Homepage Redesign Part 2

Rabies

Everything that Zaph said, especially this bit.

- The little arrow that brings you to the last post you read in a thread needs to be brought in from the forum view. I know clicking on the post count does the same thing and people will get used to it, but it's far from intuitive for a newbie to the site. At least the arrow has the "I wonder what happens if I click on this" element to it so people could happen across the functionality. A post count just looks like a post count.
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- The Thanks Column. You know it's not right and is about as useful as the nipples on my chest, so why persist with it? Total thanks for a thread is meaningless. A thread with 40 posts could have 200 thanks. Is that 5 thanks per post? 4 posts with 50 thanks each? A single post with 200 thanks? Who knows, and you'll never know from that figure, so what's the point in having it there?

I know I'll have to get used to the new front page and some day the Cloud skin will be gone. Know its happening. Still holding out as long as I can


One more thing.
Don't know how anyone else browses the front page. But when I'm scanning the threads for an interesting one or my threads, I leave the mouse over the location where my eyes are. Having the thread post count at the far right beside the Thanks (grrrrr) column is a pain. Easier to click the last new post icon as I scan the page, faster browsing experience.

Rabies

Rabies wrote: »

But when I'm scanning the threads for an interesting one or my threads, I leave the mouse over the location where my eyes are. Having the thread post count at the far right beside the Thanks (grrrrr) column is a pain. Easier to click the last new post icon as I scan the page, faster browsing experience.

That's what I was trying to get at earlier. It's made worse when you scroll and then have to get yourself "realigned" to click on the postcount. An icon next to the thread title would be ideal.

As everyone else has said, the amount of dead space is disappointing and for me the vertical spacing is ridiculous. At a guess I could have had about 25-30 threads on one screen before, now it's 9.

ANXIOUS

How do I get the old home page back? When I click on the forums it brings me to the original layout but even www.boards.ie? Isn't working.

nesf

ANXIOUS wrote: »

How do I get the old home page back? When I click on the forums it brings me to the original layout but even www.boards.ie? Isn't working.

You can't avoid the new layout now.

ANXIOUS

nesf wrote: »

You can't avoid the new layout now.

Oh that's disappointing. Ah well I've kind of noticed myself graviting away from boards in the past while, maybe this will push me farther away. Why couldn't they just design the homepage to look like the old one?

Jarren

I only use touchboards.ie on android those days , absolutely hate the new homepage layout on my laptop .

mattser

TO ALL AT BOARDS ;

It is clear for some time now that things are not for changing. In what has to be the most unfair moves I have ever seen online, you have alienated yourselves from so many people who supported you for years.

I look forward to the wheels falling off this shameful folly.

Zaph

mattser wrote: »

TO ALL AT BOARDS ;

It is clear for some time now that things are not for changing. In what has to be the most unfair moves I have ever seen online, you have alienated yourselves from so many people who supported you for years.

I look forward to the wheels falling off this shameful folly.

I think that's pretty unfair. People's concerns have been listened to and some changes have been made and there are hopefully more to come. I'm not the biggest fan of the changes, but hoping the site fails due to a redesign is a bit of an extreme reaction.

nesf

Zaph wrote: »

I think that's pretty unfair. People's concerns have been listened to and some changes have been made and there are hopefully more to come. I'm not the biggest fan of the changes, but hoping the site fails due to a redesign is a bit of an extreme reaction.

I imagine the extreme reaction is coming from the hardline "we're not ever going back to what was there" that's been the consistent line. You can't expect to take such a stance without ruffling a lot of feathers (this doesn't mean it's the wrong stance to take, mind you).

Myrddin

nesf wrote: »

I imagine the extreme reaction is coming from the hardline "we're not ever going back to what was there" that's been the consistent line. You can't expect to take such a stance without ruffling a lot of feathers (this doesn't mean it's the wrong stance to take, mind you).

True, but in some cases, people's arguments say more about them than the argument itself

nesf

EnterNow wrote: »

True, but in some cases, people's arguments say more about them than the argument itself

I think dismissing someone's point because it's not a carefully crafted critique is foolish to be honest.

Myrddin

nesf wrote: »

I think dismissing someone's point because it's not a carefully crafted critique is foolish to be honest.

So you don't draw a distinction between a mature, constructive point and a load of childish nonsense no?

nesf

EnterNow wrote: »

So you don't draw a distinction between a mature, constructive point and a load of childish nonsense no?

I do, I just don't dismiss the latter as childish nonsense. Just because someone doesn't eloquently express their displeasure does not mean they are not experiencing displeasure and surely this is what matters to us (i.e. happy users) not how fancy their points are.

