The New Look of Gather

It's alright, I did like the old one!! I just wish everything would load up faster!

It's OK with me I guess. Nothing negative to say anyway, ha ha. Take care.

Yes

Here's a serious question: why does anyone who is already a member of Gather go to the home page? I never open it. I just open my emails and reply to comments and articles. I will look at the home page in a minute, because you called my attention to it; but, seriously, do you start there every day? If so, why?

Okay, I went, I looked, boring. It looks just like any group home page, only without an owner. Again, someone, anyone, what's the big deal? If it's really an important page to me as a Gather member, then they better come up with something much more interesting and entertaining than what's there now! (I can't remember the one one, only visited it twice, but the fact that I don't remember means, I suspect, that it was boring as well.)

PLease tell me that the time and effort they spent "upgrading" the home page isn't the reason Gather has been so sluggish and hard to use lately. Please!!

I always check out the homepage. I like it. I don't like having to sign in everytime I want to get on here though.

That's just it, Michelle, when you joined Gather they gave you the option of remaning signed-in....and so, I never have to sign-in! I am always "in"!!

So, next reason, anyone? That one wasn't compelling.

James that option never worked for me but I haven't tried it lately. The reson I like to check out the home page is to see who's on there daily and do the daily poll.
Mike I noticed it does take a lot longer to load up.
Overall They did Good ; ) I like it.

Ohh, okay. Well, it's great to always be signed in (I am actually always signed-in on three different computers!) All my friends send me stuff (so I don't need to see who is on), and I didn't see the daily poll (that home page is soo full of stuff, I'm not gonna take the time to look for it). But, glad it meets a need for you. :D

I agree that they do need to work on the sluggish part. As for the keep signed in, I have tried to use it and it doesn't always work. I do like the new page, it gives you a chance to see other groups.

Really? I became active in early December and I have never had any trouble with it! And went through the process three times (once per computer). Gather is rather unpredictable, I suppose.

James,

I used to agree that existing members would have little reason to visit the home page. In fact, I predicted this in MY REVIEW of the major redesign Gather went through over the summer, referred to as the 'Carl Andre' release.

However, the new home page design now provides a peek into articles from a wide cross-section of content areas (groups) that did not exist previously (well, it did, but that was before the Carl Andre release). Therefore, I now visit the home page to view the top 4 articles within each of the Gather 'Essentials'. It gives me a categorized view of new articles at a glance, which speeds up my search for great content.

Of course, I would like to see more 'Essentials' categories, as well as the ability to choose my own categories to display (Gather used to have this ability...and it was GREAT!)

Kevin I wasn't around when you could choose your own categories. I think that would be great to be able to do. I wish they would bring that option back.
TY all for your input.

I don't go to the front page. now I will also have to check it out though.

Kevin, thanks for that input...I wasn't a member in the summer, so I didn't know anything about that upgrade. I came to Gather to enter the Amazon Shorts contest, and that was the only time I visited the home page. When I went there today I saw the "9 Essentials" and I thought, "Who the heck decided THESE were essentials!?" LOL I have no interest in most if not all of them. Besides, if I want to check articles all I have to do is click on a tab. I don't get it. So, again, for me, there's no reason to waste my time on the home page. Besides, I don't even have it bookmarked.

I looked over the list of "9 Essentials" (I don't have to return to the home page to do that, they are listed in the margins on many pages). There is not ONE that I would consider "essential" in my life. So, I came up with my own list of 9 Essentials:
+ Spirituality
+ People
+ Personality
+ Humor
+ Games
+ Writing
+ Romance
+ Photography
+ Art

I would love it if Gather allowed us to each chose our OWN list of "essentials," then, if the home page were where I had to go to check articles in these nine areas of interest, I would go there every day!!

But that would mean Gather would lose a degree of control, and become more user-friendly, something they evidently do not wish to do.

My impression of our culture is that we are sports-crazed. And while I could care less about them, but I am totally amazed that the geniuses at Gather didn't make "Sports" one of their "essentials"...makes me truly wonder how they came up with that list! I also wonder why their advertisers haven't insisted on that one!

looks ok to me

The top of new page is great. The bottom to me looks really junky! Can't focus my attention on any one thing as it seems to be all pressed together to get it all there. The slowness is driving me insane!

I can't be bothered with the home page. My browser opens up to the log in page even though I am always logged in. I choose my articles from the article list so the home page is redundant. Bottom line - I don't care about the new home page. I wish they would worry about something that matters insttead of the cosmetics.

Amen, Nanci!

James,

There is actually a way that you can create your own 'Essentials' channels, and filter all content based upon your specific areas of interest. I will send you a message on this, as you may not make it back to this article.

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Who has the 'Spirit of Community' this week? - Find out HERE.

as for the sports thing... I find that most of the people who are "sports-crazed" don't have time for things like gather because they are trying to watch all the games on their 15 different ESPNs.. JMO

Jimmie, you are hard core! You make an interesting point about the homepage being the first thing a newcomer sees. I do like to check it, but I know where to go to find what I want, too.