I don't know if it is just me but I feel a sense of loss with the new forum layout. I am not criticising it and I think it is for the better but it feels weird. Through my PhD, every time I had an issue I would come here to get advice and get reassured and re-motivated to go forward. Several times I came very close to quitting and this forum helped me through those difficult times. The community here has helped me so much through my PhD; from the regular posters, long time lurkers and occasional random passerby. I have tried to repay the favour by continuing to post and give advice where necessary and I hope I helped at least one person. I don't know what would have happened if I didn't post here nearly three years ago but this layout change has made me consider all that. Through the old layout people told real stories with real people and many of us grew as people through the old layout. I understand that the community has changed through the years and the layout doesn't affect that but it feels different.

Though, don't get me wrong, I think this change is for the better. The website looks great and is actually functional on mobile now. With a few small functionality and layout tweaks this could be a massive step forward. However the old layout was static for so long it became part of the forum identity. In a sense the old layout died today and the forum has been refreshed, which is a good thing. I know the nostalgia will lessen but does anyone else feel the same as me? Or has anyone else reconsidered things or remembered old things because of the refresh?

Yes it's an adjustment. I don't like the colour switch at all. Sadly I've seen forums change a lot over the years and not always for the better of the communities using them. But so far it's an improvement as the old forum was outdated by a long way. Early days though.
Still, there's something to be said for nostalgia.

Yeh, except for me it isn't nostalgia (not a very nostalgic person) or a need to just adjust, it is more the technical things I described in the other post I wrote (which I now can't find haha, proving my point!). I think rewt described it as nine different subforms. I'm thinking I might call it quits even, as it now seems like super super hard work to post/check replies/find threads etc. And I do think they are genuine issues that I described, not just preferences or things you can get used to. I'll really miss you folks if I do leave though )-,:

I am rereading my post and cringing at what I wrote. I don't what happened but the new layout made me remember the time when I first posted and how much I have changed since then.

I think the forum looks more empty now and needs fixed ASAP. If it doesn't change I might be following you Tudor_Queen :) Though I do have hope and its not like I have anything else to do with the lock down..... except maybe write my thesis.

I think there is a bit of a nostalgic element though...I've reflected on that too now! But it is more the things you mentioned in your other post that make it no longer user friendly/accessible. I like your picture by the way!

Thanks. I used the image in an infographic and couldn't think of anything else.

Though did you see that we got the option for a combined forum with the the subs.
https://www.postgraduateforum.com/latest

Aha! That is SO much better! Now all that is needed is for them to display who last posted on a thread and when.

Seems like that has been added now. Awesome :)

Well this is weird... it has disappeared again (the bit where it said last time someone posted on a thread).

I can still see the time & author for the last post in each thread. It is just really small.

Ah thanks for letting me know. It definitely wasn't there when I checked earlier, how strange!!! I did delete my cookies though in case it hadn't updated on this laptop or something. I can see it again now lol. This is all very unsettling :D
Ps. I get what you said about the slight nostalgia now... I wish I had a print screen of the old forum... there's been a lot of shared experiences and advice given on here over the years - during some really challenging times, such as when I was close to quitting my PhD (downgrading it to an MPhil). It's good that all the old threads are saved.

LOL. I was going to ask if anyone had an old image but thought I was going nuts! Glad to know someone else wants to see the old forum one last time.

rewt, it is probably more a case of we are both nuts!!!

Henestly, I think the only change needed now is to make the "latest" page the landing page.
Just while there are so few posts.
The rest looks pretty nice.