I really do hate this new forum format

I hate the 'its free' argument.  Besides paying for access the majority of the internet is free almost all forums are free, including competing modeling websites.

Its nuts for a company to take a massive step BACK, even if its free.  Heck, I know companies (like Valve for example) that constantly gives free updates and releases new stuff for free, for their games.  So to say 'oh its free' well, thats just a cop-out.  Since when should free = bad?

also, I HAVE seen a massive reduction in posting...  Ill come on once a day or so now (instead of 20 or so times) and check for new threads, I go to armor, scifi, space, dioramas, figures and misc, aircraft (sometimes) and ya know, for the majority I see either no new posts/threads or a few replies to an old thread.   Rarley am I seeing really new stuff popping up.  Before the change the scifi section had gotten inundated with new people, now its almost a grave yard again...

I'm not crying; I've had more difficutly since the change than I had in the past. I used to be more active here, but now I've just re-directed that activity towards another site's forum. This one will just take a back seat in my daily online surfing.

Guys, we all need to stop lest we keep being branded a bunch of "cry-babies" after all, it is free...

(except for those of us that are paid up for the next several years and only subscribed to the mag after we found these forums)

Mods, I know that you are reading this and, yes, I will keep hounding you until you fix this. Chucking some platitudes on your way out the door at the end of the day about how you "care" isn't cutting it.

I will not disagree with anything you said. I used to pop in before I left for work to see what was shaking on the Ships forum.

I can't do that any more because the "new and improved" forums are only slightly faster than an earthworm trying to cross the Sahara.

FSM had something that worked and they killed it.

It's 5:44 and just got back to find 2 posts...Same posts, folks...

That's all I have to say about that...

I've got to say something,

I've given this site a fair shake.

One of the reasons I subscribed, instead of buying the Mag. ACROSS THE STREET at a BOOKSTORE was this website...

I'm about 99% sure that I'm leaving, not subscribing again, and going back to the bookstore. If the issue looks interesting, I'll buy it. If not, so be it.

The fact that there has been ABSOLUTELY ZERO RESPONSES from anyone involved in maintaining the 'site pretty much tells me that they don't give a SH*T.

Thanks for all your feedback, MODERATORS, IT guys & anyone else involved in CUSTOMER relations...

The forum may not be a big money-maker for Kalmbach, but if you think about how many people visit this site, join the forum, then subscribe, you may find either fixing the current site or reverting back to the original to be a fiscally sound plan.

I think you may want to do something about the obvious issues that a lot of long-time members have ranted about in this and MANY other RECENT threads...

BTW, I run Windows XP AND Linux9.1, tried explorer and firefox, they all suck on this site. It's not my computer, it's the SITE.

Here endeth the rant...

Posted @ 5:22 Eastern time - I'll re-post IF I can get back here today...

Steve.

I've got to say something,

I've given this site a fair shake.

One of the reasons I subscribed, instead of buying the Mag. ACROSS THE STREET at a BOOKSTORE was this website...

I'm about 99% sure that I'm leaving, not subscribing again, and going back to the bookstore. If the issue looks interesting, I'll buy it. If not, so be it.

The fact that there has been ABSOLUTELY ZERO RESPONSES from anyone involved in maintaining the 'site pretty much tells me that they don't give a SH*T.

Thanks for all your feedback, MODERATORS, IT guys & anyone else involved in CUSTOMER relations...

Here endeth the rant...

I don't think the text changing size is a browser specific error, but another indication of the fragility of the forum database.

MikeV

Bgrigg:

I'm using Firefox (just upgraded to 3.6) and it's working fine!

 

So am I Bill and I still see the same bugs. The text is one size and when I go back to the topic it changes to another on it's own. Why don't they use a forum like ARC's and others like that? They work far better and they still have plenty of room on the page for their advertisers.

Hey Mike

It probably won't make you feel any better, but I have started having that same issue in the last couple weeks - and I use Explorer....

Bgrigg

I'm using Firefox (just upgraded to 3.6) and it's working fine!

So am I Bill and I still see the same bugs. The text is one size and when I go back to the topic it changes to another on it's own. Why don't they use a forum like ARC's and others like that? They work far better and they still have plenty of room on the page for their advertisers.

I'm using Firefox (just upgraded to 3.6) and it's working fine!

bbrowniii

 

MikeV:

 

 

Bgrigg:

Mike, just use the "quick reply" button found near the bottom of the post. This at least takes you back to the post you are replying to!

 

 

I just tried this Bill and the page would just sit there when I hit the 'Back' thumb button on my MX Laser mouse.

So what I have to do is hit F5 or the click on the 'Reload Current Page' link at the top of the Firefox screen, wait for the page to refresh and then I can go back to where I was.

Absolutely wonderful software. I would have thought the word Microsoft would have been on the page somewhere.

