Has the forum been hacked ?

[Brandlin]

Is 'FOE' an acronym? :wink:

lol. No. Its the opposite of Friend.

 

[rafezetter]

snip

I've snipped your quote purely to save the readers from double sized wall of text.

My reply was not a /rant or a "toys out of the pram" reaction. I rarely have them, here anyway, because most posters are adults and don't say things that deserve a verbal spanking, but when I do, you can be assured it looks very different than my post you replied to.

Your reply to mine implied I was insulting, belittling and rude - can you show me where exactly, and I mean actual insults or belittling wording, rather than implying I'm doing it because you're not happy with my chosen phraseology.

Could I have stated it better? Sure, but this is a post on a forum, not something I'm writing that I know will get mass attention (I write elsewhere) and by readers where written english is not their first language. Do I think a post on a forum requires multiple proofreading and editing passes to remove any personal overtones I may feel on a given subject?

An EMPHATIC no, because forum posts are ALL ABOUT opinions, and how they are worded is part of that flavor. If you aren't comfortable with reading something that clearly carries the writers personal flavor with it I suggest you move on, an open forum format for discussion isn't for you.

I'm not about to sanitise how I write, or spend the time doing so, even had I the inclination, purely so that others feel more comfortable.

Most of the time it's not even necessary because the topics posted are as benign as paint drying, but when the residents get rowdy, the passion shines through, and it's that passion that brings us all here in the first place.

You have also assumed I know not of what I speak - I remarked on the spacing and you suggested I could not tell if it was the new site design or settings on my browser.

I know it's the site and not the browser, because I use two different browsers for different things, the reason is complicated and irrelevant, but necessary. I checked the site on both, it looked the same.

Ok I admit my wording regarding the autofilter of disliked posts was quite heavy, but then automatic censorship based on "likes / dislikes" from the readers has NO PLACE in a forum like this - or anywhere to be frank, because the mechanic behind it is one of personal opinion. I moderate on two gaming forums and used to write frequently on a third and I can tell you that personal opinion and bias is a topic best stepped around with light feet and giving the readers of a post the ability to force it into censorship is a sure way to p.... posters off and give them a reason to go elsewhere.

I can tell you from four years of experience of this particular forum that some threads have become quite the fracas without adding the insult of a post being censored (auto hidden) because of a dissenting viewpoint..... Sharpening *ducks* being the first to come to mind.

I don't think this function needs to be "reviewed" - I think it should never have been turned on in the first place, and removed the moment it became known.

It's the forum equivalent of "LA LA LA LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!" and in my 19 years of exposure to the internet, I've never seen it used in a forum until now - not even on some forums that allow aggressive language and topics.

Allowing the residents to self moderate is just asking for trouble.

You have also said all the other posters have complained (bold, underlined as per yours). A statement made using words and a tone you would not, is not a defacto complaint, merely; a statement made using words and a tone that you would not, and unless you quizzed each poster for clarification, is merely your opinion.

Just like everyone elses.

PS. this reply is not /rant or "toys out of the pram" compliant either, and you do not know me anywhere near enough to claim otherwise, so please don't.

PPS - am I reading this right? Are you suggesting I block you because of your reply? I'm an adult, not five years old.

PPPS - this is me being civil - I know there are some special snowflakes in the world who think everything short of licking thier ar... isn't being civil, but this is how civil looks for the majority of the rest of us non snowflakes.

 

[devonwoody]

I do not like the new layout, feels like I am in an empty space and very unfriendly surroundings.

 

[devonwoody]

My avatar does not work it is now static and does not display previous work .

I had great difficulty getting back to this thread. the option to "view own posts" not displayed?

And the scroll bar is slow and jerky.

 

[SammyQ]

Firstly, new format is less user-friendly than before. More scrolling, less obvious tools, too small display of content. I write as a digiliterate adult.
Secondly, "Thank you" to Chas for calm, clear, short, explanations to those cast adrift by change.
Thirdly, this forum was set up by Charley and others as an information exchange. Flame wars are things we should rise above; Jacob and Bugbear's legendary exchanges not withstanding, I'm sorry to see the 'new' format sullied already by petulant playground posturing. No names, you know who you are. Both of you.
Fourthly, the changes seem to have be welcomed more by mobile users than those of us with more modest data usages, who actually sit at a PC (wiv a BIG screen for tired old eyes). If that is what indeed has happened (presumably after a representative poll of users?) then I for one will probably not surf here as often, or with as much pleasure, as I did before.

That is, methinks, going to be disappointing to 'the backroom boys' who have spent time and effort putting this new format through beta testing etc, but there it is. It may be an age thing; older, more settled boyos don't tend to march down the High Street, head down, focussed on their electronic comfort blanket. No, I am not being condescending or patronising; merely saying I have NOT succumbed to the strident siren call of the mobile 'phone industry convincing us we HAVE to keep up at all costs, everywhere, all the time, instantly. It makes THEM "lotsa money" donit?

