BadSplice

My Feedback: (1)

Considering the size of the change, I am really surprised not to have seen more dialogue on this. The new Site that RCU displayed for a short while. Personally, I really like RCU just how it is, and see no need for a complete re working. If a feature is missing, why not just add it?
But I understand that not everyone feels that way. I'm just curious, how much of RCU would prefer that it stays the way it is now, and how many would be interested in seeing the looks of the site rearranged.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

The current software won't do the new features that some want. Thats all I know. RCU wants to add features and make the site better, but this software is maxed out on what it can do, so they are upgrading. It's a good thing for all of us.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

I can,t even count the times I was told this and how wrong 'it' was. Gratuidous change just for the sake of 'Upgrade' will certainly have among many a couterproductive effect.

Definately reminds me of a someone wanting to buy an electric parkie from walmat and the very first word out of their mouth is upgrade. Upgrade is nothing more than marketing and moving product.

John

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

Have a look here...

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_85..._1/key_/tm.htm

I couldn't figure what the heck was going on at first...then figured "must be some kind of experiment"...(didn't like it )

I like things the way the way they are now, except for the search function, which could be improved...JMO.

red head

I must have caught on a day they were trying something new because it really teed me off at first. If what I saw is what they want to do, I hated it !!!! ENJOY !!! RED

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

I got on last night.........well, I tried at least. The home page would recognize me as logged on, but once I went to the forums, I was recognized as a guest and couldn't post. I absolutely hated the format, it appeared confusing and navigating was a chore. Of course, my computer I.Q. approaches negative numbers sometimes, maybe once I got used to it things would be better. Part of the frustration was not being able to even post that I couldn't post, to see if I was doing something wrong, and to ask if there were problems being worked out.

Just what does the "new" version do that this version doesn't? I understand the powers-that-be wanting to make things better, or adding new bells and whistles, but what could possibly be added that requires an entirely new look. Sometimes "NEW" doesn't necessarily mean "BETTER".

So, Admin guys, wotz tha deel heer. We gonna stay like this, or will it change again?

yellerchamp

My Feedback: (42)

Same for me, every tme I logged on to forums it kicked me to a visitor and I couldnt get in to forums. So I turned off computer and left. I figured i was thru, then logged on today and its back.

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

The new site that RCU put up was really messed up. I really like the old site. I can't imagine what new features could be that important to loose the functionality of the old site.

If it don't stink, don't stir it.

gboulton

My Feedback: (15)

Malarky.

it's a database, nothing more. Any sort of search, update, delete, ordering, grouping, aggregation, or organization you can dream up can be done just fine with mods to the front end.

Think...if the "new software" can do it, then clearly THIS software could.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with adding new features, or improving things, or whatever. But those tasks do not 'require" the sorts of wholesale changes we were breifly exposed to Friday evening any more than reduced power output from your OS .46 requires rebuilding the entire airplane.

BadSplice

My Feedback: (1)

I have to wonder what features those are, and whether they want them bad enough to lose the current forums? I have heard improved search features mentioned, but nothing else. Honestly, tightening up the search is the only thing I can imagine wanting to change, and if the new forum was the only way to do that, it would IN NO WAY be worth it. In my opinion anyway.

Nope. Some people may like it, I can concede that. However, I don't accept that losing something I like (and use a lot) and getting something in its place that I don't like and cant do anything new for me is a good thing.

My hope here was to see if enough people liked the current forums enough to keep RCU from going ahead with the changeover. But this response makes me less hopeful that this will happen.

mvigod

It actually was not a "new rcu" but an upgrade only of our forum software from the previous version to the new released version of same. The new package was not on long enough for anyone to actually see what it could do or why it holds great potential to be far better then what we have here.

We could build upon what we have here to add those same feature but since the latest version HAS them already one has to wonder why we would recode it all from the ground up just to do what the existing package does.

I am confident with everything working correctly that just about any user would come up to speed on it in a day or for those less computer literate maybe 2 or 3 on the outside. Nobody got to see the product working as intended though or long enough to see how it works.

All that said my main concerns with the upgrade is performance. The upgraded version may be too heavy for some older computers or slower laptops. I don't know what percentage of our users were affected but even 5 or 10 percent concerns me. As such we are putting the upgrade on back burner and going to add some features to this codebase we have now which will be less of a "shock" to those who do not want to see changes and love us just the way we are

One thing people should have faith in is my skills especially if you like what RCU is today. It is a product of me and my partner who are programmers and users of the site PLUS member feedback. You have to believe that if we got us to where we are right now that anywhere we take the site we are confident the moves will allow you to love the site that much more. Small changes are certainly easier for end users to adapt to. This one was not small but also not huge if you had a few hours of it working properly just to look around a bit more to see what it actually could do.

