Release Notes (Website and app: Icon updates) - December 5, 2016

[+Toba78&Mapulu]

I have a problem with the new map icons on my Android smartphone with chrome. When I zoom in and click on the cache icon I see only the cache name.

Before it opens a small popup with more informations like D/T and a clickable link to listing logpage and more. Now I am even unable to open the listing from the map on my touchscreen device. Maybe thats a problem with my device. But I never noticed before.

 

Edit: seems if I try it more times It opens that popup as before. Maybe the clickable area is to small for my fingers...

Edited December 6, 2016 by Toba78&Mapulu

[+igator210]

Going to try to add some constructive criticism....

 

The tear drop shape "pointed" to the cache area and didn't obscure any satellite imagery. Now the circle covers the cache area.

 

Being able to tell the difference between a premium and non-premium cache help visually as a quick way to search for those types of caches.

 

Simplifying colors actually makes is harder to identify cache types. Having Mystery, Wherigo and Letterboxes all the same colors makes it harder to visually tell them apart. Maybe change the white icon to different colors? to make them pop more?

 

At various zoom levels the larger circles tend to overlap each other. I have to zoom way in to start seeing the differences

 

The grey color of disabled caches blends in way to much

 

There were a few other features that I had gotten used to. Time will tell if I can get unused to them.

[+Viajero Perdido]

Here's what I was complaining about:

 

 

When the mouse is in this position, the icon is not clickable. One pixel to the left, and it is. Horrible usability.

 

Firefox 50.0.2 on Linux, zoom=11. The mouse pointer at this position was actually a hand, but the process of screenshotting turned it into the standard arrow..

[+Bigbee43]

Why not give us an option as to whether we want to use the new map or the old map?

[+speakers-corner]

A small glitch has occured since 05.12.2016.

I now have the souviner for Russia, although I have never been there!!

[+TEAM_MARLIBU]

I have a problem too. I am Colorblind in many ways. There is a huge difficulty in seperating diferent cachestypes. I always zoom out on the map to see where large Cachingrounds are. Now i have the problem that i cannot differentiate between the Cachetypes. With the old icons i can differtiate with the shape of the icons. I don´t like the new design either. And the disabled caches are very too light grey. For me as a colorblind.... you know what i mean.

 

Sry for bad english.

[Moun10Bike]

A small glitch has occured since 05.12.2016.

I now have the souviner for Russia, although I have never been there!!

 

This is because you logged a find on one of the April Fools' Day caches - specifically http://coord.info/GC6E7NR. It looks like the script written to retroactively award the souvenir did not take into account whether or not the log was archived. I will notify the dev team.

[+terratin]

Time to throw in something positive: I can now zoom out a lot, and filter for cache type. This wasn't possible previously. Meaning, if I wanted to see all virtuals in Scotland I'd have to zoom in a lot, then deselect Earthcaches and websites, and then zoom out. Now I can select virtuals when being zoomed out. Thank you!

 

Bad news: I think the colour scheme does need a bit of tweaking. Especially the disabled caches are very difficult to see as other people have mentioned.

 

The ugly: I want to see my finds when zoomed out. How can I plan trips if I don't know from a distance that there are actually some caches left to find? The current zoom level might be useful for city cachers, but those of us who prefer to go out into the countryside where there are less caches need a good overview over their finds. The current invisible finds when zoomed out a lot are useless. Please add them again.

[+uwezi]

Still not showing corrected coordinates on the map and now the new icons makes the original Groundspeak maps less and less attractive and usable for me.

 

Perhaps there is a perceptual bias between European and American geocachers, but it seems that the acceptance of the new icons is especially low in Europe?

 

Thanks to my browser's cache I still have glimpse of the past...

Edited December 6, 2016 by uwezi

[+[ICE]monkey]

being colourblind the new map is useless to me now as i cant see the different colours ,its a move in the wrong direction

[+Birdie.NL]

I suddenly have a souvenir for Puerto Rico while I never have been across the Atlantic. What's going on in Seattle?

