Feedback on Beta Forum changes

overscan (PaulMM)

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I'll start with my observations.

Attachments are presented differently - they are cropped to squares. Not sure I like this.

GIPHY support - if at all, I'd limit it to The Bar I think.

Article posts - these have potential for longer posts that are min-articles

Love the similar topic suggestions when you make a new topic!
 
A preliminary report:

I logged-in, then made a test reply in Ho IX, didn't show up. (did after the 2nd test below)
It still proposes me to log-in. when I try, says "you already are..."
made a 2nd test reply, it did show up. Actually, both did.

Handling of attached pictures
- wrong thumbnails: they now represent some arbitrary section, not the whole picture. That's borked.
- when I click on a thumbnail, the pic is displayed in a new separate Popup window - yuck!!!!

Similar Threads paragraph
The navigation line "Home > Forums > Secret (Unbuilt) Projects > Secret Early Aircraft Projects" is below the Similar Threads paragraph.
This similar threads paragraph is so thick that the navigation line is no longer visible on my laptop screen, so I have to scroll down once more. (It takes about 2/3rds of my screen)
Suggestion 1: the navigation should be ABOVE the Similar Threads paragraph: We use Navigation each time (to navigate to next thread, d'oh), whereas the Similar threads paragraph will only be useful once in a while.

Suggestion 2: Actually IMO that paragraph will only be useful for cases when one wants to start a new thread. Probably very useful then to avoid duplicate threads, but that is rather seldom: I read-thread more than 100 times more often than start-thread. So I feel this is a heavy bulky cumbersome paragraph hogging the screen all the time, for a very rare usefulness. ==> Ideally it should be hidden by default, only "callable" through a button.
I could see a button "check for Similar Threads" or just "Similar Threads", for ex on the same line as "attach files / post reply", so it doesn't take up any screen estate.

Feature Hide most of the article + View full article button. (in Test Article Forum)
IMO it will be a huge opportunity to miss interesting articles, while not being very useful: the main usefulness would only be when backtracking upthread for some refrerence re-reading, and then it would come with the much WORSE disadvantage of hiding pictures and and most of the article, hence making the research that much more complicated.
If this feature is introduced, it should be optionnaly disable-able.
 
In the test forum, I was able to change my avatar to an animated GIF. That should be STRENG VERBOTEN !!!!
If we have a dozen or so yahoos who do the same, thread lists will be unbearable.
 
There seems to be a display bug in the threads list, after I changed my avatar to an animated GIF.

EDIT: on second testing, it seems to show the threads where I have posted last.
 

Attachments

  • SPF test display bug.jpg
    SPF test display bug.jpg
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GIPHY support - if at all, I'd limit it to The Bar I think.

HURRAAAY !!!

I'm fine with that. Of course there is a very strong risk it makes "The Bar " even more inflammatory, but well, maybe it is the unavoidable fate of that forum section... to become a lightning rod and a sacrificial lamb (altogether) to preserve the sanity of the rest of the forum. :p:p:p
 
Any appetite for a flashy new look?

Something like this maybe?


I hate that style everywhere I've encountered it online.

But I may not be the target audience, since I came to forums only grudgingly after USENet became unusable. I'm definitely a curmudgeon when it comes to discussion interfaces.
 
Any appetite for a flashy new look?

Something like this maybe?


I hate that style everywhere I've encountered it online.

But I may not be the target audience, since I came to forums only grudgingly after USENet became unusable. I'm definitely a curmudgeon when it comes to discussion interfaces.

I don't think it's right either, but interested in others' opinions
 
A background picture that moves is adequate when the audience is unsophisticated and the webmaster wants to manipulate them, yes.
On SPF it would only be a nuisance in the same direction as animated GIFs.
 
I don't think it needs flashy looks.
Clean and visually simple and well laid out are the plus points. Most of the time you just want to see what's new and find whatever you are searching for.
I don't think the current layout is broken so I don't see it needs needless fixing.

I detest GIFs but that's me. In the bar is ok but I don't want to waste time scrolling through pages of GIFs instead of reasoned argument/opinion.
 
I hate the moving parts on page loading. Never been on usenet.
 
I was on Usenet from 1992. After I quit my Aero Eng degree in 1994, I went and did English instead and got rid of most of my Aviation books. from about 1997, rec.aviation.military on Usenet helped get me back into aircraft again. From there, moved to forums (whatifmodellers.com, Key Publishing, ACIG) and then in December 2005 launched this forum. 15 year forum anniversary is this Christmas!

There were some knowledgable people.
 
Any appetite for a flashy new look?

Something like this maybe?

Too many fancy moving « things ».
One thing I’m afraid is that such kind of pages seems so power hungry .
While browsing with a recent and powerful computer, one can find it nice and modern.
But if I switch from my MBP 2019 to an older Mac , say even a MBP 2006 Core2duo 2.33, it starts to lag.
Even tho that is a demo page without too much images and posts.
While the current forum is browsable even on a 2005 PPC PowerBook 1.67 Ghz.

My 2€ cents. I like browsing on older machines.
 
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I was on Usenet from 1992. After I quit my Aero Eng degree in 1994, I went and did English instead and got rid of most of my Aviation books. from about 1997, rec.aviation.military on Usenet helped get me back into aircraft again. From there, moved to forums (whatifmodellers.com, Key Publishing, ACIG) and then in December 2005 launched this forum. 15 year forum anniversary is this Christmas!

There were some knowledgable people.
Are you planning any celebratory event? A PDF special mag? We probably should do something.
[and yikes, just realised I've been a member for 14 of those years! Where has time gone?]
 
Did you stop the beta site? Today I only get "Cannot connect to the website".
 
whatifmodellers.com, Key Publishing, ACIG

Nice to ser the first one still going strongly. The others two...(shudders)

Joined whatifmodelers in 02 2006 and secret projects 18 months later, 2007.
 
I was on Usenet from 1992. After I quit my Aero Eng degree in 1994, I went and did English instead and got rid of most of my Aviation books. from about 1997, rec.aviation.military on Usenet helped get me back into aircraft again. From there, moved to forums (whatifmodellers.com, Key Publishing, ACIG) and then in December 2005 launched this forum. 15 year forum anniversary is this Christmas!

There were some knowledgable people.
Are you planning any celebratory event? A PDF special mag? We probably should do something.
[and yikes, just realised I've been a member for 14 of those years! Where has time gone?]

Could do, especially if forum members were to write some articles for it... Hint hint :)
 
Tried to attach 20 pics to one single post. It did not give any warning, but took only the 1st fifteen. same result with 25+ pics.

The create-new-thread function tries intelleigently to warn if similar already exist. Good.
 
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It only took the first 15 which is expected behaviour. It would be nice if it told you 15 was the limit though.
 

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