Pros and cons so far

This BIG problem now is that everything is too big and there is no way to use my full Web browser screen to display more replies and more infomation. Right now everything is displayed with a 4.5 inches of width in my Web browser. Maybe that's great on iOS, I don't know. But please provide some preferences to use more width and a smaller font. It takes too many clicks to obtain the same amount of information that I used to be able to obtain. And please don't tell me to change my browser settings. They are set now to display things using small text--which the new forums don't really respect.

I've attached a screen snapshot of the original posting to this threat. It's taken using the latest version of Firefox with the window maxed on a 1440x900 MacBook Air. Look at how much wasted space there is and how large the font is. It's great if someone wants it that way, but give me another alternative.

Below is another screen snapshot show the Mac OS X Snow Leopard threads. Consider how few threads are displayed at one time. It makes visual scanning a losing proposition. And again, there is tons of wasted screen space and the font is too large.

Please...make some changes and throw a bone to the serious users of the discussion forums.

Hi Sandra,

Thanks so much for the feedback. We are going to continually be rolling out enhancements to the website and feedback like this is very helpful. I'll track these requests.

-Matt K.

English Communities Manager

Definitely agree with the need for the OP and last responder. Also the location is a big help. Nice to know if you're dealing with a native english speaker or not. And while the location isn't definitive it is a clue.

So, just out of curiosity, what countries would you classify as having native English speakers?

Also, from the way you write "english" without the capitalization of "E" I assume that English is not you native language. Am I correct?

The things j most dislike about e new system is of course the navigation. But also the idea that I could piously look very easily in any view and see my little blue dots to give me a visual of those posts I have not read or had more responses to. I just don't see how to locate the newest postings in this new form.

The other thing, all this emphasis on iOS and these forums don't support anything but the simplest text entry if your on and iPad. Not one scrap of formatting or support for loading screenshots. I post most often in those forums and would love a way to post screens hots of what we see as we assist.

Jason

Just found my next one. How to edit a posting you just worked on?

Apple seems to compensate for ever increasing display dpi (exhibit A: new Macbook Air) by slowly increasing the font and general UI element size. This is what is happening here. Plus having more whitespace tends to look more elegant, another aim of Apple. Same goes for limiting the column width, very wide columns just look not as elegant.

Matt, thanks for the heads up about rolling out enhancements.

I realize that some of the requests will be harder to implement than others, but if possible please make some way of finding new content a high priority. The old "New!" text & blue dots were perhaps a bit undersized & drab but they were pretty good visual cues that made scanning lists & threads for new content fairly easy, & the relative uniqueness of the "New!" text made it easy to use the 'find' function built into most browsers to jump from one new post (or 'user content item' if you prefer) to the next.

Something functionally similar added to the new format would be greatly appreciated, & the sooner the better.

Thanks!

FWIW, I am a native U.S. English speaker but the new format's relatively tiny text, lack of a comprehensive "always on" spell checker, no "Preview" option, & some unexpected text entry behavior in the reply boxes are all making it hard for me to proofread what I type. As a result, I'm fairly sure I have missed many more uncapitalized proper nouns & other grammatical errors than with the old format, so it probably isn't a good idea to assume too much from that.

if its a reply you should have an edit icon in the message box in the lower right hand corner . If it's a new topic you started the edit for the first post is in the right hand side bar near the top.

not on an iPad. I found quite a few "discussions" now on the topic. They failed to give iOS devices support for even bold or italic when responding, editing is a no go.

Jason

Sorry didn't realize you were referring to use with an iPad.

Just realized that users equipment isn't listed in the post anywhere. That would be nice.

Personally, I can't stand this new & "improved" layout! I can't find anything, I mean come on, I put in MAIL, in the search window, and NOTHING came up??? This makes no sense, & I don't even know where to go or how to post a simple question, something that would've taken me about 60 seconds to accomplish. I think Apple has fallen prey to the "let's make everything a social networking site" syndrome. Sheesh, this is just supposed to be a place to come to learn, and to help resolve questions we need answering, not a place to hang out, and so a few hard-core "helpers" can get lots of "points" & other goodies!

How about a layout that doesn't require reading even more instructions, to do what was completely intuitive before? If it ain't broke don't fix it, well it's broke now, thanks Apple, first the on board Help feature offered less & less help over the years, now this mess.......