[+Hegaubiker]

I'm not happy with this change. The new icons look more or less simular and it's very hard to differ between the sympol on the map. Disables Caches in light grey colour have no contrast against the grey map. Also the blue earthcaches have no real contrast on lakes or rivers on the map.

 

I hoped to see an icon for a solved mystery but this is still on open issue here on the geocacing map. So I will still use other tools were I can the the solved mysteries with own, special symbpol on the solved koordinates.

 

Why is there no way to keep the previous map and symbol seetings in the map.

[+luxan222]

New icons are terrible. We cant identify the PMO caches (square or circle). Please go back to old version or give this option to user settings to choose the prefered out option - old icons show on map or new icond.

 

TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE!

 

Please do proper cases. For example - solved caches moved to solved location, after open trackable page we can see if we saw and logged it some days ago etc.

[+MartyBartfast]

We’ve removed the Premium Member Cache key - the circle icon that indicated on the map which caches were PMO. It was only available to Premium Members, and was not well understood or used by many users.

How did you figure this out? In my experience there were few who didn't understand it, but it was easily explained, and there is no way you can know how many did or didn't use it - I for one found it useful.

 

Also the blue & green colors make it very difficult for me, who has very good colour perception, to distinguish between the two circles; it must be virtually impossible for anyone with any kind of colour deficiency.

 

We’ll have a few more updates in the coming weeks, and we’ll be sure to let you know when those happen.

 

Here's hoping you'll take heed of the feedback and some of those updates will be fixing what you broke.

[+Zergei]

First comment from Finnish forums: "This is harassment against colorblind."

I think this refers to my comment, and I would like to add that something is lost in translation. I have no doubt that the GC crew have the best of intentions, it's just that the result in this case is irritating. For eyes and otherwise.

[+The A-Team]

3. Where is actually the cache? Formerly, there was a tip at which the cache was located. Now, it is somewhere in the circle - but where? I mean I do not know where is the centre of the circle - e.g. at which side of the street...

The old icons didn't have a pointer. They were square (or round if PMO) and the location of the cache was at the centre of the icon. That appears to be the case with the new icons too.

Here's a random example of the old icons I found on Google Images:

 

If this isn't how they looked for you, maybe you were using a browser add-on that changed the way they looked and it's now broken by this change?

[+CanUSeeIT]

With all of the complaints about the new icons in the app, I am astonished that the website has been changed to match the design that users have been complaining about for months. Many of the example screen-shots show the icons against the "Map" view, but never the "Satellite" view. The new icons are pretty useless in Satellite view, because they get completely lost in the visual clutter. The old icons were just fine.

 

Here are some of the points I made about the app's icons, months ago:

 

 

- The icon showing your current location is exactly the same size, shape, and color as the icon for a mystery cache. Sure, the location icon animates a bit, but then you have to stare at your screen for a few seconds to tell the difference.

 

- The green color of the new icons is so close to the color of grass and trees, in satellite views you can't easily see the icon, especially if there is sunlight anywhere near your screen, which does happen when I'm outdoors, you know, Geocaching.

 

- The icons now have a grey border, which is the same color as roads and trails in the satellite views. It also serves to make the icon blend in well to the map. Like camouflage. These icons should not be hidden, like actual geocaches are.

 

- Even my found caches now have smiles that are subtle, almost sadly subtle, like they're a bit embarrassed to have been found.

 

The old icons were bright and vibrant, and clear. The new icons make me work too hard to see.

 

Happy Icons

 

Sad Icons

 

[+LivingInNarnia]

Here's what I was complaining about:

 

 

When the mouse is in this position, the icon is not clickable. One pixel to the left, and it is. Horrible usability.

 

Firefox 50.0.2 on Linux, zoom=11. The mouse pointer at this position was actually a hand, but the process of screenshotting turned it into the standard arrow..

 

Thank you for mentioning this, we're looking into it.

[+LivingInNarnia]

First comment from Finnish forums: "This is harassment against colorblind."

I think this refers to my comment, and I would like to add that something is lost in translation. I have no doubt that the GC crew have the best of intentions, it's just that the result in this case is irritating. For eyes and otherwise.

