scbriml wrote:

How do I get to the option to change the 'skin'?

Yesterday I changed it from "Airliners" to "Flatboot" (or whatever it is called) and preferred it. Today when I logon, I'm back to "Airliners" and now I can't find the option.

Cheers.

Indeed. It's been removed. Was definitely there yesterday, not that it made any significant difference.

airkas1 wrote:

It's gone for me too.

Should've been in "board preferences " --> "Edit global settings".

Ah, OK. Thought I was going mad there for a minute.

kulverstukas wrote:

Kas, simple question: where is core service for photographer? Page with photo at it's original size, unchanged, not up- or downscaled, not recompressed, with all information about airliner, with photographer name and with ability for providing link to it for outside use?

The developers are still working on that.

Here's what I posted in the issues FAQ thread in site related last night:

- Watermark feature is being restored + Black Banner with Airliners.net and photographers name on ALL images that were uploaded prior to the redesign launch.
- Photos with watermarks from the old site will have them restored. They will all appear slowly throughout the overnight.

Those sentences were directly copied from an E-mail from DM.

RobK wrote:

Indeed. It's been removed. Was definitely there yesterday, not that it made any significant difference.

Hopefully, they're working on providing additional skins.

Personally, I found it a little better than the default "Airliners" skin.

scallar wrote:

I welcome the changes to make the site more compatible with mobile devices, it's much easier to read the forums on my phone now. However, there has been a lot of comment about the new style being too white and hurtful for the eyes, and I agree to this. I think it's very "default" and it's hard to read grey text on a white background.

Just to compare, I made a 5 minutes redesign of the new site in the old colors, using Chrome's inspector. Here's the result...

I approve of that forum skin! DM, make it happen!

RobK wrote:

scallar wrote:

I welcome the changes to make the site more compatible with mobile devices, it's much easier to read the forums on my phone now. However, there has been a lot of comment about the new style being too white and hurtful for the eyes, and I agree to this. I think it's very "default" and it's hard to read grey text on a white background.

Just to compare, I made a 5 minutes redesign of the new site in the old colors, using Chrome's inspector. Here's the result...

I approve of that forum skin! DM, make it happen!

Yeah, that looks much more familiar.

^ That does look awesome! I've added that screenshot to the fix-list to show it as an example. Would be great to have that.

Sorry,
but I don't like a single thing of the new site.
don't talk about colors ,banners, watermark, and all the other things, but it's just harder to browse around just lastest pics.

This is a sita, no more "the site"
Regards

airkas1 wrote:

kulverstukas wrote:

Kas, simple question: where is core service for photographer? Page with photo at it's original size, unchanged, not up- or downscaled, not recompressed, with all information about airliner, with photographer name and with ability for providing link to it for outside use?

The developers are still working on that.

Here's what I posted in the issues FAQ thread in site related last night:

- Watermark feature is being restored + Black Banner with Airliners.net and photographers name on ALL images that were uploaded prior to the redesign launch.
- Photos with watermarks from the old site will have them restored. They will all appear slowly throughout the overnight.

Those sentences were directly copied from an E-mail from DM.

As you can see, watermark issue was only one from 7 points in my question. Thanks for resolving one, DM. 6 more to go. Also, may be at the Tier II, are there any plan to change appearance of pages used by photographers from mobile view back to desktop one?

Day two on the new site. And still passionately hating it. No offence to anybody meant, but this redesign is just awful.

Something should be done about the size of the pages, the bland (or otherwise "absence" of) colours, the number of posts you can visualize in one page, the search functions, the lack of some form of "instantly recognizable" brand marque (cue: the old 747??). And where are the country/flags of posters gone?? You just can't see who is who anymore... Why??

And to add insult to injury I cannot post any kind of photo for my profile, and on top of that I even get that horrible skull (WTF guys??!! a skull??) next to my name.... Jeesh folks, what have you done??

Sorry to be negative but the site now looks like so many others. Hopefully the picture review formats will be resolved though.

oldannyboy wrote:

And to add insult to injury I cannot post any kind of photo for my profile

Most upper right corner --> sign in --> settings --> upper box wil allow you to upload a profile photo. --> scroll all the way down --> click save.

Thanks mate, I will give it a go. Grazie mille.

The forums desperately needs a higher contrast theme! I rarely care about these things, I spend so much of my work day looking at computer screens, but the current colors are making my eyes tired and I'm almost getting a headache from this.


(I read somewhere that this issue is already on a high priority, still felt relevant to add my "vote" for this as the main problem)

airkas1 wrote:

oldannyboy wrote:

And to add insult to injury I cannot post any kind of photo for my profile

Most upper right corner --> sign in --> settings --> upper box wil allow you to upload a profile photo. --> scroll all the way down --> click save.

