New Format of BCO is a DISASTER

Anonymous

Type when posting too small to read.

Takes MUCH too long to scroll down Active Topics, not enough listed on one page.

SLOW.  SLOW. SLOW.

Really not worth what ever time or money BCO spent on this....unless it was to drive people away.

Snobird

I hate it! Takes to long to come up. can't see overview of what's hapening. really sucks on ipad.

Slow, Slow, slow! Loved the old one. could get on it and off it in notime. This is going to chase people away.

Hindsfeet

It is a disaster! If I were new to the boards here I would had moved on. It is SUPER slow to respond to a message. HATE the new format. It no longer feels like home or easy to navigate. My bio I put in my home page when first dx is gone. It's hard to go back and rewrite all that or to remember exactly how I felt then. Sad.

Also...hate the new look. I do think this new format and slowness will drive people away.

jancie

This speed is worst than being on dial up.  So much for having high speed internet.

I won't be on here much today as it is taking waaaaayyyyyy too long to load any specific area, thread, etc.

I don't mind change but this is ridiculous and I am not one to normally complain.

elimar86861

Going thru' active topics is much less efficient.  The new look is not really attractive either.  I'll try it out some more and see if I can adapt.

thatsvanity

The background color is too white. it gives me a headache and it feels very separate--each area. It doens't feel like a community of closee women, it feels more disjointed. But really the format more than anything hurts my eyes and head. I don't like all the space between topics. It feels more isolating than a community feel.

Jennt28

Oh dear! A minute to move from one link to another is too long. I have a life outside of BCO. Checking latest messages will take me all day at the speed it is going. I guess I'm having an enforced break today and will try again tomorrow :-(



I hate to say that I think this change will lose people from the community very quickly.



Jenn

elimar86861

The new format makes my pink doggie butt look fat.

schatzi14

Hate it!!! Makes me dizzy and gives me a headache. Here there and everywhere...jeez!

What was the point?

Bren-2007

My biggest problem with the new format is there are not enough postings on the page.  You have to scroll back through the previous page on any topic to find out what the conversation was about.

I don't like change ... I hope I can get used to the new format.

Bren

pupmom

BinVA, I agree. Mods please put more threads on the active page. Why is there so much unused room on the left? Maybe you could put more active posts there.

Moderators

Collecting all your comments, and passing them on to tech! The speed will get better! It is making us crazy too. Thanks for your feedback!

Moderators

Collecting all your comments, and passing them on to tech! The speed will get better! It is making us crazy too. Thanks for your feedback!

Kicks

It's going to take a bit to get used to it but I'm not finding it bad at all - just finding my way around it now - but that will come with time. Actually I like not having to upsize everything to read it but then I use my 'Droid so maybe that makes a difference.

Lezza13

It takes awhile to get used to. But it takes more time to find the topics.  Seems slower.

Moderators

It is slower, right now. It should be fine soon!

candie1971

I dont like it! why can't it just stay as it was! change is not always good. I,too, am worried about the new people..they may get frustrated and leave!!

Shrek4

0

dogsandjogs

I agree - takes much too long to scroll - wasted space on left side of screen - don't like the background color -

Marple

Having lymphedema there are a couple of ladies whose posts I read.  Now when I type in a name search it only lists the last post by anyone. 

At least the typing font size in the Post a Reply is a better size.

I don't like this new format. 

Cheers all. 

Moderators

This is what we have set out to do. Hopefully, we'll get the kinks worked out, and all be very happy 

As always, we get our best ideas on how to improve the discussion boards from listening to your requests. We've been keeping track of your feature wish-list items. Fortunately, we have received enough funding to provide some really critical features for you! We have created and tested these changes with various community members over the past few months, and are pleased to announce that we are ready to launch these new features Tuesday, May 8th. 
So, what kind of changes can you look forward to?1. A mobile optimized layout for better viewing on mobile phones and tablets (e.g. Androids, iPhones, iPads).Believe it or not, more than 25% of the traffic to the Discussion Boards is from mobile devices, and this number is growing rapidly. Our new "responsive" design means users have an optimal layout that responds to several different screen resolutions, including common desktop/laptop resolutions, tablet resolutions (in portrait and landscape), and mobile phone resolutions.This allows us to improve the member experience for mobile users without compromising that experience of desktop users. Optimizations for mobile include: limiting the need for zooming in just to read text, reducing horizontal scrolling, making navigation "finger-sized" for easier tapping on touchscreen devices.2. The ability to keep track of treatments under "My Profile"For several years the Discussion Boards have allowed members to record information about their breast cancer diagnosis. In addition, members also had the option to show information about their diagnosis in their post signature, or to keep it private.Now, we've added the ability to record information about breast cancer treatments as well. Just like with diagnosis information, members can choose to show the treatments in their post signature, or to keep them private. Many Breastcancer.org members have found that they can more easily connect with others with similar experiences when they show this signature publicly.Our new updated version also supports adding more than one breast cancer diagnosis and treatment plan into "My Profile".REMINDER: We strongly encourage members to create a User Name that does NOT contain their real name, or other information that reveals identity.3. Personalized Research News articles, based on diagnosis and treatment information in My Profile.Two years ago Breastcancer.org began a pilot program via the Breast Cancer Diagnosis Guide iPhone app. In this free app, users can record information about their breast cancer diagnosis, and then receive Research News articles directly to their iPhone. This app was a 2011 Webby Awards official honoree, and has received tens of thousands of downloads since it launched. Now we've rolled out this benefit to all Breastcancer.org Discussion Boards members. Under My Profile members will find My Diagnoses and My Treatments. Once they've provided enough information, we'll send recommended articles. Members can save these articles for later, or archive them when they're finished with them.As before, members can opt to show their diagnosis and treatment information in their post signature or can choose to keep these private.4. Easier management of email notificationsWe've streamlined management of email notifications of private messages and replies to favorite topics to make it easier to find, and simpler to control.We look forward to this launch, and to hearing your (hopefully positive) feedback! As with any new features that we employ, there is the chance for some glitches in the beginning, please let us know if anything seems to not be working properly. We know there are still many features beyond these that you'd like to see us provide. We are working to fundraise for many of your requests so please continue collecting wish-list features for our next round!

