Welcome to the new whathifi.com!

[radiorog]

I think macs comment, and I totally agree with him, is that its not and it shiuldnt be all about business, and how many people are struggling with the websites other issues.inthis case, one persons problem can be more important than ten thousand other peoples problems.

 

[relocated]

Given that this site is still a 'pig's ear' and a number of direct questions have been ignored [apparently]:

COULD SOMEONE WITH SOME KNOWLEDGE AND AUTHORITY PLEASE TELL US WHERE THIS UPGRADE IS AND WHEN MAC WILL GET PROPER ACCESS TO THIS SITE??????

Sent in hope rather than expectation, given the hopeless conduct thus far.

 

[Andy Clough]

Given that this site is still a 'pig's ear' and a number of direct questions have been ignored [apparently]:

COULD SOMEONE WITH SOME KNOWLEDGE AND AUTHORITY PLEASE TELL US WHERE THIS UPGRADE IS AND WHEN MAC WILL GET PROPER ACCESS TO THIS SITE??????

Sent in hope rather than expectation, given the hopeless conduct thus far.

Relocated, there's no need to shout. I've been on holiday for 10 days (yes, even I'm allowed one occasionally

), but before I left I got in touch with the RNIB regarding Macspur's issue. They have been extremely helpful and on my return from holiday this morning I had both an email, and follow-up phone call from them to discuss the matter.

Mac's specific issue is with the screen reader he's using (JAWS) and I had a meeting first thing this morning with our Drupal product manager who is looking into the issue. It's been added as a key priority to the list of things to be fixed, and once we understand what the issue is, we'll fix it. There's no lack of respect intended, and in fact I have been corresponding privately with Macspur via email regarding this issue in an attempt to help him.

That said, I do agree with JD that we also need to look carefully at other issues, not least some of the problems users are having posting on mobile/tablet and certain UX/navigation issues. We are working our way through these but as a lot of people have been on holiday over the last few weeks (me included) we've been a bit short staffed. Not an excuse, just a statement of fact.

I can't wave a magic wand to fix everything overnight, but rest assured these issues are not being ignored.

 

[bigboss]

I was about to say that this site was running ok on my iPad Mini, but then I suddenly couldn't write any more in my previous post.

 

Disable rich text (click on the arrow on top right of the box) and continue typing. If it stops again, enable rich text (you can keep toggling until you type your response). 🙂

 

[bigboss]

I received an Email today assuring me that my particular issues have been escalated to the head of product development, but was unable to give any timescales as to when they may be resolved, if indeed they can!

I assume the Email was from Andy, but sadly it wasn't signed.

I have offered my assistance with any queries that will undoubtedly arise.

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

What astonishingly awful manners.  Yet another sign of the arrogance being displayed, regarding this carbuncle of a site.  It seems everyone must be on holiday as direct questions put on here get no reply.

I think your constant and excessive comments about "bad manners" is uncalled for. Being the last bank holiday weekend (and seeing the number of my colleagues who took leave), I'm sure WHF would have been understaffed. You really need to chill out.

 

[relocated]

I was about to say that this site was running ok on my iPad Mini, but then I suddenly couldn't write any more in my previous post.

Disable rich text (click on the arrow on top right of the box) and continue typing. If it stops again, enable rich text (you can keep toggling until you type your response). 🙂

Thank you for your help.

As to your subsequent post. I have no need to relax or calm down or chill out, or whatever term you used. If there were going to be staffing problems then a simple post to that effect could have been made. It does seem strange to me that if key people go on holiday, why they do not appoint a deputy who can actually sort things out or have the good manners to let people know that nothing meaningful is likely to happen in the next xx days.

Oh and I'll keep pointing out poor manners when I see them, particularly when impacting on disadvantaged members of our community. Without decent manners, where are we?

 

[relocated]

Given that this site is still a 'pig's ear' and a number of direct questions have been ignored [apparently]:

COULD SOMEONE WITH SOME KNOWLEDGE AND AUTHORITY PLEASE TELL US WHERE THIS UPGRADE IS AND WHEN MAC WILL GET PROPER ACCESS TO THIS SITE??????

Sent in hope rather than expectation, given the hopeless conduct thus far.

