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New Topics/Category Organisation Update 20:45 - Post 100

12357…14

Comments

  • #202
    Star Lord
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,123 ✭✭✭✭Star Lord


    I could be wrong, but I think it's too get us used to the new categories and way of listing them before the rest of the site changes, rather than everything in one go.

    Seems to be a lot of the complaints are down to not being able to find things where they used to be, but I do agree with the complaints about clicking being required where hovering used to do, it does slow things down a little.

    Otherwise, I like it, and I'm sure most will too when they give it a chance and the wrinkles have been ironed out.


  • #203
    LuckyLloyd
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,403 ✭✭✭✭LuckyLloyd


    I guess there are two sides to this:

    - feedback / thoughts on the reorganisation;
    - feedback / thoughts / bug reports on the implementation of changes;

    In regards to the first piece I'd hope to stave off having anything to add as I stick to older unsupported skins. That says something - though probably something more about me than boards.ie.

    But with regards to the latter, I'd suggest that you had perfectly good criteria for a no go yesterday in:
    Dav wrote: »
    Hey all,

    As we were getting ready to start pushing all this out, we realised that the existing menu was going to cause is some problems, so we've turned off the Javascript that controls it and manages it's drop-down functionality. I expect it'll be that way for the rest of the afternoon whilst we're making the category changes.

    and

    Dav wrote: »
    Why couldn't we just copy all this over from our test environment in 10 minutes instead of faffing about with it all day? Well, we thought we could until we started poking at it this morning and VBulletin started threatening meltdown. So I had to spend the day re-doing all my work :(

    That's an error of judgement outside of 'I hate change'. It's not always going to be possible for releases / changes to be incremental and seamless; but once you realise pushing through is likely to cause a day or so of disruption it's probably time to go back and see if you can roll it out another way.

    Dav is clearly a good guy and fair play to him and his team engaging in heroism staying late trying to fix P1s on the fly but I think there is a lesson to be learned about what to do if assumptions you had before pushing a release don't stack up.


  • #204
    httpete
    Registered Users Posts: 208 ✭✭httpete


    This isn't something that is negatively affecting users because "they haven't gotten used to it yet."

    This definitively makes it take longer to access every forum here.

    And I don't know why a few people are saying it was done to make it easier for new users. How exactly did having the navbar with all the categories on display make it harder than it is now? It simply made every just about every forum a simple "hover...click" away. This isn't 1995, everybody has well over a decade of internet experience these days, how did having all the categories at the top confuse anyone, sure all the forums are still under various categories, these categories are just now all stuffed under the same menu.

    It feel like the entire site is now buried one level deeper than it used to be. The best feature on this site binned over out of the blue, I would love to hear the trur reason this was done, if it was done as a UX improvement your UX guy needs to get the boot as he/she hasn't a clue.

    I've worked as a software dev in arguably the biggest business software company in the world alongside top notch UX people who were brought in on "rock star" contracts as UX was considered THE most important aspect of web/mobile dev. Everything was built around the UX, that came first. Speed and ease of navigation around apps and websites decided how things got laid out. Whereas as here we have a site sacrificing UX either for aesthetic purposes or to give more prominence to their commercial side. Either way its a MAJOR mistake making it more awkward and take longer to navigate around this site.

    How did this change get suggested I'm the first place? - "I know guys, let bury the entire site one level deeper and make it take our users a few extra seconds longer every time they want to visit a forum."


  • #205
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,655 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Now I appreciate why you sometimes get complaints despite a lengthy consultation period......

    But no separating Health from Fitness?

    *sad face*

    That is all.


  • #206
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,930 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    fitz wrote: »
    Just reading now that this is an interim design prior to the new site design.
    That's really, really bad change management.

