New NewsBusters design
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What do you think of it?
What do you like or dislike?
What do you miss or what would you like to see added?
Let us use this Forum to get some ideas flowing.
Just noticed the asterisk added to the *new tag in the main blogs. Helpful for searching for new posts.
Thank Goodness!!!!!
I was about ready to give up seeing any changes to the site.
I think it could be formatted a little better. As has been said,,,,there sure is a lot of wasted space. Plus, you read the front page, click "blogs" and have to weed through them to see if you've already read them or not. I have a 22 inch monitor..feel free to fill it up!!!!
Account info should be at the top or bottom of the page, not in the middle.
hate the colors.
Love the effort to improve and alwasy love the information presented.
I feel as if I've gone from Winows Vista to Windows 3.0! Okay, I'm exaggerating but the "improvements" look awkward. Too much space devoted to dead space, with little devoted to the STAR of your webpage- your columns and eyecatching thumb nails. Everything seems to be fighting for attention which violates the rules of good reading. As much as the Huffington Post is laughable left wing theater, its damn good looking!
I've give you guys a few more days of your learning curve.
Attempting a post, sorry if it's boring.
It says I can Preview it or Save it. Let's see what happens.
Mike
Cons.
No Tracking (this is very important!!!!!!!!!!)
Threaded funny, newest first, and 70 or 50 comments per page is irritating.
Subject isn't separated from the comment,so if you don't fill in the subject line, it reads like a skip on a CD. And it takes 2 clicks to post your comment.
Recent comments only on the homepage.
Forum threads are different than blog threads. (I like the forum style better)
comment count, new comments not on home page.
No "who's online"
Below the copyright there is a bunch of empty space
No signature (I'm assuming that is just a bug though)
Pros
It's a new shiny toy!!!!!!!!!
Pictures and if someone is online is next to there post, (forum posts anyway)
Easier to send someone a PM
I love the recent comments page, you can read the whole comment without going to the thread, but I wish it would say what comment it is in response to. (the article vs a comment.)
I like how it shows the posts in "my time zone" It's easier to figure out how long ago the post was made.
That is all for now.
THANKS NB, I know you are working very hard to get the bugs out and I appreciate everything you do for us!
Hey, where is the tracking feature?
How about the postings from last night?
Not really wild about his new design.
This allows the site to work in a dual environment. In this way, you can have the old site with all its familiarity and functioning, while allowing the beta testers to use the new site format and work out the kinks that way. In most cases, access to the data source is not a problem since you are only working with different formatting and page creation protocols.
My gripes? No "previous page" tracking, only for blogs. While I try to remember and cite the authors as much as possible, it is much more convenient to track articles chronologically.
I admit, the font for posting is better, and there are less hiccups with the commenting (the position of the cursor jumping from spot to spot in the old style was a bit charming to overcome), but the bottom line is that the beta should work until there is a broad concensus that the new style is much better than the original style. Thanks for listening!
1. Main column should be wider and in the middle. Two small columns on one side with lots of different things in them looks cluttered and is a pain to sort through to see what's what. The smaller columns together are wider than the main column. That makes the main content look...dinky.
2. Text in blog posts is too small and too light.
3. Comments should have the option to sort oldest first. Newest first completely screws up the flow of reading comments.
4. Comments text is too light, not enough contrast.
5. Recent Comments box should show up on every page and show more than five.
6. Need the Track Page.
7. Need our archived comments.
It isn't the easiest set up to navigate...I also agree that the comments text should be darker. Hopefully things will improve with time...
the text color and font size is hard on these tired, old eyes. And, for everyone who mentioned the tracking feature, totally agree. Ditto on the messages, why not just an icon, or link, where we can get right to our mailbox?
I agree with all of these, and a lot of the comment and tracking/archive issues will be sorted out in time. As for the archived stuff, they're somewhere on their servers somewhere, I would imagine.
As to #1, the site is now fixed in width. The right content was always the same two narrow columns (or one, for larger stuff like the video player, 300 x 250 banners, etc.) so that's really the issue. The only change is the added third (middle) column on the homepage, but that's only the homepage -- they wanted all of those site-related links separate from the advertisement stuff, twitter, video player, etc..) Maybe we'll try to make content pages adjustable in width at some point, as the comment threads really need this.
