Release Notes (Website: Upcoming retirement of old profile page)

[+Geocaching HQ]

Release Notes (Website: Upcoming retirement of old profile page)

 

In May 2017, we introduced the new profile page, which features a number of improvements and additions. The new profile page:
 

• Shows the number of hides
• Shows when you are friends, or shows the option to add another player as a friend
• Introduced the option to link to specific tabs of the profile (e.g. your statistics tab)
• Respects your date format settings
• Shows a cover image
• Shows total Favorite points received from other players (this more recent addition replaces the information of trackable logs)

 

The majority of all accounts are opted into the new profile look, and since August 2019, all new players are entirely on the new profile page. But to ease the transition from the old look to the new look, we gave existing players the option to stay on the old profile page. We are planning to remove the option to return to the old profile page on November 30, 2020.

 

The main feedback we have received about the new profile page was that the cover image was so large that it required scrolling down the page to see the content. With today’s release, we have reduced the height of the cover image on the new profile page to give the content more space. We have also, for the first time, opted all players into the new profile page.

 

We know that change can be difficult, but we encourage you to give the new profile page a try. We are interested in your continued feedback and will consider all feedback for future improvements.

 

For more background information about retirement of duplicate pages on Geocaching.com, please visit our blog.

 

Thank you!

 

Nicole (nykkole), Product Manager, is watching this thread to answer questions whenever possible.

 

Any posts in this thread should relate to features in this release. Comments unrelated to the release may be removed. Please direct unrelated comments to other appropriate threads. Thanks!

[+Max and 99]

29 minutes ago, Geocaching HQ said:

Release Notes (Website: Upcoming retirement of old profile page)

 

In May 2017, we introduced the new profile page, which features a number of improvements and additions. The new profile page:
 

• Shows the number of hides
• Shows when you are friends, or shows the option to add another player as a friend
• Introduced the option to link to specific tabs of the profile (e.g. your statistics tab)
• Respects your date format settings
• Shows a cover image
• Shows total Favorite points received from other players (this more recent addition replaces the information of trackable logs)

 

The majority of all accounts are opted into the new profile look, and since August 2019, all new players are entirely on the new profile page. But to ease the transition from the old look to the new look, we gave existing players the option to stay on the old profile page. We are planning to remove the option to return to the old profile page on November 30, 2020.

 

The main feedback we have received about the new profile page was that the cover image was so large that it required scrolling down the page to see the content. With today’s release, we have reduced the height of the cover image on the new profile page to give the content more space. We have also, for the first time, opted all players into the new profile page.

 

We know that change can be difficult, but we encourage you to give the new profile page a try. We are interested in your continued feedback and will consider all feedback for future improvements.

 

For more background information about retirement of duplicate pages on Geocaching.com, please visit our blog.

 

Thank you!

 

Nicole (nykkole), Product Manager, is watching this thread to answer questions whenever possible.

 

Any posts in this thread should relate to features in this release. Comments unrelated to the release may be removed. Please direct unrelated comments to other appropriate threads. Thanks!

Not happy about this announcement. I like the old profile better. I am glad that you provided a notice on the old profile, for those who might not see the announcement. And I like that you ask on the profile page why one prefers the old profile. ?

Edited October 5, 2020 by Max and 99

[+barefootjeff]

My profile image was meant to show me standing barefoot on a rock shelf overlooking Broken Bay:

 

 

But now the reduced size has cut the rock and my feet out of the photo.

 

 

I guess I'm going to have to wait for another sunny day and try to get a wider angle shot. What are the new dimensions for the image?

[+CAVinoGal]

8 minutes ago, barefootjeff said:

What are the new dimensions for the image?

 

The ideal cover photo size is 790px by 200px or larger.

Your new profile photo and cover images:

• Must be less than 5 MB and in PNG, JPG or GIF format
• Will overwrite your current photo

[+barefootjeff]

2 minutes ago, CAVinoGal said:

 

The ideal cover photo size is 790px by 200px or larger.

