Forum menu
Scroll up a bit, click the Forum link?
Not on mobile:
Scroll up a bit
Select the menu button (slightly down the page, not in the corner)
Select forum from the menu list
Ok, not a huge effort but compared to selecting a forum button that was already there at the bottom of the thread its a pain
Edit (maybe): Just to echo what Bez said, yes you can navigate to where you want to get to but it should be simpler than it is. I've just scrolled to the bottom of a thread what do you think I might want to do next? Its actually go back to the forum and read some more and not start following STW facebook or go back to the top of the thread and read it again BTW 🙂 which are currently the only two options at the bottom
Comment from Mark regarding the fonts etc,
We will be looking at the whole design aspect of course and the point is that what we have done now with all the fundamental work behind the scenes is make those kinds of adjustments much easier. But first, we are optimising delivery with the server.
usability has gone out the window for those of us with impaired vision
Or even just low quality screens. Designers tend to work on nice screens where colour reproduction is good and tonal contrast is consistent across the range. Savvy designers will plug in a second scree: a bottom-of-the-range panel like you find in most offices, where colours are over-saturated and the tonal range (particularly at the top end) is completely distorted. I've had to feed back to others before that things they've designed look great on a Retina but disappear completely on a cheap Dell.
do you know your instagram link at the bottom of the page doesn't take you to Instagram?
Cheers Nick, I didn't realise that.
Comment from Mark
Ooooh! It's like a seance.
Receiving messages from the other side through a medium
Link hands everyone 😉
“feature” of the forum update not bothering simon shocker.
It's a forum, I have quite simple requirements. Not being able to post or see other people's posts would be a big issue. As long as that works then everything else is trivial. I quite like now being able to see what is going on with the rest of the site (side bar and menu bar you can hover over to see content) as my bookmark goes straight to the bike forum and I've rarely looked at the front page. Now I can easily see if there is anything of interest there 🙂
Ooh, get you with your side bar 🙂 No side bar here even with the browser full screen and zoomed out. Just a Facebook widget.
through a medium
More like a small*...
* ta, Terry Pratchett
I don't really get all the hate.
I would prefer a touch more line-height (1.3em instead of 1.2em makes a huge readability difference).
It's particularly tight in the Reply To text area. (which btw is ignoring the Verdana font for the rest of the site).
I would prefer a touch lighter background on the nth-child(2n+1). It's currently #eee and #f1f1f1 looks better imo as the contrast is a little too much between the replies and it also makes the non-black text harder to read.
But this is constructive criticism rather than throwing my toys out of the pram.
The big thing for me is still the ability to see if someone has replied to a thread I've contributed to. At the moment, I just run through the last few replies clicking on the hashes and checking each one just to see.
Just a Facebook widget.
Well that's what I meant but it has links to content on the site.
[i]We will be looking at the whole design aspect of course and the point is that what we have done now with all the fundamental work behind the scenes is make those kinds of adjustments much easier. But first, we are optimising delivery with the server. [/i]
Again, that's all the right stuff to be doing. However, call me a bluff old traditionalist, but one generally does all that in the dev and test environments first to make sure it's correct before releasing into prod...
For me (Chrome on Ubuntu) the top menu bar only appears when I scroll up slightly. It should really be visible all the time. On my iPad the background to that bar is transparent so it's really hard to differentiate the text of each menu item.
Fwiw, I like the new font / colour scheme. All been readable for me even with flux enabled on my laptop.
However, call me a bluff old traditionalist, but one generally does all that in the dev and test environments first to make sure it’s correct before releasing into prod…
🙂
I'm logged in on the iphone, ipad and two desktop PCs. In the past whenever I moved from one device to another I had to log in again (or deal with adverts), which used to drive me nuts. Now I seem to stay logged in on all four devices. That alone makes the whole exercise worthwhile for me. Thanks.
For me (Chrome on Ubuntu) the top menu bar only appears when I scroll up slightly. It should really be visible all the time.
