Someone been playing again?

[BankFodder]

Yes, I know that it can be difficult if you are used to a different way of doing things.

 

the vehicle forum you are referring to is still visible on the front page but it is now contained in the Retail Goods and Services forum and is at the bottom of the list of sub-forums

 

Here is a link which will take you directly to the Retail forum http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?280-The-Consumer-Forums-Retail-Goods-and-Services

 

but if you scroll down the main front page - as you had to before anyway, you will come to the Retail forums in --- HotPink -- !!. You will then see the two column list of subforums. One of them is the forum you want.

 

Of course, Newbies won't have the added difficulty of having to re-learn the forum culture

[mightymouse_69]

Thanks for replying BF.

 

Maybe when the major stuff is all done, the grouping of different forums could be tweaked?

 

For example: As crem says, the "Vehicle-retailers-and-manufacturers" forum is almost impossible to find (unless you know where to look) - maybe it would be wise to have all motor related stuff in the same place?

 

Thanks for the hard work you are doing.... oh, and you will be pleased to know that I like the new icon thingys

[crem]

Here is a link which will take you directly to the Retail forum http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?280-The-Consumer-Forums-Retail-Goods-and-Services

 

but if you scroll down the main front page - as you had to before anyway, you will come to the Retail forums in --- HotPink -- !!. You will then see the two column list of subforums. One of them is the forum you want.

 

not true. This forum section used to be nicely grouped within the "Motoring" section until last month which is the area I frequented

 

Maybe when the major stuff is all done, the grouping of different forums could be tweaked?

 

For example: As crem says, the "Vehicle-retailers-and-manufacturers" forum is almost impossible to find (unless you know where to look) - maybe it would be wise to have all motor related stuff in the same place?

 

wow what a good idea MM.! you mean just like it used to be until all this "re-coding" started to happen?

[Feebee_71]

Can I please add a niggle - and it's not really a little one!!

 

The adverts in the last post on any page of a thread - the 2 for the books - really elongate the posts and, if there is a quotes box in the post then this overlaps the adverts.

 

Is there anyway those 2 adverts can be moved, or removed?

 

Feebee_71

[callumsgran]

Yes, I think that you are right. They have been there a long time too. Before our Google ads we had to push the books very hard because they made the difference between life and death for us.

 

We sold a fair few over the years and they are extremely useful for people but I think that what we will do is put them in the notification area at the top and make them disappear for people with, say, 100 posts or more.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try and make it happen in the next few days.

Thanks BF, also another thing you mentioned about colour schemes, i know some sites allow you to choose your own colour preference for browsing, would this be possible?

then maybe most would be happy

[BankFodder]

Thanks BF, also another thing you mentioned about colour schemes, i know some sites allow you to choose your own colour preference for browsing, would this be possible?

then maybe most would be happy

Yes, we had already decided to so this and we will get round to it - although it isn't a priority yet.

 

However as far as most people being happy -

[crem]

Thanks BF, also another thing you mentioned about colour schemes, i know some sites allow you to choose your own colour preference for browsing, would this be possible?

then maybe most would be happy

 

I couldn't give a to$$ about the colour scheme. I just want to be able to navigate the site easily and help people when I can.

 

I don't understand what the "Consumer Forums Menu" is for on the right hand side of the screen. I know we have now been told how to get rid of it by speedfreek, but what does it do anyway? If we could create our own list of things in there that take us straight to the forums we use most, then that would go some way to addressing the navigation issues. But, if like it appears, it is a fixed list of areas most of us probably don't visit, then it serves no purpose whatsoever.

[callumsgran]

I couldn't give a to$$ about the colour scheme. I just want to be able to navigate the site easily and help people when I can.

 

I don't understand what the "Consumer Forums Menu" is for on the right hand side of the screen. I know we have now been told how to get rid of it by speedfreek, but what does it do anyway? If we could create our own list of things in there that take us straight to the forums we use most, then that would go some way to addressing the navigation issues. But, if like it appears, it is a fixed list of areas most of us probably don't visit, then it serves no purpose whatsoever.

Maybe you dont crem, but some people do, namely people with certain eye conditions find it easier to work with particular colours!

BF mentioned it first, so i just thought it was a solution many would like thats all!

[crem]

I don't disagree with it being an option callumsgran, but as BF says it is far from a prioity at the moment. The way I see it, it's a bit like putting all your effort into picking which cloth trim you want on your car seats when the car ain't got no wheels yet!

[BankFodder]

I couldn't give a to$$ about the colour scheme. I just want to be able to navigate the site easily and help people when I can.

 

I don't understand what the "Consumer Forums Menu" is for on the right hand side of the screen. I know we have now been told how to get rid of it by speedfreek, but what does it do anyway? If we could create our own list of things in there that take us straight to the forums we use most, then that would go some way to addressing the navigation issues. But, if like it appears, it is a fixed list of areas most of us probably don't visit, then it serves no purpose whatsoever.