Your new profile photo and cover images:

• Must be less than 5 MB and in PNG, JPG or GIF format
• Will overwrite your current photo

 

Thanks.

[+ardila.nl]

48 minutes ago, CAVinoGal said:

The ideal cover photo size is 790px by 200px or larger.

Looking at the html element your are right. It used to be 350 but it has been reduced to 200.

But when you want to upload a new image it still says that the ideal resolution is 790px by 350px or larger.
And the preview you are getting is of the old image resolution, not of the new one

Edited October 5, 2020 by ardila.nl

[+Viajero Perdido]

1 hour ago, Geocaching HQ said:

we have reduced the height of the cover image on the new profile page

 

790px by 200px.  Who composes images with that kind of aspect ratio?!?

 

Edited October 5, 2020 by Viajero Perdido

[+barefootjeff]

I see the new dashboard still uses the original photo aspect ratio:

 

 

This is going to become quite a juggling act to find something that works in both.

 

 

[+barefootjeff]

1 minute ago, cerberus1 said:

Are you talking about the "old profile page" or the dashboard ?  Most times when I mention my profile, someone says "it's a dashboard...".

If you're simply going to change the public profile page, I'm okay with that.    

 

The image change they've made is in the public profile so I assume that's what this is about.

[+brendan714]

Feedback:

1) I don't like how when I click on each tab, the page re-loads then jumps down.  It seems really clunky, the transition should be much smoother.  It should be able to transition between tabs without fully re-loading the page then jumping down. 

 

2) Every time I click a tab, the page view re-adjusts so the top of the page starts at the geocacher's name.  This is frustrating because I have to scroll down past the name, joined date, etc to see the actual content I am looking for.  It would be much better if the page re-adjusted to have the tab bar at the top of the page. That way I can easily view the content I am looking for.

 

3) My profile photo now takes up about 40% of my cover photo.  I think it diminishes the purpose of the cover photo, especially the left 40% of it.

 

4) The cover photo seems flat like a pancake now.  It's a bizarre aspect ratio.

 

5) There is a lot of white space between the cacher name, the "joined" and "last visited" dates and the tab bar.  This wasted space is especially frustrating because of points #1 & 2 - the page re-loads every time I click a tab and re-adjusts to the cacher's name.  My opinion would be to move these dates under the forum posts button and remove a significant portion of white space.  Here's my 30 second fix:

 

I think there are some potentially good features about the new profile page (the cover photo is a neat addition & I like the icons for finds, hides, etc), but overall I find it clunky, less efficient and less tidy than the old profile page. 

[+Viajero Perdido]

Before everybody scans their photo albums for the ideal panoramic image, an idea...  The leftmost third of the banner is now useless, being almost completely hidden by that square image.

 

Why not just keep the banner aspect ratio, but make it (sigh) smaller so the square image doesn't cover it?

 

Or better, why not just undo this change?  It was, what, to save a wee bit of scrolling in a page that typically needs scrolling anyway?

[+Harry Dolphin]

How sad!  I hate the new profile page!  And please stop sending the questionnaire every time I use my profile page! 

[+Max and 99]

14 minutes ago, cerberus1 said:

 

And I thought I'd be left alone after "nearest in..." was removed from my profile.  And just went pm again too...

 

Are you talking about the "old profile page" or the dashboard ?  Most times when I mention my profile, someone says "it's a dashboard...".

If you're simply going to change the public profile page, I'm okay with that.    

 

 From the blog, this is just the first rollout:

 

As you may know, there are a number of duplicate pages on Geocaching.com. For example, the old/new profile page, the old/new dashboard, and the old/new logging flow, to name a few. In this blog, you’ll learn why duplicate pages come into being, why some have not yet been retired, and our future plans.

 

........

 

The first page that will go through this process is the profile page.

