5 ms·

I don't think they're killing it. Anecdotally, all my friends prefer the app and the redesign to the old web client. I suspect this anecdata is supported by Re

by hazz99 6y ago

I don't think they're killing it. Anecdotally, all my friends prefer the app and the redesign to the old web client. I suspect this anecdata is supported by Reddit's metrics, otherwise they wouldn't be pushing so hard for it (barring some other long term goal) Not that I like the changes. I much prefer the old version.

fossuser 6y ago
They're so hostile to their own users I'm not sure they get accurate results from their metrics. - They change you back to the new design every few days. - They constantly tell you to use the app (thankfully you can disable this at least). - The old reddit design has a sidebar with helpful content, but this is not automatically present in the redesign. If you're a mod you have to manually copy that content over to the redesign and keep both updated separately. A lot of mods don't seem to know this so some communities just don't have their community information in the redesign. - The new redesign on mobile web is so bad that those that don't know about how to get the old design will probably use the app to get something that works. I'm glad old.reddit still exists, but I think if they just scrapped the entire new site it would be a better product. Probably worse for 'engagement' though because without infinite scroll, gifs loading everywhere, and other addictive hacks, people would just read what they wanted to and leave. The horror. (Also r/hnblogs traffic has most people using the old design, but there's an obvious selection bias in that community.)
- toomim 6y ago
  > - They change you back to the new design every few days. This is so annoying that I have to use this chrome extension to force it back to old.reddit.com: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/old-reddit-redirect/dneaehbmnbhcippjikoajpoabadpodje https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/old-reddit-redirec...
  - nzgrover 6y ago
    Likewise for Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/old-reddit-redirect/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/old-reddit-re...
    - Klonoar 6y ago
      Likewise, for Safari: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/oldr-for-reddit/id1475048161?mt=12 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/oldr-for-reddit/id1475048161?m... Disclaimer that I'm also the author.
- screye 6y ago
  > new redesign on mobile web is so bad The funniest part is plenty of 3rd party apps had been doing an amazing job already. All reedit had to do was acquire one of them on the cheap or steal design cues from the ones that were most popular. Instead they created this monstrosity which till date lags behind many 3rd party apps in features and fluidity. > old.reddit RES is the only way to use reddit, and they can pry it from my cold dead hands.
  - ihuman 6y ago
    > All reedit had to do was acquire one of them on the cheap or steal design cues from the ones that were most popular. They already tried this with Alien Blue
    - sudosysgen 6y ago
      Why didn't they keep it?
  - coldpie 6y ago
    Their goal is not to make a good website, their goal is to show you ads.
liamcardenas 6y ago
Yes, but that is likely due in part to Reddit’s desire to deprioritize making the web client good relative to mobile. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.
gsich 6y ago
Metrics lie. Defaults matter.
_jal 6y ago
I barely use Reddit anymore. The UI on mobile is intentional garbage and I do not want the bloody app. But the desktop UI is getting worse; navigation is ridiculous and the pages are so junked up that it is actively repellant. It is too bad. I used to actually enjoy browsing and (gasp) commenting sometimes. Now I tend to hit a single page via search and leave. Can't remember the last time I actually logged in.
- rmason 6y ago
  Try https://old.reddit.com https://old.reddit.com for a vastly superior experience.
  - OGWhales 6y ago
    FYI, one can toggle this in settings with an account. So no need for the URL
    - Klonoar 6y ago
      Unfortunately the settings override doesn't quite work in every circumstance, so most people use extensions to force this instead.
  - blaser-waffle 6y ago
    If you don't plan on posting, https://np.reddit.com https://np.reddit.com also works. The 'np' is for a 'no-post' version where you can't vote or reply.
JimDabell 6y ago
If Reddit's metrics confirmed that people preferred the app, they wouldn't have to push so hard for it.
- blaser-waffle 6y ago
  Who cares what the metrics or what people want if the new design allows them to data mine harder? Tell everyone this is what people really want, trust us, and then track every eyeball, tap, and scroll as hard as possible.

by hazz99 6y ago

fossuser 6y ago

They're so hostile to their own users I'm not sure they get accurate results from their metrics. - They change you back to the new design every few days. - They constantly tell you to use the app (thankfully you can disable this at least). - The old reddit design has a sidebar with helpful content, but this is not automatically present in the redesign. If you're a mod you have to manually copy that content over to the redesign and keep both updated separately. A lot of mods don't seem to know this so some communities just don't have their community information in the redesign. - The new redesign on mobile web is so bad that those that don't know about how to get the old design will probably use the app to get something that works. I'm glad old.reddit still exists, but I think if they just scrapped the entire new site it would be a better product. Probably worse for 'engagement' though because without infinite scroll, gifs loading everywhere, and other addictive hacks, people would just read what they wanted to and leave. The horror. (Also r/hnblogs traffic has most people using the old design, but there's an obvious selection bias in that community.)

toomim 6y ago
> - They change you back to the new design every few days. This is so annoying that I have to use this chrome extension to force it back to old.reddit.com: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/old-reddit-redirect/dneaehbmnbhcippjikoajpoabadpodje https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/old-reddit-redirec...
- nzgrover 6y ago
  Likewise for Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/old-reddit-redirect/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/old-reddit-re...
  - Klonoar 6y ago
    Likewise, for Safari: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/oldr-for-reddit/id1475048161?mt=12 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/oldr-for-reddit/id1475048161?m... Disclaimer that I'm also the author.
screye 6y ago
> new redesign on mobile web is so bad The funniest part is plenty of 3rd party apps had been doing an amazing job already. All reedit had to do was acquire one of them on the cheap or steal design cues from the ones that were most popular. Instead they created this monstrosity which till date lags behind many 3rd party apps in features and fluidity. > old.reddit RES is the only way to use reddit, and they can pry it from my cold dead hands.
- ihuman 6y ago
  > All reedit had to do was acquire one of them on the cheap or steal design cues from the ones that were most popular. They already tried this with Alien Blue
  - sudosysgen 6y ago
    Why didn't they keep it?
- coldpie 6y ago
  Their goal is not to make a good website, their goal is to show you ads.

liamcardenas 6y ago

Yes, but that is likely due in part to Reddit’s desire to deprioritize making the web client good relative to mobile. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

gsich 6y ago

Metrics lie. Defaults matter.

_jal 6y ago

I barely use Reddit anymore. The UI on mobile is intentional garbage and I do not want the bloody app. But the desktop UI is getting worse; navigation is ridiculous and the pages are so junked up that it is actively repellant. It is too bad. I used to actually enjoy browsing and (gasp) commenting sometimes. Now I tend to hit a single page via search and leave. Can't remember the last time I actually logged in.

rmason 6y ago
Try https://old.reddit.com https://old.reddit.com for a vastly superior experience.
- OGWhales 6y ago
  FYI, one can toggle this in settings with an account. So no need for the URL
  - Klonoar 6y ago
    Unfortunately the settings override doesn't quite work in every circumstance, so most people use extensions to force this instead.
- blaser-waffle 6y ago
  If you don't plan on posting, https://np.reddit.com https://np.reddit.com also works. The 'np' is for a 'no-post' version where you can't vote or reply.

JimDabell 6y ago

If Reddit's metrics confirmed that people preferred the app, they wouldn't have to push so hard for it.

blaser-waffle 6y ago
Who cares what the metrics or what people want if the new design allows them to data mine harder? Tell everyone this is what people really want, trust us, and then track every eyeball, tap, and scroll as hard as possible.