Have Your Say

New Christie Website

Welcome to the new Christie website!  We hope that you like the new site - please let us know your thoughts!

New Changes to the website

Jemma 11 Sep 09 at 2:19 p.m. GMT

We're adding new features to the site in Celebration of Christie Week. These are in response to all of your comments which we thank you for. There are new features still to come in the future, but next week you'll see changes to Christie Talk, your profiles and added content.

We'll be adding explanations for everything to the Home Page next week, so do be sure to visit us then.

We hope you like the changes we make. Do let us know your thoughts.

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64 replies

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Tommy_A_Jones 22 Jun 11 at 1:10 p.m. GMT

Your idea falls down Ray with the Phrase 'We Have to assume' so many Characters are in my view like others that it would sometimes take a Real hard core expert to guess the person which would Penalise too many people I think, I hope I am wrong but I have trouble with names of Actors or Characters your solution which is a Good one would be unfair to too many people.

Moderator2 22 Jun 11 at 12:56 p.m. GMT

LauraPoirot

@Moderator2: Really?? Either I'm silly or blind but I can only find the " Quote in reply" buttons... where exactly are they?? I think I'm really crackbrained.... 

LauraPoirot, my apologies, the report abuse buttons have mysteriously disappeared from forum replies - I will get our resident detective onto the case right now!

LauraPoirot 22 Jun 11 at 12:39 p.m. GMT

@Moderator2: Really?? Either I'm silly or blind but I can only find the " Quote in reply" buttons... where exactly are they?? I think I'm really crackbrained.... 

Moderator2 22 Jun 11 at 11:43 a.m. GMT

NightRayDuck

Laura - on the previous website layout, there was a "Report Spoiler / Spam" button available on every reply and every post. But there are many many threads in these forums, and some spammers posted some 10 replies, each reply containing from 5 to 15 inappropriate links, in one thread that was a topic interesting to regular users but hadn't been viewed lately. I mean, when people feel that they have finished discussing a topic, they'll leave it for a while and won't look at it, and then the spammers get to post a lot of annoying stuff without anyone noticing them and reporting them.

Yes - there are 'report abuse / spoiler' buttons under every comment (you will see these if you are logged in) so please use them as often as you can.

Moderator2 22 Jun 11 at 11:36 a.m. GMT

Hi all,

Thanks for thinking about ways to stop the spammers - we hope that their activity isn't damaging your enthusiasm for the site. We have a plan to combat the spam, but it wasn't deployed at the same time as the new site going live, it will however be activated soon. So please bear with us.

Best wishes

Moderator2

NightRayDuck 21 Jun 11 at 11:01 p.m. GMT

That's why I started pondering whether there's a way for the website to keep tab on users posting the same or very similar links in multiple diverse threads (I mean, the one link is not likely to be relevant to several different forum topics), and bring the user and the links to the notice of the admin / moderators.

NightRayDuck 21 Jun 11 at 10:58 p.m. GMT

Laura - on the previous website layout, there was a "Report Spoiler / Spam" button available on every reply and every post. But there are many many threads in these forums, and some spammers posted some 10 replies, each reply containing from 5 to 15 inappropriate links, in one thread that was a topic interesting to regular users but hadn't been viewed lately. I mean, when people feel that they have finished discussing a topic, they'll leave it for a while and won't look at it, and then the spammers get to post a lot of annoying stuff without anyone noticing them and reporting them.

NightRayDuck 21 Jun 11 at 10:52 p.m. GMT

Tommy - I know. The captcha or the "who is this character?" will only block spambots. Like I've already said, they're not effective against live user posting spam, and can be an annoying chore for users who really do have relevant links to post.

The "who is this character?" idea, though, is not google-able, and not about the actors / actresses. Allow me to give an example.

First, we have to assume that most users on this forum can identify any actor in the role of Poirot (by the hat, suit, moustache, shiny patent-leather shoes...), and can also identify any actress in the role of Miss Marple (by the age, hair style, lacy clothes, mittens, possibly a large purse/bag, etc...).

And then, when someone posts links, show the user any photo, say Joan Hickson's Miss Marple, and give three options and see if the user will click the correct one, the options being "This is Poirot", "This is Miss Marple", and "This is Chief Inspector Japp", the more recurrent, familiar characters who have a typical portrayal that many different actors and producers follow.

A spambot will not be able to see the photo so to identify the character and to click the correct answer. As you and I have both said, this will not be effective against actual persons posting spams.

