Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

gorgonzola · Apr 29, 2002, 06:04 PM

We've been working over the last several weeks to streamline and optimize our main page design, and we thought we would run this cleaned up design by you, our readers, to see what you think; after all, you're going to be reading the page!

We're sure that we've missed noticing a few things that could be improved, so please don't hesitate to give us feedback. We'd like the new page to be at its best before we start using it for our main design.

That said, the preview for the new front page is available here.

(In case anyone asks, reviews.macnn.com and osx.macnn.com are also undergoing maintenance, but are not yet quite finished. Both designs are along the same lines, however, so feedback that applies to this page will most likely apply to those. We'll likely post a preview of those at a later date as well, before we go live with them.)

Thanks for any suggestions!

-- MacNN Staff

scaught · Apr 29, 2002, 06:18 PM

it looks nice to me. you didnt change the color scheme or the layout all that much so its not a big shocker or anything, just cleaned it up a bit. nice.

davidflas · Apr 29, 2002, 06:21 PM

I like the new layout as well. It freshens up the look without, going in some new, strange direction. Keep up the good work!

Apr 29, 2002, 06:22 PM

To add slightly to what Neal has said: the new Reviews look will be accompanied by the return of MacNN reviews, we have a few reviews prepared for your consumption.

gumby5647 · Apr 29, 2002, 10:11 PM

shibbyness. very nice

Synotic · Apr 29, 2002, 11:07 PM

Okay, while it looks nice, I guess I'll throw a couple comments in

The magnifying glass doesn't seem to flow at all with the rest of the page. You can achieve the same idea with a white color at 80 or so percent opacity.

It looks like you ran a steamroller over it. Maybe you could add a subtle drop shadow to the tabs like you did to the text?

It seems to be devoid of yellow now, I liked it before, it balanced out the color. Perhaps the active tab could be yellow?

And is there like a white stroke on the inside of the yellow border of the news items? Looks kind of weird to me...

The tabs also look a little off, you can get around this by starting a base tab on your widest text, in this case Reviews. Make it align to center and then align it perfectly. And then you can just enter in your text and Photoshop will make everything else perfect.

I also likked the magnifying glass when its handle was pointing down. Nothing else is coming from that angle.

I think you should experiment with having some white under the tabs header. It really doesn't look like a header and the tabs all look as if they're disabled.

Also, this might be a little harder, but I liked OS 9's style of tabs vs. OS Xs. It's hard to explain.. but you know how instead of just having the tabs stop at the top with a tab bar, it extended to the entire content? I can give a more visual example if you need it. Just compare the tab views and you'll see what I mean though.

Other than that it looks great!

CaseCom · Apr 30, 2002, 02:19 AM

Looks pretty good overall. But:

The page is too wide for my iMac's screen in IE 5.1.4 on 800x600 resolution.

The top seems too dark, overwhelmingly green.

I don't like the ".com" in the logo.

I prefer "Macintosh News Network".

Otherwise, no complaints.

[ 04-30-2002: Message edited by: CaseCom ]

ringo · Apr 30, 2002, 09:32 AM

Looks nice, but I don't like the thin white text over black or dark blue folder tabs.

The tabs just don't draw my eye when the page loads. I like the colors you used, I just think the tabs could be a little more readable. Thicker/Bold font maybe?

Apr 30, 2002, 08:28 PM

Improvements have been made per feedback. I advise anyone who had concerns to take a look again -- as always, a new look takes some getting used to. =)

[ 04-30-2002: Message edited by: Nick ]

PMG4DP · Apr 30, 2002, 08:48 PM

Love the layout. The bluish/green seems to be a little bit less..ugly(for lack of a better word) then the one on the main page now.

Apr 30, 2002, 10:16 PM

Originally posted by PMG4DP:
Love the layout. The bluish/green seems to be a little bit less..ugly(for lack of a better word) then the one on the main page now.

I changed it quite a bit. It always looked nice and blue on LCDs, but had a greenish look on CRTs -- especially older ones. This should look better. PMG4DP et al, is this color blue enough?

PMG4DP · May 1, 2002, 08:50 AM

Yes, it looks MUCH better on CRT's now. Nice job

kennethmac2000 · May 1, 2002, 12:51 PM

Someone said the graphics were too flat. I disagree. "Flatter" graphics are in. Shadows all over the shop are not.

As for the font, I would just make the whole thing sans-serif. It would look a LOT cleaner.

May 1, 2002, 03:19 PM

About fonts for the body text:

Some of us wanted to use arial as the default font for the whole page and others wanted to use browser default. We decided to leave it on browser default and see what our readers think.

