Janis??

VERY excited about being able to navigate pnq on my phone so easily... as I already said on the facebook page. Its great!

Then I entered the desktop version and I think I agree with what's been said on here. ^^"

- I think, feature-wise, the site is going a big step forward. But the design is a bit cold and uninviting. Especially the homepage: huge lists and lists... I'd probably give the left sidebar (the one with the poetry topics) a background colour (maybe not all the way down to the bottom of the site, the background colour could stop at the bottom of the last topic, depending on what you like). Perhaps we could use some coloured "title bars" too, instead of just text. Perhaps the new site is also a bit wide therefore it seems more chaotic? Reading direction from the old site was basically going from the top to bottom, where the center column was wider so that was your main focus. Now I've got two wide columns to focus on and my eyes are zigzagging. @.@
- I think changing the font could already help in increasing the readability of this website. Perhaps try a simple sans serif font, since we're going for a modern look anyway. But again: decreasing column width (especially in the discussion forum) would probably help a lot too. My eyes have to cover a too big distance from left to right especially when there are posts like this one where I just babble away. Smaller column widths give the eyes a bit of a break in between without losing sight of where you left off while reading. :)
- "Poets" section: love how I can sort the poets now, but where's the simple "search" function? XD There are some poets I'd still like to personally thank through pm but I can't message them if I can't find their profile. ._.
- "Poets" section also has a critics filter... but it kind of saddens me that I can't read top critiques anymore? I always learnt a lot from reading people's critiques, even if they were on other people's poems. Or is this because the "praising system" got removed?
- Love the new "recommended poems" feature! Great way to find new poems.
- Would it be possible, that if we're logged in, our profile picture appears next to our username... and when we click on it, we go to our public profile page? Now I've got to click on saerelune > profile, account > view profile... Such a search through all the lists lol. I personally always like to overview my poems through my profile page but maybe that's me.
- Agree that when I open a thread topic it should direct me to the latest page, not the first one. Maybe make the first post of the thread appear at the top of each page so people understand what the thread is about, whilst also directly being able to read the most recent reactions. Or easier solution: also put the "next page" buttons at the top right of a thread page, not only the bottom right. That way I can read the first page of a thread but also easily go to the last reaction.
- The ads are really annoying now, can't they go to the bottom of the page lol. Maybe it's also because they just seem to mingle with the rest of the site (old site you could clearly see a box being the advertisements and the coloured parts being parts of pnq). Now I'm reading poem titles and then I suddenly find myself reading advertisement texts in between. ._.
- Lol I'm a senior member.

But that's just me being icky about user experience. I love how pnq finally dares to take big steps forwards! And as I already said before, it probably just takes getting used to... but the navigation could do better I think. Everything is kinda hidden and the design doesn't guide you into a reading direction. Sometimes hard to skim through the pages to see which option you should take because everything seems like floating text... I'm missing clear boxes, I think? And do experiment with some different column widths! ;)

The praise system is still there, only on your own poems from what I can see.

very quiet indeed... I miss the news feed. I somehow feel lost yet I can see where the majority of info is located in the site. It's a strange feeling.

I agree. The missing news feed kept us briefed on what our favourites had been up to. This in turn inspired us to, read poems, leave comments, even to write them. You could say that by leaving out this feed is like, removing your loved one's frontal lobe with a cleaver and expecting there to be no adverse effects.

Personally I do not know how to express what I do and do not like about the changes so far, because I am so unsure of what else is to come.

I can definitely say PnQ being so colorful is the reason I chose it above so many other sites - even the one with cooler features (like notepads or the ability to be in multiple clubs, or even an instant messaging type of feature intended for collaborations). But I do like where the site seems to be headed.

Although, I do have a few questions:

Why do club managers not have access to all the club info we did before (like applying members)? Is this a permanent change?
Is there no longer a way to see the poems nominated for this week's contest?
What is the difference between senior member and the others?

Sorry if these are too specific, but I am extremely curious.

I can answer one of those. The contest nominations tab is under your name in the top right corner.

