New Community homepage is live! :)

[Martin-O2]

Hi everyone,

I'm sure you've noticed if you've visited before, that our forum is looking a bit different today. We've been working hard for the past several months on making changes to the community homepage, and finally went live with the new version this morning!

We have been listening to your feedback from our discussions around what you like or don’t like on the homepage, passing it on to the designers and developers, along with ideas that you’ve come up with, and tried to get as much as possible included. A BIG thank you to everyone who have provided your views over the years. 

The update has brought several changes to the layout and to the different features of the page:

Welcome and search

• FAQs are linked from the top underneath the search bar, for quick look at the most-asked questions.
• If you're logged in, you have quick access to your latest posts right on the homepage. If you're logged out, you will see instead a login box and quick general information about what the community is about.
• Underneath that you have 3 quick links to help you get started: 1) info topic on what's the community about and how to get help, 2) topic listing all the different forum boards, and 3) the how-to guides board.

Notification Feed

A new feature on the right side of your avatar, next to your "My Settings", "Messages" (PMs) and "Unread posts" links when you are signed in. You can see a list of recent activity here related to topics you've participated in, e.g. if someone has given you a Kudos, replied to your posts, or @-mentioned you on the forum.

Community Topics and contributors

• See what everyone’s been chatting about with top and latest discussions.
• You can also help with unanswered questions or ask your own.
• You can see a list of current top contributors on the right

Most Popular Searches

• See the popular searches that others have made on the community to help you with your query

Latest News

• 3 latest topics that we've wanted to highlight!

Popular Topics

• Especially helpful for those looking for help: you'll see 2 most-used community how-to guides, with related Solved topics underneath.

Activity

• Some stats about the community where you can see number of active members and click into member search, number of members online (if they've set themselves visible in their settings) with a link to view all, total posts and questions solved.

We know that big changes can be annoying and even stressful to users if the old layout has been there for long (we had the previous look since 2014!!), and some of the abovementioned elements are both new and different from what we've had before. Now that the changes are live, we will be testing and monitoring over time to see how the page performs.

We'd love to hear your feedback:

We'd love to hear what you think of this new change. Do you like the design and feel of the homepage and its new sections? Do you think it's an improvement to the old design? What is your initial feeling around navigating the forum, finding and replying to topics, etc? 

Also, since we've just gone live today, don't hesitate to alert us if you see something that's not quite right. We've done a lot of testing but there can always be some lingering bugs or issues that we might have missed. 

Your continued feedback will be much appreciated as always to help us plan for future improvements. 

Cheers,

The Community Team

[Cleoriff]

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@jonsie wrote:

I would say it's nigh impossible to revert to the previous format.

besides, there are some good improvements such as......err....and err...

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Tick Tock... I'm still waiting.

I hate to repeat myself but I can't think of one improvement at all.

I could list all the problems, though as I have already pointed them out more than once, I won't bother. 

[Mi-Amigo]

The general consensus of opinion is "get rid of the banner", which, as I have said, in my opinion, takes up too much space and does not represent the Community.

As a point of interest, does any of the longer-serving members of the Community have a "screen shot" of the former Home Page? This would allow newer members, such as myself, to make a fair and reasonable comparison.

Would it not be possible for a vote of all members of the Community on whether they prefer the older banner, the current one, or a totally new one based on submissions from members? 

[Cleoriff]

@Mi-Amigo 

The old header is here

Each of those tabs had a drop down box and you could click on anything you needed immediately.

Now you have to search about to find info you need.

Underneath the banner (and the rest of the page) were boxes relating to every section of the forum ie Android, Apple, Other devices, PAYG, Pay Monthly, Discussions and Feedback, Off Topic etc etc etc.

There is an old saying "if it isn't broken, it doesn't need fixing'. Very very true.

[Mi-Amigo]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

@Mi-Amigo 

The old header is here

Each of those tabs had a drop down box and you could click on anything you needed immediately.

Now you have to search about to find info you need.

Underneath the banner (and the rest of the page) were boxes relating to every section of the forum ie Android, Apple, Other devices, PAYG, Pay Monthly, Discussions and Feedback, Off Topic etc etc etc.

There is an old saying "if it isn't broken, it doesn't need fixing'. Very very true.

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Thank you so much for that @Cleoriff 

Given, as you said, that there were boxes relating to the sections on the forum, begs the question (which I`m sure has been asked a thousand times) "why was it ever replaced?"

You are so right - "if it ain`t broke, it doesn`t need fixing", and as my Gran said to me if I fiddled with something - "leave it alone, it`s alright as it is" 

[Cleoriff]

Add to that, if Web designers have never been involved in the workings of the forum ie answering questions, searching for answers etc etc, then they have no idea what's been lost

[Mi-Amigo]

and not is it only knowledge of the workings of the forum but experience of using the forum -

have the designers ever tried using the search box? ever had to keep scrolling down to find the sections? ever looked at how many posts compared to views of the various topics? and listened to the views and comments of the regular users who have experienced all of the problems outlined in the questions?

It is the concerns of the members of the Community which should be acknowledged. taken into account, and addressed by the designers. 

[Glory1]

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@Mi-Amigo wrote:

and not is it only knowledge of the workings of the forum but experience of using the forum -

have the designers ever tried using the search box? ever had to keep scrolling down to find the sections? ever looked at how many posts compared to views of the various topics? and listened to the views and comments of the regular users who have experienced all of the problems outlined in the questions?

It is the concerns of the members of the Community which should be acknowledged. taken into account, and addressed by the designers. 

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If only @Mi-Amigo. That's the problem with web designers and architects, they don't have to 'live' with their designs. It looks fantastic on paper but rarely is it practical in use. 

Web designers snd architects should be made to use the system/room design they're upgrading themselves before they go changing things. They might then find there is very little to change.

And the problems we actually raised prior to the update still persist. So what exactly has been achieved. It may be easier for new members, though I have my doubts about that from the number of questions posted after the change, but is a nightmare for those of us who visit the community continually throughout the day, every day. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, most new members post once and are never heard from again. You are a very welcome excception @Mi-Amigo and it's a pleasure to have you with us. For one thing you talk sense!

[jonsie]

Strangely enough, using the community on the Kindle

[jonsie]

The landing page for me using the unread link is OK  Whilst the banner is still to large, it is quite usable. 

Apologies for the split list but the wifi here isn't too good. 

[Cleoriff]

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@jonsie wrote:

Strangely enough, using the community on the Kindle

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Is it any better?

I actually entered the Community via Edge for the first time ever, (3 days ago)

I was delighted to find the OLD homepage layout. I didn't stay on Edge though and when I went back it was the new layout!! Like being given a Christmas present, only to have it snatched away.