We're re-platforming - anyone have a few mins to test our Beta site and feedback?

[JustineMumsnet]

Hi all,
As some of you already know because you've been testing it, we're in the process of re-platforming. In the last week or two we've been making changes based on your feedback and we are hoping to launch next week. Before we do that, we'd be grateful if some more Mumsnetters could take a look at it to see if there are any remaining glitches.

Our main objective in re-platforming is to move onto a new code base that will allow us to develop and improve features much faster. We have kept the functionality and design largely unchanged for now, aside from small enhancements to the user experience and some updates to a few features that don't function optimally. So, for example, there is a new version of Search and a new version of Private Messages.

If you’d like to take a look at the new platform please go to the beta site You can log in with your existing Mumsnet username and password.

For this test - we’ve taken a snapshot of the live site as it was at the end of 20 Feb - so any new posts, or changes you’ve made since then, won’t be reflected on the Beta site.

Whilst navigating around the Beta site, if you notice any usability issues or bugs, please report them via the “feedback” tab you’ll see on each page (see screenshot above). Any time you can spare to have a play (be it minutes or hours) will be hugely useful and much appreciated.

A few final things to note
1 - For now we're just focusing on the web version of the site, so if you only use the app, then we don't need you to participate just yet - we'll be looking at that in due course.
2 - If you’re a Premium member, this won’t be reflected on the Beta site just yet.
3 - Some users who've registered on Mumsnet with a social account will need to reset their password to login.
Big thanks!

@SoupDragon

It doesn't bode well if they can't even get their Beta site to work for everyone. I can't log in (even on a private browser) and I'm not deleting all my cookies just to do some free testing.

It's beta!!! That's where the majority of bugs are likely to be found!

@sashh

Can I ask that you put options so that the background colour can be changed by the user, it would help anyone who is dyslexic and some people with sight impairment.

This would be great. A lot of websites / forums now have a dark mode. Being able to change the background colour would be really helpful, as there's a lot of white space which is very distracting.

It's beta!!!
That's where the majority of bugs are likely to be found!

Gosh, really. I had no idea! 🙄

It is not the first beta site, which you could log in on, so they've managed to make it worse. If they can't even make a beta site that everyone can log in in or fix it when they claim to have found the problem then no, it doesn't bode well for the main roll out.

@SoupDragon

It's beta!!! That's where the majority of bugs are likely to be found!

Gosh, really. I had no idea! 🙄

It is not the first beta site, which you could log in on, so they've managed to make it worse. If they can't even make a beta site that everyone can log in in or fix it when they claim to have found the problem then no, it doesn't bode well for the main roll out.

Beta is the first version of any updates & changes. The site could be 20 years old & still have a beta version next month. Beta is where you get a smaller subset of users to use it, test it & report issues, before you launch to everyone!

The whole point of a beta release is to uncover issues.

I know. I'm not an idiot. 🤦🏻‍♀️ managing to introducing a bug for a basic function like logging in between one beta site and the next (for the same re-platforming) is nuts.

Do you actually understand that my first comment about it not boding well for the main release was tongue in cheek anyway?

Beta is the first version of any updates & changes.

Actually, I think this might be the third for this re-platforming. One was a "sign up to test" version, one was a few weeks ago and then this one.

@Waferbiscuit

So much advertising on the page - was that the motivation for the redev? Too much spacing between text now and each article - meaning lots more scrolling.... so we can spend more time on the pages looking at the ads! LOL

Hi @Waferbiscuit - there is no more advertising on the new site than there is on the existing one. If you're not logged in on the beta site you may seen more advertising - as is the case on the current site. Logged in = less advertising. If you spot any particular ad format that you think contradicts what I've said, please do let us know.

@sashh @Whinge
Much of the assistive technology for people with dyslexia focusses on text to speech, however My Computer My Way by AbilityNet have some details on how you can amend the colour filters on Windows 10 you may find useful? mcmw.abilitynet.org.uk/changing-colours-windows-10-using-colour-filters

Will posts like the above still work?

@ResearchForTalk thank you, Windows 10 was easy to change back ground colours, windows 10 not so much.

I still feel websites should have the options though because there are times you are using a public or work computer and cannot access the settings.

I like it. Much clearer.

If this appears - I'M IN!

I got in OK. No idea about the beta question but it looks sleeker to me.

Like that you've kept the same format, I'm too old to learn next stuff

Do we have the 1000 post option yet/

Yes it's in your settings

I've just logged out and logged back in and that's cleared many of the glitches for me.

@KatyMumsnet
Is anybody actually looking at this?
Private Messages are almost impossible for me to use because the header is fixed.
Accessibility should be better than this.
The rest of the site is fine.

Hi, @Voice0fReason we've been working on accessibility fixes for the main part of the website and will be looking at private messages next. We're working through issues as fast as we can.

Would you be willing to either share a video of the issue or jump on a screen share call with us so we can see the issues you are having first-hand?

We will test things out ourselves but it's always helpful to see what the problem is first-hand if we can.

Thanks!

I can email a video of you can tell me where to send it please.

@Voice0fReason thanks! Please send it to [email protected]

I use the mobile version of the site (not an app) and it's been a nightmare since updates have happened. Trying to post replies doesn't usually work because text jumps ahead by multiple lines or - as is currently happening - the box I'm typing in keeps going black. Random black boxes and adverts jump across the screen , obscuring the posts and it's generally very annoying!

@SE13Mummy sorry to hear you're having issues with the site.

Please can you tell me what mobile device you are using e.g iphone11 and also the browser e.g. Chrome / Safari etc?

These issues are intermittent so we're trying to track them down. To do that we need to know in which situations it's happening so we can try to recreate it on our side. Thanks!

Thanks. I'm using a Samsung Galaxy S10 to view the mobile site via Samsung internet or chrome. I was unable to reply sooner because I kept getting an error message that meant I was unable to view threads at all (see attached).