FocalWorld Upgrade Has Happened!

[JimFox]

Well, FocalWorld has finally upgraded!

I still have a lot of things to implement with the upgrade. I will work on those over the next couple of weeks.

So you will see some new things you like, and you will probably miss some things that you don't like.

Be sure to let me know either way, I don't want to remove a new feature that people find important. And I want to focus most on those things that you guys are missing.

1st off, you will notice the 2 column Forum listing is gone. It will be back, but it's default look I found obnoxious, so until I can alter that, the single column looks better.

2nd, the Media Gallery. I have to be honest, I had no idea they were going to strip away so much of the customization with it. I am personally sad with where the Gallery is at with the upgrade. But be sure to tell me how you like it. Maybe everyone else likes the way it looks and works.

That's it off the top of my head. Again, please give feedback.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[TimMc]

Thanks Jim

looks nice

 

[BarryHamilton]

Very good, Jim! I like the new look, especially the nicer color contrasts! Good work!

 

[Amy Earl]

Love the changes, Jim, congrats on a successful upgrade! Hope that wasn't too much of a pain!

So far I like:

• the 1 column for all forums on the homepage, I don't mind scrolling and the larger width allows that nice info to the right about the most recent poster
• the bigger text and modern look, overall
• the fullscreen option when enlarging a photo
• the expanded options in the editor (for posting/replying)
• the bigger range of smiley emojis
• probably many other things...still exploring

wishlist:

• more latest posts shown by default, on both the right sidebar and What's New
• a brighter color other than black for highlighted text in the editor - I realize I do this all the time as I'm constantly editing myself

 

[Terry Farrow]

Well, FocalWorld has finally upgraded!

I still have a lot of things to implement with the upgrade. I will work on those over the next couple of weeks.

So you will see some new things you like, and you will probably miss some things that you don't like.

Be sure to let me know either way, I don't want to remove a new feature that people find important. And I want to focus most on those things that you guys are missing.

1st off, you will notice the 2 column Forum listing is gone. It will be back, but it's default look I found obnoxious, so until I can alter that, the single column looks better.

2nd, the Media Gallery. I have to be honest, I had no idea they were going to strip away so much of the customization with it. I am personally sad with where the Gallery is at with the upgrade. But be sure to tell me how you like it. Maybe everyone else likes the way it looks and works.

That's it off the top of my head. Again, please give feedback.

Thanks,

Jim

Looks good Jim.

 

[Ben Egbert]

The "new post" button is not visible when you are in a specific post. You must go back to forums to get the button to appear to search for another new post. I am pretty sure the new posts was available from inside a post in the old one. Not a big deal, but an extra step.

 

[JimFox]

The "new post" button is not visible when you are in a specific post. You must go back to forums to get the button to appear to search for another new post. I am pretty sure the new posts was available from inside a post in the old one. Not a big deal, but an extra step.

Yep, I noticed the same thing Ben and it’s bugging me too. Like you said it’s not a big deal, but I liked being able to comment on a thread and then immediately click on New Posts. I will look into what are optioms are for that.

 

[AlanLichty]

New posts is now up one line and over at the left hand side.

 

[JimFox]

Love the changes, Jim, congrats on a successful upgrade! Hope that wasn't too much of a pain!

So far I like:

• the 1 column for all forums on the homepage, I don't mind scrolling and the larger width allows that nice info to the right about the most recent poster
• the bigger text and modern look, overall
• the fullscreen option when enlarging a photo
• the expanded options in the editor (for posting/replying)
• the bigger range of smiley emojis
• probably many other things...still exploring

wishlist:

• more latest posts shown by default, on both the right sidebar and What's New
• a brighter color other than black for highlighted text in the editor - I realize I do this all the time as I'm constantly editing myself

Thanks Amy! I am really glad you like all of those things!

My intent has been to go back to a two column design, but I have to say this single column layout is growing on me too.

Can you do a screen shot of where you are seeing the darker highlighted text. You can (you probably know) press the Print button to take a screen shot, and then click inside the Reply box or Post here and press Ctrl+V to paste it into the post. One of the cool things is the ability to actually past photos into a post.

 

[AlanLichty]

Thanks Amy! I am really glad you like all of those things!

My intent has been to go back to a two column design, but I have to say this single column layout is growing on me too.

