The problematic part here is not the design change itself. It can be changed again, some people might even find it better.
The actual problem, which is x1000 worse than any possible design change is the total lack of communication between Stack Exchange and their users. The users who, well, use it. Make it what it is.
And this is what makes me really sad, and more determined in my view that Stack Exchange does not want to even try and bridge gaps, or communicate with the users: they choose to do things their way, and nothing will stop them.
To clarify, this is not a minor design change. It's a major change, affecting all sites, and millions of users who see something very different out of the blue. In an healthy site, there would have been at least annoucementannouncement about such a change. Sadly, SE is not healthy, for way too long.
Technically, it was announced half year ago in Seeking feedback on tag colors update, however:
- As the title says, the update is of tag colors, not making them bold.
- Yes there are screenshots, and if you take a close look you find that the tags would become bold. But in the screenshots it doesn't stick out.
- Most fatal part: there was no timelime for implementation whatsoever. No advance warning.
- And to rub salt on the wound: when people tried to give feedback, in the feedback request question, it got locked as a result.
So sorry, but that does NOT count as communication or helpful announcement.