Sneaky Peek - New look MSE forums

MSE_Martin · 7 May 2010 at 11:19PM

tara747 wrote: »

I hate the new look Martin! Sorry, but there are way too many forums that look like this, I find the old style much easier visually.

Don't forget that a lot of MSEers have sight difficulties and the new look may put them off the site. However, if the option to see it in the old style remains, then this should be ok.

Why the change, incidentally? Just curious. I always say 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' and imhp this definitely applies to MSE (a top site, but please no tinkering for the sake of it).

I know you hate it - but please try it for three days and then tell me if you still feel that way - i've been on it for a couple of weeks and can't change back now as the old one looks awful to me. I didn't feel that at first.

Its funny reading this as visibility and clarity is one of the reasons for the redesign. And many forumers who have sight issues have commented positively on it. For those that don't they can simply opt to have the old one.

As for why change - the look of the forum is out of date - the bounce rate is dropping because the design doesn't reflect the level of clarity people are used to. Plus I genuinely believe the new look is a massive improvement - and its my job to make those decisions.

And Tigeroonie as for why the social networking links - because it works and that's what the webs about - interlinking. Plus there are search benefits and if we don't do it we start to fall back and all this important becomes hidden.

And as noted we also need look at new users - and the stats help legitimise the size of this forum for those who've happen chanced on it.

fnc63 · 7 May 2010 at 11:22PM

i dont like the new icons for goto "first new post" and "last post" but theyll do i suppose as i guess that the more modern styleee, but the "sticky thread" icon is just a total waste of space - looks more like a chat bubble - deffo need to keep the original here or something different for the next release

from your OP you ask for suggestions, well thats a good thing, because one more i'd like to suggest which would also help tidy things up, is to sort out the sticky threads - theres nearly half of page one as stickys on some forums - faaar too many

ps - i dont really see the need for the white - green - white - green - white structure - it really doesnt do anything on the eye for me, nor can i see that it highlights anything in particular thats more relevant, all white was and is fine

BeenieCat · 7 May 2010 at 11:24PM

Please can we have the User Control Panel button back where it was? (In fact i can't see one in quick links at all?) That's a big annoyance

I like the new look, and that is coming from someone who hates change!!

custardy · 7 May 2010 at 11:26PM

BeenieCat wrote: »

Please can we have the User Control Panel button back where it was? (In fact i can't see one in quick links at all?) That's a big annoyance

I like the new look, and that is coming from someone who hates change!!

user tools right at the top by forum rules,folks need to read the thread as this has been mentioned at least twice

trets77 · 7 May 2010 at 11:30PM

Please Please Please can we have modern animated Avatars on this site .
it is so frustrating trying to find a Avatar that the forum does not deem " too large " . in this respect the Forum is still in the late 90's

there are 1000's of free Avatars on sites like this that we are excluded from using

http://avatars.jurko.net/

if you want lots of dodgy looking shadows posting , then plow ahead with current Avatar limitations . if you want to encourage people to take the effort to upload a Avatar , then things need to change IMO .

BeenieCat · 7 May 2010 at 11:31PM

custardy wrote: »

user tools right at the top by forum rules,folks need to read the thread as this has been mentioned at least twice

Well i've been using vb forums for over 6 year regularly and even afte reading your post it took me a while to find it.

As i said, please can we have it back where it was?

custardy · 7 May 2010 at 11:32PM

trets77 wrote: »

Please Please Please can we have modern animated Avatars on this site .
it is so frustrating trying to find a Avatar that the forum does not deem " too large " . in this respect the Forum is still in the late 90's

there are 1000's of free Avatars on sites like this that we are excluded from using

http://avatars.jurko.net/

if you want lots of dodgy looking shadows posting , then plow ahead with current Avatar limitations . if you want to encourage people to take the effort to upload a Avatar , then things need to change .

personally i prefer not to have flash animated avatars/sigs
though i think the site would be better to design a more MSE inspired default avatar

Cezzy · 7 May 2010 at 11:37PM

I've been using the new version for the evening to see how I get on. All fine but only two things I don't like at all. First as others have mentioned which is the signature line is far too close to body of message and is messy. Also, I just don't get the box with views, thanks, WOW, FB & Twitter. I can see how many view on top bit. Just as I can see how many click thanks. FB & Twitter icons could surely go in a corner like most other sites.

A couple of things I would like - in the drop down show me, for thanks, the fonts are now quite small and it would be great for my user name to display in bold in the listing. I know its alphabetical but sometimes it can be difficult to find in a huge list and if in bold it would jump out. Also anything that gives immedite visual confirmation that the comp is enterted in the main page listing. I believe there is a way at the moment but it can be slow going on some pc's. There are a lot of us using the board now and hopefully more and more comp are listed everyday. Keep opening every one only to find yes we did enter it slows everything down.

But looking good and I'm sure we will all end up loving it.

misssavingqueen · 7 May 2010 at 11:41PM

Looks good, alot cleaner and easier on the eyes.
Will take a while to get use to though, even though i've only been an active user for the last 6 months or so, I am very use to the old design.

Just a bit of advice from when I first started using the website ... "The Site Feedback Resource Bar" and the "Articles" below that always got my attention, not to click and read them attention, but more of a "get out of the way!". Maybe that could be neatened up or moved to the right hand column. It looks a bit "cluttery" there.

fnc63 · 7 May 2010 at 11:45PM

and about all this info in the left hand pane

****

fnc63
MoneySaving Stalwart

Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 312
Thanked 37,515 Times in 251 Posts

*****

i preferred it when it was all left justified and if you are going to central it all, please make the stars too, it looks odd, one line of left aligned info agaisnt all centred

also seeing as you have removed the "bold" against the post count. fine if you are going to leave it like this, however if it was an oversight and there needs to be a bit of bold back in there can i suggest the "thanked" count instead

i was loving the new buttons until i saw that once again the "thanks" button has got shoved one more to the right with spam button now being there, for years it was the first from left button to hit - good idea seeing as its the most used and ut was easy [by habit] where too point n click and then you went and introduced the like it button, shoving it one tothe right and upsetting a lot of ppl because they were then inadvertantly clicking the like it button when meaning to just give thanks and now you ve gone and put the spam button there and buried it amongst even more buttons - as you seem to have been able to space out the like it button from the rest of the crowd - perhaps i can suggest you swap the two "like it" and "thanks" around so it stands alone and proud and once again is the prominent button that we had all come to love and use

on a final point, before i switch back to the old styleee - the font, style and boldness of the username in this version is not so visually striking

Sneaky Peek - New look MSE forums

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