 

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. While we do accessibility testing prior to implementing design changes, based on feedback we’re taking another look at this to see if there’s anything we missed.

[+MrPossum]

• We’ve removed the Premium Member Cache key - the circle icon that indicated on the map which caches were PMO. It was only available to Premium Members, and was not well understood or used by many users.

I'm curious to know how it was determined that the PMO descriptor was not "used by many users". I certainly appreciated being able to identify which caches were PMO or not, by having the icon be a square or circle.

 

If there's no way to identify PMO caches on the map, then could GS at least add a toggle in the Filters pane so users can toggle on/off PMO caches. I know this can be done via Search, so I'm asking specifically in regards to the Browsing Map.

 

The PMO designation was valuable to me, I used it regularly when planning a caching ride. Now, I cannot use the map to determine if a cache is PMO without opening the entire individual cache page. Serious flaw in your approach, Groundspeak!

 

I'm with you, Michaelcycle! I will only place TBs or geocoins in PMO caches; in this part of the woods they're swiped from regular caches. Now I will have to click on every cache in the vicinity to find PMOs. I thought that GS's job was to help cachers, not hinder them! Please bring back the PMO designation on the map.

Edited December 7, 2016 by MrPossum

[+brendan714]

Well, I'll add on my two cents. I've got to say, I don't really like it. Here are a few reasons why:

 

- The same shape for every cache (regardless of cache type, found caches or owned caches) really hurts my eyes. I don't like how colour is now the only distinguishing feature. Traditionals and unknowns are very hard to distinguish unless you're up close.

- I feel really bad for colourblind folk.

- The colour of traditionals and owned caches are too similar, and both are very similar to the colour of parks in the Geocaching map layer (and other map layers too).

- Disabled caches are almost invisible on many map layers, including the Geocaching layer. The grey circle blends in to the grey background to the point where I can barely see it at all.

- On some layers, without distinguishing shapes, multis blend in to roads and unknown caches blend in to water features.

- All caches types are difficult to distinguish between various features and locations on Google Map, as Google Maps also uses circles of roughly the same size (depending on zoom level).

- The white star in the owned cache icon isn't visible at zoom levels 13 and 12. It's just a white dot? At these higher zooms, owned caches are practically indistinguishable from traditional caches.

- Premium member caches are indistinguishable.

- At far zoom levels the cache icons appear really small (and it's hard to see cache types with only differences in colour), and at closer zoom levels the cache icons seem very large? There's a definite change in icon size between zoom levels 13 and 14. It's kinda weird?

- The whole style looks cartoonish and juvenile.

 

I really liked the previous map layout; I don't think it was broken or needed fixing at all. And in my mind the map is probably the most important feature for geocaching.com. This new update seems to remove information and make map readability more difficult.

Edited December 7, 2016 by brendan714

[+kwvers!]

Went to geocaching.com map page tonight and just about died. New unfriendly icons! These icons have the same major flaw of most mobile device applications, they totally leave us color blind people in the dark. The unique shapes of the old icons made it very easy to tell the cache type regardless of color. Most colors selected before were unique enough to enhance the shape, at least for some levels of color blindness. Now, they all blend together. Not only are they all dots, but the color selections are no longer unique enough so multiple icons appear the same at a quick glance. Very frustrating to take a huge leap backwards in useability!! When looking for a new phone I actually avoided Android based phones because none of the geocaching apps were color blind friendly compared to GeoBucket. In fact, they all look like the new online icons, horrible for some of us. Is there any way to get the old icons back for us that like/need them?

 

I know exactly what you are saying about the difficulty we color blind folks have with these changes. I thought I was the only one..kwvers!

[+kwvers!]

First comment from Finnish forums: "This is harassment against colorblind."

I think this refers to my comment, and I would like to add that something is lost in translation. I have no doubt that the GC crew have the best of intentions, it's just that the result in this case is irritating. For eyes and otherwise.

