New AFF Website

[kyle]

That could be a function of responsive design, if your screen is too small then the button may not fit in one orientation. What phone do you have?

Using Chrome on Galaxy S7 Edge.

 

[RooFlyer]

Sorry, no I can't, I'm highly resistant to change, which is odd for someone that worked in IT, but, invariably when I've seen things change, it's been change for change sake.

Cripes, I might be the most curmudgeonly old codger here, and I'm a convert. Have a go at using the alternative style (bottom LH of the screen), which I think is a more pleasing read, while you get used to the new functionality.

 

[moa999]

bit, a more focused "participated" function does not exist by default. If, in the future,

While not identical, my current way of browsing is as follows.

Click What's New, and view the list of new threads.
You can see participated threads by your avatar logo.
Open new Window those you want to read.
Go through all the pages, then mark all threads read.
Go and read the interesting posts.

 

[Hvr]

Cripes, I might be the most curmudgeonly old codger here, and I'm a convert. Have a go at using the alternative style (bottom LH of the screen), which I think is a more pleasing read, while you get used to the new functionality.

Have just changed and love it. It makes it much easier to see things and the light orange colour instead of the blue/grey for page numbers etc is a very good contrast.

 

[admin]

But it isn't $50 to be ad free, is it? So that is a furphy to start with.

I know $100 per year isn't very much, but it's things like this that made me cancel.

Sorry to hear you don't like the new site - we obviously can't please everyone. But at least be factual in your criticism: it is $50 to be ad free. See AFF Membership Levels. Where do you get $100 from? Pricing for SILVER membership remains at $50.

 

[Cossie]

Sorry to hear you don't like the new site - we obviously can't please everyone. But at least be factual in your criticism: it is $50 to be ad free. See AFF Membership Levels. Where do you get $100 from? Pricing for SILVER membership remains at $50.

My auto paypal deduction was for $100, that is why I said that figure.

 

[Pushka]

But it isn't $50 to be ad free, is it? So that is a furphy to start with.

I know $100 per year isn't very much, but it's things like this that made me cancel.

I asked a simple question in the off topic thread, ok, mea culpa, it should have been in this thread, but the effort required to post this as an answer to my question would have been as much as to have simply answered my question in the off topic thread, even though it was in the wrong thread, why would that have been that hard?

View attachment 106532

I know there are a couple of posters (not mods) who very much dislike topics being posted in the wrong thread and maybe that happened here.

Your PayPal transaction is weird as the current gold price is $75.

 

[admin]

My auto paypal deduction was for $100, that is why I said that figure.

We don't have any Paypal subscriptions of $100! We have a $50 subscription for SILVER and $75 for GOLD. Might be best to follow this up offline. If you can send me the Paypal receipt you got for $100 I will investigate. Send it via the AFF messaging system or email it to [email protected].

 

[Milboo]

I actually don't see there to be fewer ads now than in the past. I have no issues seeing ads but surely the forum has spaces for them and one place is not in the middle of a post?

Isn't moving more people on to a paid subscription counterproductive to having ads though? Advertisers need the traffic for the revenue?

Another forum I use has no subscription fee and the only ad is a banner ad - which is either bought space or google ad space.

 

[Pushka]

I actually don't see there to be fewer ads now than in the past. I have no issues seeing ads but surely the forum has spaces for them and one place is not in the middle of a post?

Isn't moving more people on to a paid subscription counterproductive to having ads though? Advertisers need the traffic for the revenue?

Another forum I use has no subscription fee and the only ad is a banner ad - which is either bought space or google ad space.

Paying the fee is the substitute income for not seeing the paid-for advertising.

 

[drron]

Mrsdrron has shown me some of the ads.In this post by Pushka-

Maybe that’s the difference. I rarely use PC these days but even so I’m not having too many issues with the new format when I do.

The thing I don’t like so much is that the TR’s have been messed around with.

The ad is between those 2 lines.As the ads are at least 15 lines in depth that makes it farcical-you really cant tell what is post and what is ad.
Yes she could pay $50 to have no ads but the easier and less costly solution is to visit AFF less.
And by the way,when she is annoyed those ads go on the I will never buy that list.So a double negative for that ad placement.

 

[Pushka]

Mrsdrron has shown me some of the ads.In this post by Pushka-

The ad is between those 2 lines.As the ads are at least 15 lines in depth that makes it farcical-you really cant tell what is post and what is ad.
Yes she could pay $50 to have no ads but the easier and less costly solution is to visit AFF less.
And by the way,when she is annoyed those ads go on the I will never buy that list.So a double negative for that ad placement.

