Is it just me, is is the new forum a step backwards? This seems to be more of a blog format than a forum format.
There is a lot of wasted screen real estate. On my screen, I can only see 4 topics before I have to scroll down. On the old forum, and other forums I'm on, I can see a good 15+ topics before needing to scroll.
If you post on multiple forums, it is now much more work to post on this forum since the embedded bbcode image links no longer work.
Pictures in posts are much smaller.
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You have plenty of company. This new format is confusing and seems to have been instituted for no reason other than someone trying to make work, and justify a job.
Andy I'm with you 100% I don't like this format at all. I can't find the search feature and find the layout cumbersome and annoying. Upon posting a question about locating the search feature (I'm lookin for Smokin'O's baked bean recipe), folks replied as to "3 little bars, magnifying glasses on the top left, top right, using a different browser, etc. Bottom line, if you need a 15 minute refresher course to locate a recipe or find your way around this forum, folks are simply gonna walk away.
Stewart, this isn't serving your intended interests....IMHO
-topchef
This one? https://forum.cookshack.com/to...ies-smoked-bbq-beans
If you haven't yet, try some Keri's Hog Apple Beans Post #9. Good stuff!
I agree....
Paul B
I too find the new format disagreeable. Any chance the webmaster is reading this and would consider going back to the old format?
Hi Andy, hope all's well you these days. Thanks for the tip on Keri's beans...the recipe looks interesting...will definitely give them a try.
In another post, I mentioned finally finding the search feature, which was hidden behind a banner saying my time zone may not be correct. Silly, I know but it had me pulling my hair out for 15 minutes. I still prefer the old style forums we had but I suppose this has more eye candy/bling for the millennials.
btw...has Tom been around? SmokinO? Give my regards to the "gang"
TC
I have been silent as I've wanted to give this new "whatever" a fair chance.
After several days usage I have to say I'm loosing interest in it.
It's just too hard to navigate and see whats up.
Hopefully if this continues we can find somewhere else to migrate to.
Poor us, Poor us.................
I guess so far I'm ok with it. It does take some getting used to, but I don't think anything is hidden or especially hard to find, just different. I wish the replies to less-recent posts were more prominent to find, but it's just knowing where to look. I do like that I can see what posts and replies I have not yet read. I often wanted that before. I'll give it the benefit of more time and call out, if necessary, really stupid features, if I find them. I'm not so concerned about changes in the pic posting process, maybe because I haven't really tried it yet 
I know for myself, the older I get the less I like change. Having said that, sometimes change is for the good and given enough time to get used to something new is all it takes. I actually found posting pictures to be easier than before and although I haven't explored all of the new and how to do a deep search for older posts, I think in the end all will be good and most if not all will be happy. I might be wrong, but I think I've seen a lot of new members join as well. Just my $.02
Hey everyone. Our old forum platform (.eve) is no longer a forum host. We had no choice but to migrate to a new system. Our new platform (hoop.la) is the most comparable forum host and allows us to make changes without writing HTML.
That being said, Christa and I are trying VERY HARD to make this forum as much like the old one as possible while still taking advantage of the new features Hoop.la has offered us (keep in mind, this is a new platform for us too, not just you). Below, you will see an image with some information on Forum Navigation and Profile/Settings Navigation. Maybe this will clear up a few questions/frustrations I'm seeing.
Thanks for the quick tips. No disrespect to everyone at Cookshack. I know you guys & gals are learning a new platform. I guess my big beef is that the new platform is more like a blog, rather than a forum. Almost every forums I'm on makes maximum use of the amount of screen real estate. This new site looks more like a blog to me.
The Cookshack "forum" shows me only four topics before I need to scroll.
Another popular forum I'm on shows me 16 topics before i need to scroll.
Hopefully the new platform is customizable enough to be able to make it look like a forum again.
Morning AndyJ! I know exactly what you mean! It does have a very "blog" feel to it (probably because it can be used as both a forum and a blog). I will get in and see what I can do!
Hello Everyone,
I do not like the new look of the Forum : (
I have been a long time member.
I do love CookShack, my SM150, Amerique and Smokette.
.
I'm still trying to figure out how to find the favorite recipes that I had in personal zone.
It didn't work but thank you.
