Are we prepared for the New Google Groups?
Carol Hart
"The old Google Groups will be going away soon. Switch to the new
Google Groups."
I'm not sure what this entails but it seems that I (we) have to take
the time to figure out what's happening with the changes to Google
Groups so we're prepared to navigate the NEW Google Groups
programming.
Please join me in figuring this out.
I invite your observations on the subject to help us all acclimate to
this change.
Thanks!
Carol
Deborah Simpson
Home screen
The Google Groups Home screen is divided into two sections: The main discussion area on the right and the navigation tree on the left. The main discussion area’s contents will change as you click on group names, topics, posts, and other elements. However, the navigation tree remains on the left side unless it is hidden using the show/hid navigation tree button. The following image shows Google Groups discussions when it initially loads:
- Main discussion area
- My groups button
- Browse all button
- New group button
- Navigation tree
- Show/hide navigation tree button
Home screen (1)
Google Groups discussions opens at the home screen welcoming you to the product and giving you a few options to choose.
Click on the My groups button (1a) to see a list of all of your group subscriptions. Click on the Browse allbutton (1b) to Browse all groups starting with a list of group categories. Click on the New group button (1c) to create a new group.
Navigation tree (2)
The Navigation Tree is visable on the left for users who are logged-in and have visited a group (new users, or users who are not logged in will not see the navigation tree). This tree contains groupings of groups and other information. These groupings are: My Groups, Starred, Feedback and announcements, Recently viewed groups, Recent searches, Recently posted to groups, and Favorites.
Click on a arrow (
) to expand or collapse the contents under a grouping.
Click on 'My groups' in the navigation tree to view a list of all your subscribed groups. Or, type the g key followed by the m key to view this list. Refer to the My groups screen for further information.
Click on a group name in the navigation tree to view the topics in a group. Refer to the Topics screen for further information.
Show/hide navigation tree button (3)
Click on the show/hide navigation tree button (
) to hide the navigation tree and expand the main discussion area. Click the show navigation tree button to show the navigation tree and collapse the main discussion area. You can also press the h key to show or hide the navigation tree.
Deborah Simpson
My groups screen
The My groups screen replaces the Home screen when you click on the My groups button on the Home screen or the My groups link in the navigation tree. The following image shows the My groups screen:
- Groups list
- Star icon
- Group name
Group List (1)
The group list displays your group names and the latest post in each group.
Click on the the Star icon (1a) to add the group to the Favorites within the navigation tree. Refer toOrganizing groups for further information.
Click on any group name (1b) to view the topics in the group. The main discussion area displays the group and the topics in the group. Refer to the Topics screen for further information.
Click on a group name in the group list to view the posts within the group. Refer to the Topics screen for further information.
Type the g key followed by the l key to display a listing of all of your groups. Type a group name to jump to that group. Group names in your My groups list will auto-fill as you type. Or, use the arrow keys to navigate between groups in the list and press the enter or return key to select a group.
Deborah Simpson
Topics screen
The topics screen appears when you select a group. Groups can contain one or more topics. The following image shows the topics screen:
- Button bar
- NEW TOPIC button
- Mark all as read button
- Refresh button
- Report this group button (only visible if you are a group member)
- Compact list button
- Standard view button
- Moderator list view (only visible if you have moderator permissions)
- Actions menu (only visible if you are a group owner).
- Filters menu (only visible if you have filter permissions)
- Topics button
- Members button
- Settings menu
- Group name
- My membership button (only shows if you are a member)
- Join group button (only shows if you are not a member)
- Topic list
Button bar (1)
The button bar is split into two halves. On the left half of the bar there are 7 buttons and two menu for working with topics. One the right half of the bar there are two buttons and two menus. Following is a brief description of all the button bar items:
- Click on the NEW TOPIC button (1a) to create a new topic. Refer to Creating a new discussion topicfor further information.
- Click on the Mark all as read button (1b) to mark all topics as read (or press the Shift key plus the a key).
- Click on the Refresh button (1c) to update your topic list with any updates (new posts/topics) made while you have been in Google Groups.
