Open Member Testing: ATS.5/3 Final Release Candidate

reply to post by SkepticOverlord

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


I like the new text better, and I like the color better. I read somewhere that green is the easiest color on the eyes, maybe you might want to test a green background.

What is the difference between "new" and "recent"? I do not get what the difference could be, even after I open the tab/window. Maybe you could make a statement at the top of the page describing the purpose of the page.

I like the disc symbols representing board topics. How hard would it be to pop up a description if you hover over the symbol?

Ok, now I see the description on the "New" and "recent" symbols after hovering, once you go to those pages. You could possibly shorten the description.

I very much like the sort options. Maybe you could offer a liberal, conservative, moderate, type sorts. Maybe we could choose how we place ourselves in that spectrum, and other possible descriptions. Could we combine sorts?

I like the new board page, seems cleaner, better organized, and I like the stats along the side.

I think the new member pages are much better organized. I played with the custom background and text coloring, which I guess is just for our profile, and the text didn't change colors, and I wasn't able to change my time value.

Will our posts display our local times, and GMT? I think that would be a nice concept.

It took me a while to find my member page, maybe you could try a tools symbol, say a crossed wrench and screwdriver.

I will try to give more feedback later.

Someone probably already mentioned this but if not:

When I access replies in my messages and click the link to go to the reply in the thread, it put me back on the old ats site with the new tab/window that opens.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
During the brief live period yesterday, many users were unaware that they accidentally had ATS on a 1-level zoom-in. Once they zoomed out to 1:1, it looked much better.

Hm, okay, many thanks for the information. Is there a button to zoom out to 1:1, or do I have to hit "cmd -" on my keyboard when I log in?

Originally posted by poet1b
reply to post by SkepticOverlord

 

I like the new text better, and I like the color better. I read somewhere that green is the easiest color on the eyes, maybe you might want to test a green background.

No, it's red. In astronomy, you use red filters on your flashlights so you avoid overworking your optical sensors.

Whoops! Double post. Sorry.

Well, this is MUCH better than what I saw previously

Still a few layout issues for me using Chrome.

This is my profile area. I had to scroll a long way down for what you see here.


This is my Upload area. Its not expanding downwards properly.


This is what I see when I click on the Forums link. Everything is aligning to the left. I had to scroll till my mouse wheel smoked to find th forums


I like the upload area, being able to select multiple files is a big plus.
Great work!

Akragon

Originally posted by ChaoticOrder
Here is a perfect example of why the new smilies suck...

It looks like a hand flicking a coin or something but it's two separate smilies next to each other.

EDIT: wait it is a single smiley? What's it supposed to be?

EDIT: Ok after looking at the other smilies I see what it's supposed to be... kind of confusing.

edit on 31/8/2013 by ChaoticOrder because: (no reason given)

I think it is supposed to be a thumbs up...

I thought it looked like a squid...

I'm still not seeing anything here. WTH is that thing supposed to be? Reminds me of those colorblind tests when you can't see the design. The old emoticons were much more expressive.

reply to post by VoidHawk


Just noticed my sigy is not displaying properly, are there changes we should know about concerning this?


Fixed it. Need to use caps now ie: Red

OtherSideOfTheCoin

swanne
reply to post by SkepticOverlord

 

In this 5.3... it's just that everything is so big! The "old" ATS is perfectly sized... I guess that's really the only problem, Everything is really big.

I would agree that, this would be perfect if we kept the old dimensions of the ATS site and (excuse my ignorance) i cant understand what that had to change.

The smilies are also annoying but get SO some credit he has opened the floor to members to create those so we cant ask for much more.

but yeah i really wish they had kept the old dimensions of ATS

swanne

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
During the brief live period yesterday, many users were unaware that they accidentally had ATS on a 1-level zoom-in. Once they zoomed out to 1:1, it looked much better.

Hm, okay, many thanks for the information. Is there a button to zoom out to 1:1, or do I have to hit "cmd -" on my keyboard when I log in?

I see a LOT of wasted space between the posts and the advertisements to the right... But that's how the threads roll, it seems.

You mentioned making sure that the zoom was off....
-In IE10, you will see a little drop-down arrow in the bottom-right of your browser. Adjust accordingly.

-In Chrome vrs. 29, If your zoom/display is not default, a little magnifying glass will appear to the extreme right of the URL, with either a '+' or a '-' in it. To reset, click on it, then click on 'Reset to Default'.

-In FF- To reset size back to normal, press and hold Ctrl while pressing 0
You can customize your toolbar in FF vrs. 7 by adding 'zoom in' / 'zoom out' buttons... According to the help text:

1. Right-click on an empty section of the Tab Strip, select Customize... and the Customize Toolbar window will open.
2. In the Customize Toolbar window, click and drag the "Zoom Controls" toolbar item to the desired place on one of your toolbars.
3. Click Done to save the changes to your toolbars.
4. You can now use the + icon on the customized toolbar to zoom in, and the - icon on the customized toolbar to zoom out.