 

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. While we do accessibility testing prior to implementing design changes, based on feedback we’re taking another look at this to see if there’s anything we missed.

 

kwvers! here..I too am colorblind and these changes are so irritating..

[+Harry Dolphin]

First comment from Finnish forums: "This is harassment against colorblind."

I think this refers to my comment, and I would like to add that something is lost in translation. I have no doubt that the GC crew have the best of intentions, it's just that the result in this case is irritating. For eyes and otherwise.

 

Groundspeak had never been known for caring about the visually handicapped. This is the modern world where youngsters rule. Or maybe: That's the modern way to do things. We need to do that too. To be modern!

Shrink the fonts! Nobody uses that size anymore. Less contrast! No black Groundspeak. Please reconsider this change for the sake of change, and: It's modern. We should do it!

on white. Let's use the modern dark grey on light grey. Move the tabs to the top of the page. No one uses them on the side of the page anymore.

These have all made using GC.com tougher for me. I may be an extreme example. Before cataract surgery, I was 20/1200. Now, I'm at 20/30, but my eyes do not focus. My glasses are set for 24" for reading, and 48" for distance.

I cannot read the top of the page without bending my head back. And that does not work with my arthritis. I complained when GS moved the tabs to the top of the page. And got no sympathy.

The modern computer world discriminates agains the visually handicapped. That's the modern world. But change for the sake of change (and that's the modern world!) is seldom a good idea. Let's made the website look like the app! (Better to make the app look like the website! Nah.)

This time, Groundspeak has managed to annoy 8% of the male geocachers who are color blind. Whoops! That was not a bright idea? The question is whether Groundspeak cares? Change for the sake of change. This is modern! We must do it!

Personally, I think the new icons are stupid, and much more difficult to use (at least, for us visually handicapped who have been here over ten years.) Each release makes things tougher and tougher for us senior cachers with visual handicaps. Hey! It's the modern world.

Who cares about us?

[+kwvers!]

Why not give us an option as to whether we want to use the new map or the old map?

 

I agree totally! old maps are so much better...kwvers!

[niraD]

Why not give us an option as to whether we want to use the new map or the old map?

Before committing to a new web design, it's a good idea to make sure the change is an improvement:

https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1745147?hl=en

[+Zop]

First comment from Finnish forums: "This is harassment against colorblind."

 

I'm not colorblind, yet I find it quite aesthetically displeasing. Very difficult to see the icons clearly on the maps. It all just bleeds together and the contrasts wash out the maps.

 

Maybe if the icons were slightly smaller and crisper. At the moment however, it looks 'Fisher Price'

[+Zop]

First comment from Finnish forums: "This is harassment against colorblind."

I think this refers to my comment, and I would like to add that something is lost in translation. I have no doubt that the GC crew have the best of intentions, it's just that the result in this case is irritating. For eyes and otherwise.

 

Groundspeak had never been known for caring about the visually handicapped. This is the modern world where youngsters rule. Or maybe: That's the modern way to do things. We need to do that too. To be modern!

Shrink the fonts! Nobody uses that size anymore. Less contrast! No black Groundspeak. Please reconsider this change for the sake of change, and: It's modern. We should do it!

on white. Let's use the modern dark grey on light grey. Move the tabs to the top of the page. No one uses them on the side of the page anymore.

These have all made using GC.com tougher for me. I may be an extreme example. Before cataract surgery, I was 20/1200. Now, I'm at 20/30, but my eyes do not focus. My glasses are set for 24" for reading, and 48" for distance.

I cannot read the top of the page without bending my head back. And that does not work with my arthritis. I complained when GS moved the tabs to the top of the page. And got no sympathy.

The modern computer world discriminates agains the visually handicapped. That's the modern world. But change for the sake of change (and that's the modern world!) is seldom a good idea. Let's made the website look like the app! (Better to make the app look like the website! Nah.)

This time, Groundspeak has managed to annoy 8% of the male geocachers who are color blind. Whoops! That was not a bright idea? The question is whether Groundspeak cares? Change for the sake of change. This is modern! We must do it!

