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Official Mumsnet mobile thread numéro deux

105 replies

RebeccaMumsnet · 21/08/2014 14:18

Hi all,

As you know we have launched the new mobile site, we know it's a big change and we are still very keen to get it right with your help. This is very much a version that will evolve with your help as part of the testing process.

There have been a few glitches that have/are being ironed out and the HUGE thread has nearly maxed out, so we thought it best to start a shiny new one.

We know change is tricky but, as with most things MN, we are all ears and happy to look at any feedback you have on ways we can improve the new site.

Thanks all Thanks

ShamTech · 21/08/2014 14:29

Hi all. Thanks for all your comments and feedback. We have already made some of the changes and fixes you've mentioned and are busy with lots more, including making Active easier to read through and the previews on TIO etc. Please do continue to let us know of any problems you find. Thanks

ShamTech · 21/08/2014 14:37

Perhaps my wording was not the queen's English ambiguous, but I said "...are busy with lots more, including..." so the TIO changes are not there yet. We are working on those.

ShamTech · 21/08/2014 15:27

Just an update to say we've found the problem some of you are experiencing with slow loading of a page of 500 or 1000 messages on certain devices. We are working on the fix and will let you know later. Thanks

RebeccaMumsnet · 21/08/2014 16:08

We've had five minutes to catch-up with everyone involved and we wanted to fill you all in on a bit of background.

We've been working on this latest version of the new mobile talk prototype for 6m+.

We've tried to replicate the commonly needed functions from desktop talk and address the current issues people had.

Part of our motivation is to be accessible and appealing to new and unfamiliar users while still be engaging and as usable as possible to existing users.

We tracked and looked at how users were currently using talk mobile and saw which features were well used and which weren't. We used that in part to inform which features to put front and centre and which could bear to be a click or two away.

We also considered those facts in light of different user groups (lurkers, new users, regular posters for example).

We have over the last six months tested with various types of users at several different stages. We watch users using various prototypes and listened to unfamiliar users, regs and lurkers feedback and we still are.

We tested every iteration both internally and with users. Over the last four rounds of testing around 80 mumsnetters and non-mumsnetters have participated. HUGE thank you to them, their feedback was and is invaluable. Thanks

Hands up we did not specifically set out to recruit users with accessibility challenges and that's something we will absolutely rectify in future. We did refer to many guidelines out there to inform us of best practice but nothing beats asking real people so we'll definitely make sure we do better on that front in future.

We're still iterating and ALWAYS need more people who don't mind testing. It's particularly hard to get a good range of people who don't necessarily post much.

Please do keep all comments and feedback coming.

RebeccaMumsnet · 21/08/2014 16:12

@Needasilverlining

CAN WE HAVE THE OLD SITE BACK PLEASE?

Sorry all, it really isn't feasible to run two versions of the mobile site.

This is a beta version, so please carry on testing this and give us your feedback.

RebeccaMumsnet · 21/08/2014 17:04

@Beeyump

Yeah. I was getting Peugeot in my face too Sad

Hi Bee,

Can you do a screenshot or tell us what device you are on please?

ShamTech · 21/08/2014 17:17

Active should have alternating colours now to make reading down the list easier. Unwatch thread and Hide thread should also be behaving better now. We are continuing with further changes and fixes...

RebeccaMumsnet · 21/08/2014 17:18

@SilveryMoon

Right. I was going to ask who the hell were the testers? This new version is awful but I see that it is for new users. Fuck the old ones that have been here for years, let's change everything to try to bring in new users. Well thanks a lot mn

Not at all SilveryMoon, we want a site that everyone is happy with. It is very much a work in progress and we are and will continue to tweak and change as we go.

SarahMumsnet · 21/08/2014 20:37

Hey folks - with apologies - Tech have had to knock off for the night, in order to return with clear heads tomorrow. They'll be here at the crack of dawn to press on with further fixes - with accessibility issues at the top of the priority list (further apologies to all who've felt unwell; obviously that was the very last thing we intended). We really are dead serious that this isn't a finished version; we'll keep on making changes. Thanks, all of you, for your input Thanks

YetAnotherHelenMumsnet · 21/08/2014 23:04

Hi all again,
Thanks again for your forbearance, it is much appreciated. We WILL fix this, you know we will, but it is frustrating to have to leave you all disappointed over night, as we know that's when a lot of you get time to post. We're genuinely sorry, and rest assured we totally, totally give a shit about all of the users. Without you, we're out of a job.
Many apologies again.

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 09:28

Hello

We're going to be around on this thread today and trying to keep you up to date with what's happening, what changes we're aiming to make, and also (hopefully) answering your questions.

