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Poster: ARossi Date: May 4, 2015 12:04pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: The new archive.org site

Hi everybody,

As you may already know, we've been working on a new version of the archive.org web site. It became available as a beta in November of last year, and started being more widely used in January.

You can read a blog post about the new site that explains reasons for the change and talks a little about some of the evolution the site has seen.

About 94% of archive.org users are using the new web site today. We can see from anonymized statistics that more people are playing and downloading files (now called Views) , more people are creating accounts and favoriting (bookmarking) things. So taken as a whole, the new site is doing really well.

But we realize that for people who use this site on a regular basis, the changes may not be seen as positive. To be clear, NONE of the following has changed: the content, the search engine, the upload process, or download numbers (called Views now).

We will be asking people to try the new site this week (or try it again, if you've already seen it). For a limited time you will still be able to exit the new site (exit button in the upper right corner) to return to the classic view, but we encourage you to give us feedback. If there are things we missed or areas of confusion, we want to address them. The classic site will go away at some point - we cannot maintain both indefinitely - and we want to make sure the new site serves your needs.

There are several videos about the new site that should answer most functionality questions. Jeff Kaplan and I are happy to answer questions in this thread as well.

Thanks,

Alexis Rossi
Director of Web Services

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Poster: Telexer Date: May 4, 2015 3:46pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The new archive.org site

Hi Alexis,
I have provided detailed feedback on the beta UI in the past couple months. I got no reply either on this forum or via email. How can I provide feedback and be assured it is being considered and actioned?

Overall, the beta UI is mostly an improvement but there are still annoying issues and I find myself returning to the classic UI to work around them.

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Poster: ARossi Date: May 4, 2015 4:01pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The new archive.org site

Hi,

We do read all of the feedback, but there have been more than 16,000 emails at this point. So generally speaking we look for trends where people are having trouble, or features that they miss, etc. and then we work on those issues. I'm happy to hear specific feedback here about things that cause you to return to the classic site. Thank you for giving the new site a chance, and being willing to give us specific feedback to help improve it!

Alexis

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Poster: Telexer Date: May 4, 2015 4:11pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The new archive.org site

Ok thanks for your consideration.

To clarify, I did get a reply from "tracey pooh" on a beta question. So I thank him/her for that.

This is the post with my most pressing issues/questions on the beta.
https://archive.org/post/1034194/how-to-improve-the-beta-version-of-the-dead-archive

In addition, if I put a date search term in to the search box (ex "1981-05-01") and run the search, a long list of shows is returned and the requested show is typically somewhere way down the list so I have to scroll down looking for it. I would have expected ONLY shows for the requested date would be returned in the list.

Finally a HELP document on how to use the beta is needed. I mostly figure it out by trial and error.

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Poster: William Tell Date: May 4, 2015 12:42pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The new archive.org site

Thanks.

So, I went ahead and "went" beta in this and found the Forum easily, and in fact, it "looks" the same...largely.

But, I notice the "find old posts" issue is still an issue? IE, you click on a user, and it taps out quickly, so you can't "see" old posts?

Not that this was a big deal, just asking if I am missing something?

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Poster: SomeDarkHollow Date: May 4, 2015 1:46pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The new archive.org site

Sounds like ol' WT is a tad edgy about losing the ability to Google himself...Archive style. WT going over his posts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7aIf1YnbbU No worries, old friend. Even without that functionality, I think we can all agree that you will continue to far outpace all of us in the amount of sputum deposited here. Be proud.
This post was modified by SomeDarkHollow on 2015-05-04 20:46:45

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Poster: William Tell Date: May 4, 2015 2:34pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The new archive.org site

You will find this hard to believe, BUT I prefer that I am "lost to the ages" (recall that when I was the one over 10k, we assumed it was due to "size"...hmmm...no, DON'T do it, SDH!), but I do like looking at OTHERS, like LiA. Oh brother, another set up.

To be honest, I would be HAPPY to find out that ALL my posts were or could be easily deleted.

Nobody should be subjected to that drivel twice in one pathetic lifetime, eh?

Reply [edit]

Poster: SomeDarkHollow Date: May 5, 2015 6:27am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The new archive.org site

Oh, where to begin?

Perhaps it's time I led with my head instead of my heart.


Crap.

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Poster: ARossi Date: May 4, 2015 2:22pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The new archive.org site

Hi,

Yes, it looks like that bug is present in both versions of the site. I've added it to our list of stuff to address, so hopefully we'll have a fix soon. Thanks for pointing it out.

Alexis

Reply [edit]

Poster: William Tell Date: May 4, 2015 2:43pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The new archive.org site

No biggie; thanks...I was impressed w how easy it was to switch over to the Forum in Beta, and to be honest, at least for one old fart, mark me down as "highly satisfied"...

I am sure it's something you are taking a great deal of grief about, and I am ALWAYS the first to be against "fixing things that aren't broken", but...

:)

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Poster: Chris U. Date: May 4, 2015 12:29pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The new archive.org site

"we want to make sure the new site serves your needs."

I already told you guys what "my needs" were, several other longtime users seemed to agree with what was I saying, and the response I was given by the Archive was, in a nutshell, "go blow yourself."

Please tell me Alexis: is there any TECHNICAL reason that the default home page for the Dead Archive can not include a list of (1) the ten or fifteen most recently reviewed items and (2) the ten or fifteen most recently uploaded items? Right at the top. Clearly labeled.

Those are the two most important pieces of information to me and I'm sure I'm not alone (it wasn't random chance that led to that info being on the default home page in the first place).

Would that be so difficult for you guys to implement?

And please don't respond by telling me that I can get the information I seek by pressing some buttons. That's not the point. The point is that the default shouldn't look like it was designed by a crazy person and that's what it looks like now, frankly.

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Poster: user unknown Date: May 4, 2015 2:58pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The new archive.org site

It's been a blast, and I have met some good folk on this forum. But, as they say, "All good things must end!" Just can't wrap my head around the "new" site. "Improved"...NOT!

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Poster: jimmykick Date: May 4, 2015 4:29pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: The new archive.org site

Was fixed nicely - no problems in navigation, easy on the eyes forum, able to easliy compare and listen. Oops, not so easy anymore.

Get this kind of progress all the time at work: don't make it better where you can, but make sure to find something that works-then break it.

None of the content has changed, maybe - but it sure is harder to work.

And what is up with the ridiculous waveforms - funky,slows things down,worthless to the user.

Lots of folks will use less, many will stop using. Sorry, I like progress - this ain't it.