New Style

[lopan]

hey guys! This has been in the works for the past few weeks. the 44s has a fresh new look and I hope you enjoy it! More big changes are coming...

[evil_FUX]

I hope the top image isn't the only aspect of the minimalist look. Otherwise, makes the site look "harder." Looks god.

[lopan]

I hope the top image isn't the only aspect of the minimalist look.

What do you mean?

[blockthebox]

I really dig the new front page layout. Awesome.

[yellowdawg]

You missed an unquote. The link pointed to by the logo at the top of this thread directs you to a 404.

Looks good by the way. Edgier.

[lopan]

You missed an unquote. The link pointed to by the logo at the top of this thread directs you to a 404.
Thanks! Missed that.

[Scowl]

Looks snazzy!

[Makulita]

It feels clean but also a little disconcerting. There are these huge white spaces between the banner (which looks fucking awesome) and actual forum space.

[nskripchun]

Looks snazzy!

word!

I hope we keep the red color tho. I definitely associate it with the F44s site.

[lopan]

It feels clean but also a little disconcerting. There are these huge white spaces between the banner (which looks fucking awesome) and actual forum space.

What do you mean by big white spaces? Disconcerting? What browser are you using? Is it a design problem, or is it an actual rendering/coding problem?

[blockthebox]

Hey Lopan, I think what bothers me is that big ass Google ad above the banner. When I scroll down to view the page without the ad, the banner looks so much hotter. Whaddya think about making it vertical and have it run along the second column, maybe below web feeds or something? Is this even possible?

[kimtae]

Looks less angry and the white borders are distracting.

[Makulita]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/Makulita/HGUE.jpg

[nightshade]

The banner looks hot. There is a lot of hot going on.

But I also see white spaces. I'm on Firefox on a Mac.

[jaehwan]

Great job, Lopes! I like the way the blog is on one side and the message board is on the other.

But now that BTB pointed it out, I think I agree with her on the banner thing. The very first thing I notice when I pull up the site is the ad for the dating service on the very top part of the page. I'm probably going to notice it every time from now on. So maybe if the ad is under the banner or vertical, it might be less conspicuous.

It's a tough crowd tonight, I know. Sorry about that. Sigh...

[blockthebox]

^ 'Cause we care :)

If you got rid of that Google ad up top it would eliminate those white spaces on either side of the ad too. The whole page just looks better without that ad ....

(I'm on Firefox if it matters.)

[evil_FUX]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/Makulita/HGUE.jpg

Word, except my ad blocker blocks the ads. It's also what I meant earlier lopes. It makes sense for the front page because all the content is there, but in the forums it leaves a little something desired. IE7 btw haters.

[SamuraiJack]

Part of the goal seems to be the reduction of bandwidth costs...

The buttons and header colours might not match with the header.

Filling out the white space with something that matches the feel of the header might be nice.

[lopan]

Thanks, guys. I see what you mean.

The white spaces on the sides are unavoidable; the site was built for 1024x768, so if you have a whizbang widescreen monitor, you will see more blank space on the side.

As for the banner on the top, i hear what you're saying. Part of the goal for this redesign was also to allow the banners to stand out. I'm going to test it for now and see if we can generate some more adclicks. I know it's a bunch of shitty interracial dating ads and none of you wants to see that; i'm also going to be testing a new ad service that may allow us to show ads OTHER than chinalove.cn....

[evil_FUX]

Isn't there a way to manipulate the style sheet so that it'll scale the pixels of the graphics according the the user's resolution, I could've sworn there was?

You saw the news about Google sense coming to a crawl too?

[chocolatebutterfly]

I like the new look...

[jaehwan]

Lopes,

Sounds good, I'm all about the ad-clicks too!

