FreeRepublic Re-Design

[rs79bm]

This new design is confusing and very nauseating. Hey, haven't you heard of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it?"

[SamKeck]

Notice I used the verb WAS, there is now!

Yes, I noticed that your grammar is impeccable ... if not your savoir faire.

[RightOnline]

Yet another whining thread.

This is some terrific work John has put together. If you're incapable of figuring out how to use it, then maybe you're incapable of contributing cogent commentary to this Forum.

This isn't rocket science, folks. Took me all of 60 seconds to learn the new format (which wasn't implemented just for the hell of it, people) inside and out. Give me a big, honkin' break.

[Arleigh]

As a true conservative, I immediately dislike change for change's sake. I liked the old format better.

[CARTOUCHE]

I consider myself computer literate and I have a good sense of functional design. The old set-up was easy to navigate, uncluttered by borders, flags and extraneous messages. Yes, I can take the time to rearrange everything and select how I want the page to look, but I shouldn't have to. When I go to the deli I want my sandwich assembled for me on the plate, I am a news consumer and I want my news delivered without my having to assemble it. And I am entitled to voice my opinion as a financial supporter of this site, and those of you who don't like my opinion or that of those who don't like the new format can "get bent"!

[Arleigh]

You know, the more I use this new version, the more I don't like it. Takes too long to load. Not everyone has DSL, ya know...

[EggsAckley]

Not everyone has DSL.....

"EggsAckley" my problem with the new format. It seems to be very slow on my dial-up. And there's absolutely NOTHING I can do about it; nothing else available BUT dial-up. I'm just afraid that if too many slick gimmicks are put in I won't be able to access the site.

I am however, getting a better idea of how to navigate than I had earlier today. Yes, I'll eat some of my words from this morning, but I STILL don't like the "question" taking up so much space. I mean, I did the poll immediately, why do I still need to see it? OR...why do we even NEED a Poll?

[Teacher317]

As a true conservative, I immediately dislike change for change's sake. I liked the old format better.

Congratulations. You just summed up the core problem for most of the complaintants on these multiple 'new format' threads, whether they state it explicitly or not... and you did it concisely, politely, and even humorously. Post of the day!

[Buckeroo]

The sidebars are intentionally upon the "left" side of the screen. Not for a new look, but because FR is not about freedom anymore. This website is a bout agreeing with government; any government that *WE* like.

We are a "left" site now.

[MeekOneGOP]

Yes, I know. It needs work. A little nip here, tuck there, cut one out here, add another there, tweak a bit and we'll be back in business in no time. To all who are having a rough time of it, hang in there. We'll get all of this sorted out soon. Thanks, Jim

Thanks, Jim. When I got up this morning and saw that Breakin' News "This is Awful" article, I replied.......

Yeah. I feel like Mr. Smith on Lost in Space! :O)

But I quickly got on board and I know you're workin' hard and will nip n tuck this into ship shape in quick order. I like the new format layout overall..........

I'd like to see the search functions so I can go to search and input 'from: "MeeknMing" ' so I can find my articles or anyones article posts though.............

Thanks!

[Wonder Warthog]

"Leadership at FR is attempting to streamline and make more efficient."

Attempting is the right word. SUCCEEDING is another matter. Even the brightest and best-intentioned can screw up a good idea. The "new and improved" version simply isn't as good--it is FAR slower, and visually far more difficult (both from an aesthetics AND from an organizational perspective) to peruse. WHY, for instance, is "My Mail", "My Comments", "My Forums" etc. etc. both in the right sidebar AND at the top of the page?? And lose the blue text on blue background on the sidebars--visually that is a TERRIBLE combination.

[Hemlock]

Come on! Structurally, the site is basically the same. It's just got a different look and a few minor feature changes. Nothing important or useful seems to have been significantly altered. The frontpage does need some artwork, though -- especially near the top. But I'm sure JR & Co. will get around to that eventually.

[TLBSHOW]

Go over to the side bar and find opinions and questions. There is a brand new Jim Robinson thread. Oh wait if you don't have that on the side bar you will miss it. I suggest everyone add Opinions and questions to your side bar it is great for quick answers and lots of those great Freeper opinions. Like this one

FREE Non Surgical Face Lift in a Bottle! email | March 30, 2002 | unkown Posted on 3/30/02 7:20 PM Eastern by Jim Robinson Just got home a little while ago and have been trying to catch up on reading all the complaints about our new face lift. Well, this particular email caught my eye and thought I'd post it to see if we can lighten up the atmosphere just a bit (I got a chuckle out of it anyway).

[HairOfTheDog]

I have been there. Thanks!

[swampfox98]

Sorry, I love it. I have had fun this afternoon discovering all the new things. It is just right.

[RonDog]

Partial quote from a message by Free Republic founder JIM ROBINSON:

Just got home a little while ago and have been trying to catch up on reading all the complaints about our new face lift. Well, this particular email caught my eye and thought I'd post it to see if we can lighten up the atmosphere just a bit (I got a chuckle out of it anyway).
Subject: FREE Non Surgical Face Lift in a Bottle!

-- snip --

-- snip --

"By the way, we will be working over the weekend and the next few days, to try to make the new FR face lift a little less shocking. It will all be back to (almost) normal soon.

Hang in there.

Have received thousands of comments, emails and FRmail complaints and compliments today (running about 10 to 1 in the complaint department).
Will not be able to answer all (or even most), but we will do what we can to make things better.

Thanks,
Jim

Let's follow the lead of FR's founder, and MAKE THIS FORMAT CHANGE WORK!

We can do this.

[Timesink]

It's getting better by the hour, but it's still not quite there yet. The font on the front-page responses is now too big, and the "to" and "froms" shouldn't be on separate lines.

General rules of web usability say: maximum information on the front page, minimum gewgaws. And not so many different font sizes, colors and weights (bold, italic, etc). The problem here is that in terms of usability, the FR front page we had until yesterday had evolved to a point of near-perfection in terms of usability over the course of the last few years. (Go look at one of the really ancient FR front pages from, say, 1998 or so at the Wayback Machine web site to see how far we had come.) This means that any massive front-page redesign was absolutely guaranteed to make things worse, at least in the short term.

I have faith things will continue to shake out. But I'm not sure I'll ever like the final result as much as I did the FR front page of last week.

[Timesink]

Suggestion: Code the new front page so the "Breaking News" sidebar is always the topmost sidebar on the user's front page, providing they've selected to have it appear at all, of course.

[Timesink]

Go HERE HERE HERE for full BREAKING NEWS. Bookmark it.

No no no! Go HERE HERE HERE instead! If you only go to "freerepublic.com" instead of "www.freerepublic.com", your login cookie will not be recognized, and you'll have to reenter your name and password every few minutes.

[GLDNGUN]

Wow. If you equate having someone build a gas station on your front lawn with having to adjust to a newly formatted website your condition is much worse than I thought.

[BunnySlippers]

Does anyone know how to "DELETE" a forum if you subscribed?