Change is bad! (or is it? read on...)

[Guillermo_M]

I think any theme except Discourse standard removes those.

[ToddFrench]

@Jay_Miller

To the right of every topic there are up to 5 avatars which take up a lot of screen real estate. Is there a way to remove those?

Screenshot? What theme? Mobile or desktop?

[Robert_M_yers]

I appreciate that the avatar size seems easier now. Is there any way to get some relevant info into that skinny dead space below…
Or maybe on the same line as our name. Seems like you could put join date, any itb, likes, location ect on that line?

Maybe itb and location on the left and a join date after the persons name at least?

[CFu]

@Robert_M_yers

I appreciate that the avatar size seems easier now. Is there any way to get some relevant info into that skinny dead space below

we are trying to declutter - we tried something similar to what you’re saying and it was too much on the screen

[Robert_M_yers]

How about putting the avatar and info over the post (maybe offset the avatar just a smidge to keep traditional) instead of totally to the side. There’s so much dead space under the avatar now. It would Increase the width of text and put relevant info at the top of each post? Just thinking….

[Ju1ian_Dev1in]

Should be uniform regardless of which category. Couple of thoughts… First you could switch to the WCAG Dark color scheme (not theme, just color scheme) which makes the difference a bit more pronounced. Second, have you seen threads that look like this with the blue circle count?

Those are set to tracked. I think by default only if you have posted in them or read them for 4 minutes or longer. You can change the 4 minute threshold - or, you could make all threads in all forums default to tracked, using this setting:

I believe the only real difference compared to normal is that the count of new posts shows in the blue circle. Maybe this is exactly the kind of clear indicator you want? Maybe try on just one forum to start, in case I’m wrong.

[Greg_Pierce]

@Greg_Pierce

@CFu

not entirely accurate. It’s kinda similar to Eric’s issue with cellartracker.

He provided a better tool with the update. We provided a better tool with the update. But we gave people options to use a more limited tool if they see fit.

Todd is 100% accurate that the default setting is far better.

The subset of people that want the LAWN setting is tiny in comparison.

Sorry, but as with virtually all software updates I have endured, the new “things” offered are generally not “better.” Instead, the new “functionality” touted by the developers typically interferes with my use of the site/software and adds nothing I wanted/needed/desired.

As such, my interest in “new functionality” is vanishingly small. On the other hand, my frustration at the loss of former “functionality” is routinely massive.

So it goes with this website’s change.

I have learned to live with the fact that software upgrades are inevitable and that they will make my life worse rather than better.

@Ju1ian_Dev1in

bear with me but this is what I see on the old site. everything is bold, and there’s a different icon for read/unread:

Gee.

It’s as if all the Newer!, Awesomer!, Betterer! stuff and the lack of old functionality makes the whole experience worse.

Who would’ve imagined? Other than a schmuck who doesn’t know that every new iteration of software make everything better.

Eh Charlie?

[Alan_Rath]

@Greg_Pierce

Gee.

It’s as if all the Newer!, Awesomer!, Betterer! stuff and the lack of old functionality makes the whole experience worse.

Who would’ve imagined? Other than a schmuck who doesn’t know that every new iteration of software make everything better.

Eh Charlie?

Dude, this is not cool. If you don’t like the new look, that’s ok, that’s your right. If it’s so bad you can’t deal with it, that’s unfortunate. But a bunch of us have adapted, I actually like it a lot, and am quite happy. Sure, there are a few minor things I might like to be a little different, but the keyword is minor. We’re all here to help anyone who wants it.

Fwiw, there is no important functionality I can think missing here, and a bunch of stuff that makes it much better, faster, and pretty cool.

[Rich_K0rz_nk0]

Yeah, that was over the line harsh. Stay on your lawn if you don’t like it.

Bad form

There’s no malice

[CFu]

@Greg_Pierce

It’s as if all the Newer!, Awesomer!, Betterer! stuff and the lack of old functionality makes the whole experience worse.

