I ran across the new TER several months ago during a "test" run.  The graphics are nice but it is not very user friendly nor is the navigation intuitive.  Seems like the development team hasn't used any users or user feedback to help with the redesign.

I'm in agreement to keep the classic version as well. It's sometimes quirky but IMHO, its what makes part of TER unique. The classic version is an invaluable tool as a basis of comparison for the new version to have any needed improvements for the future. Discarding the classic version seems totally wrong on a historical perspective.

Admin has asked for feedback. Post in this thread and I will collect comments, and send them back.

Some things:

- "View All" is coming back soon.
- I will be selectively editing things for brevity/clarity
- Things you think are missing/don't work and things that work well/better are welcome.

with regards to the discussion board formats.  These are horrible... hard to read and scan.

-  Color Scheme - White Background with Light Colors is tiring on the eyes. Allow user to change background and font color or use another combination.

-Chat:  No profile or ignore button.  Chat now becomes the primary window when someone posts something. Even when you clear your desktop, it reopens the chat window - not good if you do not want someone to see what you are doing.  Chat Font size should be defaulted to a bigger font.  

i agree i prefer the old

she posts occasionally I know but come on guys...could she ever actually post too much?

Mas Bridgette!

It is hard to say, in light of the promise that we will soon be offered the option to toggle on again seeing all comments to a thread.

I am sure this format must look better on someone's blackberry, but my guess is that this format will basically shoot in the head any sense of community, discussion, interaction.  As a discussion forum, I think -- as it stands -- it is an act of formatting suicide.  I think the format misunderstands how guys use the site to find an escort.  It is as if someone thinks we are scrolling our iphones in a cab to pick a girl.  I suspect most of us sit at a laptop or desktop to savor the act of perusing who we will call.  Our iPhones are just how we implement the two-call system after doing our research.

Having said that, there are some things I like about the new search function and the results you get on a search.  

I guess it would be interesting to me, and likely others, to hear TER thoughts on what they are trying to achieve and why....

1)  It is better organized than the old TER

2)  It is easier to navigate than the old TER

I find it much harder to read what everyone wrote.
I miss the "view all" feature.

I just dont like having to pull each one up, one at a time.
It may grow on me, but right now, I miss the old board, BIG TIME

I basically agree on Kevin remarks: from a communication stand-point the format is not user-friendly, and clearly missed the 'logic of process' on how hobbyst surf the site to gather information and structure their interaction.

The screen-color format is really not the best one: the clear background is a reall challenge for eyes, which on a laptop screen looks really hard to even capture the different items being dispalyed.

As the leading theorist of visual display once said:

"The minimum we should hope for with any display technology is that it should do no harm."
Edward Tufte

I find as Keving good improvement in the Search functions, and being a fans of collecting and gathering data from TER to built my special databases I welcome the Top Providers system, even though from a statistical point of view the ranking is based on the numbers of reviews which is not necessarely what hobbyst think about seeing a certain provider.

Each time a system of display go into a new direction there is going to be a time of training, not just for the eyes but for the complex process of mastering information. As it stand the new version is still short of Tufte moniker.
BM

I agree with KevinRoby that this board format (even though similar to many other boards that I frequent) does not lend itself to a sense of community.  While the old format had its own quirks at least you could easily see everyone who posted a response, which post in a thread they were responding to, oftentimes even the subject of their post (if, for instance, they changed the subject line), and things like that.  This format, for example, puts a serious damper on Pornstar Friday and similar types of posts.  That said, I need to dick around with it for awhile longer (in other words, give it a chance) before rendering a verdict.  Thanks.

I liked the headline grabbing of the old format. Poster names were in bold-face and stood out when glancing down the page. The new format is using too small of a font and it doesn't stand out. Handle names should have a larger font and be in boldface for ease in locating them.

I like the "Ad" icon at the left but not all ads get that icon for some reason.

Go back to the old format. This is too difficult to navigate. Everything on the one board after
logging in was better. Too many extra clicks to get where you want to go with this new format.
If intent on changing the format, make it easier to peruse the site, don't add steps.

