New site too difficult

Everyday living
21

One thing I’m having trouble with is navigating around threads. So if I for eg want to go to the last post on a given thread, or the first one I’ve not read, or jump to a few pages further in on a long thread, it’s impossible.

So, today I’ve clicked on this thread as there was a couple of new posts. I needed to read the first post initially in order to check exactly where the thread began (I don’t remember specific threads - cognitive problems!). Then had to whizz through the entire thread to refamiliarise myself with what had been said already.

There would be no point in my mentioning an issue I have if it’s already been said, and maybe answered!

I’m kind of getting used to the format. I still hate the brightness / contrast. I would really like the reply to a post to appear underneath the post being replied to. I find it ends up a bit muddled.

I keep being directed towards the old Brain Fog thread. Apparently there’s one post I’ve not read!! Imagine that? One post out of over 15,000! I can’t get to that one post. I can’t get to the end. I started reading a bit of it but it’s very difficult. As one person answers another, the sequence is ‘off’. I’d like to read specific bits of it again - TraceyDCs ‘can’ diary for example, but there’s no way to get there.

The same would be true of any other long thread, eg Karen (Rizzo)s MRI thread on the New Diagnosis section of the forum. People could still be posting their questions on there with no hope of ever getting any answers.

Another that’s possibly going to be troublesome is the new ‘Welcome and introductions’ thread. As it gets longer, people might post on there, get one or no replies, then more people post thereafter, thus leaving new members unanswered. This could leave people maybe feeling that this forum is unfriendly and unwelcoming. Which is quite the reverse of the intention.

I would also repeat what has been said previously, old members are missing. Many of us have fought hard to get to grips with this new platform. Some are simply unable to do so. Either because of the brightness hurting their eyes, or because of cognitive problems meaning it’s very difficult to learn new things, or some other issues. If they feel shut out by this new version of the forum I think that’s very sad. This has been a lifeline for so many of us over years.

Just some of my thoughts.

Sue

2 Likes
22

Just had a thought that’s positive about this new forum format!

No more ‘lost posts’. Previously it was so easy to type loads then suddenly lose the text you’ve been painstakingly writing. I used to have to keep remembering to copy my posts to prevent utter frustration!

Sue

1 Like
23

Ok Jen i taught I.T. the forum makes no sense visually. MS affects one thing badly. EYESIGHT. we are affected by bright light. ok. so my suggestion is cut out the white borders why do you need them? If you must have borders make them changeable or use the top border colour but lighter? green on white is good for me to see. I HAVE JUST HAD A EUREKA MOMENT…so the writing pane by the side of the message pad is the PREVIEW…ah a light bulb just went on lol. but you dont make it obvious… it doesnt have to be white please change it but also tell us what it is. lol. see HOW DENSE I AM. So now i know i can turn it off when i am writing, and turn it back on when i want to preview what i have wrote. You have two forward arrows bottom right preview FAB i get it BY GEORGE SHE GOT IT LOL. so the two forward arrows before please doenote with Reveal preview or something. easy peasy. then when you have finished you close preview. close previews . enter fullscreen is not obvious. top right 2 arrows.

  1. when your on a post you have to scroll up to see the earlier reply. its all about scrolling. THE SECOND THING MSERS find hard to do is coordinate the mouse to use a scroll. For you its probably easy but for a lot of the members its hard work as they dont have coordination.

  2. its way too fussy. to much going on around. The THIRD thing we found hard is TOO MUCH INFORMATION. we just get frustrated, and throw our hands up and give up lol. I am guilty as charged.

  3. its a phaff to find new posts and replies but it isnt. Can you not change the icon that reveals all truths so the users can see immediately what secret it holds i am talk about this.

my go too
my go too670×684 46.6 KB

It isnt obvious.

the icons on the writing pane, i.e. quotes, image etc are tiny and i can barely see them. to SEE WHAT WE SEE, FOG UP YOUR GLASSES then look. that is how it looks for us ok.

I wrote a ton of exercise books to teach microsoft office and you have to forget your a whizz at design and blind fold your brain, because believe me what is obvious to you is not to us. Its all a simple fix. I actuall love the preview pane now and have been messing with it lol.

I must admit i am getting use to it. CAN WE HAVE A LIKE button with smiley face on the posts rather then love or can we change that and i didnt realise. (see even i doubt myself lol.

