I am actually liking the new M* forum...

[Petrocelli]

I know I am in the minority on this (as is usual..) but I am actually starting to like the new M* forum.

I initially had a problem with the last reply being listed first, but that was fixed.

I think that the 24 hour view (i.e. the "old view") should be the default view, rather than the view based on highest rated posts.

I also think M* should reformat the initial page so that you don't have sentences from each post. That way, you can view more topics at once.

However, I think the tagging of posts could be useful. I also think that the rating of posts and posters is also an interesting, though not essential tool.

I will continue to frequent both forums.

[InvestingMom]

I agree that there are many useful changes. However the fact that the most current posts do not sort to the top is awful. I feel that if I post something for help no one will even see it.
It is also awful how you cannot search within one forum?

[jeff mc]

i think the most unadvertised but best new feature over there is the very easy ability to add graphics... (check out your blog there... i added a [ridiculously oversized] graphic w/ 2 clicks) forget about the orange (who cares), the ads (just get ad-blocker software or ad-free browser plugins), the ratings (don't use 'em, ignore em, use views that don't sort by em), the sorting (fixed. is top-down now), the newness (you'll get used to it)... the uncondensed view (diehards.org takes care of that)... the one thing that will be most useful will be easily adding graphics... lots of bellyaching about the 'look', about the sorts and default views and not seeing the utility of attaching charts/pictures, editing, 'group moderation', and searching. the very things we were asking for.

that graphics feature alone is worth the price of admission. ($0 for me, as i'm an old timer there, pre the $5-troll-fee)

and i'm no m* apologist. i've railed on them about their software and lack of moderation several times, and even canceled the premium service about 6 months ago out of protest because of their antiquated software. but i'm w/ petro... this is a good step forward. i'm glad they did it. but they still aren't getting any $ from me (i won't re-up my premium membership).

i guess i've already moved on to 'acceptance' stage...

[Gekko]

IMO, it's AWFUL and UNUSABLE.

[gkaplan]

Chuck, let's take a poll.

[jeff mc]

Chuck, let's take a poll.

ya, ya... i see the results so far... 2/3rds negative, a quarter neutral, and 3 lonely souls 'positive'.

but give it 60 days... in conjunction w/ needed tweaks, people will come to accept it, and even start enjoying it. the mob will douse their torches, store their pitchforks, and all will be well in m* boglania.

[SpringMan]

I don't care for having a rating system. I sometimes read Fidelity Family. Many of their highest rated posters are so heavily into actively managed funds. They speak with such arrogance and rail against the idea indexing. A real pet peeve of mine is their constantly being on a first name basis with the fund managers. They talk about why Joel (Fidelity Low Priced Stock) did whatever or Marty (Third Avenue Value) did whatever like they are such close personal friends. Maybe it is just me, but I don't see many posts here referring to managers by first names only. Maybe there is a tendency for active fund manager hero worship. The posters that do this the most usually get the higher ratings. I guess it shows great insight into the fund when you know the managers first name.
ps. I own some actively managed Vanguard funds.

Best Wishes,

[greg24]

Maybe it is just me, but I don't see many posts here referring to managers by first names only.

I spoke to Gus about this, and he agrees.

[unclemick]

Ask Gus about the first names of the Computers that are rebalancing my Target Retirement 2015.

Are they happy with Vanguard and plan to stick it out for the long haul? I hear computers are a lot less fickle than active fund managers.

heh heh heh heh heh - :lol:

[rob]

I actually the best feature in the new thing is the user post favs (NOT the ratings but the add conversation to your fav thing) but it's hidden by the rubbish right now and since they ballsed up the conversion of the prev conversation numbers it's not helping people yet. Having user blogs I am less sure about but MIGHT become interesting. Yeah the graphics & editing is okay but it's still incredibly basic (seems to be just lifted from wordpress since it's identical).

[Plainsman]

The more I use the new upgraded M* forum, the more I like it too. They seem to be quickly resolving the bugs, and I think once people get used to it, it will seem less cumbersome.

M* is certainly making an effort to upgrade their website, offering more features and improving the Portfolio Tracker. My Premium membership is due in October, and I think I will renew it for another year.

People are by nature resistant to change. Just give it a chance and play around with it, become familiar with the format, and I think you will like it.

