# Wow, I hate this new format **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 6, 2017, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610 "2017-09-06T05:21:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/261 "2017-09-11T13:17:59Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > One thing that has (I think) been added is the ability to specify which page in a long thread you want to go to. That or I just never noticed the drop-down after the final page number that gives you a Go to Page modal. If that’s new, I’m pleased. If it’s not, I’m oblivious but happier. Thing is, you could _always_ do that. Up in the URL bar where it says, “[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=835542&page=6](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=835542&page=6)”? Type in another number instead of 6. (The number may or may not be 6, of course, depending on how many posts per page you’ve chosen in your settings. But you get the idea.) ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/262 "2017-09-11T13:45:21Z")
Wow… at first I thought the page navigation wasn’t so big a deal since I don’t often jump in the middle of 10 pages. But there are no “first page”, “next page”, “last page” buttons. That’s such a gap that I’m certain it must be in the works. If not, please add it to the list. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/263 "2017-09-11T13:54:41Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > Superb. Absolutely, bloody, superb. :smack: > > So, is there going to be any sort of policy decision about this? Or are we to lose basic functionality on a permanent basis in the interests of this badly thought out adventure? > > Seriously, this is software engineering 101 stuff. The new skin does not meet core requirements. And it seems it may never do so. I would fail any student attempting to pass off this schmozzle as a work for grade. Did anyone sandbox this for a dry run? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/264 "2017-09-11T13:57:16Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > Wow… at first I thought the page navigation wasn’t so big a deal since I don’t often jump in the middle of 10 pages. > > But there are no “first page”, “next page”, “last page” buttons. > > That’s such a gap that I’m certain it must be in the works. If not, please add it to the list. The page numbers are still there and clickable. They’re the same color as the background. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/265 "2017-09-11T15:11:49Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The page numbers are still there and clickable. > > They’re the same color as the background. :smack: Genius. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/266 "2017-09-11T15:19:25Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > They’re the same color as the background. :smack: (comment directed at board design, not at rc.) ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/267 "2017-09-11T16:55:27Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The page numbers are still there and clickable. > > They’re the same color as the background. :smack: Thanks. Now I know, it’s pretty easy to deal with, and most certainly will be fixed post haste. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/268 "2017-09-11T18:08:41Z")
“View First Unread” is now white on white. The only time you can see it is if you hover your cursor over it and it turns into a very pale yellow that’s almost illegible. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/269 "2017-09-11T18:31:10Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > …But there are no “first page”, “next page”, “last page” buttons… There were before, but now there aren’t. Did that just take effect today? Now you have to click “Go to” and type in the page number you want. Aiyeeeeee! ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/270 "2017-09-11T18:34:01Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > There were before, but now there aren’t. Did that just take effect today? Now you have to click “Go to” and type in the page number you want. Aiyeeeeee! As others have noted, it’s all still there; you just can’t see it because it’s basically the same color as the background. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/271 "2017-09-11T18:39:38Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > As others have noted, it’s all still there; you just can’t see it because it’s basically the same color as the background. There’s a workaround for that, temporary, I hope. Click and hold where it says “Page _n_ of _n_” and drag over to highlight the page numbers. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/272 "2017-09-11T19:17:54Z")
Another thing that’s _almost_ invisible is the little icon after “Originally Posted by **username** ” in the quote box that takes you back to the quoted post. Very faint gray on the very, _very_ faint gray of the background for the posts. I can see it, but just barely. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/273 "2017-09-15T12:21:00Z")
Props to the management for the quick fix and allowing us to go back to the old style. It’s much better to my eyes, especially on my iPhone. So now we can go back to the old theme and all is well with the world. The whole thing is bizarre. The board that has been so insanely resistant to change does all of this work to make a theme that is more mobile friendly. In actuality, it is considerably less mobile friendly. In a board where people complain over every little freaking detail to the point of absurdity, I don’t recall a single instance of people comlianing about the board having a problem on mobile devices. Why fix a problem that doesn’t exist? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/274 "2017-09-15T13:35:37Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Props to the management for the quick fix and allowing us to go back to the old style. It’s much better to my eyes, especially on my iPhone. > > So now we can go back to the old theme and all is well with the world. The whole thing is bizarre. The board that has been so insanely resistant to change does all of this work to make a theme that is more mobile friendly. In actuality, it is considerably less mobile friendly. In a board where people complain over every little freaking detail to the point of absurdity, I don’t recall a single instance of people comlianing about the board having a problem on mobile devices. Why fix a problem that doesn’t exist? Somewhere in all this was mentioned that having the new theme the default would allow Google to list the Dope as “mobile-friendly”. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/275 "2017-09-15T14:57:45Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > The board that has been so insanely resistant to change does all of this work to make a theme that is more mobile friendly. In actuality, it is considerably less mobile friendly. It is a little more mobile friendly for me. In the original theme, I have to read it in landscape mode on the phone and with the new theme I can read it in portrait mode (but with ba d line br eaks for wo rds.) But the missing ancillary data (last post time, last poster) is enough of a hassle in checking threads for new posts that it probably cancels out the advantage of portrait mode. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/276 "2017-09-15T14:59:38Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > It is a little more mobile friendly for me. In the original theme, I have to read it in landscape mode on the phone and with the new theme I can read it in portrait mode (but with ba d line br eaks for wo rds.) But the missing ancillary data (last post time, last poster) is enough of a hassle in checking threads for new posts that it probably cancels out the advantage of portrait mode. This is it for me too. I think the newer theme is better overall on my mobile, except for the missing last post thingy. If that were fixed, then I’d use the new theme. Even got used to the floating forum jump bar. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/277 "2017-09-15T16:12:11Z")
Not to shit in the thread, but I think the mobile theme is an abomination and I’m glad to be able to use the old theme again. I’m not even going to get into the debate about portrait vs landscape. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/278 "2017-09-15T16:59:59Z")
For me, the new theme works much better on my android tablet and on my android (Samsung) phone. Being able to switch back to the old format on my desktops gives me the best of both worlds, though unlike most here I wasn’t too annoyed by the desktop version of the new theme. > [@hajario](#): > > I don’t recall a single instance of people comlianing about the board having a problem on mobile devices. Why fix a problem that doesn’t exist? I don’t think that you’ve been paying much attention. One of the most common complaints around here in the past few years is that the site isn’t mobile friendly. A lot of folks here use Tapatalk specifically because of that issue. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/279 "2017-09-15T17:03:03Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > One of the most common complaints around here in the past few years is that the site isn’t mobile friendly. By “mobile” you mean phone, right? My iPad does fine with the old, classic skin. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/280 "2017-09-15T18:12:09Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > For me, the new theme works much better on my android tablet and on my android (Samsung) phone. Being able to switch back to the old format on my desktops gives me the best of both worlds, though unlike most here I wasn’t too annoyed by the desktop version of the new theme. I’ve tried to stay out of this little dustup because for me it was a minor issue either way, but I agree with the above pretty much in its totality. I do find the new theme easier to read and use on my android-based systems. And it didn’t exactly break the desktop for me, though I do appreciate those big blue bars being toned down to a more neutral grey. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610.md?page=15)