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I commented earlier that I had a hard time figuring out the chronological order of the posts in the stream. I've learned since that Google doesn't want us to ca

by thebear 13y ago

I commented earlier that I had a hard time figuring out the chronological order of the posts in the stream. I've learned since that Google doesn't want us to care about that. Fine, that's their prerogative. But now I have a new problem: I don't know how to read this thing at all. I can't read it "by column," that is, one column after the other, because it's infinite scroll. But I can't read it "by line" either, because there are no lines, given that the posts have different heights. This is mildly annoying in two-column mode, and impossible in three-column mode (to which it switches automatically if the space is there). How do you read this, particularly in three-column mode, and be reasonably sure not to miss a post?

k-mcgrady 13y ago
You can switchback to one column in the 'more' menu. >> "How do you read this, particularly in three-column mode, and be reasonably sure not to miss a post?" I think that might be your problem. Maybe Google doesn't think many people want to see every post in their stream. Personally I just skim through it and see what catches my eye. I much prefer this design (2 column, my 15" monitor apparently isn't large enough for three regardless of the lagre whitespace to either side of the two columns).
- thebear 13y ago
  Given the fact that I can switch to one-column layout, I should probably shut up now. But just for the sake of a lively debate, let me say this: if I can't read the thing, I can't skim it either. I just don't know how to move my eyes around. Instead of skimming for the posts that I find important, I would end up making a random choice between things I see and things I overlook. But then perhaps that's fully intended with any kind of social media: you can never be sure if you missed anything or not.
  - dragonwriter 13y ago
    I don't see the problem, sweeping left-to-right-to-left while scrolling seems to work for me to skim it (the icons and text identifying the source at the top of items and the pictures are the main visual points of interest and I use them to decide if I want to read more of an article.) But I suppose its one of those things that's likely to be highly subjective.
    - thebear 13y ago
      >> But I suppose its one of those things that's likely to be highly subjective. Words of wisdom. Thanks.
  - jack-r-abbit 13y ago
    I'm with you on that. If all blocks in a row were the same height, then a left-right-left scan would be just fine even at 3 or 4 columns. But this is not a left-right-left scan. It is a jaggy left-right-down-left-up-left-down. I never got past that enough with Pinterest to even try to find value in that site. I tolerate it on Facebook but really dislike it. If it had been like that when I first thought of joining Facebook, I may not have even bothered (at least until I was socially shamed for not having a Facebook). And now G+ has it. Oh well. I'll never get my money back for any of these service so they can keep moving my cheese I'll keep bitching about it. ;)
  - kpanghmc 13y ago
    Disclaimer: I work for Google. For what it's worth, I felt the same way when I first dogfooded the new multi-column layout. I couldn't figure out how to read my stream. While reading a post, I kept getting distracted thinking about where I should focus my attention on next. It made scanning my stream more stressful and I was confident that I did not like it. This was before they added the option to switch to a single stream view, so I couldn't do much but submit my feedback and deal with it. Then, one day, the G+ team added the option to switch back to single stream view. I thought "great!" and immediately went into G+ to switch back to single-stream mode. And I hated it. I hated having to scroll so much. I hated not being able to scan a large number of posts with a quick glance. I hated all the unused space on either side of the stream. I'm not saying the same thing will happen to you, but maybe give it a week before giving up on it. You may just find that it grows on you.
    - thebear 13y ago
      First off, I admit that I am hypersensitive to any form of bastardization of language. So please don't hate me for I'm going to say, I'm just a victim of my hypersensitivities. But: the word "stream" in the English language means "a steady flow or succession." Or, if you prefer the CS definition, it means "a sequence of data elements made available over time." When I'm looking at a set of boxes of different heights arranged in three columns with no apparent ordering, then I'm not looking at a stream. As other commenters have pointed out, the multi-column layout is more than a different way of displaying things. It redefines the entire experience of receiving posts as something different, something Pinterest-like. Maybe that's a good idea. But please, let's don't call it a stream.
      - deleted 13y ago
        [deleted]
      - archgoon 13y ago
        I would normally let this go, but I really dislike the holier than thou attitude with your "bastardization of language". Computer Science and mathematics would be much poorer if it didn't allow for people to generalize concepts. So let's get started. 1) Streams branch and merge all the time. http://www.mightystreamradio.com/PHOTOS/STREAM%20PHOTO%202.jpg http://www.mightystreamradio.com/PHOTOS/STREAM%20PHOTO%202.j... If anyone's bastardizing the language, it's computer scientists being overly restrictive with their allusions. 2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muphrys_law http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muphrys_law > But please, let's don't call it a stream. "But please, let's not call it a stream."
  - ralph 13y ago
    I agree with your general point. Are you aware that j and k work in multi-column format too, though k seems to not move enough to make the top of the post visible from under the fixed horizontal bar.
mindcrime 13y ago
You just summed up my reaction to this as well. Except I'd probably word my opinion a bit more strongly. I'm really, really, not a fan of this particular redesign.
ulyssesgrant 13y ago
This is exactly how I feel about theverge.com's layout. Yes it's visually pleasing, but it's a huge pain to read compared to a single-column layout like engadget.com's

