Not liking it much either. Really hard to follow the replies and yes, the text is much smaller and then lots of white space. Should put that white space to better use and get rid of the "clutter".

I really hate it. Too much clutter. Too hard to read and follow. Sad, but I guess it all comes down to the bottom line of more money for GardenWeb at the expense of a once-classy, user-friendly forum!
Lynn

Totally déassé.

agree, liked it better before

Please change back, GW!

The white is way to white for me and very uncomfortable for my eyes. I don't care for the extra spacing between each reply, but am sure I could get used to that. The bright white? Not so much. I get enough headaches without this.
Love the clovers if they were on a softer background.

I prefer previous format. I find it much harder to read now.

Don't care for the change at all:(

I don't love it, but I think it's just different and will take some getting used to.

I'm getting used to it. It is harder to follow as they need something to delineate the actual messages from the header other than the lines. I think they are trying to make it look more like a regular style message board, but those have different colors on the headers vs. the message so it makes it easier for the eyes to know where to jump next.

For those of you complaining about the text size - you can change this in the browser - google changing text size and the browser you are using to change this OR click on the magnifying glass to zoom in more in your browser to only do it for this site.

I would agree there's too much dead space between the posters name and the actual post itself. Also, on my screen I have 10" of center dialogue (3 1/2" of which is recent post info, ads and a calendar which I seldom look at) and and then 4" on each side of background image (today it's 4 leaf clovers). I'd rather have more dialogue space and less of the background image.

I thought maybe it was just me not seeing the things that others complained about, like a smaller font or change in background color, so I screenshot an old and new page next to each other. The only smaller font that I see is on the line where it says, 'posted by'. The size and type of font look unchanged to me as does the background. I don't see a lot of extra space. Maybe it's just the dotted line that gives that allusion? Overall, it does look the space of each message has decreased just a bit, but not very noticeably to me.

The bigger change that I see is the area where you post your message. They've boxed it in and that font is definitely smaller and lighter.

I don't mind change much unless it's drastic, but this doesn't bother me that much. I don't think it's cluttered. It actually looks more stripped down to me. YMMV.

The font size when you are typing in the reply box is smaller (and hard to read) but I don't think the size changed in the posted reply. Maybe it did though, and that's part of why the threads are harder to read now. The Posted By is harder for the eye to recognize, too. I think they're trying to 'clean up' the look but this is not accomplishing that efficiently. There are some basic 'rules' about web design and reader usability but with all the different browsers, screen sizes, resolutions and devices that are used by members there's a lot involved to change the page design/layout. Hopefully this is is not the final look but an in process version.

I'm not thrilled with it either, but the bigger problem for me is that suddenly a few weeks ago, I stopped getting those email notifications -- you know, when you check off the "Check here if you would like post replies emailed to you"? I check it off, and I don't get the notifications. I have changed nothing on my profile, and in fact I have checked there to make sure I still have the appropriate box checked off to receive emails. I also tried to email GW for help, but got no response. It is really annoying.

HannahBananah - what browser and version are you using?

I do not get the stars which makes it much harder for the eyes to follow. If the stars were still there then it would be easier. Right now it looks to me like a long e-mail thread with lots of replies. See a sample below.

This post was edited by lyfia on Thu, Mar 13, 14 at 9:56

I feel like an old curmudgeon when I complain about change. This one doesn't bother me so much, but I don't find it visually appealing.

The google maps change, on the other hand, had my blood pressure rising until I figured out you could go back to the old version.

I'm another one who feels like there is way too much space between posts. I'm having to scroll almost continuously to read anything.Way too busy visually, and less functional besides. :(

lyfia I don't get the stars either - mine looks like yours and is not easy to follow.

graywings I thought I was the only one who is irritated with the new Google maps. But when i'm house hunting I still prefer Bing - their birds-eye view beats Google earth by a mile. Sorry for that slight thread detour - as you were!

Not only is the font size smaller on the input box, but the margins are often blown on the input too. Like right now as I'm inputting on the iPad.

Strange. In the box where you post a reply, my font is not smaller. If anything, it is larger.

I don't have the stars either. I do have the shamrocks on either side.

tina

I was a little taken aback by the new look but don't find it to be that big of a deal. It's amazing how resistant to change we humans are.

It's weird adjusting to it for me too. But not near as weird as the new MS Office 2010 I've been dealing with! Hard teaching this old dog new tricks!

I don't mind the pretty pics of clovers and snow on the sides, but one day it was all ads, no pretty pics and they were kind of overwhelming! I'm thinking soon it will always be all ads.

