Help me help some of my members

[jencin]

We have members with varying degrees of computer expertise ... a few of our good posters are tech challenged to the point trying to talk them through some simple adjustments turns into frustration for them that shouldn't be necessary.

If I could, simply, go into their profiles on the staff options and set their font size to suit as well as change the theme as per their wishes, it would be wonderful.  Maybe these privileges could be allowed for admins only.  Right now, I'm on the verge of losing a good member I'd love to keep.  Can someone help with this?  We are now trying to take her through learning to adjust her font via her browser but not there yet!  Often, these members are older and very bright but very out of the loop when it comes to tech.

Thanks in advance for any help giving us more freedom to help in the profiles.

Beth

[Ryan Roos]

The tabs you can and can't access are based on privacy.

The tabs admins can't see are that way because a member has a right to make the choices on those tabs and not have them edited by anyone else.

Editing settings in your profile is no more difficult or complex than posting. If you member can mange that then they can manage editing their profile.

I suggest one of the two following options.

1) Teach your member how to increase font size by using Ctrl + Mousewheel Up
This is really the best option because they can use this knowledge on any website online. Teach a man to fish and all that. This option also requires you to do no work other than posting the instructions to them. Which are literally one instruction. Ctrl + Mousewheel Up Problem solved.

or

2) You can create a theme that has larger fonts everywhere. Then you paste this to the member.
1) Click 'Profile' at the top of the page.
2) Click the 'Edit Profile' button on the right side of the page.
3) Click on the tab called 'Settings'
4) The 3rd Option is called 'Forum Theme'
5) Click the drop down box under 'Forum Theme'
6) Select the theme '[insert name of large fonted theme here]'
7) Click 'Save Account Settings' at the bottom of the page.
That's it. It's very simple and direct.

We do understand that not everyone is technical. But there is a certain level that is expected. When we design things on the forum side we ask ourselves, 'Is this as easy as creating a thread?' if it is then we know it's okay. Because at minimum people need to be able to do that on a forum. If they can't then they aren't participating anyway.

Clicking a few clearly label buttons and making a selection is no harder than creating a thread (which you also click clearly labeled links, buttons and fill in fields).

We appreciate your request, but at this time we will leave things as they are for privacy reasons.

I personally would teach your member my first suggestion above as that will help that person on every website moving forward. Ctrl + 0 resets size to default in case you wanted to teach that as well.

Thank you.

[jencin]

Thanks Ryan. Good suggestions ... a couple I hadn't even thought of yet - though most, I've tried. I'll go back and see what I can do.

It's hard to understand why any admin would want to mess around with a members choices in regard to font and theme unless asked to do so, but I'm sure you have good reasons for making this choice.

Again, thanks ... for the quick response.

best regards,
Beth