Your Suggestions for Our New Look

[Amy]

Now that you've been able to spend some time using the new forum software, you've probably noticed some things you'd like us to improve upon.

 

Please give us your suggestions in this thread. Also, be as specific as possible.

 

Example: If you think a font is too small or a color is too light, please tell us where you're seeing the problem. If it's in a post, which part of the post? Is it in a signature? (We can't do anything about that, though. Each member will have to change their own signatures, if they want to.) Is it in the list of threads with new posts? Is it on the main forum index? In a profile?

 

Also, make suggestions on what you'd like to see instead.

 

We're going to hold off making a lot of the cosmetic changes until we've had time to hear from you. Then we'll compile the suggestions and see what we can do. Some people are likely to make contradictory suggestions, so please understand we won't be able to give everyone exactly what they want. But we'll do our best to make as many people happy as possible!

 

Some things might be too complicated to do from a technical perspective as well, due to the increased complexity of this software over the vBulletin software.

 

I can't wait to hear everyone's suggestions!

 

 

How to Do Something

 

If you're still having trouble figuring out how to do something, please check out the built-in Help Files first. The information you need may already be there.

 

If it's not, please let us know in this thread what you need help with. We'll be creating some additional Help Files based on our particular needs.

[Amy]

Does anybody have any suggestions for us?

[craftyone]

The "smilies" don't seem to be in any order now; it's hard to find the ones you want. I do like the option to start a new thread being very visable and easy to find.It's also easier to add pictures; the big paperclip is easy to find. Is there a way to change the font size in my posts? It seems that my text is smaller than some others.

[mattenylou]

Overall, I'm enjoying the new features from this new software and appreciate all the work you've done behind the scenes to make it all come together.Thanks for that quick navigation button, I'm finding that quite helpful, and the quick links in the left column are handy, too.

 

I posted a little bit in the previous thread, but I'll repeat it here so you'll have it all in the same place.

 

Parts of the board seem very 'pale' and hard to read, maybe they just need to be in a bolder font.  I would like the poster's name's especially, to be bolder.

 

I'm wondering what the "villager" above and below everyone's photo is all about, but maybe we can edit that out.

 

Are the 'hometowns' going to show up again, that was kind of fun to see where everyone was from.

[katyallen815]

The "smilies" don't seem to be in any order now; it's hard to find the ones you want. I do like the option to start a new thread being very visable and easy to find.It's also easier to add pictures; the big paperclip is easy to find. Is there a way to change the font size in my posts? It seems that my text is smaller than some others.

 

also the smileys, you can't hover below them, to see what they mean, and they are a little small to try to figure them out sometimes for me anyway.

Overall, I'm enjoying the new features from this new software and appreciate all the work you've done behind the scenes to make it all come together.Thanks for that quick navigation button, I'm finding that quite helpful, and the quick links in the left column are handy, too.

 

I posted a little bit in the previous thread, but I'll repeat it here so you'll have it all in the same place.

 

Parts of the board seem very 'pale' and hard to read, maybe they just need to be in a bolder font.  I would like the poster's name's especially, to be bolder.

 

I'm wondering what the "villager" above and below everyone's photo is all about, but maybe we can edit that out.

 

Are the 'hometowns' going to show up again, that was kind of fun to see where everyone was from.

We also lost not only the home town, but the pattern contributor icon, least I can't find it, and the villager above the name, just means you are a member, and villiage is your status, right, other than new villiager, or something. that doesn't bother me at all. i like the bigger profile pic, and can edit the about me box now, where as when I first tried it, I coudln't. Things are slowly falling into place!

[MarshaRice]

I would like to see the indicator for photos in a post brought back, also the indicator that tells me I've contributed in a thread.

[Amy]

also the smileys, you can't hover below them, to see what they mean, and they are a little small to try to figure them out sometimes for me anyway.

We also lost not only the home town, but the pattern contributor icon, least I can't find it, and the villager above the name, just means you are a member, and villiage is your status, right, other than new villiager, or something. that doesn't bother me at all. i like the bigger profile pic, and can edit the about me box now, where as when I first tried it, I coudln't. Things are slowly falling into place!

 

The pattern contributor icons will be coming back, but slowly. I have to manually add each person back to the pattern contributor user group that attaches the icon to their profile. I haven't had a chance to get to that yet. When I do, it will still take awhile as there are close to 200 members to process.

[imanurse55]

I think there is too much 'white' space and not enough contrast.

 

I had also mentioned about the smiley's being in no particular order and I think Donna was looking into those.

 

Overall, it's a nice clean look, but I do find it harder to view with all the white!

 

No need for it to say Villager both above and below the avatar.

[Empress Busy Bee]

also the smileys, you can't hover below them, to see what they mean, and they are a little small to try to figure them out sometimes for me anyway.

 

If you click on the "show all" that is right under the smilies, you get a pop up window that shows them true size and shows their code.

 

Hope that helps. 

[Gardener]

I feel like there is to much white space as well, and too little contrast. I hate to say it, but I feel the site looks kind of boring. I miss that blue crochetville border that the old site had! The light blue bars between the posts are just enough to be distracting, but not enough to clearly indicate that another post is coming. Same with posters names, easy enough to read, but they sort of blend in. Maybe it's just that they are much farther over to the left than they used to be.

 

[Amy]

I would like to see the indicator for photos in a post brought back, also the indicator that tells me I've contributed in a thread.

 

We're working on an option that's even better than the icon indicating photos in a post. We have a plug-in that will display a thumbnail of a photo from the thread just to the left of the thread title. For some reason, it's not working as expected right now, but Donna's trying to get it fixed. If we can't get it to work for whatever reason, she'll explore adding the icon. That is something we'd have to code into our forum "skin" template ourselves.

