Can we PLEASE go back to the old forum! 23

[IRstuff]

You shouldn'y be getting any notifications, unless you specifically asked for them. I had disabled all notifications on my preferences page, and haven't gotten any new notifications since I did that. The snapshot is basically one click away, under Watched Forums; they have added a Mark Forums Read function, which is somewhat handy

 

[ShataCastings]

All programmers know that Do Not to "modify" the BUGs if they have no affect on your program

 

[Brad805]

I look at the notification list below and think they must not know their audience. It seems they needed to redo the whole site to change the format. I doubt incremental changes would have been possible given how antiquated the old system was.

 

[TigerGuy]

https://www.eng-tips.com/forums/pats-pub.1088/

I think the point has been missed. Nobody seems to like the update. This site used to be a great forum to discuss various topics and help one another find solutions.

Now, we can't find anything that we are used to viewing.

"I have an idea. Let's take something that is really popular and make it so unfriendly to the user, that they decide to stop using it."

 

[XR250]

I actually like the new format. Seems a lot more powerful and easier to use. The colors and contrast could be better though.
I turned off notifications and do not get any emails anymore.

 

[BrianPetersen]

I am missing having the list of commonly read forum sections along the left side. Having to dig through the entire list of 90% groups that I have no interest in, is tedious.

While typing this, it looks like the writing is a light-grey on almost-white background. On this computer monitor in this particular indoor location with my eyes reading it, it's OK if perhaps not the best, but I can see how the low contrast between writing and background could be a problem in other circumstances. This should be an easy fix: Make the writing BLACK, not grey.

 

[Jon]

I am missing having the list of commonly read forum sections along the left side. Having to dig through the entire list of 90% groups that I have no interest in, is tedious.

While typing this, it looks like the writing is a light-grey on almost-white background. On this computer monitor in this particular indoor location with my eyes reading it, it's OK if perhaps not the best, but I can see how the low contrast between writing and background could be a problem in other circumstances. This should be an easy fix: Make the writing BLACK, not grey.

HI Brian,

The colors have been updated. White background when typing a response with black text.

A good way to find what you are interesting in is a the watched forums https://www.eng-tips.com/watched/forums . This will shows the forums you follow and highlight anything with new activity. it can be found in the navigation at the top here

 

[dik]

I'm slowly getting used to it, and I'm beginning to think the new site is better. I haven't tried the search functions, yet. That will be a big test.

 

[PE_JRM]

I don't like the new format either....on the most basic level. The font is way too small and text gets washed out by the very bright all white background. I can live with it but I don't like it. Using the site is now an unpleasant experience for that reason alone.

 

[GregLocock]

If you go to preferences under your username you can select different styles. The current choices are between default:EngTips, EngTips, and default. They all look very similar to me but perhaps one has a better palette.

 

[shvet]

Complaints above are definetly good but anyway is there a way to get this forum back as a new one is unable to navigate? I don not have free time to waste on reading through 90% threads I have nothing to do with.

 

[human909]

It would seem that the "administrators" who implemented this change have no idea of relating to their user base. Which is kinda odd because isn't as though there isn't significant overlap between IT and Engineering.

To be fair change is HARD. But this has all been made worse buy lack of warning and making the change so significant it barely resembles the old forum.

(There was likely warning/advice that change was coming somewhere. But was it anywhere that the typical user looks?)

Please. Please improve the site. The colour contrasts, the wasted space and the lack of easily seeing forums relevant to the user.

 

[boofi]

I can't believe the feedback here haha, this is way better than the old forum setup. This format is what every other forum format has been since probably 2000, the old eng-tips setup was definitely an outlier.

I encourage people to give it a shot before immediately poo-pooing the new format. Don't live in anger, live in progress

 

[CWB1]

I'm surprised the old forum software lasted as long as it did being such an antiquated turd. It had a really annoying habit of randomly submitting posts while I was midway through typing, crashing when I submitted a post (thereby losing the post), and other failures. Not being able to truly delete posts also bothered my OCD, frequently I have an additional thought (or realize that my words are a bit mean) 5 mins later and hated having to either see an "updated" post with history or the public ghost post if I chose to "delete" and repost an updated version.

 

[mfgenggear]

Us older guys who can't see well struggle with the light font, and size. I searched to modify the color scheme and failed.
I need a magnifying glass to be able to view and write

 

[FastMouse]

So many aspects of the new forum system are a disappointment, on so many levels, that I don't have time to list them all. Anyone reading this has probably already discovered them for themselves.

 

[Jboggs]

As a major user - I agree with all the above!!!

I don't mind a new format, a new look, etc - as long as the same information is displayed. Such as the ability to tell at a glance which threads have new posts since my last visit. Also I really appreciated the list of other forums that used to appear on the left, along with symbology indicating new posts.

Keep the new format if you want - BUT PLEASE RESTORE THOSE OLD FEATURES!!!

If those old features I mentioned are still available please provide instructions how to access them.

 

[SwinnyGG]

Shocked by the feedback here.

This forum has been using an out-of-date format, with barely-sufficient functionality, compared to every other online forum on planet earth for more than a decade. I always assumed it was because running a forum can actually be fairly expensive, and it was cheaper not to change anything.

Every single complaint in this thread has a simple answer, if you take the time to actually look around and see the options available to you.

Want to see all your content? Find threads -> threads with your posts.

Want to know what's been updated? If it's bold, it has new responses since you last read it.

And guess what, you can quote someone now in a response with a single click instead of needed 90 seconds of typing and housework to do it.

Thank you, administrators. Long overdue.

 

[bcavender]

Please fix "EDIT" so I can revise text to improve it when more info becomes available.
Tnx!
Bruce

 

[BulbTheBuilder]

I can't see "thread starter" when I switch the style from ENG style to Default Style