New actionscript.org

[Strok]

Hello everybody
To accept 750x100 banners on actionscript.org we made a decision to redesign the website.
You can see a demo version of it : http://mob.ca/
Please post your comments.
Thanks

[mrfluffy]

pretty good, nice OS X-ish navigation.

[Tink]

looks kewl to me although i miss the orange a lil though :(

BLEEDA

[farafiro]

V cool, but why don't u try 100*750

[pixelwit]

Will there be a column added on the left side like the current setup? When viewed at high res, that banner just kind of floats in the middle of a big gray field. Why doesn't AS.org have a Flash nav? Nothing to fancy or garish, but something that fit's more options in the same amount of screenspace. Not volunteering or criticizing, just asking. The bottom seems to have a good deal of open space as well. I'm not sure if it's just because it's different from what I'm used to seeing or not, but it seems a little tougher to read than the current layout.

Just some comments, :)

-PiXELWiT
http://www.pixelwit.com

[Strok]

Originally posted by pixelwit
Will there be a column added on the left side like the current setup? When viewed at high res, that banner just kind of floats in the middle of a big gray field. Why doesn't AS.org have a Flash nav? Nothing to fancy or garish, but something that fit's more options in the same amount of screenspace. Not volunteering or criticizing, just asking. The bottom seems to have a good deal of open space as well. I'm not sure if it's just because it's different from what I'm used to seeing or not, but it seems a little tougher to read than the current layout.

Just some comments, :)

-PiXELWiT
http://www.pixelwit.com
I tested the DEMO on 1280x960 and it looks perfect for me in IE5.5/NS4.7.
Maybe you can send me a screen-shot to strok@actionscript.org ? and some information about your OS and browser.

We using a SHTML and it means that we can automatically change the NAV on the all website just by changing one file.
Basically there's a challenge for everybody
We'll happy to use your NAV if you think that you can do it better

[farafiro]

But hey, I'm usin 1024×768 and it's floating in the middle of a big gray field also

[Tink]

ur pic looks fine 2 me farafiro?

the grey strip at the top would be for a banner?

BLEEDA

[farafiro]

Bleeda
so what is that blank space in the both sides

[20 Ton Squirrel]

I like the new look, though like Jello - there's always room for orange. Is the forum appearance going to change any?

[red penguin]

Looks slick, Strok....Especially the "what we do"...

[Strok]

Originally posted by red penguin
Looks slick, Strok....Especially the "what we do"...
I love this image but we can't use it on the site.
i used this one just to give you an idea.
by the way
everyone is welcome to design one
dimension: 430.....460x85

design so many as you can (we'll rotate images if we'll get many)

[Jesse]

Strok's been working hard on this new design and it's coming along very nicely I think we all agree.
The new design most of you will probably notice, loads much faster than the current layout, because it uses 'neater' HTML. For this same reason it should solve a number of other issues some users were having, like blurring when scrolling and the like. It should also reduce our GB overhead each month, which is always welcome.
We aren't keen on a Flash based nav for a number of reasons. The site is always under construction alsothough it may not appear it from the outside, and Flash files aren't that easy to update immediately. Caching is an issue also. Further, a Flash nav would cause scrolling problems for uses with old video cards and generally increase our daily downstream bandwidth which is a no-no.

Right now we need some help making a decision. Checkout
http://www.mob.ca/about_us.shtml
and
http://www.mob.ca/about_us2.shtml

Down the very bottom there are next and back buttons. Which layout do you prefer?

[farafiro]

I like the first one

[Tink]

i think the first 1 looks a lil neater but the second makes the buttons stand out more.

think i'll go with the 2nd.

BLEEDA

[red penguin]

#2 all the way....

[20 Ton Squirrel]

I say with much concurrance, #2. Snootch to the noooooooootch!

[pinkaboo]

geez, that was like playing spot the difference! took me ages to even realise that they weren't identical, flicking between browser furrowing my brow! Was expecting some huge design leap between them! Got there in the end though! - and I'll plump for the 2nd too.

K

[red penguin]

Yeah, I did very much the same thing...talk about 'taking care of the details'...

Jeez...

[20 Ton Squirrel]

You mean they are different?! I was just going with what everyone else voted on! *chuckle*

I did the SAME thing... I was inches from asking what the difference was.

[Tink]

lol

u all obviously missed this lil bit jesse posted

Down the very bottom there are next and back buttons. Which layout do you prefer?

:D

[pinkaboo]

u all obviously missed this lil bit jesse posted

nope, saw that, still had me scratching my head wondering if it was all a great conspiracy! !!


K

[Jesse]

Well many of you will have noticed that the forums layout has changed. This is our way of gradually moving you peeps into the new design, so you don't have to go cold turkey. Comments? I thinks it looks smoooothe. Kudos to Strok.

[Rupert]

I too think the 2nd one is more user friendly - however on the interface with the (OSX-style) nav options at the top when you scale your browser window right up they get a little lost up there in my opinion. I think it all looks good otherwise- Good one Strok!

[zoomfreddy]

2 option!!!...and nice buttons up here!! what about give them orange tint, to keep'em standing in all the grey bg?
:cool:

[20 Ton Squirrel]

20 bursts into the emergency room, jerking his neon orange surgeon scrubs on frantically. He rushes to the side of a convulsing newbie to AS.org.

"Stay with me, sonny-boy, you'll make it!" he shouts to the spasming newcomer. An arm flails out and smacks the stunned surgeon across the muzzle.