 

The icon indicating thread contribution already exists. Just to the left of a thread title now is a small solid circle (bullet) or a small solid star.  A star indicates that you have posted in that thread.

[Amy]

Overall, it's a nice clean look, but I do find it harder to view with all the white!

 

No need for it to say Villager both above and below the avatar.

 

We can't do anything to create  separate backgrounds for a post's text and the signature area, so we're going to be stuck with a solid block of one particular color.

 

We are going to try to change the background color inside a post from plain white to a softer color that doesn't cause so much glare and is easier on the eyes. It's on the list!

 

Yes, we thought it was pretty silly/stupid to have Villager showing twice. This forum just displays some information differently than vBulletin, so we've had to make adjustments.

 

Today, we've been able to remove the top Villager (which sometimes almost looks like it's in a spot for a person's name).

 

We've also added back the date each member joined the forum and their location (from a custom profile field).

[Amy]

 I miss that blue crochetville border that the old site had!

 

I'm not sure what you mean. Do you mean the actual blue crochet fabric background?

 

That is still there. If you don't see it on your computer, open your browser window a little wider.

 

Because mobile skins are designed to save space and show a minimal clean look, the mobile app will not display the crochet background. Unfortunately, that's just a tradeoff of having a skin designed for better mobile viewing.

[Empress Busy Bee]

We have a plug-in that will display a thumbnail of a photo from the thread just to the left of the thread title

 

I can't wait for this feature!

 

[katyallen815]

great job! Sounds like you all are right on the mark with some of these changes, things take time, that is understandable.

Question however, when we click on send message to the person we are trying to message, it doesn't seem to give us the option of email or message lke before it would be email or pm.when available. Is that a feature that too is coming back, and thanks for all your hard work, must be a dang full time job keeping up with all this tech stuff!  

[katyallen815]

oops, forgot to add also, when i messaged some people today, it kicked it back to me saying this person cannot accept any new messages.      I have never gotten that before, what is the reason do you suspect for that?

[Gardener]

I'm not sure what you mean. Do you mean the actual blue crochet fabric background?

 

That is still there. If you don't see it on your computer, open your browser window a little wider.

 

Because mobile skins are designed to save space and show a minimal clean look, the mobile app will not display the crochet background. Unfortunately, that's just a tradeoff of having a skin designed for better mobile viewing.

 

I have been checking in from my iPad, so thanks for the explanation.

[Katchkan]

I haven't had much of a chance to check things out. My internet has been down for a few days. GRRRRR..... But was wondering if it was possible to read the threads from last post made to first post made. Not 1st post made to last. I like to check on several threads that have been around for a while and read the last comments made. It's faster and easier to do that if I can set it up to read from the last post like we had in the old site. 

I know I need to spend some time figuring things out here, 

I do miss being able to see categories at a glance when browsing through the new posts. Such as Doilies and Runners. It is harder to read the way it is now. Can you highlight the forum titles or something to make them more visiable?  

[marycat]

I find the white background just a bit too bright for my aging eyes.  Am still checking out things and getting used to the new look.

[kittyloverdeb]

I'm not crazy about all the white space.  Now today there are no "stars" by the threads that I have replied in.  Also not crazy that when you view someone's profile it lists everyone that viewed it and when they viewed it. 

[auntbubbels]

When I am viewing a thread or replying to one, I liked it when the green light was on and you knew that the person was online.

 

I don't see that feature - am I missing something?

[Charis]

Well for the most part I think the new stuff is fine. The only thing that I really miss from the old format was the "New Posts by Forum" button. That was my favorite thing! I have tinkered with the "New Content" button a bit but I can't seem to make it organize the new posts by forum. It only does it by time which isn't too bad, but its just so unorganized. If there's nothing to be done, I'll just get used to it.

 

The other thing I miss, like Deb a post back, is the Stars next to the threads I've posted in. That was a nice easy way to indicate which threads I'm posting in when I'm just browsing through the "New Content" screens.

 

Thank you guys for all your hard work. I know how hard it is to get used to new software!

[Apak]

 

I do miss being able to see categories at a glance when browsing through the new posts. Such as Doilies and Runners. It is harder to read the way it is now. Can you highlight the forum titles or something to make them more visiable?  

 

I totally agree, they are not clear to me.

Also the icons of "bullets" and "stars" next to the threads seem very alike, maybe they could be different colours or just bigger?

[lhendrix35]

The print is so dim and fuzzy I can't read what others have said, but I think Crochetville was fine the way it was.  (just as CPC was )  I don't know why this pale light blue has become so popular.  Everything is a blurr to my eyes, and.since the print is so bad, I can't see how to move around to find anything.

[Amy]

Question however, when we click on send message to the person we are trying to message, it doesn't seem to give us the option of email or message lke before it would be email or pm.when available. Is that a feature that too is coming back?

 

I don't think the email a member feature is built in to this software. I also haven't seen any plug-in that would make it available.

 

I'm not sure what really needs to be sent to another member through email anyway in most cases. Doesn't a PM work in most cases? Attachments can't be sent through PMs, but I don't know what attachment would need to be sent anyway, since patterns can't be sent via email due to copyright issues.

 

If you end up having a long conversation with someone that be better managed via email, or you become friends with someone and want to talk outside the 'Ville, then you can just exchange email addresses with each other.

 

If you see a need for the email option that I'm not seeing, please post it here. If it's important enough to people and I can understand why, we could see about having someone develop a plug in for us.