- Click the Report this group button (1d)
- Click on the Compact list view (1e) to view a compact list of topic names, author, and time of last post.
- Click on the Standard view button (1f) to view an expanded list of topics names with creator avatar, creator name, time of last post, contributor avatars, and number of posts.
- Click on the Moderator list view (1g) to see all...
- Click on the Actions menu (1h) to see a list of actions to take on one more topic(s). Click the checkbox next to any topic and select a menu item from the Actions menu to perform that action on the topic. Only actions that are applicable to the topic or post will be listed. Possible actions are:
- Mark as read - Mark the topic as having been read. Topics that have been read have their titles in plain (unbolded) text.
- Set duplicate - Mark the topic as a duplicate of another topic. You will be prompted to provide the URL to the original (non-duplicate) topic. The topics that are duplicates have the “Is a duplicate” string after their names.
- Unset duplicate - Unset the topic as a duplicate of another topic.
- Take - Take topic(s) for yourself to address. Refer to Taking, assigning, and viewing assigned topics for further information.
- Assign - Assign topic(s) to another person to address. You will be prompted to provide an email address for the assignee (or choose from a list of members in the group). Refer toTaking, assigning, and viewing assigned topics for further information.
- Mark no action needed - Indicate that topic(s) do not require any response. The topics that do not require a response have the “No response needed” string after their names. The string is viewable only by people who have the Mark No Response Needed permission.
- Unmark no response needed - Indicate that the current selection set of topics might require a response.
- Display at top - Display topic(s) at the top of the topic list. The topics that are displayed at the top have a pin icon next to their names to indicate that they are to remain at the top of the topic list. Multiple topics with the pin icon are ordered by date (with oldest being first).
- Don't display at the top - Don't display the topic(s) at the top of the list of topics.
- Lock Replies - Disallow any replies to topic(s). Topics that have replies locked have a gray lock icon next to their names. The Post reply button will also disappear from within these topics.
- Unlock Replies - Allow replies to topic(s).
- Lock Topic - Disallow any actions in the Actions menu to be performed on topic(s). Topics that have been locked have an orange lock icon next to their names. Most all menu items in the Actions menu will also disappear when locked topics are selected.
- Unlock Topic - Allow actions in the Action menu to be performed on topic(s).
- Delete - Remove topic(s) from the group. You will be prompted to confirm this action.
- Report abuse - Report abuse for topic(s). The Report abuse dialog box appears.
- Click on the Filters menu (1i) to filter topics based on some criteria. Refer to Filtering topics on the Topics screen for further information.
- Click on the Topics button (1j) to list all of the topics for the group.
- Click on the Members button (1k) to view a group's list of members. This tab is only visible if group managers allow members to view the members list.
- The Settings menu (1l) provides access to help, shortcuts and settings for Google Groups.
- Help - Click on the Help menu to visit the Google Groups help center.
- Report an issue - Click on Report an issue to make a suggestion about Google Groups.
- Keyboard shortcuts - Click on Keyboard shortcuts to see a list of keyboard shortcuts for Google Groups.
- Change language - Click on Change language to select another language for your Google group.
- Themes - Click on Themes to select from a list of user interface color combinations for Google Groups.
- About - View summary information about the group (number of members, description, group email, top posters, and so on).
- Settings -
- Manage group - Edit any setting made when creating the group.
- Manage messages - Moderate messages.
- Manage members - Modify settings for individual members and create and edit membership groups.
Group name (2)
The name of the group appears at the top of the main discussion area. The name is followed by either the My membership link (2a) or the Join group link (2b).
The My membership button appears if you are a member of the group. Click this button to display the About group dialog box. This dialog box contains several options for configuring group options. Refer to theAbout group and Join group dialog boxes for further information.
The Join group link appears if you are not a member of the group. Click on the 'Join group' link to join the group. The Join group dialog box appears. This dialog box contains several options for configuring group options. Refer to the About group and Join group dialog boxes for further information.
Topic List (3)
Click on any topic to read posts in that topic. Refer to the Topic screen for further information.
Deborah Simpson
Topic screen (expanded look)
Topics contain one or more posts. The following image shows a topic with two posts.
