Official Mumsnet mobile thread part 3

[DawnMumsnet]

Morning all,

And welcome to the new thread!

As SarahMumsnet said at the end of the last thread, we have Tech on call for fixes this weekend, and various MNHQers will be here to talk and help wherever we can.

We'll be adding to the rolling list of bugs, glitches and dislikes (see below), so please keep the feedback coming. Do remember to list which device you're using, which operating system, and which browser, so we can identify the specific issues.

Right then, who's first?

What's sock puppeting?

Namechanging on a thread, normally for bunfight-provoking purposes. Or making it look like there are other posters on your side.

gotab 740rs
android 4,0.3
Firefox aurora 2.0a.2

I have tried the bookmarking thing now. I know the bookmark has saved because I have a blue rectangle next to the ellipses.
however, when I click the thread from tio, it still goes to a random place further up the thread.

Hello

The truth is, unrolling the new mobile site would take an awful lot of Tech time: unfortunately it's not as simple as just 'turning it off' and going back to the old one - it would be a genuinely major undertaking. We think it's better to plough our tech resources into fixing the things that aren't working, and responding to user feedback on this version.

It's also not practical/possible to run two versions of the mobile site simultaneously, for various techy reasons. It's not a question of offering a simple 'use old site' customise option - they are two completely different set-ups.

We absolutely take on board that lots of you prefer the old one - but we are also seeing an increasing number of people saying they're coming around to the new one. And we're sure you've all seen other cases of big sites changing interfaces or functionality, and initially getting lots of negative reaction from users - then a few months later (when glitches and major errors have been ironed out) most users come around to the new design and feel fairly comfortable with it. (And then get very cross when it gets changed again a couple of years later... )

We are pretty committed to the idea of a new mobile site, even if the version we end up with (once all glitches and dislikes have been considered) looks and feels different to what we have right now.

There is another top layer of navigation that we hope to add to the new version soon, which hopefully will make it a lot easier for people to use.

And the white space/glare issue is one that we aim to address as soon as everyone is back in the office.

The ads are a fixture we're afraid - Mumsnet wouldn't exist without them. But we are on the case re ads that flicker or move, and we will test the ads in different positions.

This isn't intended to be a 'like it or lump it' response at all: we are logging all the glitches and dislikes and they will absolutely all be considered and (where possible) addressed.

And we are genuinely sorry for the way this was rolled out (releasing it late in the afternoon, with quite a few things missing or broken, and without sufficient staff members on hand to deal with detailed queries) - it was a cock-up on our part and we will learn major lessons from it.

Hi Iona Thanks so much for replying to me (sorry again for the shout ). I don't have any circle with a downward chevron underneath the 3 blank circles...however I have just tapped in the blank space vaguely in that direction and the menu came as described. Thank you . One thing off my list done!

Not sure if these have been mentioned but just a couple more things to add (whilst I'm on the lap top so can easily post!).

• the MN sponsored post used to be in a different colour to easily spot them. At the moment they just have a blank square next to the number of posts.

• once you had read a thread the title showed in a different colour again making it easier to spot, that isn't happening anymore.

I know it must be a nightmare for MNHQ...its bringing back bad memories of rolling out new systems at work . I really don't like MNetting on my mobile now but maybe once all the glitches are ironed out and functionality/accessibility is improved then it might just be ok

I think that's fair enough, Rowan.

If you can fix the functionality - and it's already much better - then I think people will get used to the new look. (Assuming that the glare issues that are giving people migraines get sorted, of course...)

I don't actually mind the ads tbh - they don't seem that different to me from what we had before, and I recognise that they are just a necessary evil. The functionality is far, far more important!

Rowan It is really a "like it or lump it" approach, you say "we are logging all the glitches and dislikes and they will absolutely all be considered and (where possible) addressed". I am guessing the terms 'considered' and 'where possible' will be your get out of jail free card to use when members continue to express their dislike for aspects of the new site.

Secondly, and examples of this have been given on the previous threads relating to the new mobile site, there are several examples of sites changing interfacing and functionality and permanently losing a huge number of previous users to the ultimate detriment of the site.

As evidenced by these three (to date) threads a large number of your users are having problems with the new mobile site, they have persevered and are reporting the issues. However, sooner rather than later, they will stop bothering, they cannot use the site for the purpose for which it was intended, i.e., they can't read it or post on it, and before long they will just stop trying. Once they've gone and broken the 'mumsnet habit' it will take a lot to woo them back. Your hope that they "will come round to the new design and feel fairly comfortable with it" is, I fear, optimistic. How many of the people filling these threads with details of technical, functionality and visual issues would have been posting, reading and enjoying MN on their devices this weekend if only they could?