 

The menu sidebar contains links to every part of the forum so most of the people who visit here probably do visit at least one or two of those areas and of course if people are a bit lost as to where they are, then clicking a sidebar link is another way of getting people to where they would rather be, rather more quickly.

 

I agree that it would be great if it could be customised by the Users.

[speedfreek]

How about fixing the tiny tiny font in the reply box?

 

I've included a picture in this post (it's got smiley faces too)

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?275598-The-forum-needs-fixing&p=3112455&viewfull=1#post3112455

[Conniff]

Sorry this luminus green doesn't work, it's practically impossible to read especially on white and with the now 'looks like it's here to stay' tiny writing it's even worse.

 

And that goes for a few of the other colours as well - we are becoming a very unfriendly site.

 

I also think that usage has dropped by a significant amount as well, this morning we have "

Users Browsing this Forum

 

There are currently 12 users browsing this forum. (3 members & 9 guests)

Conniff energy-advise BankFodder

 

We have never been that low even at 3 or 4 in the morning.

Edited September 20, 2010 by Conniff

[BankFodder]

Yes, I have to keep on trying different colours. The lime colour is a bit difficult.

 

The user count which you are referring to is just the user count for the Mall subforum.

The user count for the entire Board at that time was about 350 including guests

[Conniff]

"The user count for the entire Board at that time was about 350 including guests "

 

My apologies, I thought I was on the front page index.

[Deb T]

Even so , it does seem as if the number of people responding to posts (answering) has dropped off significantly , more often that not you will see a post

in the debt forum that has only had an handful of replies whereas before the changes the replies/answers would have had a couple of pages to it at least

and more often than not the turnover rate for a new post could be so quick that posts would reach page two of the main forum in double quick time.

 

I'm all for change and I guess going back would be the absolute worst case scenario (bring out a back-up) and unlikely but I can say

speaking from experience it is often the tinkering about when the forum is live that causes the most unrest/upset.

 

I've also read some of the long time/seasoned Cag campaigners upping sticks because of the changes etc, but few seem to understand that CAG is

not a democracy and as such is not run by consensus.

 

With all of that said and much as some of the changes have and are infuriating I still think CAG has much to offer, it's an awesome resource and

these changes should simply be seen as Cag evolving at the same time as trying to keep pace with VBulletin, a difficult act to juggle for even

the most adaptable & time served web administrator.

 

I'll be making a small donation later just cos I happen to believe in CAG and at a time when they seem up against it (change wise) doesn't mean

to say I have to cut & run.

 

Oh, and the cagbot can still suck my grandma's eggs.

[Wilma Shoozfit]

Why have I got the forum menu stuck at the top right side of my screen? Didn't there used to be an arrow thingy that we could click to hide.

 

I still can't put screen shots in posts -so I can't show you. When I "go advanced" there's none of those fancy gizmos to insert files or smilies or anything for that matter.

 

All v strange

Wils

[BankFodder]

Why have I got the forum menu stuck at the top right side of my screen? Didn't there used to be an arrow thingy that we could click to hide.

 

I still can't put screen shots in posts -so I can't show you. When I "go advanced" there's none of those fancy gizmos to insert files or smilies or anything for that matter.

 

All v strange

Wils

That is strange. Could you try clearing your browser cache.

[hme.4x4]

I hate it too, it was fine the way it was. Pleeease make it the way it was before, it was so much more user friendly.

[Conniff]

Sorry to be whinging again but the index page really is a mess. All the different colours and the 'very' tiny text size just adds to the confusion, we aren't all 17 years old with 20/20 vision.

It's also so difficult to find anything. the site itself asked for assistance from someone at BT and I offered my sons services as he is an expert on the particular problem, but I can't find that thread and, to be quite frank, I can't be bothered to.

 

It all looks very amateur and there is no symmetry to anything.

[BankFodder]

A number of people have mentioned the size of the font.

 

Does this help at all - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/content.php?113-Increasing-the-size-of-your-internet-page-using-ctrl

 

I'm not 20 yrs old either and I have a very high res screen so the text is very small for me too. I wear glasses. However, it seems that more than 50% of the browsing population are still using screens which display in 1024x768.

 

My guess is that it is these people who are very much less computer-able than the rest of us. The changes which have been implemented so far have very much been done with them in mind.

 

I don't have any statistics to support this view but I fully expect that the people with these ancient screens will tend to be poorer, more in need, less in touch with the technology and more in need of the kind of support which we offer. (Takes out hanky and wipes eyes).

 

Try going into your computer display options and changing your screen resolution to 1024x768. I think that you'll get a shock - but once upon a time you probably thought that it was fantastic after you upgraded from 800x600. I remember that I thought that 800x600 was fantastic after I upgraded from 640x480!!!

