New Site Design

Fraser · #1 (**permalink**) 21-February-2005, 05:35 AM

Hi folks, as I mentioned in a previous newsletter, I've been plucking away at a redesign for Universe Today to fix a few things that have been bothering me. The pictures are significantly larger, and there's a sidebar that includes the last 25 stories on the right-hand side. Anyway, let me know your thoughts.

Oh, this is just a prototype, so most of the links won't work properly. Just look at the single page.

http://www.universetoday.com/newdesign/

piersdad · #2 (**permalink**) 21-February-2005, 06:30 AM

cool it will let you jump to other subjects easily
in another popular forum the side bars are a great hit

its like an index thats right there

Spacemad · #3 (**permalink**) 21-February-2005, 08:35 AM

Looking good, Fraser!

Are you going to continue with that size font? I hope so

because one of my greatest difficulties has been trying to read the text!!! (even with my reading glasses I find it tiresome!) I use a text editor to make it easier for me to read - perhaps it won´t be necessary if you stick to that font size!!

I would like to see the "Space Sites" links continue on the right as up to now. At the bottom of the page I don´t think they will attract any attention - unless you specifically look for them!

The side bar to the last 25 stories is quite a good idea - it will let people search for stories they may feel more interested in & thus encourage more people to visit the forums (which I imagine is your intention!

)

I like the bigger pictures, too!

Keep up the good work!

Fraser · #4 (**permalink**) 21-February-2005, 03:41 PM

Yeah, I wanted to do a larger font size. It's actually a relative font size too, so you can increase it easily.

bigadd10 · #5 (**permalink**) 21-February-2005, 06:42 PM

Hi Fraser,
I like the new design very much. Easy to navigate and the enlarged type and pics makes the site easy on my eyes. I like the information that you keep flowing regardless of the format. Keep up the good work.

Alaskan · #6 (**permalink**) 21-February-2005, 06:52 PM

I like it, much faster, better pictures.

EagleUK · #7 (**permalink**) 21-February-2005, 06:53 PM

Fraser,

I love the new look! The pages are much cleaner and easier to read.

I tried submitting your prototype page to the W3C site for validation, but it got hung up on the lack of encoding type instructions. Try going to http://validator.w3.org and entering your prototype page URL and you'll see what I mean.

It's worth your time to fix this as a validated page will work much better in most browsers.

Looking forward to the new site!

Cheers,

EagleUK :P

Fraser · #8 (**permalink**) 21-February-2005, 07:07 PM

Thanks Steve, I'll definitely be doing that at the end.

ChromeStar · #9 (**permalink**) 21-February-2005, 07:18 PM

Not bad!

bit-man · #10 (**permalink**) 21-February-2005, 07:37 PM

Really a very good desing, but the Google Ads at the top are kind of disturbing.
Perhaps putting them at the right is a good solution, don't you ??

chicagoastronomer · #11 (**permalink**) 21-February-2005, 08:59 PM

Frasier,

I agree on the Google Ad. It takes up much too much real estate on the page. A side bar would be better or even down at the bottom, but I would think Google doesn't like that much.

Also... With the links bar on the right and the images also on the right....it has become rightsided "heavy". If the links bar would be shifted to the left then visual balance is achevied. The "Recent forum Threads" could be on the top instead the bottom. As it's a smaller box, it is lost under the weight of the much longer links side bar. Would this be linked as well, as it is currently? If not, then I would keep the "Whats Happening on the Universe Today Forum" setup just the way it currently is on the bottom of the newsletter page.

I like that you are changing things around and asking for input. It means you are indeed a true servant of your readers and passioned about your endeavour.

Too cool.

Thanks for your work, as I come to depend on it.

Fraser · #12 (**permalink**) 21-February-2005, 11:36 PM

I know the Adsense is very prominent, but it kind of pays my rent. :-)

zephyr46 · #13 (**permalink**) 22-February-2005, 02:07 AM

I find it hard to change, I like the old design, I think if you like it fraser, go with it, this is your site.

Spacemad · #14 (**permalink**) 22-February-2005, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by zephyr46@Feb 22 2005, 03:07 AM
I find it hard to change, I like the old design, I think if you like it fraser, go with it, this is your site.

I think change is always difficult - we would all prefer to stay with the comfortable, old ways we all know so well but change, though not always, usually brings something good, better than the old ways, a different way of doing things, once we become accustomed to the new we wonder how we got along with the old! :P

uni dude 2005 · #15 (**permalink**) 22-February-2005, 06:28 PM

Frasier

i like the options underneath each page and i think you should have the links bar at the top and group the links down the side so when you click a link it takes you to a page with all the story's and what you put on there on that page

Sam

imported_Candy · #16 (**permalink**) 22-February-2005, 06:53 PM

:blink: Hi Frasier, yep good buddy like the new idea, keep up the good work ol" pal! Like a few have said the google is a bit of a problem, but as you said you need the pennies! so we will have to let you off ol! chum! just keep those amazing pics coming, & no-one will grumble I"m sure!

Karen M. · #17 (**permalink**) 22-February-2005, 07:13 PM

Hi, Fraser,

I like the redesign, my only suggestion would be with the Google ads on top. Can they be stacked in two colums so that they take up less space on the top?

The idea of the Top 25 on the Left and the link bytes and forum topics on the left might give it a ballanced feel.

Good luck, I love your site!

Karen

rahuldandekar · #18 (**permalink**) 23-February-2005, 04:20 AM

I like the design. Google ads present no problem, since you need money to run the site. Best of luck!

suntrack2 · #19 (**permalink**) 23-February-2005, 01:27 PM

nice design of your new site Fraser, well, you can add the no. of pages along with photos, referal sites page, sectionwise photos like jupiter and its moon and so on, the online reference library.+ some different sub-newsletter on different astronomical point of view topics+humour section along with the cartoons related with the humour of astronomy and space, start a special section on astronomy of the old times, some more avtar photos, some more buttons of smilies, some more buttons of hundreds of sites on books, and other sky chart of stars, sky chart at the local location by pressing the button the member can look the sky chart at his longitude. and so on. some information regarding with how to order the verious items through universe today, the payment options thereon, payment after delivery option can be available for the members, to order key chais of universetoday, the charts, catloges,calenders,kids material etc, small booklet on the every planet's information, the topics, some no. of forums on the sectionwise topics to discuss the universe, the forum on only sun, the forum on only global warming, forum on impact on decreasing forests on earth, the earth's forum, the tsunami forum, etc.

sunil

rdk77 · #20 (**permalink**) 24-February-2005, 05:37 AM

One Request :

Select a back ground which will give feel of the sky.

gnosys · #21 (**permalink**) 24-February-2005, 12:45 PM

The Google ads are indeed a problem. Is there any way to move them to one side or the other and put some content or art or something next to them, so it's not just text with tons of white space on either side? How 'bout putting them ABOVE the header, so the page is more unified? Or are you just stuck with the way they come?

I love the body of the page -- the bigger pictures, easier-to-read text, etc. -- but by comparison the header now looks not only isolated (by the Google ads) but somewhat dull . Would you consider a more graphically exciting look? What would really be nice would be a background with a photo or collage of photos -- if it could be done without adding significantly to the time it takes the page to download (although I suppose you could -- maybe you do -- offer a text only version for people with slower connections).

You know, the main thing is that "Universe Today" is such a wonderful resource, and on the whole it looks very good -- I just like to nitpick.

-- Peter

P.S. I like the idea of a background. That would also help unify the page.