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14 Replies Last post: Jun 5, 2008 11:43 PM by aaronmarks  
Click to view Macworld.com's profile Enthusiast
Macworld.com
1,900 posts since
Feb 6, 2004
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Dec 12, 2007 1:10 PM

Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign: Change is at hand

We plan to launch the all-new Web site on Thursday. That means there will be numerous pieces up in the air, and we’ll be working hard to ensure all those pieces land in the proper location. So here are some things that may/may not be functioning as we do our last bit of work. more
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Click to view jmincey's profile Old Hand
jmincey
3,964 posts since
Aug 27, 2004
1. Dec 12, 2007 4:29 PM in response to: Macworld.com
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
Very exciting developments. What new forum software package are you guys migrating to? Is it one which is custom developed for Macworld or an off-the-shelf package? Or do you wish to play this close to the vest for now?

And what is the impetus behind the change from the current forum software to the new?
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Click to view Jason Snell's profile Macworld Editorial
Jason Snell
2,215 posts since
Dec 11, 2000
2. Dec 12, 2007 4:42 PM in response to: jmincey
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
Jive, which is what many sites (Cnet, Apple) use. No denying it's going to be bumpy for a little while -- we appreciate your patience. We'll work through the bugs.

The impetus on moving: We want to have a single platform for all forums for the entire company. Right now we have three or four, depending on how you count. And Jive offers some nifty features that will hopefully make it worth the effort going into this migration.

As Curt said, see you on the other side...

Jason Snell, Editorial Director, Macworld
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Click to view flybynight's profile Member
flybynight
557 posts since
Jul 21, 2006
3. Dec 12, 2007 5:26 PM in response to: Macworld.com
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
Good luck. Keep up the good work - no matter what the design looks like... the great content is what counts!
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Click to view grimmster's profile New Member
grimmster
2 posts since
Dec 12, 2007
4. Dec 12, 2007 5:40 PM in response to: Macworld.com
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
The one thing I would comment on is that the new design is too wide. I don't like my browser window filling the entire screen, and not all of us are using wide screens. Keep the design at 800-900 pixels wide.
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Click to view melgross's profile Member
melgross
237 posts since
Sep 9, 2004
5. Dec 12, 2007 5:46 PM in response to: Macworld.com
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
I feel somewhat frustrated over this as I didn't know anything about the beta, which I certainly would have visited, and commented upon. When was this announced? I read the site every day, and don't remember reading about it.
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Click to view alansky's profile Member
alansky
390 posts since
Jul 14, 2004
6. Dec 12, 2007 5:51 PM in response to: grimmster
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
Quote:<hr />
The one thing I would comment on is that the new design is too wide. I don't like my browser window filling the entire screen, and not all of us are using wide screens. Keep the design at 800-900 pixels wide.

<hr />


I totally disagree. Not everyone has a wide screen, but the day is fast coming when this will be the case. My iMac screen is 1680x1050. Limiting web pages to 800 (or even 900) pixels when a 20" wide-screen LCD goes for less than 200 bucks is not a smart idea. Good advice five years ago, but not now. In case anyone hasn't heard, the 800x600 monitor is dead and buried.
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Click to view cpoff's profile Macworld Editorial
cpoff
663 posts since
Mar 25, 2005
7. Dec 12, 2007 5:53 PM in response to: melgross
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
It was up all last week and taken down yesterday.

Plus it was announced in not just one, but two Editors Notes blog entries. Both of which appeared in the daily headline roll.

Oh, and it was also a topic of discussion in the Website Feedback and Redesign Beta forum areas over that same timeframe.

- cp
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Click to view grimmster's profile New Member
grimmster
2 posts since
Dec 12, 2007
8. Dec 12, 2007 6:24 PM in response to: alansky
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
I personally find it difficult to pack a widescreen monitor in my laptop back with my 14" iBook. It has a maximum resolution of 1024 x780; obviously that's wider than 800-900 pixels. I also said it was my preference not to have the browser fill the screen. A browser window 800 pixels wide would obviously fill the screen on a 800 x 600 screen, wouldn't it.

Of the five computers in my household, not a single one has a widescreen monitor. Only my iMac at work does, and I don't like the browser filling the entire screen on that, either.
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Click to view randombob's profile New Member
randombob
98 posts since
Dec 30, 2004
9. Dec 12, 2007 6:47 PM in response to: grimmster
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
Quote:<hr />
The one thing I would comment on is that the new design is too wide. I don't like my browser window filling the entire screen, and not all of us are using wide screens. Keep the design at 800-900 pixels wide.

