Introducing...

[-jk]

As some you may have noticed, we've made a few changes around here.

The obvious one is cosmetic: we've changed the overall look and feel, and also added a separate front end for smart phones. We'll be tweaking these a bit as we get feedback, especially the mobile look which will probably undergo a complete overhaul or two before we're content.

We ran into a lot of issues with Internet Explorer 6 - that 10 year old version that was never quite right. If you're still using IE6 (and you really shouldn't be), you'll see the mobile look. If you want the full look and can't upgrade from IE6, try Firefox, Chrome, or some other browser. If you get the mobile look and you aren't using a mobile device or IE6, please contact me via PM.

And if you notice anything else odd with the new look, PM me. We've done a fair bit of testing, but tests can never replicate the real world.

Not all of the changes are cosmetic.

We have a new Posting Guidelines sticky; please take a few minutes to read through it. Nothing revolutionary - the DBR Boards have evolved and the guidelines needed to evolve as well. We reaffirm our commitment to civility and rational discourse while having fun talking Duke, sports, and other stuff too.

We're introducing a brand new feature, Comments. On posts especially better or worse than average, rather than saying "POTW" or jumping on someone, you can give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down and add a comment for the original poster. There is an icon, :) :(, in the lower, left part of each post for this. When you float your mouse over it, you'll see "What do you think of this post?" Remember, civility apply here, too!

We're going to play with comments a lot more in the future. For instance, we'll automatically highlight posts that get a lot of positive comments and automatically delete posts that are overwhelmingly panned. For now, give some feedback to the posts as you feel appropriate. Comments are reflected in points, and points are reflected in pitchforks by your username. You can only comment on recent posts, only a few times a day, and you have to spread 'em around between different members. You can see the last few comments you've received on your settings page.

So, come on in, poke around, and let us know what you think.

-jk

[moonpie23]

the site looks awesome...i really dig the new style!!


should we pm you with any little buggys that we run across?

[Duvall]

the site looks awesome...i really dig the new style!!

Really? Why?

I think the new site looks horrible, and putting Google Ads inside posts is just embarrassing.

[JasonEvans]

putting Google Ads inside posts is just embarrassing.

Unless you are willing to fund the site out of your own pocket, I think criticizing the revenue model for the owners is not quite fair.

-Jason

[Duvall]

Unless you are willing to fund the site out of your own pocket, I think criticizing the revenue model for the owners is not quite fair.

-Jason

Is there another message board that does this? I don't think I've ever seen it before, and it's remarkably distracting. And ugly.

[ncexnyc]

Is there another message board that does this? I don't think I've ever seen it before, and it's remarkably distracting. And ugly.

Yes, unfortunately the site for Non-Sport Update, which is a site devoted to trading cards has also started running ads in the middle of threads. As for your original comment, I believe they are spot on and justified. You expressed an opinion of the new format and gave your reason why.

[-jk]

Thanks, and please.

Lots of credit to devil84 for a ton of help with it.

-jk

[Greg_Newton]

Would there be a way to wrap the text of posts around the ads? As it is, it makes threads fairly hard to read because you have to scroll past these long, vertical posts.

[DukieInKansas]

Would there be a way to wrap the text of posts around the ads? As it is, it makes threads fairly hard to read because you have to scroll past these long, vertical posts.

The ads are horizontal on my view. And not all posts get an ad. How is that determined?

eta: Never mind - Your comment just finally sunk in. Your ads are horizontal also - which makes the post long vertically. I'm going back for reading comprehension lessons. :-(

[MisterRoddy]

The mobile site is really bugging me, I am usually on my iPad and now I have to deal with it on here and my iPhone, is there any way You guys can add a Switch to desktop button at the bottom of the page like most mobile sites do?

[MisterRoddy]

The mobile site is really bugging me, I am usually on my iPad and now I have to deal with it on here and my iPhone, is there any way You guys can add a Switch to desktop button at the bottom of the page like most mobile sites do?

Now that I'm on my desktop, I see that it is pretty much the same. I really liked the old site, why fix something that isn't broken?

[Ultrarunner]

I like the look and it looks like we may have a few new tools to work with which is nice.

The ads don't bother me but I'm on a computer whenever I'm here rather than mobile. I have seen other sites place them into the comments threads. Whatever it takes to make a buck and keep the site up.

Seems to load faster too.

[-jk]

The mobile site is really bugging me, I am usually on my iPad and now I have to deal with it on here and my iPhone, is there any way You guys can add a Switch to desktop button at the bottom of the page like most mobile sites do?

I said in another post we would make it optional. We just have to work it out. It might take a day or two.

-jk

[Oriole Way]

I like the old board layout much, much better.

[dw0827]

For me, one of the most useful features had been to go to the last post read in a particular thread. Does this new format also provide this function? I haven't found it yet.

My immediate reaction is that I'm not overly fond of the look . . . in part because the font is smaller and I'm an old fart with failing eyesight.

But I'll get used to it so no problem.

[devil84]

For me, one of the most useful features had been to go to the last post read in a particular thread. Does this new format also provide this function? I haven't found it yet.

It's still here. On both the regular and the mobile version, note the blue "NEW" button next to the thread heading. On the "Blue" style (for regular old computers), when viewing the thread, there's a menu bar just under the thread title that has a "View First Unread" link with the NEW button next to it.

[ice-9]

It's still here. On both the regular and the mobile version, note the blue "NEW" button next to the thread heading. On the "Blue" style (for regular old computers), when viewing the thread, there's a menu bar just under the thread title that has a "View First Unread" link with the NEW button next to it.

Something I never quite understood about the DBR forums is why a "New" button is required to jump to the last post that you read. In the two other forums that I frequent, the title of the thread on the main forum listing automatically takes you to the last post that you read.

If you want to start from the very beginning, in a multi-page thread there's links to specific pages in the thread; you can simply click on "1" if you want to start from the beginning. If it's a single page thread, well it's not very difficult to just scroll up.

The "New" button is simply redundant. It wouldn't necessarily be a bad redundancy on the desktop, but on a mobile phone where the button is small I often accidentally hit something else. Wouldn't it make so much more sense to make the title of the thread the hyperlink that takes you to the last post you read? That's by far the most common user scenario.

I hadn't said anything before because I joined the forums much after it got started; but since this is new is it possible to consider making that change?

[moonpie23]

I'm using safari. the OLD board took me str8 to the last post when i clicked on the "last posted" icon next to the posters name...this new one does not....this one takes me to the top of the last page....so i guess an extra click is needed to get to the last post...

[devil84]

The fonts on the Blue style (default style on a regular ol' computer) should be a bit more readable in most places. The Mobile style has not changed (yet).

For those of you "stuck" on the Mobile style and want to get back to Blue, click on the UserCP, and you'll see a dropdown that will allow you to select the Blue style.

And just a reminder (most of you are doing a great job on this), let us know what browser you're working on and tell us whether you're on a computer or specify the kind of mobile device you're using. There's a bit more complexity behind the scenes than the last board.

We're listening! Keep on letting us know what you find. Thanks for your patience!

[allenmurray]

I don't want to date Mrs. Robinson - I am more than happy with Mrs. Murray. More to the point I find that ad to be in incredibly poor taste. But I guess SBNation is okay with it.

You get what you pay for.