# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/101 "2017-09-06T15:22:20Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > … > …The BIG BLUE BAR between each post is obnoxious, and totally unnecessary. (no matter how fat your fingers are, you don’t need such a thick line between posts) > , More than anything this makes reading and scanning difficult. Colossally bad choice. ---
**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 6, 2017, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/102 "2017-09-06T15:25:56Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > They’re down arrows. If you click them, they take you to the most recent posts in the thread. Ah, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/103 "2017-09-06T15:28:50Z")
I don’t understand the whitespace complaints- mine doesn’t seem to have much for “extra” whitespace compared to the previous version. My complaints are the extra large fonts (for the hard of hearing), and the non-right-justified Join Date/Post Count/Etc absolutely drives me to distraction. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/104 "2017-09-06T15:31:47Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > . > a)The big blue bars between posts are the visual equivalent of if, during an otherwise normal conversation, somebody banged a drum every time someone finished saying something. As much as I think this might be fun in real life, it sucks here. Bang! ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/105 "2017-09-06T15:36:59Z")
Assuming this style was created as a new style and not a modification of the default style, one option TPTB might consider is letting paid members set their styles. If this new style is motivated by serving ads better, I get why you wouldn’t want to let guests turn it off, but since the whole argument for paying a subscription fee is being able to avoid the ads, it seems smart to let those people also use a less ad-friendly style. Just my $0.02. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/106 "2017-09-06T15:40:51Z")
I was prepared to give the new format a chance because I am one of those persons who will automatically dislike change. There are lots of things about the new format that I don’t like but I can suck it up and deal with all except for one. Normally there are 5 little ads down at the bottom of each page. Now there are **27 ads** all over each freaking page!!! When I first saw them I assumed I’d been logged out but nope, it’s supposed to be like that. That is a tad excessive, no? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/107 "2017-09-06T15:43:48Z")
Are there browsers, mobile or otherwise, that do not have a “return to top of page” function, necessitating that stupid floating arrow? If so, people, stop using those browsers and get a modern one. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/108 "2017-09-06T15:46:35Z")
Weird thing is I recall it being fairly simple to have a Standard and a Mobile interface with vBulletin, seems like that would be the way to go. I don’t recall if vBulletin had the ability to sense the platform but it was easy to let the user set their choice at least. I thought there was almost no custom code on the Straight Dope? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/109 "2017-09-06T15:46:41Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > Yes. For me in portrait -which is how i browse on my phone. Landscape may be different, but maybe there is an option somewhere. It works with landscape (that is, the lines don’t cut off), but landscape looks terrible to me on the iPhone SE with this vB. I can only see maybe a dozen lines at a time, and there’s no way to zoom out, from what I can tell. It’s like reading a thread with your nose four inches from your monitor so you can only see a small portion of the screen at a time. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/110 "2017-09-06T15:48:24Z")
I agree with others who said too much whitespace and fonts are too big. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/111 "2017-09-06T15:50:55Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > I don’t understand the whitespace complaints- mine doesn’t seem to have much for “extra” whitespace compared to the previous version. I prefer threads to be more compact. Also, there are fewer fora displayed on the main page without scrolling. ---
**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 6, 2017, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/112 "2017-09-06T15:53:34Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > Assuming this style was created as a new style and not a modification of the default style, one option TPTB might consider is letting paid members set their styles. This was going to be my suggestion. Allow members to revert to the old style, which looks far superior on a desktop computer. I haven’t checked out the new style on my mobile devices yet, but if it’s better on those, i’m happy to use it. But this new style blows on a big monitor. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/113 "2017-09-06T15:57:38Z")
I just popped into this thread to say that this is my first post under the new format. ---
**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 6, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/114 "2017-09-06T15:58:43Z")
Another thing: New Subscribed Threads looks weird. The text is out of alignment. Thread title, no of replies and view count are all top aligned, but the last post time is bottom aligned. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/115 "2017-09-06T16:02:57Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > This isn’t an upgrade, it’s just a bunch of wonky changes to the formatting. It’s like someone farted in my CSS. > > And what the hell is **Shagnasty** talking about? Shagnasty\*\* was making a joke. I thought it was funny. ---
**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 6, 2017, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/116 "2017-09-06T16:04:36Z")
And another thing, the show your signature box is checked by default. It could lead to the unwary posting their sig over and over in a thread, which is against the rules . ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/117 "2017-09-06T16:07:52Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Tap the menu bars. Thanks. Next I will try to find New Posts on my phone. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/118 "2017-09-06T16:11:01Z")
> [@Ed\_Zotti](#): > > We installed a mobile-friendly “theme.” . Why not keep the old theme and allow users to choose? That’s fairly standard vB: Admincp =\> Vbulletin Options =\> Theme & Language Options =\> Users can choose theme = yes ---
**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 6, 2017, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/119 "2017-09-06T16:18:48Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > And another thing, the show your signature box is checked by default. It could lead to the unwary posting their sig over and over in a thread, which is against the rules . You can disable in your CP but you have to uncheck the box if you use Quick Reply. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610/120 "2017-09-06T16:18:56Z")
The equivalent of the post- Bill Gaines _Mad_ Magazine. (But then again, I’ve become a change-averse curmudgeon who thinks Windows 98 was just fine.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wow-i-hate-this-new-format/795610.md?page=7)