<hr />


I am in agreement here. I'd rather see a design that can expand to take up the available space, starting at 800 pixels or so wide. The thing is, these are the days of multitasking. If my browser window is HUGE, it sort of impedes on the screen real estate that I'm trying to keep open for other things at a glance (calendar, mail, other browser windows, etc).

I don't think it's a matter of 800 pixels wide and NO MORE, it's a case of "Man, I'd sure like to be able to see all the pertinent content WITHOUT having to block everything else that may be going on in my lil' computer world."

I lodged the same complaint in one of the other threads. I know it's minor but it's still there. I'd prefer not to have to scroll side-to-side, or see ONLY Macworld.com.... It to me almost feels like a billboard battle: "My sign's bigger than theirs! Look at me! look at me! ignore everything else! Look at me! big sign! See!?! BIG SIGN!"
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Click to view nyip11's profile New Member
nyip11
172 posts since
Aug 16, 2006
10. Dec 12, 2007 7:02 PM in response to: grimmster
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
Quote:<hr />
I personally find it difficult to pack a widescreen monitor in my laptop back with my 14" iBook. It has a maximum resolution of 1024 x780; obviously that's wider than 800-900 pixels. I also said it was my preference not to have the browser fill the screen. A browser window 800 pixels wide would obviously fill the screen on a 800 x 600 screen, wouldn't it.

Of the five computers in my household, not a single one has a widescreen monitor. Only my iMac at work does, and I don't like the browser filling the entire screen on that, either.

<hr />

I fully agree. I have a big monitor at work but I don't like using big windows sizes.
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Click to view lwdesign's profile Member
lwdesign
477 posts since
Sep 28, 2005
11. Dec 12, 2007 8:03 PM in response to: Macworld.com
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
I'm not exactly sure why Macworld.com has to change its design. What I really like about the current site is that it's a nice, clean design, and the content is right up front with little distractions from ads and other bells and whistles. I looked in on the beta site twice in the last week and noted each time that the ads tended to take first place in competing for attention, with content coming in second. The primary purpose of design is to communicate the central idea of the site. I'm hoping the new site isn't as dispersed as the 2 betas I saw, and that the articles themselves take center stage. I visit Macworld.com 2-3 times daily, and it is my central source for keeping in touch with everything Mac. I've loved my experience with the site so far, and hopefully the new design will enhance my user experience.
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Click to view bwanderson's profile New Member
bwanderson
79 posts since
Jul 24, 2005
12. Dec 12, 2007 8:45 PM in response to: alansky
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
Quote:<hr />
Quote:<hr />
The one thing I would comment on is that the new design is too wide. I don't like my browser window filling the entire screen, and not all of us are using wide screens. Keep the design at 800-900 pixels wide.

<hr />


I totally disagree. Not everyone has a wide screen, but the day is fast coming when this will be the case. My iMac screen is 1680x1050. Limiting web pages to 800 (or even 900) pixels when a 20" wide-screen LCD goes for less than 200 bucks is not a smart idea. Good advice five years ago, but not now. In case anyone hasn't heard, the 800x600 monitor is dead and buried.

<hr />


I've got a 20" widescreen monitor (1680x1050) and I keep Firefox at about 2/3 of that. 1,000 pixels would be the sweet spot for me. Why not maximise the thing? Well, first that just looks like crap. Lots of unutilised space which now CAN'T be used for anything. I've got a clear view of several hundred pixels on my desktop which I can use for various things. I've got a video playing right now, and it fits neatly into that space so I can watch the Simpsons and type this at the same time. I put other stuff back there to keep an eye on it as well. Second, I'm not a Windows refugee.

I guess the point here is that just because YOU use the whole screen to browse, not everyone does, and you're not "more right" than someone like me who only uses part of the screen. I'd rather see the design properly scale to the user's browser rather than be forced to maximise my window.
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Click to view whitedog's profile Enthusiast
whitedog
989 posts since
Aug 9, 2004
13. Dec 12, 2007 8:47 PM in response to: lwdesign
Re: Editors' Notes Weblog: Macworld.com Redesign:
Ads are a pain on most sites. For that reason I use both PithHelmet and Saft to control page content and display. Each has different options and together they do a fine job of blocking unwanted page clutter - including those most annoying blinking/moving ads that are all the rage these days, even on Macworld.com. PithHelmet in particular is easy to disable on those occasions when it blocks necessary web content. However, the simplest solution is to use the free GoodVibrations style sheet; it blocks most ads as well.

Don't anthropomorphize computers - They hate that.
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Click to view aaronmarks's profile New Member
aaronmarks
1 posts since
Jun 5, 2008
14. Jun 5, 2008 11:43 PM in response to: Macworld.com
Re: Macworld.com Redesign: Change is at hand
I just wanted to add that this keyboard also comes with the Mac Pro. Personally, I'm a fan.
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