Personally, I think the new icons are stupid, and much more difficult to use (at least, for us visually handicapped who have been here over ten years.) Each release makes things tougher and tougher for us senior cachers with visual handicaps. Hey! It's the modern world.

Who cares about us?

 

No, you're not alone. I find it just another reason to wean myself off using the site. GSAK, Google Earth and the API's are far superior it seems.

[+Zop]

 

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. While we do accessibility testing prior to implementing design changes, based on feedback we’re taking another look at this to see if there’s anything we missed.

 

Please do. And also please remember, many, many, of us have been caching for years using GPSr's and computers. We often find smart phone apps to be more of a hindrance than a help so we do not use them. When 'improvements' for them degrade features for everyone else, it's not really progress nor an 'improvement'.

 

It's telling us old-timers that you just don't care. I'm sure there can be some sort of middle ground.

[+Zop]

Why not give us an option as to whether we want to use the new map or the old map?

 

+1 this one!

[+Zop]

• We’ve removed the Premium Member Cache key - the circle icon that indicated on the map which caches were PMO. It was only available to Premium Members, and was not well understood or used by many users.

I'm curious to know how it was determined that the PMO descriptor was not "used by many users". I certainly appreciated being able to identify which caches were PMO or not, by having the icon be a square or circle.

 

If there's no way to identify PMO caches on the map, then could GS at least add a toggle in the Filters pane so users can toggle on/off PMO caches. I know this can be done via Search, so I'm asking specifically in regards to the Browsing Map.

 

As did many of us!

[+Zop]

What about the gray background that was used to indicate that a cache was disabled?

 

I'm not sure I understand the question. Disabled caches are denoted by being grayed out...

 

 

Nearly impossible to actually see them though.

[+Zop]

As you noticed you can accomplish PMO cache filtering on the search page, but the intent is to merge the search filters and map experience at some point.

 

This would be greatly disappointing.

 

I've pretty much moved away from using any of the existing search tools because of the changes a couple of years ago. Why are you forcing us to rely on the API and GSAK?

[+bonzaiboomke]

okay who did this

 

this map is in one word HORIBLE

 

old map was way better then this

 

color wise

even icons due of different shapes you knew what was a pmo cache or not

icons way better then they are now they hurt my eyes and thats in the meaning of the word

its hard to click on them you have to click on that white edge

they blind in to much with the whole background of the map

also when i go caching on my own i dont really care whats a pmo or not

but also go caching in groups what should i do use a new account or someone elses to figure out what are basic member caches and pmo?

if you vall this a upgrade well sorry guys but this is a GIGANTIC downgrade severly doubting if i gonna keep geocaching with this or even sell my gear and call it quits

 

i like to geocaching so for the other members for me please take those new upgrades offline and give us back the old map it works so why change something that works perfectly for most people

for basic members

colour blind people

pmo's

 

idea why not the old map with the old icons and maybe a different colour for archived and disabled caches

[+Viajero Perdido]

The old icons didn't have a pointer. They were square (or round if PMO) and the location of the cache was at the centre of the icon. That appears to be the case with the new icons too.

Now that you mention it, I've gotten to really like having a little pointer to the exact location.

(From my favorite non-Groundspeak caching app...)

 

Hey Groundspeak, how about?

[+brendan714]

Now that you mention it, I've gotten to really like having a little pointer to the exact location.

 

If you look in the right place there actually are little pointers. Here's a snapshot of the preview box in the lower right on one of my cache pages. Notice how nicely contrasted the icons are from one another (and from the background)? And how easy they are to see and identify? Wow, that's one good lookin' map style right there!

 

[+Rumreisender]

If the map will be like this now, I will only use the live map of project GC... There the caches are clearly indicated (with pointers) and I have more filters to choose from.

[+HHL]

If the map will be like this now, I will only use the live map of project GC... [...]

 

Who cares?

Edited December 7, 2016 by HHL

[+Rumreisender]

If the map will be like this now, I will only use the live map of project GC... [...]

 

Who cares?

