New site difficult to navigate

[01bigair]

Have had bad luck trying to search topics and just updated my boat for sale and I think I did it twice, shows my add at the top but not with the updated post. New site seems to be like a Mailbu, all bling and no sing. Not happy with the upgrade. I know it's free to be on here and I appreciate that Jeff puts alot of time in managing this site but I do not feel like I can get what I need as easy as I could before. Alot of us are not PC geeks and sites should remember this when they upgrade. My 2 cents worth

[NautiqueJeff]

What kind of issues are you having with the search? I have not heard of anyone else having search issues on the new site, although I did hear about it all the time on the old site. I would welcome any suggestions you have for making the site function better.

I have removed your double post in your boat for sale thread. Since the posts were made three minutes apart, it appears that was caused by user error as opposed to a site malfunction. If the post times were almost identical, that would point more to site issues, but that isn't the case here.

I am going to include below my response to the only other negative comment I have received about the site upgrade. Hopefully it will shed some light on the main reasons for the site upgrade.

I am sorry to hear that you do not like the new website. The site has been live now for several weeks, and this is the first negative comment that I have received. Everyone else seems to really like the new design.

It became necessary to replace the (very) outdated forums software of the old site with something new. I decided to go with software from vBulletin, which is a very well-known and respected vendor. The old site was severely lacking in features and, more importantly, security. vBulletin’s security features are very highly-respected. In fact, that’s one of the main reasons I chose their software for the new version of PlanetNautique.

I agree with you that newer isn’t always better. Even so, an eight-year-old website running on software that is no longer supported by the manufacturer, has serious security flaws, and can no longer comfortably support the needs of the community is way overdue to be replaced with something more modern.

The upgrade was not done at all for the 'bling' affect. It was almost completely done for the security and additional features included in the new software, as well as its much-improved ability to support our large and growing user base.

[AirTool]

I haven't had too much fun with the change either. I just haven't complained because (believe it or not), I've been trying to complain less. I also believe it will just take some time getting the hang of it and learning the secrets. My post level has been low lately due to the new site and being very busy. The busy part has prevented me from asking Jeff specific questions about how to do some of the tricks I used to do.

I haven't had good luck with the search either. I figured I wasn't doing it right or it didn't like my IE6. I also cannot stand not being able to search for three letter words like oil, rpm, LED, 330, zr6, etc.

I know the upgraded was required and I will promote it. I just have been slow to learn it...which is not my nature. I generally pick up shortcuts, tricks, and efficiency rather quickly.

[SkiTower]

I know the upgraded was required and I will promote it. I just have been slow to learn it...which is not my nature. I generally pick up shortcuts, tricks, and efficiency rather quickly.

Same here. Two minor points if it's possible to fix: I loved the smiles function previously (being able to put them in the message) and the minimum post hurts (you can't respond "ha ha" anymore). I also miss the ability to underline and bold words.

I don't know if these are intentional or a byproduct of the new software but I thought I'd mention them in case they were minor to change.

On a positive note, I do appreciate the improved security. This is the ONLY site I participate on because I feel good about the about security.

And AirTool...stay busy...then I MIGHT have a chance to catch you.

[NautiqueJeff]

I can adjust the minimum post size. It is still set to the software default. No big deal to adjust that. I'll get that done today. I can also look into the smilies. I don't expect that to be too difficult to implement either.

vBulletin did have some issues displaying properly in IE6, but that's why I installed the latest upgrade last week. Those issues are supposed to be gone now.

As I have said in my blogs and in messages to the few people who have mentioned it to me, there are a number of reasons you should not be running IE6 these days. That release of IE is NINE YEARS OLD, and is two full revisions from being current. It is not as secure as the newer releases, and formatting websites for IE6 is a degree more difficult than formatting them for other newer versions.

Thanks for the comments. I like getting feedback like this. It gives me something to work on!

[AirTool]

Thanks Jeff.

I did try to search last night before I "ranted" and I actually got some results. In the weeks prior, I couldn't get anything....including stuff I knew was there. So that IE6 upgrade must have worked. I'm pretty sure I was getting nothing on previous searches.

On the minimum post size. One of my recent posts has a sentence added like "This sentence added to reach the minimum." or something like that.

