I still can't cope with the design

MDJAK wrote in post #17503474
So I've been trying it over and over again to see if it's me, as most probably suspect. As for browser, I'm almost always on my iPad. Otherwise on Safari or the latest IE on my Mac Air running Windows 8.

I think it's the fact it's not very sensitive to touch and I may be accidentally hitting the name of the last poster under the name of the thread.

However, and this is a big however, please don't tell me I'm so dumb as to not remember in the old software that regardless of whether I visited a thread once or a thousand times, if I clicked on the thread title it opened anywhere but at the top.

When I rummage through G&N, why on earth someone thought it was a good idea if I visited it a day ago or a year ago and now go back to see the original pictures posted, that it should go anywhere but the beginning I'll never know or figure out, but it's IMHO ridiculous. Often times, as selfish as it may sound, and self-centered, I don't care what anyone else has written. I'm opening the thread again to see the pics at the top. And should I then decide to read the comments, that's my prerogative. The fact I've visited it never or a hundred times should have no bearing on it opening anywhere but at the top.

I've said my piece (not peace) and as Forrest Gump said, that's about all I've got to say on that topic, aside from the fact no other forum I'm on, and that numbers about 5 or so, opens a thread anywhere but at the top if one clicks on the thread title, regardless of the number of prior visits. It needs fixing for it's a huge turnoff.

And actually now that I tried it again, I see more clearly a portion of what is happening. If I have the main page open and the last post is on the right, if I click on it, it highlights the entire post, including the name of the last poster and takes you there. No way no how the old software did that.

Thanks. I'm pretty sure all those problems are gone with next version, I see at least one bug with index page links that needs to be fixed.

I do have the old forums installed in my dev system, and there also the index page thread titles take you to the next unread, clicking the username goes to the member page. That blue arrow goes to last post in thread.

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But as I said, you are correct and there is something odd with those index page links regarding to where it goes on a thread that is not read (the "next unread" is sometimes wrong when thread is not read). I'll see that it is fixed. On individual forum index pages the title links are already set to go to top of page one, in the next version, and that won't fail.

BKGInc wrote in post #17503223
I used to visit this site multiple times per day. Since they changed to this new format I think I may have visited a handful of times. I don't like it at all and cant navigate around as easy. It sucks because I loved POTN.

Sorry to hear that.

I have to say things will never feel the same after a site change, no matter how you do it. Old POTN software was virtually static from 2002, so it is natural it takes a while to get the brainwawes re-adjusted.

Forum indexes and thread views are virtually identical to old, you can post so you can use the text editor - that is all you need, really.

This is the same POTN, the old content is here in full, old forums and threads are here. You can filter out extra forums if you do not need them and you can import your old subscribed thread list, I do not see it that much different at all.

Please note: if you do not care about the new features or want use them, then leave them be! There is no pressure of any kind to do anything else that you did with the old software.

Feel free to explain me in detail what bothers you the most. I appreciate detailed reports.

MDJAK wrote in post #17503474
Often times, as selfish as it may sound, and self-centered, I don't care what anyone else has written. I'm opening the thread again to see the pics at the top. And should I then decide to read the comments, that's my prerogative.

MDJAK,
It is interesting that you explained this.

For me, it is quite the opposite; 90% of the time I spend here on POTN, it is not to see the photos that people have posted; rather, it is to see what people have written. I guess if I want to see photos, then I'll go to Google Images, or to a photographer's website, or to Flickr, or some other photo-sharing site. I visit a photography forum when I want to engage in discussion about photography, or to see what other people have to say about photos.

I think that different people have very different reasons for visiting a photography forum, and, as such, they will have different ways of using the forum, and different preferences as to how the software works.

I think one thing we can all agree on is that it is a huge challenge for Pekka to try to make a forum that will appeal to everyone. I applaud his efforts!

I appreciate the first unread post for any thread with real discussion that I'm taking part in: Boston POTN Member thread, Macro guessing game, any Talk thread with a lively discussion, long Lounge threads, any good debates or conversations, review and equipment comparison threads and many more. For a photography forum, I'm not just here to look at pictures... but it's nice to jump to the first unread thread in Lens sample threads, popular photo threads that have many ongoing contributors, so on so forth.

The threads I click the least are the threads where only the thread starter posts photos for critique or to just share.

BKGInc wrote in post #17503223
I used to visit this site multiple times per day. Since they changed to this new format I think I may have visited a handful of times. I don't like it at all and cant navigate around as easy. It sucks because I loved POTN.