by thebear 13y ago

k-mcgrady 13y ago

You can switchback to one column in the 'more' menu. >> "How do you read this, particularly in three-column mode, and be reasonably sure not to miss a post?" I think that might be your problem. Maybe Google doesn't think many people want to see every post in their stream. Personally I just skim through it and see what catches my eye. I much prefer this design (2 column, my 15" monitor apparently isn't large enough for three regardless of the lagre whitespace to either side of the two columns).

thebear 13y ago
Given the fact that I can switch to one-column layout, I should probably shut up now. But just for the sake of a lively debate, let me say this: if I can't read the thing, I can't skim it either. I just don't know how to move my eyes around. Instead of skimming for the posts that I find important, I would end up making a random choice between things I see and things I overlook. But then perhaps that's fully intended with any kind of social media: you can never be sure if you missed anything or not.
- dragonwriter 13y ago
  I don't see the problem, sweeping left-to-right-to-left while scrolling seems to work for me to skim it (the icons and text identifying the source at the top of items and the pictures are the main visual points of interest and I use them to decide if I want to read more of an article.) But I suppose its one of those things that's likely to be highly subjective.
  - thebear 13y ago
    >> But I suppose its one of those things that's likely to be highly subjective. Words of wisdom. Thanks.
- jack-r-abbit 13y ago
  I'm with you on that. If all blocks in a row were the same height, then a left-right-left scan would be just fine even at 3 or 4 columns. But this is not a left-right-left scan. It is a jaggy left-right-down-left-up-left-down. I never got past that enough with Pinterest to even try to find value in that site. I tolerate it on Facebook but really dislike it. If it had been like that when I first thought of joining Facebook, I may not have even bothered (at least until I was socially shamed for not having a Facebook). And now G+ has it. Oh well. I'll never get my money back for any of these service so they can keep moving my cheese I'll keep bitching about it. ;)
- kpanghmc 13y ago
  Disclaimer: I work for Google. For what it's worth, I felt the same way when I first dogfooded the new multi-column layout. I couldn't figure out how to read my stream. While reading a post, I kept getting distracted thinking about where I should focus my attention on next. It made scanning my stream more stressful and I was confident that I did not like it. This was before they added the option to switch to a single stream view, so I couldn't do much but submit my feedback and deal with it. Then, one day, the G+ team added the option to switch back to single stream view. I thought "great!" and immediately went into G+ to switch back to single-stream mode. And I hated it. I hated having to scroll so much. I hated not being able to scan a large number of posts with a quick glance. I hated all the unused space on either side of the stream. I'm not saying the same thing will happen to you, but maybe give it a week before giving up on it. You may just find that it grows on you.
  - thebear 13y ago
    First off, I admit that I am hypersensitive to any form of bastardization of language. So please don't hate me for I'm going to say, I'm just a victim of my hypersensitivities. But: the word "stream" in the English language means "a steady flow or succession." Or, if you prefer the CS definition, it means "a sequence of data elements made available over time." When I'm looking at a set of boxes of different heights arranged in three columns with no apparent ordering, then I'm not looking at a stream. As other commenters have pointed out, the multi-column layout is more than a different way of displaying things. It redefines the entire experience of receiving posts as something different, something Pinterest-like. Maybe that's a good idea. But please, let's don't call it a stream.
    - deleted 13y ago
      [deleted]
    - archgoon 13y ago
      I would normally let this go, but I really dislike the holier than thou attitude with your "bastardization of language". Computer Science and mathematics would be much poorer if it didn't allow for people to generalize concepts. So let's get started. 1) Streams branch and merge all the time. http://www.mightystreamradio.com/PHOTOS/STREAM%20PHOTO%202.jpg http://www.mightystreamradio.com/PHOTOS/STREAM%20PHOTO%202.j... If anyone's bastardizing the language, it's computer scientists being overly restrictive with their allusions. 2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muphrys_law http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muphrys_law > But please, let's don't call it a stream. "But please, let's not call it a stream."
- ralph 13y ago
  I agree with your general point. Are you aware that j and k work in multi-column format too, though k seems to not move enough to make the top of the post visible from under the fixed horizontal bar.

mindcrime 13y ago

You just summed up my reaction to this as well. Except I'd probably word my opinion a bit more strongly. I'm really, really, not a fan of this particular redesign.

ulyssesgrant 13y ago

This is exactly how I feel about theverge.com's layout. Yes it's visually pleasing, but it's a huge pain to read compared to a single-column layout like engadget.com's