Who would’ve imagined? Other than a schmuck who doesn’t know that every new iteration of software make everything better.

Eh Charlie?

I’m not sure what you’re complaining about this time.

Neal insisted there was a function before on the old forum that read and unread were bold and not bold.

Julian showed him it didn’t exist.

So are you also complaining now about a functionality that didn’t exist to prove us wrong?

Get your arguments straight if you’re trying for a GOTCHA

[Dav3_Dyr0ff]

@David_Glasser

User avatars that pop up when clicking on the number of reactions to a post would be more responsive. They’re so small that I have to pinch them larger to be able to click open the user detail pop-up window.

Agreed that this isn’t a big deal but also agreed that the avatars that pop up are too small and often useless for identifying the users in question. Usernames would be better. The new software seems to think that we identify one another primarily by our avatars rather than our usernames. Perhaps that’s part of trying to decrease the average age of regular visitors by attracting more middle-schoolers to the site?

[Alan_Rath]

Click on the avatar, and you get all the info. I actually like not having all the additional clutter.

[Guillermo_M]

I think it wouldn’t look cluttered after your eye gets used to jumping the section unless looking for specific info.

I think we lost a lot when we lost signatures and locations and thanks etc. All info that was there but didn’t intrude at all.

[Alan_Rath]

One click, and you have all that, then it goes away. Strong preference for that over having it always displayed.

[Al_Osterheld]

TBH, I’m not a big fan of signatures.

Not entirely on point, but it’s also interesting to me how often the author of a post can be inferred by the writing style (for frequent contributors).

-Al

[JBrochu]

Since we are all being honest and blunt here, I will too: IMO signatures are one of the worst things about many forums. Sure let’s take up tons of real estate with repetitive and mostly useless information. Good riddance to those and to all the absolutely unnecessary nested quotes.

[Pat_Esposito]

Not sure as I am unfamiliar with how CT works in that way.

[Neal.Mollen]

@CFu

@Greg_Pierce

It’s as if all the Newer!, Awesomer!, Betterer! stuff and the lack of old functionality makes the whole experience worse.

Who would’ve imagined? Other than a schmuck who doesn’t know that every new iteration of software make everything better.

Eh Charlie?

I’m not sure what you’re complaining about this time.

Neal insisted there was a function before on the old forum that read and unread were bold and not bold.

Julian showed him it didn’t exist.

So are you also complaining now about a functionality that didn’t exist to prove us wrong?

Get your arguments straight if you’re trying for a GOTCHA

Allow me to apologize to all about the bolding. Memory (even short-ish term, it turns out) can play tricks with the mind. There was no bolding on the old board. Sorry to have been banging on about it so relentlessly.

But there was a method (actually 2 methods) for determining instantly and without ambiguity whether new content in the thread.

These aids are not present on the current s/w and in my experience so far, nothing implemented comes close to serving the same purpose. In default, as tweaked, my laptop shows a discernible difference between read and unread threads. You have to really look for it, but it is there. No such distinction exists on my phone.

Julian suggests that I go dark, and I appreciate the suggestion, but I really don’t find dark mode appealing on any s/w.

[timmy_roos]

@Neal.Mollen

Julian suggests that I go dark, and I appreciate the suggestion, but I really don’t find dark mode appealing on any s/w.

I didn’t like the dark either

I use the iPhone and rarely post. It is not easier for me at this juncture but I’m learning. I feel a little bit like being at the car dealership and the salesman gushing about all the new features when all I need is a vehicle to get me from point a to point b

[Ju1ian_Dev1in]

@Neal.Mollen

Julian suggests that I go dark, and I appreciate the suggestion, but I really don’t find dark mode appealing on any s/w.

oh sorry, now my memory problem - I thought you had posted pics of dark.
There is a WCAG light color scheme as well, that’s worth a try.

Did you see my other idea about making all threads be “tracked” ?