New forum look and feel

[DaveS]

There used to be a place for posting stuff about the forum technicalities, but it seems to have gone. So I'll try here.

Without pretending to understand the detail, I think I understand that the forum has now shifted over to some other arrangement. As a result of this (I guess) a lot of the appearance seems to have changed. Maybe this is just a familiarity thing, but it all seems to me to be now much bluer and colder. Is this just me? Can I do anything about it, i.e. change my preferences for how to view / post a la yot blog?

I am sure there are good technical reasons for the change, and if one knew the advantages of all the undoubtably useful new features it would all be worthwhile, but at least to me as of now it just so far seems a bit strange and different? Is there any guidance?

I have difficulty in believing that, as a long standing member of the "function before appearance" school, I am actually writing this...

[claymore]

I feel that you are again, absolutely spot on with your observations.

I have it on good authority that Nick is now firmly entrenched within the rigid walls of his manopause and this really lies at the core of all issues.

The ability to change the font colour and the inviting palette to my right are indeed marvels of the modern age and form some testament to the way in which the Resident of Seil has developed his skills over the years. I think they will slow down the process of posting.

The difficulty which you and I face is the one of effecting change or even suggesting change. Any criticism appears to be getting short shrift as I know from personal experience when only yesterday I posted some fairly innocuous remarks which were construed as deeply critical and offensive and so for the first time in my forum life, the post was pulled.

[Nick]

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If either of you had bothered to read my previous posts on the matter you would have

a) Known that this change was coming

b) Understood why it was necessary

Claymore has in fact already had this personally explained to him, but I fear he is forgetting to take his medication again.

Dave, in addition to posts on here about the forthcoming changes I also sent an email to all members informing them of the change and the reasons for it. The forum for posting about technical issues still exists in exactly the same position on the page and indeed I will probably move this thread there later today. Locating it requires a combination of scrolling and looking that I realise might be difficult for people of advancing years or onrushing infirmities, but it has always been thus.

One more time . . . phpBB2 is no longer supported as from the 31st January. Leaving the forum runing on software for which updates are no longer available leaves the board and the server on which it runs open to future enterprising hackers, and so is not a sensible option. phpBB3 is fully supported with regular security upgrades and will see this board safely into the next decade.

The new software (phpBB3) offers many advantages. The database is smaller, server overheads are lower and so are execution times. There are far more bells and whistles which people can play with or not as they choose. It also offers more options for moderation.

There are many skins available for the board and I did contemplate a radical change of appearance. However, I am very glad I didn't now as it seems that some of you have difficulty coping with the very subtle changes that have occurred. The colour palate used is identical, so any observations of 'coldness' are purely subjective and cauised by the more 'open' layout.

Difficulty coping with change is a classic sign of advancing old age. I think you two need to get out more.

[claymore]

2 Observations
Spending my working days very much within the culture of yourth - might I respectfully point out that Skins have a different meaning in these parts - not sure if you are suggesting we take precautions before we enter this site - please clarify

Secondly - as a pretty much always perfect deliverer of HM's english - both as a written and spoken communicator - you wrote Leaving the forum runing on
Call me old fashoned, pernickity or plain simply a pain in the airse - but I expect better in terms of standards from a moderator
Thank you

[DaveS]

OK, I agree that all bits of the forum are now present: they just didn't seem to be last night, but I may have been a level down without realising it.

Ah, font colours - I did spot the tartan samplers on the right, but hadn't really thought what to do with them. Hmm, let's try... This should be in red, this should be yellow, and this should be blue. And, if I've picked right, this should be back to normal.

I see that there's a font size option, too: Normal, Small, Tiny, Large, and Huge Now let's see if all that worked.

Yes, the preview showed it had - Oh what fun! - and revealed another new feature by showing Claymore's post, and giving me the chance to change mine in light of it if I want to. Now that's a really useful improvement. While I freely admit the charge of being resistant to change for its own sake, I am in fact something of an enthusiast for genuine improvements.

Now I understand that we have been invited to play with the site and discover its new features for ourselves (a bit like the gorilla on telly last night finding hidden bits of food to keep its brain active) which is no doubt very good for our ageing faculties, but dare one enquire if such a boring thing as a list of features and how to access them could be made available?

[Nick]

dare one enquire if such a boring thing as a list of features and how to access them could be made available?

You could always try the FAQ

Or the USER GUIDE (not very complete I am afraid)

Or for feature comparisons between phpBB2 and phpBB3 : THIS PAGE

[Julian]

I have 20/20 vision, but am still finding the font size too small to read comfortably.

It also means due to the width it is alike trying to read a book in landscape, it is not the way western readers are conditioned.

Would you mind increasing the message pane font a couple of points please.

[Nick]

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due to the width it is alike trying to read a book in landscape

The forum has been full screen for over a year now. Why not adjust the size of the forum window to suit if you don't like it.

I have 20/20 vision, but am still finding the font size too small to read comfortably.

The font size hasn't changed from the previous version. Why not use your browser to zoom the font size?

[Julian]

I did not notice a problem previously, something has changed.

Why not ask if anybody else struggles, before asking me to ruin the view of the rest of the internet so I can read the text more easily on your site. Have you ever worked in customer services?

[Nick]

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Have you ever worked in customer services?

No. I don't think I am cut out for it. Now, would you mind posting something more interesting please?

[Rowana]

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due to the width it is alike trying to read a book in landscape

The forum has been full screen for over a year now. Why not adjust the size of the forum window to suit if you don't like it.

Mine works just the same width-wise as the old one did

I have 20/20 vision, but am still finding the font size too small to read comfortably.

The font size hasn't changed from the previous version. Why not use your browser to zoom the font size?

My font size looks the same, although it looks like a different one. Ariel or something as opposed to Times New Roman perhaps ??

[sahona]

I agree there's a subtle difference in the text quality and am having the same difficulty.
However, it's back to acceptable again while entering text to a reply, isn't it?
Seems to be better contrast, heavier font or something.
Background colour?

[Nick]

Default font size for posts has now been increased from 10px to 11 px

That's your lot . . .

[garredfox]

For all those who have had problems with the font size - what about SPECSAVERS

[sahona]

Specsavers? I'll gie ye 'kin Specsavers..
I should be able to see what you're writing without the need for a computer with these.




The last lot are lying off the end of pontoon M in Howth, and I'm not allowed out unaccompanied any more.

PS Photobucket now has an inbuilt pixel-resizer option, but still needs a right click to capture the URL (on my windowbox anyway.)
PPS I'm writing this in "normal" font, and it's tiny on the preview. WTF?