Community upgrade is live!

Hi JonB. I've downloaded the guide to adding media and it works fine for single photos. However, uploading more than one photo at the same time is impossible using Safari on an iMac because (1) it won't let me select more than one image and (2) the 'edit field' is completely obscured by the 'browsing box' so dragging would be impossible anyway.

I agree with others that we don't really need 'Top Replies' or 'Achievements'.

It would be handy to add info into the How To guide explaining how to add a picture from Flickr - as many people do that.  Instructions on how to do this can be found low down the thread here - which will save us updating that old thread (as we get other "How To" guides, I'll go back through my GoA Index and point to the new docs).

ETA - are you going to PDF the file when it's stable?  Many will find that easier to open

The escape button is essential.  I haven't suggested it in my rants because I hadn't looked at an enlarged pic.  As you say, 1000-01-01, what a waste of time, and there are plenty of other wastes of time in this new system, too.

I wonder if your browser is set to clear cookies, Hazy?

JonB said:

3 - The current default font choices are based on our brand guidelines and usability standards for a range of visual impairments and colourblindness.

The font whilst typing, tho too small, might meet usability standards for density, but I do not believe that the posted font does, I've never seen such a pale and wan font anywhere.  There must have been a typo in the programming.

As for the size of font limiting the number of posts per page - we'd have more if the RSPB banner didn't have to loom over us permanently.

It's despair that's causing these sarky-sounding outbursts, Jon.  Utter despair.

I was trying to think how to manage the existing setup and visualised that one way of avoiding having to scroll back to the OP every time one wanted to do a non-reply post would be to keep the OP open in a tab, then right-click on the OP's Reply button and select Open in New Tab, and there would be one's Reply box ready for typing, and when one wanted to post again one would close the tab in which one had previously posted and go back to the OP tab and right-click again...

:o :o :o

Unfortunately (or fortunately!)  the right-click procedure doesn't open a Reply box in a new tab, it merely opens the whole thread, there's no way of avoiding the dreaded scrolling.

Rawhide keeps running thru my head "Scrollin', scrollin', scrollin'... Run hide!"

Can you imagine doing this PEAK arrival mating , nesting, hatching Doh!!

1.Surely we DONT want to go to the start of thread, everytime to post.

2. Click last poster, this should have a, REPLY Tab OR NEW  POST tab.

Surely this would then enable thread to follow chronologically.

SunnyKate2 said:

Can you imagine doing this PEAK arrival mating , nesting, hatching

That's exactly where I'm coming from, Kate.  And probably why some might not understand why I am out of my mind with worry and despair.  The fact is, this basic format is totally unsuitable for "what we do", and I fear it's not flexible enough for "them" to tweak it into usability.

I see that many valid suggestions covering the majority of current issues have already been highlighted for attention and concur with my fellow forumates to ensure that a user friendly platform encourages continued participation and is able to welcome in newcomers with ease.    

From a personal point of view, and although most already flagged up to the Techs,   here’s my priorities, most already mentioned prior by my fellow forumates that  I would recommend

• Text must be made clearer and their links
• Headers/footers are taking up far too much space
• Photo upload size must be increased or there’s no likelihood that people will have time or patience to click on individual photos to enlarge them and afford them the viewing that they deserve.
• I don’t like the cluttered look with unnecessary additions like the Emoji’s,  vote up/down 
• Do away with the indented paragraphs of replies, have them running as on the old platform in a straight neat line with the standard reply button as before, newest posts at the top  and ability to quote in the old style if needed.     Maybe any posts over a few years, archived but accessible via search. 
• Agree totally that blogs be shifted to the right so more space can be allocated to list latest posts.
• Again as mentioned,  the orange Join/Donate button is not needed on the Community Page and is better left placed on Home Page
• Insert media box is cramped, hard to place a photo and text and navigate below to add further photos, text.    Ability to use drag handles on inserts would help.

An occasional update of  “work in progress”  on current issues would be much appreciated (by email if platform has to be taken down)   Personally, I would rather the whole platform be taken offline so all the possible improvements/implementations could be worked on and hopefully  put into place asap,  and then once back live the  forumates  who, to be honest, know, this community best and its day to day operation could then give further feedback  on any further improvements,  if needed.       You now have a good idea from our input of what works/ doesn’t work for this Community as it appears we are all pretty much singing from the same hymn sheet when it comes to the essential requirements needed for the smooth day to day operation of this forum community.  

I have left out many other essential requirements which have also already been highlighted by my forumates.

     Finally, I must add that we are very grateful to RSPB having this friendly/helpful and enjoyable community at our fingertips where we have had the ability to share and enjoy each others posts but to keep it going we have to have a user friendly platform, on an uncluttered, easy to navigate site.

**  Please remember young Techies …………. A lot of us on here are part of the “Silver Surfer”  era,    we don’t need fancy Emojis, achievement awards, unnecessary icons with vote up/down -  all we crave is an uncluttered simple, easy to view workable platform which is geared to sharing photo posts/blogs and please bear in mind  that at our advanced age we have limited time left to spend hours trying to work out how to use everything   LOL