Forum Issues Since Relaunch (Jan 20, 2010)

[jn_12]

Not sure if the site is whiter or not, but it seems a lot brighter and a bit harder on the eyes. Also, I think screen names should return to a bigger font than other text. No other concerns here.

EDIT: looked at some of the other sites I frequent and I figured out that the problem is that there's really no colour on the forum to break up each post. The thin grey bar between each post really isn't enough to counter the whiteness of the rest of the page. Preferably, the grey bar would be darker and there would be another obvious colour between that and our text (essentially, the bar where our name/join date/post count is). The white on damn near white is just too much and it causes everything to kind of blend. If that makes sense. An example of what I find easier on the eyes: http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=726725 While I'm sure people here care more about colour schemes than people on a hockey board would, it's a decent example of the contrast that helps break up the page.

 

[casaguy]

Sorry guys, I know you tried to make it better but I think you've ended up changing things just for the sake of change. (That said, I'll be the first to admit I generally don't like changing anything that impacts my daily diversions).

The site is definitely difficult on the eyes. For example, why are forum member's names in dark bold colours when it should be the project names that stand out. And basically, why is there generally way too much irrelevant crap on the screen? Buttons, envelops, beebops, etc. Any designer will tell you that less is more. How about using more shades of grey or sticking to fewer palletes?

I logged on from work several times today just to get a break from whatever the new crisis of the hour is but I found it hard to stick around for more than 30 seconds.

Anyways, sorry for being a cranky old man, but well if the shoe fits, i guess...

Oh, and yes my screen f**ks up if there is embedded video it seems.

 

[casaguy]

something akin to BlogTO should be our inspiration.

Yes! Blogto.com is a perfect example of a banner that works.

 

[299 bloor call control.]

Agree that the banner needs to be changed.. far too large, and it extends beyond the width of my window. Perhaps a banner design competition - that includes the images of the day/week?

 

[Tuscani01]

The banner is definitely my biggest issue. Way too big.

 

[GregWTravels]

As a couple of others have found, the view first unread is not working for me. It just takes me to the top of the page with the first unread post. I am on a Mac. Tried it with both Firefox and Safari.

 

[flar]

I think the main problem with usability is that thread titles don't stand out in the forums. They should be a bigger font than the usernames and other stuff.

 

[WooWah]

I'm going to echo the cries of changing the header. It's way too wide and it does look amateurish.

Another aesthetic point that's been mentioned above and bothers me enough that I feel the need to mention it again is that it's rather hard to discern between posts. There's not enough of a visual cue for where the content of the post begins and the meta information of the post is (like the signature, user name, etc.).

 

[Red Mosquito]

I have to agree with the design concerns the above posters have. It is hard on the eyes, a little too bright, hard to discern between posts, the banner is too big and too bold, etc. I just might not be used to the changes, however i think some adjustments are needed.

 

[JasonParis]

how do you change the time displayed from 24 hour clock to 12 hour clock?

I don't think you can. The mods have decided to use 24-hour time and ISO-standard dating for the forum.

If you still have an issue, just pretend you are on GO Transit.

 

[SP!RE]

1) Some images are split between posts for me-- it's really odd.

As for the format-- I hate to say it, but the forums have lost their eye-pleasing simplicity. The contemporary (not cutting-edge, but useful and contemporary) banner and layout of the old page has given way to a website that forces your attention onto its banner and harsh colour scheme (red and grey) as opposed to its content.

Also-- the "planet" theme makes no sense. This is UrbanToronto, not "Urban Planet".

2) Also, can we make urbantoronto.ca the forum page, and urbantoronto.ca/home the main page, or something along those lines? I hate typing it in on other computers and ending up on the main page.

3) Can poster information go on the left side of each post like at SSC or acne.org forums? It chops posts up in an unnecessary manner to have it posted at the top of each post. That is a bit of an information overload. It would provide a nice break from the overwhelmingly horizontal format of the boards.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

the new site is awesome! no problems

 

[Urban Shocker]

Congratulations to Ed on the incorporation of new features in an expanded UT Forum.

* Because UT's basic page design is more layered now, with links to blogs etc. and a wider array of coloured icons, avoiding extraneous visual stuff will make it easier to focus on the actual posts. I think there are a few things that could be tightened up to make it easier for the reader.

* I find the white-background glare a problem. Indeed, I question why white is needed at all to create a release between the poster's comment and the ( join date, location, posts, blog entries ... ) data that relates to him/her. Why not extend the pale neutral background down, and ensure the type size used forthe posters' comments is strong enough to stand out from the data that's above it - since it all relates to the same person?

* The strong horizontal grey bars, which carry relatively little information, seem unnecessarily dominant and could be toned down a bit.

* Let's outlaw those endlessly repeated promo things that clutter the bottom of some posts. Not to single anyone out, because they're increasingly common and popular modes of expression, but on this thread alone we have links to "My favourite building"; "Flickr page"; "I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather...";"Fish will be the last to discover water.";" If I had a penny for every time ..."; "member since april 23 1847. over 250 539 posts ..."; "The DRL: ..." and "(random ramblings on the urban landscape)". Some of these things are a Wild West of typeface and colour choices and claim disproportionate visual importance compared to the posts themselves.

* Welcome to the Red Planet ... watch out for the asteroids ... enough said.

 

[Edward Skira]

Remember guys that some of the design issues mentioned above are things that we just haven't looked at yet. We will be looking at them over the next few weeks.

 

[khris]

If I knew the font used and had the image for the header, I'd like to try re-creating it, if you'll let me.