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Pretty sure both those things have been answered a few times on this thread - apparently the site is designed to be responsive so there is no longer a desktop view as the design itself changes depending on the size of screen you are looking on (which means on phones and tablets, there is no option to view the desktop version as it doesn't exist).
I'm guessing the multi page thing is a deliberate ploy to encourage more clicks and therefore more pages views (and advert revenue), so unlikely to be fixed any time at all.
Just my own opinion on it all, but as we haven't really had an official line after all these months, I suspect we are allowed to speculate as to the whys...
Actually, I found a menu option in chrome on android to "request desktop site" which has done it. So there does appear to be separate versions (to the layman end user).
I really hate not being able to see the whole thread title or how many pages there are, in to the last page directly etc. As a subscriber I don't see ads anyway so it's just annoying.
Now that is interesting...I've now also got that option back and it works...either some tweakery has been done behind the scenes or my Android update has fixed something, that is awesome news - thanks for correcting me on that.
[quote=DickBarton ]I'm guessing the multi page thing is a deliberate ploy to encourage more clicks and therefore more pages views (and advert revenue), so unlikely to be fixed any time at all.
Hmm - that's by far the most irritating thing for me with the new format. Just a click to go to the last post in the thread would be fine if they can't do the pages - I really hope it's not a deliberate thing to make us go to the first page of the thread to find such a link.
I've no idea...sadly, I've been thinking about this a lot as I don't believe they have intentionally given us a poorer system than what was already there. So once I had that sorted, I figured they must be doing it for some kind of gain.
Plenty of posts on this thread about all the data this site seems to eat up now and that got me thinking more about the ad revenue...and then I realised to get to the last page on a lot of threads, you need to click more than once so you are getting more ads delivered.
As said, it is only my speculation and not based on anything solid...but given how bad the new format is, I'm spending less time on it so I more time to think. I should probably use it to do better things...
"that's by far the most irritating thing for me with the new format. Just a click to go to the last post in the thread would be fine"
If I understand this correctly then, yes, agreed. Reading the forum on an iPhone 5 SE means I don't see most of the thread title because of the multiple page icons (if there are multiple pages). And when there are multiple pages frustratingly I can't see the last page icon; Instead it seems to be a few pages from the end, where-as I'd rather see the point the discussion has reached and then step back if I feel it's necessary.
So, why can't the new format be: click on the thread title to go to page 1 and after the thread there is a page icon with the page number representing the last page in the thread?
An aside, if I log in to view forum activity, for example one of the picture threads, in order to see my last picture posted, the forum activity link just sends me to that forum thread, not the relevant page within that thread. So for the picture thread of around 190 pages, I have to scroll back through till I find my picture.
On android using Chrome you can use Force Enable Zoom. It's not as good as the desk top site but it stops me having to request desktop every time I look at the forum.
I honestly thought it would have been fixed in the time I was away.
TBH Zippy seeing as they make a point of staying in the Sales section that 'tis "forum is provided free of charge" I highly doubt they will fix a thing.
However seeing as it's the forum that drives users to the magazine and subscriptions you'd think they'd have worked out which they need to update and improve first....
I ditched the "P" due to the constant problems and until they realise that those problems need sorting sooner rather than later it'll stay ditched.
So, why can't the new format be: click on the thread title to go to page 1 and after the thread there is a page icon with the page number representing the last page in the thread?
Because more clicks equals more apparent traffic equals more perceived value for advertisers. Shame it makes the site awful to view/use on a phone. I bet it loses more clicks than it gains. I just don't bother looking at a thread if I can't read the title.
It has certainly highlighted inadequacies in apple stuff.
My next tablet will be an android.
zippykona - Member
It has certainly highlighted inadequacies in apple stuff.
My next tablet will be an android.
How old is your iPad Mini, and which version of iOS is it running, because I'm not at all certain it's specifically an Apple issue as much as it's an iOS version issue.
It has certainly highlighted inadequacies in apple stuff.
My next tablet will be an android.
You might want to check the thread about Youtube Plugins.
Not sure what model but its running 9.3.5.
Nobody should go back to flash...
Current version of chrome seems to support desktop+zoom fine.
Not sure what model but its running 9.3.5.
Ah, right, there lies the problem, I think.
I've got an iPad 3, which must be five or six years old, in fact, March 2012, just checked, and mine has the same version of iOS as yours, the older machines, like anything with an OS, just can't cope with later versions.
My phone is an iPhone 6+, running the latest version, 10.2.1, and I can double-tap and zoom on that, with no problem.
I believe the issue is that the recent update to the site is no longer backwards compatible with older OS, for whatever reason, probably something to do with voodoo, human sacrifice or fluffy kittens, but I'm sure that's where the problem lies, nothing to do with Apple, any more than those having issues with different flavours of Android can lay the blame at Google's door.
