This is awful!

30 March 2002 | Me

[Nogbad]

No, this is awful!
I don't know where anything is anymore!
Where are the sidebars?
I used to go straight to them
to find out
what was going on.

[ArneFufkin]

Valin hints around his need for a Porsche 356. Valin is one of the stalwarts here. And turbocharged would be extra feature rich and user friendly! I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. We'll give you a couple hours to make dreams happen.

The candyman can ... the candyman can.

[tet68]

I can't deal with the font size, makes my head hurt.

I suppose I'll get used to it, but don't feel it's any kind of improvement.

[elfman2]

I like the new format except for the left sidebar. There needs to be a control at the top of the page to open/close it.

Over all, it looks very nice!

[B Knotts]

Sorry. Just trying to help. :-)

[pepperhead]

Also since we are making sugestions. On the left sidebar is this.

News/Activism Latest

Campaign 2002

General Interest

News/Activism

Religion

VetsCoR

Can you change those? I could really care less about the religion one. Not sure if I would ever click the VetsCoR one.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

I must be one of those sensitive types. All I can think of is the people who did this overhaul and their feelings, lol. I was shocked when I saw this this morning, but I feel up to a challenge. I managed to get the Breaking News into my sidebar, so I do feel able to conquer the rest of the site.

I hope we can adjust to this and even like it after a while.

Candi

[Jethro Tull]

I think the wheel has just been reinvented and it has a flat.

I hope someone out there can read this message, because I have no idea where it's going....

[InfraRed]

OK, I feel much better now...

By clicking this link: Breaking News, and bookmarking the resulting page, we can get a quick page with nothing but breaking news on it.

Having made this discovery, I hereby retract my earlier whine.

[bvw]

It was on the beta site for a month. All the complaints were handled as they came up. All those who ignored the beta site will have to wait their turn. You had your chance to give input.

VullChit! "New Coke" VullChit!

You know what chance we had -- THIS ONE. THE OLD FORMAT WAS REALLY GOOD, THIS ONE IS A CONTINUING AGGRAVATION!

People have an honest and good reason for NOT having had paid attention to the Beta testing -- in prior upgrades John Robinson had tried many many tweaks -- we saw that happening, we commented on while it was happening, but for all the various tweaks, most of us just came to ignore them because they were so many.

Personally I tried the beta. Once. It was to slow. I never tried it again -- it was too far from the mark.

That more people WEREN'T trying and sticking with the beta should have been a clue.

Please let the old FR format return!

[cake_crumb]

"Click on topics and suscribe to 'Breaking News' and any other heading you'd like to appear in your sidebar"

Thanks. I now have "Breaking News" on my sidebar.

I don't know if FR should bother with the flag graphic underlay, though. It may be only 11.2 KB's, but I think the fact that another whole page is effectively loading over it is what's slowing page load time.

[ArneFufkin]

My question is the same as that voiced by others above: Why change?

How about reducing server burden and network demand? What is wrong with you people?

[Gore_ War_ Vet]

I want my old FR back!

Double Dittos!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Donna Lee Nardo]

I forgot to add that, with the former FR format, I never ever added myself to any of the "bump" lists and for good reason. I am interested in everything, so imagine having to weed through so many resulting "bump" posts! I do not want to add myself to "bump" lists for the new format either. I preferred to scan through all topics posted and I found that process most manageable under the previous -- since FR's inception -- format. Does this new format allow that with the same ease and speed? It doesn't seem to. So, using "bump" lists for me did not -- and will not under the new format -- make FR any more usable. Why did you go and make FR just like every other discussion site? It was unique and it was good. My only beef is the way you changed how topics and posts and breaking news is listed for scanning. Unfortunately, this one content factor made up the heart and soul of Free Republic!

In a related vein...You know, I just love classic rock. Rock when it was pure and simple and heart-felt with no bells and whistles getting in the way. I like modern rock much less because it is synthesized; humanly "perfected" in studios; performed with stage antics and overpowering light shows that -- to me -- detract from the main music. This is the same way I feel about the "good ol'" vs the "new" FR. Please help!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"This will CERTAINLY take some getting used to."

Of course it will. Has anyone here ever used a piece of software that they were able to navigate and use fluently instantaneously?
Calm down folks. It's the Robinson's party and this package is much better looking with nothing missing. You just have to spend some time and look for the features and use them.
Or is it all about instant gratification?

[Petronski]

. I was shocked when I saw this this morning, but I feel up to a challenge.

Every now and then, a pushy website will hijack my homepage, which is usually FreeRepublic. This morning, thought this had happened again.

As to the 'challenge,' why? It is starting to remind me of 'cnn.com,' with all the clutter and sidebars and polls and such, or the way the once-simple-and-elegant 'weather.com' was overnight turned into a useability nightmare. If it doesn't make the site easier to use, then why do it?

[AppyPappy]

Thank you and I agree.

[RonDog]

I vote for a VERY SIMPLE "default" format.

Let the tech-heads super-customize all the whistles and bells they want, but for a newbie, or a lurker, or an old-timer, there should be a CLASSIC VIEW option with NO flag graphic on the left side, NO poll question, etc.

Perhaps all the new "custom" features have significant benefit, but if they discourage visitors - both new and old - they are COUNTER-productive.

Please make http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/finduser MUCH easier to find, and return the ability to just CLICK ON a screen name, rather than forcing me to remember how to spell, for instance 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub - one of my favorites.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"Then again WebTV is now a Microsoft product... :-P "

Holy cow, don't start that. You'll get Bush2000 and Dominic Harr going at it again.

[Mad Dawgg]

"ARE THE COMPLAINERS A BUNCH OF FOSSILIZED LUDITES?"

Hmmm... Well I do wear Wooden Shoes Occasionally...