Is there already a thread about this? Or an announcement from the Webmaster?
I have to say I don't like it, at least on my iPad. It is harder to scroll down the list of topics when I go to a forum I want to check out. Maybe I just have to get used to it.
can't say I noticed any difference though I am just using this site on a desktop or lap top.
Use it on my phone and I don't like the new format either.
Yes, big surprise last night when I looked at my phone -- I may just use the laptop when I'm at home so I can view 20 topic titles at once instead of 4.
Oh gosh, I just thought my iPad wasn't loading properly last night! Now I see it is that way on the iPhone as well. Hope it is some kind of glitch!
I definitely understand why they are presenting a different view to mobile browsers BUT if you are going to have your site auto-detect a user's browser and present a mobile view it is standard practice to provide a link to the non-mobile view.
This is especially important when the site decides a tablet should be given the mobile version.
Not allowing us to switch to the non-mobile view is NOT GOOD.
I'm hoping this is just a temporary glitch. Takes way too long to go through the posts on my iPad.
So it wasn't just me .. I am so tech challenged I thought something was wrong with my phone.. and yes.. I do not like the new mobile format at all!!!
Normally I use my home laptop and just occasionally check it on my phone when away form home. Just checked it out and I guess I won't be doing that anymore, have to stick to the laptop. Hate it!
Hope the webmaster responds here and lets us know if it's still being refined or if that's it.
Same on our iPads. It's more difficult to read topics. Hopefully this doesn't last. Wonder why you'd fool with a system that works...
I like the new mobile layout much better since all info pertaining to a given thread is visible in standard view on my phone-no need to go landscape in order to see if there are new replies. I do agree, however, that giving a "full site" option is de rigueur.
I don't like it.
Paul, they made big changes a couple of years ago and despite lots of complaints, many said exactly what you said, we all had to get used to it.
Nope. I don't like it either. I thought I had a problem with my iPad as well.
Yeah - I noticed that on my ipad last night. Hoping it is just a glitch cuz it sucks! I do most of my 'Steves-ing' on my desktop, so will just avoid using it on the ipad unless it gets fixed...
I like the original format better (which is still on computer) than what is now on iPad. I guess when I am home I'll be using computer and when traveling I will have to get used to it.
I also don't like the new format. Hopefully, it is just a computer mistake. It is much more difficult to determine what the topics are about when you only see the header.
I tried to edit my posting on my iPhone that I made from my iPad and there was no edit button. I really hope they go back to the old format. I don't want to click on each header to see if it is a topic that I am interested in. I probably will not be accessing the site near as much.
I like it think that it is an improvement, especially the highlighted bands and seeing all the posting information quickly. On my ipad it works very well. Don't access via the iphone so don't know what it does for the phone. I think I can scroll through the postings faster.
So I am not the only one who finds it hard to read. I am glad I brought it up! Hopefully the Webmaster will read and respond. Maybe it is just a glitch as usually they announce and explain changes.
"...and seeing all the posting information quickly"
This is the key difference for me, and makes sense imho for a mobile format.
Lots of people saying I hope it's a glitch-this does not look like a glitch...
I access this site on my iPhone and iPad. It's OK but it is a lot more scrolling. Hope that can be improved with some formatting changes by the webmaster.
It's here. It's probably staying. We'll get used to it, just like the star boxes.
The cure is worse than the disease.
I thought it the site was having issues or my iPad. I don't like it either. Too much scrolling. I guess I'll get used to it though. I don't pull out my laptop enough to want to look at it on there.
I also noticed the change when I accessed the site from my phone this morning. My first thought was that the phone had gone into brain lock, but I soon concluded that the changes were intentional. I'm not sure whether the new format is an improvement or not? I suppose that will become apparent over time.
The big problem I have is that once I view a topic the title turns from blue to gray and if it is one of the gray boxes ( they'd alternate gray and white) is almost disappears.
Hello everyone,
After we had received many reports over the last 2+ years about the difficulty in viewing all info on a topic on a mobile device (how many of you figured out that you could swipe sideways to see it all?), we changed the view for mobile devices to present it all in a box that fits on your screen instead of a line.
Clearly, this change is not well received. I've reverted changes before and I'll do it again if it's the right decision. What I understand with clarity is that the box takes up too much vertical space and requires you to scroll too much. There are, however, some aspects I'm not understanding and I'm hoping for some clarification.
