I'll come back when things are working properly

[gbhall]

And by properly, I mean 'much as they were before'

I just cannot stand change for change's sake, and the loss of 'my posts' on the main page is a step too far. Also the lack of ability to return to 'my posts' even after it is finally opened. Also the lack of detailed information in the listting above each post.

 

[Leeky]

Aye, change can be frustrating to begin with, but it is needed to continue the evolution of TechSpot moving forwards and certainly isn't just because of the sake of change.

Let's not forget that changing the forum software on a site the size of TechSpot is a very technically complex job that requires considerable man hours and regardless of forward thinking and contingency planning you still find it throws up curve balls that need to be resolved.

I'm certain our developers will have the site back to its perfect condition very shortly, and I've absolutely no doubt they're working mega overtime in order to straighten out any post-switch kinks.

In regards to your posts, could you explain what your referring to? I'm sure its just an oversight that can be resolved quickly.

 

[Matthew DeCarlo]

The "My Posts" feature is still accessible on the front page, I believe. If you hover on your name tab and click "Your Content" you should have list of all your posts. "Watched Threads" provides a list of activity in your thread subscriptions.

Not sure what you're referring to about the detailed info (the hardware spec drop down maybe?). I can assure you the platform hasn't been changed for the heck of it and the implementation is still in its infancy. Stick around.

 

[Julio Franco]

Apologies in advance if I can only offer a vague reply for now. We just spent 16 hours straight working on this forum move that obviously didn't go without hiccups. But on the bright side our dedicated team of devs were up to the task when things turned sour in the middle of the transition.

We did our homework and chose the best community platform from all of those available out there. But even ourselves have been unable to explore it and learn it in full until now. That said, many of the things that we are getting questions about or requests are readily available, just in different places, and more often than not, in better shape and form than before.

The "My posts" equivalent is "Your content", from the top menu drop down on the right side of the screen.

Just today we fixed over a dozen bugs that we didn't imagine were going to be there after the move, and we hope we can keep improving and fixing more things in the coming days and weeks. After 16 hours straight, I'm calling it a day (at 5am), but we'll be back for more very soon. Thanks for your understanding.

 

[gbhall]

In regards to your posts, could you explain what your referring to? I'm sure its just an oversight that can be resolved quickly.

OK, here goes.
Having signed on, a button appears with my signon name. Hover the mouse over it and I get a popup loosely called 'profile page', none of which is of the slightest interest to me, and which is frequently inaccessible anyway because the popup disappears when I try to enter it with the mouse).

If I click the username, I get a form 'profile page' with four tabs as follows
profile post, recent activity, postings and information. To get the expected page I want, only one of those tabs is useful, so instead I actually have to click the 'postings' tab. A frustrating long way round to get where I used to get with just one click.

On the above 'profile page' the popup described in paragraph one still appears, but now underneath the menu line instead of ontop. The bread-crumbs home>members>gbhall are too large a font and actually overlap each other.

However, having clicked on 'postings', I next get the only page of interest to me - my recent posts, from which I can follow up my previous contributions. This page is poorly lined up. Only 3/4 of the column space are the previous posts, and they are much too deeply-spaced lines. The other 1/4 of the page on the left is some totally irrelevant detail about me, last activity, date joined, messages, likes and somethig silly called trophy points. I would like none of that, just use the page more fully to get more posts on it.

Horrible bug then - back-button from any of my posts does not take me back to the list of posts, it goes back to the four-tab 'profile page' in which my posts again requires a click on the third tab. Awful.
Apart from the above points, the enormous pictures scattered around the pages are completely meaningless to me, but I suppose they are meant to replace the previous pictures we used to get which show a post status such as locked, contributed by myself, started by myself and so forth. Fairly useful they used to be, the current ones just are just a waste of space.

I am afraid the general use of space can only be described as poor, fonts are too large thoughout the site, line spacings are much too deep, icons are too large and convey no information. I also found the previous heavy use of drop-down menus for all the little-used parts of the posting persons details and similar to be a far superior way of keeping rarely-desired extraneous information available without taking up space, whereas the 'new' way seems to be tabbed pages - so last-century !

Hope the above helps in tuning things up.

 

[Julio Franco]

The new design is a work in progress and there are pages that will likely get further improvements in the coming days and weeks as we obviously had to give most priority to the forum home, thread listings and the threads themselves. All in all, we believe the new forums look AMAZING compared to vBulletin's layout and colors. As with all things, it will take a little while to get used to.

There are two other things I wanted to address from your message:

1) There seems to be a bug with the profile drop down (top right side). We tested across all browsers and can't replicate the behavior where you hover over the drop down and it disappears. Can you tell us which OS and browser you are using?

