New Format for Reader/WordPress Website
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Let me know how I can help you guys. I am so sick of this reader issue and looking to move to Typepad, too.
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@ rakmilphotography
My suspicion is that the problem is a direct result of designers not being sensitive to the same things photographers would be. Different themes display in different ways in this new reader etc.
It’s my opinion that Staff are fully aware of the feedback here that you think they are not aware of. I don’t believe the amount of Staff time and energy being invested in this conversion is by any means “small”. It’s a huge investment a that’s aimed at moving forward in a rapidly changing technological environment. I could be wrong but I believe a great deal of Staff thought and planning (ie. over a year) of preparation has gone into this conversion.
It’s my opinion that Staff focus is on the fact that there are now more people with smartphones on this planet, that there are those with toothbrushes. Moreover, it’s expected that by the time this year ends and 2014 dawns there may be more people with smartphones that do not have running water, electricity and a formal education.
In other words it’ my opinion that Staff are focused on creating a cloud hosted touch compatible platform and we bloggers are not in the know when it comes to all the factors that developers have to consider at all.
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edit: “that do not have running water, electricity and a formal education than those who do have those.”
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The new changes still suck regardless of the running water status of those sharing the planet. A paid staff member response would be great.
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So you think that they think that people will prefer looking at the reader on their smart phones. I have a smart phone and I never look at the reader, only get 1.5 gb with my phone, I’m not wasting it by looking at the reader.
Also the app on the smart phone is completely different to how you use it on your computer, so why make the reader the same for both. That doesn’t make sense. People are always going to prefer using a computer to a phone to look at the internet. I have two teenage girls, their laptops get used as much as their phones. They don’t use the internet on their phones when their laptop is available. Sounds to me like WP are making a massive mistake.
I agree, hearing from a staff member would be best, would be good to know exactly what they are plannin. -
I meant no ill by what I said. There are in fact many photographic texts and courses that spend considerable effort in explaining these issues. Having also looked at this from web design side and book design side, its very different. There was no/no intent to impugn anyone. Just a suspicion on my part that good web design may conflict with good composition in photography.
As for smart phones on my Iphone it indicates in “blogs I follow” the number of words, images and links. There may be more reason on a smart phone for larger type and less detail but not on a desktop device.Thanks
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@rakmilphotography
I know you meant no ill. Have you considered setting up an account and site on a platform that’s for photographers?http://www.shutterfly.com
Turn your photos into photo books, cards and gifts
Free unlimited picture storage. We never delete.
Easy and fun to create and personalize.
Happiness guaranteed. You’ll love it. We promise. -
Yes I have thought about it.
WP has the advantage of a broader less focused community. People have contacted me for help and advice with things photographic and I have enjoyed responding. On a photo only site it can be more competitive, which has its own benefits.
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The thing that keeps crossing my mind is … “WP had to do user-testing on the changes before they pushed them out. How could they NOT have done user-testing? And thinking that, how did we end up with what we got?”
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It looks like some of the worst issues seem to have been fixed: the arbitrary cropping is gone and the text is now being picked up. The spam filter is also back. – So thanks for that, whoever was listening.
The layout is still confused, as there is no clear separation between two posts: previously this was the title, which was good as it gave a “way in” to the image. What is still missing, is the information whether there are more text and images, previously the “read more” and thumbnails”
Why are these important?
Sometimes we post just a quick pic or quote – anyone who clicks hoping for more will be disappointed. Then when we do post more, nobody will see it, because by then they’ve “learnt” not to click.
So please reinstate the information.
Thanks. -
On cropping its hit or miss under “blogs I follow” and topic “photography”. On the rest I agree.
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I think I can sum it up:
Before: The reader layout was so professional looking, it made the work of amateurs look polished and professional.
Now: The new reader layout makes everyone’s work look amateurish.
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rakmilphotography I posted something on my blog, don’t know that it will make a difference, but there you are, also found I had been taken off this and not receiving notifications anymore, interesting.
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Leanne,
Wonderful post!
I too was taken off twice.
I pulled back a bit after Timethief suggested I move to another website. In fact I am on Nikonians, Cambridge in Color and NAPP. You post there for the comments and criticism, and one of the most frequent C&Cs is a suggested re-crop.
I agree with you that WP offer a lot in terms of discovery and community that the dedicated photo forums do not.
Hoping things change, -
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@rakmilphotography
I did not suggest you move your content. I asked this:Have you considered setting up an account and site on a platform that’s for photographers?
I am a blogging tips blogger. I was thinking you may want to investing time and energy into establishing have an additional site for the traffic and backlink value it could generate to your existing blog. The more backlinks pointing to your site the better it is for establishing authority in your photography niche and achieving a higher pagerank.
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@rakmilphotography
edit: Sorry. My vision is very bad today. I meant to type:
I was thinking you may want to consider investing time and energy into establishing an additional site for the traffic and backlink value it could generate to your existing blog. -
We’re both long-timers here at WP.
I’ve been with WP since January 2006, with one blog or another, and have seen the UI evolve through the years. With each new feature and improvement, I’ve liked some. Others were so-so, and some I disliked. As a whole, I remained with WP because it’s the better platform. It’s more intuitive, more flexible, and the ease of use better. On the otherhand, some of the new features and improvements to the UI, over the years, have eroded some of that intuitiveness and ease of use.
Regarding the new iteration of the Reader/WP format, I don’t particularly care for it too much. It displays poorly if you’re using a desktop/laptop. It may display well on a tablet/smartphone, but have no sense of it does since I use neither device for internet purposes. I try to keep my interaction with the Reader/WP homepage to a minimum, only using it to see what’s new. With the new format, I’ve reduced my interaction with Reader more so.
I agree with your opinion that staff has probably made a determination to transition the overall appearance of the Reader/WP format to a more mobile-friendly, touch-friendly platform since it appears that is where the technology is headed, and which people may be using more in the future.
With that said, it’s my hope that staff has also considered not everyone will be using the mobile/touch approach. Photographers, for example, are more likely to use the desktop/laptop in processing their work, and stay with that hardware platform as they bring it forward to the larger audience. Likewise for the serious writer.
I could sunstantially add to my comments but don’t want it to become a rambling mess.
Have a good day!
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