"I do agree, however, that giving a "full site" option is de rigueur." "if you are going to have your site auto-detect a user's browser and present a mobile view it is standard practice to provide a link to the non-mobile view."
Our website is built to be "responsive" and not to have a "mobile view" and "desktop view." If you have a website that has a mobile view that gives a link to allow for the desktop view, that website typically shows less information in the mobile view. Sometimes, these are even two separate websites that you're moving between. You click for the desktop view to get the full info. Our website is responsive and display is determined by the width of your screen. For mobile devices, we still show the full information made available on any given page. In fact, this change allows you to see more information on mobile as the problem was that some of the info was getting cut off from view. Thus, there is no "full site" option because you are viewing the full site.
The next comments really confused me and I wonder if yosemite1 or anyone else experiencing this can help explain. "It is much more difficult to determine what the topics are about when you only see the header. I don't want to click on each header to see if it is a topic that I am interested in."
When in a section of our forum that lists all the topics available for viewing (the only type of web page affected by our changes), we've only ever given the title of a topic ("header"?) plus supporting info like the author, time stamp, number of posts, etc. We've never given previews of the content within a topic from these pages. You've always had to click the title of a topic to see the OP's post and the replies. Can anyone give more info or perhaps email me a screenshot?
"I tried to edit my posting on my iPhone that I made from my iPad and there was no edit button."
You might make sure that you are logged in. It is expected behavior to not see the "edit" button when not logged in and we haven't made any changes to these pages.
Possible solutions:
Please discuss and let me know what you think.
I use my iPad and it HATE this new format. If this is what I can expect to find I doubt I'll be spending much, if any time here.
If you're taking votes , mine would be to completely undo it. I find it so unwieldy that I would probably never use it on my phone. Which would mean I could only look at it at home on my laptop.
I was perfectly happy to just see the title of the thread and which forum it was posted in. I don't care how many responses or when it was last updated or even the OP, I'll see that when I open it, if I think it looks interesting. If I want to see that stuff I can always slide it over. I'd much rather see more per page with less scrolling.
I stand corrected on my comments about being able to see more information other than the title. I was trying to figure out what had changed and in so doing, I mistakenly pictured in my mind another forum that I look at. That said, I still do not like the new format. I feel that each topic takes up too much space on the screen. I would like to be able to glance through the topics to see more on a page. I know some forums not only have a title but also include the first two lines of the posting. I think that would be very beneficial especially when the subject titles are so vague. As an example, the title might just be "Paris" and the question might be "What time does the Tour de France enter Paris?" Anyone not interested in that topic could skip over it by seeing the first two lines of the posting. Obviously, a more descriptive title would be better, but people have suggested it before and still the titles leave something to be desired. I appreciate the webmaster being proactive in trying to improve the format of the forum. People always tend to resist change. In this case, I think the change was not beneficial, at least to me.
I find it difficult.
I'm staying with my laptop, so that will cut a fair amount of my reading.
I don't like the new phone format, either. Anything that can be done to reduce the scrolling will be appreciated.
I'm still getting the desktop format on my 8.4-inch tablet. That's my preferred device when I'm on vacation, but it normally doesn't leave the hotel, so if I have a chance to check the forum during the day, I'm stuck using the phone. The irritation level with the new format is such that I probably won't do much on-the-go reading in the future.
Nancy, how is it unwieldy, is it the scrolling that bugs you? Just wondering because on my phone (an iPhone 6s) in normal-vertical-orientation I see 4 threads at a time, with somewhat larger font, and I can see how many replies, in other words I can see all info and I know if an additional reply has been made to a thread since last I looked.
Other observations:
In landscape orientation I see just two threads, so vertical is better for me and that's fine.
The increased scrolling seems to be the main objection, but I prefer that over tiny font and not seeing all the info.
It may be that on smaller screens it's not displaying as well? My screen measures about 2.25" x 5".
I do agree, per Sasha's last post, that some more color contrast with the gray and blue would be helpful.
EDIT: Seeing Nigel's post, I really don't get it...
I find it difficult.
I'm staying with my laptop, so that will cut a fair amount of my reading.
Once a thread is "clicked" on, it displays the same as before for me, is that true for everyone? The font in the Topics list is larger and easier to read-for me-and the display once opened is the same, no?