2) On that drop down, the "Your Content" link gives the results you want in a single click. But first we have to find the disappearing bug above.

 

[superty12]

I found a XenForo guide and posted it. Also, vBulletin is still avalible for use on the groups page, which can be found in yet another post.

 

[gbhall]

There are two other things I wanted to address from your message:

1) There seems to be a bug with the profile drop down (top right side). We tested across all browsers and can't replicate the behavior where you hover over the drop down and it disappears. Can you tell us which OS and browser you are using?

2) On that drop down, the "Your Content" link gives the results you want in a single click. But first we have to find the disappearing bug above.

Glad to help.

I also cannot now reproduce the behaviour reported (where the drop-down profile shut down on attempts to enter it). It seems to already be cured. This is in Avant browser, IE8, firefox. However, the instinct is not to wait for the popup to appear, and then select 'your content' as you say (call it route 1). No, the instinct is to click on that button immediately (the previous behaviour), then I have to choose tab 3 and the resulting list of posts (call it route 2) is very poorly laid out, as described. It is a different layout to that resulting from clicking 'your content'. So I have to learn a new sequence of clicks.

I also report now that taking route 1 is quite close to the previous behaviour, and apart from the extra click, is acceptable. IF you could put the 'your content' link at the top of the drop-down box please?

Route 2 in my opinion is just a waste of space. The drop down is still there, but underneath the menu bar. The post list is awful layout and the back button takes you back to the profile page, not the post list. Why bother?

One other thing - I am not very sure about this, but I have a feeling that only 10 minutes is allowed to re-open a post and edit it. I have a habit of spotting (and correcting) spelling errors and sometimes even syntax to improve understanding, up to a couple of days later. Now I know and understand the reasons to avoid allowing 'late editing', but I do it with circumspection. If edit could be allowed indefinitely for users with a heavy post-count I would feel the site is valuing my contribution a little bit more (!). I might feel moved to forgive your spelling checker from trying to americanise all my spellings too (!!)

In England, it is behaviour, not behavior, americanise not Americanize. Ho, ho.

 

[superty12]

So I have to learn a new sequence of clicks.

We all have to learn new sequences of clicks. Once we learn, XF might be better than vB.

 

[Marnomancer]

I second that. I've been scouting around, and things look more impressive and streamlined than I had anticipated.
It's just a matter of time before we'll be just as happy (maybe more) as we were, once we get used to the new names and features. For now we'll have to co-operate with the staff over what needs to be fixed, and help them in all possible ways.
So, if any help is needed from us guys, like whether something should be added/removed, moved (though I wouldn't appreciate the "Your content" at the top of the drop down :/ ), you can create a poll for us to vote if you need any opinions or the like.

EDIT: Hell, the staff is working flat out overtime! Kudos to you guys! *applause*

 

[Per Hansson]

For me the menu pops up as soon as the mouse is over it, there is 0ms delay.
So that is I don't see any waiting to be necessary for it to pop up, and therefore atleast IMO there is no risk of clicking the button due to programmed behavior?

 

[Marnomancer]

For me the menu pops up as soon as the mouse is over it, there is 0ms delay.
So that is I don't see any waiting to be necessary for it to pop up, and therefore atleast IMO there is no risk of clicking the button due to programmed behavior?

Same behavior as you stated, but clicking the 'Alerts' dropdown causes an error for me but the menu (the one with my name) does not. Using Win7 Ult x64, Firefox 11. Otherwise I'd let the popup work as it is (Nice, really). *applause*

 

[Per Hansson]

Same behavior as you stated, but clicking the 'Alerts' dropdown causes an error for me but the menu (the one with my name) does not. Using Win7 Ult x64, Firefox 11. Otherwise I'd let the popup work as it is (Nice, really). *applause*

Ok, what is the error you get?
The "Alert" button should take you to a page showing recent happenings related to your account.
There should for example be one now for me quoting your post...

 

[SNGX1275]

I'd like to see the system specs be easy to view again for users. On the old board there was a dropdown on the right side. That isn't on this board.

I like that you can click on a user name and get a summary pop-up for that member, perhaps their system specs could be displayed in that?

 

[Julio Franco]

I've changed the click behavior of the user name button (top right menu) so it lands on the profile page.

Also renamed "Your Content" to the more familiar label "My Posts", and I've positioned it more prominently since I know many of your used that on the vbulletin version.

@SNGX, we are still debating what and where to put certain info like post count and system specs (before those were right next to all your posts), but the current look is obviously cleaner.