To S.O... just had time to do some research. Hopefully this helps someone (i.e. they are not asking for a mobile device).

New topics page is not auto-refreshing.

Just seen new ats on a friends tablet. Much better than on my laptop. The text stands out better. Dont do a microsoft on us and leave us laptop / pc users in the cold. We still make up a large percentage of the user base.

Need darker text on the light theme and darker background on the dark theme. Really hurts my eyes on the laptop and PC in its current format. There is not enough contrast between background and text)

Really hope the 'New Topics' page resorts back to the original style. This was the most important page for me. The columns were great.

Overall though it has grown on me and could get used to it if the above changes are made. Im not getting a tablet or smartphone ever. Too many privacy issues. Seems the novelty of these devices is waning too (sales have dropped massively here, mainly due to the fact they dont last much more than a year before breaking and there is no privacy on them at all....according to the local press anyway) so please dont leave us in the cold.

I have a comment/question concerning my favorite page to view, abovetopsecret.com/live.php

Is this page not in the final release? I love viewing the top flagged and discussed posts of the day before venturing on to others pages. I don't see this in this in the new release. Is it located elsewhere?

Originally posted by Bassago

Akragon

Originally posted by ChaoticOrder
Here is a perfect example of why the new smilies suck...

It looks like a hand flicking a coin or something but it's two separate smilies next to each other.

EDIT: wait it is a single smiley? What's it supposed to be?

EDIT: Ok after looking at the other smilies I see what it's supposed to be... kind of confusing.

edit on 31/8/2013 by ChaoticOrder because: (no reason given)

I think it is supposed to be a thumbs up...

I thought it looked like a squid...

I'm still not seeing anything here. WTH is that thing supposed to be? Reminds me of those colorblind tests when you can't see the design. The old emoticons were much more expressive.

edit on 31-8-2013 by Bassago because: (no reason given)

Nah... its a squid

One of the new emotes for when you think something is fishy...

My 2cents which probably won't matter.

Keep the new topics layout as it is, and remove some of the bubbly aspect of the layout, I do like the concept, but the current ATS layout is bang on IMO, but alas, things change.

Getting used to something is fine but it doesn't mean its an improvement. It seems a bit daft when people say 'you'll get used to it'. Thats ok but lets make it as perfect as we can now. I dont want to just 'get used to it' I want to enjoy it and have the best experience possible. Now is the time for members to make suggestions to improve the new format. Just 'getting used to it' is a cop out.

It needs a bit more work in order to compete with other sites. At the moment it looks 'nothing special' in my opinion. The old/current format is much more pleasing to the eye, and you get more information on the screen at any one time without it looking cluttered. The new look looks like things are missing from the pages. I can get used to it but we should be striving for something better than that!!


Needs more colours to define the options (buttons). When only using 2 colours its just harder to locate things as it all looks the same.

The new look just doesn't seem unique to ATS anymore. It looks too familiar for some reason. The lack of colour doesn't grab my attention. You need to grab users attentions if you want them to join up. Dont get me wrong...it's nice but missing something the current site has. Cant put my finger on it.


It has lost some of the 'athmosphere', there is no 'feeling' in the new design. Almost too corporate looking. Yet at the same time, fonts and icons seem aimed at a much younger audience.

Originally posted by eXia7
My 2cents which probably won't matter.

Keep the new topics layout as it is, and remove some of the bubbly aspect of the layout, I do like the concept, but the current ATS layout is bang on IMO, but alas, things change.

edit on 8/31/2013 by eXia7 because: (no reason given)

NO, the new topics layout needs to be like the current/old one. Thats the best page. Or is that what you meant

Ok - so I'm just wondering - and if this has been asked and answered a million times - please forgive! I hope whomever is clued in can answer.

On my profile, I no longer see "points" nor do I see "friends" and such. Have these been permanently removed? If so, does anyone know why?

Thanks!

- AB

Well, I have been an Opera user for many years. I have become used to the "feel" of the Opera browser and have moved away from the other browser that I used to love, Firefox.

I have noticed that while browsing the new design using Opera when I click on the "next page" number, the system goes to the next page correctly but then immediately goes to the home page. Of course I can hit the back button and I'm where I'm supposed to be. That is really a pain in the butt. So I decided to try Firefox and what do you know? It works perfectly.

I can only "assume" that their is some html5 problem with Opera that is incompatible with the new design and I will either have to try and figure out what the problem is and fix it or forever be denied the use of my favorite browser to view my favorite web site.

reply to post by AboveBoard


I know the friend/respected foe list is gone, but the points are still there although I don't see them either. I had asked about that during the beta and was told the points are still going to be kept, but the friend list is going bye bye, along with the profile wall, and ability to put a personal message in your profile about yourself.