LauraPoirot 21 Jun 11 at 5:24 p.m. GMT

yes the spammers are really a pain and I thought about putting a button under every reply and when you click it's immediatly shown to the people who are responsible for this site. Maybe the Moderators I'm not well versed in this.... however, then thay can check the reply and delete it or if it's alright let it be on the site. This is possible, isn't it?

Tommy_A_Jones 21 Jun 11 at 5:02 p.m. GMT

I like your idea about making people who put posts identify Actors but it would only work woth the more obscure Actors/Actresses as surely people more well known for other things would be easily Identified and your idea could make things difficult for people who don't know names of Actors/Acressesays and help spammers who do (People might not know Tony Curtiss from The Mirror Crack'd or Murder in Three Acts but might know him from I am Sparticus or Some Like It Hot. and these days there is Google which spammers could go on to 

NightRayDuck 21 Jun 11 at 6:35 a.m. GMT

I wonder if it's possible to filter and detect the links that are being posted? For example:

If a user posts the same link in several different forum threads within several days, for example if a user posts a paydayloan link 3 times within 5 days, then the user will be cautioned, warned, suspended, or blocked. Whichever the administrators feel is more appropriate.

Can this kind of "Why's this user posting the same link all over the forums" be instituted as part of the website design? I mean, so that the website catches possible spam-posting users, to be dealt with by the administrators? Rather than regular users trying to report 10 spam posts a day, or moderators trying to check over all of the new replies / posts for spam? I mean, I hope something like this is technologically feasible... 

NightRayDuck 21 Jun 11 at 6:23 a.m. GMT

I've been pondering if those things called "captcha" or such would help make sure that it's a human user making the posts. But captcha can be difficult to read.

Another way to do it is, when a user tries to post a link, show a random photo of the more well-known actors & actresses who have been in Christie detective roles, and give several character names, and require the user to pick the correct character name, before allowing the link to be posted.

What I'd be really concerned about is that some spam might be posted by real human users rather than spambot programs. Methods such as captcha or pick-the-correct-character, if used at the time of a new user registering, could be easily met by the live human spammer. Also, it gets annoying and difficult if one of the regular users happen to have many interesting and relevant links to share...

Tommy_A_Jones 13 Jun 11 at 4:17 p.m. GMT

I do hope you can get rid of the spammers, I have just read a Post where someone said they Liked Miss Marple as they thought HE was a Greading.reat Writer, These Posts really make me Angry and waste space for people who want to write something worth

Moderator2 09 Jun 11 at 10:25 a.m. GMT

Rob615

I like the inprovements to the website, however in the new quiz "some of the best" there are two answers that are wrong. For the question in which book did Mrs Ferras take poison early in the book, the "correct answer" is By the Pricking of my Thumbs, when the correct answer in reality is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. The question "in which book does the SS Karnak feature, whichever answer you give is said to be wrong, it is Death on the Nile. In the St Mary Mead crossword the answer to which book is the first to feature St Mary Mead answer that fits is The Body in the Library - correct answer is the Murder at the Vicarage. I find these errors surprising and disappointing.    

Hi Rob615 - thanks for pointing this out - we've fixed the errors now, please let us know if you find anything else either here or email us at literaryestates@chorion.co.uk

Rob615 08 Jun 11 at 7:57 p.m. GMT

I like the inprovements to the website, however in the new quiz "some of the best" there are two answers that are wrong. For the question in which book did Mrs Ferras take poison early in the book, the "correct answer" is By the Pricking of my Thumbs, when the correct answer in reality is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. The question "in which book does the SS Karnak feature, whichever answer you give is said to be wrong, it is Death on the Nile. In the St Mary Mead crossword the answer to which book is the first to feature St Mary Mead answer that fits is The Body in the Library - correct answer is the Murder at the Vicarage. I find these errors surprising and disappointing.    

Moderator2 03 Jun 11 at 12:12 p.m. GMT

Hello No I did it. If you like I can delete your classified ad, as I am an adminstrator. Let me know if you would like that.

NightRayDuck 02 Jun 11 at 5:15 p.m. GMT

oh. and, I agree, the new layout for the website is much easier to browse, with the links to different areas of the site organized on either side of the layout, and bordered with different colors of background, and most text in a similar size, instead of the thick-border boxes and many different font sizes. (my eyes are seriously astigmatic, and thick borders and huge title fonts often end up blotting out several lines of the detail text in my vision.)

Tommy_A_Jones 02 Jun 11 at 5:01 p.m. GMT

Thankyou Ray, I hope 'Guess The Object Returns, I had 2 ready, I suppose if they don't I can put them in "Guess The Adaptation, as I am not sure either are in the Book(s) as I have a horrible suspicion I was influenced by the Adaptations it might turn out better.