 

all others who don't like the new style. So everyone, except you -based on the comments above

[+xtqx1]

First I thought of a late April Fools' Day joke, but sadly it seems to be serious.

Cache types are hard to distinguish "thanks" to the new colour scheme.

On the old map I was able to see whether a cache was PMO by a glance, this feature has now been eliminated.

Please stop breaking things which are totally working just for the sake of fancy web design.

[+HHL]

I Always zoomed to 2km so I get the nice large icons. Now its not posibble anymore

Now I need to zoom to 500m but then is the map to small.[...]

 

Use the NewSearch map instead:

 

 

Hans

[+Zergei]

I Always zoomed to 2km so I get the nice large icons. Now its not posibble anymore

Now I need to zoom to 500m but then is the map to small.[...]

 

Use the NewSearch map instead:

 

 

Hans

 

I appreciate your 'lemons to lemonade' attitude, but this is a paid service. If you bought a tailormade suit that fits only if you are kneeling down and holding your left arm up, would you be satisfied? It fits, after all?

 

But I'm hopeful that we'll see a remedy soon-ish.

[+WadeH]

I am in agreement with the majority of posts here. I do not like these changes at all! Yes, I'm yet another color blind cacher who uses a GPSr and computer (only rarely use a smartphone) and the map is now nearly useless to me. Please change the icons back to the original ones, or give us the option of which to use!

[+c1954m]

When I use the map and I zoom out more than 2 km, the caches I already found reappear on the map even if I checked the option not to show them. Why not let them invisible no matter what zoom level you choose. It will be easier to do a search for places to go to make caches.

However, it works for the type of caches chosen no matter the zoom level, but not for our discovered caches. That will be a good improvement to change that.

Tks.

[+bonzaiboomke]

If the map will be like this now, I will only use the live map of project GC... [...]

 

Who cares?

 

well i care the map looks like a clown trew up confettie

[+dadoskawina]

Filtering out your own caches or caches that you have found works only if zoom is 12 or greater.

[+Gillala]

I read a nice motto somewhere on the internet : "Don't waste your mistakes, learn from it".

Obviously, this thread is self-explanatory. The latest update is a mistake. Learn from it, dare going back to the previous release and redo things correctly ! Please, listen to your customers for once ! We don't wish you no harm !

[+maristua]

I don't get it. Why do the website have to be like the app. The ones who uses the apps doesn't use the website that often. The ones who uses the website doesn't use the app that often because of the difficulty to see the caches on the app. So why change the website to look like the app? It would be wiser to keep the website as it was so that those of us who are struggling with sight, either because we are color blind or because of other difficulties with the sight can have a place to see the caches without having to use other website. If the maps aren't changed I'm not going to use geocaching.com to plan my geocaching. I will use project-gc who has a much more user friendly map.

[+BCandMsKitty]

First comment from Finnish forums: "This is harassment against colorblind."

I think this refers to my comment, and I would like to add that something is lost in translation. I have no doubt that the GC crew have the best of intentions, it's just that the result in this case is irritating. For eyes and otherwise.

 

Groundspeak had never been known for caring about the visually handicapped. This is the modern world where youngsters rule. Or maybe: That's the modern way to do things. We need to do that too. To be modern!

Shrink the fonts! Nobody uses that size anymore. Less contrast! No black Groundspeak. Please reconsider this change for the sake of change, and: It's modern. We should do it!

on white. Let's use the modern dark grey on light grey. Move the tabs to the top of the page. No one uses them on the side of the page anymore.

These have all made using GC.com tougher for me. I may be an extreme example. Before cataract surgery, I was 20/1200. Now, I'm at 20/30, but my eyes do not focus. My glasses are set for 24" for reading, and 48" for distance.

I cannot read the top of the page without bending my head back. And that does not work with my arthritis. I complained when GS moved the tabs to the top of the page. And got no sympathy.

The modern computer world discriminates agains the visually handicapped. That's the modern world. But change for the sake of change (and that's the modern world!) is seldom a good idea. Let's made the website look like the app! (Better to make the app look like the website! Nah.)