I agree, the topic list takes ages to page through on my phone. Before, I could see numerous topics at a glance. I am guessing that the purpose of this is to allow you to see the other columns that weren't visible on the phone without sliding over, but I really don't care who posted it, how many replies it has, or when it was last updated. If I am curious for some reason, I can slide or over and look, but it's more important to me to see multiple topics at one time.
I do use it a lot on my phone, and I would like to see it go back to the way it was. Was anyone complaining about not being able to see the whole screen? Please (pretty please) put it back!
"Was anyone complaining about not being able to see the whole screen?"
In short, yes. However, those complaints didn't speak to the same volume as we're seeing here.
Please keep the comments coming if you haven't yet added your opinion. I'll keep reviewing comments for ~ another day or two and then work out the best way forward.
Adding my two cents as requested: please revert to the old format.
I have an iPhone 5s. It was no problem to swipe left to see the other columns when desired. The new format requires too much scrolling. I feel like I'm reading a book through binoculars. Thank you for considering folks' comments.
Lynn---the Webmaster explained above why they cannot offer a "desktop view" option for mobile devices.
As an ipad user (especially when traveling), I have to agree with the "don't like it" crowd. I much prefer to see the topic list as it appears on my laptop---the information all on one line, reading across. The alternating grey and white boxes in the new format look very cumbersome on my ipad. I never missed seeing the rightmost columns---it is the topic title that is important to me when I am browsing. I like to see those all lined up, reading down.
I preferred the old way because unless I was interested in the post heading, I don't need to see who posted or when or how many replies. If I was interested and wanted to see that info, I would scroll over. I prefer to see more post topics quickly than to have all of the other information.
I do appreciate the webmaster working on improvements, and responding to the opinions of people on here!
I prefer the old way, less scrolling down. I use a phone exclusively.
I appreciate the webmaster "listening" to us. :)
Thank you!
I intensely dislike the new format. Before I list some of my reasons it would be good to explain how I use the forum. I almost always select "All Topics" to see what new topics are being discussed, what previous topics have been responded to, etc. I sometimes use the search function to ferret out specific information. I never use the individual forums function. I use the forum more to feed my travel obsession than to find answers to my personal questions. When I do need to find specific answers, I can often quickly do so (with the old format) in a thread someone else has posted. This makes the forum more efficient for me, and less redundant for everyone else. As this type of user, here are some of my concerns about the new format:
I hate the new format. I think it looks cluttered/unattractive and annoyingly requires too much scrolling to browse thread topics.
TravelingMom, you've outlined my feelings perfectly! The new format is less reader friendly and much harder to scan quickly.
I am not getting all these complaints. It's a different look and feel. The information is the same. I find it so easy to scroll through content on an iPhone or iPad that I just don't see it as a problem. I bet that after a few weeks of using the new format, people would get used to it. I flip through pages of Facebook and I see this scrolling as similar. It's easy to pull out the topics as they are different color. The only comment would have is that I have looked at topic it doesn't stand out as well as it becomes gray. It there were a way to have topics that have been read to be in a different color it would be a good modification.
I intensely dislike it for all the reasons others have said. I vote to go back to the way it was which worked well for me. I use my iPhone 6s exclusively and this new way is very tedious and annoying. I won't read or respond much at all if it stays this way. We got used to major changes 2 or so years ago, don't want yet another change which does not improve the site imo.
Sasha, thanks for posting this!
I started noticing the changes yesterday (or the day before), & I initially thought I had somehow done something to change the format on my iphone!
Webmaster, thank you for taking all our comments into consideration!
I do not like the new format on my phone for some of the same reasons others have already mentioned.
Basically, I prefer to view several topics at a glance, (just like the format on my home computer), & I don't really need to see how many posts, or who the OP is, because I can see that when I open the thread or by swiping sideways.
I definitely agree with TravelingMom's comment:
I don't like the claustrophobic "feel" of the new format. It makes me feel like I am looking through a magnifying lens, and my vision is limited to just what can be contained in that lens' space. It may be bigger and more detailed, but when I read anything I like to see the "whole" and not just a tiny portion.
