"New look" GOY?

I agree Marguerite that I preferred the old format - I find that a lot of the page is now jumbled up with words on top of each other

This website is great but I am still trying to suss out how to use it to it's full capacity, but then I am a bit dumb and just to prove how dumb I haven't worked out how it has changed yet, though I have noticed it looks a little different.

Just a suggestion, Marguerite, but you see in the top right hand corner of the window there are three boxes with a dash, a square and a cross? Try clicking on the one with the square and you might find it sorts out your scrolling problem, as the window should then expand to fill your screen. :-)

Hi Marguerite,

I'm afraid we won't be returning to the older, narrower version of GOY.

We agree that one shouldn't change something that isn't broken. In this case it was very clear from observing the behaviour of new visitors and feedback that things needed improving.

Terry 60 - There were separate issues with text overlapping which we've now fixed. The problem was specific to one internet browser (Internet Explorer 6) so many people would not have noticed the problem.

I have Internet Explorer 7. I am very sorry that we cannot have narrower pages. I really don't like it like this. But I can see you change again sooner rather than later, as I have had 3 changes already since I am a member here since July. Sid, I have my page to its fullest, lol, I always have it on the two boxes, the dash is to minimise and the two boxes to expand. This is not solving this problem. I don't really know why you did this Peter, as the right 5 cm's of the page are blank anyway. But on others it is the adds which are on the right. I wonder what the complaint was, as you call it the behaviour of new visitors, and what was the feedback then? I don't know anything about it, and I wonder if others did.
I am still continuing this blog, as I like more feedback from our members here to hear if they have to scroll sideways on the pages. That is the point I like to make.
I sometimes see this on other websites too, and it only means that they haven't done their page right.
I have been on many websites, managing too and I have often corrected this problem, as it was just due to a long url or a picture too large, just anything in the setting, and once that was fixed it was fine. To view a page without scrolling I call user friendly. What do other members think of this?

Hi Marguerite - We can see at our end how many visitors to this website are using 800x600 screens and it is a very very small minority. This has been a very conscious decision on our part and not one we took lightly. We have followed the lead of websites like the bbc which moved to a wider format at the start of the year when the % of 800x600 users dropped under 5%. We waited a bit longer for this to drop further. Sorry you feel that we haven't done our pages right. If your laptop is only 2 years old maybe try 'right clicking' on the desktop and seeing if you can put the screen resolution up to 1024x768 in your display settings.

Guess what? I have just logged in to GOY on my Mac computer and I still have to scroll the pages, so my conclusion is that it has nothing to do with windows Internet Explorer 6 nor 7, because I don't have internet explorer on the mac it is Safari.
I thought I just wanted to point it out.. On both computers ( laptop with windows ) and the Mac, on every page of GOY is an empty 5 cms on the right hand side. Peter, if you could only delete that empty 5 cm space in your web design, then we don't have to be scrolling anymore,
Could you please look into that for me? I would really appreciate that as the scrollbar at the bottom drives me mad.

Hi Marguerite. Scroll on Mac Safari and IE should now be fixed. Thanks for pointing this out. Sorry we can't address your original issue.

It looks wonderful on my PC, no scrolling or anything needed. I have a tiny laptop and I need to scroll on that but that is to be expected. I'm quite happy with the new format. It does take a bit of time to get used to it but that's OK. It was funny when it happened because I was just uploading some shots and the whole appearance of the screen changed as my pic was uploaded. Thanks for all your hard work Peter and Ajay, I think you are doing a wonderful job.

I must admit, I prefered the old format, the quickest easiest way is the one you know, and I find I'm having to go back an awful lot....also I prefered the look as it was....no doubt we'll get used to this way......just shows you how we are enjoying your site, and how much time we spend on it!!

Marguerite - sorry if I sounded a bit patronising in my suggestion - it's just that I'm used to working with people who know next to nothing about computers, dispite the fact they use them every day. Today, I was working with someone who learned to type on a type-writer and consequently still does carriage returns at the end of every line! x-)

Ha....ha Sid, well, don't you? :o)

I like the old format better too! If I open the page to the max, I don't have to scroll over. I like keeping the page smaller, but it's a pain to navigate now w a small page. It's more difficult to find things, seems like everything's in a different spot.

Sorry, guys, I am not very happy with the 'new look' at the moment, either. I hope it 'grows on me'. LOL.

My My what a To -Do ! weve only had our new look GOY up&running 4 not even 24hrs? Im only Human 2 & am making my way around all the new set ups with some Diffeculties in sum Places but im giveing it ago as its the same with any thing new eg ;Mobile Phones,Software 4 your Puters ect ect ? Dont u think? i believe Peter&Ajay are rite in saying GOY needed a Up Date which i think looks more Professinaly Set Out myself? I bet in few days/Weeks ul all &myself will wonder what Big Deal was all about? :)

Oh Spritzhenry, you're too funny!