[+cerberus1]

5 minutes ago, Max and 99 said:

 From the blog, this is just the first rollout:

 

As you may know, there are a number of duplicate pages on Geocaching.com. For example, the old/new profile page, the old/new dashboard, and the old/new logging flow, to name a few. In this blog, you’ll learn why duplicate pages come into being, why some have not yet been retired, and our future plans.

 

........

The first page that will go through this process is the profile page.

 

That's too bad.  Most we know still say "old" logging is much better than that new thing.  

Change isn't difficult when it makes sense.     Oh well...

[+barefootjeff]

35 minutes ago, Viajero Perdido said:

Before everybody scans their photo albums for the ideal panoramic image, an idea...  The leftmost third of the banner is now useless, being almost completely hidden by that square image.

 

Not only that, on the dashboard page the avatar is centred on the photo so the photo's subject really needs to be on the far right to avoid being obscured on one or the other.

Edited October 5, 2020 by barefootjeff

[+barefootjeff]

2 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

This is going to become quite a juggling act to find something that works in both.

 

With some careful recropping of my original photo I was able to come up with something that now works on both pages (at least until the next change). Phew!

[+Harry Dolphin]

STOP SENDING ME A QUESTIONNAIRE EVERY TIME I USE MY PROFILE!!!!!!!!!!

[+cerberus1]

2 minutes ago, Harry Dolphin said:

STOP SENDING ME A QUESTIONNAIRE EVERY TIME I USE MY PROFILE!!!!!!!!!!

 

Greetings finned one.   Curious where you're seeing this, or maybe you're one of few receiving this.   Thanks.    

I've been playing with that head chopped-off photo thing for two hours now, and haven't seen anything on either profile or "dashboard", and not in email either. 

[+Max and 99]

6 minutes ago, Harry Dolphin said:

STOP SENDING ME A QUESTIONNAIRE EVERY TIME I USE MY PROFILE!!!!!!!!!!

I hope this doesn't continue till November 30th. ?

[+Max and 99]

On 10/5/2020 at 7:08 PM, cerberus1 said:

 

Greetings finned one.   Curious where you're seeing this, or maybe you're one of few receiving this.   Thanks.    

I've been playing with that head chopped-off photo thing for two hours now, and haven't seen anything on either profile or "dashboard", and not in email either. 

Every time I use my old profile I get this message. It's at the far bottom right of the profile page.

Edit: I have not ever gotten the questionnaire while using my desktop.

 

 

Edited October 8, 2020 by Max and 99

[+cerberus1]

2 minutes ago, Max and 99 said:

Every time I use my old profile I get this message. Is that the far bottom right of the profile page.

 

Nope.  Nada here.  Maybe I'm on a curmudgeonly dyslexic old farts list.   

[+Max and 99]

2 minutes ago, cerberus1 said:

 

Nope.  Nada here.  Maybe I'm on a curmudgeonly dyslexic old farts list.   

Well the questionnaire wants to know why you prefer the old page, so if you never switch from the new page and back to the old page, it probably won't ask you. Just a guess.

[+cerberus1]

Just now, Max and 99 said:

Well the questionnaire wants to know why you prefer the old page, so if you never switch from the new page and back to the old page, it probably won't ask you. Just a guess.

 

That's all I've been doing for two hours now, switching back n forth.   

[+terratin]

Yes, I use the new profile, because I'm too lazy to switch back. But there's a lot that's not right for me. Here's a screenshot at how I see it in my browser, and some comments.
For me, there's just too much whitespace everywhere, and too little contrast overall.
The tiny advertising with us is simply infuriating: To me it looks like the menu pours out of it's frame, but someone messed up the aligning. Yeah, I might as well not use an add-blocker, I know.

[+terratin]

Comparison old vs. new:

Form follows function vs function follows form.

Edited October 6, 2020 by terratin

[+on4bam]

What do you think is better?

 

 

Everthing (well, almost everything) needed is there.