- Button bar
- Back button
- POST REPLY button
- Refresh button
- Tree / Flat view buttons
- Actions menu
- Forward and Back buttons
- Overview buton
- Discussion button
- Settings menu
- Topic title
- Posts
Button bar (1)
The button bar is split into two halves. On the left half of the bar there are 5 buttons and one menu for working with topics. One the right half of the bar there are four buttons and one menu. Following is a brief description of all the button bar items:
- Click on the Back button (1a) to return to the Topics screen.
- Click on the POST REPLY button (1b) to reply to the original topic (first post). Refer to Read and respond to group posts for further information.
- Click on the Refresh button (1c) to update your topic listwith any updates (new posts) made while you have been in Google Groups.
- Click on the Tree link (1d) to display posts as a tree to see what post you are replying to (replies to specific posts are indented). Click on the Flat link (1e) to display all posts as a continuous list in chronological order.
- Click on the Actions menu (1e) to see a list of actions to take on one more topic(s). Click the checkbox next to any topic and select a menu item from the Actions menu to perform that action on the topic. Only actions that are applicable to the topic or post will be listed. Possible actions are:
- Set duplicate - Mark the topic as a duplicate of another topic. You will be prompted to provide the URL to the original (non-duplicate) topic. The topics that are duplicates have the “Is a duplicate” string after their names.
- Unset duplicate - Unset the topic as a duplicate of another topic.
- Mark no action needed - Indicate that topic(s) do not require any response. The topics that do not require a response have the “No response needed” string after their names. The string is viewable only by people who have the Mark No Response Needed permission.
- Unmark no action needed - Indicate that the current selection set of topics might require a response.
- Display at top - Display topic(s) at the top of the topic list. The topics that are displayed at the top have a pin icon next to their names to indicate that they are to remain at the top of the topic list. Multiple topics with the pin icon are ordered by date (with oldest being first).
- Don't display at the top - Don't display the topic(s) at the top of the list of topics.
- Lock Replies - Disallow any replies to topic(s). Topics that have replies locked have a gray lock icon next to their names. The Post reply button will also disappear from within these topics.
- Unlock Replies - Allow replies to topic(s).
- Lock Topic - Disallow any actions in the Actions menu to be performed on topic(s). Topics that have been locked have an orange lock icon next to their names. Most all menu items in the Actions menu will also disappear when locked topics are selected.
- Unlock Topic - Allow actions in the Action menu to be performed on topic(s).
- Delete - Remove topic(s) from the group. You will be prompted to confirm this action.
- Click on the Forward button (1f) to navigate to the next topic in the group. Click on the Back button (1f) to navigate to the previous topic in the group.
- Click on the Overview button (1g) to view a topic summary and top contributors.
- Click on the Discussion button (1h) to view the posts in the topic.
- The Settings menu (1i) has a useful items and global settings for Google Groups.
- Help - Click on the Help menu to visit the Google Groups help center.
- Report an issue - Click on Report an issue to make a suggestion about Google Groups.
- Keyboard shortcuts - Click on Keyboard shortcuts to see a list of keyboard shortcuts for Google Groups.
- Change language - Click on Change language to select another language for your Google group.
- Themes - Click on Themes to select from a list of user interface color combinations for Google Groups.
- Reply to author - Select Reply to author to reply to the author in a private email.
- Forward - Select Forward to forward the post to an email address.
- Link - Select link to generate a URL to the post that you can paste into an email or chat program.
- Show activity - Select Show activity to show your recent activity in the group.
- Show original - Select Show original to show the post in
- Delete post - Select Delete post to remove the post.
Topic title (2)
The Topic title appears at the top of the main discussion area.
Posts (3)
Click the Post Reply button to the right of the post to reply to that specific post (or press the r key). Click on the menu next to the Post Reply button to to view a list of tasks to preform on a post:
Replies to a series of posts work in two ways. If you reply to the most recent post, your post won't be indented. If you reply to anything else in the conversation, it will cause all subsequent messages to be indented. This makes it clear that your new post is in reply to an older post.