- Shy Avatars
EDIT: no one replied to this, so I made a few edits... and the latest coming from Matthew is they are working to make the site adjustable to your browser... so more good news :)
"Access Denied" page when you go to your inbox? That's what I'm getting...
Prarie Sky, let me send you a PM and see if you still get "Access Denied"
Let's see what happens.
These instructions from Par worked for me:
I found what I'm pretty sure is my inbox by going to My Account and clicking on "Send this User a Message". A two tabbed box appears with the tabs "Messages" and "Write New Message". You're in "Write New Message". Click on the tab "Messages" and your inbox should pop up.
Will it always be like this to see our pm's or to send a message? Lord, I hope not. Thanks so much for the help.
We need a primer with this new set up instead of us all having to figure it out as we go along...Uff da!
Yep.
Didn't know if I was the only one.
Did we lose our ability to "track?" I can't find the tab anywhere. I really liked being able to see if there had been any new comments on a thread, and then going right to it if I wanted to!
That will help you...
Click the BLOGS tab next to the HOME tab at the top or bottom of the page.
Noel's, and Tim's articles? We really need the resent comments on every page
Why would you resent some comments? ;-)
Editor, : /
Good to see that they have left that ability...Makes it much easier to scan and track articles and posts. Thanks for the heads up!
I found that a while ago, but then lost it and thought it to be old remnants from my browser. Thanks
Another comment criticism: You no longer have the option when creating a hyperlink to have it open in a new window. I link a lot here, and I find it almost rude that in doing so, I could close someone's NB window, so I always selected the "open in a new window" option. I'd like to see that return.
And, no spell check available. The right-click window only has "cut", "copy" and "paste". If we don't get a spell checker - my public education is going to be awfully apparent.
Also, I noticed that NB did not correct the location of the apostrophe (') key on my keyboard, and I'm still adding semicolons (;) to my contractions. If I could get one thing, that;d be it. ;^)
my public education is going to be awfully apparent.
I am afraid mine is already showing
Have you tried using a screwdriver to pry the keys off and switch them? ;)
O sh!t. That little peice there looks important. Be back after I find the super glue. ;^)
OK, they have to do something about the # of comments before creating a new page. On one blog the new page was created after 70 comments and on this forum it created one after 50 comments
Also, when a new comment is on the new page can you have something that identifies it?
others don't...Buddy, private message, etc...Anybody know why? Also, I think following responses to a post and following new posts was easier on the old system.
You wouldnt Buddy or PM yourself,
Another thing. I logged off, yet my status remained "online" here in the forum. Not sure if that indicator is working yet.
I haven't posted any photoshops lately so here's a link test:
This is the why the seal fell off the podium, and here's "irony" defined.
Keyhole Nebula...also known as the Finger of God...probably because it looks like we are being flipped off on the left side of the picture.
As others have said, change can be challenging...It can be good and bad...This will take some time to get used to. Can't really make a firm judgement yet, as it's all so new...Will give it spme time before I weigh in with an opinion. I am having one problem...My signature at the ned of a post is not showing up...Anyone else having that problem?
Evidently no one's signature is working right now.
they will restore that feature, or is it gone for good? I have to be honest...I'm not wowed by this new format so far...I think it's harder to follow replys to posts and new posts. I think the whole set up is a bit confusing...Maybe it'll get better with time...Hope so.
It'll get better, just give them a little time.
Nice picture, by the way. That's a bonus of the new format.
to work all the bugs out, gather feedback, and allow everyone to get comfortable with a new setup of something.
Thanks about my picture...It's a picture of one of our beautiful summer days up here with a big, beautiful, blue prairie sky...The inspiration for my NB name. As you said, it is nice to have the ability to have a photo (or whatever) along with our name(s). :-)
I checked my profile. They do not give you the ability to create a signature.
We don't have that option anymore...Bummer. I really liked my President Reagan quote. I wonder why they discontinued that? Do you know why?
I think it will take a little time to get use to it.I am sure there will be some more changes.I did like the old style of comments.
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Are all the changes to NB complete? Is this pretty much it -- at least, for awhile?
No PM notice? No archives?
Just wondering, if anybody knows.
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan