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Time to update forum design?


vanz

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I was just thinking...is it about time we change up the appearance of the forum? From browsing, it looks like there are quite a few of people that can come up with a new look. Even a logo would be nice to have.

 

I'm just saying though...the site is already nice already.

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I was just thinking...is it about time we change up the appearance of the forum? From browsing, it looks like there are quite a few of people that can come up with a new look. Even a logo would be nice to have.

 

I'm just saying though...the site is already nice already.

If someone wanted to do this, I wouldn't mind giving a helping hand.

Here are a few sites that I've done.

http://www.brandonriehl.com/

http://www.riehl-ind.com/

http://www.therealmcdonalds.com/

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We went thru this a while back and the board came to the conclusion that the fourms need to stay with the same look so there is some form of stability with the club/website. We want people to see the PNWMAS banner and even without the letters to know where they are. You don't see all the other sites changing their logos and banners just because they are looking for something new. After all that the club has gone thru in the last year we need some stability.

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Well that's fine. Don't worry about it, I was just asking. No offense taken. I like how the colors are easy on the eyes, a lot better than some predatory fish boards that I've been to. Could make you blind by reading an entire thread.

 

Props to you and jay for volunteering and doing all of this on your own! If you guys need any help with design stuff, you can ask. There are many here that are willing to help.

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Not to step on anybody's toes, or to try and put down any of the work here, but i hope you can take some professional critism from a graduated web designer. The front page is simply a macromedia dreamweaver template page, with a few things changed, and a banner added. The banner looks great, dont get me wrong, but the site kinda has an "amateurish" feeling to it.

 

the forums, well.. ive really never understood why all the pages, no matter where you are, have a side scrolling bar. that is a big big no-no in the web design circles. never ever have a page with a side scroll, unless its absolutely necissary. and without looking at code, or other things, the only thing i can come up with is that the banner is a bit too big. it might not seem like a big deal, but as you get more and more users, with different types of screen resolutions, that bottom scroller, can take up valuable space on your screen. I'd really hate to see what it looks like in 800x600 resolution. Most websites, especially corporate, or otherwise professional, always mock up their sites for at least 800x600 resolution. sure.. not many people use it still, but there are some, and it makes the orientation of websites... just look better.

 

and for some reason, i just feel like im at a baby website or something, when it comes to the color scheme of the forums. true, its supposed to have that "ocean" feeling theme, but, i think a little tweaking would be a good thing. and i noticed its a vbulletin board, you might be better satisfied with a phpbb board, as you'd have alot more options, and considerabley better security. but.. that may not be an option.

 

again.. dont get me wrong here, i was also a member of the old board, so i remember what it USED to look like, and its a huge step foward. but as time goes by, and the club grows, i think a more "clean, streamlined" website/forum is gonna be better overall for the validation of the site as a valuable resource for local reefers in our area.

 

now.. i know what your gonna say, "We do this for free. Why dont you help, if you think changes are needed." well.. i dont know if you remember, but i did offer my services for free, when the issue of a new site and forums, were first brought up. and didnt get any response.

 

so please, please, dont think of this as a bash post, its far from it. I praise all the hardwork done by the officers, for their time, and money to keep this board and website up and running smoothly.

 

and yes.. i know i need to pay my dues :p ... just lazy and always forget.. i should do it right now as a matter of fact :p

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Guest Mbeef61

lol everyones complaining about side scrolling....thats when you know we are getting lazy as humans...next someone will read it for us and turn the page too...you would think a graduated web designer would know how to change the settings of his own computer....but maybe thats too much work too. hahaha

 

i think its a great great site...besides it is done for FREE. i cant think of too many more people that would spend all day on it for nothing. colors are easy to read...everything is super easy to find and is nice and fast. dont change anything. changing colors and fonts and banner is simply a waste of time.

is great as is so why fix it.

 

great work spayne and chief....i greatly appreciate your work...this site helps alot of people connect with eachother in a rather small widespread hobby...keep up the GREAT work.

mike

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Hmm...is it possible to cut down the banner by 6 pixels? I'm not sure how vbulletin works, or coding stuff...but it looks like the forum border is 3 pixels each side, making the total width to be about 1030. I believe that's the reason the side to side scroll bar shows up. But I don't really know. Does that make sense?