Can you do a screen shot of where you are seeing the darker highlighted text. You can (you probably know) press the Print button to take a screen shot, and then click inside the Reply box or Post here and press Ctrl+V to paste it into the post. One of the cool things is the ability to actually past photos into a post.

Not much to see - when you highlight text the highlight is pure black against a very dark gray background. I can only barely make it out with my eyes.

The words "highlight text the highlight" are highlighted in this screen shot.

 

[Ben Egbert]

New posts is now up one line and over at the left hand side.

I see it now Alan, I wonder why it moves? I usually find it above the "Latest Posts" window on the right side.

 

[JimFox]

Hey Ben, Here is a screen shot with New Posts. I think it's different based on the actual Page you are on, but it is there.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Right I found it after Alan pointed it out. Thanks, I will get used to this and it will be second nature.

 

[JimFox]

I don't see it Alan, the highlighted text in mine is either a White background like in the screen shot or a light gray. Are you using something besides the Flex Blue theme? Amy, what about you? Are you using something besides the Flex Blue theme?

For anyone who has changed their theme colors, I suggest sticking with Flex Blue for now.

 

[AlanLichty]

I am using Flex Blue as the theme right now.

 

[JimFox]

I am using Flex Blue as the theme right now.

I am not getting where this dark background highlight is at. You see in my screen capture how it looks to me. Where exactly are you highlighting text at? In a reply with quoted text? Just highlighting text in someone’s post?

For grins, try it in that UIX Dark theme to see what happens.

 

[AlanLichty]

I am not getting where this dark background highlight is at. You see in my screen capture how it looks to me. Where exactly are you highlighting text at? In a reply with quoted text? Just highlighting text in someone’s post?

For grins, try it in that UIX Dark theme to see what happens.

The words "highlight text the highlight" are highlighted in that screen shot. The highlights were pure black on a dark gray background and was impossible to see. This sounds like it is specific to Safari as best I can tell. If I bring up Chrome and highlight text with the default Flex Blue background it shows up as a light blue so much easier to see. I use Safari for viewing photography since it actually knows how to render embedded color profiles and results in a much more accurate view of everyone's work. Chrome and Firefox don't have a clue about accurate color space.

I brought up the UI.X Dark there and get more readable highlighting although it's a fairly dark blue. Some of the other color themes (brown, green and dark blue) offer a much brighter blue highlighting although grey is the same shade as the header background and the tabs for Home/Forum/Media/etc disappear.

 

[JimFox]

Yep, leave it to Safari to mess things up.

For me, I don't worry that much about an accurate color space. If I was processing, then yes I care about the color profile, but for me, and this is just me, I don't get that super picky if the hue of a color is slightly off when viewing on the web. In fact I don't think I would even know the difference unless it was pointed out. That was why I could so happily use Internet Explorer for so many years, even past when it was supported anymore. I have finally switched to Edge because it's laid out similar to IE. But then again, I am not the person to pixel peep on web images, if an image is soft or out of focus I can tell that without pixel peeping. But I know some people like to do that, and that's great if that's they way they like to enjoy online photos. I am guessing I am in the minority here, but I sit here happy....

As for the other themes, I will disable them from even being able to be chosen. It is just something that can add confusion as we are trying to configure and tune the new look.

 

[JimFox]

Love the changes, Jim, congrats on a successful upgrade! Hope that wasn't too much of a pain!

So far I like:

• the 1 column for all forums on the homepage, I don't mind scrolling and the larger width allows that nice info to the right about the most recent poster
• the bigger text and modern look, overall
• the fullscreen option when enlarging a photo
• the expanded options in the editor (for posting/replying)
• the bigger range of smiley emojis
• probably many other things...still exploring

wishlist:

• more latest posts shown by default, on both the right sidebar and What's New
• a brighter color other than black for highlighted text in the editor - I realize I do this all the time as I'm constantly editing myself

Hey Amy, by the way, if you have the time or inclination to make up a Favicon for us, go for it. I was thinking on doing it today, but I am still swamped, plus I am trying to sneak out so I can shoot the Milky Way tonight over the Poppy Fields...

 

[Jim Dockery]

Jim, I find that I prefer the old two column dark theme to avoid so much scrolling. I'm also disappointed with the media gallery, when I tried clicking on some of the extra large pictures (mostly panos) I've taken the time to post there they don't show full size.