Steven P. Administrators Posted August 24, 2014 Administrators Share Posted August 24, 2014 Today we are rolling out a new responsive design for the main page of Neowin news. Once the prerequisites are done, the main page will be offline until it is completed. We've taken into account all the feedback over the past couple of years, and the design has actually been almost a year in the making. It will now be fully responsive, with larger fonts and darkside is back.. there's even an "Auto mode" that changes the default theme to darkside on sunset. While we know it won't be perfect and there will most likely be bugs from the offset, we've had the test site open to staff and subscribers for the last month (and two weeks for subs) for feedback and based on that feedback we feel we're on the right track. A couple of points to make clear what is happening, - Only main will be updated today, once we're happy that we don't have to make further changes and ensure it is bug free, the wrapper on the forums will also get updated. - The "wrapper" is the header (navigation) and footer, the content area of the forums will remain as it is. - The forums will not see any major update, IPB4 will happen this year, and that is when we'll look at the forum style again. - We'll listen for bugs and feedback. ACTIONpack, Matthew_Thepc, Brandon H and 18 others 21 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sszecret Veteran Posted August 24, 2014 Veteran Share Posted August 24, 2014 It'sHappening.gif . Eager to see how the new design looks. Also, yay for darkside. :D Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549473 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Frank B. Subscriber² Posted August 24, 2014 Subscriber² Share Posted August 24, 2014 Good luck with the upgrade. Steven P. 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549487 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigurinn Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Looks actually pretty good. I usually really dislike when websites "upgrade" their designs (more often than not, it's a downgrade in my opinion) - but a big kudos to all involved in the new design astropheed 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549525 Share on other sites More sharing options...
123456789A Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Upgrading to what, Windows 8? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549527 Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Account no longer active) Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 The new front page is just horrible unprofessional. I'm very disappointed. I'm seriously considering switching to alternate news source. :( Please give viewers the choice to switch back to the old look. I'm not a fan at all of the huge fonts and excessive white space, and all the scrolling that comes with it. Robot Emas, Alera, M1ckyB and 4 others 7 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549543 Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqt Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 The new front page is just horrible. Very disappointed. I'm seriously considering switching to alternate news source. :( Please give viewers the choice to switch back to the old look. I too am actually very disappointed. I definitely prefer the last design. +E.Worm Jimmy, Alera, Raa and 1 other 4 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549555 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose_49 Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I like it a lot!!! :D I hope we can see now post likes in mobile!! Edit: Loving how the comment is at the top! Thanks Neobond Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549559 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dot Matrix Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 LOVE the flat look! :D Robot Emas and astropheed 2 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549563 Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Account no longer active) Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 LOVE the flat look! :D And the large fonts, and all that white space/HUGE icons? It's ridiculous that I can only see five latest news stories on a 24" screen! I don't mind a flat look, but why does everything have to double in size? I also dislike how news has been merged with app updates; even more time wasting with excessive scrolling. +E.Worm Jimmy and Raa 2 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549565 Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfirth Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 LOVE the flat look! :D It's still nowhere near flat enough, though. So many gradients. I'm reserving judgement for a few more hours/days, though. It's obviously not finished. Or it better not be. Too much dark gray text on dark blue background. There should have been a competition to come up with a redesign. +E.Worm Jimmy 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549567 Share on other sites More sharing options...
taim Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 The top slidedown menu gets in the way when I scroll up, I like how Ars Technica does it. Ice_Blue 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549569 Share on other sites More sharing options...
cork1958 Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Looks actually pretty good. I usually really dislike when websites "upgrade" their designs (more often than not, it's a downgrade in my opinion) - but a big kudos to all involved in the new design I agree. When most sites "upgrade" their designs, it's usually more than a downgrade. I'll give kudos also, even if I don't like it as much as the old design. I know what kind of work goes into this. The new front page is just horrible. I'm very disappointed. I'm seriously considering switching to alternate news source. :( Please give viewers the choice to switch back to the old look. I'm not a fan at all of the huge fonts and excessive white space, and all the scrolling that comes with it. Wouldn't say it's horrible, but not as smooth and easy on the eyes as previously. Yes, pleas give us the option to revert to old look!! Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549571 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven P. Administrators Posted August 24, 2014 Author Administrators Share Posted August 24, 2014 People who want to switch to the old look, can use their eyes and select the summary view for news listings :P We opened up a little too early for everyone, we still need to sort out a bunch of news logos and what-not Jose_49, dead.cell and Ian S. 3 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549573 Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Himanshu- Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Don't like it at all. +E.Worm Jimmy, tmaxxtigger, Raa and 1 other 4 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549575 Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead.cell Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 The "Forums" link on the main page goes to /forums/ instead of /forum/. Just thought I'd mention that so that people can visit the forums properly while you guys are working on the front page. Love the look btw! Cheers! Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549581 Share on other sites More sharing options...
taim Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Darkside looks nice :shiftyninja: +Cryton and Robot Emas 2 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549583 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose_49 Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I'm wondering how does the Auto Feature work? I like how it is changed instantaneously! Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549591 Share on other sites More sharing options...
las84 Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I like it guys, looks fresh and cleaner! well done. Larger fonts and images are nice. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549595 Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Account no longer active) Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Okay, it's not 'horrible', but certainly emphasizes 'unprofessional' in Neowin's slogan. Raa, pqt and +E.Worm Jimmy 3 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549597 Share on other sites More sharing options...
taim Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I'm wondering how does the Auto Feature work? I like how it is changed instantaneously! Changes the default theme to darkside on sunset. Jose_49 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549605 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrakeN2k Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Before everyone hates the new look and calls it horrible.Nothing can beat this: http://www.lingscars.com/That is horrible. MiniMeSorinel, Robot Emas and kalel83 3 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549607 Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkrats Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Major disappointment here. Instead of at least taking its own path, Neowin has decided to go with the crowd. Giant fonts, giant images, lots of white, empty space and less content on the front page. Clearly another site going for a layout more suited to tablets and other small devices, rather than the traditional large monitor. I don't suppose any of our comments, even if hundreds are posted, will make any difference as to whether Neowin changes back to the old format. But, speaking only for myself, I will be changing my favorites/bookmarks to point directly at this forum and by-passing the main page. Ars Technica and many other sites seem to think that "dumbing down" their pages will bring in the viewers, and now Neowin has followed in their footsteps. It may bring in the numbers, but it's a real shame to see it happen here. Just my opinion. Raa 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549613 Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Account no longer active) Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I'm happy after zooming out on the page, however the width of the main column resizes to 1/3! Please add zoom in/out (CSS) buttons if possible. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549615 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dot Matrix Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 And the large fonts, and all that white space/HUGE icons? It's ridiculous that I can only see five latest news stories on a 24" screen! I don't mind a flat look, but why does everything have to double in size? I also dislike how news has been merged with app updates; even more time wasting with excessive scrolling. The large fonts, and tiles will make it easier to use the site with touch. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1226831-whats-that-message-at-the-top-of-the-forums-were-upgrading/#findComment-596549617 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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