I think that Bridgeman is being very kind to whoever is responsible for the new website. I am inclined to be more blunt - it is a total disaster!! Bridgeman has only described the roundabout way necessary to get to the photo gallery and the problems encountered when one eventually arrives (5mm square thumbnails)
I find the problems more far reaching and list a few more here:
It takes an absolute age to move from page to page. ( I have a 100mps broadband account and use an i5 processor with 8G memory and 2T hard drive).
My profile has disappeared and been replaced by a message saying that I haven't entered one. This applies to many members but not all.
My personal page seems to include a complete list of every photo I've ever posted together with every comment made about them. If this applies to every contributor on the RSPB site then no wonder the site is slow!
It also tells me that my language is US English - that must be why I get a wriggly red line every time I spell colour with a 'U'.
My list of friends is an unintelligible list of 'computer speak' with no recognisable (red lined again - s instead of z) name among it.
The personal message page no longer lists messages by the heading, but by the first line of the message which again I find irksome and unfriendly.
Even our resident weekend blogger, Nicola, is unable to post pictures on the blog site!
Come on you guys responsible for this mess. Give us back the simple to use, friendly, fast website we used to have, before we all migrate to another more usable site!
I have to say that I've been unable to use the site at all for around 5 days and it's only today that when I've tried yet again, that when click on a title, i can actually read the blog, or that I can see the thumbnail pictures at all on the front page of the gallery!!
Update.
Since my 'little' rant yesterday, my 'Friends' list has become a readable list of web names and avatars - just as it used to be. Could be just coincidence, or could be someone's listening!
The new site is a disaster....Give us back the old one ..if it doesn't work people will just not bother...I've been trying to post a photo for a week now...I'm still trying.
if this is progress god help us as mike describe`s its a nightmare to post picture`s and navigate the site you have to go into file to post picture`s
if you click thumbnail in picture`s it goe`s straight to large pictures jo and blog`s have a mind of their own
it get`s better now we found how to upload picture`s it say`s file size too big never had a prob with old site
Hi everyone, there is a Q & A about the new site as a sticky to make it easy for all concerns, gripes, comments, feeback to be in one place, if you are interested here it is - www.rspb.org.uk/.../767303.aspx
Thanks Ben - I had a quick look. I had not realised that the issues were quite so widespread!
In response to Old Hilmian's original post about being kind, perhaps so. I think disappointment was my main emotion....I don't like the new look, it is a bit too "Early Learning Centre" for me but maybe that is just personal preference!
One of the things which I think sets OM apart from other reserve websites is that it has a really good blog with daily updates by Bert, Nicola et al. Also, there is now quite a large body of photographers who daily share their superb pictures with the community. This all adds up to a very current and relevant website and is head and shoulders above many others.
It would be terrible if the technology were to get in the way and people stopped contributing to the site.
The whole purpose of a website is communication - the technology should be invisible to the user. Fingers crossed it all gets sorted out very soon.
Thanks Bridgeman, for your calm and measured comments on this situation. Unfortunately, having followed the link provided by Ben A and read his posts I can only conclude that this is an ego trip for the techies and that we will get what they want us to have - i.e a Facebook Clone!! I also read in disbelief, one of the posts from Ben A (8 July 2013 5.19 PM) in which he implied that The RSPB did not regard the wishes of the 'Communities' as high priority!! Where the hell does he think they get their money from to do all the conservation work!!! Sorry to drag this on, but the old site wasn't broken. It just required a service to make it run a little faster and be more reliable. We're not going to get that now are we???
One thing I forgot to mention in my 'Rant' that Bridgeman picked up on. The Old Moor Community is a Family. We all feel we know each other. I have never met Bridgeman, but I still feel I know him!
The new website seems to have taken that away somehow!