In the meantime I tossed a nugget in tonight in THIS forum...you can now embed YoutTube videos into posts with our YouTube tag (just use the button on the editor here and paste the youtube link in between the tags. Easier yet paste the youtube link in the post, highlight it then click the youtube button and it will tag the link for you. Keep your eye out for more nuggets. I don't know how much more we can tweak search as that relies on MSSQL FullText search capability which doesn't hold a candle to the google gold standard. Google does a great job and spoils all of us. On our search page we do have an RCU search by Google which you can use to supplement your searches if ours comes up short. We will see where else we can improve our own search though and take it as far as we can.

thanks for your support

marc

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

It's absolutely true that the old software is pretty much at the end of it's life. This RCU is running on ASP and the developers have stopped supporting it. The newest software will be on Dot Net platform. The biggest issues we have with the software are behind the scenes and the public will never see it, but it will make things run better on the front end. The new look was simply cosmetic. I have been on the phone with Marc several times in the last couple of days and he pointed out something funny. The complaints that we got from the new look are the same complaints that we got LAST time RCU made an "appearance" change.

Anyway, I spoke with Marc earlier this evening and for now the upgrade is on hold. Marc has some real concerns that the new forum will slow on less than top of the line computers. We're going to be doing some more testing on that. But Marc's word was that if the new forums are slower than what we have now it may never come back. It' something he's going to be taking a serious look at over the next couple of months. Everything is on hold for right now.

Ken

MetallicaJunkie

what i could i especially didnt like that it didnt have the "MY FORUM" tab

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Well, looks like Marc beat me to the punch on the post by a minute. But now you have it "from the horse's mouth!!!!"

Ken

SDCrashmaster

I can tell you that I definitely remember all the b*tchin' and moanin' that happened last time there was a major change.
I say, sneak the old, old version back in and let's see the same guys complaining.

jship

My Feedback: (4)

I love RCU. If it can be enproved, thats fine. Just don't take it away. It's My first stop every day!.

MetallicaJunkie

i agree!

BadSplice

My Feedback: (1)

OK, I think this is a really good point.
Thank you for the update. I think part of what had me worried was the fact I hadn't seen any mention of the switch before it happened, so I wasn't sure where it was coming from. The fact is, I do love RCU, have been reading and posting here for years, and hope to do so for much longer.

I can understand the part about the software not being supported. Honestly, I didn't realize that would be the case for something like a forum. (shows what I know I guess) I'm still a bit curious though, (not trying to argue) what features are being added? Honestly, it seems just great to me.

Silent-AV8R

I had no issues with the appearance of the update. I did have issue with the functionality. Basically, it did not work. If it worked then I am certain I could adapt to it. But when you get caught in an endless loop of logging in, becoming "Guest", logging in, well, that is not worth the time to mess with.

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

When i was on the other night for that short time, the screen was saying something like 62 members logged on, and 12650 guests, so I certainly wasn't the "Lone Ranger".

What are the system requirements for this "bigger and better" RCU ? My computer is three years old now, and though I have upgraded things like my RAM, sound and video cards (had to replace them when the power supply went Tango Uniform), I imagine some others may be using something as old or older. What is the minimum RAM needed to run the new graphics, etc.?

Stuntpilot51

I liked the looks of the new site, although it was obviously not ready when it was rolled out. I managed to get logged on after a couple of minutes but my biggest complaint was the lack of the my forums link. I did'nt have time to check it out further but I'm sure it would have been an improvement over the same ol' we've been used to.
It will take a couple of days to adjust to the new site once it's up, but I'm sure most people will be impressed when it's working correctly.

TakingFlight96

Why fix something thats not broke [sm=confused.gif] Its like I lost an old friend. I like the original RCU, it works, and I know how to use it. I could probably navigate the site in my sleep For a short time the other night I couldn't - post threads, post relpys, see pics, see reviews, even see the forums, the only thing I could see was ads. Looks bad & runs bad. I hope they don't change RCU for the sake of change. If RCU will continue to run like this, I dont think I'll even bother anymore w/ RCU. What smiley would best show how I liked the "new" RCU ? [:'(] That one. And maybe [sm=disappointed.gif] And for sure [sm=thumbs_down.gif]

Just my 2 cents,

TF96

jship

My Feedback: (4)

If Your not going forward, Your loosing ground!
john

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

Marc...thank you for posting here and letting us know what's going on...[8D]
Might have been much less of a shock to a lot of us though if we'd known it was gonna happen!? (if you had "warned" us previously, and I had not noticed, I apologise )

Speaking only for myself, of course, after a couple days of thinking about it, I think "hey...what the heck, this guy/these guys have brought us one of the best (if not THE best ) places to be hanging out, and if it's only going to get better, then..."

I appreciate your efforts...all of the people who make RCU the greatest on-line R/C hang out in the world...or "Universe"
More Power To Ya...as the saying goes...

Oh, BTW...I hope you bring back Spell Check

mikegordon10

I've got it now. I've figured it out. This is "Change we can believe in!"