Forum Changes

[AtW]

It's a matter of opinion I guess.

Its a matter of research dude -- I spent my previous life analysing clickstream data with user response and experimenting with designs that would give maximum clickthrough and conversions.

Additionally its aspects of European reading pattern -- we (apart from maybe threaded) read from left to right, top to bottom, thus stuff way on the right becomes some kind of a blind spot.

 

[Pinto]

Additionally its aspects of European reading pattern -- we (apart from maybe threaded) read from left to right, top to bottom, thus stuff way on the right becomes some kind of a blind spot.

I guess I must be abnormal. Stuff on the right is hit by my peripheral vision where
as stuff at the top is instantly lost, as my vision drifts towards what hasn't been read.

But...I haven't analysed any clickstream data, so it remains a matter of opinion to
me and one of research to you.

Have you got any ads on your website?

 

[BoredBloke]

My 2p

My 2p

To add my little bit, I would say the stuff on the right is fine. What I have a problem with is the box for user info. It takes up so much room that posts of one line fill half the screen. I would prefer an option where you could turn off the little pictures under peoples names and get more posts per screen.

 

[AtW]

Have you got any ads on your website?

No, but I did research for high trafficed e-commerce sites.

Go to Amazon and notice that navigation bar is not on the right. They sure have stuff on the right, but key nagivation bar, something that is most likely to be used by everyone is NOT on the right.

This does not mean its always correct, but its highly unusual to have navigation bar on the right rather than left.

 

[Pinto]

To add my little bit, I would say the stuff on the right is fine. What I have a problem with is the box for user info. It takes up so much room that posts of one line fill half the screen. I would prefer an option where you could turn off the little pictures under peoples names and get more posts per screen.

Read the starter post of this thread. Somewhere in there, it tells you how to switch off the Avatars ("little pictures"). And don't worry, I didn't know they were called avatars either

 

[Pinto]

No, but I did research for high trafficed e-commerce sites.

Go to Amazon and notice that navigation bar is not on the right. They sure have stuff on the right, but key nagivation bar, something that is most likely to be used by everyone is NOT on the right.

This does not mean its always correct, but its highly unusual to have navigation bar on the right rather than left.

Does that mean you would prefer the Navigation bar and ads below it on the left, rather than the right? That could work, but because this is a forum the thread/user info somewhere in the middle would look crap.

By the way, in my opinion, Amazon is a complete mess. Too much info at a time!

 

[AtW]

Does that mean you would prefer the Navigation bar and ads below it on the left, rather than the right?

Personally I am not too bothered since I have nice high resolution on 18'' TFT, so that fixed width size bar does not dominate. But i think it cuts into usable space for those with smaller monitors.

 

[darmstadt]

I like it.

I like it.

I'm with DA on this one. I like it.

 

[AtW]

I'm with DA on this one. I like it.

Gee dude, you seem to like Linux, which says everything about your lack of taste.

 

[Not So Wise]

Ezboard was favoured over and above what we already know - background colour, spacing & Avatars so we can look at these issues in addition.

Think those are all the major ones (though not sure if including in "spaceing" whats to the sides of the posts texts..if not include it)

Think to get why people don't like this board so much is you need to see it from our point of view not from just yours and then find better balance between the two

Sure you want to promote the main site,generate advertising revenue and look nice but we want to read what everyone has to say (even chico's insane drivel)

Currently though the focus is on your wants and not ours.

We definatly don't need the whole CUK navigation in this area, if we want to see that we just need a link to the main site.
Nor do we need massive spaceing or the oversized divider images

And because of the nature of this board many are reading it at work so they want something that is most definatly not eye catching at a distance

So i would recomend a template that takes these considerations into account, sure leave the "pretty one" as the defalut but give regulars some alternatives more suited to their needs

Oh and more smiles (and better ones) please, just do a google search, free smile packs are dime a dozen (just advoid the large/oversized ones)