HELPFUL HINT FOR PHONEFAGS, WITH ILLUSTRATIONS:
Guys, you know how when we're working here on desktop computers we can simply hover our cursors over the colored, live links to previous posts (like the link I posted above)? Doing that lets us view the text and images in that link without having to actually open the link in a separate window. When we hover our cursor over the live link we get a small popup window containing the linked post and its images. It's a great time saver.
On desktop computers the cursor hover works fine, and it saves us time and frustration. It does not matter whether the link is recent or numerous breads old.
Hovering works on real computers. On desktop devices (not phones) we can hover and read the referenced post without having to actually click on it to open it. It makes reading posts and links in posts go relatively quickly, however it's not as easy on a phone.
Well, I use an Android phone a lot. In the midst of one of our previous rounds of the (lb) and (pb) notation controversy, I did some experimenting to see if I could view the linked posts without having to go through lots of clicking hoops on my phone.
I discovered a trick for viewing the linked posts from my phone without having to click on them and lose my spot in the bread I was reading. This trick saves me time and frustration because I figured out how to make the previous post appear on my phone, just as it does when I hover my cursor on the desktop.
If you're a phonefag, this suggestion may help you. I hope it does: just hold your thumb on the colored number portion of the link. Hold it and press, and don't let go. Then watch what happens.''' Eventually, while you're pressing down on the number, two things will happen in succession:
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First, you'll get a pop-up menu that gives you the option to open that link in a new window (along with other options) so that you don't lose your spot in the original window where you spied the link of interest. It's similar to right-clicking on something when you're on a desktop computer.
This new window will go straight to the linked post in a separate window, and the linked post has a pink background, indicating it's the linked post. With the linked pist now open in a separate window, you won't lose your place in your original window (where you were when you found the link of interest).
Note that the new, separate window displaying the linked post will also display the responses to that post of interest.
Also note that eventually, if you keep pressing the colored, number portion of the original link of interest, the second useful thing happens:
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Second, the linked post, itself, will appear as a small, discrete window above your current window. It's a handy offshoot of the link, right there in your original window and – best of all – the offshot link will appear as a small version of the linked post.
This small view of the linked post appears just as it appears when we hover over links on our standalone, desktop. You never have to leave your original place where you were when you found the interesting link you want to view. Just press on the number and hold that sucker until the linked post appears, usually off to the right side of your phone screen.
Note that the linked responses aren't visible in that small popup of the original link of interest so you can always open it in a new window, using the steps I wrote above in #1, if you want to click on and read all the replies to it.
These tricks work on Android devices. I have not tried them on any iPhone because I don't own an iPhone.
I hope you current phonefags benefit from these tips. I apologize for not sharing sooner but I thought everyone was doing it.
P.S. the press-and hold trick also works at the Catalog so you can open linked breads and threads in separate windows, new tabs, etc.