Screw Tapatalk

Grant Lamontagne · **on:** February 21, 2015, 09:05:13 PM

Some of you may have noticed that you haven't seen my Tapatalk signature in a while- there's a reason for that. The last update really annoyed me and I have decided to quit Tapatalk cold turkey.

I've been using the mobile friendly version of MTO on both my tablet and my phone and I have to say, while it may not have all of the fanciness of the full version, it is a lot less buggy than Tapatalk.

And, there's one HUGE benefit to not using Tapatalk- when I click a link to another page in the forum it doesn't ask me how I'd like to open it, it just opens it. Tapatalk would often ask, or it would just open it in Chrome, which would hit the page for a second then flash up the "You should be using Tapatalk" page. If Tapatalk wasn't such a pain in the arse to begin with, I probably would have been.

I also find a lot of the pics don't open in Tapatalk, and it's refreshing to open a thread and see all of the pics. Up until now I've seen Tapatalk as a necessary evil. I've finally convinced myself that it's not necessary.

Plus, with the mobile version I can switch back and forth from the full site quite easily.

Good bye Tapatalk- don't let the door hit you in the bum on the way out.

Def

NKlamerus · **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2015, 09:56:00 PM

As the boss man of a forum i REALLY hope their development team reads this.

It's hilarious the amount of 1 star reviews they received after the "update"

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2015, 10:35:44 PM

I doubt it. They are trying to add so many features to compensate for their stripped down functionality that they no longer benefit from the stripped down function.

It's a little like pulling the engine and transmission out of a car to make room for more seats.

I'm out. I'm done. I'm sick of having to re-learn the software every time it updates because everything is moved, the icons and functions are different..... and for what? To do what the mobile version of the forum does from the get go, without being over complicated.

It kind of reminds me of the Space Pen story- spending millions on research to develop a pen that will work in space while everyone else just uses a pencil. Tapatalk is going to a lot of effort to remake (and convolute) the wheel when there's already a perfectly good forum interface sitting there.

Def

NKlamerus · **Reply #3 on:** February 22, 2015, 06:01:29 AM

Totally agreed.

I also see google chrome has changed. When I wanted to search the Forum; tapatalk wouldn't show all the results.

So I would typically search Google and just add "multitool.org" at the end but now there is only one MTO result and it's the home page.

I also don't have the option of opening the Web version vs tapatalk.

Off topic questions, why can't we search within 5 seconds? I usually click a button twice naturally. And it says I searched twice!

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2015, 11:28:58 AM

I believe that is a server setting. It has something to do with returning false clicks or something for the stats As well as resisting spam bots which can make multiple posts instantly.

Def

charlie fox · **Reply #5 on:** February 22, 2015, 01:54:58 PM

I gave up on it six months ago - it became more challenging to navigate and had a lot of stuff I didn't use or want, so away it went $:-\$

jerseydevil · **Reply #6 on:** February 22, 2015, 06:33:33 PM

I finally gave up on Tapatalk this week as well. The mobile version of the forum is giving me no problems. Tapatalk was always freezing up on me when I tried to go to the last page of topics, along with just not being user friendly at all.

Whoey · **Reply #7 on:** February 22, 2015, 07:20:05 PM

Oddly it seems to be mistreating everyone else now, and working fine for me, although admittedly I'm a light user of it and the forum via tapatalk.

Glad the mobile theme is getting some use at last!

kkokkolis · **Reply #8 on:** February 22, 2015, 08:33:05 PM

Mobile MTO is very nice but it lacks an unread posts function (or I didn't find it yet).

Etherealicer · **Reply #9 on:** February 22, 2015, 08:43:29 PM

I use the regular version on my phone. I also made a simplified version (I overdid it abit though and it needs work

)

enki_ck · **Reply #10 on:** February 22, 2015, 09:46:45 PM

I agree with Def on a lot of things he mentioned, but as I'm still using the un-updated version of TT, I'll stick with it till it's no longer supported and then probably move to the mobile site.

