Pros and Cons of New Forum Software

[TromboneAl]

I'm trying to keep an open mind, but there are a few things I don't like. The ads are a little more in your face. I may install my old ad blocker software just for this forum.

Will we be able to have images in our signatures?

 

[Andy R]

Will we be able to have images in our signatures?

We are going to hold off on new features like signature images until we can get the basics ironed out.

As for other pros and cons here are some:

Cons:
- Have to get used to new software
- Some features won't work exactly the same
- The added ad (but I would have had to put that in the old software too)

Pros:
- Attached image thumbnails
- Many more features for Mods and Admins to better manage things
- Similar threads (to show you other discussions on similar topics)
- Easily expandable software infrastructure to add features like Member Maps, photo gallery, blogs, etc.
- Less Spam accounts because of more security at registration
- Nicer input box where you type your posts

 

[bright eyed]

like i said in the other thread- it wastes a lot of space...i don't like the extra inch of space between each comment - because of the space for the avatar/name...can't we put them on the side?

i'm not opposed to change, just having to scan more/longer to read these looong threads!!!

 

[Delawaredave5]

The old software was very easy to click through new unread posts - all you did was click "next" (or whatever it was) - and you automatically went to first unread in next thread.

Can you do same with new software ? That's the most important feature of a forum- to easily identify and read new posts !

Now you have to click to next thread and then click unread (which I guess works, not sure).

And old threads had "new" next to them - so you could easily tell where there were new posts

Maybe above features are in new sofware. Why change and seemingly go backwards.......

 

[Peaceful_Warrior]

I miss the feature that allowed me to see new posts in the threads that I have replied to.

It serves as a nice filter from the 'New Posts' so that sometimes when I'm in a hurry and just want to see what people are saying in the topics I know I was recently most interested in, I can find those easily.

This was the first forum I had used which had that feature, and I'm very sad to see it go.

 

[bright eyed]

i think the default should not be to receive emails for every post we submit - i didn't realize that till i got a bunch of emails in my box! i turned it off, but i think it's better to put no emails as the default...

 

[dex]

I'm trying to keep an open mind, but there are a few things I don't like. The ads are a little more in your face. I may install my old ad blocker software just for this forum.

Will we be able to have images in our signatures?

Get Firefox - it is great for eliminating pop up and other ads

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I think what y'all want to do is 'subscribe to threads' that you respond to, turn off the email notification, then when you click on 'user cp' in the menu bar you'll get a list of all the threads you're 'subscribed' to...clicking on the little "down arrow" next to the thread title takes you to the newest post.

Hmmm...is it just me or did the forum display format just change to look a little bit like the old forum?

 

[Sheryl]

This is just too much of a PITA for me to figure out right now -it's taken me half an hour of screwing around just to get myself re-logged in. But I have no idea how to find the threads I've posted on to see if there is any continuing conversation....

WTF is a "user CP?" Do I have to "subscribe" every time I post to a new thread?

A quick check-in while working just isn't going to happen. Maybe I'll have time next weekend to figure out how to make things work in a way that will be worth bothering with...

If not - it's been fun!

Cranky Shery.

 

[Sheryl]

And Damn it I wish I hadn't wasted the time getting my Milo avatar uploaded - if I'd known it was going to be killed off 3 days later.

Where is my pissed off smiley with the baseball bat?

 

[Goonie]

Where is my pissed off smiley with the baseball bat?

........

 

[Andy R]

And Damn it I wish I hadn't wasted the time getting my Milo avatar uploaded - if I'd known it was going to be killed off 3 days later.

I was able to get Milo back for you.

 

[Sheryl]

Thank you Andy.

Milo thanks you.

I realize that you did a LOT of work to migrate the forum and in response you were slammed with complaints ranging from the serious to the totally trivial (Yeah, Milo probably wasn't a huge priority).

I noticed that you changed the avatar layout to resemble the old one already.

So I'm sorry for being so cranky.

It's just a measure of how important this forum is to us that we get all panicky and defensive when things change.

 

[Andy R]

No worries, I am still working on a lot of things based on your feedback. With time we will all get used to this new software and it really is a nice foundation for moving forward. I would not have changed the site if I did not think there would be significant benefits for the community members in the long run.

The user name vs display name took me by surprise (I was not aware of that feature in SMF) but we will get your accounts fixed up.

I will post more info about changes being made shortly.

 

[Andy R]

like i said in the other thread- it wastes a lot of space...i don't like the extra inch of space between each comment - because of the space for the avatar/name...can't we put them on the side?

The avatar, user name, etc. has been put on the left side.

 

[SC]

The avatar, user name, etc. has been put on the left side.

That is so much nicer. Thank you!

 

[Brat]

Frankly I think someone fixed that which was not broken. I have tried for an extended period and have come to the following conclusions:

Graphically the new software is auful.

It's features aren't transparent.

It isn't fun to use.

What more can I say?

 

[samclem]

Hey, everyone! Quit being so selfish! So--you don't like the way the forum looks. You don't like the way it works. It is clunky and everyhting is harder. Okay. Accept the fact that things have gotten worse. Believe that with time you'll "get used to it" (i.e. No, it won't work any better, but you'll forget how easy things used to be).

It is hard to see how this change has made things better for the users of the board. I guess it helps someone . . .

Andy is working to make improvements. We hope for the best. Right now, I'm visualizing a rose on a steaming turd.

 

[Elderdude]

OOO! I can read it all without my glasses! Not really. It's like having that godawful big print Readers Digest.

 

[Khan]

Another forum I frequent switched to this software in January.

8)
I like it. I find it an improvement. And I have had no problems.

 

[Sheryl]

I don't know if it's a pro or a con, but I find it a total crack up that Google Ads seem to think Retired = Dead and are giving us ads about funeral homes and cemetery plots!

 

[TromboneAl]

And I learned that jaw bone decay may be caused by a drug side effect. That's probably relevant for a lot of us.

 

[samclem]

Another forum I frequent switched to this software in January.

8)
I like it. I find it an improvement. And I have had no problems.

(adopts high-pitched, mocking tone) "Andy I like it, I find it an improvement. And I have no problems." Kahn, how about trying to keep faith with your fellow prisoners here, huh?! Are you getting part of the new ad revenues or something?

And Sheryl--wow, you get your dog picture and now you think everything is fine. I think he does, too (or is that his rear leg I'm seeing?).

(The forum change is not going down well with me).

 

[bosco]

I would like to enter my great big thmbs down.

I can find no convenient way to navigate throught the threads and messages that even remotely resembles how I used to do it. I've screwed around with it a lot--had login problems right off the bat.

Am I missing something or are the "next" and "previous" buttons missing? I used to go to the oldest unread message in a thread with a "new" on it and hit previous until I got back up to the top. Can no longer do that. It's not nearly as easy to see what has been read and what has not....

I'm sure I will get used to it, but it sure seems like a step backward to me.

edit...ok, I found the equivalent to next and previous....but I still fail to see how this is any improvement whatsoever to the user

 

[Fireup2020]

I too miss the link that checks the posts we responded to.

Thank you for putting the avatars back where this group thinks they belong