This is probably a really stupid question but I have no idea how to change the colour of the writing / background of the forum on my Chromebook and so I have grey writing on a grey background and I can’t really read anything. I can’t find out how to change this in the settings because everything is a little too matchy matchy and the font also seems to automatically have set itself to a size requiring magnification in order to read it. Any help would be appreciated.
I’m now getting a message telling me my post is similar to somebody who’s talking about the colour of their hands? and I still don’t get the point of the ridiculous badges.
I gave up using this forum, partly because of a sense of increasing disillusionment with PUK and also because the changes to the forum just made everything more complicated if your co-ordination isn’t too great.
Now there are little pictures popping up as I write – :S ;S ;S arghhhhhhhhhh
It seems a little ungracious to ask for help now so maybe chocolate and wine was the best strategy after all .
:S
J
Hi Jackson
Sorry - can’t help re your Chromebook. But I do know how frustrating it is to have grey print on a grey background - that seems to be the fashion in some magazines nowadays, and I can’t read them.
But, what is this about badges? Other people have mentiond them and I don’t know what you are talking about.
Pleas put me in the picture.
Knine
Audrey
Hi, the badges come up when I press the menu or icons at the top of the page. I guess I’m just being grumpy but they add to the clutter and clutter free suits me best :-S
Sorry for the delayed reply, I can’t use the forum on my Chromebook yet so I have to wait till my hands are good enough to use on the phone! I’ll have another look at it tonight… the setting is probably there, I just can’t see it 
jx
Seriously, are there any accessibility features on this new and improved forum? I can’t find anything that allows me to make the font easier to see, use voice typing or, in fact, get rid of the grey on grey affect on my Chromebook. I have badges and various icons ( or whatever they are) popping up randomly but i can’t see the writing and i have a tiny text box to type in – arghhhh i don’t want to put in smiles and winks ((Seriously?) I’d just like to be able to see and navigate my way around this forum (it’s probably just not suited to my device but it’s like using something intended to deter anybody with Parkinson’s from using it! ) :-S (i don’t think it has a grumpy face :-(
nope - not allowed to be grumpy as far as I can tell)
Hi Jackson I’m no techie but I’ve heard on radio 5 live up all night program they have a technical specialist on a Thursday night he also has a Facebook address so just maybe if you could contact them he should be able to solve your issue … Tommy
Hi Jackson
Couldn’t agree more!
The forum is full of inexplicable bells and whistles with no explanation of what they are or do.
Most users are elderly and or disabled.
We need words not symbols …and simplicity.
I had to be told about the jump to facility…how was I meant to know ?
Please look again…this is a tech nerds idea of a forum…not user friendly.
I am ready to give up…
Love
GG
Hi GG,
Agreed, I thought I would be positive and attend an event the other week only to find out that that particular event was only for newly diagnosed people. It’s the first type of self-management event that has actually run in my area since I was diagnosed and I then I couldn’t go because I’ve now been diagnosed too long. I could, apparently, study self management in a group by myself at home through the internet… like I need to spend more time at home by myself.
The new forum is probably a cost-effective solution - I looked up forum hosting options as my last night’s early hours project. Research and all that it entails is expensive.
Reading NHS and council plans, the future for those pesky people with long-term health conditions is community care and internet Healthcare - which will be great because many of us with Parkinson’s will not actually be able to access it. :-S cost-effective though '-/
I think I’m bitter and tired. I think that Parkinson’s can do that to you. And I’m not even allowed to put a grumpy face on my message :-S I looked through the emojis, I can be sad, happy, thoughtful …but apparently I cannot be angry.
Anyway, I’m heading off to try and improve my mood but I have to ask, what is jumping! Do I have the right word even? Take care. J x
When I read on here that you could visit an instructional page in order to learn how to navigate the forum properly I almost broke in to a technophobial cold sweat gee I mean why complicate something that ought to be easy?
Oh dear I feel a forum moderator bog standard reply of you can get help with navigating the forum at the Parkinson’s UK website followed by the ubiquitous link to such and/or a phone number to call where a peer support service is offered. Just goes to show how little they know about us folks with parko’s lol we would be more inclined to just give up than to seek to further overload our brains with tech stuff that we could all do without I think
O
Hi Jackson,
Sorry you’ve been having issues with navigating the forum, we have tried to make this as user friendly as possible but we appreciate that there are still a few members that are struggling to adapt to the new forum. As such I’ve created a thread to explain what the different icons mean on the forum which you can find here, Forum icons and I will be adding short video tutorials to help others like yourself, navigate the forum more easily. I’m hoping to upload these as soon as possible and will alert the forum community once it has been done.
If you have any specific questions about how to navigate the forum in the interim, please let me know and I’ll be happy to help you.
Regarding the font colours on your chrome book, based on what you’ve described, I think this may be an issue with chrome book itself. However, I’ve looked into this for you and I came across the following video on YouTube which gives tips on how to make your Chromebook easier to see and even gives tips on how to change the contrast which may be useful to you. Please click the url link below:
We’ve also received feedback from other members regarding the badging system on the forum which we’ve considered and as such, are planning to remove this feature in due course.
Lastly, it’s unfortunate that you were unable to attend the self - management event in your area recently. I have passed your feedback onto the self-management department for them to investigate this and will keep you posted on their response.
I hope I’ve answered your questions, however, please let me know if I’ve missed anything.
Best wishes,
Reah
Hi Reah,
Many thanks for getting back to me. On a day when I learnt that management are planning to move me sideways to an infinitely more disposable role to help me to ‘cope’ - they have never wanted a member of staff with Parkinson’s on show, they have never wanted a member of staff with Parkinson’s at all - your email has actually made me laugh. I will take up my place in the dozy corner with others like me who don’t get the new forum.
After years of battling and total stress I am in all likelihood about to become jobless (and homeless if they won’t give me my pension early) with PD at 53. I know that the constant whinging must be disheartening but it’s not personal and I do know that you can only do your best with the tools you’ve been given.
It’s just that having Parkinson’s isn’t easy, everything is difficult, few people really want to be around PWP and the future is kind of bleak. Making spiky comments is stress relief (slightly twisted I know). I can’t promise not to do it again, but at least I thought I would offer an explanation. And you really have genuinely made me laugh, so thank you.
J
PS.
PP, I love the term technophobial cold sweat … I’m off to study an instructional video on using the forum on a Chromebook so the term definitely applies right now … :-S :-/ J
Hi @jackson,
I’m glad my response put a smile on your face. It wasn’t intended to be humorous but if it made you chuckle, hey I’ll take it! 
On a more serious note, It’s really awful that you’ve been made to feel this way by your employers. If you need information regarding work and the support that is available to you, please check out our ‘Work and Parkinson’s’ page - hopefully you’ll find this really useful. You can also speak to one of advisers via our helpline on 0808 800 0303 and they can help you with this as well.
Also, this forum is here for you to speak openly about your experience with Parkinson’s so please don’t apologise for being frank about your emotions.
All the best and take care.
Reah
Ok, I’m a technophobe at heart. I found a setting to change my colour settings and I can now actually see things on the Chromebook. I just wasn’t looking in the right place, it’s hidden under settings!!
You can change the view.
Thank you for the suggestions. Turns out that a bit of patience was all it took. Ho hum.
J :-S
There you are Jackson what did I tell you? Lol