NightRayDuck 02 Jun 11 at 4:53 p.m. GMT

"Guess the Object" thread is missing from "Have Your Say - Puzzles and Games" forum.

"Off-Topic Discussions" thread is missing from "Have Your Say - Miscellaneous" forum.

They are missing, as in, when I go to list of all replies that I have made, and click on my reply in the particular thread, it leads to a 404 Page Not Found error. Also, on the list of replies I have made, replies in these threads do not have the link to the particular thread in "Reply left in: ".

Will they be found??

Tommy_A_Jones 02 Jun 11 at 4:45 p.m. GMT

Has the Game 'Guess The Object' been Dropped or am I not looking hard enough?

Moderator2 02 Jun 11 at 11:52 a.m. GMT

Yes, spam is next on the list now we have the new site sorted.  We hope to eradicate the scurge of the spammers once and for all!

Tommy_A_Jones 01 Jun 11 at 3:20 p.m. GMT

The Changes look Good and haven't taken me as long to make my way round the site this time, I think the Desplay is much more in Keeping with the books, I hope the spam is kept away too.

GKCfan 05 Dec 10 at 9:44 p.m. GMT

Welcome to the website, Katarzynka!

Katarzynka 05 Dec 10 at 3:22 p.m. GMT

Hello everyone!

I am a newbie. Nice to be here.

Greetings

HarleyBarley 23 Apr 10 at 12:20 p.m. GMT

MissQuin

I actually love the avators on the Christie site. But I would love to have Mr Quin one added though, with a diamond pattern, or just  Harlequin's outline.

Ditto that. But I have my own thoughts regarding the Mysery Man... *nudge-nudge, wink-wink, say no more*

HeiseiHolmes 18 Mar 10 at 6:15 p.m. GMT

I think the 2000 character limit is a little annoying... There should be an area where we can just talk about things...

Lone_Wolf 06 Mar 10 at 8:14 a.m. GMT

OK, when you write the word " are" in italics, and it links to "Lord Edgware dies" it's ridiculous. It's an example of what happens when you violate the user interface guidlines.

Also, it's better not to be original for the sake of originality. What that site calls "forum posts" are actually forum threads.

MissQuin 04 Mar 10 at 4:34 p.m. GMT

I actually love the avators on the Christie site. But I would love to have Mr Quin one added though, with a diamond pattern, or just  Harlequin's outline.

HeiseiHolmes 04 Mar 10 at 4:26 p.m. GMT

Oh, what about if (as well as having the parts of the book covers) we could choose our own avatar from our computer? It would save some bother, if you are looking for your own posts by the picture, but find someone else's.

Lone_Wolf 28 Feb 10 at 10:20 a.m. GMT

Another quipe: when I write the title of an AC book in italics, I want [gasp] the title of an AC book in italics. I don't want a hyperlink to the page of the book on the site. The interface shouldn't consider itself smarter then the user.

Lone_Wolf 24 Feb 10 at 7:48 p.m. GMT

I mantain that we need to be able to put only a part of our posts in spoiler tags, or at least specify what book(s) we're spoiling.

HeiseiHolmes 20 Feb 10 at 10:16 p.m. GMT

The profile could have a space for personal introduction, like talking about hobbies and music? This way we can get to know each other better!

Bundle_ 19 Feb 10 at 4:26 p.m. GMT

Me too

HeiseiHolmes 19 Feb 10 at 4:14 p.m. GMT

I like that idea about chatroom, actually!

TheButlerDidIT 18 Feb 10 at 5:14 p.m. GMT

Maybe we should have a chance to talk to fans like a chatroom format?

Why don't we have an off-topic section that would be great!

GKCfan 30 Jan 10 at 7:44 p.m. GMT

Dear Janet,

    If you check the "Poirot being axed?" thread you'll see that the series' future is up in the air.  Please send an e-mail to ITV to show your support to jeep the series going.  Where do you live?  In America, six filmed Poirot episodes have not aired, and other countries have seen some while others haven't been released.  The most recently filmed Poirots haven't gotten a DVD release yet.

tyers 30 Jan 10 at 7:19 p.m. GMT

Hi Please can you tell me if David will be doing any more poirot films?  I now have the complete set up to no 7.  I did see that he made another, the third act, is there any more and where can I get the dvds?

Janet

go_leafs_nation 15 Dec 09 at 1:13 p.m. GMT

go_leafs_nation

The only complaint I have so far is when it comes to recent posts. Every topic lists the same number of replies. Sometimes it's one, sometimes it's three, sometimes one hundred something. Whatever the reason, the numbers are always the same, although the number itself changes.

