I'm not using Eclipse at this moment
I do like the old site- or, CURRENT site, I should say
I remember there was another older iteration of dA years ago, I'm pretty sure it was right before the new Z-type logo; I remember the backlash then, too
And while I understand that a site-wide change as big as Eclipse can not compare to a logo change, I feel it was this logo the kickstarted a slow rebranding process for dA (I know the logo change had some other issues other than its design, I won't delve into thar)
Since I haven't been around as much as I used to, there may have been some lowkey changes I wasn't aware of and perhaps it's why I wasn't too keen on using Eclipse - just felt like there was no reason to as long as I'm not posting
So, here's my 2-cents about this, as someone who learned media design:
Rebranding is a risk. Companies don't take it lightly. But they DID ease us into it. I know I can't touch upon if they really made it good or factored in feedback as well as they should since I'm not using it, but I still have to give them credit for keeping it optional for quite a long time.
That being said, keeping 2 different UI schemes might be troublesome in terms of maintenance, since at some point it'd be like keeping up 2 different websites. Yes it's a bold move to ditch a design that's so vastly different but I honestly think people are losing their minds for no reason. The whole point of being able to switch is allowing you, the user, to get used to the new interface and experience and give feedback on it. I can assume that once Eclipse rolls out fully, they can put more effort into fixing it, considering that there have been possible clashes between the old and new code. Maybe. I'm bad with code.
And this whole mass exodus is just baffling to me, and had me thinking - maybe the rebranding was a product of older patrons leaving? It stands to reason that artists who went out to peruse a more professional careers would seek out more professional platform, or those with more social reach (twitter and instagram, for example), and as the cycle goes, a new generation of artists step in. Doesn't it stand to reason that "new users=new looks"?
I don't know what dA is gaining from it in terms of profit, but I think the problem is just this...adversness to change? I mean, new users are going to "be born into Eclipse", much like this current generation is born into a certain type of technology which some older generations are refusing to adjust to it (I've had to explain people how to install a simple app as part of my last job, I've seen this infuriating refusal to learn way too often).
Yes it's a big leap compared to the current design (as of posting this).
Yes it looks really different and operates different.
Yes it's not perfect.
But change happens, design follows trends and sure - it might not be to everyone's taste, and in the end - it's your full right to decide that this is a deal-breaker and leave
But in my own humble opinion, I think it's just a matter of getting used to it