Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 04:55 PM UTC
Maybe a different set to of eyes (used to the new format) could help?
What travelog is it? What is it about?
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 04:56 PM UTC
Typo - sorry!
... different set of eyes..."
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 05:12 PM UTC
My eyes are more than okay, thank you.
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 05:17 PM UTC
I'm sorry if you misunderstood me - was just an offer to help. The new format can take a bit of getting used to so if you haven't explored it much yet, someone who has might know where to find the missing report.
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 06:09 PM UTC
All change takes time to get used to and, as Goodfish says, if you are not a regular visitor to the site then it will take longer than for those of us who are addicted.
Give it time: you will get used to the changes and will find many/most which are great improvements.
You may not like some aspects of the new format but it is, of course, impossible to please everyone all the time.
Your travelogues are shown at the bottom of the relevant location page..there's a title 'Travelogues' and a photo + title from each one.
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 08:22 PM UTC
Hate is a little strong but I can imagine and agree with the frustration.
As I wrote a couple of weeks ago somewhere (impossible to find where as not all postings are shown in the "show all my activities" list):
For non-members or new-members the lay-out is, indeed, confusing and not easy to navigate through, I agree with that. I think that, at least, the travel map should be there where the personal photo is now and the personal photo to be moved to upper left, next to "my profile". The tab "my travel pages" (which directs to the travel map) is not very clearly seen.
Some members are full of praise because they spend a lot of time on this website so they quite quickly find where everything is; not so the passer-by.
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 08:34 PM UTC
And really it is the passer by we want to help is it not? Sure our pages are important to us as records of our travels.....but user friendly is the name of the game.
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 08:46 PM UTC
Another thought.
I remember at the airport in Dublin a sign was posted after all the new security measures...
"Change the way you pack"
So one help in VT now is to "Change the way you use VT"
We have a group page The_Downunder_Mob. We have a short intro on our Home Page and make use of the Top 4 Personal pages (albums) which are the in prime spots if the intro is short.
We use Hyperlinks to take our visitors to other pages.
I think there will be some changes to the new VT but not a lot....Actually some of the new is very good. But some of it is a "pain......."
I miss the 'last on line date'....I do not like the travel map hidden away.....I would like the page just how nhoolb describes it. I find the my list of Travel destinations unwieldy....Needs some bold print for countries or something.....you can still click to see all in the old format or you could.
And maybe delete some pf the comments which get in the road of passers by seeing stuff relevant to their search.
Oh well it is early in the morn here in Australia...off to walk dogs!
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 08:48 PM UTC
It is incredibly more user friendly than previously. If you showed the old page to new people and compared with new, it is now ridiculously more positive. User tests CLEARLY show that.
Additionally, if you look at the data, you'd see that visitors to member pages spend approximately 2 x as long looking at the pages and being engaged. That's great!
You may have your opinion personally, but for new people it's just a better experience. For members who have been around, all change requires getting used to.
I have NEVER once on VT seen any change that members all agreed upon. Mostly people view change negatively, but this time around the member response was WAY more positive than it has been in the past.
Is it perfect? Nope. We're just in the first phase of the process, and we'll have another publish wednesday and then on and on.
One main thing is the travel page list where the map is. That will be new at the end of the month or so.
Fight the reflex to dislike change and give it a chance. I think you'll be glad to know that the visitors like the pages a lot more...
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 09:04 PM UTC
For your information: I am NOT a new member. I have been a member since 2001. I admit that I'm not so active anymore than I used to be but I do visit daily.
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 09:06 PM UTC
Noel. It baffles me how you claim to know so much about what the visitor finds the member pages as compared to before. Did you do extensive user testing? Do you have analytics data or are you simply making this?
Don't worry. I already know the answer :)
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 09:08 PM UTC
"For your information: I am NOT a new member."
I don't think anyone is saying you're a new member. Why would you think that?
Noel here was saying that members might like it but new visitors are confused much more than they used to be. The data and testing shows this to be exactly the opposite.
