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NEARLY ONE WEEK ON...

  
  

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Tom Coates
08:49 / 02.04.02
Ok - brief thread starter this - how are you finding the new board - is it working, not working, harder / easier to use, are you posting more or less, do you think the conversation has improved or gone downhill, what do you think NEEDS to change, what do you think is a great improvement?
 
 
Trijhaos
09:04 / 02.04.02
I think the board's ease of use is a little easier in some places, and harder in others. Its nice to be able to check to see if you have private messages without going to your profile. The only hard part about using the board is the html code one uses to make links, and the like. I'm learning so that shouldn't be a major problem in a few days. I think I may be posting more than I did before, but I'm not entirely sure, its probably the same.

As for the conversation, I think its stayed about the same, but with a small downward turn.

Needs to change? I think the background color needs to be a bit darker, maybe an ivory or beige color. Its too bright.
 
 
Ariadne
09:33 / 02.04.02
I think it's good - the html side will be tricky as I've done very little coding, and I do miss being able to see the time of the last post on each thread from the front page. I have to keep opening threads to see if anything new has been said.

The conversation seems to have gone downhill though it's hard to explain what I mean by that - it could just be that people are posting less.
 
 
sleazenation
10:03 / 02.04.02
As a whole i think the site has taken a turn towards content and away from some some of the largely unecessary conversation threads- no bad thing. I'd be interested to see what, if any, effect there is on bandwidth
 
 
Our Lady of The Two Towers
10:36 / 02.04.02
The only thing I'm really missing is the pages option from the contents list. With any discussion that's more than a page long I have to load up the first page so I get the page numbers and then go to the page I want, but I presume this is something that will be returned at some point?
 
 
Less searchable M0rd4nt
10:40 / 02.04.02
I guess things have been a little quieter lately, but I think it's starting to get back to normal.

Y'know what I miss? Being able to check a member's recent posts. I can't stalk my favourite 'lithers anymore.

As to the overall design: I think it would look even cooler if the white background was replaced with either a subdued wallpaper, or a colour, like Trijhaos suggests.
 
 
Spatula Clarke
10:52 / 02.04.02
The one problem I'm still having is a tendency to close the window after I've finished checking a link, forgetting that it's the same window that Barb was in. Easily sorted by right-clicking the link, I know, but I'm having trouble remembering.
 
 
Ethan Hawke
11:17 / 02.04.02
The main problem I'm having is the tendency for the text-entry box, when typing in a reply, to scroll almost forever rightward, leaving each paragraph as one long line of text and making longer posts pretty much impossible to proofread in the box. No horizontal scroll in the text box, pls!

Other than that, I love the new board as it doesn't crash my browser at work like the old one tended to. And I love the white background. Screw anyone who says diff.
 
 
gozer the destructor
11:43 / 02.04.02
I think people do seem to be posting less but if that has anything to do with the new set up is hard to say. The private messages being on display all the time is cool definitely, although I miss not seeing who the last poster was on the topic headings...
 
 
Persephone
11:43 / 02.04.02
I still can't figure out the logic behind the topics colors... it does work that blue topics definitely have no new posts, but gold topics don't always have new posts? Hrrr, I'll figure it out eventually.... I'm weaning faster off Today's Active Topics than I thought I would, but it would be helpful to be able to tell reliably at a glance whether there were new posts in a thread.

On the other hand, Today's Active Topics was a nice cross-section of all the forums on the board & since the switch I find myself more selectively visiting my favorites & less the others.

I like very much that you can see the three most recent threads in every forum, it seems to give the more slow-burn threads more time to catch on.

I do feel the pace of the conversation has markedly slowed down, and I understand that was the intent... still waiting to see how that is going to affect the experience here.

The new PMs is great.
 
 
rizla mission
12:08 / 02.04.02
I think the new system is really rather good, so I don't mean to diss it, but I miss;

a)the 'reply with quote' button and, to a lesser extent, the other button that used to appear at the top of every post.

b)the extra fields that allowed us to put silly quips and pictures in our profiles.

c)and the way when you follow a link in, erm, appears in the same Explorer window. I prefered it when it opened a new one.

But apart from that, everything is nice.
 
 
Cherry Bomb
12:12 / 02.04.02
I'm getting used to it, like it. I think the conversation has definitely slowed down, which is good thing (unless you're a chatty cathy like myself, natch!). I think the board has a nice new "sleek" feel to it. I'm actually thinking in terms of "Today's Active Topics" that is nicely replaced by showing the last 3 threads posted in the forums. I also really like the art - like the little guy's head next to my profile - but looking at it last night, I was wondering why the art only goes about mid-way down the page?

