Below is a post I made regarding Microsoft’s latest update to the Microsoft Answer Forum. I think it speaks for itself. Ultimately, MS seems to have tried to make something visually appealing rather than functional and useful. Let me know your opinion!
Disappointing, Another Step in the Wrong Direction
When I heard that Version 2.0 was going to be implemented, I was looking forward to it. I thought MS finally listened to its users and was going to remedy the various bugs in Version 1.0. Sadly this has not been the case. Rather you have choosen to basically throw us a new forum. So we are back at the beginning, again.
Esthetics, well some people will like the colors, layout, …, some won’t… this is a personal question. The site is less cluttered, I guess that is a positive point.
Functionality, now that is another issue.
- Why is it, yet again, our profiles (signature in my case) did not follow in this new version? And why is the signature field reduced from the last version?
- Still experiencing latency, poor performance, no response…
- What happened to inline reply? Now one has to, one by one, enter each post to read it and then reply. Then return to the main page… This is ridiculous!!! MS has taken 10 steps back on ease of use from this stand point.
- What happened to being able to read the entire post inline. The pop-up feature is a joke.
- Why the change in the point system? Why have a point system altogether?
- What happend to posting questions easily? Now I enter a question, no wait that is supposed to be a title!? Confusing! then when I press ask, it brings me to another window… Then I press ask again! and I finally get to a proper windows to enter my question!? WOW!!! Now that is what I call obvious and user-friendly.
- What happened to the unanswer button? A post has been marked as answered and yet it isn’t?
- Similarily, what happened to the Propose as an answer button?
- We still cannot include <code> tags, so so much for addressing user requests.
- We still cannot insert images, or attach files unless we post them on 3rd party servers and know enough about HTML to code it ourselves (which most users will not).
- Why is the NNTP Bridge no longer supported?
- Why is it when you perform a search there is no date information relative to the thread?
- Why is the page navigation only for 1 page forward or 1 page backward? What happened to a series of page number 1 through say 20? Why can’t I jump 10 pages? Everything has been done to limit our ability to work!
- Why is it that the filter controls (Forum, Office Version, Office Topic, …) do not appear/work in alternate browsers such as Firefox? IE is no longer the only browser available to users. UPDATE — Now it appears they are working.
On a side note, I must say I was amused how MS’ announcement go over top of the search bar… So in fact, if you don’t know any better, and this being a new version… user will not realize how to manoeuver the site and probably close it!
As an MVP, I enjoy coming to this site to help others. I enjoy the challenge of solving the various questions put forth by others, sadly, MS has made it more challenging to use their new forum then to actually interact and answer the questions.
The entire process of having 2 new versions in 6 months (or so) and making your user adapt, adapt to new layout, change in functionalities show truly poor planning and a lack of respect for your end-user, or let’s be frank your clients.
With the number of exisiting proven forum applications why did MS feel the need to try an create their own? Why have these attempts been done so half heartedly?
Disappointing.
Thursday, March 10th, 2011, 8:00 am | 
General Technology Discussion | 
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