1 Like
24

I’m getting used to it but I don’t like it there is far too much going on. I’ve limited myself to only reading PP and Everyday living for a few years because it’s difficult for me so having to navigate this new site is a nightmare!
Jan x

1 Like
25

Unable to log in using my details (Scudger).
So I probably won`t bother in future.

26

Same happened to me, I also had to register again. I messaged Jen from Admin who merged my history with the new and gave me my old username again.
If I hadn’t got my history back I think I’d have thrown my toys out of the pram and left for good.
Jan x

27

Goodbye everyone.
Life`s too short for this inconvenience.
Keep safe. :kissing_heart:

Scudger
Scudger

1 Like
28

Oh Scudger, don’t go and leave us with this horrible site. Take some time out and then try again. Please??

It may be that the admin people will make some changes in the light of all our comments and complaints.

Sue

1 Like
29

It’s an absolute shame that “oldies” feel the new site layout is too difficult to persevere with and decide to leave .

I have to be honest though, I feel the same at the moment.
Even trying to delete old messages that had already been deleted on the old site but have mysteriously re- appeared is turning into a nightmare.

This new layout needs readdressing ASAP, it’s a shambles.

1 Like
30

Scudger, Pandora is too good a username not to hang about for a while.
Keep surfing
Jan x

31

Dont go Scudger, look you have uploaded an image successfully we couldnt do that before. If there is something troubling you really dont like perhaps i can help you?

I am an oldie but with perservance and slow practise i am getting it. Its not that bad but they do need to tone down the white borders.

Please stay just do a little at a time. start with the main area which is the GO TO icon.

go to
go to664×694 44.4 KB

This ICON holds all the secrets of the forum. Once you have that the rest is so much easier. I am checking my typing with the preview arrows (not obvious) preview arrows

Close preview are the 2 left facing arrows bottom right. close preview

I HATED it to start but actually now i have destressed hoping they will quit the white borders i shall be happy.

xxxxx

1 Like
32

Personally, I think it is much better than the old site and find it easy to make, read and reply to posts and don’t bother too much about the stuff I am unlikely to use. Upgrades are always necessary and think this one has been managed pretty well.
Of course, I appreciate that MSers can have specific concerns, but a lot of the criticism seems to be about change and was made about the two versions before this one.
I am sure admin will assist where they can, although a bit of time and perseverance will help too.

2 Likes
33

Whammel,

Thankyou for your comment. It gives a balanced view.

I am sure and have said, that some people will prefer this new site. I am glad you are one of them.

I do not remember the two older versions of this site. I am not adverse to change either.

For me, this not about change per se. This is about changing something that has now become so difficult to navigate and quite a lot of people are saying they are leaving.

My problem is cognitive. Cognitive problems are difficult to understand and even more difficult to explain!!

It is not a question of learning how to use the new site. For me it is just looking at this new site boggles me. My brain stupifies. Too much on the screen. It confuses me very quickly. I am computer literate. That is not the problem. It gives me a headache and tires me.

Such a shame as we are losing friends.

Anne

35

I completely understand your point of view and cognitive problems must be one the more frustrating symptoms of MS.
Hopefully, you will get the support you need and the process becomes more manageable.

36

Thanks Whammel. Really appreciate your reply.

Anne

37

I really, really don’t like it. It seems scrappy to me, not at all cohesive and, as some of you have said, far too busy. I know it has prompted a lot of lapsed members to engage again, which is good, but the camaderie, the being part of something, has been lost along the way. I’m pretty tech savvy, but aesthetically it’s just a big NO from me I’m afraid.

1 Like
38

I wish we’d get some actual feedback from the Administrators. Are they listening to us? Are we stuck with this? Do our opinions matter or not?

3 Likes
39

Nora’s Mum, I have written feedback to the Society and not even got confirmation. I am very saddened to see how many people are challenged by this new site. So many people saying they are leaving.

Sorry to say but it seems to me nobody is listening to our worries. We seem stuck with it.

I keep battling it as I want to stay connected with people I know.

Anne

3 Likes
40

I think that if you know where everything is hidden it’ll be simpler to navigate: it’s a cleaner look – the trouble is, it’s a bit too clean.

41

The silence from mods speaks volumes .

It’s like, “oops we messed up but if we keep quiet (mods) they’ll not notice”, :shushing_face:

1 Like