[jdonn]

Fred, what about what I listed under "Specific problems"? We all seem to be debating the stuff I listed under "General problems" but I might have more accurately called that "preferences" since they are subjective matters. I think what I listed about the 10s, the jacks, and the partial covering of the pictures are in fact clear errors that I imagine few would disagree with (although they aren't nearly as major of issues either).

Otherwise I could imagine differences of opinion on everything you pointed out except the red borders, to me that clearly looks fake as though the cards are glowing like I said, and is something a person would really have to force themselves to like. I made a point of not mentioning aspects I thought I would get used to even if I don't prefer them now (sharp corners on cards, solid green background, blue rather than yellow diagram backgrounds) but I just don't think this is one of them.

I actually wouldn't mind trying the web version experimentally for a while to see what I get used to, except I already have and I didn't get used to anything. I could try it for longer I suppose.

Finally, I don't mean to disparage your artist. It's clear to me he is talented, I guess my impression is just that it looks like he has never played bridge before and is trying to design a computer game rather than something friendly for bridge players.

[Ant590]

I think the tabs are great, but I think it is counter-intuitive to have to re-click a tab to hide them. I'd have a third "hide" tab that does that, that becomes "show" when the sidebar is minimised.

[fred]

jdonn, on Sep 30 2009, 03:44 PM, said:

Fred, what about what I listed under "Specific problems"? We all seem to be debating the stuff I listed under "General problems" but I might have more accurately called that "preferences" since they are subjective matters. I think what I listed about the 10s, the jacks, and the partial covering of the pictures are in fact clear errors that I imagine few would disagree with (although they aren't nearly as major of issues either).

The card rank symbols in the upper-left and lower-right were created using a font (ie they were not drawn pixel by pixel) that our artist decided was an attractive font for this purpose. It is possible that the artist intentionally moved the 1 and the 0 of the 10 closer together than what would be normal with this font, but I am quite sure the J symbol for Jacks is unaltered (which is not to say that I am claiming it is wonderful - just that it appears as it is "supposed to").

As for a few pixels of the stuff in the middle of the cards sometimes appearing, I happen to agree with you - I don't like this much either, but note that someone earlier in this thread expressed that they would like to see more of this.

In any case, this is not intentional. My goals here were:

1) To make the space between the cards as wide as possible
2) To minimize the number of pixels from the middle that overlap
3) For the cards not to overlap any other elements of interface
4) For the cards to be as big as possible
5) For 1 through 4 above to be maintained regardless of the size and aspect ratio that the user selects for the table

Goals 1 through 4 obviously compete with one another. Goal 5 greatly complicates matters. The reasons for this are largely technical, but relate to the fact that pixels are discreet entities while scaling an image nicely is not a discreet process.

Bottom line: addressing this issue is a lot more complicated than it may seem

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[paulg]

I will try using the web client some more.

It is a lot better (for me) if I uncheck the BIG CARDS option.

[woefuwabit]

I've read below that it is intended that the web client will be accessible to browsers without flash (e.g. iPhone). Can I assume that means the web client will be ported from Flash to Ajax? Just asking to help me make a decision for my upcoming mobile phone upgrade...

[uday]

While there is a vugraph viewer that is accessible to browsers w/o Flash, thats all we have. We don't have any immediate plans to change this situation. Not all mobiles can run the non-flash vugraph viewer. I know the iphone can, and that the g1 probably can.

Uday

[woefuwabit]

I have a Nokia N81, series 60. It's able to run the vugraph viewer, however it's not able to display the suit symbols, which I believe are unicode characters that are not supported by the mobile's font.

[raist]

fred, on Sep 25 2009, 01:26 PM, said:

raist, on Sep 24 2009, 11:57 PM, said:

I hope that this new version will either:

1)inherit the browser's proxy settings instead of making a direct connection all the time

OR

2) use port 80 or 443 instead of port 3336 like it currently does


one of the big things about web bbo was that it would bypass firewalls but it's not doing so. users who are behind corporate or university firewalls which only open ports 80 and 443 are still unable to use web bbo

Thanks for mentioning this and sorry we haven't dealt with it.

We are trying to work out something now. I will make another post if/when we are successful. It may not happen for another week or so.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

Just a suggestion:

BBO TV and vugraph mobile works through the firewall so perhaps one way is to make web bbo use the same ports/protocols

[zheddh]

fred, on Sep 25 2009, 01:26 PM, said:

raist, on Sep 24 2009, 11:57 PM, said:

I hope that this new version will either:

1)inherit the browser's proxy settings instead of making a direct connection all the time

OR

2) use port 80 or 443 instead of port 3336 like it currently does


one of the big things about web bbo was that it would bypass firewalls but it's not doing so. users who are behind corporate or university firewalls which only open ports 80 and 443 are still unable to use web bbo

Thanks for mentioning this and sorry we haven't dealt with it.

We are trying to work out something now. I will make another post if/when we are successful. It may not happen for another week or so.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

I see you have released the new version. Curious if you have been successful in getting the web client to use the proxy server?