"His body is rejecting the new site! Get me 20 cc's of caffeine! STAT!!!" he shouts, grabbing a roll of shiny duct tape.

Moments later the twitching youngster is strapped down tightly to the gurney. A voluptuous nurse slaps a syringe of frosty-cool cola into Squirrel's paw which he promptly stabs into the boy's arm.

"C'mon... c'mon!!!!"

A long, tense moment passes... you suddenly are reminded how badly you need to use the restroom. The convulsions ebb and slowly subside.

The boy's eyes slowly crack open to see the Squirrel by his side, arms akimbo. He croaks, "Thank you... doc..."

"Shut up, kid. There's nothing wrong with the new site. Yer such a spaz! SHEESH!"


We now return you to your regularly scheduled program...

[Tink]

LMFAO weirdo!

[red penguin]

See, the funny thing here is this...

Being at the engine/Wayland, this is what we have on a daily basis...

See what you've all been missing?

[pinkaboo]

urk - I've just realised that the top nav buttons above the banner remind me of a set of teeth (or worse, dentures!) and now I can't look at it for it disturbs me too much! argghhhH!!!

:D

(NOOO!! - more teeth in the smily too! eeek)

K

[20 Ton Squirrel]

Muahaha! My insanity is contagious!

ACK! KOOTIES!!! ON MY HAND! SOMEONE GET ME A KOOTIE TOURNIQUET!

AAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

[Rupert]

Nurse! Nurse!

[Jesse]

Heheh you guys are crazy. No one is better than 20T at changing the subject :)

[vilehelm]

OKie, I have just a few quick comments.

- I like the menu bar ok but too much of the screen is taking up with "nothing". Only 25% of your total screen at 800x600 has any usable content.

- Actionscript.org shouldn't be subbordinate to anything design wise. It should above the menu bar. For the regulars it's ok but to a newcomer they won't even know what site tey're on especially when that huge banner is there.

-A nit picky thing, if you really want to streamline filesize make the menu bar a sinle gif with an image map. I did a quick experiment and nearly halfed the filesize for that same content.

-Will there be some kind of breadcrumbing in place? You don't have much to indicate where you are in the site.

At the risk of being rude i made a quick reshuffle of the link that was posted at the beginning. Hope this doesn't aggravate anyone, but there is a lot of space to be saved. I'll attach it.
I was confused about where the actual banner space was. 750x100? Is that right? I assumed it was that Pencil image but now i think it might be the space where the ASorg banner is. Anyway. I think what might be the better move is to move the 486 x 60 rotating as banner down in to the body content.

Sorry if this sounds blunt, it's late, i love as.org and initially i was going to keep my trap shut but decided "heck" we're all friends here, right?

[vilehelm]

That is an all time record for typos in one post, sheesh.

[Rupert]

gramma schmammer. You got you message across regardless!

[Jesse]

Hmm that gif looks very cool and your points have merit... we're open to critisism here folks... I like it... Strok?

[vilehelm]

Uhm, theres a book that i use as my "usability and web design bible", it's short and simple and full of really good simple points (some of them are really common sensical but you'd be surprised how few sites practice the basics). It also has a good section about the different personlaities you run into while building a high content, high traffic corporate site (AEs, CDs, COOs and a lot of other acronyms that you want to kill).

Don't Make Me Think: Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
by Steve Krug, Roger Black

I highly reccomend it to anyone who has to build a complex site like this. There is so much to consider it feels sometimes like your juggling ten balls in the air...only the balls are chainsaws...who bitch at you cause they're site is messed up. :D

[Rupert]

lol! I like that

[Strok]

Thank you vilehelm
It looks very nice but I have to comment few things:

1) the image "featured" built in same style as a buttons and it means that everyone will try to click on it.
2) the space which you left on the top of the logo will mix the logo with a banner.
3) The black line under menu located in the wrong spot
it keeps buttons between 2 lines and it doesn't work with shape of the buttons.
4) Imagine your layout in high resolution with a banner on the top! The website will be visually cuted off.

Thanks again.

[vilehelm]

Actually i would get rid of that black line all together. My point is, arrange the page however you like but I think your giving up WAY too much real-estate right now.

I just wanted to illustrate how you might save some space here or there. I by no means suggest you take this as a design to use. There are literally hundreds of different ways to do it...you know that. again not meaning to tick anyone off.

[Strok]

Your suggestions are very appreciated.
It's all about to find the best solution.
If you'll take a look closely on the difference between 2 layouts than you'll see that you just moving the stuff around.
You saved about 6 pix (we have to put the banner on the top anyways)
http://www.mob.ca/tutorials.shtml -- take a look on this page .It is the layout for all other pages(except the homepage)

thanks

[vilehelm]

Ok so i guess the problem is that huge graphic which doesn't look like you're going to use anyway, as i said i was confused about what the banner actually was. By the way did you guys come up with that banner size? I've never run into that one before...It seems like it will be a problem to have it in between the menu and the branding for the site...do you have examples of this size banner running anywhere else?

For most it will be okay as the site probably gets a lot of repeat traffic and they'll just deal with it, but for newbies I think it's gonna be pretty confusing. It's sort of like dealing with a bank that has a confusing ATM eventually you get the hang of it but you hate it. Yet you still keep on using it because the bank has your money... Are "features" paid Advertising as well? Maybe you could just leave that to the paid and move the highlight sites to the main content area. That would avoid the use of the word "Features right there and allow you to bump up the ads. Will you be trying any skyscrapers?

wheew, coffee is obviously kicking in!