Reply to: Old forum was better

[ChimpMaster]

Thumbs down from me too. Big time.

Sorry CUK, I know you probably worked hard on this but it's very user-unfriendly.

[cojak]

On a browser that a major telco client gave to everyone last year because they realised that IE6 that SAP was forcing them to use just wasn't sustainable.

Don't worry, I'm sure your company will come to that conclusion too.

Eventually...

[Jeebo72]

Yuck, just in, first post, this is horrible. I'll read everyone elses view in a mo

[DimPrawn]

NickFitz did the layout using a Mac.

Yeah, use a browser and OS used by 0.0000001% of corporate clients out there.

Idiots.

[DimPrawn]

WHS.

Hideous!

[MaryPoppins]

FWIW I've just got rid of the emoticon box by switching to the Basic Editor in General Settings (I got used to using the Smiley mnemonics ages ago, so don't miss the icons).

How do I do this please? Just went to General Settings and it only gave me options re: my own privacy etc.

[London75]

Me too, these filter rules make it a little more work safe, like it overall though

forums.contractoruk.com##DIV.textcontrols
forums.contractoruk.com##H2.title.icon
forums.contractoruk.com##TD.tcat
forums.contractoruk.com##TD[width="170"]

That last one looks a little suss though, can see that one back firing at some point.

[Lumiere]

WHS, there needs to be a B+W, as bland as possible, turn off icons, avatars the lot option !!

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4364

HTH

I spent 5 minutes this morning changing the settings and it looks pretty much the same as the old one now

[administrator]

Admin should have asked for 2 references

Yup, admin fail again. I did not do my usual robust testing as thought you lot would be up-to-date, did not consider how many of you would be accessing through antiquated browsers on clients' sites where there is resistance to upgrades.

I did check the forum on FF and IE here but did not go back 2 versions to the 9 year old crock. Should have consulted the stats to make sure we were compatible with the systems being used to access us.

I did also ask for end user testing and had a lot of feedback but none from anyone using IE6. We will get the problems sorted I am sure, will just take a bit of time.

[minestrone]

NickFitz did the layout using a Mac.

Admin should have asked for 2 references

[The Wikir Man]

I agree. Why the padding in top of the screen, my post starts half down. If it works don't fix it.

NickFitz did the layout using a Mac.

[administrator]

FWIW I've just got rid of the emoticon box by switching to the Basic Editor in General Settings (I got used to using the Smiley mnemonics ages ago, so don't miss the icons).

That's good. But what browser are you using? Please let me know so we can look at the problem and fix for other users.

[Sysman]

Can you let me know what browser you are using and the steps you go through to see the emoticons in a single column like this please. If I can replicate we can fix.

FWIW I've just got rid of the emoticon box by switching to the Basic Editor in General Settings (I got used to using the Smiley mnemonics ages ago, so don't miss the icons).

[lukemg]

WHS, there needs to be a B+W, as bland as possible, turn off icons, avatars the lot option !!

[administrator]

I agree. Why the padding in top of the screen, my post starts half down. If it works don't fix it.

We will be shrinking the icons, this will stop them wrapping and will be smaller so this will reduce this for you a lot.

WTF have we changed to this?

and another thing, emoticons are in a single column, I can't crop the reading page without a wide column down the right, there are six screen-heights between the bottom of this field and the previous posts, there are too many colours for a stealth layout.

Because time moves on. New forum code is nicer, it is best to keep up with updates and there are new features we wanted to use.

Can you let me know what browser you are using and the steps you go through to see the emoticons in a single column like this please. If I can replicate we can fix.

There is always one who moans.

Keep using it and you wil get used to it. When you then see how ancient the old forum was you would be thinking, god were we using that once upton a time ??

Did you get a room full of Bobs in to do this?

Nope, NickFitz did the layout (and I was impressed with his skills and knowledge!) and me sticking my oar in now and again. Neither of us are called Bob.

Thing is, I don't want this to look like facebook, MSN, the late bebo, or any of that stuff.

I use CUK at work with people passing around my desk. People get bollocked around here for using social network sites, and one or two have been kicked out. I'm sure I'm not in the only company that prefers it's people to be working rather than seen to be logged on to them.

So I just want the simple, stealthy layout, without bells and whistles and colours and all that tulip that says to a passing CEO: "Look at this c***, he's f***ing about instead of doing his job."

I just want to read what people say, even AtW, and reply occasionally.

1 - Turn off images.
2 - We will be bringing in a style for mobile use and this will also suit work as well. Really the colours are just a bit darker than the old one, it still looks like a forum and not Facebook etc IMO.

Personally I think it is always the same when a forum is changed. It is a shock as all the things that you are used to have moved or changed. Like fullyautomatix said, you will get used to this one in time. We are still tweaking things so will make the usability and style better as we go.