Don't like it. First, it is hard on the eyes. Second, now it is too hard to navigate the posts. I would rather see the newest thread at the top instead of the latest post to an old thread. When I wanted to see new posts to older threads, it was much easier to just scroll down to the older thread and look at the listed postings on that thread. I am more interested in seeing the newer topics of discussion at the top of the page. Already on the first day, I am finding myself using this forum less and will probably continue to use it much less frequently as each day goes by. Much more time consuming to find anything on this forum now. At least I don't have to complain about the need for the View All since that is noted as coming back.

My sense, given the way a thread with a comment moves to the top of the page (and apparently we don't have the ability to view the page any other way), is that a board like this is going to quickly cease to be a hobbyist discussion page and simply become a series of provider an agency ads, with those providers or agencies who are able to get friendly posts throughout the day and week to keep moving them up to the top positions on people's blackberries.  

The discussion and banter was good while it lasted, but all things have their season, and the only constant is change....

by the way, the new smily faces are so abstract as to be almost indecipherable....  But maybe I am showing my age.  LOL

I agree that having a view based around age of the thread (not last post) would be a more elegant solution.

I hate this new version, please let us have the option, this new format is too difficult, to read, too many clicks to gather info.

I don't understand why they would change it.  It was perfect for seeing who posted what. This is way too time consuming. And the newbies will have a harder time then they did before.  

And TD thank you so much for the post.. And why do I look so sad in that picture. Maybe I knew TER was going to change their format.  Haha!

Bridgette Monroe


-- Modified on 8/10/2010 1:03:46 AM

I posted this separately, but given the new format, well, you know.

http://classic.theeroticreview.com/

... one reason I don't even both with three other boards

H*m*n*pl*x
ecc**.n*t
er*ps.n*t

Is that they are just so darned tough to interact with.  

You have to be retired and devote your whole day to them.  

Most of us spending time and money are not retired -- we work all day, have families, obligatins, etc., and have a finite amount of time to do board stuff.  

The new format seems not to understand or accomodate that simple reality and I think attrition will be pretty rapid, at least on the discussion boards.

The search functions I am enjoying.  Some smart choices were made there.  But I am surprised at what was not done there, as well, like, for instance, giving us more flexibility in how we want things ordered for search results.  

The old format's strength was its crisp, clean, intuitive simplicity, at least on discussion boards.  This is like New Coke, sweeter, but not Coke.

What I don't like is that I cannot see any details about the provider in reviews until I click her name.  I used to be able to select which provider's review to see based on some details.  Now it requires that I click.

too many clicks.

I'm in total agreement with imacdaddy.  This version sux and the old version was much better.  Improvement sometimes isn't really improving anything at all.

with the old version you could glance at a thread and see if there were any new unread responses. Now you have to click on the heading to see unless you know the number of responses that were there before.

I don't like that all the old posts mix in with the new posts.  I like it better when the posts went from newer to older. Now if someone posts on an old thread it gets in the number one slot even if it is months old. Also, on the provider board they were talking about how some girls will just keep posting on their own threads to keep it in the number one slot. I don't think that is fair to the other threads. And some good threads will just end up getting buried.  

Don't like it one bit, what was wrong with the old way? Just another example to change for change sake. Bad idea.

Don't like it at all.  It seems really stupid to shrink the fonts down so much that there's all this empty white space in the margins just so there's room for ads or whatever at the top.

This format misses the mark. It's not a fluid way to browse through the site. Admin is really going out on a limb here in making this change. These changes will more likely than not alienate the following that TER has. The smart thing for TER to do will be to admit to the mis-step and completely revert back to the old style.

I know that's a painful thing for them to hear, but it's what needs to happen in order to retain their loyal following. I hope they are big enough to take this constructive criticism and return to the successful format that so many seem comfortable with.

nycad

Agree, Agree, Agree,......Not fluid enough.......Don't mind thing being complicated but could not find links when first started....maybe I will get used to it and like it but for now just ok...

