Was only here about an hour ago looking, and at the risk of stating the obvious the appearance of this forum has changed. I'm sure it is not the drink I am enjoying at this point in time.

The green has come up for me before but hasn't been consistant. Just this last time that I've been on, it seems to be sticking. I like the color theme........It's just going to take some time getting used to the way the posts are laid out now.

Yah! I was on here not to long ago too tonight and I know I am tired from working with screeming babies. It was a shock. Green is my favorite color but not this green I think that it is a little too much.

Sorry if I offended someone
donna

Though I think it looks very nice, I'm finding it insanely hard to read anything. It just seems too busy to me and my ADD kicks in overdrive while I'm trying to read. Ugh...

Yes, the kelly green was startling to me too.

What bothers me more... are that there are now ads running down two sides of the screens. The multicolored pressure to buy bugs me.

I don't take to having products forced. This may take me off the site. I didn't mind at all seeing ads on the homepage, but I go to the forum to read what people say, not to feel like I'm in a grocery store being pestered.

I know it's an editorial decision already taken to increase the ads. I'll make my own about leaving the site or not. It's an excellent site, otherwise.

I don't have any concerns regarding the color and I am sure that this is work in progress. I like it.

I do find it difficult, especially as a moderator, to read the grey thread topics (the black subtopics seem to stand out more).

The "go to last unread" is not illuminated (which tells me there is a new reply) as it was with the blue version.



I am sure that there are kinks to work out.

Green, black, blue, purple ... I don't care - as long as you guys are still here. I love that there's advertising. Gluten-free stuff has a place to advertise & they're paying for the space (I'd assume). That's awesome. The site is successful. Celiac is that important. That has to be a good thing !

Thanks Scott & all you guys for giving us a place where we can feel that we belong.
I'm very grateful.

I have some trouble reading things, especially seeing posts that are still grayed, they blend in.

I agree, it is hard to read the topic names...because the sub topic is so much darker...the colors should be the other way around. Black on top, gray on bottom. Just my humble opinion...

Kassandra

Also, isn't is green because that's the color for Celiac? I had always wondered why it wasn't green before.

I am having serious eye issues with reading, it is almost making me dizzy. I will only be able to stay on for a short time, as I was on too long today and have a major headache. Perhaps it is the dark, dark green, and then the extra light. Please tone it down some.

My first impression was how cheerful and attractive the green is.

My second impression is that there are so many ads, it's like the visual equivalent of a really LOUD TV commercial--constantly.

My third (and most lasting) impression is that after 5 minutes, I have a really bad headache. And I rarely get headaches.

Please, Scott, either go back to the old view, or tone this one down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have enough problems without adding headaches to the one place where we come for help!

I love green, but this isn't working for me. A lighter background with a darker font would look much better.

Ch-ch-changes!!!! It's not easy, being green !!!!!!!!!!!
I'm like the other poster, whatever you want ,Scott....I SO appreciate your site.

i like the green

Hmmm ... that does put a different spin on this. I take this part back :

I don't mind change too much, but I am wondering like the rest whether it is a good change or not. It appears that the quotes in any message seem to distract from the reply and it can take a little time to find the reply.

I didn't know green was the colour for gluten-free, that might explain why some gluten-free products come in their green bags.

Cathy

That's too funny, Cathy - that's why I put my post in large letters in blue. I guess I previewed the post and noticed the same thing. It takes some time to find the actual post when quotes are involved.

Talking about quotes, what is the best way to use them? Do you have the quote first then your reply, or do you have the quote first and then your reply? I tend to reply and have the quote, if any underneath. Being from the southern hemisphere, I might be a bit upside down in my thinking.

Cathy

I always do the quote then my response.

I also figured it was green for Celiac. The magnetic ribbon things for celiac awareness are green.

Unfortunately, something about how the colors are set up is also giving me a really bad headache and making me dizzy. I don't think it's the ads, I think for me it's more the colors.

I think the new look is a nice change and I am very thankful for Scott keeping up the site since I love reading and occasionally posting.

I know that change & progress are necessary....but, I agree with a lot of what people are saying about the forum changes. The green is a good idea, but VERY distracting. The contrast of the overwhelmingly bright green with the light areas is hard on my eyes & I'm finding that I have to squint to focus on the writing. I'm sure a while on here doing research & I'll have a headache too!! I think a toning down of the color could help immensely.

Also, I'm disappointed about the ads being added into the forum. I had felt that this was a place of safety & privacy...yea, I know we're on the internet....but it still felt like it was ok to talk about my most personal tidbits because it was just all of us. Now I feel a little funny typing in information about my personal health with a cow wearing a tiara staring at me!!! (there's an ad for brown cow on my right). I understand why Centa has made a personal stand & left the board. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for this site & everyone on it...I just feel like my personal health issues are being capitalized upon. I was more than happy to look at what products were available on the homepage & the store & happier still that I was able to make that choice when I felt like shopping.

