Meander

Oh, I agree with Shanley! I like the old Gallery better, however I'm sure others feel otherwise. being able to choose should satisfy everyone.

Qsilv

mmm... intriguing.. (well I'm always interested in how TD progresses), but like Marg I'm so achingly short of time that I'm just not here much these days... not sure my "vote" should even count.

With that demur, I'll mention that IF I steal enough time to contribute a sketch to the Showcase, the FIRST thing I do is SEARCH for titles that might show me my idea is about to duplicate someone else's. Then I have to decide if that's going to hurt the other artist's feelings... can I adjust my approach or should I just pick another subject altogether...

And yes, when I do have enough mindless time to just browse pleasurably through a few pages in the gallery, I LOVE making totally serendipitous discoveries... new artists... old ones with a suddenly new approach...

I don't like publicly stating who I'm following or which works are my favorites, but I do keep files on my own hard drives... have since way back when Raina's works all disappeared... and you might be surprised how many of those are one-offs by rather unknown contributors.

Anyway, thanks for the whole TD site.... it's wonderful.

As ever,

Q

gair

I'm not reading a lot of, LOVE THE NEW GALLERY; actually the contrary. Why the chance, was there a problem?

marg

I have to second Qsilv, in saying 'Thanks for this brilliant site !'

.. I'd also like to second/third/umpht Shanley in asking whether we could get this as an optional setting ? .. that would be brilliant

Lizzi

I love TD, and really appreciate the improvements, which just keep on coming. The new gallery is a nice idea but if I had my druthers, I would rather have rotation of pieces and just keep the old gallery. Maybe it's just that I am used to it, but pre-sorting does not enhance my viewing pleasure.

mdawrcn

I have to say that as I get used to the new format for searching. and understand a little better the way it works, I am liking it more. It has accomplished something I have seen complaints about in the past in that it keeps the more popular drawings in front of everyone for longer periods, and it keeps the repetition of some artists who can't stop drawing from taking up an entire page in the gallery with their drawings. While I understand the addiction, it can be distracting when one is in a hurry to look through the gallery.

I still love TD and am amazed by everyone's talent. One feature I would like to see is an easier way to make comments on drawings when one has been away for awhile. The new format may help, but I find it daunting to go back through the gallery and make comments on pics I like when I can't use the back arrow to get back to where I was in the gallery. I think it takes several clicks and I loose my place and I sometimes just vote without commenting b/c it is so much easier to get back to where you were. Don't know if that makes sense or not.

mum23

As always, I'm impressed and grateful that TD keeps striving to improve and update what is already a brilliant site. Thank you!

Like marg and Qsilv, lack of time means I'm not here much anymore, so I'm not sure my opinion should count either. But, for what it's worth...

One of the aspects of the old gallery I use most when I do come and look is the ability to search through the gallery and find the top-rated pics for the week, the last week and the last month. While it's not an ideal way to view what's been going on, as I miss some of the brilliant newbies and the quirky delights that may not rate well, it does allow me to catch up to some extent.


It is also handy to be able to search for fellow TDers on that page. I don't see a similar function on the new gallery pages.

mdawrcn, have you tried selecting pictures to comment and vote on by doing a 'right click' on them and opening them in a new tab? That way, you don't have to keep going back to your place in the gallery, as it stays open on your original tab. Hope that make sense.

'wish I had more time to spend here... missing you all...

Lizzi

After living with it for a few days, I find that I always have to get rid of the new gallery so I can see what's really happening on TD. Then, every time I go back to gallery, I have to get rid of it again. I would prefer to have the old gallery in prime position, with the new as an option, for those who want it. I do not have a use for it, but for those who do....

polenta

The old gallery as the default gallery and the new one as a very interesting choice.
Thanks Think Draw. Always improving.
FELIZ CARNAVAL from Uruguay!

sandm

Ive read some comments (not all) and had a long discussion with myself if I shall make a proposal or not. (The main reason against it: it is not "my child"), but may be there is somebody who would like to know ...

Well, here is my favourite option:
The new version is a kind of "entrance" to TD. It shows an overview of recent work, tops and new users. It is a "home" function and it has a home-key in the menue bar. The old version remains as it is, available as it is (menue-point "gallery"). That means, if somebody only prefers the old version he has to do one additional click ("gallery") after the first entrance, not more.

In this new presentation (entrance) there are 4 different sections (but not mixed up with the recent - as they are now): Recent pic, recent top, RANDOM EXAMPLES, pics of new users.
Random examples: A random selection of old pictures (minimum of votes), similar to the picture, which is shown, on jigsaw sudoku. In a seperate line (block) and changing automatically (circle over all good pic in TD for instance:)

What really is disturbing me in the new gallery version is the cut of the title. This may lead to a very different and ev. wrong description if the main part is missing. Obviously this was necessary to get the space for the frame and the new lines for description and selection (I mean the "show all"-line)

So, I see 4 sections in the "entrance gallery" in 4 lines instead of 5, and the complete title of the pictures. It is not necessary to show more recent pictures at the first step in, if the whole gallery function (in the old version) remains available.

Qsilv

I've spent some time with it now, and I'm VERY concerned about a phrase you used---- "old gallery will still be around for a while."

A while???