I suppose in an attempt to appear more GLOBAL they are forgetting their core particpants. Example leaving Philadelphia and NJ out of the top 100 Provider/Hobbyist listings......I could give a rats ass who the top providers are in Munich, Frankor,Berlin  or Amesterdam    get real the TOP provider in Amsterdam has a whopping 7 reviews WTF and  only 24 providers total(Thaey cant even make a top 100)
Durring the beta testing   tons of suggestions were given I dont see where any of them were implemented....

personally i hate it all, very vague, not easy to navigate, colors are horrible, dont know what others think
but being a long time member, i may cancel my vip

Likes:
each post is differentiated by a color.
The quicklinks after logging in is nice-no having to go to the account manager.

Hates:
1. the grayish text on a white background does not contrast enough for easy reading.

2. There's way too much white space between posts.  Add to that smaller text, and it really adds to the difficulty of reading it in normal light.

3. When looking at reviews, instead of one line, there's now two lines per provider, and again, too much white space between each review.  Seems that while the posts in discussion boards are separated by colors, reviews are not.  Might be a good idea to differentiate reviews by color.  (i.e. review 1 in yellow box, review 2 in white box, review 3 in yellow box, etc..)

4. There doesn't seem to be a rational choice when selecting boxes like accept/decline and return to forum/post reply.  Since much of the world reads left to right, might be a good idea to take note of that and make the left side button the more desirable choice - less movement on mouse or when scrolling to the left on a tiny screen.

5. There's a bit of wasted space on the header.  Either the "e" logo is too big, but there's that big field of bluish gray at the top of the page that's valuable real estate when it comes to web design--but here, it's just wasted.  Makes you need to scroll down before really necessary.

6. Human tendency to view from upper left to bottom right.  Why put the login button on the upper right, where there's less of a tendency to look?  Why not put it in upper left corner?

The new version is annoying too time consuming to read a thread
if it reduces posting like I predict it will, I don't see much reason to continue paying to support the site

It also helps to go "I like/don't like it because (insert reasons here)" as opposed to "IT SUCKS SO BAD I AM NEVER COMING BACK!!1111!!!"

There are reasons why the changeover was made. The point is to keep the good, eliminate the bad, and improve the product.

99% of TER's readers don't use the discussion boards.

99%.

In other words, while it sucks to be us on the boards, it's quite possible the experience of TER is BETTER for the average member.

That being said, we've gotten changes to things already based on user complaints, and more changes are coming.

The toggle is working for me.  Though it's not the same as before, it seems fine.  The white background, however, is definitely bothering me.  Admittedly I have sensitive eyes, but it sounds like this is problematic to others as well.  A change would be greatly appreciated.  If only for the message boards, that's cool.

I suggest someone create a survey monkey survey
http://www.surveymonkey.com/
to accumulate feedback from across the boards (including the "Suggestion and Policy" board).

Unfortunately, the new format is not user friendly.

The pastel color theme is not eye and not internet friendly.

The font is way too small.

The new site is cumbersome to navigate.

The discussion threads do not show the history.

Please keep Classic as an option.

nycad

Nothing/Everything

In fact I am amazed that more folks (and providers) here have not focused on this specifically.  

What made the classic TER format work for me was that the posts were visible in order of time and date of FIRST post only.  In this manner i felt up to date by quick glance of a discussion board page.  The new format works on "last voice heard" which allows older posts to go back to the top of the list if someone comments on them.  Other sites that use this format have effective work arounds but as TER is only changing the format and not much else the problem and confusion will grow quickly.  The bad news here is on several levels - The provider ads will get quickly shoved down the page listing unless someone comments on them, the rants or highly controversial topics will keep popping to the top quickly (where they use to die a quick death by disappearing to another page under the classic view) and moderators may now need to lock out topic streams for no further comment because they have gone too far and take over the DB page.  Then there are the idiots who live to just "bump" old topics back to the top for no reason....

I can get over the color change and other tiny quirks, but the order of appearance of topics on the DB's is a big deal for me.  TER still has the great review system but I may be leaning towards the local competitor board now for my fix on the goings on in the hobby because the new TER format is an effort waster from what it once was.

