Exciting Updates - Mac-Forums Beta

I.M.O.G.

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Hi Guys!

You’ve asked for a more modern design and a better blog, and we’ve been working on it. Some of you have already seen - and provided feedback on - the new design. We’re happy to tell you that we’re getting close to finishing the redesign.

How to preview the Beta version of Mac-Forums

We’ve setup a stage site in which you can preview the Beta version of the new Mac-Forums:

1. Go to: http://stage.mac-forums.com/forums/
2. Use the following username/password to access the site:
-- Username: dev
-- Password: d3v

3. Once you get past the authorization prompt, you can use your normal username/password to login to the forums.

We need your help …
We would like you to take a first-look at the new Mac-Forums and provide feedback.

Please note: There are some known issues, we’re still working on it, but we wanted to get you into the Beta version as soon as possible to start gathering your feedback.

Can you please provide feedback on the following:

1. Design (look/feel)
-- Forum: http://stage.mac-forums.com/forums/
-- Blog: http://stage.mac-forums.com/blog/
-- Home: http://stage.mac-forums.com/
2. Usability
-- Is there anything that makes your use of the forum difficult – posting a reply, starting a thread, etc?
3. Critical issues
-- Is there anything that is extremely important that we either missed or negatively-changed?
4. Any other comments

How to provide feedback

Please post your feedback to this thread.
 
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Looks great Matt. Perhaps the print could be a little larger for us older members.
 
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I.M.O.G.

I.M.O.G.

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Thanks Harry. Any specific area where you would consider larger print a benefit especially? For example, the navigation bar in the header, in thread titles, or in forum posts... I'm not sure which parts you find harder to read.
 
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The new look is AWESOME!!! Bravo on the hard work it looks great.

If i may make one tiny suggestion. I belong to tons of forums and one feature that i love when they have it is when they mark( some small smiley size icon or check mark or something) what threads you post in. I don't know about anyone else but i look at tons of posts and don't post in all of them. And rather then subscribing to 100's of posts you can refresh the page and easily know which topics you looked at but didn't post( usually greyed out like on this forum) and which topics you actually posted in( this would be designated by the little check mark or whatever pic you guys deem appropriate. In the forums i belong to that have it the icon would be right about there the rating column is currently in this forum where the "pin" or "paperclip" icons are to indicate a sticky or attachment. putting a mark before that or in the bottom of the thread creator information may work. I would prefer it right before the current pin and paperclip but that's just me :).

Just my little two cents, not a major change but in my opinion is a HUGE help for very active forum members to keep track of what threads they are active in.
 

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I agree with Harry. I'm having a bit of trouble easily reading the body of text in the threads.
I'm on my iPad 2 BTW, where I do 95% of my Web Browsing. Fortunately I can zoom, but larger fonts would help.
 
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I really like it, but right now I'm on my w520 thinkpad...
 

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I agree with Harry. I'm having a bit of trouble easily reading the body of text in the threads.
I'm on my iPad 2 BTW, where I do 95% of my Web Browsing. Fortunately I can zoom, but larger fonts would help.
What seems to be the problem? I can read it fine (as much as is possible) on my iPod Touch. I would normally claim that my youth was the reason but I wear glasses. :p
 
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#1 Looks and feels great!
#2 Had to look twice to find the "Mark Forums As Read" button. I'd prefer it somewhere's near the top. Maybe like this, [Link]
Reading Harrys post, I have seen a forum which had a settings area where you could choose your font/fontsize. This would enable those who want big fonts to have them, and those that don't small fonts.
#3 None that I could find in 5 minutes ;)
#4 Nice work!
 

chscag

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No problem viewing the fonts with my older than the hills eyes. :)
 
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Going to the posts, the headings are fine but the font is a little too small for me personally but the look is great.
 

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Really looks great - looking forward to the roll out
 

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What seems to be the problem? I can read it fine (as much as is possible) on my iPod Touch. I would normally claim that my youth was the reason but I wear glasses. :p

I wear glasses too and the eyes are definitely getting older.

We need a font choice for us oldsters.
 

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Slydude

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Great look overall. Seems like a much brighter more modern feel to it. Very impressed so far.There are two things that I noticed after spending about half-an-hour there:

1. The text on the Multi quite button seems to disappear into the background for that button. Maybe it's my old eyes but it seems almost invisible.

2. The link to your user profile doesn't seem to be as easy to find as in the other layout. I don't go there every day but do pop in regularly to see what comments/rep have been left. I probably would hit the profile button even less if there was a way, such as an e-mail, to know when reputation had been left.
 
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I like the slick look of the front page for sure.
I would agree with Sly that getting to your profile isn't as straightforward, and nor is going to "new posts", which is how I always view the forum. I would prefer there to be a button to click on the home page, rather than the drop down.
Viewing on my Powerbook 12", the forum does not fit either, I have to scroll across to read the far sides (not sure this can be fixed) and I find the icons on the right hand side are a little large maybe (I like neat :)).
Finally, the red heading text is a little harsh IMO, but it is just my opinion of course.
 

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Shameless plug: my colour changer browser extension. That could easily be modified to be "Razorfied" ;).

Have to admit I haven't looked at it yet. I do almost all of my MacForums browsing either on my iPad (and I assumed your fix wouldn't impact Mobile Safari) or on my work PC (where I have no admin privileges--at all).

Does it work on the iPad?
 
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No problem for me reading the new design but users who have colour blindness may have trouble with all the red. The UK RNIB website has good guidance for website design to avoid such problems.
 

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Have to admit I haven't looked at it yet. I do almost all of my MacForums browsing either on my iPad (and I assumed your fix wouldn't impact Mobile Safari) or on my work PC (where I have no admin privileges--at all).

Does it work on the iPad?
No, it's a browser extension for Safari, Chrome and Opera. You could probably install it regardless of user privileges and I'd be happy to modify one of those for you to increase the text size so you can view MF with comfort from work.
 

RavingMac

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No, it's a browser extension for Safari, Chrome and Opera. You could probably install it regardless of user privileges and I'd be happy to adapt one of those for you to increase the text size so you can view MF with comfort from work.

That would be wonderful!
 
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Looks great .... much more modern
And better for my old eyes -_-

The arrows ( < and > ) at the bottom/top right to go to the next/previous screen should be a little more separated from the page number as my fingers are too thick to use this feature on iPad in an efficient way.

Cheers ... McBie
 

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