...noooo-o-o.......... . . .

(oh god, I'm sooo sorry to see myself typing that... I KNOW how dispiriting it is to have people's initial reaction to every new idea be negative and whiny....)

In fairness, it IS sort of clever to have ONE picture (the most recent) from each of your now over 33 thousand users, but this presentation just FEELS random. Took me forever to understand that you weren't just trying to thin out the pages by random rolls like a kind of slot-machine.

Seems to me it'd be useful to be able to scroll down much deeper pages, glancing at (and thus comparing) more works at a time before clicking on a new page (and losing sight of the earlier one). Large shopping sites offer that choice (25 images per page, 100 per page, 250 per page) because for people whose computers CAN load such pages it's so hugely convenient.

There really was ("for a while" still is) a feeling of community in the original Gallery's chugging along. You got a feeling for when the youngsters were going to be free from school and do a few hours of experimenting. You sort of expected to find certain well known contributors at certain times.... I swear there's a subliminal way we feed off of each other... it's why artists and authors workshops exist.... and that cohesiveness encourages sprightly stuff like Fun Tuesdays!

That doesn't work with a system that puts blinders on us so we can only ever see the single most recent work of each of the 30k+ artists, forcing us to check through our list of already known people we're "following".

I can barely imagine what it takes to run this world you've brought into being. I can't at all be sure why you continue it. But since you are... please... *p*l*e*a*s*e*... don't destroy the original Gallery --and the closest thing we've had to a proper Search feature.

; /

marg

sorry - just another quickie from me.. I actually WANT to see a full page of new pictures in the gallery each time I enter TD.. it's stimulating and also lets me see who's currently around (or was recently);

.. also.. now that we've got a decent rating system, there shouldn't be any problem with displaying the Showcase in order of ratings (like it used to be), and we can see all the 'good' pics there, or in the Top 5 - I think I'd really like that

Dragon

I must agree with the general concensus. I always enjoyed coming to the gallery and seeing all the new pics. Like Lizzi, I find myself always clicking back to the Old Gallery as I find the new one sort of confusing. I hope we don't sound like we're whining (and I really think we are all trying not to) but I would very much like to have the old gallery back in the default position too. We really do very much appreciate all the hard work put in by the ThinkDraw administrators and we do realize that they are trying hard to make the site great for everyone but I'd love to see the old style back again.

Login

Please, please, please may we have the old Gallery as the default.

clorophilla

First of all, let me thank you for the care you have for this beautiful site, and the efforts to keep it always new and stimulating.

I understand some of the purposes that drove to the new gallery, but I agree partially with many users about the need of turning back to some features the old gallery had.

I appreciate very much of the new gallery:
- the "new users' gallery"
- the "top pictures gallery"

I appreciated very much of the old gallery:
- the chance to view ALL the new pictures in order of appearance, without missing anything
- the SEARCH function and the FILTERS

I dislike of the new gallery:
- the cutted titles
- the confusing alternation of different cathegories

I've mixed feelings about the new criteria for selecting the recent pics. I loved to see all the pics without selecting criteria, but understand the need of a pre-selection in order of limiting the overwhelming presence of a single TDrawer, sometimes boring as in the "kids' time" of the day.

Last thing, I find the "users you follow" strip totally useness, as we have this function far better implemented with the update function.

Anyway, I don't think it's a good idea simply returning to the old gallery, nor keeping a doubled system; I think it's possible to find a compromise that could meet the needs of everyone as follows:


- remove the "users you follow" strip: no one needs it, and without the title of this third strip you'll regain some vertical space
- put the "new users" and "top recent pics" at the bottom of the page (if needed to gain more space, this two strips could be a bit smaller)
- restore the whole title feature (I'd prefer a smaller type than a broken title)
- MANTAIN the new criteria for the recent pic gallery, and cancel the "go to the old gallery" line (=more regained space), BUT ABSOLUTELY,
- GIVE US BACK THE SEARCH AND FILTER FUNCTION, not only because of its intrinsic usefulness, but also b/c in this way we could have back the old gallery features simply clicking on the "go" button of the filters, in the default feature (show all pictures-all themes-most recent-all time).

Does it sound good for all - users and creators of TD)? I hope heartly so!

ThinkDraw

Thanks all for your feedback. We will try and make changes to create the sort of compromise suggested, or add an option to choose your own settings.

Clorophilla, the titles shouldn't be cut off. Would you mind emailing to let us know what browser you are using and if possible send a screenshot so we can see the problem.

Thanks again to everyone for your feedback...

ThinkDraw

Oops, got it now. Thought you meant the category titles, not the titles of each picture. Will look into changing that as well, thanks again.

bluemoon

I am still in favor of the old gallery- I miss a lot of good pics otherwise. At least please keep it as a default. Thanks so much.

gair

I, too, prefer the old gallery. Clo had some good suggestions but I would be happy to see the new one disappear. If we keep the new gallery, I suggest putting the option to go to the old gallery at the top of the page. When I click on gallery I immediately have to scroll to the bottom of the page to click on old gallery.

arty

Would very much like to keep the option of the "OLD GALLERY" on the system. Still like to see drawings of even 5 or 6 yrs old without too much clicking back and forward. Are they not our future artist's???????????