    And that's half the problem here.. the split-personality of Boards.ie

    On one hand it's trying to be a Community.. on the other it wants to be a Commercial Entity

    But in doing so it's alienating the former, and not following industry-standard best practise on the latter


  • #207
    IvyTheTerrible
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,949 ✭✭✭✭IvyTheTerrible


    Yeah, the boards.ie drop down not actually leading to most of the discussion forums seems to me to be really confusing for new users. If I was coming here for the first time, that's where I'd be going, not to the topics tab.


  • #208
    Lovely Bloke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,748 ✭✭✭✭Lovely Bloke


    Something has happened to "Television" - it's in my "My Forums" list, but when I click it now I see displayed a list of forums, all sitting on top of the actual Television threads, meaning I've to scroll past a list of 28 Sub Forums, and all the Television Stickies before I can read threads.

    Previously I was taken directly to the Television --> Television Forum which was better, obviously.


  • #209
    rob316
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,284 ✭✭✭✭rob316


    Real amateur hour, considering the size of this site.


  • #210
    mirrormatrix
    Registered Users Posts: 637 ✭✭✭mirrormatrix


    I didn't know this forum even existed until today, because I never needed it before, but after looking at the absolute mess of a menu system on the "interim" website this morning I had to figure out what was going on. Hopefully this system is drastically revised in the coming weeks. In particular, having to scroll down through the topics is a PITA. What was wrong with the way it was laid out before, with multiple columns clearly displaying all topics?


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  • #211
    El Guapo!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,438 ✭✭✭✭El Guapo!


    Is the word "Topics" annoying anyone else?
    Why isn't it just called "Categories", like most other sites?


  • #212
    zeffabelli
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,516 ✭✭✭zeffabelli


    Any chance of putting it back the way it was?


  • #213
    Kristopherus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,907 ✭✭✭✭Kristopherus


    IvyTheTerrible wrote: »
    Yeah, the boards.ie drop down not actually leading to most of the discussion forums seems to me to be really confusing for new users. If I was coming here for the first time, that's where I'd be going, not to the topics tab.

    Click on Topics, the on Topics that is on top of the drop-down list. That opens up all the forum headings and their sub-forums.


  • #214
    Lovely Bloke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,748 ✭✭✭✭Lovely Bloke


    None of this is better than hover...click


  • #215
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,833 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    Cold War Kid wrote: »
    People will get used to it in no time. Any time people object to something like this, it's essentially just not liking change. The old way is forgotten very quickly.

    It doesn't matter if people will get used to it in no time if it's a step backwards in usability.
    TheBeardedLady wrote: »
    I like it. Much neater having all the topics together like that. Good job.

    The point of a good UI is not purely for aesthetics.


  • #216
    NI24
    Registered Users Posts: 641 ✭✭✭NI24


    This is bad guys. Firstly, I didn't even know a change was coming, secondly, the tab headings are more confusing/redundant than before, and thirdly, it takes longer to get to the forums! You get a big fat E for effort, but surely it has to be more user friendly?!


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  • #217
    uck51js9zml2yt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    Plagued with internal server errors last night.


  • #218
    Boards.ie: Chris
    Closed Accounts Posts: 80 ✭✭Boards.ie: Chris


    Guys, it's not changing back. As has already been said, the coming new layout included a new navigation structure from inception. The change yesterday was to get you used to the new structure before we rolled out the new overall layout so you would be used to the navigation and causing less friction. It is strongly needed to encourage new users to interact with the site more. I've lost count of how many times I've overheard demonstrations from our colleagues trying to explain where to find things. The old layout was a layover from 20 years ago, it's long overdue a big overhaul.

    We've ran numerous threads on this asking for constructive feedback and even ran announcements giving people plenty of time to get their voice heard.


  • #219
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,833 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    fitz wrote: »
    While it might look neater initially, it's a horrible user experience.
    Addition of extra navigation clicks is madness, the navigation experience should only ever be simplified and shortened, not lengthened.
    .........
    There are forums that I dip in and out of occasionally, but not regularly enough to want them in my subbed forums list.