I think the font size is really small too, I have to hit command + to make it more readable. Also the white background is too harsh and glaring, I think they should tone that down a bit.

I often wish to instantly know the poster's screen name. It is now in smaller type and has been separated by the white space or the clip/email/flag line. Both make it less easy to see the poster.

I put a link to this feedback in the Suggestions? forum. http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/suggest/

Interestingly, the new listing of gardening forums does not include the Suggestions? forum.

Hi Lyfia,

I'm using Chrome 33.0.1750.146. How odd that you don't see the stars. Is your browser maybe blocking images or is it just on FF that you don't see them?

Sue: I wrote to GW a couple of days ago about a problem that I was having with making a change to my account and I got a response back within an hour. If you aren't getting email notifications, maybe no mail from Gardenweb is getting back to you? I've seen posts from Gwtamara. Maybe contact her directly?

Hannah I'm using Chrome as you are and I don't see the stars!! I also don't see the clovers that everyone is talking about - bizarre, isn't it? There seems to be varying versions of this new rollout.

Yes, the font is smaller in the *MESSAGE box. The light green color is, in my opinion, hard on the eyes.

I would prefer the clip this post etc. to come below the message for several reasons. One, and most important, it leaves too big a space between the poster's name and the message body. Two, it's AFTER reading the post that I would want to act on it, and if the post is long, I'd have to do a lot of scrolling back. With my ineptness, I might scroll too far back and clip, email or report the wrong post.

[Signed>
Clutzy Suero

I kind of like it. Everything looks crispy clean. I like the shamrocks more than the shovel, that's for sure. Yesterday I was having trouble with the Message box (where I am typing now) overlapping the other graphics, but that has been cleared up.

Agree that the light green is not easy to see.

NancyBee I'm glad I'm not the only one that's bothered by the bright white. It makes me want to get a solar cling shade for car windows to put on my screen or grab my sunglasses. Maybe the later would be easier.

HannahBannah I'm using FireFox and I can now see the stars. I don't remember them being there last night though.

My font in the message box is actually a bit larger than in the replies. It's also black.

The one change I do like is that the preview button is now a bold yellow. Before it was the same as the click here if you no longer want replies to this message and I was often clicking the wrong button.

I now have stars again and it makes it so much easier to read.

I don't like it, but I'm sure it's mainly because I'm not used to seeing it. It wasn't that big of a change so I'm not sure why they bothered.

I have the stars now, too, but still don't see the shamrock/clovers that everyone mentions. I see snow and a shovel. Maybe GW is rolling out the spring themes regionally and when our REAL snow melts, I'll see the green here??!!

The new changes are okay. I don't usually care for pages with multiple font and color changes but it's not that big of a deal.

I do like the new "recent posts" column on the right hand side. I have checked out a few interesting threads in forums that I don't normally visit.

I feel as Hannah does; no problems reading and on my screen at least it doesn't seem like a big change, just adding some functionality. I know there have been multiple complaints about Gardenweb's portal being stuck in time so having easy options to clip/email/flag a post and also the easy upload photo link seem like very positive updates to me.

I'm using Firefox BTW, and I see stars--on the screen--and shamrocks on each side. Add some figurative rainbows and unicorns and that wraps up my positive review :).

Ann

I don't like the change either. I have stars & shamrocks, no shovels!
The font size has also changed to a smaller one.

I didn't notice that!!! You can now flag a post. That's great!

I don't like the change. I agree that it feels more cluttered now, and it's easier to lose track of posts. Please change it back, GW!!!

I noticed a picture that I had looked at previously looked different. A marble backsplash with veining is now a grey backsplash with no veining?

Good catch Graywings. I just clicked on flag post and it takes you to a page where you can report the post or make a comment on it anyway. I'm guessing that's to make it easier to report spammers and flamers.

Is it me or did GW just change back ?

@forboystoo - Oh, I think it did!!! 8-)

I think it did!

Wow, someone was working on the weekend. We are back to the the old look. Do you think someone is reading what we say besides just us? ;)

A big THANK YOU to the Gods who are watching over us--soo much easier to read.

Yay! Thanks for listening to us GW Powers that Be.

Agree. THANK YOU to the Garden Web God(s)!

I am still bothered that the 'suggestions' and the 'computer help' forums are somewhat obscured, difficult to find.

This post was edited by albert_135 on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 15:09

It's definitely much better now. I'm still bothered by all the space (where the yellow flowers are) on either side. It seems like the text would be bigger if the posts stretched across the whole page.