When you report a glitch/something not working/something displaying weirdly PLEASE TELL US:

which DEVICE you're using (iPhone, Galaxy, Blackberry, iPad, Nexus, Kindle Fire etc etc);
which OPERATING SYSTEM you're using (which version of iOS, Chrome, which version of Windows, etc etc); and
which BROWSER you're using (Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox etc).

Without this info, we can't do much with the info you give us so PLEASE PLEASE include it, every time you post about something not working (even if you gave the same info earlier on in the thread).

We know we could have done much, much better in the way we rolled this out and we're extremely sorry (possibly more sorry than you can imagine!) that this wasn't handled better.

Flowers

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 09:33

Important information re the blue bar (shortcut buttons) at the bottom

To turn this off:

Go to your user icon (top right of the screen, the middle icon with a person in a circle); the option to turn off the shortcut buttons is at the very bottom of that menu.

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 09:35

@ItsAllGoingToBeFine

When you click on "bookmark" it opens every ellipsis menu on the page simultaneously.

Thanks. Tech are looking at this one right now.

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 09:41

Other issues Tech are prioritising right now:

  1. addressing the laggy-ness/slowness (this is to do with a rogue code that's being generated on each post);
  2. Adding desktop-style functionality for 'Threads I'm On'.

Will try to find out now what the answer is to the power-use issue.

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 10:01

UPDATE

The poor battery performance and the slow-loading pages are (we think) the same issue. That, together with the weird bookmarking problems, is what Tech is prioritising right now.

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 10:09

The multiple dropdown menus, the slow loading, and the bad power use issues are all related, we think. This is what Tech is doing right now.

On ads:

we're testing this ad position for a bit, and then we will probably test it in a different position. There are always going to be ads - there really isn't a way around that - but obviously we don't want to deliberately piss anyone off. So that bit is still a work in progress and may well change.

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 10:10

@ItsAllGoingToBeFine

MMHQ Would it be worth stickying this post to the top of Active?

Yup thanks, will do that now...

PeteTech · 22/08/2014 10:13

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 10:18

@TheOneWiththeNicestSmile

Or put it back at the top but under the banner

Or - here's a novel idea - have a separate button at the top for each one

We'll add this to our list of things to discuss and get back to you

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 10:34

@PenelopePitstops

Galaxy s5 Android latest version Chrome browser

Every time I click on the 3 dots, the whole page freezes and I can't scroll or click anything. I have to force close chrome on my device and start all over again. Taken 10 mins to post!!

Really sorry - we have a complex problem with the three dots/ellipses menu which is causing (we think) slow loading and increased battery use. This is what Tech are working on right now.

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 10:35

@Needasilverlining

Could you do SOMETHING with the layout so that we can see more than one post at a time? I have a headache after a few mins too, and I suspect it's connected to the constant scrolling.

Honestly, I work with IT too and I bet you are (understandably) moaning about what ungrateful whingeing bastards we are - but as MN received wisdom has it, a favour you didn't ask for and doesn't help you is not actually something you need to be thankful for...

I would pay to access the old version btw.

Have you turned off the shortcut menu at the bottom?

We don't think you're whinging bastards, honest Grin

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 10:37

@MrsVamos

Morning !

We do need better definition between posts, although its looking better.

Posters names need a bar like on desktop too.

Still far too much white for some, I think.

We will absolutely prioritise accessibility issues - we're going to have a thorough look at that.

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 10:38

Important information re the blue bar (shortcut buttons) at the bottom

To turn this off:

Go to your user icon (top right of the screen, the middle icon with a person in a circle); the option to turn off the shortcut buttons is at the very bottom of that menu.

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 10:40

@MrsVamos

Just bookmarked my post and the options then come up on every post then freezes.

I'll assume that's being worked on.
Smile

The bookmark problem, the slow loading and the poor battery use are all (we think) part of the same problem - a rogue code that's loading every time someone hits the ellipses/three dots menu. This is what Tech is working on right now.

RowanMumsnet · 22/08/2014 10:42

@TheOneWiththeNicestSmile

Between the white bar & the banner at the top, & the blue toolbar & white navigation bar at the bottom (though of course that one isn't there all the time) there not a lot of words visible! (This is on iphone 5 - I know some phones will be better, but some will be worse)

I know you've said you'll look at changing the blue bottom toolbar but are you also going to look at overall spacing, to reduce the amount of whiteness & increase the number of lines visible at one time, please?

We're going to try to fix actual bugs/broken things first, and address accessibility issues - then when that's done and we've all had some Brew and possibly lots of Wine we'll see where we are on the aesthetics/spacing/appearance. (Timescale for this is likely to be over the longer term though!)

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