It's also a usability problem for people with touchpads: it's hard to lift your fingers without a small unintended movement, so if you use two fingers to scroll up to make the bar appear, then lift in preparation of using a single finger to move the pointer, it often just vanishes again. (And it's visually distracting, too, with no significant benefit for a bar that small.)
(I realise it's almost certainly default theme behaviour, just pointing out why it may be worth removing or making less sensitive.)
By the way, I'm clearly in a minority (of one?) here, but I like having all the content (even the facebook stuff) accessible from any page on the forum. In the past I'd have to log onto facebook from time to time to see if Will had posted one of his videos. Now I can just scroll down the widget on the left to check this as well as scrolling up and checking the links at the top to see what's on the main site. Very cool. On the ipad I just double tap the text in a post to make that column fill the whole screen if I want.
EDIT: Just one request. Could the Forum link at the top be made into a dropdown menu (like the others) so that I can just jump straight to the Bike (or any other) sub-forum ?
[b]mattsccm[/b] wrote:
Of course the other issue is that computer stuff is always done by experts who have no sodding idea that those with less technical understanding or interest don’t like it. The moveable heading is a case in point. Its fashionable. Bugger the practicality.
Point of order - I'm an "expert" currently working on fancy web stuff and I think I was the first to complain about the moving header. Though I take the slightly unusual attitude for a dev of listening to my customers.
Given that the update is trying everyone's patience, sticking that facebook ad on the screen is a niggle too far. Please get rid. It is a real irritant on the PC.
Could the Forum link at the top be made into a dropdown
I'd already though the same thing, it's on my list.
while some comments are valid - a lot of what is going on here is some people just can't handle change on any kind.
I like the new font, happy enough with colours to but I only access the forum via my work laptop, I can understand why people on smaller screens or with impaired vision might be struggling.
It seems a lot slower which isn't good but if that's where the current techy focus in then hopefully that will get sorted soon enough.
Is this really running on hardware in STW towers though? Surely it's the perfect thing to host on Azure or AWS?
(And it’s visually distracting, too, with no significant benefit for a bar that small.)
No significant benefit? Hovering over the buttons gives me previews & access to all sorts of useful content.
New forum looks fine to me - my main concern is still how I monitor my postings - the old allowed me to access all my postings
[b]Cougar[/b] wrote:
The old version of the forum had links to STW features in the sidebar
I wonder idly, if the sidebar had links to featured STW content elsewhere on the site rather than featured STW content on Facebook, would there be the same level of malcontent?
That's kind of the whole point. I appreciate plenty of people follow STW on FB, but I'm sure I'm far from alone in not liking STW on FB (I don't tend to throw around likes) and only ever seeing STW FB content when there's a link to something particular from the forums. STW is a site with content rather than a FB thing for me and I don't see what the advantage of going to FB to see stuff is. Not for me that is - I fully appreciate the drivers behind everything happening here and why STW are interested in FB clicks...
No significant benefit? Hovering over the buttons gives me previews & access to all sorts of useful content.
Sorry, I meant that hiding the bar has no significant benefit. The top-level navigation is always a very high value part of the page.
You'd normally only hide the bar if it consumed a large chunk of vertical space, and even then I'd nearly always prefer to shrink it unobtrusively to retain the essentials (which happens here as well if you're logged in) rather than to hide it completely. Removal is only warranted in extreme cases like a phone in landscape format.
[b]g5604[/b] wrote:
while some comments are valid – a lot of what is going on here is some people just can’t handle change on any kind.
I suspect that's the attitude those leading these changes have, but see comments from those who know what they're talking about:
[b]alexxx[/b] wrote:
Yes seriously… if you know anything about UX then you know not to break strong user habits that have been long established.
Look I’m not being a jobsworth… but this is my job and this update has been handled terribly.
Have you not been paying attention - apparently it had to be done this way, they know exactly what they're doing and it's all going as expected. Oh and if you disagree it's just because you hate Mark.
It's a thumbs up from me - the whole site looks fresher. I'm sure the techy niggles will be worked through over the coming weeks.
A couple of observations:-
• The leading of the forum type could do with increasing slightly. Just seems a little squashed.