 

[Benny26]

One other thing - I am not very sure about this, but I have a feeling that only 10 minutes is allowed to re-open a post and edit it. I have a habit of spotting (and correcting) spelling errors and sometimes even syntax to improve understanding, up to a couple of days later. Now I know and understand the reasons to avoid allowing 'late editing', but I do it with circumspection. If edit could be allowed indefinitely for users with a heavy post-count I would feel the site is valuing my contribution a little bit more (!).

This was fixed today by Julio...

Julio said:
Should be fixed now. Newly registered users get less flexibility but confirmed users (more posts and registration time) get unlimited edit time.

I agree with the system specs thing ^^^. I was thinking about that earlier. I'd also like a "My Threads" section. It seems to be merged with my posts in "My Content" (which itself has disappeared from my drop-down list all of a sudden)

 

[Julio Franco]

Benny, see my post right above yours (posted 1 minute earlier).

 

[Benny26]

Ah yes, It was the change of position (in the box) that threw me off there. Thanks.

 

[DelJo63]

not crazy re "Stay Logged In". Love the Remember ME and that worked just great, but staying logged in
has security implications that I can't accept.

While I have your attention, I'll also whine re Login Via {Facebook, Twitter, et al} - - not everything in one domain
should be related to all other's used by the user - - that should always be a user selectable option.

 

[Marnomancer]

Ok, what is the error you get?
The "Alert" button should take you to a page showing recent happenings related to your account.
There should for example be one now for me quoting your post...

Surprisingly, it's working fine now. Occasionally, I get a message "An error has occurred. Try again." Maybe it's a browser cache issue. I'll check it out.
Don't stress yourself out, Per. You guys have a lot of work in the coming days. Relax a bit.

We are still debating what and where to put certain info like post count and system specs (before those were right next to all your posts), but the current look is obviously cleaner.

True. I think SNGX wanted to say that it could be made into a compact drop-down style menu.

 

[gbhall]

There seem to be two levels of edit capability. If editing after a long period (hours?) one gets a straightforward edit screen with little in the way of ornamented text available. Save it. Then edit again (within minutes?) one gets the same edit page, but, it is not editable !! I find if I go to the option 'extras', after a second or two, a different editor pops up, with all the singing and dancing textual mods available. Save that, and I get a top-of-page confirmation edit saved (which you dont get on the first edit).

Also on the general listing of 'my posts' much useful info used to be on the title line, like how many replies, how long the post existed, and perhaps other things.....all useful but no longer there.

Can the members little 'add-on-text' at the bottom of each post be in a smaller font please, as it is a bit distracting at the moment.

 

[Marnomancer]

There seem to be two levels of edit capability. If editing after a long period (hours?) one gets a straightformaed edit screen with little in the way of ornamented text available. Save it. Then edit again with in (minutes?) one gets the same edit page, but lo, it is not editable !! I find if I go to the option 'extras', after a secon or two, a different editor pops up, with all the singing and dancing textual mods available. Save that, and I get a top-of-page confirmation edit saved (which you dont get on the first edit).

Also on the general listing of 'my posts' much useful info used to be on the title line, like how many replies, how long the post existed, and perhaps other things.....all useful but no longer there.

Can the members little 'add-on-text' at the bottom of each post be in a smaller font please, it is a bit distracting at the moment.

As for the editing time, Julio fixed it a few hours ago. I reckon it's unlimited now, like the old board.

As for the signature size, I agree with you. Either a smaller size, or even a dividing line.

 

[Leeky]

Are you finding it is now unlimited Marnomancer and Gbhall? I can't comment on it because my Moderator status uses different permissions to everyone else, as such I'm able to edit any post or thread which rather awkwardly (on this occasion) makes it hard to help you in this respect.

From what I can see, there is a dividing line between the main body of text and the signature, though its not as prominent as the original vBulletin version, admittedly.

I personally feel that leaving the signature text as it is, but making the separation more prominent would be the ideal solution, as text sizes any smaller would render the signatures text harder to read.

 

[slh28]

+1 for adding back the system specs and post count, it helps in gauging the relevancy of the post.

And also I agree in having a more distinct separator between the post and the signature.

 

[cliffordcooley]

+1 for adding back the system specs and post count, it helps in gauging the relevancy of the post.

And also I agree in having a more distinct separator between the post and the signature.

Yes please!

+1 for more distinction between post and signature. As much as I like signatures, they are a huge distraction from the thread when being read as thread material. I once noticed that a slight indention would offset the signature from the rest of the post. Perhaps all the signatures could be indented (just a thought) to distinguish them.