A New Look?

07 Apr

Posted by David as Site Updates

I was getting a little bored with the site and decided to try out a new look. Is it done? NOPE. If I stick with this - and I am not sure I am - I still have to do the links and Photos section.

I think I am going to keep this. But I need to add more “stuff” . I am working on it. Have to see what I decide. I like how clean it is and really like how a single post displays.

What do you think? Too bland? perhaps - but I kinda like the really minimal thing going on. Too GREY - maybe. Too business like - maybe again.

So any way - what do you think??

UPDATE: OK I have taken some of the recommendations into consideration. Some of which were helpful (the menu “issues” - thanks Scott and Joel) and some of which were logical (front page entries - Mike). What I have decided upon is a hybrid of the original concept. Instead of 2 excerpts on the front page, I now have it so that the 2 most recent entries are displayed in full and the older 3 are displayed as excerpts. It can breaks the convention of “posts” and gives it a different feel.

I plan on working on the menu to give it some more pizzaz and may add an area with some “randomness” to it. The jury is still out on that.

MORE UPDATES I have added a color “chooser” now.Â You can enjoy the site in WHITE or BLACK now.Â Simply choose your favorite color scheme in the upper right. I may add more colors later.

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13 Responses

Mike

April 4th, 2006 at 4:07 pm

There are two articles listed at the top. Being familiar with the previous layout, I know that there was an image associated with the Mitchell posting. Unfortunately, the mages are not visible until you view the article in full.

Mike

April 4th, 2006 at 4:16 pm

Furthermore, the color scheme is fine, but I think the meat of the site, and what people would be coming here for are the blog entries, specifically, the newest ones. I think those need to be featured more prominently. Yes, they’re up top, but there is much more going on below the posts. That, and the random image draws the eye away from the new posts, and to the menu instead.

Joel

April 4th, 2006 at 7:17 pm

I totally dig it. It’s a real departure from the classic “blog” stuff.

Maybe could do with a little more delineation and color-blockiness in the navigation area, I think.

Also, when viewing a post on its own page, the top links don’t seem to work in Firefox on my Powerbook.

David

April 5th, 2006 at 12:01 am

I change the front page layout so that the 2 most recent show in full on the front page.

Jason

April 5th, 2006 at 5:24 am

I think that the new look is a good idea, and it’s always cool to try new things out.

As a work in progress, I think it’s very good…

Scott

April 5th, 2006 at 8:02 am

I like the direction the new looking is going, too.

The only problem I was having is with the picture below. I have my internet browser (which is Firefox, thank you very much) cropped to be about 1/4 of the size of my monitor screen at work. Because of this, the picture overlaps the recent post list. When I maximized the browser I aw that it really isn’t a problem, just annoying given my settings.

As for the color and layout, yes it seems too grey and too business like. But it is very clean looking, which is a good thing.

David

April 5th, 2006 at 8:08 am

Yes - I am aware of the “ME” pictures overlapping when you have either a small resolution or your browser window opened to a restricted width. I intent to resize the pictures. They were never intended for that kind of “spot” anyway.

David

April 6th, 2006 at 12:33 pm

On the navigation note that Joel mentions - Yeah it’s a css thing with Firefox because of the use of mozilla specific CSS. Thus a deviation from “standards”. I am most likly going to remove it. I need to investigate if it does anything else.

David

April 6th, 2006 at 12:52 pm

OK - I solved the problem with the nav menu. It had to do with positioning more than anything else.

Scott

April 7th, 2006 at 6:39 am

See, now the nav menu is wonky when shrinking my browser. “Links” and “Contact” show up directly under “ZogWorld”.

David

April 7th, 2006 at 9:17 am

Fixed it. I had an unnecessary piece of CSS code that I added yesterday trying to address the search positioning item. Works like a charm now.

Mike

April 7th, 2006 at 10:42 am

Latest changes are quite cool. This is an interesting experiment you’ve started, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with.