New format

[header1967]

I have to say that I absolutely hate this new format. Not very user friendly and difficult to follow. I won't stay around for long.

[fkiss36]

I really like the new format. Wonderful.

[511redhair]

I would suggest to the powers that be an option to view the site in the old format for those of us who preferred it that way.

[hornydave]

As a regular reader of the stories, I found the old format much easier with all the latest story titles on one page. I'm still feeling my way around and like all the new features I am finding but try as I might, I cannot get chat to work. I've tried IE, Firefox and Chrome.

[iluvgirls]

I'm still feeling my way around and like all the new features I am finding but try as I might, I cannot get chat to work. I've tried IE, Firefox and Chrome.

The chat is currently experiencing some significant issues, and does not seem to be working correctly at all. Billie is aware of the problems and I'm certain has her development team working on some fixes.

[billie]

I am aware of the chat issues and we're actively working to fix them. When chat is fixed, you should be able to see all of your friends in Who's Online.

It's human nature to resist change. We're all comfortable with what we know. I recently logged into QuickBooks to find a new layout and I have to say that my initial response was to hate it. Where are the tabs I know? Where is this? Where is that? But as I'm using it more, I can see it isn't all that bad.

I ask that you give the new site a chance to grow on you. A lot of time and thought was put in to its development. In any case, we will not be providing an archival view or reverting to the old site. We will constantly work to make this new site better, but the old site will not be made available. Please keep in mind that this site remains free and now has a greatly expanded functionality. Constructive critique is welcome, but if you're just going to post to say you hate the new site, please keep it to yourself.

[bristolpantyboy]

I am finding it hard to read the stories as the font is very small and there seems no way to increase it. Any chance of making the font bigger?

Well done

[billie]

Hi! I'm going to work on increasing the font size. Until I get that in place, you can simultaneously click ctrl + plus sign (+) to increase font size in your browser. Likewise, you can simultaneously click ctrl + minus sign (-) to decrease font size in your browser.
Hope this helps!

[rulsbin]

It's human nature to resist change. We're all comfortable with what we know. I recently logged into QuickBooks to find a new layout and I have to say that my initial response was to hate it. Where are the tabs I know? Where is this? Where is that? But as I'm using it more, I can see it isn't all that bad.

Of course we'll get used to changes eventually. Does it make them better ? Plenty of examples IRL would prove it doesn't. I'm sure old women get used to their shape, but I would bet my hand most of them miss the body of their 20s. And would I lose my hand, I'd get used to that also, though I would miss it as well.

In any case, we will not be providing an archival view or reverting to the old site.

I guess the best for those of us who are missing such functionalities or who don't like the new website at all is to stay away from SoloTouch until the memory of the good ol'times website fades away, while grumbling against how it must be in the nature of human being to try and fix things that aren't broken.

[rulsbin]

Oh, and don't get me wrong, there are great improvements with the new version. For instance with the old version it was a real pain to find text by authors.

Just to let you know I'm not just hating or reluctant to change. It's just that "whole month" view.

[raisch]

the new format is a pain!
the great advantage of the old format was that it was so simple.
with one view you could see what is new and what stories did i even read.
just look how little stories now are from women - this is because the design is to much based on technical forums.
i'm a reader for many years and was always happy with solotouch - but now it isn't useable for me....

sorry - but this is shit.
please return to the old design! some things don't have to be modernized.

[iluvgirls]

i'm a reader for many years and was always happy with solotouch - but now it isn't useable for me....

sorry - but this is shit.

Suggestions and comments are welcome, insulting useless statements are not.

Several people have expressed an interest in improving and expanding the story search criteria. I think this is worth exploring, and I'm sure Billie will examine what is possible and practical in time. For the present, the stories are available, and can be located successfully with the new interface.

Please keep suggestions and comments constructive, and be patient as changes are developed as time and resources allow. No one is forcing anyone to use this COMPLETELY FREE site-- if you do not like it here, no one is preventing you from leaving. Everyone involved in running this site shares the same goal of making it successful and fun and easy to use. Anyone not interested in that goal is welcome to depart-- negative attitudes will not be missed.

[billie]

just look how little stories now are from women - this is because the design is to much based on technical forums.
i'm a reader for many years and was always happy with solotouch - but now it isn't useable for me....

I'm sorry, but are you saying women aren't capable of submitting stories now because we've added a signup form, or it's too technical? Um, this isn't 1893. You know women can vote and even read, right? As a woman, I can say that that little old signup form didn't stump me at all. Then when I hit the big green submit button, I knew just what to do.
And ST isn't usable for you? Because the stories moved? I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds like buying a new car that is a different color could have disastrous consequences.

