New Yahoo Format

[Wilson Logan]

Hi All,

As you're all aware, Yahoo are doing some pretty drastic stuff to the old format.

A lot of people are unhappy. Yahoo have been known to turn tail and reverse changes if enough people get upset.

I don't know what kind of feedback they're getting so I don't know whats likely to happen.

Given that any changes they make now *may* be reversed, I am not going to start creating a new version till it looks like they won't reverse their changes.

I guess it's a case of watch this space....

Cheers,

Wilson.

[Denos]

Wilson,

Thanks for this heads-up. I was thinking only yesterday for what a long time PGOffline has been totally stable and how I have not seen the hated format message for ages! So, just to report - as of last night - no problems........yet.   Dennis aka Denos   aka Osna

[lklawrie]

How can we feed back to Yahoo how terrible we think this is?

Linda

[lklawrie]

Found one place to complain.  I both made a "suggestion" and replied to the sticky post at the top:

http://suggestions.yahoo.com/detail/?prop=groups&fid=210745

[gfineman]

I am doubtful that they will abandon what appears to be substantial effort into creating a version of some of PG Offline feature such as threading. However, they may be open to making some features optional. What exactly about the new format is difficult to deal with? What should we post? Just saying 'blah' will have very little effect.
I would suggest posting at http://www.ygroupsblog.com/blog/ , even if not directly on topic.
-Gabe Fineman
Washington, DC

[Wilson Logan]

I noticed this:

"Reply-to Sender: Reply-to Sender as a reply setting from the web interface will be released very soon. None of the groups that have this option set as the default will be migrated to the remodel until this feature is available. Please note that you can continue to reply to sender via email as you were able to before."

So... note to group owners... in order to keep the old format for as long as possible, enable Reply-to-Sender.

[Wilson Logan]

Regarding features of the new Yahoo that could be constructively criticised...

I've only had a quick look but there appear to be only 4 messages per page which is

a) nonsense

b) a problem for PGO.

has anyone got the name of a public, new format group I can look at?

Cheers,

Wilson.

[lklawrie]

Threading has been in Yahoo Groups for a long time.  You've been able to see the thread of the messages (even when someone's subject changes, it's still part of that thread).

Nice hint on the reply to sender -- unfortunately, one of my groups appears to have already migrated and it's probably too late to change it.

[John S]

Wilson,
The smart and Brown lathe group has been updated.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smart_and_brown_lathes/

John S.

[John S]

Good news ???

The smart and Brown lathe group has now reverted back to the old style and it's now picking up posts again.

Has Yahoo back pedalled ?

[Wilson Logan]

See? This is exactly why I no longer jump when Yahoo makes a change.

You just never know whether they'll make it stick or not. You see it all the time. People contact me to tell me that they have got the dreaded IPF error and then 5 days later, everythings working again.

Yahoo make a lot of low level changes which they end up rolling back out.

In the past I used to try and accomodate these small changes only to have them disappear a day later.

Not any more. I'm going to wait till the dust settles before updating PGO.

My opinion is that Yahoo have spent a lot of money on these changes. They do want to push them through but if there is enough user resistance they might leave the option on to use the old format.

Cheers,

Wilson.

[lklawrie]

Two of the groups which had gone the "new route" that I download are now back to the "old way".

I see I have already been eclipsed in reporting that.  :D

Cross fingers and paws here that it stays the "old way".

Linda

[marcmartin]

according to the Yahoo Groups blog, the change back to the old format is just temporary...  but this does buy some time for archiving your groups...

[Wilson Logan]

I think thats true. It will just be temporary. They've spent money on this and undoubtedly careers will be on the line if this goes south.

Cheers,

Wilson.