One word says it all 'BLEACHED".
Except, you haven't used one word.
I understand you think we have taken a step backwards and the design does not fit with what you would like. However, we will not be going back to the previous website at this period.
I wonder whether it would be possible to create an Issues list of things that are still being worked on.
@Admin @samh004
I would have suggest a Wiki attached to this thread, but that in itself is seemingly currently problematic.
On the whitespace issues I dont really see the problem, but some (hopefully simple solutions) would be:
* Delete some of the 4 lines below avatar in full screen view (# posts is the only one I'd keep, date joined, thumbs and location less relevant)
* Combine the Report/Quote/Reply bar with the Voting Bar
While I think that's got some merit, even organising the list right now would be a distraction to me
As for the last point you made about the report/quote/reply bar... on your screen you see 4 buttons, but on mine I see many more, as I have extra actions that I can perform on posts. I don't think the add-on for post ratings allows them to be integrated into this bar, but had it, it would have created problems for me in viewing the site.
I imagine it also accounts for the seemingly excessive white space.
Regarding the white space issue, if anyone has an old screenshot of AFF in the vBulletin days you will notice that it previously had a more inefficient misuse of space.
Previously, your user information was to the left and post to the right, as with now. However your signature would not start until all the information in the left section was finished displaying, often causing a huge waste between a one-line post and a signature if the member also had a lot of user information, some QF/VA Verified Status showing and had used the Flight Tracker.
Flash forward to the new design and not only does a signature start immediately after a post, sometimes ending up adjacent to the number of posts made on the left is a user profile, but we also have removed a lot of the user information that used to display on the left, such as the Verified Status and extra details from the Flight Tracker.
I'm not singling you out
@JohnM but the fact remains, there is actually less whitespace in forum posts than there was before.
There is no innovation to this update period, it wasn't broke it just needed a modern update but this has gone backward, its now bland, faint and plain ugly, a real shame. Signatures of SN members are in top banner and allowed for commercial customers at bottom after text posting.
When I read something like this my urge is to quip back with something sarcastic. This is from my bad wit. The thing is though, it's not constructive, and neither is posting more or less the same message over and over again in this thread about how much you don't like the design. I understand you don't, but we will not be reversing course.
A lot has changed, and a lot has been improved. Now whether it looks good is of course subjective, but elements have been carefully considered and the layout chosen to take AFF into the future while also not being too big a step from the past. This is why the forum structure has not changed. The previous vBulletin "skin" was not heavily adapted from the default look, but this has been, to create a flow from the front page (
www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au) to the community forums. You will find a similar colour scheme.
The mobile site, while not bad, is not an app replacement. Given that mobile app traffic is HUGE in the travel sector, one could assume that AFF app traffic represents the most active users. Especially as you need a paid membership to use the app.
That's true, an app generally drives engagement. However here's my counter, due to the state the app has been in lately, it has probably kept people away. The new site works so well on a mobile web browser compared to that app that it may provide a boost to traffic. Further, free members would previously have had no choice but to use the very intuitive mobile skin of vBulletin to browse and this may have turned them off visiting and posting, but with this new responsive design, they may be encouraged to become more engaged. Obviously, the numbers speak louder than words and it has only been about 36 hours, but it would be something I look at soon!
I suspect there will be no need for an app, or app development is way down the "to do" list.
That is an interesting theory. For now the official word is that an app will be coming soon, however you are partially right that it is further down the "to do" list.