    Exactly. I often browse through each drop down to see if there's anything that grabs my interest in that moment of time and spend longer browsing the site than I intended to, often finding an interesting forum I wouldn't really be aware of.

    Now that just simply won't happen, reducing the time I spend on the site, something paying advertisers wouldn't be too impressed with.

    So this, and the issue with the ads killing the touch site equates to me visiting it not as often as I would when I have a spare few minutes to kill.


  • #220
    Brian?
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 21,573 Mod ✭✭✭✭Brian?


    Alf Veedersane wrote: »
    Now I appreciate why you sometimes get complaints despite a lengthy consultation period......

    But no separating Health from Fitness?

    *sad face*

    That is all.

    I've campaigned for this for a while now. PM me and I can explain in depth.

    they/them/theirs


    And so on, and so on …. - Slavoj Žižek




  • #221
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,833 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    Baldy Conscience wrote: »
    Something has happened to "Television" - it's in my "My Forums" list, but when I click it now I see displayed a list of forums, all sitting on top of the actual Television threads, meaning I've to scroll past a list of 28 Sub Forums, and all the Television Stickies before I can read threads.

    Previously I was taken directly to the Television --> Television Forum which was better, obviously.

    Yeah, having all the subforums on top of the main forum is silly, goes against the idea of the changes being there to tidy things up and save on screen space.
    El Guapo! wrote: »
    Is the word "Topics" annoying anyone else?
    Why isn't it just called "Categories", like most other sites?

    Not just like any other site, but it goes against the actual common meaning of the word. Topics are what the threads in an individual forum are about, not the forum themselves. How can you call After Hours for example a Topic when there's such a diversity of actual topics in there.


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  • #222
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,833 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    Boards.ie: Chris wrote: »
    We've ran numerous threads on this asking for constructive feedback and even ran announcements giving people plenty of time to get their voice heard.

    This doesn't matter until people get a hands on feel for the thing, you can't comment on such a change based on screen shots in a thread, you need to have a hands on experience with it. This is the main reason for having Beta versions etc.

    You never roll out a new version of a system, particularly with such a change to the UI, straight into production in a commercial environment.


  • #223
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,930 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    Boards.ie: Chris wrote: »
    Guys, it's not changing back. As has already been said, the coming new layout included a new navigation structure from inception. The change yesterday was to get you used to the new structure before we rolled out the new overall layout so you would be used to the navigation and causing less friction. It is strongly needed to encourage new users to interact with the site more. I've lost count of how many times I've overheard demonstrations from our colleagues trying to explain where to find things. The old layout was a layover from 20 years ago, it's long overdue a big overhaul.

    We've ran numerous threads on this asking for constructive feedback and even ran announcements giving people plenty of time to get their voice heard.

    And you have a thread here now giving feedback which is overwhelmingly negative in response to these changes with good and valid reasons why this is the case - it's not just "I hate change!"

    I'd like to understand how ye feel that implementing a temporary structure that disrupts and confuses new and old users alike for no real benefit when the whole thing is to change again in a matter of weeks is a "good thing"

    Also the "it's not changing back" line doesn't really fit with the "we've asked for feedback" line. What's the point in asking for constructive feedback if ye are going to plow away regardless if the feedback doesn't fit the internal team's opinions? That's not going to win any converts either


  • #224
    NI24
    Registered Users Posts: 641 ✭✭✭NI24


    Boards.ie: Chris wrote: »
    Guys, it's not changing back. As has already been said, the coming new layout included a new navigation structure from inception. The change yesterday was to get you used to the new structure before we rolled out the new overall layout so you would be used to the navigation and causing less friction. It is strongly needed to encourage new users to interact with the site more. I've lost count of how many times I've overheard demonstrations from our colleagues trying to explain where to find things. The old layout was a layover from 20 years ago, it's long overdue a big overhaul.

    We've ran numerous threads on this asking for constructive feedback and even ran announcements giving people plenty of time to get their voice heard.
    With all due respect, I don't think this attitude is going to endear you to either current users or incoming users--a group of people that are integral to the success of this site.


