Please please separate the games from discussion, am I the only one?

Izabella

Manhattan thank you. I was accused of putting a poster down earlier when trying to clarify my problem (and here was I thinking I was having a good day Alzheimers wise?) Your post raises valid points.

Izabella,

It's a sad fact that most websites do not meet the W3C standards for accessible web design. There are a number of reason for that including that fact that many web professional simply aren't aware of their obligations and even if they are, they fail to do anything about it.

A competent programmer could sort this Games issue in 10-15 minutes - altering the menu (on the desktop version) to say Active Discussions | Games | I'm on | Watching etc plus a tweak to the code so that only new posts in non-games thread are included on the Active Discussions list. It really is that simple.

I think a like/dislike would be a lazy option to not join in the conversation? Mind you I can see the appeal as some prefer to read threads and not post.

I agree. We already get so many comments from people who say that they never join in certain threads because people might disagree with them. This inevitably leads to 'the same voices' being heard on such threads, which is a shame, as a broader range of views would be more interesting for all concerned. A 'like/agree' button would make it worse, I think, as it would appear to give a voice to those who aren't prepared to contribute to the thread. Discussion needs contributions or it dies.

Manhattan you put that very well. It could be worth addressing GNHQ directly about it, or posting in the Site Stuff section.

Another thing Mumsnet has, is "see all posts from the OP".
Makes it easy to catch up quickly and see if there have been further developments.

Not on mine, they aren't.

Urms the op's comments are coloured on the mobile site

Chestnut

Three things that would be wonderful:

Separate the games from the chat
Provide a 'like' or 'dislike' button for posts
Allow the OP to close the thread if they wish

I think a like/dislike would be a lazy option to not join in the conversation? Mind you I can see the appeal as some prefer to read threads and not post.

Maybe a trial run for 3 months then review? Ain’t gonna happen though.

I’d like it if any comment by the OP would show up during a thread in colour so that updates can easily be identified. Handy I think.

We can wish ...
?

Is this really a problem?

I don't play the games, but if I did and I was reading all the comments on here about how annoying they are I'd be wondering about taking part in them at all. If people like playing games, leave them be. There are whole chunks of GN that I have no interest in, I just don't read them.

As for it being a simple programming task; yes, probably. But I think we all know that GNHQ are hardly rolling in money.

Blossoming I've read the thread carefully, and I can't see that anyone is putting you down at all

Manhattan thank you. I was accused of putting a poster down earlier when trying to clarify my problem (and here was I thinking I was having a good day Alzheimers wise?) Your post raises valid points.

FannyCornforth

Chestnut you can't hide forums.
You can only hide threads.
I think that that poster used the wrong word.

I use a computer and I can't hide threads or forums. I can only follow threads.

Izabella

With respect to posters who say it is not a problem my particular visual problem means lines blur and finding my way through forums is a difficulty. Scrolling is problematic. Those who find no difficulty are blessed

This is not a trivial issue. It is a very fundamental design error in the way this website organises and delivers content.

It has been the law for over 25 years that web content should be easily accessible to everyone irrespective of ability or disability - covered by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 which was subsequently incorporated in the Equalities Act 2010. Anyone who doubts this please hop over to the the website for the World Wide Web Consortium W3C and look at the standards for accessible design.

Put simply, the shortest, easiest and clearest route to the content that people want to see and participate. Developers must have in mind the target demographic. Of course, disabilty affects all ages but a site calling itself Gransnet must have an older demographic in mind, people who are more likely to experience diminishing sight and mobility.

It has been said over and over that the games push the active discussions off the top 50 list so that people have to go the long route round, to search section by section for the active discussions.

People keep saying "scroll on by" as if it’s easy for everyone. It is not. For people with impaired dexerity it can be hard and painful. For people with certain visual impairment or neurodevelopment disorders, scrolling can be very disturbing.
W3C standards address all of these issues but sadly, many developers do not pay heed to them.

It would a very simply programming task to separate out the games from the discussions (and many people seem to want that).

If only one GN member with a disability is finding the site difficult to navigate then the developers have a duty under EA2010 to look at the issue.

Further to my last comment.
Posters are suggesting that instead of looking at the 'Active' list, we look at the 'Health' list; or the 'Grandparenting' one, or what have you.

Chestnut you can't hide forums.
You can only hide threads.
I think that that poster used the wrong word.

One option is to go to the Forums page and chose the topic you want to see.

But if Tech separates Games threads, they should separate Coronavirus threads and News & Politics threads, etc.
Forums are for discussion. Games are something else entirely and should not be in a discussion forum.

There is a way to avoid Games threads other than scrolling too. Click on "Forums" at the top and choose which forums you want to read and, thereby, avoid the Games threads. Easy peasy.
How do you choose which forums you want to read? I can't do that.

JaneJudge

Harry and Meghan need their own sub section

What would be a suitable title for that, I wonder?

Surely it's not that difficult to hide each individual thread?
Or is it?
I often hide threads if they are annoying me.
I'm not being provocative; it's a genuine question

I would appreciate a way to not see them at all. They take up way too much space. It surely must be easy to create a function so we can hide them all..

Thanks for the put downs Izabella and PippaZ

Agree

It seems that you can hide subforums (boards) on Mumsnet.
I can't fathom out how to do it though.
I think that being able to do that on here may be the easiest way around it

I don't even see what games are doing on a forum at all. A forum is for discussion. Games are something else entirely.

I think that maybe one way around it would be making it possible to hide the 'Games' subforum.
I don't know if that function is available on Mumsnet...

With respect to posters who say it is not a problem my particular visual problem means lines blur and finding my way through forums is a difficulty. Scrolling is problematic. Those who find no difficulty are blessed