New Boards Layout

smash · 22-04-2016 08:57AM

12Phase wrote: »

Allow more linking to Twitter and Facebook to share posts.

Please don't ever do this....

12Phase · 22-04-2016 09:02AM

smash wrote: »

Please don't ever do this....

Well it doesn't need to be an obligatory thing. It's s handy opt in. I could see some people who don't want two online world's to collide.

Free linking to Tinder profiles for example

Wibbs · 22-04-2016 09:02AM

gandalf wrote: »

It doesn't suit the boards management agenda because they can't pump a load of ads at you through it thou.

I really don't think that's it G. After all the ads make eff all money compared to outgoings(Christ knows how much this rejig is costing). I do think it's a case of seeing the drop off in new registrations and falling views, panicking a little and looking for a Solution(™), bringing in "experts" who tell them that the site layout is putting off new members, so change must happen.

A bit stupid when one considers Boards at it's peak was more "cluttered" than today. Never mind that some of the largest and growing forums on the interwebs follow the old style forums layout(and many use vBulletin) More than stupid when this new layout makes it more difficult to navigate. That stickies are under a separate layer requiring another step to access tells you all you need to know about how out of touch the advisors were/are. Some of the more read and viewed threads on this site are stickied FFS. That fewer posts are viewable on a page also shows levels of daftness that is hard to fathom in the face of making it more readable. Look at what happened with the category rejig. i saw a number of forums go from OK to life support to effectively dead.

That those in charge of this only want to hear "constructive criticism" seems OK on the surface. Yes "it's shíte" is not constructive, however if that's a majority view then it becomes criticism you would do well to listen to. If one person tells you that you smell, ignore them, they're probably being a dick, if ten people do, buy soap. Oh and to those few who reckon the poll here isn't representative, put up a site wide poll and see. I will bet 100 quid to the charity of Board's choice that it will reflect this AH poll pretty damned closely.

Sadly I think this train is running too fast and with too much weight behind it to stop and this yoke will be phased in whether we like it or not and Boards will haemorrhage existing members at an ever increasing rate and won't bring in newbies.

gandalf · 22-04-2016 09:04AM

smash wrote: »

Please don't ever do this....

Actually I'd agree with this it's logical and would drive more traffic to the site. In the past I have shared out threads on my Facebook feed and I have several friends on Facebook who do so on a regular basis from one of the speciality sports forums here. I'd welcome a easier a quicker way than cut and pasting the URL.

12Phase · 22-04-2016 09:05AM

The real poll could be a dramatic loss of hits and logins. If you kill the goose that laid the golden egg reanimating her isn't always very easy.

smash · 22-04-2016 09:06AM

Wibbs wrote: »

I really don't think that's it G. After all the ads make eff all money compared to outgoings(Christ knows how much this rejig is costing). I do think it's a case of seeing the drop off in new registrations and falling views, panicking a little and looking for a Solution(™), bringing in "experts" who tell them that the site layout is putting off new members, so change must happen.

I'm still convinced that the 3 UI/UX people who worked on the new site were interns.

Spudmonkey · 22-04-2016 09:11AM

Is this definitely going ahead without any say from the users?

If so then I probably won't be using boards all that much anymore which would be a shame as its one of the top two-three websites I use on a daily basis.

smash · 22-04-2016 09:13AM

gandalf wrote: »

Actually I'd agree with this it's logical and would drive more traffic to the site. In the past I have shared out threads on my Facebook feed and I have several friends on Facebook who do so on a regular basis from one of the speciality sports forums here. I'd welcome a easier a quicker way than cut and pasting the URL.

It's already there at the top of the thread. Any more integration is just being pushy and becomes intrusive.

gandalf · 22-04-2016 09:23AM

To be honest Wibbs I am just speculating which is all you can do in the absence of any real engagement. I do agree with you there is a stench of panic off this proposed change.

Wibbs · 22-04-2016 09:26AM

and the sense of we've worked so hard and spent so much no way are we backtracking now.

12Phase · 22-04-2016 09:28AM

I don't think anyone of us would like to see boards.ie fail. I would STRONGLY suggest that they don't force people onto any new platform. They'll need to keep parallel sites until any new system actually works for the end users.

gandalf · 22-04-2016 09:28AM

smash wrote: »

It's already there at the top of the thread. Any more integration is just being pushy and becomes intrusive.

