New Theme!

[AnonymouseUser]

Besides the fact that the latest versions of vB are rubbish in their own special way, my understanding is that any update would require a time-intensive DB conversion. AT has 38 million posts over 17 years; that has to be a massive database.

I know they had a backend/database problem when switching from FuseTalk to vB, but would another conversion really be necessary? Or did they modify vBulletin to work with the FT db?

 

[John Connor]

Besides the fact that the latest versions of vB are rubbish in their own special way, my understanding is that any update would require a time-intensive DB conversion. AT has 38 million posts over 17 years; that has to be a massive database.

It shouldn't be difficult to use a different version of vB with the current database. It's like using the same language so to speak. And Vb is compatible with Xenforo. Although I'm only knowledgeable in phpBB.

Besides. There's a little something call archiving old posts or pruning.

IDK... I'm a person that likes challenges and getting crap done.

 

[biostud]

Nope not good. Specially the space taken by the left pane.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Besides the fact that the latest versions of vB are rubbish in their own special way, my understanding is that any update would require a time-intensive DB conversion. AT has 38 million posts over 17 years; that has to be a massive database.

How many men breaking their backs for how many months in the hot sun would that entail? I would think you'd migrate the db at a certain point in time while the old software is still running, whereby the time needed doesn't matter. Then when you make the switch, you'd migrate only new records and changes made in the interim, minimizing the time offline.

Lots of good forum software out there. Wouldn't need to be a newer version of vBulletin. There must be security issues by now running this old version, no? How old is 3.8? Five years or so?

I'm amazed that the new site owner put even this effort into creating a new theme, especially if there are no plans to make it the default. Only a very tiny fraction of users here are likely to end up ever using it.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

How old is 3.8? Five years or so?

7 years

I'm amazed that the new site owner put even this effort into creating a new theme, especially if there are no plans to make it the default. Only a very tiny fraction of users here are likely to end up ever using it.

As was mentioned, Google search penalizes sites that don't have good mobile support.

The primary purpose of the new theme is to offer a better mobile theme. The current one is functional, but otherwise pretty lousy. But Google penalizes the heck out of a site for not offering a mobile-appropriate view, hence the current mobile theme is the band-aid solution. The new theme is the proper, long-term solution, and ideally is meant for both desktop and mobile.

 

[clamum]

One more thing I found that is really annoying, to me anyway. No "Last Post" datetime:

I'm guessing it was done on purpose but man, I'd probably not use the theme if that's the case.

 

[Crono]

One more thing I found that is really annoying, to me anyway. No "Last Post" datetime:

I'm guessing it was done on purpose but man, I'd probably not use the theme if that's the case.

Didn't notice the lack of timestamp there, but yeah, that's a big missing feature. :\

 

[gothamhunter]

Yeah that test lasted a whole 3 minutes for me. Terrible on the eyes for a desktop user for all the already mentioned reasons.

 

[OutHouse]

changed it back to vanilla.

1, text looked goofy
2. pics and vids were fuzzy
3. sidebar way to big.
4. too much whitespace
5. the dominate colors just dont work for me.

 

[Anubis]

this is what the current user script does for a dark theme, the left sidebar remover and the jump list to replace the sidebar

all scripts can be found here

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2019367

 

[Anubis]

ignore what the script does to the colors but this is what the new theme looks like when run on a 1920*1200 monitor in portrait mode - this is how i do 99% of my forum viewing

the side bar takes up 25% of the page

 

[Jaskalas]

As an iterative process... once the current red flags are resolved... we'll hopefully explore the finer details. Now if I could just figure out how to change the theme on my phone...

 

[Bull Dog]

Maybe it looks good on a smartphone, but doesn't do much for me on a computer monitor.

The navigation column is way too wide. Same with the left and right gutters outside the main body of the page. Much larger than they need to be.

IMO, the font is too large. I'm also not a fan of the gray (#666) text instead of black. I can't see the reasoning behind wanting less contrast for text. The text could also use some additional line spacing.

Yes, this. I don't know where this idea of not having 100% black text (or 100% White text on a dark background) came from, but it needs to die.

 

[Dude111]

Besides the fact that the latest versions of vB are rubbish in their own special way, my understanding is that any update would require a time-intensive DB conversion. AT has 38 million posts over 17 years; that has to be a massive database.

YOU GOT THAT RIGHT MATE......... COMPLETE UTTER TRASH!!!!!

This is 100000000% better than vb4 or 5!!

