Yahoo! Answers Servery: Do the recent changes improve or degrade the site?

I don't feel qualified to respond to the wider format point because I use an ad-blocker. It seems to my screen that some extra space around the edges has been utilized, that's all. It's nice in itself (less scrolling is required, links aren't truncated as often, etc.), but again, I don't know what effect it has for most users who can see the ads. I suppose Yahoo! needs all the revenue it can get now, considering Microsoft's pressure.

The other "improvements" I support, and am glad to finally see acted upon, but further improvement is still necessary. Randomizing answers during voting will now enable cheaters, unless Yahoo! later implements timestamps. The report screen could bear more detail on the violations; "chat", "spam", etc. are listed, but "solicitation", "not a Q or A", and others still go unknown to many members. And of course, "Return to Category" was unanimously not a good move.

I hadn't noticed that answers thumbed-down remain in correct viewing order. Thanks for that one. I suppose I prefer it the new way, but this change wasn't at the top of any critics' list.

There's one more report screen improvement that you neglected to mention here. Voting cheaters used to be able to click the report button to view the nickname of the anonymous answerer, then hit their back button to vote for/against them. Now those nicknames are kept anonymous on the voting report screen as well.

Overall, one and a half thumbs up! ;-)

(1) I suppose we will get used to this, though it does make the line length rather long.

(2) This one gets my vote as best innovation. I have always felt cheated when I take the time to read all the answers, narrow it down to two or three, and re-read those to ensure that I vote for the answer that really is the best .............. and after all that I find I need not have bothered because the first poor answer has six votes already and the real best answer doesn't stand a chance because it is on the second page!

(3) Haven't seen this yet.

(4) Ok .... well, I will just have to remember to save it to my watchlist before reporting.

(5) Good idea. I was sceptical about the incorrect reporting until I nearly did it myself the other day. I had sort of registered at the back of my mind that the answer box seemed smaller than usual, but didn't twig until I went to press Submit and saw the button said Report instead!

I still think they should move the Report button - stick it over on the right, out of the way.

(6) Oh I love this one! I've made good use of it already to give people an extra point for a really good answer.

Edit:- Thanks for reminding me, H-man, I too have always thought it should be obligatory to give a reason for reporting. I have seen too many people complain of receiving a VN with no reason given. It seems most unfair to punish people without even telling them which rule they have broken.

Three thrings, but this means a higer degree of responsibility from BOTH support and member. 1) Banning of trolls. Y!A has the philosophy that it is unfair to ban an IP address for it affects others at the address. Well, if a troll is going to have falmer wars here, they really do not care about others. Trolls MUST be stopped so banning via IP address may be the best, only option 2) A better appeal process. having come off a 10-day suspension, the reaction from the staff was one of neglect. I deserve to be able to honestly argue any suspension and answer violation with someone for real. We need a hall of justice where I have an appointment to argue the merits of the case. As the aggrieved party, i explain why this is not worthy of a violation or suspension. If I have filed the report, I must defend why I feel that it is a violation and not just some knee-jerk reaction because I don't particularly like the question or answer. And if i am suspended, there is a term limit. My account is suspended for six months or whatever. We cannot have this "non-deletion banishment" where there is no hope of restoration. If the person is that bad, then delete them flat out when the appeal fails, OK? But don't keep them hanging around until the end of time 3) A remodification of the violation categories. Quite frankly, "chatting" does not bother me at all. I don;t care if you want to know what people think of Britney Spears or my favorite songs from between 1999 and 2004. Violations are for serious infractions Squatting Cloning Solicitations Race baiting Foul language Obscene avatars Spite violation reports These are heavy duty, not junk like "posting in wrong category", "pretending to be non-human", "wearing white shoes after labor day." Now, the big trick is whether Y!A believes in itself enough to see that there is a problem and they are willing to work with the membership to fix it

1. Unsure - the long line might be less comfortable to read.

2. LIKE! Although, if 'A's could only be edited the same way as 'Q's (adds only), 'place-holding' and certain forms of plagiarism would become instantly obvious.

3. Haven't noticed.

4. Neutral (thanks to something I learned from you, I started RAMO a while back).

EDIT: It should take you back to the page you were on instead of to the beginning of the category.

5. Annoying, but only because I was used to having a default - the idea's good. Personally, I think the text box stuff (or check-list) should be required, too.

