GolfGTIforum.co.uk
General => Site news and bright ideas => Topic started by: Bill_the_Bear on 08 June 2013, 22:28
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The one thing I would really like is to be able to view this forum on an app instead of using a mobile browser. I used the search function and did not wish to make a new topic as its clear this idea is held in disdain. Problem is I can't find any reason why, just that its "not needed". In my view it is:
1. I have tried many browsers (chrome, Firefox, one browser, safari, whatever androids native one is called) and all have problems displaying the forum. The most common problem is that text size is inconsistent. So one post will have huge size and even zooming out the letters overlap, the next post is painfully small and usually I never see it until I get home to my PC. I'm constantly trying to pan and zoom and then resize and pan again, only for the browser to close or go back or minimise... Etc...
2. Posting a reply is like trying to hammer a nail with a banana instead of a hammer. The screen often resizes to stupid dimensions, cut paste and enter text are all so diddly I've lost countless posts simply due to the browser activating the back function or some other ability I didn't want to use. Don't even try to format, the spellchecker randomly replaces words I don't want it to and worst of all I cannot scroll to check what I've typed as panning the touchscreen is the number 1 way to screw everything up. The buttons all appear in dumb sizes with links and the 'post' button typically minuscule such that its impossible to press them. For some random reason the first word I type in a new paragraph is always replaced with a space :angry:
Clearly there is some reason those with the power don't want to use tapatalk or some other app, but I cant find a reason beyond "no" or a post with a dead link. Seems to me those who have proposed this are making a sensible suggestion and maybe would not make many more topics on the matter if a definitive reason was given as a reply rather than "not again" followed by a lock which leaves the next person (me in this case) none the wiser.
Not intended to offend of course, you must have a valid reason, but since I don't know what it is and this is the biggest irritation by far (absolutely infuriating when I'm on the move, taken 5mins to attempt to reply to a topic only to have my effort blown into oblivion by the useless android or ipad browsers and have to then wait hours to redo it all at a PC) I had to ask.
Otherwise I love this place and hope to be here a long time! :smiley:
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Sounds like you're having a bit of a nightmare with it!
Have to say I only ever access this site using an iPad and iPhone and have non of the problems you describe. Text size remains consistent, formatting is easy enough, scrolling is fine, got cut and paste down to a fine art. Occasionally it's a bit fiddly on an iPhone but that's more down to the size of the device, than the website.
Sure an App would be useful but find it pretty user friendly as it is.
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Sounds like you're having a bit of a nightmare with it!
Have to say I only ever access this site using an iPad and iPhone and have non of the problems you describe. Text size remains consistent, formatting is easy enough, scrolling is fine, got cut and paste down to a fine art. Occasionally it's a bit fiddly on an iPhone but that's more down to the size of the device, than the website.
Sure an App would be useful but find it pretty user friendly as it is.
Most of my problems are with android but I hate using safari on my ipad because posting is so fiddly, though reading is fine. I prefer to use google mail to read as it formats much better, but you can't post like that. The other problem with the ipad is editing is impossible due to the difficulty of moving the curser.
Possibly a lot of what I describe would not be helped by an app... Maybe that is the reason it isn't done, but it drives me nutty when I can't get to my laptop. Even this post now, done on an ipad, is talking 10x longer and is filled with formatting errors I'm not even trying to correct because I know it's a lost cause.
Perhaps I can find out how to take some screen caps to show how inadequate all the android browsers are.
Ah, and drop down menus like to access the search functions or PM inbox don't work on a touch screen either. :sad: again, I don't know if things are better with an app, but its unlikely to be worse.
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I've not tried it on Android but just don't get any of those issues on Safari on iPad at all. Do you have problems with ipad on other sites?
When I first started using it via safari I did find selecting text to cut/paste a bit of a faff, but the more I used it, the easier it got and now no trouble at all.
Might sound stupid but if you've got large hands, it can make things worse. Having small, slim fingers makes using touch screens easier. My partner has chunky fingers and struggles with touch screens, might as well be wearing boxing gloves!
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Haha! Perhaps it's just me then :laugh:
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Coud the mods maybe install tapatalk (http://www.tapatalk.com/) - works well with SMF forums and is easy to install.
Free for site to install and those with smartphones can buy the app
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Coud the mods maybe install tapatalk (http://www.tapatalk.com/) - works well with SMF forums and is easy to install.
Free for site to install and those with smartphones can buy the app
Trying to do the right thing I ran a search and there are many threads asking for this or similar. However, they are all either locked, or those posting were (IMO) being somewhat ridiculed for asking for this. Sometimes the reasons given are "its already been asked and the reason hasn't changed" yet in the earlier threads there is also no reason given (that I could see). Without being able to find a reason why this is considered to be not needed I thought I would post a new thread detailing the problems I have with this site on my Galaxy S2 and iPad3. The iPad3 is somewhat workable, reading is fine and posting is ... ok, but hardly good enough to make it not worth seeking a better method.
If anyone can tell me how to make a screen cap with the Galaxy S2 I can happily post some pics of how awful and unreadable threads are with the various browsers I've mentioned above. Its harder to detail what happens when trying to make a post, you'd need a video for that, but I can assure you its smash-your-head-against-brick-wall inducing.