• Finding your Forum Activity is harder than ever now and involves 3 clicks.
I think I'm slowly starting to see the point of all this. In the past the forum felt like a lot of user generated content that had very little link to the magazine itself. You could get to articles on the main site or the facebook page, but it wasn't obvious and I rarely did. Of course some people liked that and it gave them a sense if it being "their forum". Now the user generated content sits alongside the Singletrack content in a much more integrated way. It's different and I dare say some folk won't like it but I can see some advantages. It definitely feels as though the forum is a part of the Singletrack ecosystem now.
I wonder idly, if the sidebar had links to featured STW content elsewhere on the site rather than featured STW content on Facebook, would there be the same level of malcontent
My worry is that many of the Facebook posts are just links to forum posts which could trap the unwary into a nightmarish endless loop which could make you question the very nature of causality
Forum post leads to facebook link which leads to a different forum post which contains a facebook link to itself which you could click through for eternity without actually going anywhere in an eternal feedback loop.
It's the stuff of nightmares. 😉
I've been quiet on this so far as I see it is in development and not too fussed about niggles.
I like the new font, layout etc.
That Follow Us column on the right hand side is a show stopper for me though as I can't have this open at work. For me the point of having a premier subscription is to have a clean screen. If I can't lose that column I will stop browsing during the day and probably end my subscription.
hiding the bar has no significant benefit.
Unless you're browsing the forum in a busy communal office where you don't want to have the name of the site displayed for all to see in huge bold letters.
It's a stealth browsing feature and an improvement. Well done on that one STW.
I suspect that great deal of the forums daytime traffic consists of office based stealth browsers.
Re: navigating, I have a little translucent widget thingy in the bottom right that takes me back to the top of the screen on iOS. Seems to work well.
That Facebook add on the right hand side is a show stopper for me though as I can’t have this open at work. If I can’t lose that column I will stop browsing during the day and probably end my subscription.
A certain plug-in removes that, and if you are a subscriber then I don't see a problem using it.
It’s a stealth browsing feature and an improvement
Completely nullified by having a Facefark feed on the page and the THREAD TITLES MASSIVE!
[b][size=25]Forum Update[/size][/b]
Yes , lose the crap at the bottom of the page, if only for us subscribers.
The quotes are too dim.
“Unless you’re browsing the forum in a busy communal office where you don’t want to have the name of the site displayed for all to see in huge bold letters.“
If that’s the aim then they’re failing miserably. Cricket Australia’s page has a stealth option for the live scores that makes it look just like a google sheets page 😁
Completely nullified by having a Facefark feed on the page and the THREAD TITLES MASSIVE!
Yeah, but you can resize the window to cut off the Faecesbook bit and quickly scroll past the thread titles.
We should really have a Stealth button which makes the forum look like an Excel spreadsheet.
Don't see the point in the hiding of the header at desktop resolutions. However on mobile devices its good, as is the reappearance as soon as you scroll up, much quicker than having to go to the top. What I don't like is the account bar only appearing at right the top, will get used to that though.
If I can’t lose that column I will stop browsing during the day
As a workaround, if you resize the browser window to make it narrower, beyond a certain size (I think it's 1000px) it'll force the mobile site and the column will disappear.
Ooh, the poll is back!
Dunno if this has been mentioned but I can't find a way to search the classifieds through the forum. Both the search function and the forum section within a profile only show posts for the main Bike / chat forums. Bit frustrating to try and find an Ad I have posted, or ads by other users.
Ooh, the poll is back!
Can it be put back on the front page though please! Along with the Watch Us video and Facebook gubbins. Ta!
Ooh, the poll is back!
"What do you think of the new forum...."
a. It's awesome. I love facebook.
b. Well done STW, Totally bossin' it!
c. Marvellous. I do not fear change in any way.
d. A++++++. Would browse again.
e. Dissention will not be tolerated. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
Yeah, but you can resize the window to cut off the Faecesbook bit and quickly scroll past the thread titles.
This works, thanks
Dunno if this has been mentioned but I can’t find a way to search the classifieds through the forum.
