I've tried. I really have.
The home page tonight is one third generic photo library pictures of no interest to me. The right-hand third is the usual adverts that paid-up members should not need to see.
The middle third, squeezed on to my small screen, the supposed important bit, is now old threads on garden design with no replies recently? Who inserted those old threads, and why? Carly and Mike's threads were open to replies on the old site, and there's no reason to ressurect them on the home page.
I don't know why, but a really good forum has been changed so it's no longer useable. Cost isn't the issue here, as I've paid regardless of not needing the Hub, or the stupid "BOG" alternative. I've paid because it was an easy to use forum, and helped me out many times.
This new format might change the industry, although I doubt it, but it's no use to me. DD stopped, and I'll check in but won't be using it unless it becomes more of a simple access forum again. Thanks for all the support, help and advice: I hope that occasionally I gave something back, and I hope the site gets back to it's core purpose again soon. :-(
PS. When I tried to post this I have to choose a category from a list that doesn't include where I want to post it FFS! This really is a step backwards....where is the "general" forum now?
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Hi Paul,
Sorry to hear your leaving the community!
Sometimes change is hard to accept and although LJN-V2 was great I'm afraid the interweb is continuously moving forward. In order to keep up with developments, I guess sites need a revamp from time to time. Version 3 does take a little getting used to, however its less than three days old and I'm sure will settle in time.
I would also suggest that LJN has updated its platform to offer the community a far greater user experience. This type of upgrade comes at a considerable cost , not only financially but also in labour. I liked the old site, but am looking forward to exploring the possibility's the new place can offer us.
I hope you change your mind and give it another go. (I do agree about the adds though :) )
Kind Regards
Simon
I'm
Simon, it's not change that's the issue. For instance, there isn't a "reply" button on your post!
The whole site is awkward, difficult to navigate and poorly laid out. One third of the screen is "projects we love", just generic photo library images that serve no purpose.
I'm replying to my own post here, as there's no option to reply to you: how stiupid is that? I had to pick a random forum "topic" from a list that doesn't include general discussions, there's no single page that take you to new forum posts without all the surrounding rubbish, it is awful.
I've spent most of this week working on a new website and forum I administer. We saw it wasn't working, so we've rolled it back to the old format and are looking at different options. I think the same is needed here, as I was struggling to justify paying for something that worked,but now it doesn't work there's no point being a pro member!
Hi Paul, I have to confess I'm having serious doubts about the layout and format too. I'm sticking around partly because of people like you on here who make a serious contribution and who, unlike me, give what they have to say some consideration before opening big trap.
Your decision and if you have any similarities with myself once you have made a decision that is it. I fully respect that. I do ask you though, please at least lurk for some time as a non-(pro-)member and see if the forthcoming tweaks do or don't make it more accessible for you, mixed in (hopefully) with some reconsideration of some aspects by Phil and whoever he has on his team.
Should you be determined to shut off altogether immediately please let me have your own forum's and site's url, by pm if you'd like to keep that closed, I'd like the privilege of taking a look.
If you're not happy with that either, very best wishes for the future and with your own web endeavours. Sincere thanks for your contributions on more than one of my own threads and for worthwhile reading on threads read by but not related to me.
Hi Mike,
Again, there's no option to reply to your post so I hope this appears in the thread!
Apologies if it's been misunderstood. The site I work on is a car club, not an alternative to this group. My thoughts were that we'd upgraded to a new version that clearly didn't work, and I thought that had some relevance. :-)
Andy, Phil is reading all these posts so Admin is fully aware!
Maybe LJN isn't about a useable forum for we contractors any more? All I can say is that it's so un-readable that I'm looking for somewhere else. No hard feelings: Phil's business is up to him, and my £40 per year (and my occasional stroppy posts) aren't going to affect him. :-)
Paul your one of the usual suspects on the forum and a bit like myself and I get the feeling that when we voice an opinion about bog and other things we will be ignored from the powers that be... I think it could be a costly mistake to ignore the grass roots, as a forum is only as good as the people that use it or as case point - don't!
Your points make me think of point 4 in this thread http://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/the-seven-biggest-m.... Im not calling you a superstar but if the old standing paid members aren't being listened to then the site risks losing contributors which is what brought me here in the first place.