 

I have started using dual screens with the second one displaying at 1024x768 so that I can keep an eye on the effect of our changes at these lower resolutions too. I also record the How-to videos using that screen - (except for the vid linked above which was recorded on my main screen.)

 

We are working on a new sidebar menu which we expect you will be able to position wherever you want and to re-size etc. The multiple colours will remain but the colours will be standardized within each forum and tidied up.

 

We will be implementing some WAP styles for people who visit us from IPhones etc.

 

I think that once that is done, we will probably put together a style for high res screens which will offer larger fonts. Then there will be display options which people can select to suit the technology they have.

 

Amateurish? Well it certainly is the work of amateurs but it is hugely money-saving. But really the entire CAG is the work of amateurs as well and it has brought us this far which isn't so bad.

 

Someone has commented that there have been fewer replies to some threads and that we have lost some good people.

 

I haven't really noticed that this is the case - but then I don't manage to keep my finger on the day-to-day pulse of the site anymore. However, I can tell you that visitor numbers are increasing. New registrations are increasing - although the rate has slowed, but I think that this is in part because the library materials are in a mess and outdated.

We are attending to that - but it all takes time, precisely because the site is run by amateurs.

 

One thing I can tell you is that before all of the changes, we received regular messages from newbies telling us that they could not find their way round the site.

 

These messages have almost completely stopped now ...

 

 

... and have been replaced by posts from established Caggers complaining about the same thing!

[Conniff]

Monitors should be set at their natural resolution as advised by the manufacturer. To decrease the resolution will make this site easier to read, but can mess up other sites, gaming etc.

 

I also use 2 monitors, one for my email and this, my main one, which is wide screen and set at 1440/900. I get upwards of 300 emails per day so really need a dedicated monitor for that, but I will give it a go and set my email monitor at a lower res suitable for this site and see how I get on using that just for CAG.

 

The messy bit I remarked about on the main index page can be seen in the section below this one, the community centre. There are 4 different sizes 5, 3, 2 and 2 bold.

 

There is the facility with Vbulletins to display the last 50 posts by clicking a link, usually placed at the top, it might be worth having a look at that as we can no longer see other than just the one post that has the latest reply.

 

I might be a whinging old bugger, but I do have the best interests of CAG at heart.

 

P.S. Nah, don't like low res, too much scrolling to be done.

Edited September 22, 2010 by Conniff
added PS

[BankFodder]

Sorry, I didn't mean you should change your res permanently. I meant only for a few minutes to see how lots of people do see the CAG. Imagine how much scrolling there was before the site was compressed into forums.

 

The better solution for people with high res screens is to use ctrl+ to adjust the display size slightly.

 

thanks for the tip on the last 50 posts thing. Where will I find it?

 

The fonts in the Community centre were deliberately left in their varying sizes - esp the Bear Garden in an attempt to head off complaint by people that they culdn't find the bear garden anymore. By and large that has worked. The size will be standardized over the weekend and by that time most people will have realised where it is.

 

I try to preempt as many problems and complaints as I can.

[sillygirl1]

CAG goes wierd on my little Advent laptop at times, however I am investing in a new laptop with a bigger screen and keeping the old one for travel as it is so light.... I don't have problems with CAG on my work set up though...

 

I agree the colours are hard to read (I have trouble reading the Argos catalogue, I hate the shiny background!)...

[BankFodder]

Forgot to add, that I wanted to make the no-smoking forum especially prominent. Although it is not a hugely busy forum, it clearly does help some people with a very serious and expensive addiction. Smoking is the ultimate consumer-rip-off.

[Deb T]

Might have been better to use your VB licence and pay them for some support, some of their staff are very knowledgeable.

 

You say 'I don't have any statistics to support this view but I fully expect that the people with these ancient screens will tend to be poorer, more in need, less in touch with the technology

and more in need of the kind of support which we offer'

 

I don't have any statistics to counter that either but I liken the above point of view to that of disabled parking in a town centre/supermarket where the disabled spots seem to be everywhere

and whilst they don't appear to be always full the normal spaces are and able bodied people are left to fight for a spot to park.... I'm registered disabled, It's embarrassing to see so many

spots for disabled when it's clear that they're not facilitated as they should be. It may also be that some supermarkets such as Sainsbury have realised this because they seem to be lowering

the disabled spots in number and position (my local(ish) store revamp anyway. Perhaps CAG is striving too hard to cater for the minority? Im not saying that it shouldn't cater for them but at what cost?

 

Similarly, Cag has a conscience simply because it's members tend to help others but to make the No Smoking forum 'especially prominent' seems more like an individual campaign rather than

for the general good of the community. Lots of things are addictive many of which are not good for you such as chocolate/alcohol with obesity looking to place a considerable burden, then there

is gambling, drugs (recreational or otherwise) will there be forums for them to?

 

Not criticising, just attempting to be objective.

Edited September 22, 2010 by Deb T