I rely on my (new) iphone when I'm not home, & it was invaluable on my recent trip to France, because I kept up to date on all
the useful threads pertaining to my trip (info regarding train strikes & such)
So, Webmaster, if you're taking votes... I vote to revert to the previous format... Thank you!!!
P.S.
The one thing I wish I could do on my cell phone, is to be able to "search" the forum, but the "search" option is not available, right?
The new format does require too much vertical scrolling. For me, just the subject header is enough for me to know whether I want to click through and view the thread. Since it's sorted for the most recently posted-to thread, I really value the ability to view on my phone (Windows phone) and iPad as well as my Mac. Overall the site works great across all my platforms, this change is a slight inconvenience but it's not critical.
I can live with the new format on my iPhone because swiping to scroll is so easy. I equally fine with the old format but please don't reduce the overall font size.
We're RS tour fans so we're used to the "no grumps" policy and being willing to go with the flow, but I've got to say, not a fan of the change. At first I thought I'd made a tech mistake, so that's a relief.
Here's what's hard for me: I'm an " all topics" searcher and this takes much longer to scroll through. It will probably mean that I don't search through as many posts because it takes longer. Once I've hit a topic button, the header goes to a gray and is really difficult to see if I try to return to that topic ( like this one).
While we're talking about the logistics of the forum, is there a way to tag a post and save it somewhere? I don't know if there is anyone else who will remember reading advice and weeks or a month later trying to find it again. The archives don't list things based on posting date, so trying to find an old post can be really cumbersome. Sometimes the best advice is embedded in a post and then it's really hard to find.
It does seem cumbersome to scroll down and see topics. Seems most of the info you now see isn't really needed and takes up space that I could otherwise be seeing more topics.
Priscilla, you should be able to search on the forum on your phone. I don't have an I-Phone, I have an android but it is there on the top left of the screen - it shows 5 little lines and if you click on that you get the search box.
I only post on my laptop so I'm not seeing any changes there and I'm happy as can be. After the last round of changes I resorted to only using the All Topics thread and adapted to the changes that way.
I do scan the postings on my phone, however, continuously throughout the day and I do not find it helpful to see that much information filling my screen. I don't care about poster names and numbers of posts when I'm doing a quick check on my phone. I'm only looking for topics I want to read or reply to and the faster I can scan the recent listings the better. It's not a deal-breaker for me like those last changes were before you added All Topics back in with easy access.
But my vote would be to go back to the way you had it before.
Thanks Nancy!
I thought those white lines were part of the heading design! ;-)
I'm still learning how to use my iphone... I just upgraded from a flip phone 6 months ago!
Webmaster,
"(how many of you figured out that you could swipe sideways to see it all?)"
I was aware that you could swipe sideways to see the "off screen" content to the right, and did use that feature sometimes to see the date of the last reply or whatever. However there was a quirk with that.
When I first opened a particular section (ie: General Europe, Italy, etc.), I was able to swipe sideways to see off-screen details on each thread. However after I opened the first thread to read the content, the sideways swipe no longer seemed to work. I figured it was just a minor problem, so wasn't really concerned about it.
Although the new format is quite different from what we were all used to, it's better than some others.....
I had a look at each of the above websites on an iPhone (in vertical format) in order to compare them with the new mobile format here. I don't own an iPad or other tablet, so don't know how the appearance varies on those. From a technical standpoint, I don't know whether it's possible to format the appearance of the RS forums based on the screen size of the device that is being used to view it? Would it be possible for the iPad view to be the same as that of a Laptop?
While the new format is quite different, I'd probably evaluate the alternatives and perhaps do a bit of "fine tuning" before reverting to the previous format. This would also allow forum members with more time to get used to it. Just a thought.....
I use the computers also at the public library, which shows the new format, can live with it but much prefer going back to the old one.
I don't use my i-pad much apart from travelling and find the new format quite good and very clear, yes it is different but once you are used to it it is ok.
I don't use my smart phone much for checking the website so i can't comment.
Loved the old, hate the new.
Thumbs down.
It's been two days and I am used to it. This is a remarkably fast learning curve for me.
I like the new format on my phone. I don't have any problems with scrolling. I don't find it helpful to show the author or the number of replies in the list, but I do like seeing the last post date.
Generally it is a nice responsive improvement but 5 lines per topic is too big and reduces the number of titles visible for scanning. Also the colun heades / titles are repeated in each panel and draw the eye too much, away from the actual content.
