Free Republic's Great New Look - "The Fresno Team is consumer-oriented"

03/31/2002 | Lazamataz

[Lazamataz]

Well, I have to hand it to the boys (and the girls) over at Fresno. After an admittedly hamhanded rollout, they worked overtime and doubletime to listen to our complaints and return FR to a look and usbility that we were accustomed to.

The news bars (breaking, front page, etc) on the right are back. The colors and layout no longer scream to co-workers or bosses that you might be taking a moment or two to freep at work. The fonts are nice again. The number of items available per page view has increased.

Now, couple that with the greatly enhanced features, and we have what constitutes the very best forum on the net. I am very impressed with the responsiveness of John Robinson et. al., and am very glad he has listened to us all. Please, those monthly contributors who cancelled, please come back. The boys are behaving again and all is forgiven. :o)

Huzzah for Free Republic and the men and women who make it work!

[Lazamataz]

but then, I'm "easy".....

(hands on hips) And you couldn't have told me that before I got engaged?!?!?

[DoctorMichael]

Bump. Thanks!

[Morgan in Denver]

I have to admit, I was not a fan of the changes. I guess I'm more a creature of habit then I admit.

The only thing that really put me off was the wallpaper and that's gone, thankfully. As for the rest, the FR site seems to be better than ever.

Thank you, whoever you are, for the people who did the work and have made this site even better.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

$40,000 a year for an illegal domestic worker? Gee, I didn't realize you hired through a Government agency........

[anniegetyourgun]

I'm sure she is a nice girl and much more deserving. ; )

[buffyt]

I am a very old woman and although I agree that change is GOOD it is difficult for me. But I will get used to it, just as I have gotten used to all the other changes here. Seems like a long time ago we got here through White Water files???? (I have been Freepin' a LONG TIME) I think you had a great point, Laz, that it will be less noticable that we are Freeping and not working, since the headers are all changed! Change is good. I am just in the 51 - 100 year old age group and kinda set in my ways. hehehe

One of my kids who is 21 can remember what every version of Windows looked like. As soon as I get used to a new version, I forget the old one. But he is young with a fresh new brain and a great memory!

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Hey, thanks for the tip.....you know I am not well versed on what all a computer can do.......

[Lazamataz]

40,000 a year for an illegal domestic worker? Gee, I didn't realize you hired through a Government agency........

10,000 of it goes for the servers and bandwidth.

Besides, we got her the Green Card. We follow the law in Free Republic.

Except for gun laws. We did give her a concealed-carry pistol without her CCW permit.

So don't piss her off.

[buffyt]

You are so funny today, you will do the housework and laundry for $40K a year! GOOD ONE! I just pulled a cake out of the oven and my washer and dryer are spinning away. That is how I live, internet "on", washer and dryer "on", something in oven... that way I don't feel guilty about all the hours I fritter away on FR. I am the president of our local Republican club so I do have a reason to know all current events, right?

[HairOfTheDog]

Glad to hear it Cyber! - So there is happiness and contentment on Free Republic now? - Wonderful indeed!

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Let me see.......I send $40,000, you send an angry, illegal, non-English speaking worker to clean my house and she/he is carrying a gun without a permit..........gee, this is a hard decision - but she will clean my house, right?..............Ok, send her right over and I'll send the check!

[Lazamataz]

So there is happiness and contentment on Free Republic now?

Well, let's not go Frank Capra "It's a Wonderful Life" schmaltzy on us.

We still have the Libertarians versus the Non-Libertarians, the Paleocons versus the Neocons, the Bush lovers versus the Bush haters, and so on!

[go star go]

don't be freepin at work...

[Lazamataz]

Let me see.......I send $40,000, you send an angry, illegal, non-English speaking worker to clean my house and she/he is carrying a gun without a permit..........gee, this is a hard decision - but she will clean my house, right?..............Ok, send her right over and I'll send the check!

LOL! Such a deal!

[bradactor]

I think people are getting what they want. I was able to adjust but am glad this is back Brad

[Exit148]

Laz ---Thanks for putting this thread up. I was one of the 'p------and moaners', and my voice was heard. I still have some reconciling to do with parts of it, but it has come a long way from what faced me when I clicked on yesterday AM! (Will yesterday AM become one of those "Where were you when-------?" kind of events?

I also urge those who pulled back their support to come back. The heart and soul of FR.com is still here, and that is what counts --- not the window dressing.

In appreciation to Jim and John, I made a special contribution to thank them for listening to me.

[Lazamataz]

don't be freepin at work...

I work a lot of extra hours. My fiance will attest, I am routinely there until 8:00PM and sometimes 10:00PM. I work some Sundays and even the occasional holiday. It is my style of working. And I am very effective in delivering the programming product I am tasked to deliver, on time and under budget.

So a little Freeping is the least they can grant me.

[Cagey]

I upgraded and now FR cuts my grass!

When I logged on yesterday I thought I had been smoking grass as I saw the new format with all the graphics and colors and just plain business.

However, I see that people have spoken out and the Robinsons are resonding. I give them all the credit in the world for that. If only our elected officials responded so quickly, or even at all.

People kept saying "practice, and you'll get used to it". True, but I could only imagine new folks coming to check our FreeRepublic as we all once did ourselves and then being overwhelmed trying to navigate the site and saying so long. I'm glad to see it edging back to the KISS format. It works.

[Lazamataz]

In appreciation to Jim and John, I made a special contribution to thank them for listening to me.

Not a bad idea!!!

[HairOfTheDog]

Sorry, I was feeling a little shmaltzy wasn't I? No group hugs this morning? How about: "OK, so now everybody quityourbitchin!"

I would love to see a good Libertarian argument again. Everyone turning all their hostility toward the honest folk at Free Republic itself yeasterday was wearing on my sunny disposition. (Here comes the sun....na na na an...)