Gadzooks! New forum software is installed

Rusty McDonald said:
Can't say I like it either but I doubt it will change anything. It's hard to look at on anything other than the black background, havent loged on with my phone yet and doubt I will. How about a little warning next time boss.
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vbulletin simply doesn't work well with a phone. It never has. I have an app on my black berry makes it slightly better (can't recall the name) but still it's a challenge. We started posting announcements about the software upgrade last December I think. If anything, I gave too long of a notice.
 
It's the attitude here that always gives me that relaxed laid back, scratching my favorite dogs head, feeling; when logging on. The new program format, wont change that, I don't believe.
The program being used here, is the same program that another knife site across the pond switched to a ways back. When they switched over they lost some of there appeal as a site, I love the people, on the site, don't get me wrong there my friends, but just to my eye it is way to sterile; it doesn't have that pulling up to the fireplace and sitting a spell feeling.
Maybe thats progress; and after its all said and done it will be the same friendly dogs hanging out here.
Go for it Boss Dog!
 
As much as I realize the atmosphere of the place hasn't changed I stimply do not like this version of vBulletin. I'm a mod on the biggest archery site on the net (some here also belong to it) it has over 175K registered members, and they still don't see the need for this "better" version. As I've mentioned before a member from there that I "know" started his own archery forum that runs this version. In over 6 months ago, I still dislike it just as much as the first day I saw it..... It's not so much the skins that bother me, the reply feature to me is clunky. I would prefer the option of having a quick reply not having it be the standard. I prefer the advanced reply, should I want to upload an image or insert a smiley I would rather it be available when I reply not to have to take an additional step to do it. It's not that it's that time consuming it's just a clunky way to post a reply compared to the way I've been doing it as a member of various message boards for over 6 years. I also hate seeing my reply post in a 1" high box that I have to scroll through to re read if I want to post something other than a sentence or two.

For whatever reason when I go to type my name in on the log in page it doesn't auto fill like the old version (my friends doesn't do it either) so I just click log in here. It tells me it's a failed attempt and then takes me to a page that has my user name and password auto filled. So logging in is a pain in the neck.

Those are the 2 biggies for me at the moment otherwise I really just don't like the overall look of the main page, the forums with that huge envelope and smaller (at least it appears) wording of the thread title again seems wonky to me. Things like that are more aesthetics but just like making a knife, you can have something with a point and an edge but if it doesn't "flow" it's just not appealing, to me, this version doesn't flow. That's just my nickles worth and I'm sure it doesn't add up to much but I figured this was a spot to hop up on the soap box. I'll step down now.

EDIT: The fact that I switch the skin and the default always seems to come back irks me too. Maybe I'm doing that wrong though.
 
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Let me say that the new version is here to stay. This thread isn't going to change that and I don't see any positive to this type of thread. A thread that talks about specific problems people are having would have a much more positive effect. Of course we will all have issues with various things in this new format. That's part of it. Initially, I thought it was just too much info to digest at once, but I have been able to see the benfits of the new version. I actually like a lot of the new things better. I would encourage everyone to hang with it as we work out the kinks.
-John
 
Fletch Helical said:
I also hate seeing my reply post in a 1" high box that I have to scroll through to re read if I want to post something other than a sentence or two.

When I go to type my name in on the log in page it doesn't auto fill like the old version
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I find those to be true and would appreciate fixes for that.

I really hate that such a teeny tiny box is the space available to post and edit a reply in, when the whole screen is available.

GLWK posted some sort of fix as using a shortened address to logon with, but I need more details to understand what he is talking about (and using firefox, not Internet Explorer)
 
Sam, if you open your bookmarks, find KnifeDogs and right click it. You will see "properties" at the bottom. Open properties. Change the location settings to http://knifedogs.com/ and save. I use mozilla firefox and this fixed my log in issues.
 
if you want to use the "Advanced" reply instead of the "quick" reply, just below the Quick Reply box is a button that says "Go Advanced"

Use that ;)
 
12345678910 said:
I find those to be true and would appreciate fixes for that.

I really hate that such a teeny tiny box is the space available to post and edit a reply in, when the whole screen is available.

GLWK posted some sort of fix as using a shortened address to logon with, but I need more details to understand what he is talking about (and using firefox, not Internet Explorer)
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Yeah, the quick reply is for just that. For more room to post a longer reply "go advanced". It has all the smilies there too.
-John
 
Steven Janik said:
Darrin,
For the most part, the response has been good. There are bugs to work out and this may take time, but it will be better in the long run. I for one love the Night Vision skin, I can see it better than anything else on my computer.