Scott, please listen to what the board members have to say. Aside from you setting up this site, we are the reason why this site is so great.

I always noticed the ads before... they're how I'm learning that there's more to the celiac diet than plain salad, rice, and chicken. I think they didn't stand out as much before because the background was faded and the postings were the highlight of the pages.

I like the advertisements for the same reason as another poster said - the ads give us the opportunity to have free access to this site instead of paying for it. Either the advertisers pay, or we pay. Since gluten-free food is expensive as hell, I can't afford to pay to belong to this kind of site, so I'll let the advertisers pay.

I don't mind the green, although it's hard on my eyes and they start straining and give me a headache. So I minimize the screen so all I see are the postings and not the sidebars. The only thing that I have a tough time with and can't control is the quote option within replies. When I read posts that contain quotes from previous posters, I get confused. Quotes look like new posts because they are the same color and width of the post within which they're housed.

Change is tough.

Thank you so much for the forum Scott... An extra thank you for keeping it free of charge...

I like the green, it's my favorite color. However, the background green is hard on the eyes ... I 'd like it better if it were a muted green like the rest of the page.

I don't mind the ads, they're what support the site .... Scott doesn't ask us for money like other sites do.

I think the main topic should be black, the subtopic, gray.

The small print is hard to read.

Overall, it's good to update, but it needs some tweaking.

I agree the background is WAY too bright, if it were a muted green like the bands and buttons it would be more agreeable to the eyes.

Also the font is too small and too faded, I really have to squint a lot reading it.

I agree. I joined another site last year--unrelated to Celiac--and have been asked for money several times.

Whoa, coming on here startled me! I love the green. But the quotes are too bold, and the normal print for the posts is too small and too light, and therefore hard to read. It is giving me a headache as well.

The ads were there before, nothing has changed. They just stand out more now. If Scott wouldn't sell the space for ads to companies, he wouldn't be able to afford this free forum. Therefore, even though I don't like ads in general, I think those are necessary. Besides, as someone else said, they let us know that Scott has the gluten-free mall and make us aware that there is decent gluten-free food out there.

If this print would be black and slightly larger, and the quotes not as huge, I would be happy.

I did my share of complaining about the change earlier this morning--and I'm already beginning to get used to it

I do have to wear my reading glasses now because of the lighter print, but I'll live.

Good Grief,
Go away for a week and a half and everythings changed. But, I really like the color changes of green with the exception of posts. For me it needs to be darker. I have several blank vision spots and am finding this part hard to read. I notice that magazines are using white type on darker pages and it is maddening to try and read it. I don't mind the ads since I have only been digonosed for 6 months and am still trying to find foods I can eat. Looks like that Enjoy Life is right up my alley and I hadn't noticed it before, so as long as the ads aren't flashing I think it's great. Better than paying to be on the site. Thanks Scott for providing help to all of us.
Yellow Rose

Glad to read this thread! I was worried that I was losing my mind a little. The green is pretty but this new format is harder to read.

I dont mind the ads either - but the green is too much for my eyes. I have retinopathy near the macula and it distorts print. The light color in contrast to the bight green will shorten my visits. I get a headache otherwise.
So if font could be bigger and darker in the posts / maybe tad less bright green in the periphery of my vision - it would be more comfortable - vision wise.
Sandy

I don't really care about the colors (other than wondering why it isn't a choice in 'board settings/options') but the smaller font is an issue for me and many others.

Whatever the actual name of what we call "Avatar Caption", I think it IS mostly used as an Av Caption, and its relocation should be undone.

To me personally, the ads are a minor annoyance at worst. I have gotten WAY too much out of this forum, and also from articles Scott has written, to begrudge him any revenue he might get from the ads.

If he'd charged a membership fee to participate on this forum, I wouldn't be here. Not because I wouldn't want to be, but because I don't have the funds for non-essentials.

The green on either side is a bit bright, and I do find the new format harder to read-- but it's too soon for me to say whether I just need to get used to the change, or if it's really not as well laid out.

Centa, I know you didn't ask for it, but I'm going to say it anyway- I wish you wouldn't go. I think add to the forum. Do what you feel is right, but I for one, would be sorry to see you go.

I'm not adding anything new . . . just casting my vote (so to speak)

Adds: Fine by me - I appreciate that it keeps the sight up and running

Color: I like the green but the contrast is too much - I would vote for a more muted background green. Is it the bright green that makes the print look lighter? Anyway, I prefer the darker, larger print.

Quotes: I prefer the way the quotes were distiguished before - they didn't distract as much from the post - but once again, maybe just a less intense shade of green.

Av location: I think I'll get used to this but I agree with Tom, I would like the avatar caption/message located under the avatar.