[Wagnerjb]

I don't care for having a rating system. I sometimes read Fidelity Family. Many of their highest rated posters are so heavily into actively managed funds. They speak with such arrogance and rail against the idea indexing. A real pet peeve of mine is their constantly being on a first name basis with the fund managers. They talk about why Joel (Fidelity Low Priced Stock) did whatever or Marty (Third Avenue Value) did whatever like they are such close personal friends. Maybe it is just me, but I don't see many posts here referring to managers by first names only. Maybe there is a tendency for active fund manager hero worship. The posters that do this the most usually get the higher ratings. I guess it shows great insight into the fund when you know the managers first name.
ps. I own some actively managed Vanguard funds.

Best Wishes,

Yeah....we're going to see some people rated very highly that will make you say to yourself, "Wow, that guy knows nothing about investing - how is he rated so high?". Remember, this is a popularity contest, not an investing IQ contest. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is King.

Best wishes.

[schellhase]

A couple of times I tried to go to a M* conversation from the diehards.org page and both times I gave up because the wait was too long (40 seconds). Even going directly to the site I find it is slow and functions like quote take longer than I care to wait.

Other than that I like it.

Larry

[stratton]

The search function is way better.

Paul

[Dino]

schellhase, I have found it the same way. Sometimes I can't even access it through diehards.org page, but have been able to directly from M*.

Petrocelli, I have enjoyed your posts on the diehards forum, but I can't participate; I don't want to put out the $5 for what little I would post. Your thread on FundX was enjoyable. Have you ever heard of Austin Pryor and his Sound Mind Investing website? He advocates an "upgrading" strategy similar to FundX's approach. It really seems to work!

Dino

[schellhase]

schellhase, I have found it the same way. Sometimes I can't even access it through diehards.org page, but have been able to directly from M*.

Petrocelli, I have enjoyed your posts on the diehards forum, but I can't participate; I don't want to put out the $5 for what little I would post. Your thread on FundX was enjoyable. Have you ever heard of Austin Pryor and his Sound Mind Investing website? He advocates an "upgrading" strategy similar to FundX's approach. It really seems to work!

Dino

Dino,

Thanks but I don't know what FundX is and I don't recall posting about it. Perhaps I have just lost a portion of my memory but I am hoping not.

Larry

[DaveS]

Morningstar; Whats that? I have not been back there since I joined this group, and I have no interest in returning. I think they might be in a panic about how many hits they lost when Diehards.org was created. Dave

[tj-longterm]

I agree that there are many useful changes. However the fact that the most current posts do not sort to the top is awful. I feel that if I post something for help no one will even see it.

FYI Most current posts do sort to the top now

[Dino]

schellhase,
Sorry about that. My second paragraph was for Petrocelli who had begun a thread on Diehard's forum concerning FundX. I probably wasn't clear about that.

Dino

[shadowrings]

I think that the 24 hour view (i.e. the "old view") should be the default view, rather than the view based on highest rated posts.

I also think M* should reformat the initial page so that you don't have sentences from each post. That way, you can view more topics at once.

However, I think the tagging of posts could be useful. I also think that the rating of posts and posters is also an interesting, though not essential tool.

Petrocelli,

I agree with the first 2 sentences but not the third. Someone on M* referred to the ratings system as voting for the prom king/queen and I definitely agree. (For example, I was quietly snooping over there this afternoon and noticed someone following around all of Mel's post and pushing them from positive to negative with the ratings system. Considering it was being blatantly done on those posts helping the less-computer-wise users figure out how to do things or where options were now hid, negative rating someone seeking information wasn't accidental.)

The orange is also hard on the eyes.

I'd prefer the discuss page to point me to the select forum page first instead of a page listing the most popular, recently posted on threads across all forums as well. (I really don't give a rat's tush about the cat fights on the politics forums. LOL)

As I'm currently restricted to dial-up I've also noticed that the new M* forum isn't as friendly to the dial-up users as the old forum was or even as friendly as this forum is.

I'm trying to be neutral about the new M* forum as they keep ironing out the wrinkles but right now it's not impressing me at all.

vickie

[TimDex]

I use a mac with safari, and can't seem to reply to a post on the redesigned forum. I was able to get one post up early on, but since then zilch.

I've pretty much come to the conclusion to dump mstar, sicne I need to cut down on my internet time anyway...and it's an obvious conclusion to cut out the one thing that irritates me...

Tim