Bring Back the Old Website Now. It was more easy too get too things. Now its harder too find. This New Websites S***.
conrailman Bring Back the Old Website Now. It was more easy too get too things. Now its harder too find. This New Websites S***.
I concur, but then I didn't like it the last time the website changed either.
I suppose I'll get used to it.
Give it a chance maybe.. nobody likes change..
From my perspective - in calling up the Forum, I don't get the large 'Trains' header. I get a number of entries concatonated over top each other.
Kalmbach IT strikes again.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I don't like the News Wire Part of the website. If its broken don't Fix it. The Old site was alot better.
I'll give it a chance. I do like the graphic look of it a lot. Technically, it will probably need some de-bugging, but that's to be expected.
What I don't get is:
What will still be free, if one doesn't do the "unlimited membership?"
If one subscribes to the print versions of both Trains and CT (as I do), does that earn any credit toward the cost of the unlimited membership?
Will these forums soon fall behind a paywall? Will only the "unlimiteds" get to use the forums?
How much duplication will there be between the print and digital content?
I am going to try to research this better. But my quick glance left me confused as to what the big picture is. What the actual business model is, and what the options are.
If anyone has figured this out, please fill the rest of us in.
My druthers would be to have exactly the amount of access I have now; but I don't know if that's going to be possible for long.
Well... I'm going to take the other side.
I like the new look. Much cleaner, and for me, much easier to see what's what.
York1 John
BaltACD From my perspective - in calling up the Forum, I don't get the large 'Trains' header. I get a number of entries concatonated over top each other.
I've got that too. And quite oddly, the little logo to the left of the bookmark is now the logo for the Washington Post. I deleted that bookmark, made a new one; same deal, the WaPo logo. ???
I find this interesting. If you go to this page: https://www.trains.com/trn/subscription-plans/
You'll see that a print-only subscription to Train seems to no longer be available. The print edition is now a $5 add-on to the digi edition; it would appear to me that maybe they're trying to kill off the print edition.
I have never known: is the digital edition exactly the same as the print one, content-wise?
If I go to the Train mag website now, I can read Newswire articles. But if I click on a feature story, it will let me read it, but tells me how many more free articles I get. Are those feature articles the same articles that are in the print mag I will soon get in the mail? Or are they "special" content which, after my (now) four more looks, will thereafter be availiable only to the "Unlimiteds?"
I'm, like, confused.
Lithonia OperatorI have never known: is the digital edition exactly the same as the print one, content-wise?
I don't know about the Newswire articles, but as far as I can see, the digital edition is the exact same as the printed one.
Lithonia OperatorWill these forums soon fall behind a paywall? Will only the "unlimiteds" get to use the forums?
I find a number of sites moving to a members only model. Sports Illustrated (si.com) just did this. They typically give you a couple of free articles then cut you off.
If it keeps the content quality high and eliminates the ads and clickbait, I'm OK with the idea of paying for online content. I find such sites much more enjoyable and usable.
As for the new site layout, I'm good with it so far. It look better on the iPad.
BaltACDFrom my perspective - in calling up the Forum, I don't get the large 'Trains' header. I get a number of entries concatonated over top each other.
Interesting, I get the same thing when accessing through Chromium, but when I access through Firefox, the page appears to render properly. The page also seems to render properly when accessing through the very obsolete Konqueror browser. In total fairness, I am constantly getting nagged that my Chromium browser is out of date and that I need to update it, so it's possible that it would render properly under Chromium if I updated, but I won't.
Just for comparison, here is what I get under each:
Chromium
Firefox
Konqueror
I actually like the new look. Cleaner, more modern, straightforward approach, without all that gaudy red header.
For the record, a "pay only" access model doesn't bother me. I find that in a "pay only" environment that the troublemakers who seem to participate only to irritate the other members tend to tone it down when faced with getting a paid membership cancelled for bad behavior.
FWIW
Lithonia OperatorYou'll see that a print-only subscription to Train seems to no longer be available. The print edition is now a $5 add-on to the digi edition; it would appear to me that maybe they're trying to kill off the print edition.
I think that a lot of content creators have taken notice of how "dealing from the cloud" has worked out for companies like Microsoft, IBM, and Adobe. Helping them reduce costs while at the same time stringing up their customers for a line of ongoing payments instead of a one time purchase.
Personally, I think that $20+ dollars per month "forever" is too much for Photoshop, especially after finding I am just as happy with Gimp. YMMV
I really like the new look. CT changed for the better also, graphically.
On Safari I get that logo jumble at upper right. But in Google Chrome, I get what CO is getting in Firefox.
If I had only one wish for this site, I'd really, REALLY, REALLY wish that Kalmbach would quit buying their fonts from Google.
When this site is runing slow, it gets REALLY frustrating waiting on the page to load while watching that "waiting for fonts.googleapi.whatever" message in the lower left corner.
Plus, with the way it's set up, the "fonts by google" delivery package is intrusive behavior, just another way for them to sneak onto your platform and collect metrics from all of us.
rixflix aka Captain Video. Blessed be Jean Shepherd and all His works!!! Hooray for 1939, the all time movie year!!! I took that ride on the Reading but my Baby caught the Katy and left me a mule to ride.
Ulrich Give it a chance maybe.. nobody likes change..
If I want change I'll reach in my left pocket!
It looks like the regular stuff is still there, you have to scroll down to the bottom of the webpage (past the commercials) to find it.
I found the Forum by clicking on "Community," that's how the "Classic Toy Trains" Forum worked.