This time, Groundspeak has managed to annoy 8% of the male geocachers who are color blind. Whoops! That was not a bright idea? The question is whether Groundspeak cares? Change for the sake of change. This is modern! We must do it!

Personally, I think the new icons are stupid, and much more difficult to use (at least, for us visually handicapped who have been here over ten years.) Each release makes things tougher and tougher for us senior cachers with visual handicaps. Hey! It's the modern world.

Who cares about us?

 

For once I agree with Harry Dolphin, even though I haven't the vision problems.

 

The new map icons suck and one wonders why there was any change at all!

 

All good comments, but do any of you really think anyone ever listens?

 

Traditionally, it seems to me, that with every change, TPTB give lip service to "looking into it" but when has anything ever been changed back, or "fixed" to reflect how the majority feel? And there is no concern given for what the majority might want.

 

We all have to just take whatever changes are implemented, and either get used to it, or go away.

 

I'm sure we'll all get used to the new map icons eventually, but that doesn't mean the change has been for the better, but rather probably for some boardroom reasons that none of us are aware of.

 

Maybe, in some way, to facilitate Groundspeak's bent toward the smartphone generation and the really awful "official App"!

Must be more revenue than they're getting from more traditional website users.

Edited December 7, 2016 by BC & MsKitty

[+bonzaiboomke]

First comment from Finnish forums: "This is harassment against colorblind."

I think this refers to my comment, and I would like to add that something is lost in translation. I have no doubt that the GC crew have the best of intentions, it's just that the result in this case is irritating. For eyes and otherwise.

 

Groundspeak had never been known for caring about the visually handicapped. This is the modern world where youngsters rule. Or maybe: That's the modern way to do things. We need to do that too. To be modern!

Shrink the fonts! Nobody uses that size anymore. Less contrast! No black Groundspeak. Please reconsider this change for the sake of change, and: It's modern. We should do it!

on white. Let's use the modern dark grey on light grey. Move the tabs to the top of the page. No one uses them on the side of the page anymore.

These have all made using GC.com tougher for me. I may be an extreme example. Before cataract surgery, I was 20/1200. Now, I'm at 20/30, but my eyes do not focus. My glasses are set for 24" for reading, and 48" for distance.

I cannot read the top of the page without bending my head back. And that does not work with my arthritis. I complained when GS moved the tabs to the top of the page. And got no sympathy.

The modern computer world discriminates agains the visually handicapped. That's the modern world. But change for the sake of change (and that's the modern world!) is seldom a good idea. Let's made the website look like the app! (Better to make the app look like the website! Nah.)

This time, Groundspeak has managed to annoy 8% of the male geocachers who are color blind. Whoops! That was not a bright idea? The question is whether Groundspeak cares? Change for the sake of change. This is modern! We must do it!

Personally, I think the new icons are stupid, and much more difficult to use (at least, for us visually handicapped who have been here over ten years.) Each release makes things tougher and tougher for us senior cachers with visual handicaps. Hey! It's the modern world.

Who cares about us?

 

For once I agree with Harry Dolphin, even though I haven't the vision problems.

 

The new map icons suck and one wonders why there was any change at all!

 

All good comments, but do any of you really think anyone ever listens?

 

Traditionally, it seems to me, that with every change, TPTB give lip service to "looking into it" but when has anything ever been changed back, or "fixed" to reflect how the majority feel? And there is no concern given for what the majority might want.

 

We all have to just take whatever changes are implemented, and either get used to it, or go away.

 

I'm sure we'll all get used to the new map icons eventually, but that doesn't mean the change has been for the better, but rather probably for some boardroom reasons that none of us are aware of.

 

Maybe, in some way, to facilitate Groundspeak's bent toward the smartphone generation and the really awful "official App"!

Must be more revenue than they're getting from more traditional website users.

 

so in short you guys say suck it up and move on well no we have the right to speak or mind good or bad and alot of people now including me are all saying the same the update SUCKS and changing the website so it would look like the app isnt a solution best and only thing they can do is turning back and realise this whole update is a EPIC FAIL