I love the new pm system as well. And I like the little mail art there, too. I guess my only problem, besides not being able to change my profile details like I'd like, is not knowing enough html to insert proper links and such. I suppose I'll just have to teach them to myself a la ubb code before the last board.

All in all though, I'm digging it.
 
 
higuita
12:21 / 02.04.02
What she said.

No problems at all - enjoying the new interface, and it's good that we get to do the work relating to the bold and the italic etc. Much more hands-on. Call me odd if you like...
 
 
The Planet of Sound
15:05 / 02.04.02
Izza beautiful, and no more ugly Dane McGowan picture gawping at you.
 
 
STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK
19:17 / 02.04.02
I'm kind of getting used to it now, and I kind of like it. (Am I the only person who thinks the colour scheme is actually BETTER now?)
The html thing's a little intimidating, but I guess I had to learn that stuff sooner or later.
It did look as though posting had dropped off for a while, but I'm guessing that part of that was due to the Easter weekend and the fact that a lot of 'lithers post at work (bunch of slackers... not that I'd ever do such a thing, of course.)
So in short- nice one.
 
 
Utopia
19:41 / 02.04.02
yes, most everything is an improvement. i actually find it easier to quote now without the quote button...simply cutting and pasting is easier than being given someone's entire reaponse and having to cut it down. i guess this may be bad if you are the type to quote multiple lines...

i like the pics on the side of the boxes (mail, colluseum, etc), when will we get some for spectacle and participation?

and if people do want some type of aesthetic changes to the site, i propose a democratic thread where ideas can be posed and discussed. maybe we can have a thread open for one week exactly where people can suggest ideas, and then another thread where every member curently and actively involved can vote for the concepts that tom & cal like/can accomplish. is this too complicated? probably, but at least no one could complain...

personally i'm fine with the way it looks now.
 
 
grant
19:43 / 02.04.02
I still think I'd like the little arrows to go from older threads to newer threads within the threads, not having to go out to the forum page and then back in.

But I'm enjoying myself.
 
 
Tom Coates
20:03 / 02.04.02
and if people do want some type of aesthetic changes to the site, i propose a democratic thread where ideas can be posed and discussed. maybe we can have a thread open for one week exactly where people can suggest ideas, and then another thread where every member curently and actively involved can vote for the concepts that tom & cal like/can accomplish. is this too complicated? probably, but at least no one could complain..

I'm certainly up for suggestions about improving the board, but I'd rather debate them out and explain why they would work or wouldn't work or how/why they're against the spirit or against the general vision rather than just let an open vote happen....
 
 
Spatula Clarke
20:58 / 02.04.02
Persephone's already mentioned the topic colours. I'm presuming that the orangey-gold is supposed to be 'new posts since your last visit' (deleted my cookies to try it out and, yep, everything's orangey-gold), but if so it's not quite working properly.
 
 
Matthew Fluxington
21:05 / 02.04.02
I am very fond of the color scheme, layout, and the new Private Messaging function - it's nice, cos in some ways it's replaced a lot of my more frivolous email traffic.

My two main criticisms remain the same : I would like a return of the Today's Active Topics function, and I would like to have it so that people can link to their websites and blogs again.
 
 
Utopia
21:57 / 02.04.02
Tom: good point. i suppose a lot of things here could get really fucked beacuse of the "cool factor." i just thought this might sort of prioritize things (ie. what's more important, background color or function?). i was also hoping that someone would have a better/more refined version of the voting concept
 
 
Nelson Evergreen
22:43 / 02.04.02
'Agree with Flux regarding links to members' extra-curriculars. Otherwise, Bravo.
 
 
Cherry Bomb
22:51 / 02.04.02
Maybe links to members' extracurriculars could be in the member profile? How much bandwidth ya reckon that would eat up?
 
 
Mikaël
03:42 / 03.04.02
Persephone: I still can't figure out the logic behind the topics colors... it does work that blue topics definitely have no new posts, but gold topics don't always have new posts? Hrrr, I'll figure it out eventually....

I think the gold is for 'new posts since your last
visit' and 'new posts this very day'.

The Go to: select thing at the top don't work,
oh, it's not supposed to yet. OK, I don't use it anyway.

Is not the board still at the winter time?

There's no previous and next topic buttons because I'm supposed to
read only threads whose name appeal me?
If not, it was a useful feature.
 
