Terrible "new" format

This new forum is difficult to navigate and to find stuff. The search feature isn't too great still...... and I think the format of the old version is easier to navigate.

However, Katie and the editors thanks for all the efforts you have taken to work through this.......

Rgds
Hari

I feel your pain Simbakubwa, but let me take this opportuntiy to tell you how helpful your past trip reports have been with all the details and tangents. I was looking at your report that was titled something like Going Around Mt Kenya. All your efforts mean anybody can get great information when they need it. Who knows how many people have read your report, but don't necessarily post a comment.

Oh, that's another thing. Views of posts would have been helpful on this new version.

I viewed your report before the change. Hopefully it is still out there. Haven't checked.

I must admit that I am having trouble too. The old one was much easier. Many nights I go to bed way after midnight reading the forum so maybe with this new format I will be still looking & searching for things when my husband gets up to go to work. Hopefully I will get use to it.

Two cents worth of an opinion, I am overhauling my website and now know what not to do. This is very hard to read, perhaps a black type for the title captions would help. No one likes change, but what was there to fix with the old posting sight?

Has anyone figured out what those little rectangular orange boxes attached in front of some questions mean? ZZ

Zambezi,
Those are threads that have been tagged as trip reports.

Lynn,
Are you referring to kimburu's Going Around Mt Kenya report? http://www.fodors.com/community/africa-the-middle-east/going-round-mt-kenya---kenya-trip-report-december-2006.cfm

BTW I found the report through Lynda's index. Even after I realized the correct title was Going Round Mt Kenya, I still couldn't find it through search.

When did this happen!!! I am on this site all the time. It is terrible. The other one was so easy to navigate. UGGGGG

Thank you, Patty. I did not see that correlation when I scrutinized the entries, but, if you say so, it must be. Now, tell me how I get beyond the first list of queries to those that used to be after the first fifty. I see "View recent activity by day," but I haven't figured out what that means. ZZ

Now if I could edit here, I'd be able to remove that embarrassing comment about the wrong report belonging to the wrong person.

Yes, it was Kimburu's.

That's funny.

Zambezi,
The "View recent activity by day" has essentially replaced what used to come after the first 50 (now 25). Instead of being organized in groups of 50 threads, it's now organized by day. Believe it or not, there was originally going to be nothing after the first 25. It took a lot of b*^@hing by a lot of posters just to get the activity by day compromise. There was a long thread about this pre-launch http://www.fodors.com/community/forums-help/a-sneak-peek-at-the-new-forums-and-two-requests.cfm

Looks like they're still making some tweaks so hopefully, they'll further fine tune the activity by day to make the process a little less cumbersome.

It's now 4:50pm and it's obvious that this new format is terrible. Why? Because there are only 14 posts today, of which 3/threads are b!tching about it. My belief is that folks are giving up till something workable and sensible appears.

I've noticed that also sandi, postings are way down. The weekend is usually active, let's see. Too bad, I've tried other travel forums but did not care for their look and feel. Now here we've lost some of that I'm afraid.

regards - tom

Too, too, too slow. I actually counted to 100 before I could read one topic. Much preferred the two scrolling panes. Seems to have lost the 'feel' of Fodors. Less frustration time on Trip Advisor. So sad. One of life's daily pleasures is no longer.

Somebody tried and obviously did not succees. But rather than complain about colors and logos, the issue seems to be organization.

First, Africa and the Middle East covers a lot of ground. Why not separate geographies (i.e. Middle East, Eastern Africa, Mediterranean Africa, Southern Africa). Someone going to see the pyramids does not need to go through safari questions and vice versa.

Next, why not branch into the type of travel. Some examples here are Safari, Sightseeing, Beach, Bird Watching, etc. Some world travelers can probably get better categories than I.

Then, there are topics. Packing, money, vehicles, vaccinations, insurance, paasaports and visas, etc.

I believe that this kind of navigation is easier to follow and saves time for both questioners and experts.

Maybe my categoies are not perfect, but they should provide a better starting point to really pick up this forum.

I agree with kenyatraveler to a degree, surely East & Sth Africa go together.

Just want to say that I DO NOT like the new format either.

Egypt and East Africa are often combined destinations for some visitors.

I agree. Tried to search for a topic and it took me somewhere else. Definate bummer. Yes, I'm blonde, but this doesn't help

I would love to sign a petition or anything to bring back the old format as well with perhaps a few upgrades to it. This one is way, way to hard to navigate. People live on the boards to help others and learn themselves. If I can be so forward - I think Fodors screwed the pooch on this new layout.

I've waited to comment, in case my dislike was due simply to things being "different". It's not! I just don't know where I am with this new format.

The one thing that I do like is the ease of finding my own old posts. Other than that, I agree with the zillions of others who are less than impressed.

I was pretty unhappy with the new format at first ... but now I kind of like it. Go figure.

I would like to put in my "thumbs down" vote about the new format.

Aggh. I admit I've been gone for a while - came back to read my favorite forum and cannot for the life of me understand this new application.
Please bring back the old - mabye with a few tweaks, or I'll never be able to come here again.
I used to love it so much...
Just my 2c to the Editors,
Cc