This problem, although solved earlier, has recently re-emerged.

go_leafs_nation 19 Nov 09 at 1:10 p.m. GMT

I'd like to point out that the italic font doesn't work (still). Neither do any of the smilies.

Liberty1976 16 Nov 09 at 11:58 p.m. GMT

Well, I do think we are all demanding a lot of the website, but it's a great tool for all of us.  The ability to post messages about certain books and find them quickly (like Tommy and Tuppence books) is greatly improved.  I would like a link on the the homepage that says "chat with other Christie fans and takes you directly to those links and conversations".  I'd also like to point out that there seems to be much more enthusiasm for Christie acrossed the pond, so that's why I love the website.  It's the only way I can communicate with a lot of Christie fans.  All of you know so much more about her and the books because it is a part of your culture, your heritage and quite literally where you live.

Tommy_A_Jones 12 Oct 09 at 1:05 p.m. GMT

I agree with both your points go_leafs as those things annoy me too If you have made an error in what you say or a typeing or an update the 15 minutes time skale is annoying.

go_leafs_nation 10 Oct 09 at 10:43 p.m. GMT

The only really annoying thing on the site that I'd suggest revising is the 2,000 character limit on posts. I tend to really expand on my thoughts, and it's really annoying to 'serialise' posts once I am told it has 5,000-something characters in it.

(O.K., I lied; one more thing:) Also, the 15-minute time frame just doesn't work out. I often discover a typing error after posting, but if I don't catch it in time, the mistakes stay there to annoy me.

AnneBeddingfield 10 Oct 09 at 2:45 p.m. GMT

I'm back here after some time & i should say i love the changes which have been made! The site seems even more dynamic now. Great job :)

Tommy_A_Jones 08 Oct 09 at 4:22 p.m. GMT

Thankyou Jemma

Jemma 08 Oct 09 at 3:58 p.m. GMT

Hi Tommy_A_Jones,

The flag feature won;t impact on the use of the forum. You can talk to people in both countries. It will simply change the shop and the home page over to ones that are more relevent to people.

AndThenThereWasTim 04 Oct 09 at 4:29 p.m. GMT

I love the new site. Great Work! You took all of our ideas and turned them into a great site!

Tommy_A_Jones 29 Sep 09 at 2:37 p.m. GMT

I decided to update my profiler and saw 2 Flags a British Flag and an American one if you choose for instance the UK Flag does that mean you can't talk to people who choose the other one? I don't quite understand what features I will find it easier or more difficult to use, I hope my question makes sense.

Lone_Wolf 27 Sep 09 at 11:11 a.m. GMT

I like the new chnges, but I'm not sure what these blue circles with the "recycle" symbol on them mean. They also break the color theme of the site. 

Bundle_ 23 Sep 09 at 10:08 p.m. GMT

Thank you for answering my post, Jemma, I appreciate it.

I would like to comment on something else, if I may, it has to do w/ the edit option. Before the recent updates we could edit our posts whenever we chose but now we just have a 15 minute time frame.  I have to say that I don't care for this because I feel as though 15 minutes is not long enough to edit your posts.

For one thing you could go and post on another thread only to go back to your other post(s) and see that you made a mistake in a name, or grammar etc but then you find that the time has run out. I feel as though we should edit our posts w/ no time frame.

I hope the site will consider my suggestion.

Thank you in advance.

3rdGirl 22 Sep 09 at 8:09 p.m. GMT

Hi there, I'm getting used to the new format and how to look for things. It's really hard to find posts that you've been chatting to people on that are not the most popular ones. I had to find a different post under 'miscellaneous' and then bring that up. It's very convoluted. I think you need to add 'miscllaneous' to the front page.

Also, is there no monthly book club anymore? We were supposed to be doing Dead Man's Folly this month and it seems that the book discussion area is just to get onto a post, even if it's very old, and continue a discussion that may have run it's course?

Ah. I've just read above, and it seems you're working on it. I think we all love the monthly book and to be able to read them in order.

Tommy_A_Jones 22 Sep 09 at 12:10 p.m. GMT

When you post something is it usual to get posts confirming I have sent it? I think it is with the new Posting in real time service but earlier I sent a post and have just go 3 emails in my in box and when I went to the site I was the last person who had put a post (All 3 emails were from Agatha Christie) I hope my question makes sense

Jemma 21 Sep 09 at 3:35 p.m. GMT

Thanks for all your comments and further questions!