However, I still agree with BTB on the placement of that top ad. Might it be possible to switch the places of the 44's banner and the ad? Instead of putting the ad vertically, maybe we could just put the 44's banner on top of the ad. Angryasianman has a similar setup:

His banner is on top
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa25/secret_049/AAM.jpg

Ours is on the bottom
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/Makulita/HGUE.jpg

The first thing you see on his page is "Angry Asian Man" (and that picture of the fake Bruce), while the first thing on our page is "Sharepoint" or "Chnlove." If we put the 44's banner on top, it'll make the 44's logo more noticeable and memorable, which will hopefully bring more people here, which will hopefully result in more ad-clicks, which will hopefully mean that D is that much closer to retirement.

Actually, I agree with everyone on the chnlove thing. We don't have enough rice-chasers to click the ads because everyone keeps chasing 'em away. We need Morimoto to advertise!

Edit: About the ad-clicks and internet traffic, everyone else please LINK LINK LINK us up on your blogs and websites!

[SamuraiJack]

I know it's a bunch of shitty interracial dating ads and none of you wants to see that; i'm also going to be testing a new ad service that may allow us to show ads OTHER than chinalove.cn....

Speak for yourself. Where else can I find my true Thai love, my pretty Vietnamese wife, or sexy Asian girls for dating?

Seriously though, I think it's a good idea to leave them on. It serves as a realistic reminder of the shit out there, and also it's ironic that by clicking on them, I'm taking money away from them and giving it to this web site. There's a small sense of satisfaction in that.

[Makulita]

Would it be possible to put a disclaimer though? We want it as proof that shit out there for Asians is fucked up and not that we endorse it, amirite?

[lopan]

Thanks for the feedback guys -- version 4.1 is just around the corner...

[lopan]

And version 4.1 is here! Gone is that hated "white space" and a return to something "grittier".

[Makulita]

i liekz it <3

[ellencho]

3 snaps in a z-formation :)

[nskripchun]

And version 4.1 is here! Gone is that hated "white space" and a return to something "grittier".

I like gritty. And I like seeing the Chinese lion again. heh.

[lopan]

^me, too. i also like hte gritty.

I just hope the revised look doesn't alienate our current/ prospective female readership!

[Scowl]

Looks good, although it takes longer to load up for me, now.

[lopan]

Looks good, although it takes longer to load up for me, now.
Yes, the graphics are larger now. It should take a bit longer... but it shouldn't be THAT noticeable. Don't tell me you're on dial up!!

[Scowl]

It hasn't slowed down that much but it's noticeable for me. I'm on cable.

[Dialectic]

And version 4.1 is here! Gone is that hated "white space" and a return to something "grittier".

You and I are inconsistent on the version number here. I considered the previous "white space" version as 3.1, and this as more of a 3.2, since we haven't made massive structural changes.

I take it you believe the "white space" was 4.0, and now this is 4.1? I'm uncomfortable with this breakdown.

[SamuraiJack]

I think the logo should have a link to the home page.

[lopan]

I think the logo should have a link to the home page.

I'm working on it. There's a bug in the code that isn't allowing it to work properly...

[lopan]

I'm uncomfortable with this breakdown.

Doesn't really matter, cuz you're not the one designing this. :)

[Ike]

I like this one more than the last one. =) Good job!

[evil_FUX]

Just wondering, why is there no facebook button for the blog posts? Heh, I just thought about this today. Get them youngins reading some real thought out shit.

[Scowl]

Just wondering, why is there no facebook button for the blog posts? Heh, I just thought about this today. Get them youngins reading some real thought out shit.

Yeah, even porn sites have facebook buttons.

So I've heard.

[nskripchun]

Yeah, even porn sites have facebook buttons.

So I've heard.

hell, we don't even have a FaceBook group yet!

[evil_FUX]

Eh, who cares as long as the material gets out. Besides this site serves as the group anyways. It'd be kind of redundant, unless the users here really have an urge to poke someone.

[JadeDragon]

Mmm, I'd like to poke D. ;)

[evil_FUX]

Mmm, I'd like to poke D. ;)
Hahah I feel for your husband.

[JadeDragon]

Meh, he'll survive anyway. Yes, I am a cold, cruel wife.

[Dialectic]

I feel for that poor bastard too.

[lopan]

Just wondering, why is there no facebook button for the blog posts?
Facebook buttons have been implemented. So start sharing!!