Have a dedicated button to separate the old comment system from the new system

[shinya78]

Since someone might as well make the suggestion...

Ever since the complaints about the button that used to direct the old comments to the forums are now being used by the new system, and that the old chapter discussion comments are now being buried underneath it. I suggest adding a new button, not unlike the old one, that would serve the purpose of separating the new integrated comments from the old forum comments.

The old button could function the same as before, just rebranded to something different, while the new button would serve for the new integrated comments. For example, forum [Discuss]ions vs casual [Comment]s. (Or use the new button for the old system, whichever is easier for the devs.)

This is effectively a suggestion to rebrand the old chapter comments in the forums reader as DISCUSS(ions), as an example, to differentiate it from the new system that is taking over as the new COMMENT(s).

This would allow users to quickly comment using the new system, while keeping the old system just as easily accessible as it used to for forum discussions, ensuring that both systems could co-exist without so much a fuss.

"Can we have two buttons?": No, it's confusing, and that will lead to a further split of platform vs forums.

Confusing? How?
All this does is give easy access to what still exists as the old forum comments. The sub-forum where these old comments are located is already called Chapter Discussions for that specific reason. Rebranding the old system to something else would clearly tell the user what to expect, light comments about the chapter vs deep discussions about the chapter. Sure, anyone could use either system for whatever purpose with varying degrees of success, but having both options being openly available right in front for everyone to use is better than burying the old function underneath the new one. Users will naturally trickle down to whichever system they want for whichever purpose.

If the idea was having both alive as mentioned by @Bartolumiu

the plan is to keep both the new comments and the forums alive at the same time, with each having its own purpose.
Title and chapter comments on the new system, and general chatting and discussion here in the forums (so yeah, lurkers, you can keep lurking as you've been doing up until now).

Then this should be a no-brainer.

edit:

Hi, I received a developer reply regarding this suggestion, I'll be posting it here:

Have two buttons: one for forums and one for on-site comments on the chapter list items

Unlikely. It'll be confusing. Easy example: "Interesting chapter, let's read the comments... wait, there are two kinds of comments?"

Once again, the reason they give is that it'll be confusing. Citing that their example user would be "confused when they see that there are two kinds of comments now."

How is this a valid reason when:

• Implementing the [new comments system] while keeping the [old "comments" system](forum discussions) alive already establish the fact that there are indeed two kinds of comments now.
• They acknowledged that the button shouldn't open the reader if users only want to read the comments. This is the very same function the old button had, but for chapter discussions in the forums instead, the function already existed.

Hi, I'll post here a reply I received from the developers regarding this suggestion:

Do not open the reader if you just want to read the comments

"Valid. We will be exploring ways of doing this."

• They acknowledged that "read # older comments" should be renamed to indicate that these are the comments in the forums, which are separate from the new system. Surely their example users would see this, become confused, and ask "wait, there are two kinds of comments?".

Hi, I'll be posting here a developer reply regarding this suggestion:

Be explicit about the fact that older comments exist in the forums to prevent confusing it as if you're going to be navigated to the next page of comments.

"Valid. We'll be discussing on the wording side of things and see if we can be explicit with the fact that it is indeed the forums."

• Having two buttons would quickly let users choose whether to access and use the new system[Comments], or the old system[Forums] with a single click. Something the current setup allows for the new system, but an extra step is needed to be done for the old system. Was the plan to make the forum discussions more obscure than ever, by making it one click further away?

The only other valid reason left that I could think of that doesn't go into tinfoil hat territory that would legitimize their claim, is if, and this is a big IF:

• They assumed when the users asked for two buttons, it meant they should share the exact same icons.

To which I say, it should've been obvious that the icons should be different, without the need for us users to spell it out for them. Even then, making a new icon if none currently exists, shouldn't be out of the question.

If they still claim the same reason for refusal, or change goalposts, then by that point maybe it's due time to get the tinfoil hats.

 

[Rockdrop]

Innocent comments where harmed in the making of this post.

https://imgur.com/lDUSDgG

 

[shinya78]

Innocent comments where harmed in the making of this post.
[snip]

Can't tell if meme post, or didn't read.

 

[T-sama]

Rip Dungeon no Osananajimi comments, another victim

 

[Osha]

The "it's too confusing" reply is so dumb, how about they let the users be the judge of that instead of assuming everyone is as dumb as they claim we are ?

 

[N2O]

The "it's too confusing" reply is so dumb, how about they let the users be the judge of that instead of assuming everyone is as dumb as they claim we are ?

 

[asfhoiasfjoiasfjpi]

i mean at this point they're just "fixing" something that isnt broken to try and get cash lol

 

[asfhoiasfjoiasfjpi]

Obligatory reminder that CommentsTM is currently pay-to-beta test, and will be available absolutely free for all regular users when the paying chefs are done cooking.

I do believe nobody wanted a taste, my man

 

[NikoNikoNii]

Why are so many **** shilling for these changes? It is just a preview of what will continue to happen. Can only hope the next transition is as smooth as it was from batoto to MD

 

[T-sama]

Rip Fugue Across Worlds comments cause only supporters can post or create threads

 

[kouyo]

Hi everyone, just wanted to share some context on the direction of the comment system. The long-term goal is actually to consolidate chapter discussions into the new system and eventually phase out the forums for chapter discussions.
The current setup exists because:

1. Access is limited to a small group of users (Supporters, Contributors, Group Leaders, etc).
2. "Legacy" comments still need to be migrated.

Adding a "forums button" isn't currently on the roadmap because the forums themselves aren't part of the long-term UI.

 

[BobBiscuit]

Adding a "forums button" isn't on the roadmap because the forums themselves aren't part of the long-term UI.

So it all really was just Corporate PR Damage Control, from the start. Thank you for having the courage to come out and say it outright. Doesn't make me feel better about Mangadex's direction going forward, but I do appreciate the honesty.

 

[mgRdr]

Adding a "forums button" isn't currently on the roadmap because the forums themselves aren't part of the long-term UI.

Suppose, but short term, user experience is degraded compared to how it used to be, and the comments don't appear to be anywhere near the replacement of the forums, and I don't see them being ready in the next couple months at the very least, meanwhile adding a button is a trivial change and would make the site experience better today

 

[kouyo]

Adding a "forums button" isn't currently on the roadmap because the forums themselves aren't part of the long-term UI.

To be clear: don't take this as a rejection, we're still discussing on how to approach this suggestion

 

[Hicleric]

Hi everyone, just wanted to share some context on the direction of the comment system. The long-term goal is actually to consolidate chapter discussions into the new system and eventually phase out the forums for chapter discussions.
The current setup exists because:

1. Access is limited to a small group of users (Supporters, Contributors, Group Leaders, etc).
2. "Legacy" comments still need to be migrated.

Adding a "forums button" isn't currently on the roadmap because the forums themselves aren't part of the long-term UI.

Is there a way to pin this to the front page of every manga? Given the tone of many an irate comment I've seen today, that might be the only way to get the word out

More seriously though, an short notice like this visibly posted a day or so before a substantive change goes live would go miles

 

[T-sama]

Rip proper chapter discussion since the new comment screen is garbage for the long comments / discussions we had in many series