Playing devils advocate, there's little point in having a redesign if you don't intend everyone to use it at some point. Any option to use the old format would only be transitional and we'd all end up using this one at some point.
Nope, afraid it's here to stay, but that doesn't mean that it can't be improved (which it needs): better colours and the old smileys back would make it ten times more tolerable..
I think the transition to this new format should have been gradual though - it could have meant the errors didn't have to be ironed out on the fly.
Instead, we get it dropped in without warning and it becomes a bit of a clusterf**k.
Not sure if people have seen the announcement saying what they're working on and what they've already fixed.
I think they realise the forums need a bit of work!
I like how they didn't explain why the forums have been thrown up, barely half finished, with what looks like no testing, and fixes happening bit by bit, on a live server! It breaks so many best practices of web development I don't even know where to start.
As a developer myself I'm amazed a supposed big company like Hearst allowed this to happen, and worse, doesn't see anything wrong with it - at least not publicly, anyway.
My email provider revamped their website in the spring. The result is not very good at all at all. They created a feedback button, so that people could vent their spleens at them, and ignored any and all suggestions for improvement which were made. They didn't care what people thought.
That's the way these changes are done. They decide that a change is for the better, and having decided that, ignore any protests as being from ignorant luddites. After all, they made a change, so it must be better, and anyone who disagrees is not worth listening to. Let people have their say, and ignore them. They'll accept the changes in time - they'll have to. What else can they do - go and start up a rival?
And that's exactly the attitude in 99.9% of web revamps. There is no such thing as a democratic web, really.
What I have seen though is where smallish elements are clearly not liked, there has sometimes been a push to remedy these in the days and weeks after the change. This is what I'm holding out for, to be honest. Even just a little bit of give on the colour and the smilies would make the whole thing better.
I'm still getting used to it to be honest, so I'm kind of assuming I'll get used to it. Saying that, BBC Good Food changed their website a few months ago and I went from a daily (at least) user, to an occasional user if I'm bored!
The one thing I don't like is of the new design is having the forum threads spaced so far apart - it used to be that you could scan all threads titles on a page with only a scroll or two, whereas now it requires a constant scroll.
To be fair, their time is probably best spent sorting the site out rather than trying to placate a load of melodramatic grumbling.
I don't understand people like you, I really don't. It's fine if you don't mind the upgrade but why are you so dismissing and mocking of people who have been caused pain? It might be trivial in the grand scheme of things but there's no reason for the DS staff to actively piss off so many people by refusing to respect their concerns.
I think users should have an option to keep this or go back to the old one, considering we were treated like guinea pigs while you tweaked it and we as your users had zero input into the design.
Can't take it any longer. This thing is killing my eyes and I'm starting to feel sick and my head is starting to thump. This needs fixing as many people will be put off from posting if after a few minutes they get a bad head from staring at a bright white screen. Doesn't help with the new font which you have to squint at.
Also the User CP still has the impossible to read white on grey. This is just a joke.
To be fair, their time is probably best spent sorting the site out rather than trying to placate a load of melodramatic grumbling.
I don't think you should highlight how they could be spending their time given that it should probably have been spent properly testing a noddy css change to apply a basic 4 colour palette to a handful of rectangles. Then correctly deploying it with a backout plan in case they inexplicably bungled it. With an expectation of gratitude for taking only 24 hours to fix it.
I don't understand people like you, I really don't. It's fine if you don't mind the upgrade but why are you so dismissing and mocking of people who have been caused pain? It might be trivial in the grand scheme of things but there's no reason for the DS staff to actively piss off so many people by refusing to respect their concerns.
Lol If you have been caused pain by staring at this free to use message board either turn your brightness down or go do something else. I don't understand people sat looking at something that gives them a headache and carping about it as if they have had their benefits taken away or something.
Comments
I think the transition to this new format should have been gradual though - it could have meant the errors didn't have to be ironed out on the fly.
Instead, we get it dropped in without warning and it becomes a bit of a clusterf**k.
As a developer myself I'm amazed a supposed big company like Hearst allowed this to happen, and worse, doesn't see anything wrong with it - at least not publicly, anyway.
And that's exactly the attitude in 99.9% of web revamps. There is no such thing as a democratic web, really.
What I have seen though is where smallish elements are clearly not liked, there has sometimes been a push to remedy these in the days and weeks after the change. This is what I'm holding out for, to be honest. Even just a little bit of give on the colour and the smilies would make the whole thing better.
The grey is too much and too headache causing!
We could have done with a 'preview' option for a month or so before the whole thing changed, I agree.
Then any issues could have been fixed -relatively- behind the scenes.
The one thing I don't like is of the new design is having the forum threads spaced so far apart - it used to be that you could scan all threads titles on a page with only a scroll or two, whereas now it requires a constant scroll.
Don't be silly! Father Knows Best.
I don't understand people like you, I really don't. It's fine if you don't mind the upgrade but why are you so dismissing and mocking of people who have been caused pain? It might be trivial in the grand scheme of things but there's no reason for the DS staff to actively piss off so many people by refusing to respect their concerns.
Well done everyone.
But it still needs a lot of work and is nowhere near as good as the original.
My only other complaint is it's very bright. Not the easiest to read.
Is it me or has the whole of GD slowed down?
Also the User CP still has the impossible to read white on grey. This is just a joke.
I don't think you should highlight how they could be spending their time given that it should probably have been spent properly testing a noddy css change to apply a basic 4 colour palette to a handful of rectangles. Then correctly deploying it with a backout plan in case they inexplicably bungled it. With an expectation of gratitude for taking only 24 hours to fix it.
I don't think it matters how many of us say this. DS seem hellbent on keeping this dreadful "colours" at all cost. :mad:
The old one was pretty much the default vBulletin template from 2003.
Lets be honest with ourselves here. People just don't like change. Give it a week or two and there'll be something new to be outraged about.
You'll still be posting here though.
Seriously, if you think the site is that bad, hit them where it hurts. Don't give them your hits.
Lol If you have been caused pain by staring at this free to use message board either turn your brightness down or go do something else. I don't understand people sat looking at something that gives them a headache and carping about it as if they have had their benefits taken away or something.
It looked better and worked better before they even messed with it. Everybody was happy and nobody felt OMG this forum desperately needs a revamp.
It didn't need messing with. It wasn't broke and didn't need fixing.
It certainly doesn't look very much better from where I'm sitting, so I'll withhold my congratulations.
Well over 24 hours and it's still a mess! It beggars belief!