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Topic: Is it just me? (Read 12992 times) previous topic - next topic
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Is it just me?

Reply #25
Radu, Got any more facts and figures?  Like number of page visits or whatever (I dont really know what statistics I'm looking for, but I like numbers  )

Is it just me?

Reply #26
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Well, in general, it looks to me like popularity has increased. In that snapshot of the old portal above, there's 231 user(s) active in the past 15 minutes.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=248477"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

That snapshot is from February 2004.  I think to make that arguement either way you need some numbers from just before the change.

Is it just me?

Reply #27
People already commented enough on the active-topics thingie, so i'd like to mention something else...

IMHO, the main-reason why the portal currently is confusing, is the design itself, not the content. It is lacking "sectionizing" via colors - so that on first sight already the page is split into sections - as it is now, it appears like one big grey mess without navigation helps for they eye - you have to _read_ the contents to understand they layout of the portal - with a good design, thats not necessary: the eye immediatelly gets an impression of how the layout works without reading too much.

Yes, i do know that its not final and just a temporary solution - just wanted to describe my impressions on how it could be improved.

- Lyx
I am arrogant and I can afford it because I deliver.

Is it just me?

Reply #28
To the people that are concerned, the active topics are still going to be added back to the portal like I had originally said.  I haven't gotten to this because of homework over the weekend and because of the fact that I managed to catch the flu (I'm a little better today, but not much).

I'll work on getting things back to normal as soon as I can though.

Is it just me?

Reply #29
This article describes how people view news sites and is worth a read.  I think the main problem is that there is no real content in the Main Page section of the portal, which is where our eyes go first.  Instead you have to read all this:
Quote
Welcome to Hydrogenaudio.org - The Audio Technology Enthusiast's Resource!

This is the Main Page of the official Wiki and Knowledgebase (HAK) for the Hydrogenaudio community, a resource designed to be a focal point for information related to all facets of audio technology.

    * To discuss: Browse the forums (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/).

    * To contribute content: Browse the HAK Navigation on the left, find a place where you have something useful to add, and make an edit. Alternatively, you can discuss HAK through the Hydrogenaudio forums here (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showforum=36).
    * Note: At the moment, the old wiki content is up here


Which is not inviting and your eyes tend to ignore it and then jump down to Latest News.

Is it just me?

Reply #30
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I haven't gotten to this because of homework over the weekend and because of the fact that I managed to catch the flu (I'm a little better today, but not much).


(Hostile user cracks whip)

Yes, that is a joke.

Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks for all your hard work.

Is it just me?

Reply #31
I agree with both Lyx and idioteque.

Before, there was some continuity between the forum layout and the main page.  Now they are two distinctly seperate looks and feels, which is distracting to those who are used to the old layout.  Realigning the color scheme and cordoning (sp?) off the sections more appropriately would certainly serve HA users better.

I also believe the main page can be improved.  Here are my suggestions:

1.  I think a seperate link to HA.org's "mission statement" and posting instructions is more appropriate than making every visitor read it every time since it at the top of the page.

2.  I know it's been mentioned, but I will post it again here for the sake of completeness.  Bring back the active topics.  Prominently display this section.

3.  As well, the news should be prominently displayed.  I like that the news section is still there, but I feel that it is neglected because of what idioteque has mentioned.

4.  Navigation section needs some work.  To me, it feels like a bit of an afterthought right now.  I admit that I don't exactly know how to solve this at the moment.

Discuss.

Is it just me?

Reply #32
I've been much less active these recent weeks, because I'm busy with other forums (french), and very busy managing an online gaming clan.
But I should get the clan running properly within the next weeks, then expect me once a week at least.

Is it just me?

Reply #33
I'm surprised nobody already mentioned that often the forum software fails.
On wednesday there was a failure without any new posts for several hours.
(It was funny to see 9 identical posts written by myself, though. I didn't realize that I've tried to post so often.)
Since the last but one software update, I am no longer able to upload anything. Of course this prevents me from posting (and thus others who would reply).
So a question in principle:
Huge appreciation for your work, Dibrom, but why do you again and again update the software at all ?
"If your system is running fine, be happy and don't change anything." ? I think the software worked fine before the last but one update. Not updating saves problems, saves the work.
I know that I know nothing. But how can I then know that ?

Is it just me?

Reply #34
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Huge appreciation for your work, Dibrom, but why do you again and again update the software at all ?
"If your system is running fine, be happy and don't change anything." ? I think the software worked fine before the last but one update. Not updating saves problems, saves the work.
again and again update the software? come on, there have been only a few changes in the near past.
the reason for changing something like that could be  e.g. to get rid of known bugs. which is not a bad thing. a couple of hours (or even a weekend) of downtime to also aid the users security? worth it IMHO. anyway, reasons for this action have been already discussed before.
besides, the forum is still owned by Dibrom and it's more or less his decision what to do with it and what not.
Nothing but a Heartache - Since I found my Baby ;)

Is it just me?