Ok, it works

..sorry..still can't... ?..

oldannyboy wrote:

..sorry..still can't... ?..

Sign in where the red arrow points. Then click on the iamge to which the arrow points (or no image on your case). There will be a dropdown menu. Go to settings and upload a profile photo. Scroll down and click save.

As a photographer here, I can't say I like the new site a lot. There are issues like the copyright bar (appreciate that it is being dealt with at a high priority), compromised photo quality while viewing it especially after clicking the expand button, and the thumbnail trying to squeeze all photos in a 3:2 format, which looks ugly considering many photos don't have such an aspect ratio. I have a 2:3 photo where the thumbnail mostly shows a patch of sky with a helicopter rotor sticking out from the bottom, which is not too appealing in my opinion.

Cheers,
Yang

YQZ380 wrote:

As a photographer here, I can't say I like the new site a lot. There are issues like the copyright bar (appreciate that it is being dealt with at a high priority), compromised photo quality while viewing it especially after clicking the expand button, and the thumbnail trying to squeeze all photos in a 3:2 format, which looks ugly considering many photos don't have such an aspect ratio. I have a 2:3 photo where the thumbnail mostly shows a patch of sky with a helicopter rotor sticking out from the bottom, which is not too appealing in my opinion.

Cheers,
Yang

Hi Yang,

All the these issues are being dealt with as the highest priority. I hope to report them later today as fixed.

Ok, this new site is totally mobile version and touch screen friendly. May be you can allow photos from iPhones and Samsungs into queue then?

It's a website - just a website. Hate to sound like a typical passenger; However, I paid for First Class so I wouldn't see ads. All I see are ads! Too many!

N501US wrote:

It's a website - just a website. Hate to sound like a typical passenger; However, I paid for First Class so I wouldn't see ads. All I see are ads! Too many!

Sadly, First Class membership was stopped some time ago. There's now only one type of membership - free. Free, with ads.

I was also a First Class member and hadn't realised it had been stopped. I installed AdBlock Plus within minutes of the new site becoming available. I now see no ads.

airkas1 wrote:

^ That does look awesome! I've added that screenshot to the fix-list to show it as an example. Would be great to have that.

Could you also add the issue about being logged out after every session despite having the 'remember me' boxed checked. And yes, cookies are turned on.

Let us just compare it with what we will see in a week...

airkas1 wrote:

oldannyboy wrote:

..sorry..still can't... ?..

Sign in where the red arrow points. Then click on the iamge to which the arrow points (or no image on your case). There will be a dropdown menu. Go to settings and upload a profile photo. Scroll down and click save.

Hi airkas1, thanks again, but it still won't let me.. I'm sure it's a glitch.. there's no way it will let me upload anything... also, when I click "change my avatar" the system takes me back to the general discussion forums page..
Never mind...

RobK wrote:

airkas1 wrote:

^ That does look awesome! I've added that screenshot to the fix-list to show it as an example. Would be great to have that.

Could you also add the issue about being logged out after every session despite having the 'remember me' boxed checked. And yes, cookies are turned on.

This is on the list already, but thanks

Mortyman wrote:

airkas1 wrote:

Mortyman wrote:

How do i change / add profile picture ?

Most upper right corner --> settings --> Change your profile photo

Say what ? Upper right corner what ? No such thing ...

Ah right... you probably don't have a wide enough screen. In my case (when I don't fullscreen the window) I get one of those so-called hamburgers - the three horizontal lines representing a button to open a menu. That seems to "swallow" more and more top-menu options as you make the window smaller.

Unfortunately, though, that stupid hamburger menu doesn't actually work (clicking it does nothing)! So the only way to see the profile button is to make the window wide enough.

I'm not sure if I'm being dense here, but what happened to the 'Top stories' panel that was in the centre of the main page?

I've been trying really hard to be positive, but I revile this new site. I am a 30 year old, who uses tech all day, btw.

There is way too much white space, the "check for new replies" button is gone. The information is spread out you have to scroll for ever to get through the pages. None of the details of the photos are available until you click on them - which really drives me nuts. There used to be the box with the aircraft info, location, type, airline etc, right underneath the photo - all gone. This was really a poor design choice for this type of site. Did they do any beta testing or research from members before they forced us to switch to this? Most sites give you weeks or months to try the beta before they make you switch.

umkay wrote:

I'm not sure if I'm being dense here, but what happened to the 'Top stories' panel that was in the centre of the main page?