[uday]

the mobile version of BBO uses http to communicate, so it works fine behind most firewalls.

the web version of BBO uses a direct connection on port 3336, and it won't work if it is behind a firewall that prohibits the connection.

We do now listen on port 80 but I have not gotten around to creating a new startup web page. Most likely what it will be is a url like http://blah...?port=80 , unless i can come up with a decent-looking way to allow you to select the port from www.bridgebase.com

Anyway, I dont know when we'll extend the page to accept a port. it isn't a big change but there are other things going on, so my guess would be sometime over the next few days.


U

[zheddh]

uday, on Oct 7 2009, 04:36 PM, said:

the mobile version of BBO uses http to communicate, so it works fine behind most firewalls.

the web version of BBO uses a direct connection on port 3336, and it won't work if it is behind a firewall that prohibits the connection.

We do now listen on port 80 but I have not gotten around to creating a new startup web page. Most likely what it will be is a url like http://blah...?port=80 , unless i can come up with a decent-looking way to allow you to select the port from www.bridgebase.com

Anyway, I dont know when we'll extend the page to accept a port. it isn't a big change but there are other things going on, so my guess would be sometime over the next few days.


U

Thanks for the update.

[pdmunro]

Hi Fred,

I have tried the web client more extensively. I did get used to it.

One of my objections, namely, that the cards don't display well on YouTube movies, has been removed because YouTube have improved the quality of their broadcasts. http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Ven_sD1jtvM

One suggestion that I find helps my eye is to have the suits separated slightly. I found the setout that Double Dummy Solver uses, immediately appealing:



Source: Double Dummy Solver

While I was fine with the web client as it is, I have gone back to using the desktop client. I guess familiar things bring comfort.

[A2003]

I opened a teaching table. I took all 4 seats. I tried to load convention card full disclosure type or any other kind. I wanted to see the effect how it will be shown.

I am unable to load. Grayed out NS CC and EW CC.

[billw55]

Personally I really like the web client. I dropped the desktop client like a rock as soon as I realized the web client existed. I guess I am an early adopter.

Two suggestions: an option for four-color cards (I made a separate thread about this before seeing this thread).

Second, sound options ... in some cases I would prefer the "ding dong" alert from the desktop client, but would want to be able to change between them. Also would be nice for the web client to have an alert sound when a player requests to join the table.

[matmat]

the blue color used for regular chat and greenish used for private chat are tough to tell apart. Perhaps going to a more contrasting color there would be good.

[TimG]

I was just reviewing hands and selected the option "export deal" -> "send to a member". Wondering what the mail would look like, I sent myself some mail with a small amount of text.

I read the mail by selecting "more" from my mailbox. The hand appeared fine, but the text that I wrote was only visible as part of the URL at the top of the window.

Tim

[babalu1997]

TimG, on Oct 15 2009, 09:44 AM, said:

I was just reviewing hands and selected the option "export deal" -> "send to a member". Wondering what the mail would look like, I sent myself some mail with a small amount of text.

I read the mail by selecting "more" from my mailbox. The hand appeared fine, but the text that I wrote was only visible as part of the URL at the top of the window.

Tim

i did receive a hand that way from someone, actually 2

but i had difficulty answering it because he could not identify which hand i was referring to and and i did not know how to send said hands back to him with comments

[babalu1997]

i like several of the feature of the web version, but i only use if i am at a partnership desk, have a partner wating.

Should i login and try to be placed at a table, I literally cannot join the tables because the seats are no longer avaible.

i refresh, i try again, same thing new table, seat no longer availale

i have wide band connection

[fred]

babalu1997, on Oct 16 2009, 12:57 AM, said:

Should i login and try to be placed at a table, I literally cannot join the tables because the seats are no longer avaible.

i refresh, i try again, same thing new table, seat no longer availale

i have wide band connection

Other people have complained about this. Not sure what to do about it...

If you don't mind, can you please try the same thing when convenient in the Relaxed Bridge Club and let me know if your experiences are any different?

Thanks,

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[babalu1997]

fred, on Oct 16 2009, 09:32 AM, said:

babalu1997, on Oct 16 2009, 12:57 AM, said:

Should i login and try to be placed at a table, I literally cannot join the tables because the seats are no longer avaible.

i refresh, i try again, same thing new table, seat no longer availale

i have wide band connection

Other people have complained about this. Not sure what to do about it...

If you don't mind, can you please try the same thing when convenient in the Relaxed Bridge Club and let me know if your experiences are any different?

Thanks,

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

hi Fred, I did try it. Both in MBC and Relaxed with open seating.

The tables were not so quick to fill up at the Relaxed club, so i could find a seat.

It takes me longer to choose a seat at the MBC because i like to peep at the partner`s profile before attempting to sit, and then the seat gets filled.. The mouse over does not seem to be instanteneous as it is in the windows version.

I had better luck where there was only one player at the table, but then who knows who partner will be, so not my preferred mode.