As for the pictures not loading it TT, it's almost always attached pictures, and I suspect it has something to do with their size. For instance Karl attaches all of his pics in a 640x480 size and I can always view his pictures in TT, but most of bigger ones attached by other users are broken in TT.

AimlessWanderer · **Reply #11 on:** February 22, 2015, 11:19:09 PM

I never got into TAT. Even when I had a smaller screened phone, I prefered using the full version. Despite having to zoon in and scroll around all the time, it was still less frustrating

Syph007 · **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2015, 11:33:35 PM

I just view the forum in the normal theme on my phone. Posting is a touch awkward at time, but overall it gets the job done.

Steinar · **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2015, 11:41:22 AM

Quote from: Grant Lamontagne on February 21, 2015, 10:35:44 PM

It kind of reminds me of the Space Pen story- spending millions on research to develop a pen that will work in space while everyone else just uses a pencil. Tapatalk is going to a lot of effort to remake (and convolute) the wheel when there's already a perfectly good forum interface sitting there.

I can't stand Tapatalk, but don't talk bad about the space pen.

As you say, it's just a story. First of all, Fischer paid for the R&D out of his own pocket, it wasn't a NASA or other government funded project. Second, the US started out with pencils in space as well. Third, when the space pen was developed, the Russians switched to it as well. Graphite powder in zero G is a really bad combination with electronics and electric wirings. That's the problem the pen solves, not the problem of writing in zero G. So, the space pen is an example of a private company solving real problems for the space program, and the space program simply picking it up afterwards since it was a good solution. Pretty much the opposite of Tapatalk if you ask me...

I suppose everyone here knows this anyway, but that's one urban legend which grinds my gears.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2015, 12:08:07 PM

Actually I want knocking the Space Pen. I recently lost one of my Bullets and I went through a few other pens before deciding I needed a new Bullet.

Look for my experiences coming up in a new thread at some point.

Def

Freaver · **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2015, 01:16:00 PM

Quote from: kkokkolis on February 22, 2015, 08:33:05 PM

Mobile MTO is very nice but it lacks an unread posts function (or I didn't find it yet).

Updated topics, in the navigation-thingy, seems to be what you're looking for.

Is it just for me, that it doesn't "remember" if you've already read part of a topic on the mobile site? Having to go through a 600-page long scroll list takes a bit time.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2015, 04:47:15 PM

Okay, let's look at this from a different direction......

Those of you currently using the mobile version of the site, what do you like/not like about it?

Those of you frustrated by Tapatalk, what do you want to see in the mobile version that would convince you to make the switch?

Def

kkokkolis · **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2015, 06:14:25 PM

Quote from: Freaver on February 23, 2015, 01:16:00 PM

Quote from: kkokkolis on February 22, 2015, 08:33:05 PM
Mobile MTO is very nice but it lacks an unread posts function (or I didn't find it yet).
Updated topics, in the navigation-thingy, seems to be what you're looking for.

Is it just for me, that it doesn't "remember" if you've already read part of a topic on the mobile site? Having to go through a 600-page long scroll list takes a bit time.

I found it. But it shows threads from 2009 as unread and it scrolls up to page 9 only. It is also a bit slow for a mobile version.

jzmtl · **Reply #18 on:** February 24, 2015, 01:43:31 AM

Quote from: Grant Lamontagne on February 23, 2015, 04:47:15 PM

Okay, let's look at this from a different direction......

Those of you currently using the mobile version of the site, what do you like/not like about it?

Those of you frustrated by Tapatalk, what do you want to see in the mobile version that would convince you to make the switch?

Def

an inverted color scheme for the amoled screens would be nice.

enki_ck · **Reply #19 on:** February 24, 2015, 01:48:35 AM

Quote from: jzmtl on February 24, 2015, 01:43:31 AM

Quote from: Grant Lamontagne on February 23, 2015, 04:47:15 PM
Okay, let's look at this from a different direction......

Those of you currently using the mobile version of the site, what do you like/not like about it?

Those of you frustrated by Tapatalk, what do you want to see in the mobile version that would convince you to make the switch?

Def

an inverted color scheme for the amoled screens would be nice.

A dark theme for me. Night time viewing easier that way.