My pad will be replaced very soon with a new Air, it's getting far too slow, now, and it's bloody heavy to hold for extended periods, I'd suggest it might well be worth keeping an eye on what Apple announce at the end of the month, as there may well be a bunch of new Pads, including Minis, and there's a suggestion that there may be one the same size as the regular version, but with an almost edge-to-edge screen.
My wife iPhone is on 10. something and zooms. Its still apple' s fault for abandoning me!
I don't know how it's happened but one of my chrome tabs (out of 20ish currently open) is permanently returning the desktop version of any site I visit. I now have this tab designated as my STW tab and is much nicer. One of these days I am going to accidentally close it and will have to go back to either requesting the desktop version every time I click on a link or accept the piece of shit mobile version.
Jeez. You guys are so impatient. It hasn't even been three months since the [s]cock-up[/s] update!
When my tab count is past 99 my android stays on desktop.
Just closed all my tabs and it's back to me having to request it.
Can anyone from up on high confirm that fixing the zoom on iPads is on their to do list?
My birthday is coming up and I either get a new tablet (which I don't really need) or some new bike bits which I don't really need but would rather have.
New forum being rolled out today apparently
Hope it's before midday.
Gosh, page three of this thread is getting alot of hits...
[Northern] Page 3 for t' hits.
Is this how the forum is designed to look on an iPhone?
It looks terrible and is a pain to navigate.
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
It looks terrible and is a pain to navigate.
I think that's what the powers that be are going for.
I think that's what the powers that be are going for.
Then they should be very pleased with their efforts. Amazing, really, that they managed to achieve it without any apparent testing.
still all over the place text size on a chromebook
It's not as if it's difficult to fix.
Just go back to the old settings.
Then they should be very pleased with their efforts. Amazing, really, that they managed to achieve it without any apparent testing.
They really did nail it first time.
i would love to be able to go straight to the most recent page of a long thread without having to click first on the thread and then on last page
everything else is ok, but that :(. it's ok on desktop but on mobile (Windows - yes I know) it sucks
It really is shit and it pisses me off.
Sort it for **** sake.
I pay to be here.
But it probably almost doubles the number of clicks as we have to click twice on busy threads 🙂
^ ^ which will be why they're in no rush to fix it.
If that is the reason it really sours my feelings for this place.
The people on here are good people and to be exploited in this way is the action of mega murdoch publishing Co.
You have to realise that you may be a paying customer but you're not as much of a customer as the folk who advertise in STW and satisfying them comes first.
yes but without us they are nothing
Lets form a union, organise and collectively bargain
Imagine the joy of STW towers negotiating with a team of big hitters 😉
I feel for those who frequent other forums. Coming back here must be like going from XTR to Altus.
I feel for those who frequent other forums. Coming back here must be like going from XTR to Altus.
I quite like the simplicity of it actually.
which will be why they're in no rush to fix it.
At the risk of repeating myself, I very much doubt that's the case (and if it were true I'd stand down as moderator). Rather, the simple fact is that it's a small enterprise and resources are thin.
I very much doubt that's the case
Can't hurt though, can it?
MOAR PAGE CLICKS!
Coming back here must be like going from XTR to Altus.
Case in point -Snowheads. Busy, lots of threads and users, next to no ads. In fact, are there any ads? Can't remember! Clean, simple forum layout that just works.
No "share" button though.
Even the advertisers aren't that priority...the ad server is where they make money, so more adverts the more they make. They won't fix a broken thing if the resulting break generates more money.
Unfortunately the warm feeling that used to be part of the community here has long gone and has been replaced with the cold hard feeling of being used as a cash cow for STW towers to generate as much income from each visit as possible.
Traffic is up apparently (due to increase in clicks) so no doubt the money machine is showing good figures so why change it?
Case in point -Snowheads.
I had a brief look and couldn't work out how to buy their magazine. How many people's salary and livelihoods depend on that site?
I'm not trying to be a dick, rather you're comparing apples with oranges. I could spin up a better forum than the STW running gear in an afternoon, with all the features everyone's asked for. And I'd be able to count the number of active users on one hand.
[quote=DickBarton ]the warm feeling that used to be part of the community here has long gone and has been replaced with the cold hard feeling of being used as a cash cow for STW towers to generate as much income from each visit as possible.Nah, I don't get that, I just don't understand that you'd make a change, not fix it (four months later) and not back it out. The latter is a fairly fundamental part of running a professional (i.e. paid for) IT site. Resources should have been allocated to any potential fixes before the change was even made.
Good point cougar,i'm not a mag reader(of any magazines) but I went into WHS to but the issue with the and calander and coundn't find it so decided to order it from here and gave up,but I am quite thick.