New Web Template

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

In another thread Patrick Astill said that we will soon be getting a new web template

Can the powers that be confirm that all current forum content such as posts, photo albums, bookmarks, messages, etc will be carried forward and still be accessible (hopefully with a bit more ease) as I'm sure some members may like the oppertunity to archive any material that may be of specific interest before the changes take place.

Thanks, Jason

Edited By JasonB on 20/08/2013 16:21:50

[Diane CarneyModerator @dianecarney30678]

I have asked for this to be clarified, Jason.

Diane

[SpringbokParticipant @springbok]

Diane
Thank you at least we have one sane person on our side.

Bob

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

Its all just making my subscription decision easier

Edited By jason udall on 20/08/2013 18:52:55

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

My guess is the template won't affect the underlying database.

They'd be mad to destroy content that is top 5 on so many google searches!

Neil

[_Paul_Participant @_paul_]

Not to cast a blight but I cant see any transfer of this flaky forum software going at all smoothly,

A moments carelessness and it will all be gone…..

[Diane CarneyModerator @dianecarney30678]

I am fairly sure the underlying database will not be affected but will try to give you an unequivocal answer a.s.a.p..

It's only the 'template' that's changing. The software is not going to change.
If you scroll down to the very bottom of this page to the list of other magazines in the MyTimeMedia group and click on 'Popular Patchwork' (go on … I won't tell anyone…) you will see there one which has undergone a change and is now using a new template. Ours will look something like that – but perhaps a little less pink. I think you will agree this is clearer and visually much more pleasing to the eye. I am looking forward to ours being updated to a similar style.

Diane

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Thanks Diane

Pink eh! Well I don't know that I'm too bothered by the colour – pink doesnt bother me – in fact I don't consider myself to be defined by any colour!

Aside from the colour (and content of course) the forum doesn't look much different to me. I do wish you hadn't picked " Popular Patchwork" however –  I've had quite enough patchwork for one day! My wife is a patchwork addict and I've just spent the afternoon with her at a (superb) patchwork centre (with me in the role of financier, porter and chauffeur!) –  I took the dog along too and we did escape for a bit on a country walk!

Norman

Edited By NJH on 21/08/2013 00:37:07

[Brian in OZParticipant @brianinoz24148]

Hello Norman,

Agree with you in that it does not look all that much different, as Diane says it is only a change in the "template" for the webpages of ME and MEW the actual underlying content won't change.

Had a squiz at the digital version of the patchwork magazine and found the "page is loading" progress bar is in the middle of the page (where it should be) instead of up the top corner as in ME and MEW where it is very difficult to see on a laptop. Be nice if "someone" could fix it ??

Anyway would be interesting to see how it is implemented in ME and MEW

Brian

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Diane,

This website uses

<meta charset="windows-1252" />

UTF-8 is the generally approved encoding standard, which works everywhere. Windows-anything encoding is Windows-specific and not guaranteed to work on any machine.

Any chance that when changing the template it can be changed to UTF-8?

Russell.

[Patrick AstillParticipant @patrickastill74203]

Hi Jason,

I've checked for you and all the content both from our side and from the members will be safe in the changeover.

Hope this helps
Patrick

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Thanks Diane and Patrick

[Robert DoddsParticipant @robertdodds43397]

Diane,

Its a bit too pink but its just as navigable as this site. All the adverts down the right side so a bit more space for the text

It was good to see quilters arguing the pros and cons of metrification. Opinions are even more divided than they are here!!

Bob D

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

> "page is loading" progress bar is in the middle of the page

Smack in the middle of the page for me with ME and MEW. (digital archive version)

Neil

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

Don't know what was wrong with the current template. I don't recall seeing anyone complain about it …. about ads overlapping, potty editor, disappearing edit boxes etc but not the template per se.

As for the PP opening web page it doesn't display well for me (FF 18). Header toolbar displaced part way down page and jumbled text at top left.

I presume this is a MTM initiative entirely for their own benefit rather than any altruistic reason. (To be fair, the change was never stated as being for the users' benefit).

Edited By Sid Herbage on 21/08/2013 22:33:54

[RJWParticipant @rjw]

Sid, Firefox is now at Version 24 Beta4, think you need to update it pdq, if you click the 'Help' tab on the top toolbar, than 'About Firefox' , an update dialogue box will open!

John

[Diane CarneyModerator @dianecarney30678]

Posted by Sid Herbage on 21/08/2013 22:32:17:

I presume this is a MTM initiative entirely for their own benefit rather than any altruistic reason. (To be fair, the change was never stated as being for the users' benefit).

Breathtaking cynicism.

Sorry Sid – it's purely altruistic. It looks better. It's clearer. It's an altogether better design. We thought you might like it better.

Diane

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

Posted by Diane Carney on 22/08/2013 00:28:11:

Breathtaking cynicism.

You're reading body-language into it, Diane. Always risky in a text forum. It was just an opinion.

|Sorry Sid – it's purely altruistic. It looks better. It's clearer. It's an altogether better |design. We thought you might like it better.

…. but do we have a choice? ( – body language/intonation suggesting rhetorical question). In any event, I'd much rather MTM spent its energies correcting some of the problems that have been complained about by many for years than messing with ineffectual cosmetic changes. (Another opinion).

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

Posted by RJW on 21/08/2013 22:56:11:

Sid, Firefox is now at Version 24 Beta4, think you need to update it pdq, if you click the 'Help' tab on the top toolbar, than 'About Firefox' , an update dialogue box will open!

Yes, I know John but I don't – willy-nilly – update to every succeeding version of Firefox upon release since Mozilla started putting out incremental versions every few weeks as opposed to major version releases every 6 months (adequately tested) with interim security/bug fixes.

I routinely check the Firefox support newsgroup and I think I'll stick with V18 for now.

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

Hi Diane, Patrick,

Is there any update on when MTM expect to inflict roll out the new website template?

CB

[Patrick AstillParticipant @patrickastill74203]

No news as yet, CB.

Is that good news?

Patrick

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Patrick, Before rolling out the site please nip into your computer geeks hovel and ask if any of them can explain HTML5 to you . If anyone puts their hand up – shoot them. Then destroy all their computers and give them ones at least 5 years old and with no more than 256Meg of memory and a dial up modem. Tell them that perfectly good websites were possible before terrabytes of memory and gigabyte links.

There is a link on one of the threads to an article on a forum that starts to load then blanks the screen with a mesage " you have to use blah blah browser because IE won't work on our site. " These dub ass geeks just want to play with the latest geekware instead of using the perfectly adequate facilities that have been available for years. What those idiots don't realise is their silly tricks to stop you viewing don't work on IE6 so the site is then viewable. It is actually a rather interesting article and a pity the tricks of these morons reduces access to a wider audience.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

MTM should take heed of what's happening over on Yahoo before they make any major changes.

Yahoo did without even testing beforehand, and is now being lambasted over doing so, with users leaving in their droves.

I no longer use Yahoo, as they have destroyed the usability of their once supreme Groups.

Some described the Groups as 'old fashioned', but they originated from ListServe and worked perfectly well.

Please don't fall into the 'Change because we can' trap.

Geoff – Embarrassed to say what happened yesterday, except that 'I now need to mend something else!'

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

As long as people don't get as upset as the ones on Proboards when they changed everyting, it should be OK. maybe change from the pink of Popular Patchwork. Ian S C

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