I've been wondering the exact same thing!

I feel the same way as most here, I don't think the new site is an improvement. One feature I really miss is the "continue where you left off" option you had when logging in. I don't like the new forums, that's mainly what I used airliners.net for. I can see pictures of airplanes anywhere, but Airliners is (or maybe was) a community and I liked reading the forums.

I visited this site at least a couple of times per day, but as others have said before me, my visits will most likely become fewer and farther in between. Airliners was part of my routine, but I guess I might have to add something else to that routine.

Sorry to be a critic, but I think you went too far too fast, now the site seems entirely different, so it's not like visiting Airliners.net at all, but some other site.

m1m2 wrote:

I feel the same way as most here, I don't think the new site is an improvement. One feature I really miss is the "continue where you left off" option you had when logging in. I don't like the new forums, that's mainly what I used airliners.net for. I can see pictures of airplanes anywhere, but Airliners is (or maybe was) a community and I liked reading the forums.

I visited this site at least a couple of times per day, but as others have said before me, my visits will most likely become fewer and farther in between. Airliners was part of my routine, but I guess I might have to add something else to that routine.

Sorry to be a critic, but I think you went too far too fast, now the site seems entirely different, so it's not like visiting Airliners.net at all, but some other site.

We understand. There are internal conversations occurring right this minute regarding a change back to a more familiar color scheme. In those conversations are also a reduction of blank space and a return to a more familiar, compact layout in certain areas. While I can't guarantee that, I do in fact think those changes are likely.


Matt B.
Airliners.net Support / Customer Service

scallar wrote:

I welcome the changes to make the site more compatible with mobile devices, it's much easier to read the forums on my phone now. However, there has been a lot of comment about the new style being too white and hurtful for the eyes, and I agree to this. I think it's very "default" and it's hard to read grey text on a white background.

Just to compare, I made a 5 minutes redesign of the new site in the old colors, using Chrome's inspector. Here's the result...

Much, much easier to read. Seeing it like this really shows how much more readable the old colors were - these really aren't easy on the eyes.

I would also reduce the size of the topic name which is for some reason included in every post.

The flags coming back would be nice, although I suppose less of a priority than the colors, since changing it to the above skin would at least mean that we would be able to read the forum easily again.

AA777223 wrote:

the "check for new replies" button is gone.

It's there if you're using a desktop or laptop, but not on a phone or tablet.

skiaplg wrote:

scallar wrote:

I welcome the changes to make the site more compatible with mobile devices, it's much easier to read the forums on my phone now. However, there has been a lot of comment about the new style being too white and hurtful for the eyes, and I agree to this. I think it's very "default" and it's hard to read grey text on a white background.

Just to compare, I made a 5 minutes redesign of the new site in the old colors, using Chrome's inspector. Here's the result...

Much, much easier to read. Seeing it like this really shows how much more readable the old colors were - these really aren't easy on the eyes.

I would also reduce the size of the topic name which is for some reason included in every post.

The flags coming back would be nice, although I suppose less of a priority than the colors, since changing it to the above skin would at least mean that we would be able to read the forum easily again.

That exact image is being used in the internal discussions.

Personally speaking as a user, I hope that we see a change to something like that image in the future. It's being discussed and we hope to be able to share the results of those discussions soon.

Matt B.
Airliners.net Support / Customer Service

The continued pathetic response from the airliners.net “Development Team” is simply unacceptable. No...you do not deserve 24 hours to fix anything. It should have been right the first time. First off they are now a “team” and not a “crew”; this is just the tip of the iceberg as the site makes a huge pivot from being aviation focused to whatever you call it today. Their blatant disregard for privacy or photo ownership is simply insulting to those of us who have visited this website daily and contributed for more than a decade. The fact that they have to “investigate ways to improve the forum”, is another example of how the new team at airliners and Demand Media simply has no idea what they are doing. If you look at the other demand media sites you can see they all look basically the same. The forums are unreadable with this horrible white background and red headers.
You have alienated the entire community. Since airliners is now the “aviation Facebook”, I hope you have success selling all of these ads since there will be no website traffic to click on them. I would much prefer to look at industry pictures on Flickr or another website than airliners. At least those websites have respect for the photographers and the community on their websites.

Not only have the forums and their functionally been destroyed, but their accuracy will never be the same. Since anyone can post without being a paid member, it makes airliners no different than someone commenting on a newspaper article on a different website. At least with paid memberships we knew that the people in the forums for the most part had a vested interest in providing accurate information.