And.........this is a progression and it's not going away. Those involved will do everything they can to clarify and rectify things as fast as possible. Opinions are great, but I wouldn't waste a lot of time blasting this on a thread, when it's ultimately for the better.

I say trust the Bossman. He has gotten us a long way in a short time. I don't see us going backwards here.:biggrin:

Respectfully Submitted,
Steve
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I kind of like it ! take a little getting used to !! the only thing I want to know , without sounding like a dummy !! what exactly is a night vision skin ??
 
what exactly is a night vision skin ??
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It's just another color scheme, it's the one I'm most comfortable with for some reason. Go to the bottom left and there is a drop down with several choices of skins.
 
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Well after the grey change I can read,well at least see the screen again. But while looking at photos I'm not able to see all of the pic. It's cutting off the left side. Seems that all of the text is on the page with the photo but not all the photo.
I know that I can change my pixel size and see all of the photo but then I can't read a darn thing it's all too small. Seems like waay too much border and it's covering the photos. Any ideas? Stronger glasses:les:
I think it's great so far.
 
First I'll state that this site is wonderful. As fine a group of people as you'll see anywhere and I'm grateful to the Big Boss for keeping the lights on.

But...for most forums that I visit I have "New Posts Since Last Visit" as my bookmark. So most of the time I am looking at search results. In this new version the format has changed significantly, with huge pictures of envelopes and much lower data density on a single page. This is frustrating as it gives me way more pages of results to have to load (next page....next page....next page....). I tried to configure my options to increase the results per page (or more properly, the results per screen) but came up empty.

Time for a little rant, you can stop now if you don't want to read it.

As a (former) software engineer the concept of changing a GUI "just because" is really annoying. Microsoft does it to try to compete with other companies to gain new users and to increase revenue for training classes taken by existing users who can't afford weeks of downtime just to relearn how to use an application. Just look at Office 2007 vs 2003, or Win 7 vs XP vs 2000. None of these interfaces are faster, more efficient, or easier to use for existing users than the previous version. Forcing your users to "get used to" a change just annoys them and reduces their productivity.

Rant over. :D

PS This post typed entirely in "Quick Reply". ;)
 
BlueSkyJaunte said:
First I'll state that this site is wonderful. As fine a group of people as you'll see anywhere and I'm grateful to the Big Boss for keeping the lights on.

But...for most forums that I visit I have "New Posts Since Last Visit" as my bookmark. So most of the time I am looking at search results. In this new version the format has changed significantly, with huge pictures of envelopes and much lower data density on a single page. This is frustrating as it gives me way more pages of results to have to load (next page....next page....next page....). I tried to configure my options to increase the results per page (or more properly, the results per screen) but came up empty.

Time for a little rant, you can stop now if you don't want to read it.

As a (former) software engineer the concept of changing a GUI "just because" is really annoying. Microsoft does it to try to compete with other companies to gain new users and to increase revenue for training classes taken by existing users who can't afford weeks of downtime just to relearn how to use an application. Just look at Office 2007 vs 2003, or Win 7 vs XP vs 2000. None of these interfaces are faster, more efficient, or easier to use for existing users than the previous version. Forcing your users to "get used to" a change just annoys them and reduces their productivity.

Rant over. :D

PS This post typed entirely in "Quick Reply". ;)
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good comments. I used to write and sell some software myself. I would agree not all upgrades are good and user interfaces are so often wrong or hostile it should be criminal. I went berserk when Microsoft dropped DOS and went to windows. I now think Windows 7 is amazing. Still, the reason for the upgrade was features and not so much a new look. I would prefer the look of 3.8x but that wasn't going to happen. We did the upgrade for the new features.

It is refreshing to see so much energy being put into this discussion. It means to me, we have made some deep connections. We intend to continue that as we continue to build content into this site.
 
I could disable the quick reply with no click so it acts like some of the other places but you all would go INSANE.
 
GLWJ/CK said:
Sam, if you open your bookmarks, find KnifeDogs and right click it. You will see "properties" at the bottom. Open properties. Change the location settings to http://knifedogs.com/ and save. I use mozilla firefox and this fixed my log in issues.
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Didn't seem to do it for me and I'm running Firefox as well.
 
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