  • #225
    whatismyname
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,707 ✭✭✭whatismyname


    NI24 wrote: »
    With all due respect, I don't think this attitude is going to endear you to either current users and incoming users--a group of people that are integral to the success of this site.

    Nope, I was already verging on the 'I don't think I could quite be arsed continuing a site that deliberately makes it a lot harder for people to use', but obviously that's dramatic, need to give them time to listen to feedback, tweak to get it right etc....

    But with an attitude like that from staff, making it much more than just deliberately making it a lot harder, but just a 'we're right, the people giving us the constructive feedback are wrong', is not good.

    I posted last night about how it's not right or wrong, people use the site in different ways, and those saying it makes it a lot harder to use have valid perspectives, so disappointed that Boards themselves have a very different outlook.

    On a separate note, I noticed that 'announcements were ran, but I'm clearly missing them: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1253 And honestly have no idea where the 'numerous threads' mentioned were, and no I don't see that as a testament that the old way had stuff hard to find, more likely that they were in forums I don't visit, and were perhaps not promoted.

    It's irrelevant now anyway, as people have given their feedback on how much more difficult it makes things for them, but it seems just a case of 'tough', so guess it seems a case of 'get used to things being much less user friendly', or 'head off'.

    'Ah well' as they say.


  • #226
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,705 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    Health and fitness should have been split but making the regions such a big tab that has soo few posts per day is baffeling


  • #227
    trellheim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,965 ✭✭✭trellheim


    What is infuriating me is a lack of "Click here to browse boards.ie in classic mode" ; there is also still no announcement on the front page of the change; the last post from boards.ie has been essentially "Deal with it".

    Where's the CIO/CTO here discussing how smart he thinks this change is


  • #228
    Lovely Bloke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,748 ✭✭✭✭Lovely Bloke


    Boards.ie: Chris wrote: »
    Guys, it's not changing back. As has already been said, the coming new layout included a new navigation structure from inception. The change yesterday was to get you used to the new structure before we rolled out the new overall layout so you would be used to the navigation and causing less friction. It is strongly needed to encourage new users to interact with the site more. I've lost count of how many times I've overheard demonstrations from our colleagues trying to explain where to find things. The old layout was a layover from 20 years ago, it's long overdue a big overhaul.

    We've ran numerous threads on this asking for constructive feedback and even ran announcements giving people plenty of time to get their voice heard.
    Fine, but the last sentence is pretty condescending when you never ran a live trial to get feedback onboard and use it to make the final design.

    A few screenshots and a thread in Feedback is lovely, but until the changes go live and people start using them any feedback is basically useless, then to outright dismiss feedback that arrives once go live has started smacks of "we're the developers, the work is done now deal with it".

    Great customer experience right there.

    The roll out was cack-handed and this "it's only interim so you can get used to it" is pretty insulting to the thousands of current users - are we too bleedin stupid to take to a whole redesign at once, instead "the office" thinks we need in dribs and drabs like lab rats, little change here, another change there, ah shure they'll never even notice.

    I fail to understand how burying the site under another layer makes it easier for anyone - new user or otherwise.


  • #229
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    I agree with a lot of the feedback I've read this morning, but this is ridiculous.
    padd b1975 wrote: »
    It's just taken me ten minutes to find the radio forum.

    10!!

    If I want to be led on a similar merry dance, I'll join Reddit.
    Type r-a-d into the search box and click on the first link that drops down: Entertainment > Radio.

    Unless you are a very slow typer, this should save you some time.


  • #230
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,930 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    trellheim wrote: »
    What is infuriating me is a lack of "Click here to browse boards.ie in classic mode" ; there is also still no announcement on the front page of the change; the last post from boards.ie has been essentially "Deal with it".

    Unfortunately this does seem to be the case. "This is how it is and your feedback is welcome as long as it agrees with our decisions, otherwise we'll be going ahead anyway!"