Can't is a sad, sad word. It implies that you aren't willing to learn and experience something new. I truly feel bad that some users couldn't take a small change and stopped visiting completely. "I loved POTN"... I just don't get how a visual change forces people to used love in the past tense. All the content is the same. The active users are the same. If you took time to get used to the visual differences and used POTN for the quality conversation based discussions and photo sharing, you'd truly enjoy the experience and get past your unhappiness of the fonts and new organization. Cheers!

I've been a member for a few years now and (probably) like many people have highs and lows in terms of my activity here. After my most recent lull I came back to the completely new site. The changes in appearance and functionality didn't bother me at all. Once I figured out how to use some of these new features I liked them. I also realize the potential for some of the things like the gear review data base. I like the new search feature and notifications for threads that I follow. I personally like that I can view most recent posts instead of starting at the top again.

There are some things that I either haven't figured out yet or are just more difficult. For example, Can I PM someone without searching for their name? Is there a way to just click a PM button next to their name or on their profile? Probably missing something obvious here...

The biggest change I've noticed is that everything seems so spread out and it feels like there is much less activity on the forum. I know the "traffic" is about the same... Does that mean clicks and page views only? What about posts? Sorry if this has been addressed already (I read the state of the forum post a few pages back) but is it just the threads being spread out more that makes it feel like there is less activity or are the actually fewer posts. I know my most recent FS threads seemed to stick around page 1 for quite awhile (a day or so) when in the past they would have been buried in a couple hours. Is this the economy? Is it because of other factors?

Sorry for the rambling, just wanted to share my experience.

tjbrock42 wrote in post #17523737
...There are some things that I either haven't figured out yet or are just more difficult. For example, Can I PM someone without searching for their name? Is there a way to just click a PM button next to their name or on their profile? Probably missing something obvious here...

Can't help with your other questions but PMing is quite easy. Click on the circled area in the first photo then click on the circled area in the second photo:

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Awesome! Kinda figured it was something simple that I just hadn't figured out. I kept clicking on username and searching for a PM link.

Thanks!

tjbrock42 wrote in post #17524083
Awesome! Kinda figured it was something simple that I just hadn't figured out. I kept clicking on username and searching for a PM link.

Thanks!

Please note that there are some bugs in "adding" names to a current PM and few other PM related bugs (like CONTENT RESTORED appears on empty PM). All those are fixed in next version.

There is also a send pm command in the bottom of each member page "Write a personal message to XXXXX".

Marketplace will surely get some new action when we'll set some sorting ability and new bump rules soon, along with PM email notifications. There are plans to make it integrated into the gear database with alert automation and much more, at the moment some other things are on the list first.

All suggestions how to improve the forums are very welcome. Thanks for your comments!

rrblint wrote in post #17523845
Can't help with your other questions but PMing is quite easy. Click on the circled area in the first photo then click on the circled area in the second photo

Pekka: This might be more obvious if MORE INFO | REPORT were replaced with MORE | PM | REPORT.

OhLook wrote in post #17524221
Pekka: This might be more obvious if MORE INFO | REPORT were replaced with MORE | PM | REPORT.

Not to nitpick, but while were at it, I'd argue that in the above case, "MORE" should be last.

PM | REPORT | MORE

Also keep in mind that clicking on someones avatar in a post/thread brings up the PM MORE as well. I find this very intuitive.

As it is (once you figure it out) it is easy enough, but I like this idea.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #17524251

OhLook wrote in post #17524221
Pekka: This might be more obvious if MORE INFO | REPORT were replaced with MORE | PM | REPORT.

Not to nitpick, but while were at it, I'd argue that in the above case, "MORE" should be last.

PM | REPORT | MORE

I'm not sure. PMing and reporting are actions to take, not kinds of information. Putting MORE at the end implies that MORE represents additional things a member might want to do. Retaining INFO after MORE would be clearer: MORE INFO | PM | REPORT. But it'd make the line longer.

Yes, and clicking on the name gets the member's page, with a PM link if people go that far down. Also intuitive.

Maybe

MEMBER | PM | REPORT

Pekka wrote in post #17500994
To get some old farts active needs some effort: as there have been email notifications missing, many do not come to check the site often, when mails are running again that will change (I personally do not care for email notifications but apparently they are essential for some). Also when the hangover from "shock of not being Canon only" and "the button x is not in the same place as it was before" wears out, many will see that POTN is still very much the same POTN (mixed gear brand threads going on for years are merely separated to own forums now).

Email notifications are how people keep track when they're on 20-30 different forums. This being THE Canon forum people still check here, just not as often. I find myself sticking to other forums more simply because I can be notified of ongoing discussions.