Please go back to the old format, this is confusing and not helpful, only more complicated. Sue

I agree it is more complicated, Sue, but as I (very slowly) begin to understand the layout I can see where it will give more options. It is a PITA to dig through the FAQs to see how the platform works, and I find the layout not very intuitive, but I am going to keep slogging along for a few more days, at least, before throwing up my hands and quitting.

They are not going to go back to the old format, so don't waste your breath. Figure it out and make specific suggestions for improvements, or move on. Have you never been on a forum before that changed format? Your opinion simply doesn't matter to the people in charge unless you can offer a specific way to improve something that is easy for them to effect.

They are certainly not going to go back. There are some things to get used to but if you relax a little and play around . . . (and read some of the FAQ's and maybe play in the Testing area https://www.fodors.com/community/testing-area/ where you can try thing out you will get more used to it.

What other travel forums are out there ? This one now stinks.

Oh - and BTW they have been pretty strict about posting these sorts of threads on the technical support forum (to corral them all in one place I guess) so this thread may be moved there or possibly even closed.

Well, it is six minutes old. I think that is sufficient time to test a new idea.

Not a forum anymore.

Just a platform for advertising which is far too intrusive and uses far too personal cookies.

Another dive in forum activity will result, who cares if they listen or not. This place lost its charm and sense of humour four years ago, not absolutely NO fun at all.

Actually, it is now a forum . . the old software was written for blogs and adapted to act as a forum. That is why it was so feature poor.

My,my what a bunch of whiners, but change is always difficult. I agree it'll take some getting used to but can also see that it will be an improvement. Try offering suggestions. Much more helpful. Have not noticed any more advertising than before.

It sure is UGLY and CLUTTERED. But most of us familiar with these things knew where this was headed. There seems to be no design talent among IB coders. One would think in this day and age of iPhone and Facebook, some talented somebody could create a better looking forum UI than this. Oh well. Happy 2018!

"Just a platform for advertising which is far too intrusive and uses far too personal cookies. "

Instead of complaining, install an adblocker.

. . and set your browser to delete cookies on exit

The old form was really easy for newcomers to grasp and use - afraid this more Byzantine one will cause them to throw hands up. No problem for forums' pros.

Too many obtrusive ads -well that is how such web sites make money - I do not decry that though they are rather obnoxious - this is a business you know.

Are you using ad blocker? I'm seeing very few ads even without it

I have both AdBlock and uBlock and I don't see a single add.
This forum software is the same as my woodworking , construction and car repair forums.
It is the internet,probably not a good place to complain about change and expect empathy.

for Bedar - Trip Advisor (the destination forums, not the reviews section) and Lonely Planet (The Thorn Tree is their forum)

@ Bedar: I don't like the new format either, but I'm learning to live with it. I would HATE to see Fodor's lose the expertise you offer -- please consider giving it a chance!

My screen is full of ads and hard to follow. What I dislike most about it is that it is ugly. Fodor's, is there anything you can do to help?

I haven't seen a single ad since the roll out -- maybe that's why it doesn't look 'cluttered' from here. Except that it IS very very white so I do reduce my screen' brightness just a little. Still plenty bright enough to read everything.