Reply #35
Speaking for myself, posting on ha.org has dropped off for the following reasons:

1) hydrogenaudio.org doesn't work with FireFox.  It just times out after DNS resolution.  It's been like this for a couple months now, and I thought that ha.org had totally vanished until today, when I accidentally used IE6!  Lo and behold, it's here after all.  I've tried 6 different computers, all with Firefox, and received the identical behaviour as if this site is missing.

2) bizarre crap like the "flood control" that I got while searching the forums for "firefox" - and I only clicked once.  Was told to wait min. 20 seconds.  After a full minute I clicked again, and received the same hostile response.  Obviously FireFox is a sore spot with ha.org ?

Nice to know everything's still here, but I wish I could access it normally.  Not every computer has IE installed.

Is it just me?

Reply #36
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1) hydrogenaudio.org doesn't work with FireFox.  It just times out after DNS resolution.  It's been like this for a couple months now, and I thought that ha.org had totally vanished until today, when I accidentally used IE6!  Lo and behold, it's here after all.  I've tried 6 different computers, all with Firefox, and received the identical behaviour as if this site is missing.[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=252524"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Strange I just happened to give firefox another try and see wether I can get used to it a few days ago and HA worked just fine for me in firefox then.

Decided to abandon firefox again for different reasons, but thats not really important here. Anyway as I said, no problems browsing HA at least.

I am also sure many other regular members and some of the moderators use firefox here and I have never heard anyone complain about such an issue yet.

EDIT:
Just started up firefox quickly again to verify this and everything is working just fine.

Is it just me?

Reply #37
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Obviously FireFox is a sore spot with ha.org ?
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=252524"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

"Not here". Firefox has been my standard browser for more than two years now, and I've never had any problems browsing and searching HA with it.   

Sorry, no idea what might be wrong.. but I guess it might be some browser / web access configuration issue on your end
A riddle is a short sword attached to the next 2000 years.

Is it just me?

Reply #38
I have never used anything other than Mozilla in the old days and Firefox since approx Jun. I have been a regular reader for a year now. This site works with Firefox.

However being an addict myself I did not enjoy the downtimes and the new look. One more vote to go back normal frontend. These days I get that wiki stuff 1st. Once we are back I would vote to leave things in peace. Having said that I have no idea how pressing some of the changes were. Maybe they were.

Triza

Is it just me?

Reply #39
Count me in the crowd that misses the old portal. I used to check HA every day, though I've found myself stopping by once or twice a week now. Between looks and easy accesibility, the new design just doesn't seem to do it.

Also, if you're checking from say, a computer in a library or somewhere else where you aren't logged in, there is no View New Posts button, which can be further discouraging to someone looking around.
"We live as if the world were as it should be, to show it what it can be..." - Angel

Is it just me?

Reply #40
Me too. I used to check the active topics quite conveniently earlier on the portal page. Now it takes quite many clicks to get to where I want. I have been visiting HA once a week now. I used to visit several times a day.

Also I am generally quite annoyed by the reintroduction of the ads (donating member). The new HA renders not so well anymore on my default browser Opera.

I like HA boards a lot and appreciate the effort to improve it. The forum software has been updated many times since I've come her and in every one of them I liked the new one much better. This time I thought it is almost unbearable at times. I can imagine that there're many other users like me that are inclined to browse less because it has become a lot more inconvenient.
The object of mankind lies in its highest individuals.
One must have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.

Is it just me?

Reply #41
Is it just me or are HA turning into a forum for fb2k?

I don't like the new portal, so I bypass it altogether.

I still check HA regular, but find fewer and fewer posts not concerned with fb2k related issues. Now I think fb2k is a great program, but digital music is my main interest.

I don't expect that the fewer posts on non-fb2k topics is a sign of deminished interest in digital music, but maybe people are going elsewhere to discuss these matters.

Is it just me?

Reply #42
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Yes, i do know that its not final and just a temporary solution - just wanted to describe my impressions on how it could be improved.


A temporary solution to what? To thoughtful website design? Is there something worse coming?

Quote
besides, the forum is still owned by Dibrom and it's more or less his decision what to do with it and what not.


And it's frequented by people who are overwhelmingly not Dibrom, without whom it would have shut down a long time ago.

I was surprised by how similar most of you felt about the new portal. I'd been avoiding the site too, maybe dropping in once a week out of habit or boredom, but not really enjoying it when it happened. If it doesn't break the site, my vote is to bring back the old start page and go from where we left off.

Is it just me?

Reply #43
Quote
Is it just me or are HA turning into a forum for fb2k?

I don't like the new portal, so I bypass it altogether.