My 'jury is out' on the change; I will give it time to see if I can adjust, but I echo an earlier poster and No 1 above, it almost seems "dumbed down" to be more readable(???)...Adieu.

Sam

 

[DrPhill]

FWIW I struggle to decide whether to favour readability on mobile without tapatalk or making the most of my hi-res laptop screen. So far I have no real opinion.

It is change..... change happens in IT. The content is the same, the people are the same why worry? My phone and its apps change regularly, sometimes for the better. My OS (mint) changes rarely and usually for better. My development kit at work (iOS/MacOS) changes almost monthly and usually breaks something or makes it more complicated.

(almost completed six decades myself...)

 

[johnfarris]

A consultation would have been a good idea before any changes had taken place. I wouldn't have minded paying a subscription for this site. Was their any warning of the changes made? I didn't see any. I appreciate their is a owner of this site and he can do what he wants, but a lot of people have contributed to make it what it is past and present.

I have been mostly a lurker since the conception of this site so I guess its going to be quite hard to get used to the change.

Bring back Alf and Scrit i say

 

[MattRoberts]

I do this sort of thing for a living, and with every single new version of a site you get a lot of people saying they don't like it and prefer the old one - it's human nature. The vast majority of their opinions are simply because it's different, with a few genuine issues included due to teething problems with any new site redesign.

After a short while when those teething problems are resolved and everyone finds how to work with the new site, the vast majority of naysayers are happy again.

People should really try and give it a week or two of use before providing any kind of constructive feedback

 

[Geoff_S]

It's for fun and it's for free.

Thanks to the moderators who run this site and I am sure did the upgrade with the best of intentions. Well done guys!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

^^^ what he said. I've never owned a phone that did any more than phone (and haven't even got one of them atm), so whether it's better on phones doesn't interest me a jot. Likewise, thanks to the people who work to keep it going ................... but I don't like it much.

 

[CHJ]

(almost completed six decades myself...)

Still a youngster then

 

[John Brown]

I hate all change. Why oh why can't we keep the forum the way it was when it began?
What's wrong with tablets of stone and chisels anyway?

 

[CHJ]

What's wrong with tablets of stone and chisels anyway?

Chisels Blunt too easily.

 

[NikNak]

When i logged in yesterday i thought "uh ohhh.... whats going on here...." :shock:

Today i logged on and thought "I kinda like what they've done here...." =D>

Like others have said.... its not my train set, but i'm very grateful that i'm being allowed to play with it for free (hammer) (hammer)

And as for pop up ads... what ads.? i dont see ANY..!! :mrgreen:

 

[Duncan A]

I don't particularly like the new site but it is far easier to use on a mobile phone, which is how increasing numbers of people access the internet.
As regards the white space it is not always easy to avoid when using a website builder; layout options are frequently limited unless resorting to some form of coding.
The people who run this excellent site no doubt have a life to lead and there will be a limit to how much time they can devote to fine tuning the site, although I'm sure they will listen to constructive comments and make appropriate changes where they can. The site works and it is free and I am very grateful to those who put so much work into it, sometimes with plenty of brickbats and little thanks.
So, from me....THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL WEBSITE.
Duncan

 

[Tasky]

FWIW, unless the Mods code the forum software from scratch themselves, it will be a service and software system provided by some company or other, like PHP-BB. In the latter case, they will implement changes (to all their forum users, not just UKW) to take advantage of new things like social media apps and the like, so any newness is nothing to do with forum mods or admins and totally beyond their control.

as I have to scroll to the top to select a category.

Press the Home key on your PC keyboard.
There should also be a red square with a right arrow that appears in the bottom right of the screen - Click that to go straight to the top. I believe it should also work that way if you're on a Smartphone.

 

[DTR]

I find the comments about improved use on a mobile quite interesting. I browse the forum mostly from my mobile via Tapatalk, so the supposed improvements to mobile browsing have made zero difference to me.

What's wrong with tablets of stone and chisels anyway?

Chisels Blunt too easily.

It sounds like the chisel you're posting with is made from an inferior grade of steel. You should try PMV-whateveritis. What honing angle are you using? For posts including a quote I find that 29.6 degrees is too shallow but 30.2 degrees is too steep.

 

[Tasky]

Chisels Blunt too easily.

Have you tried using James Blunt? (hammer) :lol:

 

[Halo Jones]

I think it looks fine. No big spaces that some are complaining of and the windowis resized so that only the text area is visible. I always use adblocker so the intrusive adverts never bother me.

 

[llangatwgnedd]

Far easier to read on my mobile, just wish the text was as dark as the advert text :shock: :roll: