New layout Poll

[Sonnar Brian]

The older style appears to be more efficient in terms of number of posts on the page. The Avatars are the culprit: lots of dead space across the page on the rows that the Avatar appears.

 

[Goodyear]

I go away for a week and come back and everything's different!

The new layout (poster info above each post rather than to the left) breaks the flow big-style. Previously the extra info was easily ignored, but now when reading down a page of posts the eye has to constantly skip past stuff and hunt for the posting.

Mark me up for the old style.

Does vB allow it to be a user-configurable option? Seems silly if it doesn't...

 

[izo]

yep, i also like avatars on left better, saves some space, too.

 

[Trius]

I voted before I took a look at the results. I agree with most it seems, I prefer the old layout. I think the old layout is visually cleaner and conveys "essential" information more efficiently.

 

[Andy K]

The new layout was far superior. The pages felt more spacious and open. There was no need to scroll the page about to view pictures. This old layout is cramped and ugly with a third of the screen width wasted by advertising and avatars.

<--- Look at all that space wasted. Is this forum here for members to enjoy photography, or are the sponsors now more important? The member profile information above their posts was much better.

 

[FrankS]

Ah, thank you! Back to normal.

 

[sf]

yeah, definitely the old layout. It has a nice, low key, simple way about it that contrasts with all the other forums/sites on the net.

 

[back alley]

ah, too bad, i liked the new set up.

for a creative bunch there sure is a lot of liking the old kinda rigidity here.

i would have thought that those that like to insert photos directly into a post would have preferred that more spacious look.

 

[Andy K]

Here's an idea, how about all the sponsors ads and the Cool Links bit be put in a block at the bottom of the page? Then we get a decent page width again, and can keep the profile information at the left.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Here's an idea, how about all the sponsors ads and the Cool Links bit be put in a block at the bottom of the page? Then we get a decent page width again, and can keep the profile information at the left.

Hmm...! Or the top. That is a good idea.

BTW, it wasn't about "change" for mere dislike of change; in this particular case, imo, it made the posts harder to read, that's all.

 

[Rich Silfver]

ah back to the old look. muuch better! thanks!

 

[peter_n]

The new layout was far superior. The pages felt more spacious and open. There was no need to scroll the page about to view pictures. This old layout is cramped and ugly with a third of the screen width wasted by advertising and avatars.

<--- Look at all that space wasted. Is this forum here for members to enjoy photography, or are the sponsors now more important? The member profile information above their posts was much better.

Andy my understanding is that the forums are for text, and so thumbnails are supposed to be posted in the forums, not photos. That gives members who may be on slower connections better performance, and the rest of us the opportunity to click on the thumbnail if we want to see the pics. The gallery is for posting photos.

Personally I'm glad that we're back to the old format - much easier to read.

 

[Doug]

Hmmm... I guess it depends... The old layout (now restored) does have a minimum height due to the size of the poster information area at the left. For long posts that is not limiting. But for short posts it wastes a lot of message area. If the poster information were tightened up somewhat, for instance by putting the informational lines closer together, that would make it more efficient.

The (briefly) new layout wastes the same amount of space for every post... though much less when there is no avatar photo. Of course lack of avatar shortens up the old layout's minimum height too...

 

[MP Guy]

Dont get too excited. 🙂 I put the old one back to remind users of the look. The final poll numbers will decide the layout.

 

[John]

Ahh thats better :angel: :angel:

 

[BJ Bignell]

If there is an option to control the way the forum appears, we should be able to make that choice ourselves. In the interest of keeping this completely on-topic: I voted for "old style".

Cheers!

 

[Simon Larbalestier]

maybe it's my mac Safari browser but the photo/avatar is on the left hand side same as before? Did i miss something here in Bangkok 😕

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Simon: they changed it to horizontal display, and it was fine in Safari and then they changed it back to vertical display of username and location and so on.

 

[Andy K]

How about a display option so members can choose whether or not they see the sponsors ads? Speaking for myself I find the ads a nuisance and would prefer they didn't take up page width at the expense of members' enjoyment of the site.

 

[Goodyear]

How about a display option so members can choose whether or not they see the sponsors ads? Speaking for myself I find the ads a nuisance and would prefer they didn't take up page width at the expense of members' enjoyment of the site.

Surely that would decrease the site's income from the sponsors - even by making it a less attractive prospect to sponsors.

Ads like that are a necessarily evil - a forum the size of this costs real money to run. The other option would be to make RFF a pay site. I know I would perfectly willing to put my hand in my pocket and pay for this place - but that makes it a much less attractive prospect to new members.