I still check HA regular, but find fewer and fewer posts not concerned with fb2k related issues. Now I think fb2k is a great program, but digital music is my main interest.

I don't expect that the fewer posts on non-fb2k topics is a sign of deminished interest in digital music, but maybe people are going elsewhere to discuss these matters.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=253952"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


If you see threads about foobar outside foobar forum please let us know with the report post option. Or do you not like that foobar is posted as a solution to many problems?

Is it just me?

Reply #44
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The portal redesign has forced me to discover the View New Posts link in the upper right.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=248318"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

me too! And I hate it  Also, my personal Control-Page never shows if there are new posts...it doesn't really work. Even if I mark all forums as read, posts will still apear as new etc...also, there is no link to jump to the last unread post...it only appears if I browse through the forums...
--alt-presets are there for a reason! These other switches DO NOT work better than it, trust me on this.
LAME + Joint Stereo doesn't destroy 'Stereo'

Is it just me?

Reply #45
me myself and I are not realy unhappy with the situation as it is now for once.
I don't think it is a big disadvantage to hit the 'active topics' from the portal.  it could be a problem if you visit HA very seldom, but for regualr users, this should be allright IMHO. at least it is for me.
now, if the portal gets a litlle yeah-we-know-it's-sucks-and-we're-going-to-change-it-if-we-got-the-time upgrade, hopefully more new users acept the wiki and see it as a source of informations (~ less newbie question that where answered a hundred times), rather than a part of a 'suboptimal' portal.
Nothing but a Heartache - Since I found my Baby ;)

Is it just me?

Reply #46
I agree that as a regular it's not a big deal, but I think it's a very big deal if the old frontpage was more inviting for users to poke their heads into the forums than the new one is.

Is it just me?

Reply #47
Quote
I agree that as a regular it's not a big deal, but I think it's a very big deal if the old frontpage was more inviting for users to poke their heads into the forums than the new one is.
second that.
but this has been brought up 1000 times now, which makes one on the one hand realize that the users really don't like the appearance (understandable), on the other hand these repetitions get quite boring now IMHO.

now, Dibrom seems to have not much spare time ATM (also understandable), and the other mods/admins can't do magic either. a skinning contest was at the table at one time, but nothing happened until now. so let's just wait and see how things are going, or should some skilled and willing members show their proposals now? the lack of information is always one of the hardest things to deal with.
Nothing but a Heartache - Since I found my Baby ;)

Is it just me?

Reply #48
Quote
now, if the portal gets a litlle yeah-we-know-it's-sucks-and-we're-going-to-change-it-if-we-got-the-time upgrade, hopefully more new users acept the wiki and see it as a source of informations (~ less newbie question that where answered a hundred times), rather than a part of a 'suboptimal' portal.

Personally I don't feel annoyed by newbies asking always the same questions...It gives me the possibility to answer them and to feel a bit proud of myself 
Please revive the active topics on the starting site. My brower's HA bookmark leads now directly to "forums"...
I know that I know nothing. But how can I then know that ?

 

Is it just me?

Reply #49
I was about to ask about the Active Topics list, as it's been a while since I read Dibrom's posts about the upgrade, and found this "old" thread. It seems I share the view of many others, namely that the old Active Topics list was preferable to the new one. I don't care if it's a part of the portal or not, as long as I can link to it.
Quote
Quote
Is it just me or are HA turning into a forum for fb2k?

I don't like the new portal, so I bypass it altogether.

I still check HA regular, but find fewer and fewer posts not concerned with fb2k related issues. Now I think fb2k is a great program, but digital music is my main interest.

I don't expect that the fewer posts on non-fb2k topics is a sign of deminished interest in digital music, but maybe people are going elsewhere to discuss these matters.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
If you see threads about foobar outside foobar forum please let us know with the report post option. Or do you not like that foobar is posted as a solution to many problems?
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=253971"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Maybe sehested, just like myself, doesn't like the fact that fb2k topics is included in the new "Active Topics"/"View New Posts" list(s). Most of my own posts has been posted in the fb2k part, but I like to visit that hosted forum separately. I used to enjoy reading about all kinds of subjects present in the old Active Topics list, but now I find myself hardly reading anything at all, except the [a href="http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?act=SF&s=&f=28]hosted fb2k part[/url]. In addition to cluttering the general active topics list, the threads I have read in the hosted fb2k part is not marked as read in the other Active Topics/New posts list. I find that annoying, and because of that, I don't use it. Hence, I hardly read anything anymore. Or, at least not as much as I used to...

What I would like to see:
An Active Topics list without fb2k topics (not posts mentioning fb2k, but posts in the hosted forum), that can be linked to.

So, can someone please shed some light on the progress of getting things "up and running" the way they are ment to be? I really want to read, learn and enjoy like I used to. 

Btw: I use Firefox...

I hope this makes sense, as I'm tired right now.