Can you decrease the minimum search string size? at most "three"?

Is there a search wildcard?

How do I find URLs to my previously posted pictures?

SkiTower - You are closing in fast.

[Hollywood]

the minimum post hurts (you can't respond "ha ha" anymore).

oh no

[AirTool]

Thanks Jeff.

I did try to search last night before I "ranted" and I actually got some results. In the weeks prior, I couldn't get anything....including stuff I knew was there. So that IE6 upgrade must have worked. I'm pretty sure I was getting nothing on previous searches.

On the minimum post size. One of my recent posts has a sentence added like "This sentence added to reach the minimum." or something like that.

Can you decrease the minimum search string size? at most "three"?

Is there a search wildcard?

How do I find URLs to my previously posted pictures?

SkiTower - You are closing in fast.

would also like to be able to search for 196, 206, 211, pcm, etc.

I'm also now getting a note I have to wait 20 seconds between searches.

[bkhallpass]

Hey Jeff,

I think it is just the teach an old dog new tricks thing. We tend to be creatures of habit.

After 5 or 6 years on the old site, I could look through it without thinking. I don't care for the new site because it's just not as easy for me to quickly browse through the site. I hadn't said anything, because it probably has nothing to do with the site, format or software. Just my own habits. You can't stop progress, as they say, and I'm sure in 5 or 6 more years I won't even remember what the old site looked like.

BKH

[NautiqueJeff]

I have changed the search word size limit to '3'. It will take the site a little while to rebuild the search index based on the new rule, so be patient while that occurs. The 20-second limit between searches is to keep people from flooding the site with searches, and possibly taking down the server. The old site had a similar rule. Searches are pretty intensive on the server.

I was unable to add the smilies to the post reply screen, as that is something that vBulletin doesn't support. You can add smilies to posts by typing things like

:)

to achieve .

[SkiTower]

I have changed the search word size limit to '3'. It will take the site a little while to rebuild the search index based on the new rule, so be patient while that occurs. The 20-second limit between searches is to keep people from flooding the site with searches, and possibly taking down the server. The old site had a similar rule. Searches are pretty intensive on the server.

I was unable to add the smilies to the post reply screen, as that is something that vBulletin doesn't support. You can add smilies to posts by typing things like

:)

to achieve .

[wakebrdr]

I have changed the search word size limit to '3'. It will take the site a little while to rebuild the search index based on the new rule, so be patient while that occurs.

I know I'm digging up an old thread, but I'm not seeing that the search word limit of '3' is actually working.
example: if I type in 'ZR6' in the seach field I get nothing:
"Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms. "

obvioulsy there are a lot of posts containing 'ZR6'

And given all the 3 letter models of Nautique, I would find it extremely useful to seach for 3 letters.
It's frustrating when I try to search anything realted to my '220'
I imagine the same is true for any other model (196, 200, 206, 210, 211, 216, 220, 226, 230, 236, G23, G25, etc...)

any chance to get 3 letter seaches enabled?
Thanks!

[gride]

i don't like the "no home" button. i tend to dislike change

[AirTool]

I know I'm digging up an old thread, but I'm not seeing that the search word limit of '3' is actually working.
example: if I type in 'ZR6' in the seach field I get nothing:
"Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms. "

obvioulsy there are a lot of posts containing 'ZR6'

And given all the 3 letter models of Nautique, I would find it extremely useful to seach for 3 letters.
It's frustrating when I try to search anything realted to my '220'
I imagine the same is true for any other model (196, 200, 206, 210, 211, 216, 220, 226, 230, 236, G23, G25, etc...)

any chance to get 3 letter seaches enabled?
Thanks!

3 letter searching is on. I can tell u the search engine on here sucks. I've proven with a post or two that it has flaws. The best way to search is google and add the term: +site:Planetnautique.com the + sign forces the term to be included. results from no other site will be displayed.

2600 results

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&safe=of...6a924fd8801244

[bsb4fsu]

[QUOTE=AirTool;187390]The best way to search is google and add the term: +site:Planetnautique.com the + sign forces the term to be included. results from no other site will be displayed.

2600 results

Thanks for the tip on the goggle search. That will make searches a lot easier.