Relocated, there's no need to shout. I've been on holiday for 10 days (yes, even I'm allowed one occasionally ), but before I left I got in touch with the RNIB regarding Macspur's issue. They have been extremely helpful and on my return from holiday this morning I had both an email, and follow-up phone call from them to discuss the matter.

Mac's specific issue is with the screen reader he's using (JAWS) and I had a meeting first thing this morning with our Drupal product manager who is looking into the issue. It's been added as a key priority to the list of things to be fixed, and once we understand what the issue is, we'll fix it. There's no lack of respect intended, and in fact I have been corresponding privately with Macspur via email regarding this issue in an attempt to help him.

That said, I do agree with JD that we also need to look carefully at other issues, not least some of the problems users are having posting on mobile/tablet and certain UX/navigation issues. We are working our way through these but as a lot of people have been on holiday over the last few weeks (me included) we've been a bit short staffed. Not an excuse, just a statement of fact.

I can't wave a magic wand to fix everything overnight, but rest assured these issues are not being ignored.

Thank you for your response. As to shouting, well it did its work, since other non-shouty posts received no replies. I am very pleased to hear that you are in direct contact with Mac and RNIB and trust that his issues will be resolved soonest.

No-one, I suspect, certainly not me expects you to go without your holiday but surely you have a person who can deputise or at least let us punters know that little is likely to happen in the next xx days. A little info would prevent a lot of spleen venting.

As to magic wands. Well I can't remember how long this site has been the disaster that it has been [and to a lesser extent still is] but if the site had been built half decently in the first place then fires wouldn't need putting out or magic wands waving.

ps I've tried to soften my reply with appropriate smiley faces etc, but they refuse to work atm. Hey ho, perhaps 'kissing frogs' may be more efficacious than wands. 🙂

 

[Petherick]

Okay Andy, you have stated in another thread "If you wish to make comments on the new site, please do so on my original thread" so here I am (is this the original thread to which you refer?). By the way, is there now no need for an 'About The Site' section then?

It's still rubbish. It looks like it was designed with the specification 'Use only the 5 brightest colours you can find plus black white and grey, but where possible use white-on-grey or black-on-grey so users have to squint to read it. Ensure that it looks like a hoarding outside a low-cost supermarket. Do not test it before launching it and when users give feedback, insist that they are wrong and you are right.'

 

[BenLaw]

I was about to say that this site was running ok on my iPad Mini, but then I suddenly couldn't write any more in my previous post.

Disable rich text (click on the arrow on top right of the box) and continue typing. If it stops again, enable rich text (you can keep toggling until you type your response). 🙂

That doesn't work for me on iPhone 5, it still freezes if ever I scroll. A ridiculous solution in any event - no offence to you, but it is indicative of how broken this site is.

 

[relocated]

I was about to say that this site was running ok on my iPad Mini, but then I suddenly couldn't write any more in my previous post.

Disable rich text (click on the arrow on top right of the box) and continue typing. If it stops again, enable rich text (you can keep toggling until you type your response). 🙂

That doesn't work for me on iPhone 5, it still freezes if ever I scroll. A ridiculous solution in any event - no offence to you, but it is indicative of how broken this site is.

You are exactly right. Had the suggested work around been made by other than a fellow forumer then I would have been somewhat more robust about its suggestion. I don't know how long this farcical situation has been going on, it feels like forever, but there seems to be little forward momentum in sorting it out.

It is a great shame because although the Reviews are often a joke, there is plenty of info available and the Forum is mostly entertaining. Perhaps it'll all be sorted by Xmas.

 

[Macspur]

A bit of an update on my problem with regards to accessibility to the new site.

WHF have been in touch to say they have been doing some testing, but couldn't find any problems, so I pointed out to them again its the use of buttons I am unable to use i.e for cutting and pasting links. Now awaiting for any developments.

However, in the mean time, I've tried using Google Chrome and believe it or not, I am able to use that facility, but it is still a bit of a faf and no where near as easy as it used to be so would still appreciate it if anything can be done with I.E.

I'm sorry to see such little progress with the problems you are all still experiencing.