One side of the argument is that if people want Arial they can just set it in their browser prefs. It has always, however, been my opinion that most people would like Arial on MacNN, but not necessarily on all their sites, and thus it is up to us to decide the font for MacNN. Maybe we need to have a poll on this ....

foamy · May 1, 2002, 03:56 PM

I really like the new streamlined design. The one suggestion you might want to entertain (some will not like this I'm sure) is how about the main graphic logo not being so flat.

I think keeping the MacNN graphic the same shape but gelifying it might look nice.We need at least one aqua-gelcap-graphic

Anyway, just a suggestion.

zac4mac · May 1, 2002, 07:57 PM

Looks great, Nick. Easy on the eyes, easy to scan. On my PC at work now, Win2K pro/IE, the bottom of the "First" in "Read me First" is occluded by the blue. Otherwise it's fine to me.

Zack

BTW, still having trouble with pop up/under ads...

kennethmac2000 · May 2, 2002, 07:54 AM

Originally posted by Nick:
About fonts for the body text:

Some of us wanted to use arial as the default font for the whole page and others wanted to use browser default. We decided to leave it on browser default and see what our readers think.

One side of the argument is that if people want Arial they can just set it in their browser prefs. It has always, however, been my opinion that most people would like Arial on MacNN, but not necessarily on all their sites, and thus it is up to us to decide the font for MacNN. Maybe we need to have a poll on this ....

It is also probably the case, however, that 99% (or, if not, a large majority) of your readers don't ever go near their browser's default font settings, and you still have to have a site that looks good for them. Brand image is everything nowadays you know.

On the other hand, since it appears I may be preaching to the converted, I perhaps don't need to say any more on the issue and just let events take their course.

What I would say though is that this is the type of issue that most people don't really care about, but if you're doing a refresh anyway, now seems like a good time to update your fonts as well.

The Placid Casual · May 5, 2002, 06:17 PM

Just a note to say that I love the redesigned page, it is IMO much more attractive and contemporary, yet just as easy to 'scan'!

I have have only 1 comment, and that is the 'magnifying glass' on the logo...is there any way it could be flipped so the 'handle' faces downwards? It looks OK now, but doesn't quite seem to 'fit'...

My comment is a really small point, that is probably personal to me... I for one can't wait to be seeing the site daily!

Peace

Marc

P.S. For the record I would be tempted to join the 'default' arial camp, but then again I have my browser prefs set that way so it wouldn't really matter

pathogen · May 13, 2002, 03:06 PM

I think Xicons is a terrific success for Macnn. It would be nice to see Macnn report whenever a new icon set is added (it happens a few times a week).

Maybe have the tab flash "new set today!" on days when stuff has been added (and not flash on days when it hasn't). Or just post it in the news editions for that day.

Thanks.

dawho9 · May 17, 2002, 10:25 PM

There is one thing I noticed seems out of place. On the top of the page under the blue line, you have:

***
News Tips About/Advertising Feedback Mobile Edition Search Archives
***

Everywhere else on the page, you always seem to use a "|" seperator between links, yet you do not on this top line. The words seem to "run" together too much.

Either you need to add the "|" or add more space between the links.

Just my thoughts, other than that. Nice site.

dw9

Mongrel · May 18, 2002, 12:44 PM

I think the main MacNN page was in need of some modernizing, but I was bummed this morning to see the OS X page using exactly the same design! I think whoever did the X page before did a really great job! I had the tired old pinstripes, yes, but they were done tastefully, especially the Aqua MacNN title... It was also nice knowing what part of the site I was on right away.

Count my one vote for bringing back te OS X page look.

gorgonzola · May 18, 2002, 01:13 PM

Originally posted by Mongrel:
I think the main MacNN page was in need of some modernizing, but I was bummed this morning to see the OS X page using exactly the same design! I think whoever did the X page before did a really great job! I had the tired old pinstripes, yes, but they were done tastefully, especially the Aqua MacNN title... It was also nice knowing what part of the site I was on right away.

Count my one vote for bringing back te OS X page look.

Understood. The reason for this, however, is that at some point (relatively soon) we're going to merge osx.macnn.com into www.macnn.com, because as developers and users move away from OS 9 and towards OS X more and more, separating the sections is less efficient and more deleterious. So eventually, osx.macnn.com will be merged in, so all the news will be on one page anyway.

We decided to use the same look for both pages for now (a) so people get somewhat used to it and (b) to homogenize the designs.

Hope that answered your question.

zigzag · May 18, 2002, 05:59 PM

A nice improvement overall. The blue is deep and distinctive. And I never liked the "sunshine yellow" motif of the previous logo.