 

 

Damn, Mike... Firefox sounds like a bear to use this new forum on.... jeepers, what were they thinin'??

It is Boyd and I find myself wanting to spend more time at the other two modeling forums so I can have some freedom. Hey FSM, take a look at Swanny's or ARC's layout! Both are far better!

I used to love this forum, but now I spend very little time on it because of the bad "feel" of the thing.  I just don't feel comfortable using this new format. If you think I am fading away, maybe I am.

My posting activity has slowed to a crawl--that's one plus for the FSM editorial staff...LOL...

MikeV

Bgrigg:

Mike, just use the "quick reply" button found near the bottom of the post. This at least takes you back to the post you are replying to!

 

I just tried this Bill and the page would just sit there when I hit the 'Back' thumb button on my MX Laser mouse.

So what I have to do is hit F5 or the click on the 'Reload Current Page' link at the top of the Firefox screen, wait for the page to refresh and then I can go back to where I was.

Absolutely wonderful software. I would have thought the word Microsoft would have been on the page somewhere.

Damn, Mike... Firefox sounds like a bear to use this new forum on.... jeepers, what were they thinin'??

Bgrigg

Mike, just use the "quick reply" button found near the bottom of the post. This at least takes you back to the post you are replying to!

I just tried this Bill and the page would just sit there when I hit the 'Back' thumb button on my MX Laser mouse.

So what I have to do is hit F5 or the click on the 'Reload Current Page' link at the top of the Firefox screen, wait for the page to refresh and then I can go back to where I was.

Absolutely wonderful software. I would have thought the word Microsoft would have been on the page somewhere.

PritMar

bbrowniii, how do you get to the filtering area. I can find nothing that even looks like it.

What Bill said...

Thanks for the assist, Bill!!

At the top of each forum section, IE: Aircraft or Armor, you will find this:

Clicking on either the "Sort and Filter" link in the "Not finding... " sentence or the one I circled on the right, will open the sort and filter option area.

bbrowniii, how do you get to the filtering area. I can find nothing that even looks like it.

No, you are not.

Bgrigg

Megan is the Editorial Associate and current Forum Whipping Post. I suspect she is given a very limited amount of time to deal with the forum, after all the main point of the magazine is the magazine!

If the majority of the editorial staffs are NOT hobbyist modeler and have no interest to participate on a forum like this, their own, on the staff's own time, we end up in this current mess.

I understand that running a magazine is REAL business. But the staffs should not isolate themselves from the readers. It does not have to be mutually exclusive.

As a long time subscriber, all I ask for is for Matthew Usher to come down here to post a message saying that he heard the complaint and will develop plan to get budget to fix the problem. Am I asking too much?

firesmacker

The good news is that apparantly, people are free to do whatever they want here now since the only thing in the Forum Guidelines sub-forum is a thread on how to quote posts that contain pictures or some such nonsense. Been that way for awhile now.

But hey, at least the subcriber-only content lets me watch a tutorial on how to stir paint with a stick. Man, what a life-saver...

OH, but Firesmacker, the Guidelines are there.... Of course, you have to go into the Filtering and Sorting settings, and switch off the 2 month default to be able to see them...  which, I am sure, is so simple and logical that everyone, especially new members, would do it first thing, right?????

Oi, don't get me going....

The good news is that apparantly, people are free to do whatever they want here now since the only thing in the Forum Guidelines sub-forum is a thread on how to quote posts that contain pictures or some such nonsense. Been that way for awhile now.

But hey, at least the subcriber-only content lets me watch a tutorial on how to stir paint with a stick. Man, what a life-saver...

MikeV

You post in a thread and then you hit the 'Return to thread' button and if the thread is 5 pages long you are sent back to page one. If you post and then click your  back button as I am used to doing it says it will resend the information or whatever the wording is and if you click yes it takes you back but your post now becomes a double post.

Who wrote this program the people at AOL?

 

I figured they'd have gone back to the old system by now! It just dosn't work at all now. And we're seeing people leaving almost everyday now for other boards.

gary

Megan is the Editorial Associate and current Forum Whipping Post. I suspect she is given a very limited amount of time to deal with the forum, after all the main point of the magazine is the magazine!

HawkeyeHobbies

 

MikeV:

 

Who wrote this program the people at AOL?

 

 

Now that's funny!

No, just someone who NEVER used this forum before, nor any special interest forum, period. The biggest problem is that no one seems to care the damage that was done from the FSM management. Only the poor lady whose name was Megan mentioned a few time. Anyone know her position at FSM?

Thanks Bill.

I guess that is an option if I don't want to quote what I am replying to.

MikeV

Who wrote this program the people at AOL?

 

Now that's funny!

Mike, just use the "quick reply" button found near the bottom of the post. This at least takes you back to the post you are replying to!