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

 

[audiodarkness]

I've just come back to the site after its update. Ow dear!!!! What a mess. My macbook pro has a fit loading the front page, and the font is very very hard to read. Sorry if this has been said before and I'm going over old ground, but What Hi-Fi just looks like its totally sold out to the highest bidder, what a shame!

 

[BigH]

Why is the site running so slowly, each post takes about 1 minute to open even on the pc, gave up using the ipad some time ago as hopeless for this site.

 

[radiorog]

Why is the site running so slowly, each post takes about 1 minute to open even on the pc, gave up using the ipad some time ago as hopeless for this site.

Agreed....mine slowed right up today

 

[Electro]

I have found the site very slow for the last few days as well , it reminds me of using the internet about 20 years ago !

The upside is that I can make a cup of tea whist waiting for the next thread to load *mosking*

 

[chebby]

We've just had a short outage with a notification that it was for maintenance.

Have the WHF? staff any updates for us about progress with all the fixes?

 

[Andy Clough]

In reply to chebby, this morning's update was to move the entire site to new servers hosted by a different company which should (hopefully) speed things up a bit.

Regarding the rest of the site, we are working on some changes to the design of the Homepage, News and Reviews landing pages and a complete revamp of the Awards section, all of which are planned to go live on October 14th when we announce our 2014 Awards results.

 

[BenLaw]

So no plans to do anything about the forums?

How do you find their usability, Andy?

 

[tinkywinkydipsylalapo]

So no plans to do anything about the forums?

How do you find their usability, Andy?

They seem to be good enough for the very infrequent user ;-)

 

[Andy Clough]

We have a rolling programme of improvements that will take place over the next 6-12 months, and the Forums will be part of that. But right now we are focused on the Awards, for obvious reasons, as we have a deadline of October 13th looming. Site navigation, particularly from the Homepage, has also been a big issue so we will address that too.

We can't fix everything at once so improvements will be made in stages. We have to share the dev team with all the other Drupal brands in Haymarket, and as a business therefore we have to prioritise as best we can.

 

[relocated]

We have a rolling programme of improvements that will take place over the next 6-12 months, and the Forums will be part of that. But right now we are focused on the Awards, for obvious reasons, as we have a deadline of October 13th looming. Site navigation, particularly from the Homepage, has also been a big issue so we will address that too.

We can't fix everything at once so improvements will be made in stages. We have to share the dev team with all the other Drupal brands in Haymarket, and as a business therefore we have to prioritise as best we can.

I know we 'are where we are', but if the change had been done correctly in the first place we wouldn't be 'where we are'. How much time, effort and money has been wasted due to this debacle? Not to mention all the regulars that have abandoned the site and won't be recommending your product, probably ever again.

Having said that, the recent server change has certainly speeded things up. At least the site is no longer THE slowest site, it just bumps around with other slow ones.

Are you going to leave behind all the IOS users that don't migrate to 8? Not everyone can and many don't want to, given the problems with the new os. I certainly can't use my iPad Mini to access WHF because of the 'tiles' that wander around the display, seemingly at random.

 

[chebby]

I certainly can't use my iPad Mini to access WHF because of the 'tiles' that wander around the display, seemingly at random.

I've never experienced anything like that with my (bog standard, non-Retina, wi-fi only) iPad Mini with iOS 7 or iOS8.

Can you do a screen print of the tiles wandering around and post it here?

Here is mine ...

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Priorities absolutely. But who felt that bright yellow blobs were top of the list?

 

[relocated]

I certainly can't use my iPad Mini to access WHF because of the 'tiles' that wander around the display, seemingly at random.

I've never experienced anything like that with my (bog standard, non-Retina, wi-fi only) iPad Mini with iOS 7 or iOS8.

Can you do a screen print of the tiles wandering around and post it here?

Here is mine ...

Chebby, I couldn't screen print to save my life and I find it hard to imagine how moving tiles would be captured. I am talking about the 'tiles' on the home page, if I have misled or been misunderstood. 🙂

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

I've been away from this thread because many people were saying the right things about the "new" site.I see less and less new posts per day, i see that "old" members are living the site, the most frequent members like Cno and PP to name a few don't post for a few days.It IS almost impossible to right a post from my ipad2, all this facts are known by the mod still nothing, or too little is being done.The new site were suppose to do things better but they didn't...What is happening to my favourite hifi site...?