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We're baaaaackkkk......!

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  • Member since
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  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
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Posted by MisterBeasley on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 2:17 PM

The layout makes very poor use of screen real estate when viewing a topic.  The ads in the right colum, which take up about a third of the screen, only go down so far, maybe one or two posts.  The rest of that column is blank, which means that the posts get scrunched over to the left and require more scrolling, just to leave room for all that blank space.

If there must be ads, why not put them up at the top, so the screen can be used more efficiently?  Or, re-write the display code so that first few posts share column space with the ads, but once you scroll below the ads, then the blank space is given back for posts, and that window gets wider.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
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  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 2:26 PM

 I don't see our old friend the 'Search' button anywhere.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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  • From: US
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Posted by fiatfan on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 2:43 PM

 It's directly below your profile on the right side of the page.

 

Tom

Life is simple - eat, drink, play with trains!

Go Big Red!

PA&ERR "If you think you are doing something stupid, you're probably right!"

  • Member since
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Posted by Bapou on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 2:43 PM

 Nope, too many ads. Not bad though for software.

Cut and copy does work for me.

Go NJT, NJ Transit, New Jersey Transit. Whatever you call it its good. See my pictures and videos here: http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff20/Bapouthetrainman/
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  • From: Shelby, NC
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Posted by Robby P. on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 2:54 PM

Nice looking website.

 "Rust, whats not to love?"      

  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Washington PA
  • 106 posts
Posted by West Penn Nscale on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 3:00 PM

I like the new look of the site ... It is running alittle slow on my end and I had to logout and then log back in  to reply .... It will take awhile to get around the site .... good job

 

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: Oklahoma
  • 93 posts
Posted by OKrlroads on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 3:03 PM

Updated site looks good, seems to work alright too. Nice job crew!

Just had to drop in and post to see if it still will work with old system I'm using here at work.Laugh

  • Member since
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  • From: Sorumsand, Norway
  • 3,417 posts
Posted by steinjr on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 3:09 PM

fiatfan

 I don't like the fact that the thread titles don't change color after you read them.

 Tom

 

 Did a little testing - they change colors, but it is not obvious at first - threads you haven't read have grey paper sheets in the icon. Threads you have visited have white paper sheets in the icon. Kinda opposite of "normal" - where links you have visited get darker.  But at least - there is a visual clue there if you know what to look for.

 I am still looking for "my topics" or similar functionality.

 Edit: finally found "my topics" - button labelled "more options" beneath post list - can filter the list of posts to just show threads you have participated in, or hide threads you have already read or other options.

 Smile,
 Stein

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: Fredericksburg, VA
  • 692 posts
Posted by Bill54 on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 3:10 PM

Can't say that I'm a fan of the ads to the right taking up so much space. 

I had a lot of problems regaining my user name also.  The system wouldn't reconize my password.  Fianlly got that solved.

They say change is good.  I guess it'll take some time to get use to the new site.

Bill

As my Mom always says...Where there's a will there's a way!
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Metro East St. Louis
  • 5,743 posts
Posted by simon1966 on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 3:21 PM

So far it looks good to me.  If you are using IE7 with the zoom feature, at least on my PC 150% zoom shoves all the ads off on the right side of the screen and leaves the entire screen width for the forum text.  It works really well in this aspect for me.

Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum

  • Member since
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  • From: Indiana
  • 3,549 posts
Posted by Flashwave on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 3:44 PM

I partially agree with above, I can libve with the ads, but they are WAY to far over. The Forum should take priority, not ads.

-Morgan

  • Member since
    November 2002
  • From: Colorado
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Posted by fwright on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 3:46 PM

Without a doubt, a change for the worse. No way to know which threads have new posts since I last read them (the color coding was nice). No easy way to jump to the last post in a thread. Can't sneak a peek at work anymore due to ads. Old version looked somewhat like corporate web page from distance. New layout reduces number of threads listed per page, and amount of information per page. On the good side, will probably spend more time modeling due to frustrations with this forum. just my thoughts, Fred W

edit: Auto-formatting of posts is apparently missing, at least with the IE7 that I am using. Have to insert HTML tags for paragraphs and the like now.

edit2: After posting, jumps you to first page and top of thread instead of end where your post is.

  • Member since
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  • From: US
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Posted by fiatfan on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 3:49 PM

steinjr

 Did a little testing - they change colors, but it is not obvious at first - threads you haven't read have grey paper sheets in the icon. Threads you have visited have white paper sheets in the icon. Kinda opposite of "normal" - where links you have visited get darker.  But at least - there is a visual clue there if you know what to look for.


 Smile,
 Stein

 

 

 

Thank you!Thumbs Up

 

Tom

Life is simple - eat, drink, play with trains!

Go Big Red!

PA&ERR "If you think you are doing something stupid, you're probably right!"

  • Member since
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  • From: North Carolina
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Posted by csxns on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 3:49 PM

I like it.Thanks.