Now if I can just get Ms Bridgette to nail me.......

it will take time to get used to the new format.

I like the way threads move to the most recently updated to the top. Also bigger icons that show where you've been.

Don't care for the color scheme; maybe more contrasting colors used to show where you have been.

I hope there will be a way to keep the a recent photo of a PSE available so there is more current information.

The print is too tiny. In addition where on the old site everything could be seen at a glance and the site easily negotiated the new site requires some deciphering

Not a fan

1.  The appearance is a bit low-rent.  Very Geocities, text tarted up with some clip art, "exciting" high-energy colour scheme, whatnot.

2.  The great thing with the old style was that you could see not only the subject of the first post of a thread, but all the replies with whatever subject line people used.  It was much better for quickly parsing the replies to the thread (especially on the common occasions people would use the subject line to indicate the content of their post), and for only reading posts by posters you have time for.  This isn't a forum which gets lots of long in-depth replies you need to read in a row.  It tends to be a starting post, followed by lots of very short replies, and the old style was ideal for that and for quickly gauging whether the content of the "thread" was worthwhile without having to scroll through it all.

In fairness, I do think the new format for review search results is much better and clearer than the old.  It's just the forum layout I don't like.

I agree.  Remember your consumers. Do not force things on them.

When reading a post within a thread, the post does not have a "Return to Forum" button, only "quote" and "reply". This thread is now almost 60 entries long. The "Return to Forum" button is at the bottom of the message listings in "tree" view.

Also, an opened thread in "tree" view uses small font and leaves large useless dead space btween entries. I would like to see it more compact so I can visually scroll the entries.

Thanks !

ADMIN, if you go with this format, I'm certain you will lose a good base of your core membership.  Maybe you are saying "what we lose we will gain in new members"....but you will lose all the experience and knowledge of those who have been around for a while.

Imagine this board being commented on by a bunch of newbies to the PSE Scene......fasteddie would be rolling over in his grave...RIP Eddie.

Cheers

How about adding spell check for the posters, please???????

I hate the color scheme. The text fonts are too small and not contrasted well.
The light backgrounds especially the light blue sucks. The navigation is more
confusing than the older version.

I totally agree. I'd like to see the newest post first functionality come back as an option.

Best - Jboy

Yes, like a fungus!  LOL

Its not good.

I also have a BIG problem with the Rating System implemented.  So many fine fine ladies are getting shafted, and not in "The Hobby Way!!"  

Just my opinion!

There is not one message on this thread that supports the change and yet the powers that be continue to defend the change.  I found the use of statistics particularly enlightening, reflecting on Mark Twain's observation that there are "liars, damn liars and statisticians!"  If the universal attitude of those who care enough to comment is negative, what other statistic really matters.  All I know personally is that this is the first time I've been on this site in over a week and the only reason for that is the new format makes me incredibly less inclined to do so.  Somebody just needs to admit the new format was just a bad idea.

Admin has listened and has made numerous changes with more on the way.  They continue to read these threads and adapt the boards accordingly.  It's a work in progress.  Until then, they have left TER classic up for all us "Old School" folks.

Stay tuned.

Nobody asked the board moderators for a vote. If they had, we would have UNIVERSALLY said "no, we don't like this" (and we did). Many of the problems that have been pointed out here were brought up BEFORE the change was made and were passed up the chain.

The point you seem to not be getting is TER changed things for reasons that had NOTHING TO DO with the boards. Yes, the experience for the 1% who are board posters got worse. Nobody's arguing that. For their own reasons, TER management didn't care- and the fact of the matter is the boards do very little for TER's bottom line compared to the reviews (they basically represent a rounding error of users and extra bandwidth/maintenance). We weren't told why they had to do it, and quite frankly, TER management doesn't have to justify shit to the mods- we're unpaid volunteers who are users just like you. We just have a few extra responsibilities and privileges.

We'll keep hammering away our feedback just like you do, but really, we're on your side here. We want things to work better, too.

ditto.