The current site and theme have been in disarray for awhile now. I had planned on doing this about a month or more ago, but due to family health issues, I had to put it on the back burner. However, it has some features I want to make available to you, and solicit constructive feedback. Nothing is set in stone with the new release.
Why Change?
While you can always expect negative comments, time and time again I have been given feedback that is negative to the current site structure. The design seems to be fine for people, but things are just too deeply distributed in the site structure tree. Things like asking tech questions, is too painful and complicated. While this has yet to be overhauled in the new release, it will be. The goal of the new site is to simplify things, make it easier to find things, and just make the site more useful to those who visit.
What Has Changed?
Using/Accessing the New Site
In the next few days, for those of you who are logged in, you will see a link that will allow you to turn on/off the beta site very easily. This way if you find the new site feature you are wanting is either NOT working correctly or doesn't exist at all, you can switch back without hassle.
Bugs, Feedback, Discussion
The new site will not be fully completed, and as such Bug reporting should be suppressed, unless it is a problem with the Wiki. I will let everyone know when I will start taking Bug reports. Layouts on pages may change from the way they are represented during the beta.
I will however take feedback and discussion on the new site layout to get ideas how you like it, what you don't like, and things you'd like to see, but don't see yet. I am doing this as time allows, and I make not promises on when this new site/theme will replace the current production site theme.
PLEASE use the new Sub-Forum under Site Discussion to start NEW threads concerning separate feedback, bugs, comments in the assigned forum. This will help me better track incoming feedback, and allow others to provide inline feedback to your feedback, bugs and other comments.
Thanks,
Scott William
Why Change?
While you can always expect negative comments, time and time again I have been given feedback that is negative to the current site structure. The design seems to be fine for people, but things are just too deeply distributed in the site structure tree. Things like asking tech questions, is too painful and complicated. While this has yet to be overhauled in the new release, it will be. The goal of the new site is to simplify things, make it easier to find things, and just make the site more useful to those who visit.
What Has Changed?
- New Tutorial, How-To, Review Wiki
- Wider Page Layout (typical of most sites, like Apple.com)
- Dynamic Top Menu Bar navigation w/ CSS drop-downs
- Paving the Way for Ajax Features (but none added as of yet)
- Tech Dashboard, Access New, Active and User Response on One Page
- T-Shirt Ordering Returns!
- Easy Search Method for Forums
- Single Site Search for Forums, Wiki and Tech Support Questions (not yet)
- vBulletin Style with Matching Buttons
- Removal of Some Inactive areas/content on the site
Using/Accessing the New Site
In the next few days, for those of you who are logged in, you will see a link that will allow you to turn on/off the beta site very easily. This way if you find the new site feature you are wanting is either NOT working correctly or doesn't exist at all, you can switch back without hassle.
Bugs, Feedback, Discussion
The new site will not be fully completed, and as such Bug reporting should be suppressed, unless it is a problem with the Wiki. I will let everyone know when I will start taking Bug reports. Layouts on pages may change from the way they are represented during the beta.
I will however take feedback and discussion on the new site layout to get ideas how you like it, what you don't like, and things you'd like to see, but don't see yet. I am doing this as time allows, and I make not promises on when this new site/theme will replace the current production site theme.
PLEASE use the new Sub-Forum under Site Discussion to start NEW threads concerning separate feedback, bugs, comments in the assigned forum. This will help me better track incoming feedback, and allow others to provide inline feedback to your feedback, bugs and other comments.
Thanks,
Scott William