Even though we are all being quite negative on the change, we appreciate that you ask and will take the feedback. We can be a picky bunch, but that's part of what makes this one of the best communities on the web IMHO.

Thank you for being honest my friend,it means alot

 

[slayer202]

looks shiny, I guess

sticking with the old school

 

[AnonymouseUser]

I tested the theme last night on my tablet, and I still didn't like the contrast. I don't know if you've made any changes yet, but for some reason the colors don't seem so harsh on the desktop today.

Also, I like the NoSidebar-fixedwidth layout for split screen, and it's fine for fullscreen as well. Would be nice to see that option.

 

[FeuerFrei]

Trying out Sultan Style Blue theme just now.

Somehow, the theme causes Home & Garden and Home Theater PCs forums to disappear from the forum menu at left.

Forum menu at left too wide.

Colors are a bit bold. The blue could be muted. Gray text looks like everything's a quote. Leave the quotes gray, just make the new text #333.

Larger text is good. Controls are more obvious - much better.

Pics should shrink proportionately in both dimensions not just the vertical.

- At home I use the Dark Theme Greasemonkey script mentioned above.

 

[dank69]

Forcing myself to use it to see if it grows on me.

The sidebar isn't right. Still shows free stuff separate from hot deals and no home garden. Sidebar is too big. Image stretching is annoying. Text starting next to quotes instead of under is annoying. All the colors, especially the red and reddish orange just don't look good to me. Links are hard to see. Also, can't see time of last post in each thread anymore when browsing a subforum.

 

[Homerboy]

ignore what the script does to the colors but this is what the new theme looks like when run on a 1920*1200 monitor in portrait mode - this is how i do 99% of my forum viewing

the side bar takes up 25% of the page

25%? That's over a 3rd of the page. It's ridiculous.

 

[Homerboy]

The font choices are just brutal.

 

[dlock13]

K.I.S.S. method should apply here. The aesthetics were perfectly fine before. We now have this weird gradient background, colors that pop way, way too much IMO, large ICOs for everything, and it actually feels a bit sluggish compared to the basic theme.

 

[Homerboy]

K.I.S.S. method should apply here. The aesthetics were perfectly fine before. We now have this weird gradient background, colors that pop way, way too much IMO, large ICOs for everything, and it actually feels a bit sluggish compared to the basic theme.

Feels sluggish because it is sluggish.
And you're dead right -- KISS applies PERFECTLY here.

 

[dlock13]

Another thing I've noticed is that the list of Threads view has no dividers and no time stamp. It looks messy with the lack of dividers, and the lack of a time stamp is somewhat annoying. I know there have been times when I've hopped onto Anandtech on my phone & then my computer later, and even though I visited a certain thread, it hasn't updated on my other device. Essentially, the time stamp helped me know if I viewed that earlier or not.

EDIT:

I do really appreciate the update to the forum. While the old style could be consider long in the tooth, the old style was easy to look at and didn't have a toy-like feel to it. I know you can do it, Joe.

 

[Crono]

K.I.S.S. method should apply here. The aesthetics were perfectly fine before. We now have this weird gradient background, colors that pop way, way too much IMO, large ICOs for everything, and it actually feels a bit sluggish compared to the basic theme.

Another thing I've noticed is that the list of Threads view has no dividers and no time stamp. It looks messy with the lack of dividers, and the lack of a time stamp is somewhat annoying. I know there have been times when I've hopped onto Anandtech on my phone & then my computer later, and even though I visited a certain thread, it hasn't updated on my other device. Essentially, the time stamp helped me know if I viewed that earlier or not.

EDIT:

I do really appreciate the update to the forum. While the old style could be consider long in the tooth, the old style was easy to look at and didn't have a toy-like feel to it. I know you can do it, Joe.

Pretty much consensus on all of these now.

I'm all for shiny new themes, but the primary content on forums is text, with some hyperlinks and in-line pictures thrown in here and there. The new theme currently screws up all three things in different ways... not good. But I don't have a problem with the forum becoming more mobile responsive and consistent with the main site's look, just as long as the issues gets fixed. No point in even making a new default if it doesn't get the basics right. The last thing you want is an impediment to usability for new users - and let's face it, there aren't a lot joining anymore - or chasing away the old ones.

 

[Dude111]

Feels sluggish because it is sluggish.

Its sad things always get worse!! (Doesnt look @ nice,etc)

Why cant ppl leave whats good alone?