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

To Site Owner- SkepticOverlord, Thanks for asking....

It's a generally overall cleaner look... which translates into an easier interface to work with, where one can read and interact longer- with less eye-fatigue. Great job!! The curved corners are polished and have a more modern look.

I do have some comments about it, BTW:

-What is that little 'person' icon at the bottom of each poster, all the way down, left in the square? I think it's for 'Member'... Is it possible for a html Title to appear when the mouse of over it - as a hint? An html Title which includes the userid in it would be really cool.

-Suggestion I posted in a different thread today... A copy is below:

You know the page numbers at the top of the thread.... like this >

...there should be a 'last' option, to immediately bring the user to the last page. These should be duplicated at the bottom as well.

They don't have to be so big... maybe put them in a toolbar (in the same location?) would spiff them up some.

Customizable color scheme.....

And my fave... have a two-tiered thread system... ATS Thread

In the thread, armap pointed out to me that the leading and trailing arrows by the page numbers are first and last, respectively... After all this time, I just found that out... Maybe the words are better.

-In the top ribbon all the way to the right, I see a color-scheme changer.... Wow...

-I noticed that the post content area is a bit narrower. That's probably OK. It'll probably grow on me... I have a hunch that this is done for mobile user readability. There seems to be too much space wasted between the posted content and the advertisements to the right, IMHO.

-I like how the links- 'link edit', 'quote', and 'reply' symbols light up when they are moused over. Is it possible to extend the 'lighting up effect' to the associated words as well? Because as it is now, when you click on the words, nothing happens.

-Oh ya... a big one, maybe. I went browsing through the members directory, and saw something interesting. I saw many member ids that were created in the prehistoric era, with not one post. It seems that some ppl just wanted to save their fave userid, just in case. After all this time has elapsed, approx.: 20 years I'm guessing, maybe they should be freed up for ppl who might want them?

-Always kind of seen 'My ATS' and 'Tools' to be in the group of 'all that stuff'.... stuff that I use on occasion. Because when I look for one of those functions that I don't use that much, I'm constantly clicking on both, because I can't remember what is where. Saying that, possibly they can be combined. Or put the little down-arrow button right next to 'myATS', with the Logout button all the way to the right? Just a suggestion.

-Note to self: review 'archive' button in top ribbon.

Thanks again for asking...
---------------------------------------------
ETA:
-What is the difference between Top and Hot? It's not obviously clear to me. I like the infinite-list style of New. Do we need HTML Titles to explain these?

-I noticed that the bottom part of the last line of my signature for MarkJS is not displayed... Maybe it's just my computer? dunno.

Okay, so....
1) on the Account page, the color box still doesn't work right - if you click anywhere on the palette grid, it shows what "should" be there, but the whole grid doesn't show up correctly - it looks like a sideways "L".

I figured out how to tweak it, but it doesn't work correctly on Chrome Win 8. Also, the alphnumeric string for colors from the palette don't work for text anymore - only [ color=name of color ] seems to work. Boo.

2) I really, really don't like the new smileys. They're awful. I hope you all reconsider and go back to the old ones, or even an expanded version of the old ones. I learned how to do some just by "quoting" replies so I could see the bbc. On other forums they have dozens of them, we only ever had the 15 or so, and I just think these new ones are ugly, and sterile.

Those things are pretty trivial and I can work around them,

BUT - I REALLY want to see WHO HAS AUTHORED the "newest threads" on my ATS Favorite Forums - it's part of how I use that tool. It is IMPORTANT to me to see WHO made the thread before I decide to click on it. AND, also, as another member said, on recent posts, I want to see page numbers and THE DATE OF THE OP, along with the Author's username.

Also, finally, where are the borders? I'm proud of my silver border, and I see that, for example, there is a gold border around this reply box that I'm using right now - and I DO pay attention to who has what borders as a signal of their longevity and activity. Please.

Also, DATE AND TIME stamps are important. Sometimes a thread from years ago will be bumped back onto the recent posts, and I always, always check to see the date of the OP. Please.

I'm not a huge fan of the look. I feel kind of like the first time I saw Windows XP with all of the soft and rounded edges. It seems to work fine though. I just wish we could get the option to skip directly to a specific page in a thread. I hate having to jump to the last page and work my way back.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin


For the preview you just need the new style sheet, it probably didn't update on your browser.

Do a forced refresh and clear some stuff, you should be ok

~Tenth

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


Seems to be a little more user friendly. More streamline. I like the new style, it's change and change is something we all need from time to time. I do like the fact you guys let the members have input into the changes. After all ATS would be nothing without it's members. Now if we could only get all of our governments to act the same way. Nah, wishfull thinking on my part. Peace I do want to know what happened to the rest of my signature? More than half is missing????