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 09:10 PM UTC
Sorry, Myriam, I know that you are not a new member.
It would have been better, I think, if I had written: "ESPECIALLY for non-members or new-members".
My apologies!
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 09:11 PM UTC
"...as not all postings are shown in the "show all my activities" list"
In fact before you could only see that last 10 forum replies before on the pages. That hasn't changed just the layout, but additionally, you can now see last tips, photos, comments etc. So actually it's now showing much more stuff, even though it still isn't complete. It's a first step. It's more extensive than before, but don't let that get in the way of your sour assessment of how it was better before when it showed EVEN LESS. :)
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 09:11 PM UTC
quoting nhoolb:
"For non-members or new-members the lay-out is, indeed, confusing and not easy to navigate through, I agree with that."
I assumed mr/mrs nhoolb thought I was a new member.
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 09:12 PM UTC
@ nhoolb: apologies accepted!
An 'edit' button (for a few minutes like on TA) would be more than welcome here on the forum.
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 09:14 PM UTC
Indeed, I detect some sourness....
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 09:19 PM UTC
I thought I'd speak your dialect :)
You didn't tell us about all the data and analysis that went into your "presented as fact" statement that new members and new visitors are more confused and having a harder time now. (when in fact, it's the opposite)
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I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 09:20 PM UTC
Hi Myriam,
Venting always helps, and I'm sure you are not the only one who feels like this. I hope you learn to navigate and like the new VT.
Noel I'm astounded you think the activities list does not show all your acitivity. I have been both pleased and surprised that it now shows ALL our forum activity whereas before it only showed 10 or so items (forgot how many).
Check it out, and see :-))
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 09:24 PM UTC
You are welcome to your own personal opinion, but you can't claim that of others.
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 10:48 PM UTC
I am sory to bring this up again because the missing "Last on line" has had a good airing here already.
But that does not alter the fact that a question from a newcomer may receive any number of replies over a couple of days but if the OP does not respond by asking for more information - or to say Thanks - we may never know whether the extensive information provided by several members has been received.
With no indication as to whether the member has logged in since posting - will members feel like posting additional information?
The argument that it will be there for new members interested in the same topic is not good enough - from all the evidence I have seen few new members consult past Forums for answers to their pressing questions.
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 11:25 PM UTC
Then don't bring it up :) It's already been dealt with and will be live on wednesday
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 11:32 PM UTC
Sorry - in all the discussions I must have somehow missed there was a solution/fix on the way for this matter.
Apols for bothering you:)
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Fri August 12, 2011 11:44 PM UTC
Although I'm pretty sure the main case for this is just curiosity and not the hundreds of noble sounding reasons why it's needed :)
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Sat August 13, 2011 04:26 AM UTC
Well G I cannot speak for others but it is not mere curiosity on my part to know the last on line date I can assure you. So I look forward to a win /win solution
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Sat August 13, 2011 05:08 AM UTC
Sure. ;)
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Sat August 13, 2011 06:30 AM UTC
Example:
On my homepage I click on "see all activity".
None of my postings of 27 July-29 July show up, such as in these threads:
http://forum.virtualtourist.com/discussion-570887-1-1-Travel-0-0-London-discussion.html#answerID_3855528
http://forum.virtualtourist.com/discussion-570721-1-1-Technical-0-0-World-discussion.html#answerID_3854488
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Sat August 13, 2011 02:35 PM UTC
Like I said last 10 postings in forum activity just like before. Now with additional activity and more to come.
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Sat August 13, 2011 02:51 PM UTC
My "example" (re my forum postings) was directed at Mrs. kiwi where she said, I quote:
>>> it now shows ALL our forum activity whereas before it only showed 10 or so items <<<
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Re: I hate the new VT format, who else? Posted: Sat August 13, 2011 02:57 PM UTC
she may have misspoken. I've told you the situation.
Now what about the other points?
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