Like, I can say "Just put it back in table form and abandon this new idea of yours, it's widely disliked and really I can't see how anyone could consider it good" or I can stretch that out to a paragraph or two adding nicities and bells and whistles. We're adults, not kids, the former more curt answer should be fine.

expectationlost

too bright, less info on screen is bad

Myrddin

nesf wrote: »

Just because someone doesn't eloquently express their displeasure does not mean they are not experiencing displeasure and surely this is what matters to us (i.e. happy users) not how fancy their points are.

Where did I ever state the 'fanciness' of a post is what matters when discussing feedback? You're putting words in my mouth at this stage. Eloquence has absolutely nothing to do with feedback, I don't know why you're trying to make it seem like I'm suggesting otherwise.

The post in question put forward no alternative to the issues the user has, no suggestion to improve it, no constructive feedback whatsoever. It was exactly the type of post users were asked not to post, & was in-fact the exact type of post that the Admins will completely disregard & possibly delete (as per the warning in the first post).

I won't take this any more off-topic at this stage, it's a feedback thread, not a user bashing one.

nesf

EnterNow wrote: »

Where did I ever state the 'fanciness' of a post is what matters when discussing feedback? You're putting words in my mouth at this stage. Eloquence has absolutely nothing to do with feedback, I don't know why you're trying to make it seem like I'm suggesting otherwise.

The post in question put forward no alternative to the issues the user has, no suggestion to improve it, no constructive feedback whatsoever. It was exactly the type of post users were asked not to post, & was in-fact the exact type of post that the Admins will completely disregard & possibly delete (as per the warning in the first post).

I won't take this any more off-topic at this stage, it's a feedback thread, not a user bashing one.

The eloquence bit wasn't aimed at you, sorry.

Chucken

Its so boring not being able to see new threads

Gordon

I wouldn't really use the pagination feature on the tabs, but that's because I've been using the site for years and have my regularly used methods of browsing, but I like the theory behind it. However, why stop at 3 pages? Why not just have all pages? Latest Posts > "1 of Millions". I can't imagine anyone would go past page 5 but it could cater to the populous that thinks in a more linear mindset, as opposed to categorical ala the menu. Also, it's kinda cool to promote the "millions" aspect you could mix it up sometimes and replace millions with "absolutely rakes of pages" or "feckin' loads" for the craic!

Masked Man

Hamsters would probably have a stroke.

I'd think it would take an age to load as well.

nesf

Gordon wrote: »

I wouldn't really use the pagination feature on the tabs, but that's because I've been using the site for years and have my regularly used methods of browsing, but I like the theory behind it. However, why stop at 3 pages? Why not just have all pages? Latest Posts > "1 of Millions". I can't imagine anyone would go past page 5 but it could cater to the populous that thinks in a more linear mindset, as opposed to categorical ala the menu. Also, it's kinda cool to promote the "millions" aspect you could mix it up sometimes and replace millions with "absolutely rakes of pages" or "feckin' loads" for the craic!

Pagination in itself is fine. The issue was, somehow (I'm actually at a loss with this), someone thought 12 threads per page was fine. This is the kind of design decision only someone who is unfamiliar with forums could think is a good idea.

Pages of 50 threads, not pre-cached to save on server strain, would be something no one could object to. But that brings us back to that spreadsheet look that the team want (and, for reasons beyond me) to move away from.

Honestly, I'm deeply concerned about what the forums proper are going to look like once the same team get their hands on them.

wnolan1992

nesf wrote: »

Pagination in itself is fine. The issue was, somehow (I'm actually at a loss with this), someone thought 12 threads per page was fine. This is the kind of design decision only someone who is unfamiliar with forums could think is a good idea.

Pages of 50 threads, not pre-cached to save on server strain, would be something no one could object to. But that brings us back to that spreadsheet look that the team want (and, for reasons beyond me) to move away from.

Honestly, I'm deeply concerned about what the forums proper are going to look like once the same team get their hands on them.

Please lord, keep the designers away from the threads...

I can ignore or get used to poor design on the homepage and forum pages... but if the threads themselves go down the route of being overly padded and stylised...

*shudder*

whiteandlight

I am still not browsing boards on a laptop via the homepage because I cannot tell what threads I am up to date on. It is unbelievably frustrating.

Every other change I like so nearly there

2 things do be done please!:D

1. Make it default when thread title clicked to go to the last post.
I cannot really see why anyone but a minority would ever want to go to the first post in a thread if they have read it already.

2. Fix the bold that disappears when the thread has been read up to date.
This functionality is why I'm not browsing on my laptop and tend to read only on my phone since this changed.

Slutmonkey57b

Musicmental85 wrote: »

I am still not browsing boards on a laptop via the homepage because I cannot tell what threads I am up to date on. It is unbelievably frustrating.

