Michelle, I find myself puzzled by your attitude, which strikes me as somewhat ostrich-like.
You suggest that there are only a few "loud complainers" about the New SI, and that they are concentrated on the Beta Site thread. First of all, I personally see no appreciable difference in that regard between the Beta Site thread and the Welcome Thread. And if you really want to hear some (short but pithy) complaining, go to the Petition Thread.
Subject 29753
Well, you could say that only about 600 people have signed that petition, which is a tiny percentage of the over-all SI membership. But take a closer look at who the signatories are. For example, it's my impression that SI values its "most bookmarked posters" (because of the number of views per page and the publicity they generate?). Well, close to 50% of the top 50 most bookmarked posters have signed the petition. That should tell you something.
You say that the "overwhelming majority" of SI users are "somewhat complacent" about the New SI. I don't think that "complacent" is the word you want. Indifferent about it? Content with it? How do you know? This "majority" has clearly have not voted in the poll:
unicus.com
At this point, 722 SI users have voted; 86% in favor of keeping both sites, 14% in favor of scrapping the Classic site. Amazingly, the proportion has hardly changed since the beginning of the poll. It has never varied more than 1%! That too should tell you something.
BryanB proved responsive to user discontent, and pledged that his team would at least explore the possibility of offering users both options -- the New interface or the Classic -- on the new site.
I realize that you were only responding to the charge that the New SI is a "complete fiasco," not to the simple request that the Classic SI be retained in some form. But you are doing neither yourself nor SI/GNET a service by implying that a few "malcontents" (at least you didn't call them "outside agitators") are giving a false picture of user dissatisfaction.
In conclusion, let me repost a message from AntMan that I found on the Welcome thread. It shows, I think, the degree to which "user discontent" is actually a tribute to SI:
Message 10870933
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