Comments on: Testing a new front page layout http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/ portable pc, mobile computer, pocket pc and handheld computing Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:29:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: rlmoss http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-16148 rlmoss Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:13:30 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-16148 Chippy, I was simply confused on first look. It's kind of outlier and neither normative or intuitive. If QuickNews serves as proxy index, readers will expect it either on right or left column. slashdot.org is a prototype for that layout. OTOH, the much respected Foreign Policy magazine (foreignpolicy.com) runs Flash Points in as center column bordered by 2pt red box. It seems to work. Richard Chippy, I was simply confused on first look. It’s kind of outlier and neither normative or intuitive. If QuickNews serves as proxy index, readers will expect it either on right or left column. slashdot.org is a prototype for that layout.
OTOH, the much respected Foreign Policy magazine (foreignpolicy.com) runs Flash Points in as center column bordered by 2pt red box. It seems to work.

Richard

]]> By: chippy http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-15812 chippy Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:12:16 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-15812 OK. I think i've settled on the current layout for the time being. I won't have any time to do changes before CES or the MIDMoves tour so i'll leave it like this for now. OK. I think i’ve settled on the current layout for the time being. I won’t have any time to do changes before CES or the MIDMoves tour so i’ll leave it like this for now.

]]> By: admin http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-15203 admin Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:27:06 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-15203 Testing out the front page without the featured article Testing out the front page without the featured article

]]> By: Chippy http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-15194 Chippy Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:07:42 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-15194 I've enabled /blog for people that want the old style blog layout. http://www.umpcportal.com/blog Steve I’ve enabled /blog for people that want the old style blog layout.
http://www.umpcportal.com/blog

Steve

]]> By: CASE http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-15190 CASE Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:30:08 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-15190 Prefer the old 2 columns layout; hate the small column in the middle and the HIGHLIGHTS on top left. When I reload the home page I want to see the latest article on top left; not always the same one... Anyway, just my 2 cents. Love the blog and will continue reading, but I have to admit, I'm visiting twice as fewer times due to the new interface. Prefer pocketables or JKK... You rule man, don't get me wrong; just having a hard time with the layout. Cheers Prefer the old 2 columns layout; hate the small column in the middle and the HIGHLIGHTS on top left. When I reload the home page I want to see the latest article on top left; not always the same one…

Anyway, just my 2 cents.

Love the blog and will continue reading, but I have to admit, I’m visiting twice as fewer times due to the new interface. Prefer pocketables or JKK…

You rule man, don’t get me wrong; just having a hard time with the layout.

Cheers

]]> By: Chippy http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-14785 Chippy Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:15:25 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-14785 The blog format is now an option.... http://www.umpcportal.com/blog I'm still fine tuning it so expect the occasional hiccup. Will link from the front page. Have also put 'latest' news list at the top of the front page. Not sure if i'll keep that. As for the homepage itself, there's two or three things that make me want to keep it. 1 - Higher content/ad ratio. We had ten stories before, now you can glance over 20. 2 - Smaller size. The front page loads a lot quicker now due to the smaller images. 3 - THe highlight feature. 4 - Keeping 're-blog' or 'microblog' type posts out of the main stream. I'm going to leave it for a week like this and we'll see how it goes in terms of traffic and feeback. Steve The blog format is now an option….

http://www.umpcportal.com/blog

I’m still fine tuning it so expect the occasional hiccup.
Will link from the front page.

Have also put ‘latest’ news list at the top of the front page. Not sure if i’ll keep that.

As for the homepage itself, there’s two or three things that make me want to keep it.
1 – Higher content/ad ratio. We had ten stories before, now you can glance over 20.
2 – Smaller size. The front page loads a lot quicker now due to the smaller images.
3 – THe highlight feature.
4 – Keeping ‘re-blog’ or ‘microblog’ type posts out of the main stream.

I’m going to leave it for a week like this and we’ll see how it goes in terms of traffic and feeback.

Steve

]]> By: Vakeros http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-14747 Vakeros Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:20:04 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-14747 Not quite, Left would & right are both thin. So HIGHLIGHT and FEEDER (popular, latest etc.) Middle, which would be far larger, (i.e 400 pix to the left and right of 200 each or if you are overall 960 and you want to fit within 640 then make the side columns 240 wide each. This does mean you waste 80pix.) Right as is minus the FEEDER. Not quite,
Left would & right are both thin. So HIGHLIGHT and FEEDER (popular, latest etc.)
Middle, which would be far larger, (i.e 400 pix to the left and right of 200 each or if you are overall 960 and you want to fit within 640 then make the side columns 240 wide each. This does mean you waste 80pix.)
Right as is minus the FEEDER.

]]> By: fab http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-14738 fab Sat, 13 Dec 2008 20:06:09 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-14738 sorry, gottabemobile does not have 3 columns, but the older version of that website was easier to read. umpcportal was very good to read, now seems full...don't know where to start. sorry, gottabemobile does not have 3 columns, but the older version of that website was easier to read. umpcportal was very good to read, now seems full…don’t know where to start.

]]> By: fab http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-14737 fab Sat, 13 Dec 2008 20:04:19 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-14737 i think now i can say i liked the older version better. 3 columns is too much.. that's why i'm reading gottabemobile.com less...unfortunately. it looks a bit cluttered now. i think now i can say i liked the older version better. 3 columns is too much.. that’s why i’m reading gottabemobile.com less…unfortunately. it looks a bit cluttered now.

]]> By: AI http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-14733 AI Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:02:20 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-14733 Liked the old design better; too busy... 2 colums max I would say; 3 is too many, ! is ideal. My 2 cents Liked the old design better; too busy…

2 colums max I would say; 3 is too many, ! is ideal.

My 2 cents

]]> By: JM Cador http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-14732 JM Cador Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:49:46 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-14732 Hi Steve Nice looking main web page. Just one suggestion: how about colour background for the quick news column? Regards John M Hi Steve

Nice looking main web page.

Just one suggestion: how about colour background for the quick news column?

Regards

John M

]]> By: admin http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-14731 admin Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:46:20 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-14731 Hi This is exactly what im working on now! Steve Hi
This is exactly what im working on now!

Steve

]]> By: davetweed http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-14728 davetweed Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:55:54 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-14728 Sorry for the delay responding. It wasn't so much what the title was that there's this title at the top of each item of its type. I know it's a trade-off that's probably useful for first time site visitors but I find them visually strong elements that pull my eye to something I already know ("its in the second column so it's short news"). I don't think any layout will please everyone; I was just commenting for your information. Sorry for the delay responding. It wasn’t so much what the title was that there’s this title at the top of each item of its type. I know it’s a trade-off that’s probably useful for first time site visitors but I find them visually strong elements that pull my eye to something I already know (“its in the second column so it’s short news”).

I don’t think any layout will please everyone; I was just commenting for your information.

]]> By: jquint http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-14720 jquint Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:25:11 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-14720 Isn't there a way to put the old format in a "news" page? Ars Technica has a similar front page layout, but I bookmark their news page which has a wide, news-only format. Isn’t there a way to put the old format in a “news” page? Ars Technica has a similar front page layout, but I bookmark their news page which has a wide, news-only format.

]]> By: heavyharmonies http://www.umpcportal.com/2008/12/testing-a-new-front-page-layout/#comment-14626 heavyharmonies Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:30:53 +0000 http://www.umpcportal.com/?p=4459#comment-14626 Guess I'll be a naysayer: I liked the old layout better. This one is too busy and too generic. Change isn't always necessary... Guess I’ll be a naysayer: I liked the old layout better. This one is too busy and too generic.

Change isn’t always necessary…

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