GFC Fan, you may find that you need to "clear your cache" when you use Safari - I know I had to, the first time I used the site.In Firefox, you may also need to clear your cache too - sorry - hope you think it's worth it!

Bundle, yes, the non-series novels does have its own picture (not sure what happened there - will check this out!). And we are working hard to create all the posts required in the new Book Club so that you can discuss all the books that Christie wrote in this new place. We don't want to delete the old posts which are in Have your say, so will gradually move these over to the new Book Club.

If you'd like to contribute introductory text for your favourite book (that is missing from the Book Club) then please post it here!

Go leaf nation - will check out your comment - sounds curious!

Thank you for all your comments and questions - keep them coming!

go_leafs_nation 16 Sep 09 at 7:58 p.m. GMT

The only complaint I have so far is when it comes to recent posts. Every topic lists the same number of replies. Sometimes it's one, sometimes it's three, sometimes one hundred something. Whatever the reason, the numbers are always the same, although the number itself changes.

Bundle_ 16 Sep 09 at 12:16 p.m. GMT

Just one more comment, please, I'm a bit confused in regards to the book club section and the Have Your Say section for the latter it says you discuss adaptations, games etc and for the Book Club it says discuss only the books BUT in the Have Your Say section there are still a lot of topics for the books too. What do we do?

I hope I don't sound as if I'm complaining, I'm just trying to get the "feel" of the website. If you could answer all my questions I'd apperciate it. Thank you, again. (There are definitely more great things about the website.)

go_leafs_nation 15 Sep 09 at 11:42 p.m. GMT

WOW! I really appreciate the fact that you can change actors for MM and HP at the top now! I rather like these changes! :)

Bundle_ 15 Sep 09 at 9:18 p.m. GMT

I found the non series thread but it's rather discret, I'm afraid. Is it going to get it's on picture link like the Poirot and Marple threads? And some of the old posts are in different places and then there are new ones. Will this be fixed too?

Thank you in advance.

Bundle_ 15 Sep 09 at 6:17 p.m. GMT

I like a lot of the new changes. Especially the pm messages and the lists of books you have read for all to see. I also like the little fire flame next to the topic. And the fact that we can now remove our posts (after a certian time). And now we can see who's online! The forum seems "warmer" -- almost like the oldest fourm. So Thank You!

Just one thing: where is a topic for the non series novels?

GKCfan 15 Sep 09 at 6:12 p.m. GMT

I'm afraid that there are some glitches to the new site, especially depending on which browser you use.  I tried to log in under Safari, but I couldn't type in my user name because two versions of the 5-headed banner (the one with Joan Hickson was still above the one with Julia McKenzie) blocked the login boxes.  I'm able to log in under Firefox, but some of the features are frozen and a few links don't work.  Sorry to complain, but I thougt you should know.

Jemma 15 Sep 09 at 3:25 p.m. GMT

Hi everyone

We're sorry but the website went down at the weekend. I hope it didn't cause you all too much inconvenience. Everything should be working again now and we hope you like the new features.

Just to explain a few things.

Yes, we've changed Rumours to Christie Wall - but of course you can still post your rumours there - it's now also a place where you can chat in real time with a fellow fan if you want to.

And we do plan to offer more options in the future for you to to choose your favourite Poirot, Tommy and Tuppence or Miss Marple  - but in previous polls the actors we've selected came out top - so they got to appear first!

And the Hot Posts represent those Posts which have the most replies - it's just another way of choosing which posts to look at first. And the blue circles should only appear the first time you make a post on the updated site. They won't appear thereafter.

For more information on all the new features go here. Hope you enjoy them!

Tommy_A_Jones 15 Sep 09 at 2:50 p.m. GMT

Can someone explain the HOT TOPICS and the Blue circles please?

Tommy_A_Jones 15 Sep 09 at 2:32 p.m. GMT

It's anow a feature called Christies Wall or something like that,btw why can't people choose Helen Hayes or Gracie Fields for best MM on the homepage or Alfred Molina or Tony Randall for best Poirot? someone might think they were best and if you are going to let people select some why not others and why not the Radio ones?

Bundle_ 15 Sep 09 at 9:59 a.m. GMT

I noticed that the Rumor section is gone.

Frndorfoe 14 Sep 09 at 3:22 p.m. GMT

Yes the same thing happened to me. All weekend I tried to get connected to the website and couldn't. What happened?

Tommy_A_Jones 14 Sep 09 at 1:40 p.m. GMT

What happened to the website at the weekend? I couldn't get on and there was no message to explain and also I have tried to open up someones hidden spoilers and I can't, I wondered if you knew that they can't be opened.