How do we like the NEW Forum

quote:

"BTW what is the Premium member all about?"

A Rich explained it to me, the Premium option will be announced at a future date, after the forum is fully up to speed and any minor glitches attended to.

Well...that's really helpful. 

I liked the old forum better. It seemed more streamlined and easy to navigate. I also don't like that the threads don't show the author, only the poster's avatar, if there is one.

Be patient Rich! Just wait for the next batch of o-guage stuff to be delivered, or at the very least the spring catalogs. Then folks will have other things to gripe about than "the new forum".

I still see that large white space to the left.Why is it that every time a forum change is made it is for the worse?The new format is more difficult to use.But of course they will say that they cannot admit they are wrong and change it back to a more usable format!

I really like it here, and not for the reasons listed above. This new forum stuff is exciting. It makes me wonder of the possibilities that a site like this has to offer. 

This site is better than ever because its headed FORWARD. This site is about sharing a wealth of knowledge about model trains with each other. Its as great as it was when I joined 2 years ago. It'll be even better 2 years from now. It will still be good if "I dont visit as often" as others have expressed. The show MUST go on!!!! When I signed up two years ago I NEVER thought to myself ONCE...... WOW, this forum is designed so nice that Ill come here ALL the time. NO! It was more like....... I cant believe theres that much knowledge about TRAINS in one place

I didnt come here for any other reason than to learn about trains. I certainly didnt come here for any of the things that SO many feel as if were missing. I came here for TRAINS!!! Sure.... the way we share about the information may have changed. Or maybe theres some changes in navigation, or presentation that I personally dont agree with. But we still have the opportunity to share with each other. About TRAINS!!! I just like to try to stay open-minded. 

And I can tell you this..... I wont be the white space thats to big, or the topic list, or the recent post column on the right that will keep me from coming here.....   It will be the NEGATIVITY!!!!!!

I see no white space on either side now that they fixed the big one on the right.

Not a fan yet....different - it's almost too much like my work email...

Bye.

Navigation is fast.

Not all information is displayed on the screen at the same time in some areas.

This means that not as many topics can be reviewed as quickly.

The added features are wonderful, making the forum much friendlier when using the new features.

Mike

Are you positive about that?

It will be the NEGATIVITY!!!!!!

Some just have a one track mind.....   I couldn't help myself.

i wasnt happy with the change,but i need to accept it ,since its not going to change back just for me.......i resist change,have lived in the same house for33years,same employer for 41yrs,married 42yrs.-jim

I usually do not embrace change easily but in this instance I seem to have adapted very quickly.  The forum obviously looks different but the same information is still here and the great thing is it will remain here for a heck of a lot longer than six months and that is a GOOD thing. 

The photo posting was a little tricky at first largely because I had become so conditioned to utilizing JCStudios Inc and because of a compatibility problem due to the fact I was using Internet Explorer as my browser.  I'm now using Firefox and you know what, I'm not only NOT having compatibility problems posting photos but my computer is working a lot faster as well.  Actually, I think the whole experience has been kind of neat and educational.  I'm no computer geek but my institutionalized knowledge regarding computer operations increases dramatically every time a change like this occurs and that is also a GOOD thing.  I want to thank Rich for his foresight, patience and the time he has spent providing assistance to all of us who needed it.    

Louis, to be honest with you... with the exception of one or two posts where some folks were blatantly RUDE about their critiques, many of us who've been here for a LONG time want to see this forum to continue being the best place it can be to share great model train information.

When you're in the business of being a creative professional, you learn quickly to be thick-skinned about people's feedback that isn't 100% in line with yours.  And you also learn to take those constructive critiques in stride to help make your products and services better.

I've witnessed magazine subscriptions and ad revenues come to shocking declines in a few isolated instances because presentation elements were changed too dramatically, and subscribers and advertisers acted accordingly.  And I wouldn't want to see that happen here.

Please don't equate constructive criticism for NEGATIVITY.  Some of the changes made to the new OGR forum format in the last few hours are indeed moving in a FORWARD direction.  The initial Hoopla (no pun intended) format we saw 24 hours ago was a step BACKWARD from what we had, IMHO of course.  Technically, the migration was superb... and very likely the result of much hard work in the planning process.  Now the presentation-level tweaking can continue as we've seen today, 'cause we ALL want this place to be the best!

David

All that was needed was to make adding pictures easier. Now we have this to deal with. Oh well change is a foregone conclussion I guess. I hope all the wrinkles are worked out soon. 

