran a piece of duct tape down the left side of my monitor... problem solved.

 

[mechtech2]

I also just noticed that google is forcing this clutter and nonsense, and further crowding the page now.
It's invasive and annoying, just like here.
I am hoping there will be a fix.

 

[Vikas]

Come to think of it, I am now suspecting that Google probably had some licensing agreement on requiring this annoying left pane and BITOG's hands were tied. That is the only generous explanation that I can come up with as to why there is no more dialog on this from the *management*.

- Vikas

 

[PandaBear]

Base on the code it is 15% of the screen width. So you can probably only resize your screen and move that sidebar outside your monitor.

I tried adblock and since it is the HTML code, I can't really do it, unless I can find an addon to firefox and do partial HTML filtering, but that's pain in the ____.