A request for automatically saved drafts or data loss due to navigation warnings

[spacetime]

I just authored a post and lost 100% of it from a simple link click and back navigation in a preview of the post.

The forum should automatically save drafts. Forum software does this now. And it is a reasonable expectation of web sites in general that form data is not cleared from simple navigation, or at the very least a user is warned before data loss.

At the very least, all navigation that could cause the loss of data in a webform should be interrupted by the simple beforeunload javascript event. This is as easy as adding js to look at the form field for the body of new posts.

If it happened to me it happens to others and it is not cool. ePlaya must actively compete with the user experience of modern web destinations to remain relevant. It is not enough to be the official forum.

[Popeye]

The easy way to make sure your post isn't lost is to write the draft in an editor, then copy/paste into the forum. This also gives you the opportunity to save on yur computer.

[Meat Hunter]

I also usually compose, edit, and spell check all my messages in a 'silicone valley writing document' and then copy and paste.

'Except when I don't; because sometimes I won't.'

'Do I dare to compose out or dare to compose in?'

'How much can I lose? How much can I win?'

[Captain Goddammit]

Certainly there are workarounds, I think the point was this forum is pretty antique and most people expect better... if it’s gonna remain relevant (or become relevant again is what I should say) it needs to be competitive.

[spacetime]

I have some big ideas for how this could become relevant again. I think the changes need to start at an information architecture-level though. I'm hopeful the new CTO will not only patch ongoing problems, like ticketing, but take a deep dive into the state of Burning Man on the internet.