My thoughts on the forum upgrade.

[Freth]

My input:

• The old forum displayed a simple list of thread titles on the new threads page. Now it's in a Facebook-like format, which I find unappealing, clunky and way too large for effective forum reading. I don't want to read part of the OP, I only want to see thread titles and basic information about the thread. There is such a thing as too much, and I think the new version is trying to be something it's not—a social media app. The appeal of forums (forum websites in general), at least for me, has always been the way information is displayed efficiently and intuitively, so as to maximize the reading experience and minimize clutter; minimalism is best. When you get away from the classic forum format, you cause needless confusion and tediousness to the reader. I don't consider this progress, I consider it a step backward.
• The new round avatar display cuts off parts of your avatar that are meaningful, like text. It used to be square and not round. It's just an added inconvenience to have to recreate your avatar to fit.
• The alerts don't seem to want to clear like they should. It seems to work intermittently. The old forum would sometimes get stuck in a mode where the alerts wouldn't clear whatsoever, and kept popping up the same old alerts. The new forum seems to have an issue deciding whether to clear alerts or not.
• Overall, I find the new larger interface elements clunky and tedious to peruse. It's way too busy, and there are no thread lists anymore that get out of your way and let you view the threads at a glance.

EDIT:

• You can set list view, which is not so cluttered.
• Alerts do clear on page reload.

 

[Brother-Mike]

My input:

• The old forum displayed a simple list of thread titles on the new threads page. Now it's in a Facebook-like format, which I find unappealing, clunky and way too large for effective forum reading. I don't want to read part of the OP, I only want to see thread titles and basic information about the thread. There is such a thing as too much, and I think the new version is trying to be something it's not—a social media app. The appeal of forums (forum websites in general), at least for me, has always been the way information is displayed efficiently and intuitively, so as to maximize the reading experience and minimize clutter; minimalism is best. When you get away from the classic forum format, you cause needless confusion and tediousness to the reader. I don't consider this progress, I consider it a step backward.
• The new round avatar display cuts off parts of your avatar that are meaningful, like text. It used to be square and not round. It's just an added inconvenience to have to recreate your avatar to fit.
• The alerts don't seem to want to clear like they should. It seems to work intermittently. The old forum would sometimes get stuck in a mode where the alerts wouldn't clear whatsoever, and kept popping up the same old alerts. The new forum seems to have an issue deciding whether to clear alerts or not.
• Overall, I find the new larger interface elements clunky and tedious to peruse. It's way too busy, and there are no thread lists anymore that get out of your way and let you view the threads at a glance.

I think your first point is covered by selecting this:

 

[Freth]

Yes, but it resets to card view every time I do a refresh of the website. EDIT: Now it seems to be holding, where before it wasn't. Yes, I was setting default.

 

[Brother-Mike]

Strange, I don’t see that behavior on Safari/Brave both mobile and desktop versions.

 

[Freth]

It's working now.

 

[Dave G.]

It's working now.

I'm not a fan of the entire layout now. Actually I barely visit the site anymore since the upgrade.

 

[David's Harp]

I'm not a fan of the entire layout now. Actually I barely visit the site anymore since the upgrade.

Hi Dave, I felt like you when the change was brought about, but I'm adapting to it now. Just give it a bit of time my friend, and I'm sure you'll adapt to it also. Maybe you could post some suggestions on the New Upgrade Feedback thread?

 

[Dave G.]

I get around but something in this layout and updates has knocked my interest in being here back a bit. It's not that I can't adjust but more about if I want this. But then other forums are plain and lack content. I'll give it some time without doubt, I won't just dump it.

 

[returntosender]

I don't like it either but then i don't like changes. You know the old saying, if it's not broke....
I miss the members on line, etc.

 

[Christoph Maria]

Hi Dave, I felt like you when the change was brought about, but I'm adapting to it now...

...as everyone will in time. ​

IMHO there are 'bigger fish to fry'! ​

 

[Dave G.]

...as everyone will in time. ​

IMHO there are 'bigger fish to fry'! ​

No everyone will not. We have a right to prefer one thing to another. Most everyone will use it but it doesn't mean they got used to it. It may mean that it's what they have so put up with it. Bigger fish to fry ? Of course.

 

[eleos1954]

I like the old format better was easier to navigate.

 

[Michie]

I like the old format better was easier to navigate.

True. I can’t even post a pic anymore. The bolding tool, etc. does not work no matter what I do. Hyperlinks in articles no longer transfer either. It’s becoming too much work.

 

[eleos1954]

True. I can’t even post a pic anymore. The bolding tool, etc. does not work no matter what I do. Hyperlinks in articles no longer transfer either. It’s becoming too much work.

Indeed frustrating ....

 

[Rescued One]

It's still a pain. I keep hoping someone will make it more user friendly.

 

[Dave G.]

I find it disturbing to come here as is, I now pop in in the morning and just check if there have been any comments or reactions to threads I've been involved with and that's it. See you tomorrow. I used to keep this page up in it's own tab on my PC and be in and out all day long, participating in this or that as something within my capacity showed up..

See you all tomorrow, I'm done here for today. I'm not hanging out where I feel frustrated.