New site changes

[PCGUY112887]

As a web developer I figured I should chime in on some things here.

Recently I have noticed some changes to this site, which I love very much. One of them being the bar on the right side of the page. This bar makes tables break when you login, and makes none of the pages fit on a 1024x768 monitor (standard resolution for most people). I have to scroll across the screen to view anything. Doing away with the right bar or somehow making it optional in the profile but not default is strongly suggested. Pages have become way too cluttered with it.

Another thing I noticed is recently when I was trying to run a search. The image verification is useful however impractical. Unless you specifically have people abusing the server with the search, it shoulden't be there. Some of the images I can bairly make out the letters, and everytime I find myself going back to search for something else the page isn't refreshed so I get an error when I search since the image isn't refreshed.

There is also obviouselly a server timeout limit set way too short. I tried to do a simple search for "swaybar" in suspension only, all topics within a month and the page would come up blank due to the server cutting the script off too soon. This makes searching practically impossible.

The 60degree store image could be made smaller so it doesn't crush the navigation table right on the left of it. The nav table gets crushed into 5 lines just posting here when it only needs to be 2-3.

This is more of a personal thought but it seems that the grey background clashes with everything else, seems like a white or just off white would be better. One other personal thought would be to change the default from showing topics within the last month to the last 3 or 6 months. Some areas (such as suspension) look very blank because of the default setting of 1 month.

Please don't take it in a bad way, I just wanted to give some ideas on some things.

Edit - Could also shorten up the max topic title legnth, or make the lines break. The topic in this forum about the ventrillo chat server seriouselly streatches the page out.

[sil]

i agree things need to get resized, and moved around a bit
i didnt want to say anything cuase i prolly would have gotten yelled at lol

left bar is way to skinny, text beside the store banner is way to scrunched up
things dont really line up

[bszopi]

Ok, I'm always open to comments, but I'll provide some input back as well as more questions. First, let me just start by saying that I am trying to improve the site's layout, hence some of the recent changes. Obviously, its a problem, though, to design a layout in IE7 (no sidebar) and 1280x1024. Everything looks beautiful on my end. But, lets get started...

I've switched to 1024x768 to write this, and without the IE sidebar, the main page still looks fine to me with no lower scrollbar. And that is with the right menu expanded. Collapse the Nav Bar and Recent Threads, and its even better. The right column is only on the main page, so I don't see how it affected the site layout much. When I enable to IE sidebar, then things do get pretty scrunched. Placing the pictures on the side was Ben's idea (they were at the very bottom of the page before, with the news up top). Again, since it is only on the main page, I'm still wondering why you are saying PAGES are becoming cluttered with it.

Ok, next... The search thing. I guess I've never actually used the Advanced Search and never even knew about the Image Verification. I always just use the dropdown search. I can probably fix that tonight quite easily. As far as the server timeout settings, I really don't have any control over that. I'll try the same search out tonight and see if I get the same issue. Maybe it was just a fluke?

I mentioned the Store Logo size to Ben the other night as well, or maybe moving it to a different location (was thinking of doing a News Bar with the logo and STORE news), but he didn't like the idea. Its still officially his site, so its up to him as far as the logo size/location. But I do agree, it causes some issues, especially at smaller screen resolutions.

Colors... ehhh, I might mess with something else. White I think would be too bright and the light grey is basically off white (again, I guess depending on your screen settings... 32 Mil here). I might test some other colors out. As far as the default setting for threads shown, that SHOULD be settable per user, but maybe not. I can look into that as well tonight.

As far as the Topic Length, I can probably shorten that. Its few and far between when someone actually makes a topic that really causes any issues. I might just edit the Ventrillo title if anything, since its already there.

Sil, you "got in trouble" for something totally different that affects the site in quite a different way. Other comments are always at least looked at.

[SappySE107]

I don't want the store pic to be sticking out somewhere. If it can all blend together well I don't care. I didn't like the idea of site and store news on the site. I have a whole section for store stuff.

I actually wanted the recent threads gone and the pictures under the site directory on the left side, but it doesn't bother me either way.

[bszopi]

Although it might make the screen longer, I can move everything to the left side, but make the different "blocks" collapsable on themselves (like the right side is right now), plus make the whole left column collapsable (again, like it is right now). That would allow for a "Forum Only" look throughout for those who want it, or people to show whichever blocks they want on the left and collapse the others. How does that sound?

[SappySE107]

It might get too long. How about we just have 1 picture from the gallery and 5 recent threads on the left side with nothing on the right?