It is not worth writing out everything that is wrong with the website. You had no business going from the old website to the new one overnight. As with any business or organization that understands how to implement change there should have been a transition period that allowed the new website to run in beta while the old website remained. This would have allowed the community that you love so much to provide feedback so when the new website launched it wouldn’t be the mess that is it today.

I think all of us here would have been willing to give the new website a try if there was a proper change management plan instituted and we felt like our comments actually mattered. Guess what airliners.net and demand media, without us you have nothing.

With that I say goodbye to airliners. It has been great, but it’s not worth my time to click and scroll through a horrible forum layout, or to look at all the top pictures that somehow have only been the moderators of the forum since the launch.

Blue Sky…..

jetmatt777 wrote:

There are internal conversations occurring right this minute regarding a change back to a more familiar color scheme. In those conversations are also a reduction of blank space and a return to a more familiar, compact layout in certain areas. While I can't guarantee that, I do in fact think those changes are likely.


Matt B.
Airliners.net Support / Customer Service

Don't you suggest to go back to different look and feel for mobile site (with scaling photos, endless scrolls etc.) for viewers and readers and desktop version with compact design and unresized photos with interface as close as possible to old one for contributors and photographers?

Also can we make some distinction for contributors versus readers like no ads and forum access for uploaders of more than, say, 20 photos?

As I have mentioned before, the forums are slow to load ... and continues to be slow ... Can we have the old forum back ?

Is there a way to automatically subscribe to topics when making a reply to one? I can't find an option for this in the settings and it will be tedious to remember to click the icon on the post itself.

new site seems good but older was much better with many thing on the same page,what ever u like to see just click and go in details of it.i suggest that u should have improved the old site with little ammendments

This site is now too big and unwieldy. Its taking so long to scroll down. Its not an improvement. Simplicity is the key and smaller size .

airkas1 wrote:

RobK wrote:

airkas1 wrote:

^ That does look awesome! I've added that screenshot to the fix-list to show it as an example. Would be great to have that.

Could you also add the issue about being logged out after every session despite having the 'remember me' boxed checked. And yes, cookies are turned on.

This is on the list already, but thanks

It's also worth noting that the 'site related' forum does not appear in the 'forums' drop down menu at the very top of the page.

What happens to all the DATA that used to be hidden around the site? It used to be, when someone posted, their join date, post number, and various other facts were right in the header. Tons of data about all the photos was in a data box right beside them. When someone quotes someone else in the forum, I have no idea what post number it is to go back and read that post, because, guess what? There is tons less data around the site - not to mention all of that data was delivered in a far more compact deisgn. It was so much more friendly. There is just tons of WHITE and BLANK space. This was an awful decision. I echo what others have said here. A.net has been a part of my daily routine, several times a day for over a decade. The former crew is gone, and the "team" has ruined this site. It now feels like any other forum on the internet. The community feel is completely gone. Did you guys do zero research on what your users wanted...BEFORE you took this live?!

Grrrr.... none of the changes I make will ever save. I can't change my display name, my bio, my profile pic, anything! It doesn't matter how many ways I try, when I hit the save button, the page just reloads, unsaved. There are no red areas to correct - it just won't save. I'm getting really tired of this thing showing my real name instead of my user name. That is a real violation of privacy, and it's really pissing me off.

AA777223 wrote:

Grrrr.... none of the changes I make will ever save. I can't change my display name, my bio, my profile pic, anything! It doesn't matter how many ways I try, when I hit the save button, the page just reloads, unsaved. There are no red areas to correct - it just won't save. I'm getting really tired of this thing showing my real name instead of my user name. That is a real violation of privacy, and it's really pissing me off.

It took me 4 times but eventually got it!

Put my vote in for not liking the new site. The graphics, sections, etc. are all way too big, which makes navigation much more difficult.

But, I'd also like to proffer some constructive criticism - instead of just unilaterally, radically changing the site next time, create a beta site that the loyal readers/fans can visit and comment on before proceeding with launching. That way, you can not only "give the customers what they want," it'll provide valuable direction.

If this has been covered, I apologize - I don't have time to read hundreds of comments.

But when you click on the 'bell' at the top, that a new comment has come in on a thread you follow, or a starred topic, why does it go to Page 1 of the thread, and not the newest comments, which are sometimes on the 9th or 10th page? Why would I want or care to read comments from months ago?

Is this something the user needs to fix in settings somehow? Why wouldn't it default to the last comments, not the first?

It seems there are a lot of bugs and a lot of issues with this new site. I've been coming here for a long time...and I'll throw my two cents in, and join the masses...I HATE the new re-design. I guess all good things must come to an end, like they say. I wish people didn't try to re-invent the wheel all the time and stick with what works.