Search has been problematic. It'll be back.
Sorry, I meant that hiding the bar has no significant benefit.
Ah, gotcha.
Re: navigating, I have a little translucent widget thingy in the bottom right that takes me back to the top of the screen on iOS. Seems to work well.
It's there on my laptop with Chrome / Linux and my phone with Chrome / Android too.
Scared of change?
Don't be so patronising.
The changes so far amount to more advertising for subscribers, text that's harder to read and a much, much less user friendly experience.
I've been positive about the changes so far and appreciate the hard work put in by the team and the mods. I'm not moaning for the sake of it, I'd just like the forum to be as popular and pleasant to use as it was a year ago.
I think 'malcontents' is a bit strong, btw Cougar, but I appreciate your frustration at the negative feedback.
I'll give it another month, then have a good think about my subscription once it's become clear how much advertising is being forced on those who've paid to get rid of it.
Scared of change?
Don’t be so patronising.
It's not even worth commenting on such dickish statements.
It’s not even worth commenting on such dickish statements.
...he commented, somewhat ironically. 😉
the text needs to be darker it's really tiring on the eyes at the moment.
Sorry this hasn't got much testing, but it all seems to work and I'm aware that the last release doesn't work at all due to the change to https - STW Chrome extension updated to work with https and functionality added to remove sidebar. Also since the last release I've tidied things up given changes in the forum and improved the quoting (the extension quote link now correctly works with nested quotes and some other formatting). I'll probably update to make the text darker, and have also just found the sidebar re-appearing when editing so I'll fix that...
Download link as before:
Sorry, it only works on desktop.
Just in case the STW devs are interested, I've not removed the sidebar on the index page - I don't mind it there, and a useful compromise might be for you to keep it there and remove it from the topic pages as I have.
Menu links at top of page (Which only work in landscape on an Android tablet, obviously. I mean, why would they work in portrait? That's just silly ) obscure the text of the most recent post when you go straight to it.
Just got a "Too many redirects" message as well.
Still...
Yep (in the standard view) the text contrast goes between OK and PITA especially on mobile on a lower brightness setting. the combination of light text colour/font with the BOLD SHOUTY RIGHT HAND SIDE just makes the effect more pronounced.
Also the feint back to top arrow starts to overlap the watch up vid, as I'm at work I don't want to click anywhere near that in case it launches a nice loud video in the office.
<p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p>
LoLz - followed the suggestion of msr. perchypanther, and put STW in a new window, squashed to hide the sidebar. So what happens then is all the gubbins appears [i]below[/i] the forum list.
Including this special treat! The WATCH US video plonked INSIDE the Reply-to box. ****ing brilliant.
yep, whole forum threw a Benny for a few minutes!Just got a “Too many redirects” message as well.
Eh! Lads..
Whats with the “safari won’t open the page because too many redirects have been detected”
Naughty bouys.... 😤🔥
the whole site is slower than a slow day in a Vegan Only cafe in the Scottish Highlands
Well I found it funny…
Thanks, mate - at least someone appreciated it!
I only just realised the watermarked background was there - looks like someone's prodded the monitor with dirty fingers. Or that dread you used to get as a kid in the days of proper newsprint when you accidentally put 'printy' fingers on a white tablecloth or suchlike. Good nostalgia.
That post ^^^^^^ didn't preview like that(!)
Erm...
Wots Gwen Non ?
”safari won’t open the page because too many redirects detected”
&
Booted out trying to post a comment, not logged out just booted out of the text box..
Dont like the redirects issue lads.
When I refresh the Chat Forum page The address bar read 'GoFar Enterprises Ltd', rather than Singletrack.com.
Just thought I'd mention it.
Edit: Also, for what it's worth, the stuff on the side of the page is fine on the main magazine page, but too much visual clutter on the forum pages. Keep it clean.
Is there any way of turning off the follow/poll/watch crap at the RH side of the page? Really not nice to have there.
What is the point of the "P" only to be spammed by STW anyway?
Also the ST wall paper is really distracting for me. Just plain white or grey would be nice! Keep it clean and simple.
