Hi merry band of posters!
It’s been a few days now, and it’s getting to the decision time as to whether we should keep with this new format (the topics layout and the new features - such as this poll!), or switch back to a more familiar format (the old boardhost board style).
Personally, I do much prefer this look and all the new features it comes with, but I recognise that it’s quite a departure and perhaps might not feel as usable to the posters. I’m very happy to take the pulse of our little band and enact whatever decision the group prefers.
I’ve only been here a day so I still have quite bit of familiarising to do - nevertheless, I do like the look of this layout / format - - it feels more spacious somehow - - the boardhost format that many of us (I think) have gotten rather used to after nigh on 20 years of having engaged with it now looks a bit giddying. Also, the 1 crucial function here is that all important editing facility.
One thing, without wishing to overly dwell on the matter - personally, I’m kind of fleeing a certain place with a sour taste in my mouth and I don’t particularly want to be reminded of the forlorn old bark every time I log into 5F.
like you, I like the fact that this feels different to boardhost. I am also biased in the same way you are, however, and so am an inherently unreliable witness
I also feel that as it’s harder to see at a glance everything that is being discussed (a bad thing) it makes it easier to only look at the things you want to see (a good thing).
Editing is great awesome.
Having said that, I am truly happy to go with whatever our community feels is preferable. Although we have yet to hear from some of the folk who signed up…
Further Edit: this site is a good example of the kind of thing I am aspiring to. It’s a much more US centered site, but has a forum just like this one, and some original content articles attached. This is sort of what I see 5Filters evolving into…
I think we’d all got so used to Boardhost - there was a comfort in it being so familiar. So the new format takes a bit of getting used to; it’s tidier, but some things are tidied away from immediate view. I think I was used to the sweeping bird’s-eye views of the Boardhost action, creating a kind of landscape that aided navigation.
But the information is there. I was slow to pick up on the fact that the ‘Activity’ column shows which threads have recent posts - and so is the one to watch if you’ve just dropped in to follow a topic.
There’s no question there’s more features in this board format - which I reckon will come into play in time and with bigger numbers (and probably have already, seeing as how I’ve not had to make any ‘Oops, correction’ posts yet ).
The absence of a headline in responses is, I think, a good thing for keeping responses to the topic. Also the new board being structured around discussions (as opposed to being a running space) is better for the discussions themselves. Might be less good for hanging out for light general chat. You can still have that, it just has a less open plan appearance.
Even if we haven’t passed any deadlines (maybe we have) I think I’d still vote to keep this format. Happy to go along with the group though.
Either way, well done to Pontious Primate in setting this up, it seems to have taken a bit of work.
Ahoy ex-shipmates. Good to see some familiar names and thanks to whoever took the plunge and set this up. Much needed following the alarmingly decline over at TLN. Although I didn’t post for a good few years now I still read it all the time. Sad to see.
Anyway, hopefully things stay civil on here no matter how much we may end up disagreeing about something.
Oh and the new board looks fine for starters. I think I prefer the open boardhost style but probably just take some getting used to.
Hello Tony, welcome! I think you can be fairly confident that 5F will be properly moderated, especially for basic civility between posters. We - the coterie who pushed it into being - have been speaking quite a bit about that. I’d say it’s in hand: more courtesy, and more democracy than we’ve been used too.
I too found the different layout and features here a bit confusing at first, being a generational luddite with things computational. But after a bit of coaching by Admin, the site and its characteristics have grown on me apace. Just stick with it till you get the hang of it, and you may well have the same response.
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