Russell

  • Member since
    February 2001
  • From: Wyoming, where men are men, and sheep are nervous!
  • 3,392 posts
Posted by Pruitt on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 3:49 PM

Whoever designed the "new look" should be fired.

Home page is cluttered as heck, and very user-unfriendly.

Forums are harder to follow and more cluttered as well.

Oh, well, who cares about usability anyway?

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Elmwood Park, NJ
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Posted by trainfan1221 on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 3:56 PM

Wooooowwww!  Like it!  And it's easy to figure out.

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  • From: Plantsville Ct
  • 102 posts
Posted by dbradley on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 4:05 PM

I think I got it right. Welcome back everyone.

Den.

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Modeling the Seaboard Air Line Ry.
  • 531 posts
Posted by citylimits on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 4:10 PM

Approve

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  • From: Alaska
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Posted by modelalaska on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 4:11 PM

Testing 1,2,3...  The site is kind of bloated on the graphics but I do like everything handy.

Peter

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: New Brighton, MN
  • 4,393 posts
Posted by ARTHILL on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 4:24 PM

One more test. It does seem to be slow.

If you think you have it right, your standards are too low. my photos http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a235/ARTHILL/ Art
  • Member since
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  • From: Culpeper, Va
  • 8,204 posts
Posted by IRONROOSTER on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 4:38 PM

I miss them also.

I'm reserving judgement on the new look until I have used it awhile.  But, wow it sure is different.

Enjoy

Paul 

If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
  • Member since
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  • From: Gateway City
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Posted by yankee flyer on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 4:53 PM

Whoa!  I got lost in the woods and it took me six hours to get here. I still can't find the restroom.    Mischief  You all have a good day. Hear?

Lee

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Portland, OR
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Posted by jfugate on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 4:54 PM

Overall, the site has a more modern feel, with the big difference being the use of darker Web 2.0 style gradients and drop shadows.

The organization feels better, although all the ad buttons and mini-dialogs on the right do make the page look pretty busy. As long as we don't get dancing girls or animated critters in the ads on the right we should be good!

All-in-all, a nice upgrade Bergie and gang - congrats!

Joe Fugate Modeling the 1980s SP Siskiyou Line in southern Oregon

  • Member since
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  • From: Smoggy L.A.
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Posted by vsmith on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 4:54 PM

I dont like the new layout at all, but then I dont own it. Wink

Too much wasted space, between the big clump on the right and the name block on the left there sure aint much room left to type in.

Its VERY hard on the eyes.

I think there will a bit of tweeking in the weeks to come

   Have fun with your trains

  • Member since
    August 2001
  • From: Nebraska
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Posted by RedGrey62 on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 4:59 PM

Yup, works fine for me.  I like some of the features that may help some folks get answers to their questions even if the post falls off the first or second page.

 

Rick Keil

"...Mother Nature will always punish the incompetent and uninformed." Bill Barney from Thor's Legions
  • Member since
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  • From: Finger Lakes
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Posted by howmus on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 5:02 PM

vsmith

I dont like the new layout at all, but then I dont own it. Wink

Too much wasted space, between the big clump on the right and the name block on the left there sure aint much room left to type in.

Its VERY hard on the eyes.

I think there will a bit of tweeking in the weeks to come

 

I agree 100%!  Change for the sake of change is seldom an improvement.  And what I see here is not even close to an improvement. Hard to read and just full of wasted space.  I agree they should fire who ever did this (Hope that is not you Bergie....Wink)  Hopefully somebody at Kalmbach will make some changes to redo this abomination.  The worst thing is that when you reply, you find yourself way back at the begining of the thread.  That is a pain!

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Alabama
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Posted by BMRR on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 5:16 PM

No complaints here. I like it.  Thumbs Up

THE SOUTHERN SERVES THE SOUTH.

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  • From: Redding, California
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Posted by Train 284 on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 5:21 PM
Veeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrry slow. I really do like the design, more modern. I keep getting all kinds of errors though which is getting on my nerves but hopefully those will be fixed soon.
Matt Cool Espee Forever! Modeling the Modoc Northern Railroad in HO scale Brakeman/Conductor/Fireman on the Yreka Western Railroad Member of Rouge Valley Model RR Club
  • Member since
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  • From: Big Blackfoot River
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Posted by Geared Steam on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 6:26 PM

Cool, looks great , I like, nice job.

Of course the old folks are having a cow. Smile,Wink, & Grin

 

 

 

 

 

"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein

http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/

  • Member since
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  • From: Carmichael, CA
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Posted by twhite on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 6:41 PM

Now, now, I'm an Old Folks, and I'm not having a cow, LOL! 

But I just tried to post a photo from my Photobucket account to see if that still worked the same way, and it threw me completely out of the Forum.  Is there going to be a new trick to this--AGAIN????

Tom Shock

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