 

 

White space all around. As with all other "improvements" GS is making there's always less useful info on a page and more blank space. That means more scrolling.

"Appifying" a desktop page is not progress.

 

 

 

 

[+terratin]

14 minutes ago, on4bam said:

What do you think is better?

 

 

Everthing (well, almost everything) needed is there.

 

 

White space all around. As with all other "improvements" GS is making there's always less useful info on a page and more blank space. That means more scrolling.

"Appifying" a desktop page is not progress.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, but you got your user pic in front of your found caches so you really know that 'you' is you.

Btw, why is the grey background of the forum different than the background on the website? Here the contrast is much better, btw.

[+on4bam]

4 minutes ago, terratin said:

Btw, why is the grey background of the forum different than the background on the website? Here the contrast is much better, btw.

 

Probably to do with GClh II. That's why the content is more condensed and more screen area is used (my browser is not full screen).

 

[+searcherdog]

> STOP SENDING ME A QUESTIONNAIRE EVERY TIME I USE MY PROFILE!!!

I don't see a questionnaire although I have been in and out of both versions.

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by searcherdog

[+searcherdog]

I find the new screens annoying. There is so much wasted space and poor layout that almost everything I want is not visible until I have scrolled several times.

It seems that my definition of improvement is not shared by those who are creating the screens.

I would be interested to know what the questionnaire is asking but it doesn't appear on my screen.

 

[Blue Square Thing]

Sorry, but I don't like the new screens as much either. The profile one is trifling because I rarely use it; some of the others (logging, search) are much more usable with the old ones.

 

I understand the technical reasons for wanting to standardise. I get why you want to move towards something a bit more 2018 in look. It's just a shame that it won't be as useful for desktop users.

[+ardila.nl]

Can you please fix the inconsistency for the cover image?

How am I supposed to choose a cover image when different parts of the image are covered up in Profile and Dashboard?

 

Wouldn't something like this for the profile be more consistent with the dashboard?

 

[+on4bam]

I guess I fixed it.

 

[+ardila.nl]

Hamburger menu and profile page in the app are also different from each other and different from the "normal" page on the website itself 

 

[+Maxipimpf]

Ich weiß nicht, wie es euch geht. Zumindest ich finde die "neue" Profilansicht schrecklich und würde gern die alte behalten.

Leider ist sie jetzt abgekündigt, wahrscheinlich werden auch die alten Logseiten etc sterben.

 

Wenn schon eine neue Profilansicht, dann richtig!! 

-------------------------

I don't know about you guys. At least I find the "new" profile view horrible and would like to keep the old one.

Unfortunately it is now discontinued, probably the old log pages etc. will die, too.

 

If you want a new profile view, then do it right! 

[+rehobch]

The new profile page does NOT seem to have a link to send an email or a message to the user.

[+Max and 99]

8 minutes ago, rehobch said:

The new profile page does NOT seem to have a link to send an email or a message to the user.

I was curious about this so I checked. I see an option to message the user on the new profile page. Can you include a screenshot showing that you're not seeing it?

[+MartyBartfast]

4 minutes ago, Max and 99 said:

I was curious about this so I checked. I see an option to message the user on the new profile page. Can you include a screenshot showing that you're not seeing it?

Me too, there's the message and Email link on the right:

 

 

[+Max and 99]

20 minutes ago, rehobch said:

The new profile page does NOT seem to have a link to send an email or a message to the user.

I'm wondering if you're just not seeing it because it's your own profile you're looking at. It doesn't show on my profile either. ?

[+Corfman Clan]

21 hours ago, Geocaching HQ said:

Release Notes (Website: Upcoming retirement of old profile page)

The main feedback we have received about the new profile page was that the cover image was so large that it required scrolling down the page to see the content. With today’s release, we have reduced the height of the cover image on the new profile page to give the content more space. We have also, for the first time, opted all players into the new profile page.