A two line format may work, just put all the added-info on one line without the titles. The slightly larger font used for the subject is nice and may be a sufficient divider to not need the alternating row colors.
Keep improving the experience.
I have used it on my iPad for two days and am finding I like it. I do like knowing who the poster is but number of replies doesn't matter so much. It's easier (for me, anyway) to focus better when there are fewer posts to scroll. Old "eyes", maybe? Haven't tried it on my phone yet and no change on my laptop. Just adding my two cents worth!
On the old format, on my iPhone 6s, I could easily see Title, Original Poster, # of responses, and the date of the last post... So I don't understand some of the feedback here saying they like being able to see that now in the new format.
I like this format much better. It is so much easier to see more information on each topic. I hope you don't go back to the prior format as I hated looking at this forum on my small mobile devices. Wray
Apparently I'm in the minority, but I really like the change. Scrolling sideways to see the number of responses was very cumbersome. Scrolling down the list is easy and superfast. Also, it seems much easier to read the topics.
Webmaster
I do not know if this is related to the format change.
My Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 running Android 4.1 2 can no longer make a secure connection to the website. If I change the setting to "mobile view". I am able to get the first page. However, I am not able to click on to the other pages or select categories of discussion.
My Nexus 5 running Android 6.0.1 and my iPad 3 running iOS 9.3.2 still work.
I have no other opinion with respect to the new format.
On the old format, on my iPhone 6s, I could easily see Title, Original Poster, # of responses, and the date of the last post... So I don't understand some of the feedback here saying they like being able to see that now in the new format.
Susan, I have the same phone, and when held horizontally I could see all of that, but when held vertically could not-was that true for you, too? I suspect that part of the goal here is to make it all visible in vertical, or what most consider "normal" viewing.
Another vote for the old way. While I see the logic in the new way - the old way is still easier. I'd rather see more headers per page and - like Nancy - if I want more info I can always scroll sideways.
I'm actually curious why someone would need to see the number of responses or the last updated time before deciding to open a thread. Do you only look at threads that have no responses yet? Or those that have a certain number of responses? If a thread comes up near the top you know it's been recently updated so what does the time updated matter? And do you only open and read threads from certain posters? Why would you need to know who the OP is before opening the thread? All of that info is right there when you open the thread and if you need to see it first then slide it to the left.
I'm not saying any of these are not important so don't get me wrong, I'm just curious because I really never cared much about those things, just the title of the thread. And maybe it makes a difference if you're in a particular country forum. I only ever use the 'all topics' list and open anything that sounds interesting. I guess that's why I prefer seeing more threads per screen and scrolling down less. Whichever way it ends up I know I'll live with it or just stick with the laptop instead of the phone.
I like the old format as well. The topic headings were most important to me and I didn't really care who posted the topic, how many posts there were, and when the most recent post was. The new format prioritizes all of those in addition to the heading so everything feels cluttered, like we're receiving too much information at once. I look at the Forum on my laptop half the time and on my phone half the time.
And to reiterate what Ken said about the scrolling sideways issue - I noticed that too but thought it was an issue with the website's interaction with my phone or something.
Count me as someone who hates the new format. I use an Ipad and the old format was MUCH easier to read.
Like many others, I am happy with it (old format) on my desktop, but really don't like it (new format) on my iPad, where I check it most of the time. But, I am not yet too old to learn new tricks, when necessary.
Nancy, I frequently decide whether to look at a topic based on the number of responses. If the topic is one I have no expertise in but am interested in, I won't open it unless there are responses. If it's a topic I have looked at or responded to, I might open it again if there are more responses. And finally, if there is a topic that has a zillion responses, I may open it under the theory that it must be pretty interesting or entertaining.
Day two and I like the new format even better. It's so much easier to read the topics - they don't all run together.
Dave, hi 😊, I only use my iPhone 6s horizontally. I hate it vertically, similar experience with this new format. As someone above said, the new format is like looking at it with a magnifying glass. Bothers my eyes actually.
I had to think if I had to swipe... So much of using an iPhone requires swiping that I don't even think about it. I hold my phone in my right hand and swipe with my thumb most of the time. Yes, I had to swipe if I wanted to see the last post date, but only so barely that it hardly counts. Not like swiping for so many other things. I could see the OP and the amount of posts w/o swiping.
