New Layout

[henk4]

What we have now is one step closer to the screen-shot than it was when we had the Username, avatar, and user information creating the left margin. The information in this margin was easily ignored when reading through the posts. In the all-horizontal setup, this information tends to distract more.

EDIT: I don't mean to just criticize what must have taken a lot of work. I think that other than the forums the whole site has improved, greatly. Just the forums seem to nag-on, I'd thought after a few days I'd have adjusted.

try how it looks for you when you switch off the signatures and avatars. In case you want to see them you can always click on the username. Switching off reduces the amount of redundant space to very acceptable levels.

[PerfAdv]

try how it looks for you when you switch off the signatures and avatars. In case you want to see them you can always click on the username. Switching off reduces the amount of redundant space to very acceptable levels.

I had turned them off and it was an improvement. Strangely, I noticed that I was using avatars to identify people more than I thought. I just today turned them on but what I experienced caused me to voice my concern, once again.

So, you're saying that even if they are turned off you can click the username and see the avatar? By choosing "view public profile" right?

[henk4]

So, you're saying that even if they are turned off you can click the username and see the avatar? By choosing "view public profile" right?

correct...

[PerfAdv]

correct...

But that defeats for purpose of identification. Still, before logging-in the avys and sigs can be seen. It's not until you log-in that you're profile/preferences exclude them, if so set.

[henk4]

But that defeats for purpose of identification.

others don't appear to have problems with the new lay-out. I was just making some suggestions how you could overcome your personal problems with it. I personally switched both off, I am not interested in posters who sent one word and have 8 lines of signature and a I don't recognise posters from their avatar but from their names. Avatars change reguarly, user names never.....

[PerfAdv]

... I personally switched both off, I am not interested in posters who sent one word and have 8 lines of signature and a I don't recognise posters from their avatar but from their names. Avatars change reguarly, user names never.....

True, and I'll be switching them off as well, again. Just a matter of getting accustomed to going just by the username.

[Wouter Melissen]

What we have now is one step closer to the screen-shot than it was when we had the Username, avatar, and user information creating the left margin. The information in this margin was easily ignored when reading through the posts. In the all-horizontal setup, this information tends to distract more.

Believe me there was a lot more space wasted with the old setup.

[Matra et Alpine]

Why would those people complain about something here that is happening on another site?

Because complaints about what's happening here don't seem to be getting any attention ?

Believe me there was a lot more space wasted with the old setup.

For what window sizes ?

For me it's NOT THE SPACE, it's the readability.
It DOES take longer to read a series of short contiguous posts.
THe eye has to "work harder" to find the lines of text entered by the user ( admittedly only when sigs are smallish too )

I said I'd wait.
I have. I've evaluated it.
it is "harder" to read now.

[McReis]

Because complaints about what's happening here don't seem to be getting any attention ?

Because there aren't enough complaints.

[henk4]

It DOES take longer to read a series of short contiguous posts.

assuming that you mean "continuous" you will also remember the number of lines you had to scroll with those short posts before you came to the next post, because of all the info on the left side of the post

[Matra et Alpine]

assuming that you mean "continuous" you will also remember the number of lines you had to scroll with those short posts before you came to the next post, because of all the info on the left side of the post

Yes, but that's scrolling.
The eye knowing WHEN to stop to ead is the most important part in an HCI.
The new one is worse.
Same colour for the user blosk aligned the same way and colour as the quote block. The eye/brain has to work harder to identify which means scanning is slower

As I said, I have given it a while before writing the objective analysis of the new solution useing ascribed UI evaluations.

It's worse for effective reading. It's still pretty, but as I've always said, that's not what intersets me ( or most UCPers )> "looks" will atract, "usability" is waht makes em stay

[Lagonda]

Aha! Even Matra is agreeing with me.

It's true, readability is down the crapper.

[PerfAdv]

Having 6 attachments is great but having the text in long lines is unusual. Not that you can't read it but imagine if a book was wider rather than taller and newspaper columns ran the width of the page instead of being narrow up and down columns. Or next time you print an article, try printing landscape instead of portrait and the same unusualness would appear.

Now, when you have a lot of one liner posts they tend to get lost in the horizontality, whereas before the text sat dab in front of the left margin, aligned with the username/avatar that you knew to ignore.

My plan is not to complain and *itch until there's change. I'm just trying to communicate what the difficulty is that some are experiencing...

[PBB]

What happened to thread Egg Nog made yesterday in which he stated, in summary, "The new look is horrible and unprofessional."???

It seems to have been deleted...

[henk4]

I personally have no problems with readibility, even taking into account that I use a wide screen laptop. Many users have issued positive comments, and as it is always the case the few who are opposing make the most noise.
It is now the same layout as Ferrari chat, can't be that wrong.