I think a senior member is one who can nominate poems for the weekly contest. Or maybe someone is telling us we're old? lol

Guys,
thanks for the candor & suggestions. Janis has an ongoing task list which he has divided into soon (within the next week or so), intermediate (over the next few weeks or months), and when he can (well, that doesn't need explaining). Much of what you have asked for is on the first list and much more is on the second. Before that even starts he must finish the migration. The things that are not yet carried over, such as awards and clubs will come. If we as a whole do not like the black & white effect, he will add color.

Don't get hung up thinking things are now static.

The most important thing to understand about this change over is that it replaces an outdated and over-programed format with a format and underlying program that will allow many more opportunities for add-ons, improvements and such.

I love all your suggestions and reports of glitches, keep them coming.

EDIT: BTW, the news feed is still there, under your name in the drop down menu at "What's New"

Thank you, Larry this helps tremendously. Presuming things are not static and knowing will reassure many of us. Is there any chance of knowing which of our requests are on the first list and those on the second list?

Thanks again.

Edit.

BTW. I am unable to increase my age. Please don't rush to fix this! :P

One of the things I dislike is that comments now can only be 2000 characters which for me is a nightmare as I love to write thorough comments. Does this mean that poems are also limited to so many characters?

Thanks

Em,
I do not know about poetry limits. I have one poem carried over which has over 4000 characters. I may have to write a long one just to see.
BTW, I saw the praise on your comment in which you complained about the 2k limit. LOL

The age thing will not only be fixed but in an add-on we will call the Darcy-truth the site will now verify age with outside sources to prevent members from falsifying their age to appear older-wiser or younger-cooler. ;8-)

Seriously, obviously the first actions are to catch the bugs and complete the transition. I'm compiling a list of the other immediate works-in-progress.

Thanks Larry. It's just as I had written a comment obviously then had to go through and change it but I got over my little wobble :)

There is SO much I want to write in order to reassure members they are being heard, but I am in a rush and my tiny brain couldn't retain everything I wanted to write by the time I finished reading all of your new posts!

Site needs more color, agreed. Front page is especially hard on the eyes and not attractive enough. I believe we should still have awards, though the criteria might need updating... There should be no character limit on posts or poems, we'll inform Janis. I completely agree navigation in threads is not easier with multiple pages unless we have back/forward arrows at the top of the thread as well as at the bottom.
I think it would be awesome if the top bar with all of the drop down menus stayed stationary even when scrolling up and down on the site. So you don't have to scroll to the top of a page in order to access the top bar. Make sense? I think that would be helpful!

Okay, gotta go for now.

looks good ... new and clean

just testing ... see what happens when i reply to an individual post ?

ohhhh nothing just drops to the bottom, but it does say the recipient name

Good test! Different things do happen depending on the site you use!

For those wondering, I believe Senior Member means nominator status.

First upcoming changes etc by Janis:

Many of the things to be done immediately are focused on the nuts & bolts of the site, while others are add-ons and carry-overs:

Catching the bugs; finishing the transition;
making improvements to the weekly contest;
restoring the awards with a link restored to the page explaining them;
search tools for poems, quotes & users;
ability to save poem drafts;
improvements to contacting the admin (Janis & the mods);
automatic spam detectors;
allowing a certain time to edit comments before they are set in stone;
welcoming to new members;
tightening security;
notices for new comments etc with on-off preference setting;
various mods tools

Changing the site was always going to be difficult; it's almost a no win situation. We complain it needs changing, then moan when it is - and not everyone can ever be pleased. However, I do believe it's getting there and I am the first to admit that I have been a little negative about it.
Thank you to Janis for trying to keep us all happy and thank you to the moderators for keeping us all informed.

Ben

So does this senior member go over from the older site? As I could nominate but not a clue about this member lol

Also, I still don't know how to get to the nominated poems page.. Please help.

Edit: Is there a way to kind of deactivate tour account? Thanks

Yep, senior member just means you're able to nominate.

The nominated page is a known glitch, and it's being looked at right now. At the current moment, no. It's on the list of things to implement.