Your last paragraph "And we are genuinely sorry for the way this was rolled out (releasing it late in the afternoon, with quite a few things missing or broken, and without sufficient staff members on hand to deal with detailed queries) - it was a cock-up on our part and we will learn major lessons from it." It beggars belief that you thought it a good idea to roll out a site "with quite a few things missing or broken", I think you should also feel sorry for rolling out a new site under the 'new, improved, slicker' tagline that actually seems to have been based on the premise of 'how do we make things harder for our user base to actually use - I know, instead of one click functionality let's make it 3 or 4, and let's make it visually the worst looking site ever designed'.

Honestly, I think your users were at the very bottom of your list of priorities when designing this new site you are all so commited to, if they were even on the list at all.

Emotions, from experience I can say that you're wrong. People don't leave mn in droves to the detriment of the site because a major change is implemented. Lots threaten, some do but not many even compared to the number finding fault. There's no reason to think this time will be any different. The reaction is pretty much cut and paste of last time.

Also from experience, going on that hq didn't think of users etc etc won't get you anywhere at all. Hq are polite but firm, they've had years of experience of the foot stamping won't somebody think of the children approach to change and remain pretty unmoved. I'm sure their gin bill goes up a bit though.

Dunno if MNHQ will be interested, but I've abandoned the mobile site entirely. Thankfully the desktop site works quite well on my Samsung Galaxy S, android browser phone. I can single click on what I want, the OP and my posts are in the colours I want, I can view lots of thread titles on a page, zoom in and out on pics and text and it's quick to load. The mobile site used to be great, now is useless and pointless.

today, I'm not foot stamping and I'm cynical enough to totally agree with you that MNHQ won't/didn't give a damn about how the changes to the mobile site affect/would effect/upset their users, although to produce something which adversely affects epilepsy and migraine suffers is taking the polite but firm approach a bit too far, compounded by the fact that in their own words "quite a few things were broken or missing", not terribly professional for a site this size.

I was merely pointing out to Rowan that it is not always the case that people just suck it up and learn to live with it. All the people whose devices are crashing whilst trying to access MN are only going to stick it out for so long before they give up and if they mainly use MN on their mobile devices they are unlikely to return. MN seems quieter this weekend, that may be due to it being a Bank Holiday, or it may be due to posters who normally use the mobile site being unable to do so, if MN thinks the new mobile site is worth that and feel they are big enough and ugly enough to weather the loss of some posters with the hope of gaining new ones, that is, of course, their prerogative. I do, however, feel that losing some of the posters who have been posting on these threads will be to the detriment of MN as a whole, but that is, of course, just my opinion.

For me, personally, unless there are drastic changes and improvements to the mobile site I won't be using it, I'll stick to the desktop site and thus reduce my use of MN quite substantially (possibly no bad thing).

Today I think the possible difference here is not like a lot of roll-outs of new interfaces where users don't like how it looks, complain, but eventually get on with it, it's that for a lot of us, the new MN mobile site is unusable. No matter how many 'click on the three dots that aren't there and guess what's in the empty circle' posts MNHQ post, for a lot of users, they can't actually use the site.

The mobile site for me is just so user unfriendly. I'm not super whizzy so I liked the old mobile site because it was so simple. I cannot flip a thread,the colour for ops posts & mine,can't access threads.
I've tried desktop which is marginally better but I rarely used it before.
I have had to actually interact,in real life!!
I'm normally on mn a lot but will give it a miss I think.
I am on safari on iphone 5,ios7.

Attentionseekingfantasist Hmmm... That's a new and interesting one. Will see what we can find out and let you know.

Lottie Glad to hear it's sort of working now. Yes, if you can get on with desktop on your mobile for now that's probably the least frustrating course of action. Once we're over the weekend you should start to see improvements happening more quickly. Thanks again for bearing with us.

I mildly agree with pp who said that people will abandon mn if it's not functional.. 3 times today I've thought 'oh, il bung that on mn' opened up my internet (iPhone 5c, safari, the latest iOS) and noticed the new mobile site and thought 'fuck that for a laugh' which makes me sad :(
I've tried using the desktop site on my phone but I can't see how to bookmark posts on it, which makes following a thread bloody difficult!

Also in agreement with everyone anyone who's said that the useable screen size when trying to read a thread is horrific, it's far too small, could this be fixed by having the blue bar at the bottom thinner? might not work for those with fat thumbs!

Also, I don't know if it's meant to be like this- but every advert for me in the top bar moves/ flashes/ does something.. So far whilst looking at this thread I've had odds farm park, and the works (which are targeted ads which I'm also not keen on) and both move and it's pretty distracting!

Hope this is all fixed soon, any chance of an email when the majority of the bugs/ problems are fixed?