I could not figure out what everybody was talking about "new format". But today I fired up my netbook, which I upgraded to Windows 10, and there it was.
Just like Deutsche Bahn format change this year, but I got used to it.
First, thanks to the webmaster for jumping right in to this thread with his response; and, I certainly appreciate his efforts to improve the site's functionality for all users - desktop, tablets and smartphones - it's no easy task. With that said, I've put aside my smartphone and tablet when pursuing the Travel Forum (the desktop experience is just fine); I find that a quick scan of recent posts is too tedious on mobile devices. Please consider reverting back to the old format.
Prefer the old. For the time being, I'm using my laptop to avoid the new format on my iPad.
Hello again, everyone.
I've read each reply here. As this is still quite an active discussion, it wouldn't seem right for me to cut it off here and go forward with what I'm thinking will be our next step to address everyone's concerns. I am planning to make a change, but there are many nuances being revealed here to be informative as to how we should make such a change. I want to give everyone their voice here and I'll check back on Monday.
If you haven't yet, let us know your opinion. We're still listening.
Oh, and funpig, I just sent you a PM about what you're experiencing as that is quite separate.
Patty, you asked about tagging a post in order to save it somewhere. At this time, our forum supports no such feature. My best recommendation is to use your web browser's bookmarking feature to save a link to your desired thread. If you know that you replied to the thread you're looking for, another resource for you is in your forum profile where you'll see the "View Topics Patty Has Participated In" link. I hope that helps.
Webmaster- thanks for the tip on book-marking something I might use in the future. And, thanks for all the work you for the forum.
I am not going to complain about how the new format works on a mobile browser. I got used to the new format within a day and when you are using a phone it is just so easy to swipe up and down the page.
But I would like to make one complaint. The login session times out much too quickly. Over a day of browsing and minimizing, I can easily have to login in about 10 times. Sessions at my bank lost longer before timing out.. Is there any chance the length of the session could be expanded. It's not like there are any security or financial implications with this website. Or maybe I am the only one that is annoyed by the many requests to login. I do have a long login name.
Webmaster, I like seeing the last post date/time. I usually scroll down to the last post I read, then go UP to open posts I am interested in. I also like seeing the number of posts, but not as much as the date/time.
Elaine, I agree with you about the frequent log ins!
It would be great if there was a 'remember me' when you log in - most of my sites remember me - like facebook, ebay...unless you log out. Both my ipad and my desktop have a function where it'll store the user name and password, so it's really only an extra click, but still - when you go on 5 times a day, that extra step...first world problems, I know :)
I, too, would appreciate a longer log in time. And, when I return to the site, after my log in has expired, I would like to go directly to "All topics," rather than having to select some random country and, then, selecting "All topics." If I haven't logged in since my last visit, I can open right to the All section, but not if I've been logged in on my last visit.
I, too, would like to go directly to All Topics. On my iPhone, after logging in (several times a day), I have to go to a random country, then back to Forum, then I can click on All Topics.
I find the new format uses up a lot of space and therefore i can only see a few lines if i view it horizontally on a tablet, which is my preferred mode nowadays. It takes too much effort just to scroll through the topics, and i give up pretty soon. I am sure i am missing interesting subjects, but my attention span seems to be curtailed by having to "work" harder to get through the list. Please go back to the former format, or at least get rid of the wasted space. Being concise is much better. Thanks to the webmaster if you are listening.
Hi all,
I'm checking in to say that we are presently working on a fix for the mobile display issues that have been discussed here. I'm hoping that it will resolve everyone's concerns there. It may take us a few more days, though.
For those of you referring to session length problems on your mobile device, this is not something I've replicated in my own use, but will look into right away. Thanks for letting us know! I would, however, like to know what device/browser you are using. A bit more specifics would be helpful to. For example, do you have to sign in again if you briefly return to the home screen and then re-open your browser? Feel free to send me an email or a Private Message with that info. Please and thanks. Do read the next paragraph for a tip on signing back in quickly.
You shouldn't actually need a website's "remember me" feature for your log in info to be preserved for you. It has been our view that this feature that some websites still provide has been largely replaced by the auto-fill feature in modern web browsers. Check your browser settings to turn this on if you aren't already prompted to save login info after the first time you enter it. On all my devices and desktop machines that I use, my email address and password is already filled in so that I only need to hit the "log in" button once the "log in" page loads.