Sorry you're right it's on touch I use the m site on mobile and the legacy site so scrap that comment from me.

smash · 22-04-2016 09:28AM

Wibbs wrote: »

and the sense of we've worked so hard and spent so much no way are we backtracking now.

With the disregard for the time and effort users have put in to making the communities what they are.

gandalf · 22-04-2016 09:28AM

Wibbs wrote: »

and the sense of we've worked so hard and spent so much no way are we backtracking now.

Yep heels are being dug in.

bear1 · 22-04-2016 09:31AM

For those of us located abroad, try this. If you are on the phone try completely deleting your browsing history and also all saved passwords.
It worked for me the other day but on for a day or two and now it's permanently on.
So if you haven't tried it yet give it a go, at least you will have some extra normality.
It's a kick in the teeth to those of us located outside of Ireland.

smash · 22-04-2016 09:32AM

bear1 wrote: »

For those of us located abroad, try this. If you are on the phone try completely deleting your browsing history and also all saved passwords.

Drastic step

12Phase · 22-04-2016 09:33AM

I think there's a big, big risk that you'll get occasional users going : what the heck is this and being put off entirely.

I know I was faced with the new site on mobile and I came close enough to giving up as I couldn't find forums.

Also, I'm on currently on a Nexus 6P with a very big screen and a decent browser. So it's not like I'm being limited by hardware.

txt_mess · 22-04-2016 09:38AM

Have to say I like the header menus think they are clear and look good.

The main body were the posts are showing is just not that easy to read visually it doesn't pop , switched to the wider option and it looked a bit better but the black text with white and grey backgrounds is just a bit blah.

Maguined · 22-04-2016 09:40AM

Someone will have to organise a boards beers before the forced changover takes place. One last big hurrah and a wake all rolled into one.

smash · 22-04-2016 09:48AM

txt_mess wrote: »

Have to say I like the header menus think they are clear and look good.

They completely take over the screen and cause a scroll bar inside a scroll bar...

12Phase · 22-04-2016 09:49AM

Lads, I don't meant to be critical but you didn't get a really, really good looking, persuasive and cool consultant in who kept saying things like "responsive design", " web 2.0", "social media", "hash tags" did you??

I think pints with the end users is definitely needed.

Have you considered a proper focus group? Online and maybe off line too?

It's salvageable but don't paint yourself into a box like David Cameron did with Brexit. Sometimes these decisions need to be rethought!

The site has to work well for end users across desktop and an array of mobile devices. The beta simply doesn't.

VisibleGorilla · 22-04-2016 09:53AM

New layout is a complete mess.

22-04-2016 09:54AM

12Phase wrote: »

Lads, I don't meant to be critical but you didn't get a really, really good looking, persuasive and cool consultant in who kept saying things like "responsive design", " web 2.0", "social media", "hash tags" did you??

I'm being reminded of W1A here. :pac:

bear1 · 22-04-2016 09:54AM

smash wrote: »

Drastic step

Yeah but it's the only way it worked the one time for me

whatismyname · 22-04-2016 09:56AM

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

gandalf wrote: »

Thanks for adding the poll, jaysus 97.73% against is fairly damning alright. I hope that delays any changeover until there is a serious rethink on the user experience of this new launch.

You'd hope.
But generally they just ignore the userbase and push through changes.

Add your reply here.

Yes and just say it's cos people don't like change. Sigh. So much more to it than that, but when their minds are already probably pretty closed off to hearing what people have to say.....

laugh · 22-04-2016 09:57AM

Currently active users: 3,821 (1,450 registered, 2,371 guests)

^ What would this have been in it's heyday?

gimli2112 · 22-04-2016 10:00AM

Voted No. Haven't seen a poll landslide like this since the Luas Strike Thread.

22-04-2016 10:01AM

laugh wrote: »

Currently active users: 3,821 (1,450 registered, 2,371 guests)

^ What would this have been in it's heyday?

Most users ever online was 19,042, 20-05-2015 at 21:23.

Not that long ago really.

laugh · 22-04-2016 10:11AM

Karsini wrote: »

Most users ever online was 19,042, 20-05-2015 at 21:23.

Not that long ago really.

Interesting, so it's likely they are trying to attract less technically savvy users who don't block their ads etc.

old_aussie · 22-04-2016 10:13AM

Looks like something a 12 YO would do.

Too hard to read quickly, looks cheap and nasty.

Better luck next time boards.

New Boards Layout

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