Tinkering with the forum format!

[#1]

The constant tinkering with the Adobe User forums has resulted in this less than ideal mess of a Forum Format.

The tinkerers seem to be set on some 'FEATURE CREEP' agenda that benefits the back stage of the forum process. eg datamining, data sharing, data gathering.

None of that serves the users one iota.

The latest forum format seems to be written and designed by those that have no idea how a "real conversation" works in "real life".  They probably have only ever communicated electronically ...txt, tweet, email, blog etc.  In fact they probably never have had face to face communication experiences.  Any forum should replicate a conversation . ie an OPEN exchange of thoughts and ideas.  One needs to know who one is conversing with is a good example.

Of the forums I participate in...the Adobe forums went from the best forum experience  to the worst.

Sack the jive coach!

Thoughts from a longtime Adobe Product user and Forum participant

[#2]

The constant tinkering with the Adobe User forums has resulted in this less than ideal mess of a Forum Format.

The tinkerers seem to be set on some 'FEATURE CREEP' agenda that benefits the back stage of the forum process. eg datamining, data sharing, data gathering.

None of that serves the users one iota.

The latest forum format seems to be written and designed by those that have no idea how a "real conversation" works in "real life".  They probably have only ever communicated electronically ...txt, tweet, email, blog etc.  In fact they probably never have had face to face communication experiences.  Any forum should replicate a conversation . ie an OPEN exchange of thoughts and ideas.  One needs to know who one is conversing with is a good example.

Of the forums I participate in...the Adobe forums went from the best forum experience  to the worst.

Sack the jive coach!

Thoughts from a longtime Adobe Product user and Forum participant

[#3]

shooternz wrote:

...the Adobe forums went from the best forum experience  to the worst.

I personally doubt that it was ever "the best", but it was more or less usable, despite its many faults.  Now there's even less of it!

John (Forum Admin) promised that some of it will be restored, but why not all?

In fact I am wondering why usability needed to be removed, instead of adding some?

[#4]

It was the Best Forum Format back before Jive.

[#5]

I still strongly refuse to go into Facebook, Twitter or the like, but I share yours feelings completely. Conversation is quile a lot older than them.

[#6]

Apart from the recent linking of Community Help and the forums (which has nothing whatsoever to do with the redesigned interface) I'm curious where that idea came from. The tools that show site statistics aren't affected by the new skin, and the database record for a post or a user hasn't changed at all - only the templates used to display them.

shooternz wrote:

The tinkerers seem to be set on some 'FEATURE CREEP' agenda that benefits the back stage of the forum process. eg datamining, data sharing, data gathering.

[#7]

My real concern is the waste of space. When the Adobe forums was first moved to Jive, the use of space was a big concern. They improved it and then created this mess. The list of topics in a discussion is not only about half the screen, and that is on a wide screen format. There are other things like the big wide "actions" etc on the right that on this screen along takes about 2/7 of the wide screen. Even when I go to a reduced font (that is hard to read), it takes a lot of space. Then in the discussion list there is an additional column that is squeezed between the discussion list and the right column. It is really annoying.

If some options were given to deselect some info from the view I would be right there. I understand Jive can do that, but it never seems to make the forum options for me.

[#8]

shooternz wrote:

The latest forum format seems to be written and designed by those that have no idea how a "real conversation" works in "real life". 

...among other things!

I think all the "observations" about this New and Improved design were mentioned when Adobe chose to switch to Jive.  The forums seem to be moving backwards!  Time warp?

[#9]

In the time of the fair forums.