Shrek4

0

mamadog53

Print is way too small and I can't enlarge it on my iPad.

AnnNYC

I agree with BinVA -- "I hate change!"  (Archie Bunker used to say that on "All in the Family" -- and I totally agree!)

The best thing this change may have accomplished is to unite liberals/conservatives, conventional/complementary/alternative treatment advocates, young/old, north/south, east/west, city/country -- we all hate it!

I don't have a smart phone -- I haven't tried this on my iPad yet, but others hate it on iPad, too!  On my desktop, it's just horrible!

Sorry, Mods -- you asked for ideas, but my only idea is to go back to yesterday!

thenewme

Wow, I completely agree with you, Day.  This whole "update" process violates every single principle of good site design.  

You can't just create a mobile app and slap it up on a website. Of course mobile apps are important, but you can't just chuck the 75% of users who aren't using it!  That's not portability.  Not.At.All.

 Gosh, I don't even know where to start. 

 ETA - AnnNYC - Hahahaha!  Great point about the *one* thing that we all might agree on, LOL!  

Moderators

   We hope that we can get used to it, and be happier. We'll keep making changes! 

GramE

Did anyone "ask" if members really want a mobile app?   I for one do not.    Just curious why such a drastic change?   and waaaayyyy tooooooo much empty space on the screen.   Scrolling and scrolling to go through the messages.   

Anonymous

We all have enough change in our lives, and enough stress, without BCO changing, too.  And there doesn't seem to be a good reason for it.  I don't think it's any easier on my Iphone or Ipad and it's much more difficult on here.

My "personalized news articles" are bringing up info on pregnancy and BC (sorry, but that ship sailed a long time ago), Tamox (don't take it) and a whole lot of other things I'm not interested in with no easy way to delete multiple articles.

I don't see a way of knowing if there are new posts to a favorite thread that I haven't read yet.  Am I missing it?

Screen colors are VERY hard on the eyes.  It's giving me a headache.

Way too much scrolling needed.

Wish we could have the option of either format!  If not, a vote on which one we prefer would be nice. 

Here's my vote-  

thenewme

I think the concept of a mobile app is a great.  The implementation, however....not at all.  Just like a "traditional site" doesn't work well on a mobile device, a mobile app doesn't work well on a PC.  

Basic website design 101 would have prevented so much unrest.

In addition to the format issues, though, I have to say I'm terribly disappointed in the priorities BCO has chosen to spend precious resources on. 

Seriously, with all the *real* issues we have here on BCO, this "major upgrade" is for 1) a mobile layout for 25 percent of users,  2) ability to keep track of treatments (?!), 3) targeted articles, and 4) email notifications??? 

Moderators

There should be a red number next to your favorite topics indicating how many unread posts you have. Then when you click on it, you will see in red what you haven't read. 

Hope that works!

lago

I completely understand the need for the change. Websites must change because the technology does… and the technology actually gets better. Anytime there is a change like this it takes at least a week to get the bugs out. Right now you feel lost but once you know where everything is you'll feel better about this. Use it for a few days.

But I agree that the type on the reply sections is ridiculously small. Even the "Terms of Use" link text on the bottom of this page is larger!

Mods:
I do think the navigation on the left is too wide. I'm  sure the designer wanted to compensate for the fact that you might be adding more (lengthy) navigation names in the future. My recommendation would to be to have the left navigation liquid in both width and height with limits on larges and smallest sizes. Also allow the sentence to stack and not require just one line. Hope that makes sense.