I might of missed this but one of you can fill me in, is the search function gone forever or is it on the list to add?
Using Google ok but clunky.
Search has been problematic. It’ll be back.
Great Cheers
I might of missed this but one of you can fill me in, is the search function gone forever or is it on the list to add?
The new search function has been temporarily removed as there were issues with it.
Is there any way of turning off the follow/poll/watch crap at the RH side of the page? Really not nice to have there.
This... The whole point in having the P was so as not to have the crap on the side of the screen. It drops to the bottom if i shrink the browser window but that then means all my other tabs are affected.
It drops to the bottom if i shrink the browser window but that then means all my other tabs are affected.
The alternative out-of-the-box workaround for desktop browsers (which is basically the same thing under the hood) is to zoom in using Cmd/Ctrl-+ or Cmd/Ctrl-mousewheel. It keeps your other tabs intact, but it does mean that you'll end up with big text.
Who ever decided on the remodel really wants talking to. The site is simply painful to navigate.
Really hope something is done to rectify quickly.
[b]Shackleton[/b] wrote:
Is there any way of turning off the follow/poll/watch crap at the RH side of the page?
Using Chrome on desktop? See my link above. Instructions in https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/forum-update/page/29/#post-9808213 (the link in that post also still works)
[b]scottfitz[/b] wrote:
I might of missed this but one of you can fill me in, is the search function gone forever or is it on the list to add?
Using Google ok but clunky.
clunky how? https://cse.google.com/cse/publicurl?cx=002353871167780190211:ffna6g0opko works well - I found my previous post above first hit using that
nevermind the problematic search, who left the (social media and marketing first year) intern playing with the e-crayons.
always somewhat difficult to know what 'you' are trying to achieve, when most pics/vids are blocked by the work firewall, but today is something special, as you can see, ive bothered to login.
Slow - doesn't describe it, two clicks per link to initiate the process
background - I hope that delivers something to someone
vast swathes of the page unusuable (ads?)
font choice!
I know the quote function is annoying lots of folk, but please just stop using it, dark bold userid, light grey italicised quote in box.
the shear fact that this thread has grown by 7 pages this morning should tell both monkey and organ-grinder that things are getting worse, not better.
for the sake of argument, I decided to check via my phone (android), barely believable, but its the same if not worse.
<div class="bbp-reply-author">dannyh
<div class="bbp-author-role">
<div class="">Member</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="bbp-reply-content">
sbob
<div class=”bbp-author-role”>
<div>Member</div>
</div>
<div class=”bbp-reply-content”>the whole site is slower than a slow day in a Vegan Only cafe in the Scottish Highlands
Well I found it funny…
<span class=”bbp-reply-post-date”>Posted 10 hours ago</span></div>
<div>Thanks, mate – at least someone appreciated it!</div>
<div></div>
<div>I only just realised the watermarked background was there – looks like someone’s prodded the monitor with dirty fingers. Or that dread you used to get as a kid in the days of proper newsprint when you accidentally put ‘printy’ fingers on a white tablecloth or suchlike. Good nostalgia.</div>
It deserved recognition. 🙂
</div>
Looks ok on the phone.. however, this thread appears to have dropped a bunch of posts..
ah, no silly me, clicked the wrong page and having a reply box at the bottom made me think I was at the end.ho hum
Not sure if this has been mentioned but when I click on a link or button nothing happens. By that I mean the link doesn't highlight or change in any way. That combined with the very slow pace of everything means its hard to know if anything is happening until the new page actaually loads.
Looks ok on the phone.. however, this thread appears to have dropped a bunch of posts.. ah, no silly me, clicked the wrong page
Heh. As I was saying on page 51 about the tiny navigation… 😉
Ooh, I see Mr Markup Fail is back in town 😀
Ooh, I see Mr Markup Fail is back in town
Is it?
/test
Quick test to see if I can reproduce it:
Is it? /test
Edit: Hmm. Nope. Must have done something slightly different. It wasn't a straightforward paste: at the very least I removed the new line, may have pasted in two stages, may have done other things.