Yeah, gonna take some getting used to.
Convicted One BaltACD From my perspective - in calling up the Forum, I don't get the large 'Trains' header. I get a number of entries concatonated over top each other. Interesting, I get the same thing when accessing through Chromium, but when I access through Firefox, the page appears to render properly. The page also seems to render properly when accessing through the very obsolete Knonqueror browser. In total fairness, I am constantly getting nagged that my Chromium browser is out of date and that I need to update it, so it's possible that it would render properly under Chromium if I updated, but I won't. Just for comparison, here is what I get under each: Chromium Firefox Konqueror I actually like the new look. Cleaner, more modern, straightforward approach, without all that gaudy red header. For the record, a "pay only" access model doesn't bother me. I find that in a "pay only" environment that the troublemakers who seem to participate only to irritate the other members tend to tone it down when faced with getting a paid membership cancelled for bad behavior. FWIW
Interesting, I get the same thing when accessing through Chromium, but when I access through Firefox, the page appears to render properly. The page also seems to render properly when accessing through the very obsolete Knonqueror browser. In total fairness, I am constantly getting nagged that my Chromium browser is out of date and that I need to update it, so it's possible that it would render properly under Chromium if I updated, but I won't.
Kalmbach IT - says it all
When I was involved in computer oprations - my boss would have fired me if the applications I put in service operated differently on different computers/applications.
I've been a subscriber for years, but now I can't login for the newswire, but surprised I can post here. Go figure.
rixflixI much preferred the old compact format. This one's got too much wide open space and consequent scrolling mileage.
Try turning off your ad blocker. I'll bet those empty spaces will fill right up, after you do.
I hope they bring back the old Website.
No chance they'll bring back the old website.
I agree the new site is a bit of an uh oh, I paid for a subscription to trains under a deal that said I would get online subscriber benefits for life, but I can only look at 8 articles a month. That is messed up in my opinion. New can be better, but this isn't better.
BaltACDWhen I was involved in computer oprations - my boss would have fired me if the applications I put in service operated differently on different computers/applications.
I'm not sure it is always the web site developer's issue. Browsers are constantly updating themselves, and sometimes these updates break things on previously functional sites. I manage a web based application where I work, and about a month ago, one of its features suddenly stopped working in Firefox, but at least for now, that same feature works fine in other browsers. Is that a developer problem, or a browser problem?
The other complication is that nowadays, web developers are expected setup their web sites to dynamically adapt to the device that is displaying them. That way things are always appropriately sized and readable, whether you are viewing it on vertically oriented phone screen or a horixontally oriented wide screen display connected to a desktop tower. I'm guessing that is largely what is driving the updates to Trains's web sites.
adkrr64 BaltACD When I was involved in computer oprations - my boss would have fired me if the applications I put in service operated differently on different computers/applications. I'm not sure it is always the web site developer's issue. Browsers are constantly updating themselves, and sometimes these updates break things on previously functional sites. I manage a web based application where I work, and about a month ago, one of its features suddenly stopped working in Firefox, but at least for now, that same feature works fine in other browsers. Is that a developer problem, or a browser problem? The other complication is that nowadays, web developers are expected setup their web sites to dynamically adapt to the device that is displaying them. That way things are always appropriately sized and readable, whether you are viewing it on vertically oriented phone screen or a horixontally oriented wide screen display connected to a desktop tower. I'm guessing that is largely what is driving the updates to Trains's web sites.
BaltACD
I am running Windows 10 and using Chrome for my browser. Neither is a 'low volume' unique situation.
The 'Trains' forum and the 'Classic Trains' forum as well as the 'Trains.com' forum and Model Railroader are all different from each other. WTF?
BaltACDThe 'Trains' forum and the 'Classic Trains' forum as well as the 'Trains.com' forum and Model Railroader are all different from each other. WTF?
I got a pop-up a couple of minutes ago which contains the following contact information:
Customer Service e-mail:
customerservice@trainsunlimited.info
Customer Service telephone (M-F 7a-6p; Sat 7a-5p Central):
(866) 926-1494
Questions about 'anything' via e-mail:
questions@trains.com
Overmod BaltACD The 'Trains' forum and the 'Classic Trains' forum as well as the 'Trains.com' forum and Model Railroader are all different from each other. WTF? They evolved separately using common tools that were not consistently change-managed 'across the organization' -- often with a variety of different mods and policies over time. All this is supposed to be changing by the end of spring... I got a pop-up a couple of minutes ago which contains the following contact information: Customer Service e-mail: customerservice@trainsunlimited.info Customer Service telephone (M-F 7a-6p; Sat 7a-5p Central): (866) 926-1494 Questions about 'anything' via e-mail: questions@trains.com
BaltACD The 'Trains' forum and the 'Classic Trains' forum as well as the 'Trains.com' forum and Model Railroader are all different from each other. WTF?
They evolved separately using common tools that were not consistently change-managed 'across the organization' -- often with a variety of different mods and policies over time. All this is supposed to be changing by the end of spring...
All of which is the problems that Kalmbach IT has created by not keeping all their products at the same level of update.
I'm starting to warm up to the new look
Give it a chance.
Even huge tech companies like Microsoft have issues when they roll out new products.
Of course there may be unanticipated perks within the new format, enhanced support for cascading style sheets being just one possibility. Always a good idea to withhold knee jerk reaction, and instead allow sufficient opportunity to investigate, and then make an informed opinion, once all variables are accounted for..
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