What's this?

Geoff · January 18, 2014, 07:35:40 AM

Tank has stated it is work in progress, and after looking on my ipad and laptop it does not look like a horrible mess.

Newportnobby · January 18, 2014, 10:38:11 AM

Quote from: RST on January 18, 2014, 01:49:47 AM
Wow, Just got the new front page appear and have to say it's a horrific mess. Just been through an awful mish-mash trying to see what's what -and that's not because it's new. What I saw was just a complete mess. Strange I never saw it before (the forum just loaded up), the page I just saw was a disaster.

Rather than generalise could you state specifics please?
The overall concensus so far seems to be in favour

StufromEGDL · January 18, 2014, 10:44:27 AM

Hi Mods/Designers...

Might be worth fiddling with the box sizes to make the overall look a little more symmetrical and tidier looking. The randomness of the boxes makes it look untidy. Go for two or three standard box sizes and group them by row....

I know...it is a bit of OCD-ness!!!

Later,
Stu from EGDL.

Tank · January 18, 2014, 10:50:44 AM

Thank you Geoff.

Lawrence and RST, what would you like to see on the front page? The idea is that it will be a place to explain the forum to new members before they sign up, as well as integrating with the forum for current members.

Nothing appears on the website instantly as I would like it. A lot of the time I have to have support from Emanuele (our coding expert), and he is often busy and can't always help right away. I myself am not only busy with keeping up with the forum posts, but trying to maintain it as well. In the real world I work six days a week, have two young children, and a house to work on. Everything has to be worked on in stages on this website as I can't afford to be on here full time like other forum owners. My number one priority of this forum is to keep it a happy community. Everything else just has to happen a little bit at a time.

I do welcome all feedback as I always say, but if you are going to be negative then I wish members to offer a solution with it.

Tank · January 18, 2014, 10:52:47 AM

Quote from: StufromEGDL on January 18, 2014, 10:44:27 AM
Hi Mods/Designers...

Might be worth fiddling with the box sizes to make the overall look a little more symmetrical and tidier looking. The randomness of the boxes makes it look untidy. Go for two or three standard box sizes and group them by row....

I know...it is a bit of OCD-ness!!!

Later,
Stu from EGDL.

Thanks Stu. I completely agree with you. There is no point in me fiddling about with it right now as I'm waiting for some coding to be done on a new 'block' I have to play it by ear as I'm relying on someone else who has been too busy the last two times that he was going to do it (no fault of his, that's just the way it goes). Appreciate the comment though, as it is a little annoying near the bottom.

oreamnos · January 18, 2014, 11:05:56 AM

My only request is that the "Recent Posts" section which is currently at the bottom for the main page continue to have the 30 or so new posts that are currently listed there. This is the first place I go when I look on the site as I like to see what topics are generating a lot of current interest. Thirty posts seems to allow for a nice variety of current topics plus several replies to each. The updated site seemed to have space for a lot fewer "recent posts" than the old one which meant I could not see as many topics there that might have got my attention as on the old one.

Just my two cents worth.

Matt

Cooper · January 18, 2014, 11:19:42 AM

I don't think the 'new look' is horrible, I can see what you're trying to do with it and once it's tidied up I reckon it'll look better. I for one would like to thank the admin and moderators for their unpaid work that they put in to make this happy little forum work so well!

Tank · January 18, 2014, 11:30:24 AM

Quote from: oreamnos on January 18, 2014, 11:05:56 AM
My only request is that the "Recent Posts" section which is currently at the bottom for the main page continue to have the 30 or so new posts that are currently listed there. This is the first place I go when I look on the site as I like to see what topics are generating a lot of current interest. Thirty posts seems to allow for a nice variety of current topics plus several replies to each. The updated site seemed to have space for a lot fewer "recent posts" than the old one which meant I could not see as many topics there that might have got my attention as on the old one.

Just my two cents worth.

Matt

Thanks Matt. Yes, the 'Recent Posts' will stay as it is on the main forum, I won't be touching that.

I will however be removing the 'Recent Topics' on the new front page, but will be keeping the 'Recent Posts'. I will add a random Classifieds block (to which the coding needs to be done), and maybe some superb photo's from members to entice new members.

Tank · January 18, 2014, 11:32:47 AM

Quote from: Cooper on January 18, 2014, 11:19:42 AM
I don't think the 'new look' is horrible, I can see what you're trying to do with it and once it's tidied up I reckon it'll look better. I for one would like to thank the admin and moderators for their unpaid work that they put in to make this happy little forum work so well!

Many thanks to you. It is a lot of work, and a lot goes on behind the scenes. It's not just a case of editing posts! The moderators do a great job, as not all decisions are easy.

talisman56 · January 18, 2014, 01:05:01 PM

As my bookmark had previously taken me straight to the Forum main page, I thought I'd have a look at the home page which seems to be causing a lot of discussion and attracting approbium from some quarters. Immediate impression - what's the fuss about? Quite a neatly organised set of windows which highlight the main sections of the site and give some interesting statistics and lists. Nice job, keep it up...

Tank · January 18, 2014, 01:11:28 PM

Thank you Talisman56.

GeeBee · January 18, 2014, 03:23:59 PM

Quote from: talisman56 on January 18, 2014, 01:05:01 PM
As my bookmark had previously taken me straight to the Forum main page, I thought I'd have a look at the home page which seems to be causing a lot of discussion and attracting approbium from some quarters. Immediate impression - what's the fuss about? Quite a neatly organised set of windows which highlight the main sections of the site and give some interesting statistics and lists. Nice job, keep it up...

I agree can't see what the problem is

Avis1434 · January 18, 2014, 03:36:59 PM

I'm with the guys in favour.

Seems to give a fuller oversight of the forum to newbies.

As with others I just go straight to the forum pages and never see the home page until this recent discussion appeared courtesy of my fellow scotsman.

Many thanks to the guys who work to provide our forum facilities. Keep up the good work guys.

Murray

Lawrence · January 18, 2014, 04:45:43 PM

Quote from: Tank on January 18, 2014, 10:50:44 AM
Thank you Geoff.

Lawrence and RST, what would you like to see on the front page? The idea is that it will be a place to explain the forum to new members before they sign up, as well as integrating with the forum for current members.

Quote from: StufromEGDL on January 18, 2014, 10:44:27 AM
Hi Mods/Designers...

Might be worth fiddling with the box sizes to make the overall look a little more symmetrical and tidier looking. The randomness of the boxes makes it look untidy. Go for two or three standard box sizes and group them by row....

I know...it is a bit of OCD-ness!!!

Later,
Stu from EGDL.

What Stu says really, it is a bit all over the place but I understand the constraints of coder availability. Also the frame (?) above the 'Welcome to the N Gauge forum ' text is a different size & colour to the rest and appears to be floating whilst the others are all docked (does that make sense?)
Is there a need for a second search box as there is one at the top of the page already?
And just to be really OCD, should the 'resource bank' not be edited to read 'knowledge bank' given that is what it is called in the forum.
Just some thoughts mate

RST · January 19, 2014, 11:21:39 PM

... I don't think there should be a front page as I don't think it serves any purpose. Just go straight to the forum. When I saw it the other day and this evening I couldn't find out how to get past it to the forum. I eventually found the very small "forum" button and know where to look for it now if I forget and end up on the page.

Some clubs have this frontage and I must say I personally usually just pass them by if I was looking to see what's within. Whole load of junk up there, not particularly well organised often with advertising (not saying there's adverts on here as I blocked them all through ABP). I personally think it's a step back for the NGF. May not reflect the opinions of others though.