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poll Do you like the new NamePros theme/layout?

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Do you like the new Namepros theme/layout?

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  • Yes

  • No

  • This poll is still running and the standings may change.

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VJB

Established Member
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
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I think it's too similar to the old theme. It's playing things too predictably. I understand why. Because this was a mammoth task anyway. But I think everybody was used to the old theme, foibles and all. So producing something similar but with stuff still not implemented, is probably going to upset a quite a few people. If it was me. I understand the problem. I probably would have gone the same route. But would have taken longer to go back online. In order to get more stuff working familiarly. NPs are trying to get forum for the 21st century with an interface designed for the 20th century. IMHO. Now, well almost now, I would start designing the wow me interface for the 21st century. Any new theme should be in addition to this old theme. And let the people to decide.
 
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I still can't get used to it. I have been less active since the change.

Brad
 
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I think there has been a significant drop in postings from my perspective. I don't know how visitors are holding up.
 
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Great update congratulations!
 
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So producing something similar but with stuff still not implemented, is probably going to upset a quite a few people.
Agreed, but as it was explained to us, maintaining two completely different pieces of software was making everything take twice as long because each change had to be made in two places, so while it is rougher now, it’ll be a lot better in a few weeks.

I still can't get used to it.
Exactly. I'm feeling the same way
What could we change to improve it?

The tech team is making changes at a steady pace.

Please let us know.
 
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Feels like it's getting more and more bloated with useless features that most users don't even want, while core functionality improvements are being ignored.
 
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In other words:
-Focus on the useful features only.
-Try to use a theme as similar to the previous as possible.
 
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What could we change to improve it?

The tech team is making changes at a steady pace.

Please let us know.
I guess it's just a question of design, not about tech.
As easy as it seems, a design change can make people feel a completely different experience on the site.
That's why Google has not changed it's minimal and white search page since their inception.
They even haven't changed the colors of their logo... they know the day they change it to a "yahoo" like first page with worthless news and the likes, will be their end.

Sometimes, the simplest and easiest designs are the most difficult to reach.
NP previous design was one of a kind. Now I guess it's like the rest of xenforo designs out there.

Just for a test, make a new css that loads the site the most similar to the old layout as possible.
Same color, same columns, same font size.
If you still have a backup of the old forum, just take a look and make a new css layer as similar as that one.
Then place an option at user's preferences, to change css style, from the current one to the "old one".
And then see how many people change and use each style.
Just giving my two cents (y)
 
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In the total spectrum of information transfer options, you have traditional text-oriented IRC, dull RFCs and IETF mailing lists on the one hand. Perfect to communicate with each other professionally, but perhaps a bit boring. On the other hand, you have Instagram, TikTok, and NFTs :) which do this very differently.

The form of communication largely determines the audience, the quality level of the individual contributions, and the frequency of participation. At the moment, NP has too much Windows XP feel, imo.

If the design of this forum is refined a bit further, and the focus is (even) more on the actual text content of the postings and less on the bells and whistles around it, I think it will be pretty fine again. NamePros' Tech team is working on it and I look forward to seeing the improvements soon.
 
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For nostalgic reasons :xf.cool:

A screenshot of this forum at Archive.org, taken on November 1, 2021.

In that version, I especially liked the compactness, the smaller blue category pictograms, the font colors, the way "Latest" posts were presented, and the location of the "New Posts" section (completely above the fold). May you rest in peace.

Looking forward to any small improvements of the new version <3

Screenshot 2021-11-23 at 00-33-58 NamePros Community.png
 
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Which one is cleaner? :unsure:

The first one of course :) The second won looks like some kind of childish scribbling and no identification of the poster. Is the second one really replacing the first one? I'm taking a guess. Is this the new chat? It looks AWFUL.
 
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The first image and the second image are identical in terms of information except the first one cuts off the end of the title if it's too long.

For New posts and Auction activity, it seems to make sense to limit the length of the title. For the rest (e.g., Popular this week), it probably makes the most sense to show the full title.

What do you think?
 
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The first image and the second image are identical in terms of information except the first one cuts off the end of the title if it's too long.

For New posts and Auction activity, it seems to make sense to limit the length of the title. For the rest (e.g., Popular this week), it probably makes the most sense to show the full title.

What do you think?
I like the first one better. It's calmer to the eye and faster to interpret.

For a couple of reasons:
  • It is more compact (smaller font + cut-off longer titles)
  • It has more contrast (both the box background and the font color)
  • The user avatars really stand out, because of the square borders
Cutting-off long titles in the "New Posts" box is no problem for me. In the old forum version, hovering over these titles always showed the full title, which no longer seems the case in this new version. But in most cases we can dream the titles of frequently used threads, and it's nice that they are shortened a bit... It's pretty clear what it's about.

Most of these remarks are applicable to other parts of the new forum layout, as well.
 
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@Bravo Mod Team - I've not really got any skin in this game because I don't use the chat room. But I think you should wake up and smell the roses, if you are proposing the 2nd option rather than the first option. If the first option is available. If you are proposing the 2nd picture for the auctions. I use that every day. So I think you should wake up, etc. I don't have any issues with title length using the wide screen. You should limit the width of the title on the wide screen and on the small screen to the screen width of small/wide screens. IMHO.
 
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Why do I prefer the first version? Well @Future Sensors expressed that very well in the post above my last post.
 
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I still can't get used to it. I have been less active since the change.
You're almost inactive, indeed. Which changes do you think are essential to be able to participate actively again?
 
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You're almost inactive, indeed. Which changes do you think are essential to be able to participate actively again?

The notifications when it came to "like", "thanks", and "agree" are often what lead me back to a thread to check for any new posts. I don't seem to receive any of these any more.

Without those, it is kind of out of sight out of mind when it comes to a lot of threads I might otherwise be interested in.

The site also just seems less intuitive to navigate, and less active in general.

Also, while I infrequently used the chat room it did always seem like a source of activity. I think that feature is missed by many.

Brad
 
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