6. I thought we had this already, but if not, good.

New glitch - I've seen a few questions where the last answer ends up BELOW the 'Resolved Questions' box, between it and the Yahoo Int'l stuff (no, of COURSE I didn't make a note of which ones but I will if I see it again).

I agree with a previous post - put the 'Add'l Details' on the 'answer page', too.

On another topic, any word on a fix for the 'stuck' resolved questions?

1) This one, along with number 2, were the only ones I noticed. I think It's an OK idea, it doesn't improve or downgrade the site.

2) I don't really like this one too much, I don't feel it neccessary. If people don't want point gamers voting for the first answer, then don't put your question up to vote.

3) I just checked, and I didn't see a difference. The only thing I noticed is that this one is glitching.

4) I don't really like the idea, I don't find it necessary. Not to mention the typo.

5) I don't find this neccesary.

6) Love this one. I have been waiting to see this change in the community. Finally!

Hello,

1) Yes, i have noticed this change and i liked it;

2) I understand what you wrote. But, i don't see the point in this. Point gamers will still be point gamers!!

3) Thumb-down!! I haven't tried it yet!

(4) & (5) Haven't tried these too (after the changes).

6) I think this is not a change. It was like this before the modifications too.

** 7) I have noticed that "Show me Another" icon is working better both in Answering & Voting. It never worked for me before.

Have a Nice Evening.

New yahoo is rubbish that no one wants, everyone hates & no one asked for.

Yahoo are now so out of touch with their users they must be doomed.

To anyone that owns Yahoo shares then I suggest sell them!

The new CEO of Yahoo is to blame & so she needs the boot. Is she in cahoots with Gmail perhaps & so trying to destroy Yahoo ?

These are some of the problems I've encountered with New 'Full Feature' Yahoo;

1] Emails with common sender or recipient or subject are now clustered together in a jumbled mess like gmail. I hate gmail that's why I rarely use my gmail email.

Now Yahoo is even more confusing than Gmail!

2] I've had my yahoo account since 2004. If I want to find an email from years ago I now have to scroll through many pages. There used to be 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 or last at bottom of page to click on. Why have the morons taken this away ?

3] To save a draft now takes two clicks instead of one click. Is this their idea of progress ?

Sometimes when you click on 'X' to close at top RHS of screen you don't get the option of 'do you want to save draft?'

Then you can't call it back!

It says - 'Yahoo is having a problem retrieving draft'

This never happened once in 9 years of the old Yahoo.

4] Trying to forward a specific email from one of the new jumbled clusters is impossible. So the recipient can see all of the conversation where you want them to or not!

5] Why are emails addresses now shown with a name ?

I want to see the person's email address. Easier for copying & pasting.

6] When I reply to an incoming email, the incoming email is not visible. An irrelevant one in that conversation shows instead !

7] Sometimes the cursor appear somewhere on the page other that where I click.

8] Who asked for these changes?

9] If a thing isn't broke then don't fix it.

10] Can't even escape this nightmare by switching to 'settings, viewing emails, basic', because everytime I open up yahoo it defaults to this ghastly new 'full featured' yahoo.

When I return to the basic Yahoo the symbols for 'insert link' etc aren't available anymore!

Totally infuriating. Give us back our old Yahoo which was brilliant & needed no tinkering whatsoever or I'm leaving Yahoo.

Great observations Dad. Good to know. Thanks.

Now, to your survey, what i noticed was the overall graphic design smoothening - my impression is that the re-designe is done to improve click-through-rates; Those are the clicks on text ads just under the navigation menu to the right of the question and animated/video ads just under answerer's avatar.

We discussed with the guys the other day on the revenue model of Yahoo Inc and common opinion was ads are not quite visible.

Now, the space for answering has broadened and advertising units became more distinguishable.

I think they have done good job.

on the topic of improving the experience for community members, i think it is the same; a bunch of wows and nays but in couple of weeks the regulars will get used to it.

I like it, but I notice that when you report demonic trolls, there is a typo

"Your report matter!"

What a clumsy mistake.

Personally I was hoping they would bring back the green reticles for top 10 answerers of a category, but even though the staff told me it was in their future plans to restore it, they haven't brought it back with this new set of changes yet.

It seems the appeals process has been dramatically improved too, which would probably be the most significant leap forward. The staff gets back to you in less than 3 hours and seems more lenient (or just paying more attention) on reported content that is appealed as well.

I hadn't noticed 3+6 and disagree with 5. We are no better off. People just have to do one more click.

I believe you should put a reason you report the question.

eg, chat, not a question or answer etc.