bluebell wrote:There is something I hate: "modern" web pages "optimized" for mobile devices. Big font sizes that force me scrolling to death. "Responsive design". On each device the page looks different. Screen elements are jumping wildly around while the page is loading. I don't find anything. Like a supermarket where stuff is on different shelves each week.
Are you talking about Discourse now, or modern web sites in general? While I agree that
some modern web sites have a horrible UX, that doesn't mean that all of them do. That's a pretty stupid generalization. I don't recognize Discourse from your description.
- The font size is bigger: yes, and like I said, wether you like this is a matter of taste.
- On each device the page looks different: given the completely dfferent screen format of different devices, of course it looks different. It does so with phpBB too. However, the UX feels the same on Discourse, which can not be said of phpBB. Let me give an example:
When there is an unread new post on a thread, a orange box symbol appears next to it. Clicking this box takes me to the first unread post od the thread, which is a very nice feature, because why would I want to go to post 1 of a thread I've already read? Trying to actually hit this box on my phone, however, is nigh impossible, so the feature basically not there. And even when I'm in the thread, trying to hit the page buttons to take me to the last page is also hard.
- Screen elements are jumping wildly around while the page is loading: again, this is not my experience with Discourse
bluebell wrote:You don't get a single additional user by changing a traditional web site to "modern, responsive design". But you annoy the users who are already there.
Apparently not all the users would be annoyed. But I realize from reading some fo the other threads here, that the user base is pretty conservative.
bluebell wrote:It's like the ribbons in Microsoft Office: experienced useres hate them, new users don't mind, no-one is excited about them – except for their developers.
If you are comparing modern web forum design to Microsoft Office ribbons, then I guess I'm excited about the ribbons.