I find the formatting for this new type of posting to be distracting and uncoordinated. I'm sorry to say so, because I've been an ardent reader since inception of the former discussion groups...and that's a lot of years and viewing. My method was to scan down the 'table of contents', and pay attention to subject matter. Then, I'd scroll through the various postings, primarily looking for words/content of interest such as surnames and communities which I am personally interested in. The format was even, well spaced and subject pertaining - and any time I spent on it was deliberate. It was truly 'a joy' to be able to go online and communicate internationally - after so many years of searching in other manners (since circa 1972).
With the new format, I find the colorings to be distracting, the spacing to be awkward, the icons irritating....and in general, the entire thing is difficult to scroll through systematically. Disorder and poor spacing are very irritating to me, personally.
I completely prefer the former systems and postings, being able to zero in on my personal choices, and to briefly skim irrelevant posts to my family searches. There was order and conformity to it all...and I miss that!
As an active genealogist, small group discussion presenter locally, and 'keeper' of a very large email address book of interested individuals, I am sorry that I can no longer forward individual preference postings by geographic area to my mailing lists. People really appreciated and commented on being able to 'zero in' on Hungarian or Polish or ------ readings, and now it is scattered and disorienting.
Thank you for the efforts of the site originators, but the new format 'does nothing for me'.
Judie Cynkus Rice
JGSLA former area coordinator for So.Bay/LongBeach/near OC communities
