Warn users they are offline when they attempt to edit

[jidanni (Dan Jacobson)]

The user submits an edit, and why is the spinner just spinning?

Oh no, he missed this critical piece of information at the top of the screen:

He thinks “If only there was some warning I was offline when I pressed the edit button. Then I wouldn’t have bothered editing. I would have waited until we got to the last stop on the train. Then I would have got a fresh version of the article, and responded to that instead!!”

Yes, warn them right when they start to make an edit. Not just when it comes time to save the edit.

Yes, you might say, “It’s not a bug. In fact it’s not a problem at all. When the user gets back into coverage it will get posted. So don’t get uptight about it.”

I’m just saying the user will thank you for letting him know he is offline. Just like it’s nice to know you ran out of funds before you write a check, even if you will have more funds again on Tuesday.

And P. S., the spinner is still spinning for me in my test, even though I’m back online. So there’s no guarantees…

Sure, we can blame the user for ignoring the fine print on the top of the page browser. But he also ignored the fine print all over the page except way at the very bottom at the 20th entry, which he was editing.

[Lhc_fl (Linca)]

Isn’t this a existing feature…?

[jidanni (Dan Jacobson)]

Nope, absolutely, positively, no clue, except that provided by the browser way at the top of the screen,

Wait, I get an uneasy feeling, I get an uneasy feeling about my keyboard. What is underneath people’s keyboards? Usually some dust and some twist ties or whatever. Well let’s have a look…

And indeed! There is a curious red triangle in the lower right.

We tap it and nothing happens. But it’s still there and and Mommy it’s all my fault again.

Well okay couldn’t it be kind of placed somewhere more guaranteed to be noticed? In fact the whole draft buffer could become red with words saying “You’re offline Holmes”