What happened to the Google Groups format?

jillie said:

Am I going crazy?

You are posting here, no?

:-)

Quoted message said:

Today, when I opened the Google Groups page, the format is all changed.
The name of the poster is no longer under the subject and the page
just looks "weird".

I hate the look of the page and find it very awkward to read. Anyone
else having this problem?

Don't sweat it, Google Groups is still in "beta" format, they are
trying different things...

--
Best
Greg

jillie wrote on 2/10/2006:

Quoted message said:

Am I going crazy?

Quoted message said:

Today, when I opened the Google Groups page, the format is all changed.

<snip>

I thought it was a mixed bag.

Bad things:

1. it just happens with no advance notice; anything would do - as
minimal as "look for changes tomorrow;
2. when you jump to the tree and the various messages, the individual
messages on the right side of the page are not numbered to conform to
the tree or list which appears on the left side; that has happened
before;
3. I'd like them to get rid of the "10 messages at a time" syndrome;

Good things:

1. when I jump from the main page to the specific messages, at least so
far, the message text on the left is not spilling over to and
overlaying the commercial message on the right;
this is a major improvement and a long time coming;
2. the text/graphics look cleaner and crisper to me.

I'd like them to add a feature that lets you get back to the main page
with one click. I don't think you can do that now, but maybe I haven't
looked enough.

So, it's not even close to making me crazy. Kind of a B- event.

Google is supposed to be this incredibly awesome company. I'd think
that they could do a better job with their email, but I doubt it's a
high priority. It's free and it's better than adequate.

'bout time for someone to say that we should get a real newsreader.

jillie said:

Am I going crazy?

No comment.

Quoted message said:

[snip] I hate the look of the page and find it very awkward to read. Anyone
else having this problem? [snip]

I recommend you send them a message saying what you like and what you
don't. Somewhere under 'Options' there is a way to do that. I wrote
them that they should not have taken the numbers away from the posts,
as those helped me sort through the long threads. But that's just me
-- tell 'em your preferences.

They seem to me to want to make their Groups work, and clearly they
need input from people that come from the Usenet background, because
that's not what they know. -aem

KevinS said:

jillie wrote on 2/10/2006:

Quoted message said:

Am I going crazy?

Quoted message said:

Today, when I opened the Google Groups page, the format is all changed.

<snip>

I thought it was a mixed bag.

Bad things:

1. it just happens with no advance notice; anything would do - as
minimal as "look for changes tomorrow;
2. when you jump to the tree and the various messages, the individual
messages on the right side of the page are not numbered to conform to
the tree or list which appears on the left side; that has happened
before;
3. I'd like them to get rid of the "10 messages at a time" syndrome;

Good things:

1. when I jump from the main page to the specific messages, at least so
far, the message text on the left is not spilling over to and
overlaying the commercial message on the right;
this is a major improvement and a long time coming;
2. the text/graphics look cleaner and crisper to me.

I'd like them to add a feature that lets you get back to the main page
with one click. I don't think you can do that now, but maybe I haven't
looked enough.

So, it's not even close to making me crazy. Kind of a B- event.

Google is supposed to be this incredibly awesome company. I'd think
that they could do a better job with their email, but I doubt it's a
high priority. It's free and it's better than adequate.

'bout time for someone to say that we should get a real newsreader.

Copy your post and Paste it in a message to them. -aem

aem wrote on 2/10/2006:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Copy your post and Paste it in a message to them. -aem

Thank you for your comment. I had already done so.

jillie said:

Am I going crazy?

Today, when I opened the Google Groups page, the format is all changed.
The name of the poster is no longer under the subject and the page
just looks "weird".

I hate the look of the page and find it very awkward to read. Anyone
else having this problem?

I think the pages are taking longer to load, something to consider for
those of us on dial up. Also, I see no reason for a ratings system.
It's stupid. I can't see how anyone's opinion can be more or less
important than anyone else's.

jillie said:

Am I going crazy?

Today, when I opened the Google Groups page, the format is all changed.
The name of the poster is no longer under the subject and the page
just looks "weird".

I hate the look of the page and find it very awkward to read. Anyone
else having this problem?

I've never taken to the Google format, because I want to see headers
only and don't like just a few messages per page. OTOH, I just
noticed something I liked today, which is they have a thread and its
various incarnations (title changes) all in one tree.
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.

sf said:

jillie said:

Am I going crazy?

Today, when I opened the Google Groups page, the format is all changed.
The name of the poster is no longer under the subject and the page
just looks "weird".

I hate the look of the page and find it very awkward to read. Anyone
else having this problem?

I've never taken to the Google format, because I want to see headers
only and don't like just a few messages per page. OTOH, I just
noticed something I liked today, which is they have a thread and its
various incarnations (title changes) all in one tree.

Yoose all must be using a different Google from mine... I get 30
messages per page, by date relevance, newest posts first (yoose can
change that too), whereas I never click to the older page, if it
doesn't make the top 30 I ain't interested. I can choose between tree
format, header format, and full text format... and a lot more options,
even which font. Don't yoose people take a couple minutes to peruse
what's on the page or do your mommy's still hafta feed yoose. And
there is even a button to set if you want email notification of any
impending changes. Yoose ALL can't be newbies.

Sheldon said:

sf said:

jillie said:

Am I going crazy?

Today, when I opened the Google Groups page, the format is all changed.
The name of the poster is no longer under the subject and the page
just looks "weird".

I hate the look of the page and find it very awkward to read. Anyone
else having this problem?

I've never taken to the Google format, because I want to see headers
only and don't like just a few messages per page. OTOH, I just
noticed something I liked today, which is they have a thread and its
various incarnations (title changes) all in one tree.

Yoose all must be using a different Google from mine... I get 30
messages per page, by date relevance, newest posts first (yoose can
change that too), whereas I never click to the older page, if it
doesn't make the top 30 I ain't interested. I can choose between tree
format, header format, and full text format... and a lot more options,
even which font. Don't yoose people take a couple minutes to peruse
what's on the page

Thanks for the heads up. Their page design isn't idiot proof.

sf
feeling like an idiot
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.

sf said:

I've never taken to the Google format, because I want to see headers
only and don't like just a few messages per page.

Click on "viewing titles only." That gets you just the headers, 30 or
so per page.

Quoted message said:

OTOH, I just
noticed something I liked today, which is they have a thread and its
various incarnations (title changes) all in one tree.

I find "view as tree" most useful, except in the latest format changes
they've omitted the message number from the postings. I've sent them a
suggestion to add it back. We'll see.

Overall, I find the Google format at least as usable as the three
newsreader formats I've used in the past. -aem

jillie said:

Am I going crazy?

Today, when I opened the Google Groups page, the format is all changed.
The name of the poster is no longer under the subject and the page
just looks "weird".

I hate the look of the page and find it very awkward to read.

jillie
Roseville, CA

You should try a newsreader like PAN. I like it.

http://pan.rebelbase.com/download/

It was originally writen for linux but there is now a Winders version.