Main Forum Page Reorganized

Any web page for which it has to be said "It's easy, once you get used to it..." is a failed design in my book. And in the design style guide which is the basis of my writing department's editorial criteria.

I find the new layout very difficult to parse and read, the typeface is too small and too tight for anyone who wears glasses. It breaks about two-thirds of the rules of current good web design principles.

G
 
Never tought that that overly long list during "the change" could become even worse. This is just not inviting to explore.
 
OK folks, thanks for your comments

the goal is to make RFF easier to navigate while several factors are in play

limitations of what the software will do

the complication of having so many sub forums - good in some ways, but maybe some forums need to be combined

keeping emphasis on the most popular cameras and topics that generate the most posts

getting members used to whatever changes take place

The reorganized main forum page can basically go two ways -
the old way with a long list of forums
OR the way it is now, with a lot of information packed on a single page.

take note that BEHIND each major forum group, if you click the top group,
is the other type of forum listing which each sub forum is listed in order,
for example if you click the "Leicas and other Leica Mount Camers"
it will bring you to THIS PAGE

This process is on going until we end up with whatever is the best overall solution.
 
Erik van Straten said:
This kind of organization does not stimulate curiosity. It is like a telephone book.

When searching, one does not see if on the fora recently additions are made.

Erik.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Over-categorizing makes everything a lot more messy I think. Especially because RFF is not big enough/doesn't have enough contributions to fill every forum. I don't think the amount of users/posts really warrants so many different sub-forums.

On a side note, the white typeface is too bright. Maybe tone it down to the light-gray that's used throughout the forum?
 
maxmadco said:
Appreciate your efforts but liked it the way it was and did not have a problem with it. Now it is very difficult to find things. Maybe it is just me.
Click to expand...

No it's not - I am confused too! E.g. only 4 sub cats. under Digital Cameras - how am I to find say Fujis there? :confused:
 
konicaman said:
No it's not - I am confused too! E.g. only 4 sub cats. under Digital Cameras - how am I to find say Fujis there? :confused:
Click to expand...

Well, unless it is one of the nine (9) Fuji-X models that has its own subforum I guess you're out of luck.

A digital Fuji SLR might be in the "classic film rangefinders & other classics" in the "slr" subforum. Then again it might not as it isn't film. Could be with the "xpan & other panoramics" if you got a Fuji 6x17 but then it could also be in the "120/220" subforum or the "scale focus" one as those 6x17 don't have a rangefinder.

We need more subforums! :D
 
Stephen, I, too, appreciate the effort you are putting into this.

For my older eyes, it is a strain through graduated lenses to read the small print. That aspect of it is much more difficult for me than in the previous organization of the forums. The fact that one can click on the main forum and get an expanded listing of the sub-forums is a very useful feature. I would rather not have to make the extra click to get there, but it is very helpful if the page remains in current/reorganized form.

I would also like to see a complete listing of the forums in the sidebar on the home page.

Thanks, Stephen.

- Murray
 
I'm agnostic about it. I thought it was OK the way it was. Plus ca change, you know. Time will tell.
 
The way I used to use the Forum was to go to the Home page on log-in, peruse the latest posts, and then start going through the listing of Forums on the sidebar. When I got done with each Forum, then I could just go to the Home page again, and see what new posts had been posted before going to the next Forum.

Now, if I want to see any updates on the latest postings while I'm going through the Forums, I have to go to the Home page, but then return to the Forum page to keep browsing. That's more clicks needed to see what I want. And more time trying to find the Forum I need because of the compacted style of the list. My computer is slow enough as it is, but now it's going to take even longer to get through the jumble of the Forum page (if I can see any of it).

I'm no Luddite, Stephan, but smoothness of use is not something I would associate with the current layout.

PF
 
scanning is the primary technique that people use to look for information, so i greatly prefer the old bulleted list format.

if not that, the header background image (the mesh image) should be removed since it's just visual clutter.

the new categories are good, though!
 
Side Menu Expanded

I'm checking into whether or not the main forum menu can be hacked to show larger type

If not, Shift + does it!

still much work to be done - transferring old threads into the new forums

btw try the search function - I think you will find it much improved
 
Sonys RX1 and RX1r

Sonys RX1 and RX1r

The Sony RX1 is a wonderful camera and deserves a link designation! I know, few RFFers are posting there but at least the link-name on the portal could reflect it's inclusion; Nex APS-C actually obscures it.

My two cents and thank you for your time and consideration in taking all of this on.

David
 
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