Nexus 7
Android 4.4.4
Chrome 36.0.1985.135

Clicking on the embedded picture of YouTube video takes you to the top of the page. Clicking on the YouTube link takes you to the right place.

Actually, just discovered that the screen size when reading a thread is only a problem on my phone (iPhone) when you scroll and hit the blue bar with your thumb as it pulls up the iPhone arrows for page navigation, which are normally hidden.. Anyway of trying to do something about that? Not sure what.. But when it's just the blue bar it's okay, when it's paired with the iPhone internet navigation it's awful?!

I've just spent sone time catching up with the posts since yesterday and now my head really hurts :(

Often when I click on a thread in Threads I'm On nothing happens. Sometimes the page starts loading but never actually gets there.

Still no sign of a chevron at the top, and there is nothing in the three circles at the top or the coloured boxes at the bottom.

Sony Ericsson Xperoa Pro, Android 2.3.4, default browser

Well I've certainly been on the site a lot less (and with a child free weekend I thought I'd be here a lot more). So based on my personal survey of one, I agree that it has had a detrimental effect on visits.

Samsung galaxy tab 2 7"
Android 4.2.2
factory default browser

I have the same problem as hashtag . I have abandoned mobilevand reverted to the desktop site as I can't open any threads. I tap and tap and nothing happens or the wrong thread will open. It is also taking a looong time to open.

Attentionseekingfantasist - apparently this should be fixed now so hopefully won't be happening again. Thank you for pointing it out to us.

Hi again everyone. Below is an updated list of all the glitches, dislikes, problems etc. It's a general list to keep it to a reasonable size so if your specific query isn't here don't panic - it's probably included under the 'umbrella' of a wider problem on this list and we've got a log of every post here, so we won't have missed you. If you think your query is not covered here, please do post on the thread. Thanks again for your patience.

BUGS, GLITCHES AND DISLIKES: A ROLLING LIST

Threads I'm On live links in thread titles and topic titles, and restoration of bookmarks as well as speed and functionality on certain devices - will be looked at next week

Bookmarks not working, and threads loading all on one page even when the user has not customised them that way NEW ISSUE - please give us feedback and LET US KNOW WHAT DEVICE, OS AND BROWSER you're using

Words in titles getting broken across lines - low priority but on the list

Original post no longer at top of paginated pages - low priority but on the list for discussion

Clicked-on threads don't change colour - will be looked at soon-ish

Lack of navigation at the top of the page - next/previous buttons - please keep the feedback coming

No 'm' next to stickied threads in boards other than Active - low priority but on the list

Accessibility issues/glaring - high priority - will be looked at early next week

Battery use - especially on Android we're investigating this issue - please keep the feedback coming

Ads that flicker or move - we're trying to find out if we can block these pre-emptively but for now please report them (mention the brand name or include a screenshot please)

Don't like having to double-tap to get to Active Convos or to reply - please keep the feedback coming

Adding top/bottom of page shortcut buttons - please keep the feedback coming, but you can navigate to the top of the page via the ellipses/three dots menu at the bottom right of each post

No All posts on one page button - please keep the feedback coming, but you can do this via customise under the sub-menu. (NB you must be logged in to see the sub-menu: it's under the downward-pointing chevron under the three main icons in the top right of the page)

No notification that PMs have been sent - low priority but on our list

Picture issues - will try to look at next week

Go To [page] doesn't work - is this still an issue?

Jumpy switch between portrait and landscape on iOS devices - is on our list

No option to turn off social media sharing buttons - is on our list

Galaxy Ace and Nokia Lumia compatibility problems - will try to look at this early next week

No MNHQ have commented on this thread link - will add to list

SN Topics look silly in Topics list because 'Special Needs' takes up too much space - is on the list

Want ability to hide threads in Active Convos list without going into thread first - will add to list

Make white space around banner ad transparent - low priority but on the list

Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro - blank circles / no ellipses - added to list of compatability problems, will be addressed early next week

Blue toolbar drifting around screen - problem for both Android/iPhone - being investigated

Screen freezing when trying to post message - esp. iPhone 5s/Safari/iOS 7 - added to list

Font size needs addressing - flagged to Tech

Want it to be easier to namechange again - working on this week

PLEASE ALWAYS INCLUDE: YOUR DEVICE, YOUR BROWSER AND YOUR OS WHEN REPORTING ANY PROBLEMS - WE CAN'T USE YOUR INFORMATION WITHOUT IT

iPhone 5c
ios 7
Safari

There is no option to bump and reset watched threads. Also the number of replies on my watching list does not update even when the thread has been updated. The old site used to list the begining of replies too which is very useful

Thanks, Iona - yes, it's not happening any more that I can see. That was quick!