Which BBO client do you use?

[qwery_hi]

BBO has two versions - an older windows executable and the newer flash based browser version. How many of you have switched over from the windows client to the browser based client?

 

Note: if you double-click on the BBO icon to login, you're using the older client. If you go to bridgebase.com in your browser and click on 'Play Bridge' to login, you're using the newer client.

[TylerE]

Yes, totally for me. I basically hate everything about the web verison. Hate the way the cards look, hate the sounds, hate the UI, hate that it runs in the browser, hate the keyboard layout, hate that lobby display isn't real time, dislike the colors...it's literally inferior to me in.

 

Not saying the Windows client is perfect, far from it in fact, but it's much more stable, readable, and less distracting. I hate how "soft" everything looks in the Flash version. I know this sounds drastic...and it is. I feel very strongly about this. If BBO were to drop the Windows client I would likely seek another place to play. The user experience on the web client is that unpleasant to me. I know some people like it just fine, but yea, not me.

[jjbrr]

I originally didn't use the flash version because it was unfamiliar to me and I was comfortable with the windows version.

 

After giving it some time, I now use the flash version exclusively. I understand I'm in the minority of users, but I think it really is worth a try.

[Siegmund]

I can deal with the browser version if I have to, but much prefer the downloadable one, and would strongly urge BBO to release an updated downloadable one. It is a huge waste of time to wait for that client to download every time I start my computer up again, when I can download it once and be logged in with one click!

[Elianna]

I can't stand some of the adds in the flash version. There's one that seems to be on permanently, with this creepy guy staring at me. If I decide to use the flash version (usually when I'm somewhere other than home or doing one specific thing that's easier on flash) then I turn it off much quicker than normal, because I can't stand the person staring at me.

[sallyally]

I very much like the new version of BBO. I will go back to the old version when I am at a teaching table as the chat is saved automatically for me. I did the copy and paste thing with the new version and if I get comfortable with that - no more original version.

 

The chat manager is something to play with on the new version.

[TimG]

I am one of those people who resisted the browser/flash version. I didn't like it at all compared to the windows version. I don't remember quite why, but while playing Robot Races a few months ago, I forced myself to switch to the browser/flash version. About a week ago, I opened the windows version for the first time in ages and found it looked very old fashioned and not in a good way.

 

I do miss hand logging. If there was some easy way to save a session history to my local drive, I'd be 100% satisfied. If I were to play with a live partner who I wanted to discuss hands with afterward, I'd probably go back to using the windows version some of the time. (But, GIB never responds to my attempts at discussion.)

 

I don't see any ads in the browser/flash version. I think that is because I use firefox and have an adblocker installed.

[barmar]

I don't see any ads in the browser/flash version. I think that is because I use firefox and have an adblocker installed.

You also don't get ads if you ever play in pay tourneys.

 

Aren't there also ads in the Windows client?

[inquiry]

I do miss hand logging. If there was some easy way to save a session history to my local drive, I'd be 100% satisfied.

That bridge-captain double dummy solver is just what you need...

 

Download that, open it, and then look for the menu option on the top of the screen entitled "BBO Download". click on that, then enter the BBO name of the person whose hands you want. You have four choices... 24 hours, 7 days, this month, last month.. choose one of those, and then click "get hands".

 

Wow... It even gives you double dummy play (if you like), your play, all makable contracts (both sides) and even par contract. What more can you want. IT is the perfect way to get hands for flash players.

 

Now, if you could retrieve only hands with a specific partner... maybe we should lobby for that... :P

[Elianna]

I don't see any ads in the browser/flash version.  I think that is because I use firefox and have an adblocker installed.

You also don't get ads if you ever play in pay tourneys.

 

Aren't there also ads in the Windows client?

I play in pay tournaments. I get ads.

 

There are ads in the windows version, but they are in a different part of the program, and they change.

 

There is this one ad in the flash version that is displayed on the left hand of my screen from the moment I log on, and doesn't vary.

[jillybean]

Wow, that's a great gadget. Thanks Ben.

 

I don't use flash for several reasons, the screen on one of my PC's is too small.

The TD functions I find much harder, cumbersome and slower to use in flash.

I want my my hands and chat logged to my C: dive, true I can copy and paste chat but if I forget or get logged off during a session - it's gone.

I tried to use the flash bidding tables and gave up, the options I need are in windows and easy to use.

I dislike not being able to see a player profile when they attempt to join a table. Flash has too many bells and whistles that dont for me, add value, it's too busy + other as mentioned above.

[TimG]

I do miss hand logging.  If there was some easy way to save a session history to my local drive, I'd be 100% satisfied.