As for hating the new layout I'm struggling to see why your finding it so difficult to navigate, this layout is so much better in terms of being easy to follow and colourful, It doesn't look as cheap as some of the car forums I use and as with all new sites or if you game DLC the bugs get addressed and fixed in the updates.
The only downsides I find are there is no reply at the bottom of each page, theres no quote button and theres no edit button the rest is spot on for encouraging more people to use the site.
As for sponsors, I don't even notice they're there most of the time and imo your being very anal if there actually annoying you.
Thanks for your feedback guys.
I've deliberately stayed out so far so that I don't seem overly defensive but also to give others the opportunity to air their views so as to get a rounded and objective appraisal.
I know change can be hard. I've had to adapt to a whole new administrative challenge and, despite quite a few obstacles and hurdles, have pretty much relished the experience so far.
Firstly a little bit about why change was necessary.
Ning - the providers of the platform upon where LJN is facilitated - will be phasing out their v2.00 offering. Although no date has been set I suspect they will announce this in early 2015. After this time, ALL networks will be migrated to v3.00. There will be no options for network owners to retain what they are using already. All styles and custom code will be lost.
I wanted to take control of our own destiny rather than wait until the hundreds (if not thousands) of Ning network subscribers are forced over. I certainly didn't want to rely on Ning's support - in what has been a very trying and often stressful process - when hoards of others are demanding immediate attention for their own networks.
The new Ning v3.00, whilst so advanced in so many respects, has lost a few things that we've all, until now, taken for granted. Yes, I too wanted to retain the 'last reply by ******' link in forum feed activity and yes I also wanted to retain the 'reply to' ability when using flat threaded comments in the forum.
These options are just not available to me at this moment in time. I have not looked at whether it's possible to use custom CSS to create these ourselves but they're not available, as yet, as a default option.
We can use threaded replies so as to introduce the 'reply to' link but this, imo, causes confusion as new comments can be inserted any where in a discussion regardless of the age of the thread.
Your feedback is far from being ignored and I do and am listening.
So much so that when I introduced premium membership I was asked by Paul if the premium room (the Hub as it was then) could have all its advertising removed. I explained that because of the limitations with how the Ning v2.00 platform worked that I could not do this at that time.
I'm pleased to say that I have much greater flexibility now and I am delighted to say that the premium room is completely advert free.
What is more, on the 23rd February 2013, Robbie said 'Personally I would like the groups now changed to a forum format, I find it easier to navigate around'. I am delighted to say that this has now been achieved (although I have to complete this task to bring all groups to the same operational level) and ALL groups now have their own forum with categories.
Finally the BOG name change.
I know this has raised eyebrows with a few.
I wanted to bring in something that was radical and easily identifiable as a stand-out brand. The Hub, as a descriptive phrase, is too generic and you see it everywhere now. Business Objectives Group stands out. Yes it's shortened to BOG but it's up to you how you interpret the connotations.
And finally, finally. Premium subscriptions, sponsorships and advertising revenue is re-invested into LJN. One example of how money is used is the upcoming Practical Pesticides roadshow.
Progreen and LJN are working together to provide members with the tools to better understand pesticide legislation, practical application, products as well as general information on or concerning pesticides.
We will spend a week travelling the UK stopping off at 6 different venues. These roadshows are FREE to all who wish to attend. The cost of my travel, accommodation and expenses is being paid for via the income methods previously described.
As has been mentioned I will lurk and give the new layout a chance to evolve(hopefully) but as I mentioned in Phil's original thread, I just don't like the new set-up. The reason for the change, is 'upgrading to 3.0 new system' and fair enough, but that run on 2.0 had evolved into a clear and usable site - which is what I liked when I first stumbled upon it.
We are all practical people and I just asked myself a few questions:
Is it easier to navigate the site - no
Is it easier to see the last ten subjects at a glance - no
Is the home page consise and easy to read - no
Sorry if this sounds very negative, but I feel we have been dragged kicking and screaming out of our cosy, familiar home, without warning and just told 'you'll get used to it'.
Maybe a bit of consultation would help.
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