Can we have the option to view the forum in the colours it was before the "update". Its much harder now to see which threads are unread and which have been read, as they all appear in the same shade of black. Light blue and BOLD blue was much nicer..... Maybe an an option in the User CP to use the old theme. Cheers
its virtually impossible now to see whats a topic with a new post in it and whats not been posted in since the last visit. Makes keeping track of peoples issues very difficult.
Hi! All this features are available. Forums with read and unread posts are shown with different envelopes; Go to first unread is available as double arrow (>>) link in Last Post info; Also, you can use New Posts button in top menu.
These features may be available but they are not very intuitive. There is no key to the envelope icons (at least not in the "Today's Posts" screen) and no indication as to what the double arrows mean (they usually indicate "go to last message"). Also, as Purplish mentioned, previously when you logged in, clicked on "New Posts" and then on a particular thread, there was a "View First Unread" feature that doesn't appear to be there any more. David
mm yes.. very intuitive.. after spending years in GUI and usability testing, the fact that 3 regular users have remarked at the unfriendliness of the new interface speaks volumes. For those interested, A Gold envelope means a new post in that thread, a Dark Grey envelope means an entirely new post and a Light Grey envelope means no new posts...... yes.. thats much easier than a BOLD or a light subject header. </sarcasm>
I think that this minor redesign of the Web site is symptomatic of the way Parallels operates. They spent time and energy on eye candy and in the process impaired usability, instead of finding a way to address the glaring shortcomings of customer service and the software itself. It is becoming more and more likely that there is no real customer service personnel--only developers/programmers who are haphazardly pressed into fulfilling customer-service functions to which they are ill-suited. Surely they can afford two or three trained, native-English (or near-native) customer-service people to do nothing else but run the support forum and rewrite the support literature, etc.? David
So it is your belief that their web developers are the same people developing Parallels Desktop? Or is it your suggestion that their web developer(s) not do anything until PD improves other areas? I myself like the new look. At least I can now browse the forums while at work and people think it is work related as opposed to the bright orange cartoonish look the old site had where no one would believe it is a work related forum visit.
You are right for pointing out the ambiguity in what I said--I shouldn't have added, "instead of finding a way to address the glaring shortcomings of customer service and the software itself." I stand by my general statement, though. I like the new look too, but if I were marketing director of this company, my first priority would not have been to give the Web site a new look and feel. It doesn't make sense to waste valuable time and resources--which seem to be in short supply--putting a new coat of paint on the building when the foundation is in desperate need of work. David
Thanks for your clarification. I will stand by my original assumption though that they have at least one in house web developer. They are paying the person, and that person should be doing something even though other areas truly need more help. I truly doubt a html / css / php developer could help figure out what the heck is going wrong in the PD Hypervisor. I know our web developers eyes glaze over when I start talking about Windows Group Policies.
Yes--I see that. Previously when you clicked on "New Posts" it also told you how many new posts it was displaying, which was very handy. Now that seems to be missing. David
