[TheTSArt]

One question... looking back at my post, it lists me as a stranger with only a few posts. I was listed a Journeyman or something like that just the other day and had I think 75 or so posts.
Tim

[Shooshie]

MacCentral Lounge
Just posting for the sake of those who stumble into here while searching desperately for the link that no longer seems to exist ANYWHERE on the MacWorld pages.
You guys really need to fix that, you know?

Shooshie

[Duke_Thomas]

Ugh. Terrible. While this is not the most disastrous 'improvement' to a site I've ever seen, it comes pretty close.
Incidentally, PithHelmet 2 added a tool called Machete. This allows one to pass a web page's source through a script before it renders. For those that know how to use this feature, I threw together the following Python script to make the Macworld forums slightly browsable again, and not require so much side scrolling for smaller screens and browser windows. In case you like having any of the things that I cut out, I believe the script should still work properly if you get rid of the lines that cut it out. Obviously, this may not work if the HTML is changed again.

code:
#!/usr/bin/env python

import sys, re

# Read the HTML source.

source = sys.stdin.read()

# Get rid of that top navigation bar.

source = re.compile('<!-- begin.nav bar -->', re.DOTALL).sub('', source, 1)

# Get rid of that side advertisement bar.

source = re.compile('<td width="15".n</td>', re.DOTALL).sub('', source, 1)

# Unset the minimum page width from 900 pixels!  Jesus Christ...

source = re.sub('"text/css" />', '"text/css" /><style><!--nbody'+

                '{min-width:0px}n//--></style>', source, 1)

# In fact, get rid of the banner's protection so that bottom

# scroll bar doesn't appear so easily.  However, if you don't give

# it enough room, the banner will look strange.

source = re.sub(' id="wrapper"', '', source, 1)

# Output the modified source.

print source

---

In case you wanted to interpret this as a specific commentary, you can sort of gather what my main objections are from the comments. Also, the color scheme is pretty bad, but I have hope for d00d's efforts on that front. Bring back big blue! /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[SeaFox]

I'm having that problem too. But only on the forums pages.
Mozilla Firefox 0.9.3, WinXP

[Jason Snell]

Don't worry, we always meant to link to the MC forums prominently on MacCentral pages -- it just fell through the cracks. They'll be back.

[Jason Snell]

I had that problem originally, but it went away after I did a reload-reload-reload. Might it be a cache problem? Like a cached style sheet?
Mine looks fine now -- but it looked EXACTLY like the problem you're seeing, briefly. Clear your cache and all might be solved.

[SeaFox]

In reply to:

---

If I'm way off-base here due to having Pith Helmet active, let me know and I'll issue an apology. I certainly realize the value of advertising and definitely don't want you guys to go away because some of us started using Pith Helmet as a direct result of your last change to the site. You know, the one that narrowed the post field so much, and that's still there because now it has a heading ("Ad Showcase") that doesn't succumb to Pith Helmet, rendering it a little less useful.

---

Yeah, I have that probelm, too. On the old MacCentral page I had all the ads vanquished by removing the iFrame and that old links toolbox poped up to the top of the page, the story links were on normal sized type I could read the list easily.
But in the new design with the ads removed I have an unsightly gap, because the new right midsection elements don't move over to fill the void from the ads. I just found it easier to scan the headlines when they weren't spaced out in large type like now. Plus the graphic ads the used to interrupt my reading of artciles have reappeared in the last few weeks, as text block ads I can't remove like I did the graphics.
I know the adspace is supposed to pay for the website, the problem is some of us don't pay attention to the ads, even if they are visible. We remove them because it makes reading the content easier and because we hate to spend the time loading them on dialup.
If anything makes me seek out more info on a product I didn't know about before, it's links in stories on MacCentral about the product release. And considering people actually post in MacCentral "Hey! How about a Link?!" when they aren't provided I don't think I'm the only one.
Actually Jason, there is one change you could put back on the MacCentral page, without pissing of advertisers, put the times stories are posted back.
It makes it much easier to see if any news has happened since the last time one has checked the page.
Also, I much prefer the forum threads to be displayed below the article like before.

[Argent]

Jason I really liked the way the old MacCentral site listed the specific time that a story was posted. I visited the page several times a day, and having the time next to the headline was a great way to keep track of things that I had read (or missed). Would you consider bringing that back?

[SeaFox]

In reply to:

---

Mine looks fine now -- but it looked EXACTLY like the problem you're seeing, briefly. Clear your cache and all might be solved.

---

Ah, yes. Clearing the cache solved that. And the color scheme has gone almost fully to the new scheme. The heading over each post when viewing a thread are golden yellow instaed of Green or Grey or whatever they're supposed to be.

[cashbo]

could someone tell me how to increase the font size on these boards now? it is way too small!
i just wish macworld.com would poll their users or something before making these complete overhauls...

[rockinphotog]

I'm using Safari on a 22" display, and on the greenish-grey dropdown menubar (with Home, News, etc) the Forums button in hanging precariously below the home button, half-way overhanging the Main Index button. It must be a bug, because it looks terribly ugly and there is space on the bar next to "magazine" for it...

[dcipjr]

Well, I feel the need to make a jingle with my two cents...

In reply to:

---

If I'm way off-base here due to having Pith Helmet active, let me know and I'll issue an apology. I certainly realize the value of advertising and definitely don't want you guys to go away because some of us started using Pith Helmet as a direct result of your last change to the site. You know, the one that narrowed the post field so much, and that's still there because now it has a heading ("Ad Showcase") that doesn't succumb to Pith Helmet, rendering it a little less useful

---

Well, I'll sort-of-shamefacedly admit that I'm one of those users that put Pith Helmet on during the last Macworld change. It was just because I couldn't abide those ads on the side. Maybe I could have dealt with them better if they were on top or on bottom, but not on the sides, no sir. They had to go, and as much as I know Macworld needs the revenue from the ads, I couldn't use this board with them there. I apologize.
Since then, on my PC, I've used this Firefox tip to block ads when I'm using Firefox. So I never see ads anymore, on any browser, on any site. So, obviously, now I can't switch back. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Grant_G]

Hey Shooshie -- I see you're still around in the MacCentral forum. How's the music biz these days? Are you still with the Russian pianist? I still recall the times you demo'd the electronic pianos for us in his living room. Absolutely a highlight of my time in Vegas.
Grant (now legally married and living in Pahrump)
P.S. - Jason, clearing the cache fixed it. Thanks! /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif The site looks great now, and I like the more subdued colors. [Edit] But having read dcipjr's post, I emphatically agree that links need to be, nay, MUST BE, in a different color than regular text, and underlined.

[ddsyes]

also agree the new look sucks. bye bye mcworld. macnn rules.