I am a long time member of the forum, and long time user of Cookshack products. I use to be here every day or two. I do not like this new format, and will not use it. I need to replace some wood for the SMO45, and SMO66. I will find another source for my wood.
Mike. sorry to see you go, you've been a good contributor here. If I can't change your mind about cutting off CS entirely (I am also not a fan of the new format but am encouraged that CS is willing to keep working on it), can I suggest The Charcoal Store for wood of all types?
Hey Mike, respect your thoughts but hate to see you go. Maybe give it some time to see if CS can get it tweaked and looking better?
Dara,
thanks for putting up the survey. There is just a ton of scrolling. Minimal info taking up a ton of screen space. Decrease the scrolling and I would be happy.
Ditto. Also the screen shots in the survey were too small to be able to read. LOT of wasted screen space.
You can't just cut and paste a link to a website. Something about Control + V and Command + V. If it's not easy to use, people will not post.
Not good! : (
The old format was flawless. And Easy to look at. Why change something that isnt broke?
I agree the old forum was good, but apparently CS decided to spend some $$ on a new platform and is now trying to see what mods are available/allowed with it. I'm guessing we users are stuck with this at least for a while pending CS's attempts to see what leeway they have in the software they bought. The survey results so far seem to be heading for a somewhat better format, but still constrained by the overall platform design.
I have been trying to like the new forum format., and not having much success I have even visited the hoop.la site to see what it is all about. There is a lot to read (see the link) so this may take a lot of time to get it right. For now though, I am disappointed. I have been a member since 2012 and will stick it out for the foreseeable future. Time will tell.
Oh man, this new forum(?) Blog sucks! I have written to CS, asking them to revert back to the old forum. Please join me in doing the same. So much info there, and now it's not accessible! Really frustrating.
Thanks!
On a side note: I wrote to CookShack and they responded quickly. I now understand that they had no other option (but I still don't like it).
"Our old forum provider has technically not been in service for years but was still allowing companies to use the old platform through a different provider. That provider has phased out our old platform. "
It seems CS lacked enough detail and knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of what they signed up for. I wonder if the tech support they got setting it up really took the time to understand the needs of the users, and as you say, the vast resources easily available on the old platform. I can just hope there are unexplored capabilities on this new platform that can be utilized to improve the experience.
If you visit hoop.la, you can see what they promise.
While I'm slow at learning and change, I'm starting to be able to navigate myself around the site. Finally found the advance find page. It's getting easier and not as much of a pain as the first few weeks. I'll stick around. 
I just posted to the New Forum and LOVE IT, SO EASY TO POST.
THANK YOU!
I Will be posting more often, much eaiser to post now.
I didn't even have to RES my files down.
Darn it I have posted most of my Smoking lately on my Instagram.
So easy to post photos now.
I will post a video of a Brisket dripping.
I don’t even bother checking out this forum anymore. It’s that bad.
One word
TERRIBLE
Takes so long to find anything I usually move on to other sites after getting aggravated with this new version.
Agree. Very awkward. I visited the hoopla site early on and convinced myself that they they know programming but do not know ease of use and probably did not research other forum for style and ease of use. I am pretty much absent from this forum unless I get a notice like I did this morning. This format has to be hurting Cookshack sales. If I was in the market for a new smoker, and this is the best they can come up with for a forum, I would be looking elsewhere. Too bad.
This forum was the reason I bought my FEC-100 almost six years ago. I agree that the current lack of activity and crappy format will hurt Cookshack in the long run. I'm active on the BBQ Brethren forum, and while several of the members there have FEC-100's, you rarely hear them talking about their cookers or Cookshack in general. Other than Butcher BBQ you don't hear much about Cookshack in competition these days, and that also drives sales.
I am active on a couple of other forums as well, mostly Smoking meat Forums and Smokin-it but also Lets Talk BBQ. I bought the Amerique 066 back in 2012 and the Cookshack forum had a lot to do with it. Times change but not always for the better. The person running this forum knows how I feel and I even sent info on the other forums and requested they look into changing companies. I guess it was a no go. Too bad. People buy what is popular; they want to be part of a family and cultivate friendships and share experiences in the world of Q. Unfortunately this forum is not the place to do it. Too bad. Cookshack is a great company with great products.
