Feedback Request on new Forum Index Format

Now that the grey barr is back, one last suggestion perhaps: the name of the poster is less important than the post itself. Therefore I'd suggest to have the name at the end of the post, in caps but perhaps smaller point size. Regards.

Graphic design used to be a specialty. Now every Joe with some digital skills considers him/herself a graphic designer. That's why so many sites are cluttered, distracting eyesores.

As you may have guessed, I don't like your proposal.

Suddenly--the vertical thingies have disappeared. Was it my browse? IE for xp-pro.

I changed it. I'm trying to get feedback. Hans, if you would like to make a suggestion that would be great. I get that you don't like it. We can't afford a graphic designer; so you will have to live with what I come up with. The main goal is to create an area for text links within the forums.

By the way, I personally like the other way better, although I don't have an opinion about the vertical bar. When the name comes first, it seems to me that it should run into the first line (like in a newspaper article), and that it looks odd with a break after it.

Well the thread view is "much" nicer now with the message starting at the left under the name.

 

Photo.net has always been nice because of its simple yet effective and functional layout. Being able to size the browser Window as one likes is very nice and allows the viewer to adjust the view. One of the basic concepts behind the first browsers and HTML itself, often lost today in the name of artisic control residing with the publisher. There is room for both camps on this I think.

 

In order to get the links area, couldn't you make an area at the bottom of the page? What if you moved the links area to the left side and allowed the text area to resize with the browser window? A more sophisticated layout might use a tabbed view, and put associated pages/links on the other tabs.

 

Although I like much of the new look, I think after people play with it for a while they will miss the simple functionality of the old layout unless the concepts can be merged.

Hi Brian,

 

Well I guess I am one of the few that like the current model.

 

For me this is just way too cluttered and alot harder to read.

- grey bar on side is useful as we dont need to scroll down to get to it. Overall presentation looks 'cleaner', newspaper style.<p>

- probably smaller caps for poster's names would be nicer.

- not that format is too tight ... but there are a lot of lost space, at least in both cases of my 2 screens. nearly 25% of my desktop screen is white (right side), and over 40% of my laptop. Why not using the full size? do you planned to put randomized pics in the white part?

I like the new version. And like Lex said, it's a heck of a lot easier to read the narrower columns. Go for it.

I find the alternating grey and white bars in the thread index difficult to read. If you must put your grey ad bar in, why not put it on the left so there isn't so much wasted screen area?

 

Regards,

 

Steve

Brian,

 

I sent you an HTML page (email) that shows how you can have the link area, and still have the other side of the view remain sizeable with the browser window. Just an idea to get the best of both worlds.

Having the name first is OK, it works either way for me but the

rest is too squished & cluttered. Ick.

Since you are asking....I do not like the new layout. The old layout looked neater...cleaner in my opinion. Much easier to follow along. I have always been a little slow to changes though. just my 2 cents.

Brian:

 

No.

 

I am using IE 6.0 with 1024x768 display. The text takes up 50% of the screen width and makes the left side very cluttered and the right side blank at this time. Keep the old format please. The name being first is nice as I like to see who responded and this helps me interpret what I am reading. Thanks for the effort.

The placement of the name and administrative data before the post causes a problem because the least important bit of information, that of a mere name, comes before the most import, that of the contribution to the issue at hand. I can see narrowing up the text colums, as it could make it easier to read, but keep the format of response before status.

Brian - FYI I made the backgrounds of the member status icons transparent so they look better on the gray lines.

Brian, I agree with Tony that the names should go AFTER the posts. <P>I have to say that I don't like the new format as well as the old, it does seem harder to read. But I think that part of the reason is that the white space between the posts seems smaller in the new style. I don't know if it actually IS, but it seems that way. So if we are going to go with the new format, I say try giving the posts a little more "top and bottom" room around the little grey bumper. I think that would help a lot and end some of the cluttered & crowded feel.

Now that I specifically look at it, it seems that the space above each post is the same as the old style (about a half an inch) but the space between the last line of each post and the grey divider is much less (3/8 of an inch or so).

<P>

I say names below and a half inch of space top and bottom. Considering how long some threads get, it's not like cutting the space is going to save out mouse buttons.

I just had a look again. Maybe I'm distracted by all that empty space and because I'm not used to it, but if the contents are good I'll read it anyway. I like the layout with the name close above the post.

- Windows XP Home / Windows 98 (laptop)

 

There is a lot of empty space on the right hand side of the sreen. I personally find the bars to highlight the posts confusing.

But then again, it will be a matter of getting used to. If this format offers advantages for moderators or site maintainers then please go ahead.

I too like the names right above the posts. When I first joined it

was a while for me before I realized that the author was

underneath. It reads more like a traditional forum this new way

and it's easier on the eyes. <P>

 

Thanks Brian! :)

I came back after several hours to take a second look. I see you've already tweaked a few odds and ends I'd been concerned about.

 

Don't be dissuaded from the overall intent of this change. It's been needed for a long time. Virtually all of the most readable sites I visit have gone with narrower columns for easier readability and to allow room on the sides for links, mini-info boxes, etc.

 

Lots of us have done graphic design work (I studied graphic design and commercial art along with photography in school, along with page design and layout in J-school). If there was any consensus on how it's supposed to be done the Wired magazine layout of the 1990s would never have happened.

 

Somebody's gotta take the step. Newcomers to photo.net won't notice. Longtime members will be divided, many of us welcoming the change, others griping. I very much doubt that anyone is going to jump ship over cosmetic changes.

Let's see what happens when you post a picture...<div></div>

Hmm...

 

Perhaps you need to put the picture between the user name and the body text?

Using Mozilla 1.4 on Windoze and 1024x768 screen: The left side is too crowded, both in the list of threads and inside a thread.

 

If you can make your stuff adapt itself to the screen resolution (keeping 800x600 as a minimum?) the design would be good.

 

Currently with a 1024 resolution the left side is overcrowded and the right side is all empty. The problem is more acute with the list of threads.