Green Emoticon Guy: Scott, perhaps you misunderstood. I wanted to use the green emoticon guy in the body of the post . . . not make everything green except for the emoticons. (Just one more plug for the little guy )

Also, just so you know (and you can compare and contrast) . . . the majority of this post was written in black and the size 2 font.

If my eyes are not deceiving me...the green has softened. Think Scotts' tweeking

I couldn't agree with this more. It's a change and a shock, but we WILL and CAN get used to it!!!

Our eyes become quite accustomed to visual habits - but they can easily readjust, given a bit of time. I think if this board started out green and switched to BLUE, its former color, we'd go nuts over that.......

I don't notice any difference in font size or color - but I have ALWAYS had to wear my magnifiers to read the forum. Over 40, you know.





Who let Janet out

Hello Everyone,

Thank you for bearing with me here during the "look and feel changeover" of the board. I have updated the background color to not be so bright, because I think that was the main issue (the background green was not in sync with that of the rest of the board and was much brighter). To see the updated backround click your f5 or refresh browser button a few times and/or clear the cache in your browser and reload the site. I suspect you will find it much better now.

As far as the ads go, I haven't changed the placement or the number of ads, they are exactly the same as they were, but they may stand out a bit better because they are not part of the board area, and are in their own area outside the board area. The ads must stay, again, because the advertisers do pay the expenses associated with this board, and allow me to continually update it with the latest/greatest technology. I like them better this way for two reasons--1) They do stand out better so it makes more companies want to advertise here which help keep paying for the board, and 2) Because they are outside the main area of the board (the white area) I find it easier to ignore them when I'm reading through posts. I know that sounds funny--how can they be more prominant but somehow less prominant at the same time? Somehow that is the way that I find them, and I think everyone will get used to them in short order. Last, I do only accept advertising that is related to why most people are here--here is our ad policy:



As far as other details go, please give yourselves some time to get used to the new look. Each time I've changed the look of a site I have had many who didn't like it at first, but then grew to appreciate the changes. In this case The Gluten-Free Mall took on a green look about 2 years ago, then Celiac.com was recently re-launched in a green format, and now the forum. We had many people complain over the years that the 3 sites looked too different to be related, so we decided to make them more similar and we went with green.

I hope everyone likes the changes.

Take care,
Scott

Thanks for listening Scott!
This green is perfect!! Pretty & muted & fresh.

As far as what I said about the ads before...I understand that they are what keeps this site free for us to use. I couldn't afford to pay to play here...so, ads it is!

Thanks for having such a great place to learn, vent, inquire, teach & support.

The muted green helps a lot Actually looks very contemporary.

Thanks Scott for always wanting to give us the "latest and greatest"--it's much appreciated!

Yeah Scott, and thanks for putting up with our


WHINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks great now! That other green did hurt the eyes, but this one is nice. Maybe the brighter green would be good for St. Patrick's Day, LOL.

I LIKE the new layout of the avatar! I think that type of thing just takes getting used to, as Scott said.

Oh yes, the new muted green is much better... kind of a sage. Very nice!

I'm all about change..I think change is a good thing.

I also love green and white, as I went to Michigan State University, and those were our colors. I also think having ads on here is good, the fees for Scott to have this forum up and running can't be cheap. I just hope the green gets lightened up. I only signed on a few minutes ago, and my eyes are twitchy, and I have a headache. (I'm online on numerous websites all day....just these colors are getting me.) I definitely won't be on here as much if it stays this way...it's hard on my eyes...

Now, I have to say, that I think this was Scott's plan to begin with . . . he used the bright obnoxious green, let us all throw a little hissy fit, then changed it to a more subtle green and now we are happy! If he had started with this shade of green, we would have still had our hissy fits! Scott, you're thinking like a parent . . . Do you have kids?

And let me add my thanks for all that you do!

Now that everyone likes it, we can start complaining that Scott's avatar is still blue.

...Nice...an olive green. Somehow Mediterranean...

Scott---

Definitely like the muted green. Makes it much easier to read-I'll admit, I was a bit concerned .

We appreciate all you do to keep this board up and running. Thanks for this wonderful forum.

Yes, MUCH better - at least for me... and the print is in black Thank you Scott
Sandy

A LOT better! It's a wonderful, calm, soothing color of green.

My eyes thank you!!

was going to read the second page but just will let Juliem speak my thoughts.
I really have a hard time with this new change.
I'll have to get off now.
Scott.........maybe we can tone down the colors, please and make the font color darker?
thanks Judy in Philly

EDIT
I took a break and came back and saw Scotts post............
I did try to get the F5 and 'refresh' but still the bright green so will log off and try again.
Thanks so much for listening Scott.
I like change too but seems my eyes don't so much
I'll try again.
Judy