Actually, I still miss the earlier boxed logo - it was clear, simple, strong. But the new design is attractive as well.

ajbaker · May 18, 2002, 06:35 PM

Nice job. I also liked the 'X' look, but change is not a problem either!

One thing I have always wondered, and never seen asked, is why the Forum pages have never reflected the overall design of the MacNN site.

Any comments?

Andrew

gorgonzola · May 18, 2002, 11:18 PM

Originally posted by ajbaker:
Nice job. I also liked the 'X' look, but change is not a problem either!

One thing I have always wondered, and never seen asked, is why the Forum pages have never reflected the overall design of the MacNN site.

Any comments?

Andrew

Well, we are going to update the logo and buttons and some other elements of the forum pages like that, but overall, forums need to be designed differently from news pages. All in all, we've had this forum design for several years, and we have always felt that the board is extremely readable ... other sites' forums are often pretty hard on the eyes. People generally like the forum layout, so there's no real sense in changing it now, since there aren't even that many things that you -can- change.

That's our logic behind it, anyway.

kennethmac2000 · May 18, 2002, 11:38 PM

A few comments on the new design:

(i) I reckon it would still look cleaner if you went sans-serif the whole way.
(ii) I agree with an earlier reader about the OS X page. You should either change the look or just merge them now. I tend to favour the latter - there really is no credible reason for maintaining the separate OS X page now.
(iii) On news article pages, it is rather annoying, having read a page of comments, to have to scroll back to the top to click 'Next 10'. My preference would be just to link to a new forum article rather than use comments at all, as this would make the comments searchable as part of the forum database, but if you must use comments, the old link at the bottom for 'Next 10' etc should really be re-added.

May 19, 2002, 12:12 AM

Originally posted by kennethmac2000:
A few comments on the new design:

(i) I reckon it would still look cleaner if you went sans-serif the whole way.
(ii) I agree with an earlier reader about the OS X page. You should either change the look or just merge them now. I tend to favour the latter - there really is no credible reason for maintaining the separate OS X page now.
(iii) On news article pages, it is rather annoying, having read a page of comments, to have to scroll back to the top to click 'Next 10'. My preference would be just to link to a new forum article rather than use comments at all, as this would make the comments searchable as part of the forum database, but if you must use comments, the old link at the bottom for 'Next 10' etc should really be re-added.

all good points. all will be addressed.

[ 05-19-2002: Message edited by: Nick ]

Ratspittle · May 19, 2002, 04:02 AM

I like it, but then I am just a puddle of rat spittle

kennethmac2000 · May 20, 2002, 04:57 AM

Originally posted by Nick:


all good points. all will be addressed.

[ 05-19-2002: Message edited by: Nick ]

Good.

dfiler · May 20, 2002, 08:57 AM

Its nice to note that Mac users know good design when they see it. To those who don't remember, the last redesign didn't go over so well and we really layed into the MacNN staff. ;-) The positive reaction this time around has renewed my faith that MacNN'ers and Macusers in general are simply demanding quality.

Thus, I'd like to chime in with another atta-boy! The site redesign is great, clean yet not bland.

Worboren · May 20, 2002, 09:24 AM

I like how the page looks now, no complaints here really.. BUT! I'm too often reading the page from my work PC using Netscape 4.7 and

1) There's a very noticeable delay when the page loads, and it locks up the whole machine for a few (long) seconds
2) I can't see/post the comments anymore, instead I get to a page which says "The server made a boo boo. (403)"

I hate IE for Win (although I'm using it on my Mac), is it really the end of MacNN for NS users???

gorgonzola · May 21, 2002, 05:02 PM

Originally posted by Worboren:
I like how the page looks now, no complaints here really.. BUT! I'm too often reading the page from my work PC using Netscape 4.7 and

1) There's a very noticeable delay when the page loads, and it locks up the whole machine for a few (long) seconds
2) I can't see/post the comments anymore, instead I get to a page which says "The server made a boo boo. (403)"

I hate IE for Win (although I'm using it on my Mac), is it really the end of MacNN for NS users???

No it is not. Newer versions of Netscape work fine, it's just 4.x that's messing up. However, we're trying to figure out what exactly it's having a problem with -- it will be fixed, though.

Cipher13 · May 22, 2002, 06:51 AM

Originally posted by kennethmac2000:
Someone said the graphics were too flat. I disagree. "Flatter" graphics are in. Shadows all over the shop are not.

As for the font, I would just make the whole thing sans-serif. It would look a LOT cleaner.

I said that somewhere. Another thread?

That, or my post was deleted.

Not suggesting the use of shadows, et al, as that usually looks really bad, but... meh, can't be bothered recapping.

*shrug*

[ 05-22-2002: Message edited by: Cipher13 ]