ME New Forum Software

[uuu]

I seemed to get in OK, but a lot of the top and/or bottom of the screen was occupied with fixed information, leaving uncomfortably little working area in the middle.

Wilf

[jasonb]

Been too busy with moderating to post

I've certainly not hyped it up here or on the old and new forums. Take a look at my statement at the top of this thread.

www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/topic/comments-constructive-on-the-new-forum-software/

But posts are being made about model engineering now.

[Jo]

Having got through the "are you human" (BSG - not a cylon   ) test I now find that they want to dump cookies on my computer. No option to shut off any, continue and you get them. Had a read through their policy and yes they are giving the data to Google, who of course would not sell it to every one on the planet.

A cookie to automatically log you in is one thing. I am treating it like so many other sites now and manually deleting all cookies after I look at their site now. Hate the human test as I log on 

Jo

[jasonb]

Would be useful to have all this feedback posted on the forum where Mortons may see it.

[millman]

I would willingly post feedback on the forum for Morton’s to see but I cannot get past the verifying your connection is secure page, I can only assume that my iPad is no longer supported on your new software, I am certainly not going to buy a new device just to participate in the forum so it looks like you have lost a member, and no forum, no magazine, I shall change from Model Engineer to Engineering in Miniature.

[baldric]

I had that annoying wait whilst it checked I am a human valid, I left it whilst I did something else, when I came back, it had got on to the main site. I know they say things are slow, but that seemed excessive. I will see what it is like in a few days time.
Baldric.

[jasonb]

There is excessive security in place at the moment to try and combat other problems hopefully when these are sorted it should be easier to get in and not keep getting checked. Was a lot better during the testing with no more signs of security than the old site but going live caused a lot of other issues.

I'll get admin tolook in here so they see comments from thos ethat can't get access

[Jo]

The latest activity page is not useful. Most forums show a list of the latest threads that have any activity, ME shows the latest posts. So if the latest 20 posts are all on the same thread, say complementing the new software, you cannot immediately see if other threads have been updated.

Jo

[jc54]

I have tried this "NEW"web?? I find it completely useless when you can finally get on it. Have the wanted classifieds been removed? Biggest problem is as Jo said above. Bye Bye Model Engineer!!!

[jasonb]

Jo don't know where you are looking but the left hand column here is as you describe being found on other forums such as MEM and just what used to be in "latest posts" on the old ME.

www.model-engineer.co.uk/activity-user/

There is a big blue button at the top when you go to forums that will bring this up. Right hand column not so much use as it is just a list of new topics (threads) started

If you also bother to read the "Constructive Comments " thread that members are being asked to you will see that this is a temporaty measure due to a problem with the intended list. Something is better than nothing

www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/topic/comments-constructive-on-the-new-forum-software/

JC Suggest you also do the same if looking for what used to be "more latest posts"

j

PS the new site calls threads "topics"

[Jo]

I started writing a detailed reply Jason but decided life is too short. Must go and delete the cookies infection again.

Jo

[Neale]

I'm using an Android tablet (fully updated) and haven't been able to get beyond "checking connection is secure" page for a few days. Every few seconds there is a quick flash of a Cloudflare message, then back to the spinning wheel. I can get in from a PC, so presumably not due to my source address. I could get in - after security checks and a delay - from this Android tablet when the site first came back.

[jasonb]

Thanks for the feedback Neale, you are not the only one. I will poke admin again and make sure they are looking here.

There was very little testing of tablets and phones done and that extra Cloudflare security is not helping.

[millman]

Having exactly the same problem as Neale, Cloudflare message and permanently spinning wheel on an iPad.

[jasonb]

It seems the temporary additional security has now been able to be removed and there is a post from a member that he can now access the site with his ipad. Those with the same or other tablets may want to have another go.

www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/topic/cloudflare-problem/#post-681047

Link above shows the site now has the ability to link to a specific post which was often asked for.

The site is also getting faster now that the temp security has been removed and fonts/screen background altered so not as bright a white with pale font and better separation of each reply though still needs a bit of tweaking

The ability to post documents into a gallery is also working so you can place pdf, xls and doc files which was something being asked for a lot on the old system

[SteveW]

Not tried this site yet but I'm finding an increasing number of sites blocked to my old, no longer supported, version of Chrome on my similarly no longer updated Amazon Fire Tablet.

Seems the world of Internet security has moved on and the only solution is to bin a perfectly capable tablet and buy a new one running the next update to the operating system which in turn will allow the current version of Chrome necessary for current web site security. No doubt both will fall foul of progress and I'll need to chuck and upgrade again soon.

[dhamblin]

Built in obsolescence Steve - guarantees future sales.

Hopefully the foibles of the new set up can be ironed out quickly, as it is a very useful resource.

Regards,

Dan

[keith]

Went to read the 'Latest Activity' today, and was told (for the first time) to log in to see the latest activity. Tried to login, but was told to enter a valid recaptcha - but nothing was displayed to allow me to do this - so now I can't log in. Is this yet another case of freezing LInux users out in favour of Windoze?

Same thing happened an hour later - the new ME site is a disaster/

[Jo]

Oct 26, 2023 8:54:40 GMT keith said:

Went to read the 'Latest Activity' today, and was told (for the first time) to log in to see the latest activity.

Did it to me as well. I deleted my account years ago. I am not creating a new one so I can view the site. The need to login could be associated with all the cookies they are trying to dump on my computer.

Jo

[keith]

I guess the staff/moderators at ME are not reading these posts, now they have created a closed shop for a few people. Still can't log-in, because the Recaptcha is not displayed.

This software "Update" seems to have been a total, unorganized disaster. Deadlines to get it working have not been met, when you can get in, the site is horribly disorganized, the displayed pages are full of white space, and almost impossible to navigate, much-loved functions from the old site have disappeared or been "improved" (for whom?). Lots of comments about 'Constructive' criticism, but apparently ignored, and now its impossible to get onto the site to make any sort of criticism,

I suggest ex-ME posters use this site to discuss Model Engineering matters, and leave the 'new' ME site to the half-dozen people who used to monopolize it.