New Forum Logo

[Mark Rainey]

Hey MB, Midnite,

The logo shifting from negative to positive image is an interesting effect, but it's not worth the extra 10-15 seconds per topic that it takes to load. It's really killing my ability to go through topics at a reasonable pace. Is it just me?

Anyway, I vote to go back to one that allows faster browsing. This is waaaaay too much of a time sink.

--Mark

[Midnite]

Hi Mark,

MB is online so this is just a quick note.  Netscapers, no need to scratch your head, cuz you can't see the feature and therefore won't experience the slowing.

[ProfStokes]

I agree.  The latest logo is very eyecatching, but IMHO, it isn't worth the delay while waiting for it to load.  Is there a way that it could be confined to the forum's start page?  Then people could still see it, but it wouldn't interfere with reading topics on the various boards.

ProfStokes

[Mysterious Benefactor]

The logo shifting from negative to positive image is an interesting effect, but it's not worth the extra 10-15 seconds per topic that it takes to load. It's really killing my ability to go through topics at a reasonable pace. Is it just me?

The logo's transition takes 18 seconds to complete, but posts are loading for me before the transition completes. How odd that they're not for you. :-/

Why don't you take a few days to see if this changes, Mark. If not, going back to the original logo is no biggie because the truth is I was simply testing out two IE filters I just came across. (The background color's gradient going from black at the the top of a page to dark gray at the bottom is the other.)


An observation before I close (and, honestly, this truly isn't directed at you, Mark - just in general, because this is something that seems to permeate our entire society): Just when did our continually escalating demand to have everything faster and quicker progress to the point that having to wait an extra 18 seconds became intolerable? Does this foreshadow a time in the not too distant future when having to wait, say, 8 seconds will be similarly intolerable? If so, what will society be like 50, or even 10 years from now? Personally, I shudder to think...

Signed,
The Philosopher (which is how an IQ/Personality test I took back in high school referred to me ).

[Cassandra]

Hey MB, Midnite,

The logo shifting from negative to positive image is an interesting effect, but it's not worth the extra 10-15 seconds per topic that it takes to load. It's really killing my ability to go through topics at a reasonable pace. Is it just me?

Anyway, I vote to go back to one that allows faster browsing. This is waaaaay too much of a time sink.

--Mark

No, it is not only you Mark.  I am also having a hard time here and it seems to take forever for me to switch between topics. I thought it was just me until I read the comments here.  With all the Bandwidch that has been saved lately, I would think this wouldn't be a problem, but apparently it is.  Is there anything that can be done about this?   MB?

[Cassandra]

Is there a way that it could be confined to the forum's start page?  Then people could still see it, but it wouldn't interfere with reading topics on the various boards.

ProfStokes

Great idea Prof. Stokes!!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

With all the Bandwidch that has been saved lately, I would think this wouldn't be a problem, but apparently it is.

Actually, the logo's transition is handled internally by each person's computer's memory, so the forum's bandwidth isn't at issue here. (If it had been, I wouldn't have tried it in the first place. ) But as I said, this is something that can easily disappear.


Hmmm - I just realized why the transition may work differently for me than it does for some others: Last fall I upgraded my motherboard and installed 256MB of fast DDR SDRAM memory (and an AMD 1.2GHz processor). (This might also be why I was having fewer problems in the chatroom the last Sunday...) I'm so used to my computer working so quickly (yes, even *I'm* addicted to speed ) that I tend to forget how much slower it worked before the upgrade (with only 96MB of much slower EDO memory (and a 475MHz processor)).

[Raineypark]

Well don't that just beat all, MB......and here I was about to tell you that I REALLY liked the new logo....which would make it the FIRST logo 'improvement' of yours that I actually DID like!

Even when I'm NOT trying to be contrary!........

Oh....and you're absolutely right about the ever-increasing impatience of the human race.  One of those get-out-of-my-way-I'm-in-a-hurry types came within an inch of killing me and my mother-in-law on the Long Island Expressway yesterday afternoon.  No, my whole life didn't flash before my eyes....just my daughter's face.

Raineypark

[Mark Rainey]

Just when did our continually escalating demand to have everything faster and quicker progress to the point that having to wait an extra 18 seconds became intolerable? Does this foreshadow a time in the not too distant future when having to wait, say, 8 seconds will be similarly intolerable? If so, what will society be like 50, or even 10 years from now? Personally, I shudder to think...