    It's exactly the same attitude that came out during the Adverts "success fees" implementation that I referred to earlier in the thread and it didn't go over any better then AND had led to Adverts being filled with long-sold ads as people try to get around the charges, while doing nothing to address the larger issues of thread spoiling and timewasters

    Boards/DM in it's drive to commercialisation seems to be forgetting that the success of these sites DEPENDS absolutely on its users who (unlike 5/10 years ago) have plenty of alternatives if pushed too far.

    By pushing out significant changes like this with negative impacts on the user experience and THEN saying "this is how it is - tough!" I really don't think it's going to help attract new users, never mind retain existing ones!


  • #231
    kneemos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,450 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Dades wrote: »
    I agree with a lot of the feedback I've read this morning, but this is ridiculous.
    Type r-a-d into the search box and click on the first link that drops down: Entertainment > Radio.

    Unless you are a very slow typer, this should save you some time.

    If you're not aware that a there is a radio forum how likely are you to come across it?


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  • #232
    Lovely Bloke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,748 ✭✭✭✭Lovely Bloke


    tbh

    am-i-out-of-touch-no-its-the-children-who-are-wrong.jpg


  • #233
    Kunkka
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 793 ✭✭✭Kunkka


    Boards.ie: Chris wrote: »
    The old layout was a layover from 20 years ago, it's long overdue a big overhaul.

    .

    If it's not broken why fix it?


  • #234
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    kneemos wrote: »
    If you're not aware that a there is a radio forum how likely are you to come across it?
    padd b1975 is well aware of the radio forum. Once you know the forum exists it's impossibly easy to find it using the search box.

    In this instance I'm not directing this "tip" at newer users finding their way around, though it can be very helpful to them, too. e.g. Someone looking to post about photography or cycling only have to type that in to get a suggested forum.

    Fwiw, I'm not a fan of hiding everything in a "Topics" tab, instead think a menu type button as suggested in next-gen site screenshots could work - as long as the menu is slick and responsive, and doesn't require undue clicking.


  • #235
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    Just having a think about this; given how useful the search box actually is, I wonder if an instance of the search box could appear in the dropdown above the list of forums with a "search for a forum/topic/catagory" label.

    That way people would could directly associate it with finding forums, rather than searching the site for keywords which I suspect most people currently think it does.


  • #236
    Spear
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 25,513 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    Kunkka wrote: »
    If it's not broken why fix it?

    It's not a case of being broken, more so a case of being horrible anachronistic. The old categories were based on the Usenet subdivisions, hence rec, arts, edu etc. And how many people use Usenet these days? Or even know the name of it? They have no relevance to those who've now grown up on Facebook/Twitter.


  • #237
    28064212
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,818 ✭✭✭✭28064212


    Boards.ie: Chris wrote: »
    Guys, it's not changing back. As has already been said, the coming new layout included a new navigation structure from inception. The change yesterday was to get you used to the new structure before we rolled out the new overall layout so you would be used to the navigation and causing less friction. It is strongly needed to encourage new users to interact with the site more. I've lost count of how many times I've overheard demonstrations from our colleagues trying to explain where to find things. The old layout was a layover from 20 years ago, it's long overdue a big overhaul.

    We've ran numerous threads on this asking for constructive feedback and even ran announcements giving people plenty of time to get their voice heard.
    Have there been any posts complaining about the category reorganisation? There was plenty of constructive feedback in the thread on it. I don't think I've seen one post in this thread on the issues that were raised there.

    Almost every single post has been about the changed functionality of the dropdown menu, and the extra clicks needed to access a particular forum. There was no discussion on that in the original feedback thread. There wasn't even a screenshot of it.