Please don't. The new size is too thin. Besides, there's lots of space below it that used to be the image that is now just white space. Plus you're inconveniencing everyone that has created an image for the previous size with having to redo it.

[+!Lux]

Alot of the new pages are [bad] compared to the new ones. If they get rid on the old ones before they fix the new pages, it will upset alooooot of people.

• I still never use the new dashboard. Its cluttery and overall inferior both in layout, colors and accessability. The only thing i like is the event calendar. 
• The new logging system is also inferior in every possible way. I never use it and never will in its current iteration. It looks like an app page, isnt clear in any way whatsoever and is not suited for browser use. It just lacks everything.
• I use the browse map 99% of the time as its much quicker and easier to work with. The search map is only good for picking out specific caches and thats hardly something i do.

Cache owner dashboard is pretty nice though, but it still needs alot of work. 

Edited October 6, 2020 by Keystone
potty language fixed by moderator

[+Max and 99]

It seems like it would be a lot less work for Groundspeak to use the questionnaire to ask why someone prefers the new profile page. Based on the responses I've seen so far, it seems they would have a lot fewer responses to look at. 

[+!Lux]

10 hours ago, on4bam said:

 

White space all around. As with all other "improvements" GS is making there's always less useful info on a page and more blank space. That means more scrolling.

"Appifying" a desktop page is not progress.

 

 

THIS x100000000000!!

 

I do NOT get what they are trying to do. "Appifying" a desktop experience is the worst thing they can do. 

There are already apps on the phone. Dont ruin the browsing.

[+GrateBear]

I don't even remember what the old profile page looked like, and have no intention of taking a look back.  I also never even realized I could set a cover photo, as I skipped right over that section.  Change is good!

[+famousteddyv]

I like the old page much more than the new one. It's more organised and less blank space. 

[+brendan714]

18 minutes ago, GrateBear said:

Change is good!

Change is good when it produces a superior product.  Change is bad when the result is worse than the original product.

 

Compared to the old profile page, the new one:

1) Has jumpy navigation when selecting items on the tab bar - transitions should be smoother

2) Requires more scrolling to get to the useful information - too much white space

3) Has questionable implementation of the cover photo feature - the cover photo needs tweaking so it isn't so flat and isn't covered by the profile image.

 

Forcible movement to a "new and improved" page should only occur when the developers AND users agree that it is indeed an improved product!  

Right now, the new profile page is not an improvement over the old.  It looks prettier, but the functionality is lower.

With a few tweaks, I would be more than happy to embrace change. 

Edited October 6, 2020 by brendan714

[+rehobch]

1 hour ago, MartyBartfast said:

Me too, there's the message and Email link on the right:

You are correct. It is NOT there because I was viewing my own profile. I can see both options when I view someone else's profile. I really don't use the new page, but I guess I'll have to get used to it!

 

 

[+ecanderson]

All of the above.  Less information per page with a LOT more wasted space.

 

OK - really GCHQ - is this all about skinnying up the format to display better on cell phones accessing the site through browsers?  If it is, please don't take the lazy way.  Go with separate mobile pages.

 

[+technetium]

Let's join the choir: I agree with all the statements above. The old profile page give me much more information than the new and "improved". The last one is just bloated with whitespace. Since Groundspeak inc. DBA geocaching "made" me install greasemonkey. I hope some greasemonkey wizzard will be able to create a script to revert these "improvements".

 

p.s. Since we've lost the ability to use javascript to fold an unfold parts of our user defined profile, can we at least have the bootstrap classes you also use.

 

Tc

Edited October 6, 2020 by technetium

[+niraD]

16 minutes ago, technetium said:

p.s. Since we've lost the ability to use javascript to fold an unfold parts of our user defined profile, can we at least have the bootstrap classes you also use.

I think it could be useful to have a user-editable page for statistics or badges or whatever, something separate from the user-editable profile page. Then the profile page could be used for actual profile info, and the statistics or badges or whatever could go on their own page.