Should we go back to the old RFF for a month while we work on the new RFF site?

[Darthfeeble]

We've got to get used to it so keep at it. Having the changes sort of doled out helps the transition anyway.

 

[fad gadget]

The number of people that have viewed this post, or have even bothered to vote, is your answer.

 

[splitimageview]

Options as I see them:

A. fix the various issues in version 2.0 so it can proceed from the current state (alpha?) to release

B. make version 1.0 live again while version 2 is fully completed off-line. Recruit a dozen or so volunteers who have great familiarity with version 1, once the site is ready for alpha testing, test it until it is deemed ready for beta by those testers; repeat the process with beta, then go live.


Choosing which option depends on how long A is estimated to take. If it's more than a week to ten days, which it appears to be, I'd go with B.

 

[raid]

Changes are not easy but the "new" site has improved mech since the first days. I would stay with the new, engineers and techinciens need time to work out bugs and make improvements and we, users need time to get used to the new interface and the new way to go through the site.
Each changement, each improvement is not easy ans needs energy ! In this case from both sides, developers and users 😉
As many others already said thanks very much to the ones doing the hard work for this site, which in my opinion is still the best meeting point for a wonderful community.

I agree with Robert. Stay here and learn how to use the new website.

 

[maigo]

Fail forward, not fail backward.
Keep the new site online.
Fix the most significant problems with the main site (excluding Gallery). This is what draws members, visitors and google results to the site.
Fix the Classifieds - it's a revenue source.
Lastly, fix the Gallery. Most members never used the old one and the new one will only attract new users if it's simple, fast and reliable.

Many Thanks to the Head Bartender, developers and mods - I appreciate your efforts to port the old site to the new platform.

 

[Saganich]

well, I just got the new version working to my liking and I like it better now than the old version, so I vote to forge ahead. I'm curious about what the problems are. In my limited use of the new site I haven't run into any issues...yet.

 

[splitimageview]

Sticking with the alpha state of version 2 just ends up making all the members alpha testers, which is ok if members are willing to endure glitches and problems, and report them.

There are a few issues that remain unexplained, such as the weirdness between POSTS and LATEST ACTIVITY tabs.

When I click on a link that should take me to a post entered 46 minutes ago, why does the system instead take me to a post from 3 days ago? And then require many extra steps to finally arrive at the latest post: click on the POSTS tab, then click on page 2 and scroll down?

Asked this question a few weeks ago but no reply, video illustrating this below:


https://vimeo.com/641149903

 

[markjwyatt]

Swittching back and forth again will likely be much more devastatng than weathering the current issues. Personally, the issues have not been that significant for me, and the new format has a lot to offer.

 

[willie_901]

I think it would be useful to spend the time required to switch - and then switch back - on working through the existing issues.

 

[DennisM]

Do what you will. Before the change, I visited the site frequently; although a little funky, I was able to navigate fairly easily. Now, I've given up on finding the "magic key" and trying to find my way through the maze. I visit occasionally and read several of the new posts, but that's about it. Overall, a very poor changeover, amateurish in my opinion.

 

[MP Guy]

Do what you will. Before the change, I visited the site frequently; although a little funky, I was able to navigate fairly easily. Now, I've given up on finding the "magic key" and trying to find my way through the maze. I visit occasionally and read several of the new posts, but that's about it. Overall, a very poor changeover, amateurish in my opinion.

This statement by Dennis reenforces my vote to stay the course. It appears from what Dennis wrote that the issue is more of a how do I do things now that I did in the past. Clearly a situation where the user is not familiar with the new layout. I can understand some of his frustration but it is not a sign of a site that isn't working. Its more of I use to click this button. what is the new button ?

 

[Shac]

OK MP Guy - I'm OK with this but some of us have asked for a small number of simple items (e.g. leave the edit option on longer than it is - sometimes we find a spelling error or other issues and need to fix it, etc.) and one big one - the star feedback ratings in Classifieds - this is a significant loss for some of us longer time members.
Just my 10 cents
David

 

[rbiemer]

While I am still not entirely happy with the new RFF, I also think that going back temporarily would be much more painful than pushing forward.
The site today is very much better than it was initially and I have reasonable expectations that will continue to be the case.

I would also strongly agree with this:

I think, your user-base detects a lot of bugs here and I think, a very useful thing would be to have a very simple and quick to find thread or web-form where to report bugs and and/or usability-issues. The relates thread could also contain a list of already reported issues and info, if the issue is accepted and if so, which priority it has to be fixed (and maybe let users up/downvote issues). This way, you get the most valuable data, what is desired by the users and what annoys them the most - weighted against the effort to implement/fix it.

Helping us helping you would probably the fastest way to quickly improve everything until we all feel back at home with the new site.

Than ks for all the hard work y'all have been doing to keep the site going!

Rob

 

[DownUnder]

Needs must, I suppose.

Throughout my long life it has taken me longer than most to learn new things, and now at 70+ I find it takes me even longer.

I've complained a bit about the "new" RFF, and once or twice I've even threatened to disappear (for a while, not forever, that will come entirely too soon for me!!), but I've always returned, persevered, and one thing at a time I've learned how to navigate the site and do what I want to do in it.

Now I ignore the "small minuses" like the annoying boxes that keep popping up (just had three, sorry, now FIVE! Invalid Server Response messages in a row as I type this) and having to hit the Post Reply button a few times before my posts get posted. We live and we learn.

In the summing up, do what has to be done, and we will get on with it. In a way, if we go back to the (not always so) good old site , then so be it. We will all survive, and in the end the "new" product will surely be working as it should.

My deux sous, two hundred rupiahs,, six riggits of opinion...

 

[splitimageview]

This statement by Dennis reenforces my vote to stay the course. It appears from what Dennis wrote that the issue is more of a how do I do things now that I did in the past. Clearly a situation where the user is not familiar with the new layout. I can understand some of his frustration but it is not a sign of a site that isn't working. Its more of I use to click this button. what is the new button ?

I guess it all depends on the definition of 'working.' 😛

I've outlined multiple times and even provided video evidence of weird behavior.

Clicking on a notification (of a post from yesterday) should not take the user to a post from July 31, and then require the user to click on the POST tab and then manually enter "19" into the page number entry area to get to the latest post.

This is basic.

Email notifications don't work.

Recruit some members that are willing to be alpha and beta testers, make a list of everything that needs to be addressed, and completion should be a straightforward task.

Good luck, hopefully people won't run out of patience before it's completed.

 

[fraley]

The new site is much better visually! Let's keep with it and work out problems as we go...

 

[filmtwit]

The bigger question is how to get all the users back from before the upgrades and then teaching them to use the new site.

 

[x-ray]

Don’t care for the new format at all.

 

[RObert Budding]

Never try to cross a chasm in 2 steps.

 

[Archiver]

I'm fine with the new version, it allows us to Like posts and generally runs pretty well. Still can't edit my own posts, though.