GG1GUYY

Sounds Great Dave! I just like it here and buy saying that I like it I didnt want to be considered as one of those described above.

Then again....I guess it doesnt mater though. The best description of me is TRAIN ADDICT! 

Im just trying to keep a positive attitude going is all.

Other than that.... Thanks again bud!

And I'll beat that this is THE reason for the change...$$$

Until now, I have been viewing it on my little netbook at home, but here at my office I have a 27" iMac and I must say the usability and general appearance is terrific.

I like it.  The change will take a little getting use to but I don't think it will be long before it will be like old hat, but better than before.  I appreciate OGR's efforts to make the forum the fest it can be.  Thanks, Bill B.  

I like the new format. It is a bit harder to navigate than the old forum but its bright and attractive looking. The only thing that I would like to see are more posts/threads listed on each web page.

OK, I have one more constructive comment. It would be nice if the new-post bar on the right would take you to the LAST post on the thread, or at least give you the option. That way, you can use it to see which threads (that you have already read) have new content without having to go back to the main forum page--and clicking on the thread will take you right to the new content so you can quickly catch up on what you have missed.

It will take some time to get used to where all the new buttons are but I like they way the new forum is set up. I think it's easier to find where I want to go with a drop down screen at the top and if there is a post I see that I missed earlier I can just look to the right and click on it...Change is sometimes hard to do but you have to be willing to change with it to make it work.

All this huffing and puffing about not coming back to the forum or wanting it back the old way well guess what it aint gonna happen so get used to it.

Well initially it was a bit of a pill to take, but like most things in my life, I will adjust as necessary and make the most of it. There's some good features, but mostly as long as we continue to get good info about trains I'm good.

Bob

Oy, I still have a lot of white space.

To me, the old forum had the quaintness of a Model T. And was about as sophisticated. Especially the photo upload process. C'mon, we love to see photos, but I often didn't post any because it was such a hassle. So I like that change.

Things like the "cramped" look because of the sidebar to the right can be fixed or eliminated (I vote for the latter).

But why is my face all fuzzy?

Every forum has its pros & cons in regards to layout, this one is no different. So far IMO the pervious OGR forum layout was better than this one.

I'm not so sure. But then, again, I'm an old guy and I get used to doing things a certain way.  Right now I don't like it at all.  Every time I open the forum I have to enter all those numbers that were given to me.  Maybe my daughter can set up something that I can just hit a key and get right into the forum.  But right now I'm a bit stymied and I'll just have to fight my way in. 

I guess that I agree with the member who said, "Why come up with all these new things when the old form worked just fine.

I really hope that I can learn the new "system" because I really love this forum and get most of my information about models, real trains and "what's happening, right here.

Paul Fischer.

Really like the new photo viewing options. Don't have any photos to post at this time so I can only assume it will be eaiser to post images.

Charlie

Personally I love the look of the new forum. I was actually never a fan of the old forum. To me the old forum was antiquated and looked like it was years behind the times. I think this is a huge improvement. 

Thanks to everyone involved in the upgrade. You did a great job. 

..Gromet

This new Forum, and the one that preceded it, are both better than what I could log on prior to Summer 2000. As a result of the OGR 2000 Forum I got a brand new computer, didn't know how to use it and couldn't type and generally viewed it and the phone company as the enemy.

My son initially logged me on, my then 6 year old Grand Daughter critqued my puter skills[or lack of] and I just lurked and....learned. I learned a bunch about o-gauge trains and a piddling amount about the computer.

I never really thought a lot about learning to post photos of my stuff---after all I could see it every day. What fascinated me was the photos of other layouts and the work of scratch and kit builders and scenery composers. Lot of ideas and projects to lean on and even copy. 

I am gonna enjoy learning my way around this new opportunity and may even post a photo sometime. But all in all, for me, it will be a heck of a lot easier to negotiate than it was the first time around. And, I may learn a thing or two about trains!  

Dewey, that is the most uplifting post I've read since we launched this thing. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Now get your granddaughter in there with you and she'll have you posting pictures in no time! 

It's also great to put a face with the name. Nice Avatar.

I'm on enough forums that have changed, updated not to get too carried away with my comments, but I do have one.

I prefer to see the name of the person starting the thread rather than the photo.  Being new here I was getting accustomed to following threads started by a few individuals.  The pics really throw me for a loop!

And 1 more! I liked seeing where everyone lived!!

i still have the white space?