Every other change I like so nearly there

2 things do be done please!:D

1. Make it default when thread title clicked to go to the last post.
I cannot really see why anyone but a minority would ever want to go to the first post in a thread if they have read it already.

2. Fix the bold that disappears when the thread has been read up to date.
This functionality is why I'm not browsing on my laptop and tend to read only on my phone since this changed.

Bookmark http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/subscription.php?do=viewsubscription instead.

championc

I have to say that I really like the new layout of quick links to "Latest Posts / My Forums / My Threads / Trending / Thanks". However, for me personally (and as seen from other postings, other people too), it would seem that a more popular choice for the content of the "My Threads" tab to contain the posts in the format of "My Threads in Folder : Subscriptions".

Can I ask as to what is the thinking between having a difference between "My Threads" and "My Threads in Folder : Subscriptions" ?

I have also noticed that if you go into my Subscriptions, you can only go to the last page of postings rather to where you last left off reading. So I have to agree with Musicmental that I see more benefit from using the app on my Android which will show me just the latest posts.

L5

nesf wrote: »

But that brings us back to that spreadsheet look that the team want (and, for reasons beyond me) to move away from.

Honestly, I'm deeply concerned about what the forums proper are going to look like once the same team get their hands on them.

+1 to all this. They seem to think that an organised, well laid out and easy to read format which has worked for years is too 'intimidating' for new users. If this is the case then how has the site managed to grow so much during the last decade if the front page was too scary for them?

Adyx

L5 wrote: »

+1 to all this. They seem to think that an organised, well laid out and easy to read format which has worked for years is too 'intimidating' for new users. If this is the case then how has the site managed to grow so much during the last decade if the front page was too scary for them?

It's kind of patronising if you ask me. Imagine you just signed up and saw the reasons given for the changes (beyond the technical). "We thought the site would be too hard for new users who are used to Facebook etc. to use". Now the site just looks like Facebook, especially with a thanks filter on the home page. Although at least Facebook's header bar doesn't take up half the page. Looks like that April Fools Day joke from a few years ago wasn't so wide of the mark after all.

Boards.ie: Nicola

nesf wrote: »

Honestly, I'm deeply concerned about what the forums proper are going to look like once the same team get their hands on them.

I think I've said this elsewhere but we are still a really long way away from even contemplating moving the forums themselves away from vBulletin. And when we do start the process there will be much more consultation and notice given.

Musicmental85 wrote: »

2. Fix the bold that disappears when the thread has been read up to date.
This functionality is why I'm not browsing on my laptop and tend to read only on my phone since this changed.

Again this had been said elsewhere but bold/unbold thread titles is something we will implement.

Tar.Aldarion

nesf wrote: »

Pages of 50 threads, not pre-cached to save on server strain, would be something no one could object to. But that brings us back to that spreadsheet look that the team want (and, for reasons beyond me) to move away from.

Apparently it is due to this:

We've already mentioned that a big part was the make the page look a lot less like an Excel file - if anyone suggest that the home page of any website should look like that then I'm afraid that I must disagree with you with every fibre of my being. Our old home page looked horrible. It was build by developers, not created by designers and we've fixed that. Our designers are extremely capable people (and are all Boardsies) and aren't going to make suggestions they don't think will work.

12 posts isn't enough - this is obviously the biggest thing people are saying. It's a big difference from seeing 50 in a list, but we are trying to tidy up what was a mass of text. Most people who've been here a while won't have a problem with how the home page looked, but if you're new here and you see that, it's cluttered and un-organised looking. This is what people have told us, we're not making it up So lessening the initial "blast" of threads combined with a bigger call to action to get people to either sign in or register is a major part of why some of the design decisions we've made have been taken.

But I can't really see how this will spur people to register/sign-in, there are already over 600000 people registered and it constantly grows, that is a large percentage of the populace! Surely this wouldn't be happening if it was frightening people away. I know you wish to increase numbers, but what indications were there? Apparently boards was being told this?

Spear

L5 wrote: »

+1 to all this. They seem to think that an organised, well laid out and easy to read format which has worked for years is too 'intimidating' for new users. If this is the case then how has the site managed to grow so much during the last decade if the front page was too scary for them?

A lot of users aren't capable of working with the homepage. The influence of things like Facebook is very real on them, and they don't get the idea that there might be structure to the site, or that it's not a free-for-all. A brief look at N&F will reveal plenty who couldn't figure it out, yet still managed to add things like tags to their posts.

Chucken

Spear wrote: »

A lot of users aren't capable of working with the homepage. The influence of things like Facebook is very real on them, and they don't get the idea that there might be structure to the site, or that it's not a free-for-all. A brief look at N&F will reveal plenty who couldn't figure it out, yet still managed to add things like tags to their posts.

Isn't that the absolute beauty of Boards, that its not facebook?