OT: Yahoo's layout changes

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 126634


I hope that the Elves will allow this message to be posted because, 
although it is technically off-topic, I think it deals with a serious 
development which, although discussed on OT-chatter and Feedback, 
really needs to be brought to the attention of the main HPFGU group 
for their consideration and action.

We British have a saying that a camel is a horse designed by a 
committee and this seems to be true of the changes to the group 
layout introduced by Yahoo which seem to have been implemented by 
some one who does not belong to a group.

The new screen layouts make it very awkward to use the group and also 
introduce a number of things which appear to contradict their 
description. For example, have you noticed that:

1. To move from one message to get to the next highest (and hence 
later) message, you click on "Previous" or to go backwards to an 
older post, you click on "Next".

2. When you select "Message Index" from a single message pane, 
instead of getting the next batch of messages chronologically forward 
from the one you are using, you get the previous batch, so you then 
have additionally to click on - guess(!) - "Previous".

3. There is no window to select an older message directly. 
Fortunately, someone on Feedback has pointed out the you can replace 
the message number in the URL window at the head of the message with 
the one you want. But how incredibly fiddly is that?

4. The message number is not shown alongside its contents in the 
list. So you have to count down the list to work out this piece of 
information.

5. The message order is reversed, with the newest message at the top. 
For me, that is annoying because, on the couple of occasions or so 
when I come onto the group during the day, I have to go to the bottom 
of the list to try to pick up from the point which I had previously 
reached.

I feel that if other contributors agree with me then if we all take 
it upon ourselves to email Yahoo individually, they might – just 
might – realise that they have made a dog's breakfast of the changes 
and  maybe have a rethink about the resultant mess.