I can see where that would be annoying. And understand the ‘I won’t buy it’ thought as I do the same.

 

[admin]

I actually don't see there to be fewer ads now than in the past.

The new site has a maximum of 5 ads per page. (And many pages have far fewer). The old site had unto 8 ads per page - and there were fewer posts per page, so you would end up seeing many, many more ads because you had to scroll through more pages when viewing a thread. By way of comparison, I just looked at a random page on Flyer Talk (The All-Airline FT Menu Collection - Page 125 - FlyerTalk Forums) and I counted 8 ads.

But anyway, I'm not going to defend our Ad policy. AFF is both an online community and a commercial business with real (and growing!) expenses. Like any other business we need an income stream. Free members have full access on all AFF features, but do have to "put up" with seeing ads. If this is unacceptable to an individual, then there are two choices: pay a really modest annual fee of $50, or don't use the site!

 

[drron]

The new site has a maximum of 5 ads per page. (And many pages have far fewer). The old site had unto 8 ads per page - and there were fewer posts per page, so you would end up seeing many, many more ads because you had to scroll through more pages when viewing a thread. By way of comparison, I just looked at a random page on Flyer Talk (The All-Airline FT Menu Collection - Page 125 - FlyerTalk Forums) and I counted 8 ads.

But anyway, I'm not going to defend our Ad policy. AFF is both an online community and a commercial business with real (and growing!) expenses. Like any other business we need an income stream. Free members have full access on all AFF features, but do have to "put up" with seeing ads. If this is unacceptable to an individual, then there are two choices: pay a really modest annual fee of $50, or don't use the site!

The problem though is more where those ads are placed.They were not mid post in the old version or on FT.Now they are.

 

[Pushka]

I was happy to pay the upgrade years ago. Have well and truly been repaid not just in terms of $ value but in experience I’d never thought to get. I guess I can understand the reluctance to pay twice where 2 family members are - umm, members. But for $50 I wouldn’t think twice.

 

[RooFlyer]

This is as good a place as any to put this - happy for it to be moved to a more appropriate thread.

People who have posted images via photobucket may need to update their account - their images appear as a "photobucket error" type of image, such as in this thread: Will it be the Dom or the Krug? SQ J, EY F, EY Apartments & SQ Suites

 

[moa999]

People who have posted images via photobucket may need to update their account

Thankfully this site, as it mostly hosts its own images, was less impacted than others - eg. Airliners.net and even eBay and Amazon

Photobucket basically holding people to random, and have removed all third party image views unless you sign up to their us$399 plan.
Photobucket endures user backlash after breaking images with 'ransom' demand | ZDNet

Sadly doubt many of these threads will be revived.

 

[Pushka]

Thankfully this site, as it mostly hosts its own images, was less impacted than others - eg. Airliners.net and even eBay and Amazon

Photobucket basically holding people to random, and have removed all third party image views unless you sign up to their us$399 plan.
Photobucket endures user backlash after breaking images with 'ransom' demand | ZDNet

Sadly doubt many of these threads will be revived.

Yowsers. That much! That’s ridiculous. I know cruise critic is full of reviews that are now useless.

 

[OzEire]

I enjoy learning from and contributing to AFF. I *am* a fan of the new website and (like others here) previously used the app almost exclusively.

I read here in this thread @Cossie cancelled their subscription renewal, leading to:

That’s a shame you can’t see the improvements. I sure can.

there are two choices: pay a really modest annual fee of $50, or don't use the site!

I'm not directing this at any one in particular, just giving my view.

The site has cost overheads to run: hosting, moderation, administration and support. The site is free to use, with ads paying for those overheads. If you don't want ads pay the ad removal fee (membership). It's like basic services, live in a first world country where you have to pay your dues, but you get smooth roads, clean running water and few blackouts - I've lived in the 3rd world and experienced the opposite (and glad to have the privilege of a choice).

Apart from access to the old app (which IMO was rendered obsolete by the new mobile site) I am not at all bothered by the other things offered by membership, i honestly couldn't even tell you what they are.

The missing part of this equation is the value of contributions. A site like this wouldn't exist without them. In my opinion almost all of the value in coming to AFF originates from a small number of regular, knowledgeable and generous contributors. If @Admin were to do anything with membership levels, which is entirely up to them, my 2c would be to draw inspiration from the many loyalty schemes discussed on this very site.

@Admin thankyou for a well run, very civil and on-topic forum - a rare thing indeed. I like to think that I pay my membership to be part of this community of like minded frequent flyers, not for blocked ads (but, nonetheless I appreciate not having my UX punished by their inclusion).

 

[Captain Halliday]

What is the word or character limit of posts since the change?