***ATTENTION MEMBERS***

For anybody experiencing bounce back with login and password for the site, please note that if you copy/paste the password, it creates an extra empty space, that must be deleted.

Mobile Users:

If you have issues logging into the mobile version, please log in under the standard ATS site, then switch the www to 53 and you should be ok.

~Tenth

Ok... This isn't as bad as yesterday when ATS flipped for a minute to the New site. You can see as much now as the old site. Yesterday it was way to blocky and you couldn't see a whole page. I dont mind change but honestly... The old site is better.

I wonder... As you have given us the option to switch to ATS53 right now... Can't you make it to where we can choose our lay-out? Old/new?? No? To much to run huh!? Just like clicking the button mobile or desktop(?) huh? Huhhhhh?? Ummmm yea? lol how about I just bribe you w/ cash to leave us a choice?? Haha

If it ain't broke... Dont go trying to fix it!!!

I got an idea... Since this site does belong to us... The members... So to speak... Can we vote(?)

Anyways... This is much better then yesterday... I can and will be forced to live with it. I' e been here since 07... I'm not leaving now.

MikeNice81
I'm not a huge fan of the look. I feel kind of like the first time I saw Windows XP with all of the soft and rounded edges. It seems to work fine though. I just wish we could get the option to skip directly to a specific page in a thread. I hate having to jump to the last page and work my way back.

If you simply change the URL in the addressbar for a thread, you can jump to any page directly, such as:

OP page 1 (see bold red font)
http ://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread967142/pg1
Opens page 4 (see bold red font)
http ://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread967142/pg4

One more trivial thing - on the forums page, on the lower left where "who's online" is, my username doesn't show up. Is this intentional? Then maybe it should say "who ELSE is online"?

During the last test the same thing happened, I replied just like I am now, and then went back, and suddenly my username WAS on the list.

A glitch? Chrome, Win 8.

I really like the persistent menu as well, and overall I like the new design, i just wish there was a "zoom" tool to shrink text and layout, as it just feels too inflated for me.

Some have suggested Control - as a way to do this, but this doesn't work with my OS and browser. It's a Command - for me (Mac), which works and makes it MUCH better. I just wish this control was built into ATS.

The smileys are a little odd, as well, but that's just a little issue that can easily be fixed in the future. Some of the icons are not immediately understandable, either (what do i click to know when to quote ex-text, or links, etc? I have to hover above them until I can see what they are, which is the same thing that happened when Google overhauled, but which we will get used to when we become more familiar).

I know the overhaul took a lot of time and effort and many lines of code, and I really don't have a problem with it. I think the older version was definitely more polished and tighter, this one seems more washed.

But hey, it is what it is.

SkepticOverlord
The percentage of people comfortable with the rigid/tight discussion board format is decreasing, while the percentage of people accustomed to the more open sensibilities of contemporary flat design is increasing.

As things change and evolve, what does this say about people and society in general? Simplified, Flat, and dumbed down versions of everything to reflect the increasingly simplified, flat, and dumbed down populace and society. :/

I like it, it's just...New.

ETA: I REALLY like the forum icons, and always have. I don't normally browse many sections of ATS outside of the recent posts and Forums page, but I have to say that the other pages don't look as cluttered as they used to. The layout is better, more organized, and easier to navigate.

reply to post by Liquesence


I see it as the "POS approach" (Point Of Sale). IMO, it's the latest trend to allow folks that have trouble thinking and are used to pressing the pic of the fries and hamburger as opposed to needing to know math (shudder....needing to think, yikes!).

Logged on from the Android phone and WOW...what a difference from the old version!!!

No more zooming in and out, no more ATSLive banner all over my screen...

Nice and clean! I love this!!!


Still think the emoticons are weird looking though ... but wow!!!

Did you guys get rid of New Topics/Firehose? Say it aint so!

Just testing this new login and seeing wha'gwan


I have both open in two tabs.... old ATS and new ATS and I'm going to miss old ATS.

reply to post by Swills


Nope, in the top banner, look for HOT and NEW tabs, those are the replacements.

Also on the recent posts page, the small leaf you see on the left will show you all new threads/posts and a sorting option as well.

~Tenth

blupblup
Just testing this new login and seeing wha'gwan


I have both open in two tabs.... old ATS and new ATS and I'm going to miss old ATS.

edit on 31/8/13 by blupblup because: (no reason given)

I felt the same way, until day 3.

Trust me, it grows on you something fierce.

~Tenth

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I guess I'm just gonna miss the New Topics format but one must always adapt. Thanks

Swills
reply to post by tothetenthpower

 

I guess I'm just gonna miss the New Topics format but one must always adapt. Thanks

Click on the LEAF in the menu bar.

reply to post by Swills


You don't have to, the NEW button is exactly that

|Tenth

doub le