Mercury · **Reply #20 on:** February 24, 2015, 07:33:54 AM

I completely agree with you Grant. I have tried being patient with Tapatalk, but I am done with it. The mobile version of MTO is much better. Hell, I would rather use the Desktop version on my phone than use Tapatalk.

Whoey · **Reply #21 on:** February 24, 2015, 12:50:34 PM

Quote from: enki_ck on February 24, 2015, 01:48:35 AM

Quote from: jzmtl on February 24, 2015, 01:43:31 AM
Quote from: Grant Lamontagne on February 23, 2015, 04:47:15 PM
Okay, let's look at this from a different direction......

Those of you currently using the mobile version of the site, what do you like/not like about it?

Those of you frustrated by Tapatalk, what do you want to see in the mobile version that would convince you to make the switch?

Def

an inverted color scheme for the amoled screens would be nice.

A dark theme for me. Night time viewing easier that way.

possible, I'm not sure about it being switchable... I think it's a case of either or at the moment. I'd rather not get too deep into revamping it right now as I'm hoping the new SMF will roll out soonish with the new responsive theme... However apparently we can "roll our own" stylesheet for the current mobile theme using: http://themeroller.jquerymobile.com/ so perhaps that and some other tweaks and we could have a dark mobile theme as well.

Perhaps something like http://lifehacker.com/5957534/invert-your-phones-colors-for-easier-night-reading might be of use?

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #22 on:** February 24, 2015, 04:30:57 PM

That works pretty neat. Some of the color choices seem a bit odd but it works well enough.

Def

Cupboard · **Reply #23 on:** February 25, 2015, 06:40:22 PM

Quote from: enki_ck on February 22, 2015, 09:46:45 PM

I agree with Def on a lot of things he mentioned, but as I'm still using the un-updated version of TT, I'll stick with it till it's no longer supported and then probably move to the mobile site.

As for the pictures not loading it TT, it's almost always attached pictures, and I suspect it has something to do with their size. For instance Karl attaches all of his pics in a 640x480 size and I can always view his pictures in TT, but most of bigger ones attached by other users are broken in TT.

Regarding pictures, I think it's good practice to re-size all image to 640*480 or 800*600 unless you've got a good reason not to. On a slow internet connection (like I have, relatively), large embedded images not hosted on the forum take ages to load, screw the page formatting up whilst they're doing so and then if you want to see a slightly larger image you sometimes can't see a thing because the full 10Mpix image appears.

I think the forum image hosting could be improved, for me the uploading and posting system at another forum I'm on (defender2.net) works better but a lot of that is personal preference. That forum has a really annoying way of then displaying the images, because it won't load the image until you've scrolled past the bottom of an empty box that the image should (or could) fill. On a picture heavy thread on a slow connection that is excruciating, at least here I can open the thread in a new tab, continue reading something else and then once the images have loaded look at the pretties.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #24 on:** March 01, 2015, 12:57:38 PM

I've been Tapatalk free for some time now and I haven't looked back. In fact, last night I actually uninstalled it.

I kept it for a whole thinking I might need to go back to it, but I haven't so away it goes.

Def

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #25 on:** March 10, 2015, 02:36:10 PM

It's been almost a month and I haven't missed Tapatalk one bit. The mobile version of the forum is awesome and much better suited to viewing MTO than Tapatalk.

Huge thanks to Whoey for setting it up and giving us the alternative!

Def

derekmac · **Reply #26 on:** March 11, 2015, 01:28:40 AM

I ditched Tapatalk on my phone and now use the mobile version of the site. I'm still using Tapatalk on my iPad for now though.

I'm quite happy with how the mobile version is working, and I've had far less want to throw my phone moments using it.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

bmot · **Reply #27 on:** March 11, 2015, 01:47:54 AM

Quote from: kkokkolis on February 22, 2015, 08:33:05 PM

Mobile MTO is very nice but it lacks an unread posts function (or I didn't find it yet).

It's actually there!

In the top-right icon, (options menu? the one with the 3x3 squares) where you also find your pm's and profile, there's an "unread posts" and "unread topics" option