Heads up - we're about to introduce a wee (it's really not that big) site update...

[JustineMumsnet]

Morning folks,

As some of you pointed out at the time, the new navigation bar we introduced a little while back on the desktop site sits a little uncomfortably with what goes underneath it, design-wise.

So today we're introducing a little refresh of the rest of Talk. This update is also a bit closer to the mobile version, which it currently clashes with, so those who frequently switch from desktop to mobile will get a less variable experience.

If you use Mumsnet solely on mobile or tablet: as you were! Nothing’s going to change for you.

For desktop users, the functionality is unchanged (except for the addition of a threads I'm on button on the left hand side) but the fonts will look a little different.

We realise that any change can be difficult (and not necessarily welcome!) but please do give it a few days, as very often, we find, things like this just take a little getting used to and soon enough you've moved on and won't remember the difference.

As ever, we’re really keen to have your feedback, though, so do post below with your thoughts (we’re confident that you will ). Also, if anyone fancies getting involved in the testing of this kind of stuff, do shout, we're always looking for volunteers.

We’ll switch everything over in the next hour or so - let us know what you think! We’ll keep this thread stickied in Site Stuff and Active Conversations throughout at the day.

Justine

Mmmm. OK. I can now see that it appears to be 'stickied' in Site Stuff - but only if you click on Active.

But if you go straight into Site Stuff, then it's not 'stickied'

And now - haha - it is 'stickied' in Site Stuff!

I find the font easier to read on my posts and OPs' posts, where there is a coloured background.

Which made me wonder - are there any dyslexics around, and how do they find it? The font is of a type that's meant to be easier for dyslexics, but a lot of dyslexics struggle with a white background.

Finding the new font really hard work - just when I need an easy read

Oh no - change!
I would have preferred a warning.

Aha, I've worked it out. My wife wants me to do more IRL, so she's got Mumsnet to modify their site so that it can be read for 10 minutes at the most... after that, I have to go and do some housework, or gardening, or something, to rest my eyes.

Brilliant plan, DW..

Love the new font - so much easier to read - makes the page a lot less cluttered looking.

Can't really see the point of the "threads I'm on" being on the top and on the side too

Could you make the line with last 15 mins last hour, threads I started etc into blue boxes too - the blue boxes make it so much easier to spot/use

Bit odd that the font in the message box is much bigger than that which appears in the thread

Font is awful. It is too difficult to read (too skinny and lack of contrast) and is giving me a headache. May need to take the break from Mumsnet that I've been promising myself for ages.

Mumsnet HQ you do realize that no one over the age of 25 works at/tests things at Google so I wouldn't rely on them for vetting things that are used by the many many mumsnetters who are a little older (age 52 here) and sporting weakish eyes.

Regarding AdBlocker...I started running mine when everyone started showing "blinking" and "flashing" ads that were giving me a migraine, clogging up my cpu and crashing Chrome. If Mumsnet offered a "lite" version of ads that doesn't flash at me, I'd be happy to turn off my AdBlocker for your site (even though I'm in the USA and most of the ads don't apply to me).

I don't like it! It's all too light and bright and it's giving me a headache :(

A resounding thumbs down for the new font. It is too small and too indistinct. I do not want to have to work so hard to read text or post. Not pleasant at all .

Aha, the font size of 'I'm On' has increased.

But I'd like things to be a bit bolder.

Disturbing font.

The weight is better now

eat, the im on link is over there now

no, making the font bold doesn't make it readable. And the kiddy big spaces between lines aren't needed either, we don't follow the text with our fingers.

no website 'upgrade' ever made things better! You should know that.

The bigger font size on 'I'm On' is better than the font size on users' posts.

I keep losing everything - if I press "refresh the display" then I lose what's there already - except for smilies and bold text, but the gaps are the "right" size for the text that was there. Is weird.

I generally don't like it though, it's giving me a headache (another old gimmer with dodgy eyes although my prescription is up to date).

'Just being large won't help - it'll be just as thin and unreadable just bigger. '

Absolutely. It is a crap font as if someone used a very thin fountain pen that thinly scratches out letters on a page and where the colour of letters varies depending on the weight put on the thin metal of the fountain pen. What would be better is a thick luxuriant fountain pen with a thick font.

The spacing on this font needs to be expanded but it won't help much because the font is so thin, skinny and scratchy.

This is fine on my phone (iOS) but terrible on my laptop (Chrome), far too faint, smiley list unreadable for example, and the font seems much more narrow and thin than I have seen elsewhere. Exclamation marks are almost indistinguishable from a preceding L and TIO is almost unreadable too.

MNHQ, is t possible to provide more info on "accessibility" - is that regardless of browser and the amount of text, for example, and has the new site been tested for accessibility with a range of users?

The font is bothering me too, admittedly my eyesight is not the best, but it is blurring out around the edges after a while, so difficult to read, I do wear glasses and had no issue with the previous font at all. It does look cleaner but not good for a long lurk to see what occurring on a Friday night after wine o'clock, I have popped in and out throughout the day and it has not improved clarity for me. It maybe better for mobiles but definitely not for desktop.

Well I just came on to look at the archers thread - been on 5 mins and my head is starting to ache. Badly done MNHQ, badly done

I don't know if it's me , but has it changed back ?

Sorry MNHQ but I really don't like it. It's given me an actual headache after only a short period - it's not just that it seems too small and I'm not comfortable reading posts somehow, but also something about the font is really confusing to my eyes?