As for landing on All Topics after you log in, I'd have to send everyone there after logging in to make that work. This won't be right for the majority of our forum members. However, if you're referring to the page that some of you end up on where there is one long list of forum sections to choose from, I should be able to add a link to the All Topics view at the top of that list. I can't do that this week, but I'll put it on my list. Please note that there is a link to the All Topics view from our main forum page here: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-forum
However, if you're referring to the page that some of you end up on where there is one long list of forum sections to choose from, I should be able to add a link to the All Topics view at the top of that list.
Yes, that's it!
Webmaster, your responsiveness (yes, it is a word) and keeping us in the loop is much appreciated. Thank you!
Thanks Andrew
To reach the link you provided I have to log in, go to Travel Forum, pick a random country, go back to forum, then I get to your link. This is on my iPhone 6s.
Just bumping this up to say that I still intensely dislike the new format on mobile devices. For now, sitting in my home with my laptop at the ready I am fine. Not traveling, I have adjusted to the format for mobile devices too. But soon I will be "on the road" with my IPhone and IPad, and the new format will be unwieldy at best and useless at worst. PLEASE revert to the standard format for mobile devices. I truly believe that when you are traveling you want information quickly and don't really care about how many responses there are to a thread/when they were made etc. You just want to see the title of topics you may have posted yourself and/or are following. Ironic that the adjustments made seem inversely apropos to the applications. Sitting at home I have no problem scrolling through endless lists of topics, so if that was the format for my laptop I could happily adjust. But when I am out walking on a European street I have never been on before, I need comprehensive and rapid information, not some detailed and laborious information about who/when/where a post was made.
I am in total agreement with you travelingmom. I still dislike it intensely and will probably stop using it on my phone completely. Sure I can scroll down but with only 3 threads to a page (rather than about 12-15) that's a lot more scrolling and it's just not worth it. I'm still hoping that the last comments of the webmaster that they were still tweaking it will result in something more phone user friendly.
I hate it on my iPad but can learn to live with it if necessary. But I hope I do not have to for long.
Having used the new format for a few weeks now I find it's slightly more awkward to use with a phone, but it's tolerable. I still like having the information on the number of replies and the last posting date. It would help if the vertical height could be "shrunk" so that more posts can fit on each page.
Webmaster,
Any update on when improvements will be made to fix the "new format" concerns?
Webmaster
I sent you a pm.
What is the minimum version of the Android OS which will give my old Tablet the sufficient security protocol to make a secure connection with the RS website, now and in the future?
I am trying to update the OS in my tablet with a custom ROM. I tried the latest version but it is not fully developed and is very unstable.
Thanks.
P.S. I just tried some different browsers, Chrome and Firefox, on my Tab running 4.1.2 and was able to log in. Is this a proper, secure and long term fix? Or do i still have to upgrade the OS. Sorry to hijack the thread.
Just tried this using my iPhone rather than iPad, it's fine. Change is what's hard.
Andrew, thanks for constantly improving this site.
Webmaster,
I just noticed something very odd.
I wrote a reply to this post using my computer ( at work). When I got home, I added another reply to the same thread using my computer. When I check my reply using my iphone, the font is very large & I cannot read my complete reply ( due to the very large font) & I cannot swipe sideways either.
I tried changing the font size ( top right), but it doesn't make any difference.
Notice the different font sizes within the same reply.
Why is this happening???
If I'm not able to read my own reply on my iPhone ( which is working fine), them I presume no one else, including the OP, can read it either (if using their mobile phone).
I hope you can figure this out & explain why this happened.
Thank you Webmaster!
Interesting. Your posts in the thread you link display fine on my Kindle, but not on my iPhone.
Happy 100th Birthday, intresting thread!!!
Hi,
There were a few posts since my last reply that referred to something specific for those individuals. I believe I've gotten back to each of you. PM me if you still need assistance.
The session issue is something that is taking us more time. I really can't give a timeframe for completion as it is integrated with something else that is getting a re-work. We'll get there. It's also on our list to add a link to All Topics in a more useful spot given your feedback here.
And... we've just issued an update to the mobile view!
As I'm now closing this thread, you can comment on this new thread:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/newer-format