That bridge-captain double dummy solver is just what you need...

I already had it, just didn't know if did this. Thanks.

[peachy]

The "Yes, exclusively" option was not there. That would have been my choice.

The reasons I don't like the other version is that the card pictures seem to be thinned-out, slim, or something (don't know why but it is harder on old eyes), I never could catch on how to navigate there and didn't like how things look and are located there. So I am an "old dog" and will hope that we continue to have the old version.

 

I understand that upgrades and fixes from here on forward will only be made or available in the new version, not the old one, but I can live with that.

[nigel_k]

I can't stand some of the adds in the flash version. There's one that seems to be on permanently, with this creepy guy staring at me. If I decide to use the flash version (usually when I'm somewhere other than home or doing one specific thing that's easier on flash) then I turn it off much quicker than normal, because I can't stand the person staring at me.

LOL

 

I use the browser version mostly but maybe the time has come to switch back to the Windows one.

[helene_t]

I never liked the old user interface and was hooked on the flash version from day 1. I think it's great. I have logged in with the windows version a couple of times since then when I needed to upload lin files.

[gwnn]

One can only hope that Elianna did not refer to the ads with Walddk on them.

[mgoetze]

I still use the Windows version, despite not having Windows installed on any of my computers. One of the main problems with the flash version (last time I tried it) was that seats in the main bridge club were almost always taken by the time I clicked on them. The flash client just takes too long to load the profiles for me to check whether I might be interested in playing with that person.

[Phil]

Still use doze. It seems faster to me, and the interface is sharper.

 

Flash seems to have a lot of unnecessary features I don't care for or need that just clogs up the screen. I don't need a panel to show previous hands or kibitzers, I can move my mouse to a different area and see what I need to see.

 

Flash is probably easier for someone who's never used BBO before, and its fine for that purpose.

[qwery_hi]

Still use doze. It seems faster to me, and the interface is sharper.

 

Flash seems to have a lot of unnecessary features I don't care for or need that just clogs up the screen. I don't need a panel to show previous hands or kibitzers, I can move my mouse to a different area and see what I need to see.

 

Flash is probably easier for someone who's never used BBO before, and its fine for that purpose.

Well with Google planning to launch chrome OS, which will just be a browser and little else, and with the proliferation of devices that use the browser for everything, browser based BBO seems the way of the future. Having said that, I rarely use the browser based BBO for the various reasons mentioned by the posters above.

[babalu1997]

I still use the Windows version, despite not having Windows installed on any of my computers. One of the main problems with the flash version (last time I tried it) was that seats in the main bridge club were almost always taken by the time I clicked on them. The flash client just takes too long to load the profiles for me to check whether I might be interested in playing with that person.

i only use the browser version if i am not in my own computer.

 

the mouse over version for profiles interferes with the bidding and chat sometimes and there are a number of players who insist in not stating their system but rather say "it isin my profile, i don need to alert" calling the director is a drag.

 

the other main reaso i do not switch to flash is that the bridgemaster deals are absent there, if theyr were there, or i were offered other means of accessing them, i think i would switch.

[TylerE]

Those selling browser based thin clients claim that the cloud is the way of the future. I remain sceptical personally. I think it's very telling that all of the google apps on my android phone are native apps, NOT browser based, and that's a pretty beefy device by mobile standards.

[Rain]

Web version grows on you.

 

I sometimes switch back to check stuff on downloadable version, and I can see myself using the old version to use myfav52 or right through the pack or bm2k, but otherwise have pretty much switched.

 

I was convinced by Indonesian BBOers playing robot rewards, who basically all use web version. They claim robot is faster. I don't know if it's true, but it feels faster (sometimes the score is generated before you click last trick!) and speed is an advantage in this game.

 

This is a good poll btw, very useful in seeing what's holding a segment of players from switching, thanks for starting it. :D

[fred]

This is a good poll btw, very useful in seeing what's holding a segment of players from switching, thanks for starting it. :D

Agree - please keep those comments coming :)

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[mrdct]

I assume BBO track exactly how many hands are played each day with the windows version and the flash version. It would be interesting to see how closely they match the results from this poll.

 

I do a bit of both, but tend to use the windows version as it seems a lot better suited to netbooks which is what I'm usually using.

[Dwingo]

Not switched to web version fully.

 

Team Match organising is that much simpler in Downloadable version ( chat to lobby is a must to start Team games, if you dont have the full 8 to start). Also the view of the other table, when some is RED is easy to spot and hence easier to substitute people who have a connection problem.

 

Casual play in MBC - much easier to find a compatible partner and sit on time in the downloadable version.