I digress. I've heard the complaints everyone. I am a smart cookie, so I don't need to hear them 7489 times. Noted: You miss the archive view. I'm working on adding a sort by male and female submissions because that is easy. I'm pondering what to do about the archive view. But I don't have a magic wand, put my wishes in a bottle and poof, they're ready. These things take man hours and architecture.
Every bug and complaint you've mentioned is under consideration and on a fix list if relevant.

If you REALLY cannot read the stories whatsoever in their current format, because God forbid you need to view the month's stories on a number of pages and you're so angry you want to swear and be abusive, then don't read them. I apologize for ruining your life. Who knew I had that power? This site is V.2. There will be constant improvements and updates. But they won't be up tomorrow, so if you're that angry, perhaps you need to step away for a year or two, pull yourself together and come back at a later date. Otherwise, I invite you to get to know our much more dynamic search bar and just read the stories - the same great stories, maybe in a different order than you would have previously. And I'll continue to whittle away the problems until we have them all solved. This really isn't worth getting all worked up over. If you want to get worked up, go read a sexy story.

[spurtz]

Billie - I feel your pain. There is always a resistance to change. And I am glad to hear you are working to improve some of the issues in the new format. Obviously the new format is a giant leap forward for the site.

That said, for me the thing I miss the most is being able to see all the new stories of the same group (male solo, male-male, male-female, etc) show up together. And even more importantly, having the link to each story change color once I have read it. With the new format I find myself coming back the next day and starting to read the same stories over again.

And why are the comments limited to only 500 characters? That makes it very difficult to respond to some of these posts. Previously there was no limit to how long a response could be.

[rulsbin]

sorry - but this is shit.

You're not helping "the cause"…

Noted: You miss the archive view. I'm working on adding a sort by male and female submissions because that is easy. I'm pondering what to do about the archive view.

Thanks just for these words (and the rest).

As mentioned here and in my response, it could be actually fairly easy to provide a reasonable alternative to the calendar view using the search box : add "female all" & "male all" search criterion, a different color for already visited links, make the search box more explicit, and basically you're done.

PS : On the forum, though a "quote" button appears on the "News & announcements" topics, it does not in this one. Same for "edit" on self posts.

[billie]

Spurtz, in the search box, check out the "Category" option and choose the dropdown option you want to see. This will sort the stories in each category for you. (You can also click the category options in the left sidebar under Story Categories to sort.)

I'm also adding functionality so that visited links are another color. Slowly, but surely, we'll get there.
There will also be a dropdown to allow search by male submissions vs. female submissions.

I know the forum is behaving badly. That and chat. Those two items are being worked on as I type.

Thanks for letting me know about these issues. It ensures I get them all fixed. I appreciate all of the extra eyes!!

[use2hands]

Hi Billie,

Interesting new format and features. One question. My profile shows no stories attributed to me, but I submitted one back in Aug. 2007. It's still there of course, but how would I associate it with my profile so that it shows me as the author? The story does show Use2hands as author, but doesn't connect to my profile.

[iluvgirls]

Hi Billie,

Interesting new format and features. One question. My profile shows no stories attributed to me, but I submitted one back in Aug. 2007. It's still there of course, but how would I associate it with my profile so that it shows me as the author? The story does show Use2hands as author, but doesn't connect to my profile.

I believe one of the items Billie is currently working on is connecting the archive stories to the new user accounts so that all the old stories appear in the appropriate authors' profiles. So please bear with the current state of things for the present-- this should be addressed at some point among the long list of improvements and fixes being implemented.

[dai2014]

When I first saw the new layout my first thoughts were "wow!"

And after a few weeks in, while there is some fine tuning that is being done I think, I can see this is a brilliant foundation to take ST forwards.
One thing that I thought was lacking in the ideal world is a way for readers and contributors to interact IF THEY CHOSE TO, and this new site with the forum takes care of that
Sure, the fonts are smaller and a bit more screen "furniture" that may distract, but if it does, easy enough to zoom in, or copy and paste a story to notepad or whatever to just get the words.

doing a great job here Billie. looking forward to any updates you have planned as well

[spurtz]

billie:

In reading new stories I noticed that they are all one huge block of text with no paragraph breaks. When I saw the first one I assumed the writer submitted it that way but then as I have read more new stories they seem to all be like that.

It makes them very hard to read. Is the new format somehow not recognizing paragraph breaks in submitted stories?

Stories from the archives (before the new format) all have the usual paragraph breaks and in fact there is a lot more space between paragraphs than when I read stories from the archives in the old format.

One other thing. When I do click on a new story to read there is no margin showing down the left side. The text goes right tight up against the left side of the window. Is this something you can fix? This is not a big deal because all the text is there but I guess I am used to seeing a margin.