Basically:
PC - Easy as pie
iPad - Makes things hard
Android phone (S2) - Don't even bother trying
If anyone knows why tapatalk or alternates are not welcome here I would love to know too!
If anyone knows of a good way to use this forum on android or if I've done something stupid that is making all my browsers (Chrome, Firefox, One, the stock browser) on my Galaxy S2 display the forum stupidly then I would very much love to know!
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From what I understood it was a concern over security issues and incompatibility as to why no apps are available. Also the forum is free to use; having to buy an app seems to go against this ethos (my opinion)
Equally I dont understand how you are having so many problems viewing the forum on the iPad :undecided:
The last forum update was done to help the forum become more user friendly on mobile devices
I use iPad and iPhone without any issues :huh:
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Hey Rhyso, thanks for your reply!
From what I understood it was a concern over security issues and incompatibility as to why no apps are available. Also the forum is free to use; having to buy an app seems to go against this ethos (my opinion)
Agreed. Although on the other hand, many of us have already paid for tapatalk anyway and for those who have not they don't have to spend the £2 or so if they don't want to. I was unaware of security issues... not sure what kind of issues there might be, but I see that would be a concern.
Equally I dont understand how you are having so many problems viewing the forum on the iPad :undecided:
The last forum update was done to help the forum become more user friendly on mobile devices
I use iPad and iPhone without any issues :huh:
Perhaps I wasn't clear, I don't have a problem viewing with iPad. Posting with the iPad can be a pain but its android that is the real problem. I wish I could show you a screen cap of how the forum appears on my Galaxy S2. I'll try to find out how to make a screen cap and post it here. suffice to say reading or posting on my phone is an absolute nightmare and causes no end of frustration. It could be me or my device but judging by the number of posts asking for apps I suspect it is not.
I wasn't aware of the update as I joined a month or two ago, could it be this made it good for apple but not android?
I don't want to seem like I'm complaining, hard to not come across that way. This is the biggest (only) frustration in my experience so I thought it was worth raising in this section.
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Found what JV said last year about Tapatalk
It's not actually free though:
users have to buy the app
tapatalk removes existing trader adverts
tapatalk takes commission on other advert arrangements it allows
:smiley:
Not sure how current the above is but its an answer I guess :smiley:
And somewhere in here is what was changed :grin:
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=238754.0
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Found what JV said last year about Tapatalk
It's not actually free though:
users have to buy the app
tapatalk removes existing trader adverts
tapatalk takes commission on other advert arrangements it allows
:smiley:
Not sure how current the above is but its an answer I guess :smiley:
And somewhere in here is what was changed :grin:
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=238754.0
Cheers!
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Think it's all still pretty much covered by the above quotes.
The last major upgrade did make it much more phone/pad friendly.
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The only problem with the S2 is that it's small. I don't have any issues at all using android on my nexus 10 with Firefox beta.
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The great thing about not using Tapatalk is it depresses the number of idiots the forum attracts.
Mostly.
Use Firefox - it's a great app to browse websites (like this one) and as far as I can make out it works just fine on iPad and Android.
Sounds like a user issue to me.
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There are idiots on tapatalk? I didn't know this, actually I don't use it as I wasn't going to pay the £2 if this forum couldn't be accessed anyway, haha!
Anyway, here is how it appears on my mobile so you can see what I'm talking about. Note how some posts appear so tiny they often are basically invisible. And this is just reading, the interface is 100x worse when trying to post.
Using CHROME:
(http://i.imgur.com/UCNNWjR.png)
Using FIREFOX:
(http://i.imgur.com/JK8KA5L.png)
Using ONE:
(http://i.imgur.com/uviNIVe.png)
Firefox is probably the worst, One is the best.
Now that said, ONE has just updated itself and looks a bit better now. I haven't tried using the drop down menus or navigating or posting though...
EDIT:
Here is how the updated ONE looks. Much much better, although, now there are no images displayed and no buttons for posting or voting or anything... progress though!
(http://i.imgur.com/nZkLwYQ.png)
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Download an app called Dolphin Browser HD. Can then set it to desktop display, double tap and it auto sizes the text to the screen.
Best mobile browser I've used.
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Download an app called Dolphin Browser HD. Can then set it to desktop display, double tap and it auto sizes the text to the screen.
Best mobile browser I've used.
Thanks, I'll give it a go!
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I had the same issue with Chrome, I think I get round it by adjusting the font size...
I'll have a play and see if I can remember though
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Chrome for Android updates and suddenly all is well in the world! Well, it stretches images and the "notify" button doesn't seem to work but compared to before this is fantastic!
Reading:
(http://i.imgur.com/TacVudr.png)
Posting Options:
(http://i.imgur.com/TytyLuO.png)
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That's the new mobile version of the site :tongue:
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That's the new mobile version of the site :tongue:
Impressive! Big improvement. I couldn't get the notify button to work, but that might just be me.
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Mobile theme option now available.
Auto-detect is on for some devices - you can still choose to easily switch back to the standard look.
If you wish to switch to the mobile version, follow the link in the lower right corner.