New forum layout less usable

[Marjolein Katsma]

Apart from missing the time-dependent "sky" banner pictures (not just pretty but actually informative as a reminder of what time it is in your part of the world!) the new layout has become less usable as well: it no longer fits in an 800px-wide window, causing a scrollbar and hiding links and information.

(Apart from that I find it very ugly as well - but that's not the main issue - usability is!)

Please make sure your forum is usable in 800px-wide browser windows (the viewport would be narrower than that).

Screenshots made with my browser (FF) at 800px wide, my standard setting! The last screenshot shows I cannot even read the text of a forum message without scrolling: even line length is larger than the width of the viewport.

[Tim]

Hey Marjolein, I though you'd appreciate the fact that the forum now uses Verdana!

I've now added a "Scooter Narrow" style which will fit forum content in your 800px window.

I know some people may prefer forum styles that expand or shrink to fit the browser window, but I intend our forums to be integrated with the rest of the site, and for now at least our site has a fixed designed width.

[Michael Bulgrien]

New Look

I find it very ugly as well

I like the new look...but then I liked Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow.

[Marjolein Katsma]

Hi Tim,

Hey Marjolein, I though you'd appreciate the fact that the forum now uses Verdana!

Well, yes, but a more legible font doesn't help very much if you have to constantly move the horizontal scrollbar to read: your eyes can't naturally follow the flow of the lines - that preempts whatever advantage a more legible font has.

I've now added a "Scooter Narrow" style which will fit forum content in your 800px window.

Better, but the links in the footer are still cut off. At least I can now read without operating the scrollbar constantly.

I know some people may prefer forum styles that expand or shrink to fit the browser window, but I intend our forums to be integrated with the rest of the site, and for now at least our site has a fixed designed width.

Bad decision, sorry. A decrease in usablility is never good.

(And I now saw "Beta Home", too - how incredibly ugly! Why this throwback to mid-nineties style? The whole image of light-footed, efficient Beyond Compare is gone. Who designed this new branding for you?)

[Michael Bulgrien]

Software has been around a while

Why this throwback to mid-nineties style? The whole image of light-footed, efficient Beyond Compare is gone.

Mid-nineties? Mid 1900's maybe. Reminds me of the antique tins made by companies like Coca-Cola which have since become collector items. Kick scooters have been around for 100 years. Have they lost their edge simply because they have a long history and have been around for a while? Absolutely not. They've become lighter, stronger, more durable, and have a strong following by enthusiasts:

Razor Kick Scooters

Scooter Resources

I like the fact that this site doesn't look like every other forum out there. It is unique. It stands out. The classic look tells me that Scooter Software has been around a while. They have a strong following by "Scooter enthusiasts". But hey, you're entitled not to like it. In my opinion, the Scooter name stands on it's own. The appearance of the web site is not going to diminish my opinion of the product.

[Tim]

Thanks, Michael. We're definitely going for a '40s nostalgia look.

[Marjolein Katsma]

The classic look tells me that Scooter Software has been around a while. They have a strong following by "Scooter enthusiasts". But hey, you're entitled not to like it.

It tells me that the web design has regressed from modern to old-fashioned - apart from losing in usability which in itself is old-fashioned...

[ron]

I like it too, layout, functionality, look.