 
Steve Block
04:28 / 03.04.02
I'm finding it's easier to use and I'm posting slightly more. The look is much better and the loss of html to me is great it makes the threads look much better than having huge pictures and stuff whacked in there, although that's possibly just my personal taste I guess. The board certainly loads much faster and I can have a few more windows open than before.

By the way, I don't know if it works for all browsers, but with internet explorer you can right click a link and have it open in a new window. Sorry if people are already aware of that fact. Removing the drop down menu forced me to look around the board a lot more, although I have yet to venture into other areas, it's a bit big and scary.

I think the one thing I agree I would like back is the page number on the main forum page. But anything that has gone is no great loss. I'm enjoying the extra work.
 
 
Saveloy
06:44 / 03.04.02
Like:
- The private message system rocks.
- Moderation. From a moderators pov, it's fekking marvelous. Dead simple to use.
- Not seeing the latest poster. Before, I found I was in the habit of only (or mostly) checking out posts by specific 'faves'.

Miss:
- The ability to jump to another forum from any part of the site. Having had that luxury for so long, I find it slightly frustrating having to go via the Underground

Bugs/problems:
- Whatever browser I use, images appear all over the shop. The space allocated to the post doesn't increase in size to accommodate the image.
- With Netscape 4.75, text that should be bold appears smaller than normal, and not at all bold. The opposite of bold, in fact. Probably a browser issue, and not something you can fix, but thought I'd mention it anyway.
 
 
Shortfatdyke
09:59 / 03.04.02
i'm having serious trouble coping with the new colours and layout. i mean, i dunno if there's something wrong with my eyes, but i'm actually having trouble making sense of what's where, i'm having trouble navigating and when i post something it freaks out and i have to start all over again to get back to the forum and see if my post has actually appeared. as a result, i feel disinclined to post. sorry, these comments seem very negative - but the old style was easy to read and the new one is giving me a headache.
 
 
The Return Of Rothkoid
13:15 / 03.04.02
I really think we need to be able to close off topics if need be. There's currently no option for it - though in the reduced posting level climate of the post-move, that's not been a problem. I can see a situation coming up sometime, though, that would require moderators to have an option other than move/delete, and it ain't there. I'd assumed (yes, yes, I know) that it'd be coming over as part of the redesign - would this be hard to code in? Moderation's working well, I think, but this is something that really does need to be there, I reckon.

Also; is anyone else finding it a little more... cold? around here? I can't quite put it into words: sfd has said that ze feels a little disinclined towards posting - easter aside, I feel a bit the same. It seems awfully quiet around here. Is it, or are we just having to adapt to it being flagged differently?
 
 
Spatula Clarke
13:30 / 03.04.02
Well, Fly's in NY. Rosa & Crunchy are presumably busy right now. I guess JtB has other things to worry about. I think all that we're seeing is a drop-off in the number of contributions from high profile posters, for reasons not directly associated with the board.

The white background makes things appear more sterile. It's not got that lived-in feel to it yet. A week really isn't long enough to get a feel for how the changes have affected things.
 
 
Tom Coates
21:06 / 03.04.02
There's going to be a culture change. That's inevitable - different software and different look and feel is going to do that. People seem to be using private messages quite a lot, which is good - perhaps more than before? Maybe that's stripping some of the idle chat off the board... I'm up for any good suggestions about making the place more friendly feeling..
 
 
Horus lord of force and fire
21:40 / 03.04.02
A free Haus cuddly toy when you reach 100 posts!
 
 
Jackie Susann
22:47 / 03.04.02
God, you go away to demolish a concentration camp and look what happens while you're away...
 
 
grant
17:28 / 04.04.02
trust us, we're the same old friends you remember fondly.

now who did you say were the leaders of your movement?
 
 
pointless and uncalled for
18:00 / 04.04.02
On the subject of ignoring. Should you choose to ignore someone their posts are still visible when you reply to a thread in the five post round-up.

This isn't a vast inconvenience to me but some people may find it a sticking point in the future.

Naturally that person's posts will not be visible if they didn't post one of the last five posts. Should stating the obvious be nessecary.
 
 
cusm
18:45 / 04.04.02
My two biggest beefs:

The horizontal scrolling in the text box, and not being able to edit your post anymore without bothering a moderator.

I understand the unfortunate necessity of restricting edits, I just maintain my right to grumble about it anyway. I think I wouldn't mind so much if the text box scrolling was disabled. That way, I could actually read my post and catch any misspellings more easily before sending it off.

I'm adjusting to the new color scheme. It still burns us it does, the yellow face... it wants our precious... but its really just a matter of getting used to it.

Otherwise, its looking very good. Pages load a lot faster, as well.
 
  

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