I don't like how I have to go back to my homepage, instead of just using the < back button. Like right now, I want to go back to the last page that I was on. Instead of simply pressing the back button, I now have to go to my homepage and then locate the page I want.

Hi Ajay, thank you for doing a wonderful job and I am really happy I don't have to scroll sideways anymore.
As for the widescreen, my settings are 1024x 768 and all my pics are that size too and they fit in perfectly. As you can see that, you should see that too then. As I said, I haven't had any problems with other websites, and as you say most have updated. But anyway, I just wanted to point that out and now I am extremely happy.
I don't mind the new look, it probably will change again in the near future, as you guys like keeping us on our toes, it see, which is for me as 65 year old(ie) very good, it keeps the brain ticking over. I can get used to any navigation, relly, but for TasteyG I have one suggestion. Right click on any subject like homepage, photo's or whatever you have to your name, and open another window, so you can go back and forth from one to the other. I sometimes have 4 open at the same time, just so I can get quicker. This is what I like about the Mac, you can open two next to each other, so you see both at a glance.
Yes TasteyG, organising a website is very complicated and there are always new ideas or room for improvement and therefore we contact the managers, so they can look into it.
Meanwhile I am enjoying GOY very much, so many nice things to see and do and the fact we can help each other is great too.

Hi all - I hope it doesn't take long to get used to the new look.

TasteyG - The back button should still work to take you to the last page you were on. I don't think we can change that :o) If it's not working, I'm misunderstanding what you mean - if you use the 'contact us' we'll try to sort out what's happening.

Just to add my support to Marquerite I too preferred the old look!

I agree Tasteyg, It was quicker and easier before, and also at the top of each page was access to your own if you wanted it. I liked to flick around from my page to others and back again, but now that's not possible...unless I'm doing it wrong! lol. I now put my own name in the search bit!

I have just had a weird experience.
Not having visited GoY for two days I started by looking at my 'News' page as usual. Then I looked for an additions in my 'Inbox'as usual. I haven't updated my 'Calendar' for some time so that was my next port of call. I clicked on 'done' for several jobs that I had completed in the garden and re-entered them as reminders for next year. I was in the middle of doing this for my Gladioli when the tab suddenly closed for no apparent reason. I generally have several tabs open on different pages of GoY at the same time, so I took a look at these and they had all changed to the new layout. No problem, I like the look of the new layout. BUT, hey, where has my 'calendar' page gone ? I cannot find it anywhere!!!
It has been in the back of my mind that I should keep a back-up copy in case it disappears ..... and now it seems it has disappeared and I no longer have my checklist of jobs tailored for my garden.
HHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEeeeeellllllllllllllpppppppppp !!!!

PANIC OVER :-D
I have found that the calendar is still there, accessible from any plant in the 'Garden'.
Phew, that was a relief!
To find your 'calendar' click first on a plant in your 'Garden'
then click a 'done' among your reminders and your 'Calendar' will appear.

All's well that ends well ......
my 'Calendar' still needs updating, but
I have started a Works spreadsheet to store as a back-up,
just in case. :-)

My this was a fun little trip!! I guess we all have to suffer "Growing Pains"!

Well so surprised at some of these comments.Did we ever think we d be able to instantly communicate around the world like this ? get to grips with computers download our pics and edit them? digital cameras ?

Look at what we ve already come to terms with and enjoyed. Whats a few changes ? So long as ads stay discreet - and there must be a huge temptation for them to appear during questions and comments - I ll be happy.

Peter- Thanks for the response. The back button seems to be working fine now. Must have been a temporary glitch. Thanks though.

Well, thanks for all your comments. The honeymoon is over! I had to scroll sideways again. If I am not here as often as I should be it is because I am seasick, lol.
Growing on you Pains I would say Pollyannaever. Xela, I haven't even discovered the calendar. I must have a peep at yours to see what you actually do there.

Hi everyone, I hope you're getting a bit more used to the new look after a few days :o)

Just a few things -
Janey - There is still a link to your own page at the top right of every page called 'Your homepage'.

Xela - There is also a link to your calendar at the top of your garden tab - you don't need to view an individual plant and click 'done' on a reminder. The calendar and plants are now both on the 'garden' tab.

Marguerite - Scrolling shouldn't be an issue unless the page is wider than your browser window. What caused the scrolling in IE7 and Safari should be fixed. If you could send any details using 'contact us' we'll try to figure out if there's still an issue.