MB -- 18 seconds once isn't bad; but the cumulative effect when you start changing topics does get outright time-consuming. For example, I had a message waiting for me when I logged in earlier; in the time it took for the logo to load, I ordinarily would have already accessed the message, finished reading it, and probably been working on a reply. No joke. I don't care if it's ten seconds or three minutes, I prefer to be productive in that span rather than twiddling my thumbs waiting on a graphic I've already seen over and over again. The end effect is that it adds nothing positive to the experience of being on the board.

It's not simply a matter of wanting something now, it's more the relative benefit of cost versus product. In this case, the cost is increased time, and the product is eye-candy that, after having been experienced once, is superfluous.

[shadow=black,left,300]--Mark[/shadow]

[onyx_treasure]

    Thank-you, Mark.  I second your comments about the cumulative time taken to load the logo.  The board is running slow and a little jerky for me, too.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

For example, I had a message waiting for me when I logged in earlier; in the time it took for the logo to load, I ordinarily would have already accessed the message, finished reading it, and probably been working on a reply. No joke.

I don't doubt it for a second.

I don't care if it's ten seconds or three minutes, I prefer to be productive in that span rather than twiddling my thumbs waiting on a graphic I've already seen over and over again. The end effect is that it adds nothing positive to the experience of being on the board.

So for you it's an issue of productivity over aesthetics. A choice I can more than respect - though, thankfully, in this particular instance, it's not a choice I really have to make because the transition isn't slowing down the forum for me. But, of course, my computer's performance isn't the only one at play. And it would be selfish of me not to consider the transition's impact on others use of the forum - particularly when its addition was nothing more than a whim.

it's more the relative benefit of cost versus product. In this case, the cost is increased time, and the product is eye-candy that, after having been experienced once, is superfluous.

Again, I do honestly respect your opinion, but it's one I'm afraid I can't share because, I suppose, I don't consider aesthetics superfluous.

But the whole point of this disagreement is moot anyway because, as I've already said, the transition can easily disappear because the filter is something I was merely testing out. I never really intended it to be a permanent fixture on the forum. And its continued use is hardly something I'd be willing to argue for. I'd much prefer to pick my battles for something I honestly believe improves the forum.

[Carol]

I've been testing from my end and I haven't had any problems with the disappearing/appearing logo.

While it's doing its thing, I've been purposely going in/out of messages, home, rules, cousins, etc., just to see if I'm slowed down.  Can't say that I've seen much of a difference.  

Just thought I'd let you know, MB/Midnight.

[Teresa]

I've been testing it today also and it seems to be slow sometimes and others not. Checking mail is ok and appears not to be any different. I can say that posting responses has been very slow. Just typing this out right now took more time than ususal.
Teresa
The logo does look kind of cool when it opens

[Josette]

What am I missing, or has it already been changed?  I don't remember anything from last night (early this morning), either.  What I get now is a moment of total black followed by the logo appearning, and shortly afterwards, the rest of the page.

However, I started noticing last night (early this morning) and again now, that with every page that comes up, down at the bottom of the screen is a little yellow symbol and the words "Error on Page" which shortly afterwards changes to the same (I think) logo and "Welcome to the Forum!" and the page appears.  Last night I did have to wait a bit for error to change to welcome, and the first couple of times I did think there was a problem, but then the page appeared.

Meanwhile, as to your "time" comments - I generally have about 2 hours worth of things to look up on the Internet every day.  Most days I only sign on late at night and try to get caught up on everything.  Catching up on all the new items here is one of the main items to be done.  I'd rather have 100 new posts in 10 topics than 50 new posts in 20 topics, as, once in a topic it's easy to slide down and quickly read everything.  The fewer pages to load, the better.  

It's not a matter of being impatient for a few seconds here and there.  Just that I'm trying to get everything done along with everything else I have to do, and anytime there's a slow down, for whatever reason, just sitting and waiting for each page is extremely aggravating.  

And, if it comes on a night when I'm particularly late, or have a lot of other "important" things to do which I'm putting off until finishing this, then it's especially bad.

[Nancy]

Frankly, I think it's high time we get together and vote to greatly reduce MB's salary in regards to this website.  I mean looks at the things that are still yet to be ironed out - the kinks and the little problems, and some download delays.  This board is what gets us through life every day and I don't care much about anything else MB might have to do like work or have an outside life beyond this forum.  I find it shocking.

I'm ready to vote for "reduce" the bucks we are funnelling along to the MB for all this work.    

Shame shame shame, everyone knows your name.

Nancy