 

Also...I agree with Dippin

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This is the way I feel about it as Treasurer and a active member. It seems like this website issue is brought up a lot. The main reason there will be no change most likely is that in the short time that this club has had dues and a website it has had 3 Different Web Designers and a lot of good information lost from the first website (issues with the first designer) . James, Keith and now Stacey and Jay. The problem is longevity. I would love to maybe see more snazzy things and some improvements but is the person that is gonna do them gonna be around very long? Most people in this hobby are in and out. Thats the way most hobbies are. Also is the person that wants to do the changes gonna be there at 6:30 AM when the site goes down for the day to deal with it? Its a lot more work than what I think some people realize.

 

I will say this though. If someone was to take their time and design a site and approach the board and memebers with this site that would be different. There also needs to be a commitment which is a very big one! Later Ryan

 

Also Dippin61 I think your services would be welcomed. They might have just been overlooked when you offered. I would really like to see some of your work. Lets see what ya can do! :)

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lol everyones complaining about side scrolling....thats when you know we are getting lazy as humans...next someone will read it for us and turn the page too...you would think a graduated web designer would know how to change the settings of his own computer....but maybe thats too much work too. hahaha

 

i think its a great great site...besides it is done for FREE. i cant think of too many more people that would spend all day on it for nothing. colors are easy to read...everything is super easy to find and is nice and fast. dont change anything. changing colors and fonts and banner is simply a waste of time.

is great as is so why fix it.

 

great work spayne and chief....i greatly appreciate your work...this site helps alot of people connect with eachother in a rather small widespread hobby...keep up the GREAT work.

mike

 

theres really no need for the terse tone of the beginning of your post. Like I said, it was just some professional critisism. Thats it. Coming from the industry, I see trends come and go as quckly as the reefing industry as well. Everyone remember the next hot thing in webpage splash pages? Flash was the hot new thing everyone was talking about, now look at it :p . It has nothing to do with my settings, how about the settings of someone who doesnt know anything more about computers except to turn it on, and surf? And text size does not fix the problem. And what about people who can not see very well, and have their rez up high, with large text? It just gets worse. I was only trying to bring that issue up. that is all. And lazy has nothing to do with it, it just makes it difficult sometimes to read things quickly and easily when some of the longer posts get cut off right at the end, and you have to scroll. I didnt realize this subject was such a touchy issue. and i'll refrain from ever bringing it up again and ever posting in a thread about it again.

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Hay all. My question is, on severall posting pages, I have to scroll WAY over to read it all, and on others i don't. Frankly, I don't like scrolling back and forth, just to read one persons paragraph. Then have to do the same, with each post, and when it has gone to severall pages. That's just to much. Would you mind if i posted the links to them?

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looks fine to me but i also keep everything at a higher resolution. Keith did a great setup job and our current officers have kept it running without much trouble to me. function over beauty is one of the first rules of a reefer IME so i think it works fine with the site too. either way works fine with me.

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Also Dippin61 I think your services would be welcomed. They might have just been overlooked when you offered. I would really like to see some of your work. Lets see what ya can do! :)

 

my latest "corporate" work was for KXJM Jammin FM's "The Playhouse" morning shows website. I worked there from 2004-05 doing all their graphics for their nightly tv show, website graphics, audio production, and hand held, and robotic cameras, and i designed their whole website as well, which they still use. and im actuallyl still in their credits and the end of their tv show LOL.. http://www.radioplayhouse.com

 

last year, i had also been in talks with Marc Levenson over at reefcentral.com about redoing his site as well, but time constraints, and a new baby kinda killed the project. Although i wish it hadnt, me and him had come up with some very nice touches for his site. and i kinda just got back into the hobby full time again, after the births of my son and daughter. so my tank is getting the treatment it deserves once again, and i just havnt had a chance to get with a marc again.

 

again.. im sorry for the topics i brought up. i was just trying to help out people at a board i tend to be at alot. i didnt think it was so touchy of a subject.

 

Shanno.

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Hay all. My question is' date=' on severall posting pages, I have to scroll WAY over to read it all, and on others i don't. Frankly, I don't like scrolling back and forth, just to read one persons paragraph. Then have to do the same, with each post, and when it has gone to severall pages. That's just to much. Would you mind if i posted the links to them?[/quote']

 

 

this is a setting in VBulliten where if someone posts a really big picture then it kicks the whole thread out to the end of the picture. someone needs to change it so it only extends the single post.

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We all know you guys busted your butts so don't worry about it Stacey, everyones just trying to help. Did you turn that evap on yet? You know we love you guys....

 

I personally really like the site... now if the person in charge of keeping the main page up to date would... oh.. nevermind. DOH!

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