Posted on 03/30/2002 9:13:27 AM PST by rs79bm
Your doing a great job. Don't let criticism bother you.
This isn't a learning curve issue.
The new format is simply more difficult to read and interperet. There is a sense of clutter and the visual field is distracting.
sheeeeez .....
When I joined FR one of the main reasons was the ease of use. My first time to the site I was getting around wonderfully. Now, as an experienced browser it is going to take me time to figure this new layout out. Imagine what newbies are going through.
Most web site designers worry most about how a site looks. Ease of navigation does not really concern them because most assume that those on the net are technogeeks like them. A big mistake.
I tried the beta a few times and did not like it. So, I kept coming back to the original. Little did I know that the so called beta was the new site with no input from us, the users.
Jim Robinson, I am unsure if you are reading these posts as I have yet to see any feedback from you (none that I am aware of). If you had placed information about the beta on the original site, something like:
"Please try the beta site and give us feedback on it as it may become the new site"
you may have been able to avoid the reaction by changing a few things, especially the site navigation.
I will eventually figure all this out, but I feel the new FR is no longer newbie friendly which is important. FR must continue to grow. A couple hundred thousand users is nothing in the big scheme of things.
Re-design the navigation so the most computer, Internet illiterate can use it. This way you are pretty much guaranteed everyone will enjoy the experience.
There was a running thread with almost that exact title for quite some time prior to today!
Not exactly. But, usually betas are put out as tests for feedback. Each time I used the beta I saw no requests for feedback. I may have missed them, but I also assumed JimRob had designated some testers to give him feedback on the design. This is pretty normal in software betas.
I am gradually figuring this design out but still believe it needs to be simplified, particularly for newbies.
I don't think they have ever needed to do something that formal!
This is a nonprofit website you know!
Jim, the FR crisis response team is arranging immediate bus transportation for all programming victims to Palm Beach County Florida.
I'm using two Mac browers: Netscape and iCab.
Regarding the "latest threads" list:
The layout with Netscape is probably close to what you have designed (i.e., title at the left margin and additional info (posted by, etc.) underneath and indented a few spaces.)
The layout with iCab has an interesting difference: the title is to the left (like Netscape) but the additional info is generally centered halfway across the page.
As a result, reading the iCab format is faster and easier because the titles seemingly have their own column which can be scanned quickly.
In other words, when reading the titles in iCab, one doesn't have the 'clutter' of the additional info between the titles.
It looks neater and is MUCH easier to navigate through.
Hope this might be helpful.
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