    No-one has asked for a roll-back of the category reorganisation. No-one has suggested a return to "Rec" and "Soc". Everyone has asked for a roll-back to the old style and functionality of the menu

    Also, any talk of using My Forums/User CP/Search box is irrelevant. If those are suitable replacements, then just do away with the drop-down altogether. But they're not, they serve different purposes. And I'm speaking as someone who does not use the drop-down at all, it either its current or previous incarnation

    Boardsie Enhancement Suite - a browser extension to make using Boards on desktop a better experience (includes full-width display, keyboard shortcuts, dark mode, and more). Now available through your browser's extension store.

    Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/addon/boardsie-enhancement-suite/

    Chrome/Edge/Opera: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/boardsie-enhancement-suit/bbgnmnfagihoohjkofdnofcfmkpdmmce



  • #238
    fitz
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 8,140 ✭✭✭fitz


    There have been Category re-orgs in the past.
    If the goal was to get people used to the new categorisation of individual forums, why not just leave the existing menus in place and do the re-categorisation?

    That would have got people used to where things are without disruption to usability.

    I understand the needs to move to new technology, to simply things, and to drive better user engagement, but this was not the way to roll a new design out.


  • #239
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    The main gripe here appears to be over the "Topics" link in the top. My understanding from reading through this thread, is that the "Topics" link is temporary. When the new layout gets rolled out, however it's to be displayed, I expect it'll be changed to the items in the Topics menu.

    The reason for the click, is that parent forums always required a click to see the child forums. It's just now, the Category takes the place of the parent forum, so there is a tiered set of forums to expand to get to where we want.

    This could have been handled better if we were told what to expect throughout these roll out stages. Not just that a milestone has been accomplished, then leaving us baffled at what's going on. As several other posters mentioned here before, I thought something was wrong on my end all day yesterday.
    Kunkka wrote: »
    If it's not broken why fix it?

    Just because it works well, doesn't mean something better isn't possible.


  • #240
    kneemos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,450 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    OSI wrote: »
    Where was it before, under arts? "hmmm, I wanna chat about that program that was on the radio earlier, where would it be? It's entertainment, but I don't see a category for that. It's kind of recreational, but that's just got something called After Hours and a bunch of motoring stuff...."

    It is actually right there under Entertainment.
    Dunno how it took ten minutes.


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  • #241
    whatismyname
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,707 ✭✭✭whatismyname


    Spear wrote: »
    It's not a case of being broken, more so a case of being horrible anachronistic. The old categories were based on the Usenet subdivisions, hence rec, arts, edu etc. And how many people use Usenet these days? Or even know the name of it? They have no relevance to those who've now grown up on Facebook/Twitter.

    I don't think they were meaning 'broken' literally.

    And I don't think the main feedback people are saying that doesn't work for them is the names of the categories. There seem to have been many things said, but hardly any focusing on the names of the categories from what I saw.


  • #242
    Penn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,242 ✭✭✭✭Penn


    Dades wrote: »
    I agree with a lot of the feedback I've read this morning, but this is ridiculous.
    Type r-a-d into the search box and click on the first link that drops down: Entertainment > Radio.

    Unless you are a very slow typer, this should save you some time.

    I found it in the dropdown menus in under 10 seconds.

    It's clearly not under Talk To, Regional or Adverts. Boards.ie is the same dropdown menu it previously was.

    So, under Topics, click on Arts, it's not there. So click on Entertainment (the next most likely place it would be), and there it is.

    padd b1975, if it seriously took you 10 minutes to find it, I don't think that's something Boards can fix. I think that's a problem on your end.


  • #243
    mikom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,391 ✭✭✭✭mikom


    Disaster.
    You'd need a sat-nav to find some topics and a lucky guess to find others.


  • #244
    Nody
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,334 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    Honestly I like the new categories in general (but agree Topics should be named something else) but what really annoys me more than anything else is the fact it's a single list drop down menu. If I go into for example Sports I have to scroll way down to find what I want were previously with multiple columns I could see the whole category in one handy box visible directly.

    The fact I can't hover it to open automatically is something I'm sure to come back but please give us visibility in a single screen for the whole category as in the previous version. At least to me that lead to finding what I wanted faster and checking out forums I'd not check on an ongoing basis out of curiosity.