I was a senior member but now I'm a regular member again, but then again i've only been a member of P &Q for 10 years HA

Nicko, that's bizarre. I wonder if Janis already changed/updated the senior member requirements. I'll look into it, buddy.

I haven't been here long but I really think it's a great site even through the changes

I agree with Ben & Michael, the site seems too stark to inspire a creative process. I miss the most current feed of comments and latest poems from my favorites. I do like the badges we had, another inspirational spot. Mostly the starkness, I stare at a computer screen all day at work and white paper with black writing, I don't want the same thing when I go to create, it really does not inspire me.

i actually like the look, its a personal thing and not everybody will be happy no matter what. I also look at a computer screen all day and find the look quite refreshing.

after all its the words and poems that should create the colour on the screen ...............

Hey Brenda!

Not to worry, the badges/awards will be back soon. They will be slightly changed.
Also, you can still access your feed. Click your name at the top right and then click the first option, "What's new."

I'm having HEAPS of trouble since the new site appeared. Every time I try to access the site I have major issues with pop ups. I know it's probably my computer but it only happens when I look at the P&Q website...even when I am not signed in so I figure, for some reason, the site is related to my problem in some way?...I guess I need to do something but I'm not sure what???

Anyway...from what I've been able to see...I really quite like the 'new look' I'm sure it will take a little while to get used to but a big shout out to Janis for doing what he's done so far :)

BTW...what's the difference between a mod and a super mod??? I notice Jane and Larry are now classed as super Mods? Also...where is the list of mods that used to appear on the left hand side of the old site? Is it located somewhere else ? Where is the Clubs list?

The site was a bit wonky for a couple of days, but it should be fine now, there was an issue during site migration. Are you still having problems?

Super mods are 1) oldfarts 2) have the ability to give users a spankin' when needed. They have access to more mod tools that allow them to make users moderators, ban ip ranges, stuff like that.

You can see the list of moderators by going into more -> administration.

The clubs list hasn't been implemented yet.

Can we have a 'super senior member' - Basically, members that don't have a life and basically never leave the site for fear of spontaneously combusting - like me! lol

Seriously, this is all good.

Just wanted to drop by and ask something.
Can we now not search for poems and members' profile in a search box?

I like that idea, and we'll have a ceremony when you finally reach that status, where we'll come and chain you to the computer for the rest of your life :D

Also the search for poems/users has not been yet implemented, but will be soon.

Okay...thank you.
I am literally lost without that.

The supermod position was carried over from the old site, but the position will be expanded to others not long from now. Basically it allows the mod to deal with issues as they come across them rather than having to log into the mod account and doing so.

Re your computer problems. Delete the bookmark on your computer and cell phone & replace it with

http://www.poems-and-quotes.com

It brings you to the Contest Page & you can sign on easily without getting a lot of pop-up windows.

I am glad the weekly contest nomination buttons and the button to see what has been nominated are back. I was seriously lost without it. Although now, can a piece only be nominated by one member?

Yikes. Looks like I have a lot to catch up with. Lol

I rather hope a poem is restricted to a single nomination. This way we will have spare votes for other poems.

Thanks for the answer Mark...Super Mods = Old Farts hahah!!! Also, I have now found the Mod list so thanks also for that. Yes, unfortunately I'm still having problems with popups on here. I can get onto the site no bother but as soon as I start clicking on anything else..eg forums/poems/poets that's when the problems begin. The site seems to drop out as soon as I try to open the second page of this thread?

Larry...I have never used a bookmark for this site and always just sign in the way you have suggested so it's not that either. I'm tried both Explorer and Google chrome but both seem to be the same and, as I said before, it's only P&Q I'm having problems with...everything else is fine. Hopefully it will just go away because it's very frustrating. I've run a full computer scan 3 times already in everything comes back fine.
EDIT

Do we (members) actually have a choice if we want to go back the old set up or is it gone for good??

We are here for good, Hellon.

Please describe step by step exactly what happens each time you have a problem:
Give the URL at each stage,
Tell what happens when you sign on & what URL you're taken to
Any messages that pop up
If messages change depending on selections you attempt