New Forum problems/feedback.

[nomorepanic]

Please can we bear with us on this one. Alex has a full time job and other commitments and is doing this as a favour to me and all NMP members. We cannot expect him to be working on this full time. Thanks

[venusbluejeans]

Not at ALL, Miss V

Of course not

[Carnation]

Sorry, I thought you wanted to know problems as per the heading you are cross Nicola? You sound cross.
To be honest, it's the least of the worries in my life. I don't get answered anyway like I'm invisible. only to be told off or to be told to shut up or go away!
I was under the impression that a lot of longstanding members give free time and an incredibly huge amount of time, sometimes day and night with no thanks to try to help others on here, even if we are unfortunate enough to be medically unfit to even have a job and struggle with day to day life? Am I now barred for speaking out?
Oh well, I can just add it to the rest of the disappoints in my life. :emot-crying

[Carnation]

In truth, if the new formatted forum can not be maintained, it should not have been done in the first place, let alone the stress and grief it has caused many members that are struggling, some in silence, some have don't bother coming on anymore.
This is a lifeline for many sick people, its not a browser site like looking for a bargain on ebay, its a site that people use out of desperation, scared people, lonely people, people that don't go out and never see a living soul and they are not bothered about the latest typeset or avatar picture. They just need to be able to communicate and get help. Mental conditions are very serious matters, which you will no doubt know and what you created is truly wonderful and very selfless of you, but there is also a responsibility in the Site you gave birth to. And although you rate very high in my admiration for your principles and warrant an award for what you have done, you surely can't just walk away and say I only have an hour spare on a Tuesday or Thursday? If you need money, be bold and ask for it. 'Don't ask, don't get!'
Sorry members are really struggling with the new site and are just too scared to tell you.
Ban me if you want to for speaking out, my mission in telling you these things for the good of the members and forum has been said.
I have no doubts that the update of the site was well intentioned for the benefit of the members, but perhaps the outcome was not predicted as far as maintaining it and members not being able to use it as well as they did before.
Sincerely, Carnation.

[whispershadow]

Carnation, I thought Nic was telling me off for joking about the cats and dogs thing

[venusbluejeans]

No Nic isn't cross, she just said it to remind everyone that Alex can only work on NMP in his spare time so the things which people are bringing up can only be solved quite slowly due to Alex's other commitments.

Her comment wasn't aimed at anyone but just a general one

No one was getting 'told off'

Also it is impossible to have a website 100% before it goes live as issues can only be seen when it is live hence this thread. Then the issues will be fixed when they can be. Alex has a life, he has a full time job, other commitments and other websites to deal with... he does this completely free of charge and it takes up a lot of his time as it is. he is amazing at what he does. It is certainly not a money issue at all, money isn't going to programme the 'active topics' for us, that is down to the dedication and hard work of Alex. It will be done when it can be and we won't be asking Alex to do more work on NMP than he already does as everyone needs a break from a computer screen sometimes.

[nomorepanic]

I wasn't telling anyone off - far from it.

I was just saying that "we are listening" to all the issues members have and we have an ongoing list that is being worked on. I am a technical person but some of the stuff that needs fixing is way beyond my knowledge and only Alex can do it when he gets time.

I am sorry if members don't like the new forum but we had to upgrade it for the mobile friendly capability.

It is not about needing money to sort the issues either - it is purely Alex finding time to do it as well as work full time and having other commitments.

Any comments you post here are read and added to the list if we feel they are an issue.

[whispershadow]

Thanks Nic and Alex

[whispershadow]

Oh and Carnation I can't speak for others but I'm listening to you

[Carnation]

Thank you whisper at least you acknowledge me by name. Sometimes I feel like a needle in a haystack. :(

Nicola, I appreciate you coming on to answer and Emmez, who loyally supports Nicola in any way she can.
I'm aware you are both busy people and have personal lives too.
But! I think the point has been missed completely.
It's not about a new format or old one.
It's about it not working and upsetting members because they are unable to communicate and when they try and it fails, they give up!
Just a suggestion, but maybe another body on board the technical side would relieve the burden and frustration from yourself and Alex, because otherwise the outcome could mean waiting months for the problems and grief to be resolved.

There are more issues I have not mentioned yet and a little scared to, but here goes anyway...
Pictures don't load properly. They appear in word form, i. e. Gifs. When they do load, they appear all on one line and not in column format. Sometimes there is nothing at all.
Some emojis push the alignment of text out and appear half a line down. Sometimes the insert emojis don't work at all and jump around the page, hard to find them, sometimes they at the bottom, to the side and the top of the page.
As for the mobile friendly situation, I see no change apart from auto save which is apparent on computer as well.

All be it to tell you what to do as you are the boss and could end it all by pulling the plug on the whole thing if you wanted, but presently, the new format has more problems than benefits.
I can imagine how disappointed you must be knowing you must have wanted improvements and add ons and hope it all works out.
You must know by now that I am genuinely trying to help and advise, but as a technical person myself, even I can't get to grips with it. :(