  • #245
    Tokyo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,655 ✭✭✭✭Tokyo


    mikom wrote: »
    Disaster.
    You'd need a sat-nav to find some topics and a lucky guess to find others.

    I wouldn't agree. Any of the forums that were actually moved, are now in a more intuitive location. Any of the forums not moved are in the same easy (or difficult, depending on your perspective) to find location as before. I really can't understand why people are acting like they've been dropped into the middle of a minefield with no map :confused:

    There are two separate issues at play here, and should be treated as such - the actual reorganisation of the categories, and the dropdown menu at the top of the page. Personally, I don't have a problem with the category restructure. I agree with some of the constructive criticism given in respect to the menu, but it's very much worth remembering that this is a temporary menu, while waiting for the the new site design to roll out.


  • #246
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,930 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    Spear wrote: »
    It's not a case of being broken, more so a case of being horrible anachronistic. The old categories were based on the Usenet subdivisions, hence rec, arts, edu etc. And how many people use Usenet these days? Or even know the name of it? They have no relevance to those who've now grown up on Facebook/Twitter.

    True, BUT this is still a discussion forum not Facebook or Twitter or Reddit, and like other fora there are significant differences as to how they operate vs the above examples.

    If the intention is to turn Boards into a Facebook/Reddit/Twitter clone then sure, copy away! If however it's to retain the same fundamental structure though then by all means move off vBulletin if it's not up to the task anymore, but sacrificing the UX in the process AND alienating users with some of the messaging around these changes and - more importantly - the responses to the constructive feedback that IS being offered is in my opinion anyway, NOT the way to go and will only hinder not help the site in the long term.


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  • #247
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,930 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    mike_ie wrote: »
    I agree with some of the constructive criticism given in respect to the menu, but it's very much worth remembering that this is a temporary menu, while waiting for the the new site design to roll out.

    The key point though is that as this is only a temporary menu anyway, what's the logic in confusing and annoying users (new and old) when the whole site is going to change again in a matter of weeks anyway.

    The response that it's to "get us used to it" is condescending IMO. Most people here aren't new to the Internet and can handle big changes IF they're positive, beneficial and improve the general experience.. none of which the changes in the last 24 hours have been!


  • #248
    MrWalsh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,664 ✭✭✭MrWalsh


    Im finding it very difficult to find anything and the drop down menus are a bit of a nightmare on the ipad as unless you very specifically touch the tiny downward arrow its as though you have clicked to follow the link to a "topic" - so the menu dropdown hasnt really been working for me at all.

    I cant find the Television forum at all, only the specific show forums.


  • #249
    _Kaiser_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,930 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    OSI wrote: »
    I've had a good read of the thread, a good half of this thread is the same 3 or 4 people bleating on. A considerable chunk from you. And then you have likes of Challengemaster coming out with crap like (yes, paraphrasing) "They're only doing it to justify a paycheque", what kind of response do you want?

    How about the powers that be read the feedback, accept that 90% of users that have posted aren't happy with the change, accept that they made a mistake on this one and hold their hands up and admit it.

    Then undo these IMO unnecessary changes until such time that they ARE ready to move with the larger restructure of the site - but I'd suggest that asking for feedback and then ignoring it because it doesn't fit with the internal agenda is self-defeating and sets a poor tone to the users generally.


  • #250
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    MrWalsh wrote: »
    I cant find the Television forum at all, only the specific show forums.
    The TV forum is actually on the same page, below all the show forums. I'm guessing something will have be done about that.


  • #251
    mirrormatrix
    Registered Users Posts: 637 ✭✭✭mirrormatrix


    OSI wrote: »
    I've had a good read of the thread, a good half of this thread is the same 3 or 4 people bleating on.

    Maybe that's because they are the only 3 or 4 people that can actually navigate to this thread under the new system :D


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