FJowners.com

General Category => Forum Suggestions => Topic started by: Marsh White on September 29, 2009, 11:04:05 AM

Title: New website design & features!
Post by: Marsh White on September 29, 2009, 11:04:05 AM
I have implemented a new look/feel & graphic design on the forum.  Besides a fresh new custom look that is easy on the eyes, I have also added some functional improvements to the website.

These are:

-   Animated News fader on the Home page.
-   The Avatar of the Last Poster in a particular category is shown on the Home page.
-   RSS feed icon for each master category now shown.
-   The 10 most Recent Posts now shown at the bottom of the Home page.
-   News button that shows the last 5 Introductions – the last 6 Recent Topics – and a News item.
-   Display now showing how many Members and Guests are viewing a particular board – (shown at the top while you are in that category).
-   The first couple of lines of text shown (preview) from the starting post in a particular topic.
-   FJRally.com button now permanent for those who don't know about that website and the FJ Rallies etc.

The old forum was a nearly stock template.  I hope this new look helps to set our forum apart from the rest and make it more memorable to the guests who browse by.

What do you guys think?
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: the fan on September 29, 2009, 11:21:18 AM
I like to think about fuzzy slippers, puppies and tiny little bugs.

Thanks for asking. :good2:
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: mst3kguy on September 29, 2009, 11:30:45 AM
marsh,

this site rocks.

thanks for your hard work.
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: Ratchet_72 on September 29, 2009, 01:23:11 PM
C'mon Marsh you know how much George hates  'change.'

:diablo:

Couldn't resist, sorry.

:bomb:

Great work though, I like it a lot.
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: Mark Olson on September 29, 2009, 02:11:32 PM
Marsh,

the  upgrade looks good , way to go .

are you a daddy yet?
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: racerman_27410 on September 29, 2009, 02:58:04 PM
 :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2:


howzat?


KOokaloo!
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: higbonzo on September 29, 2009, 04:31:13 PM
It is easy to understand, and it has a look of it's own.  

I like it....... :good2:

later...........
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: Fred on September 29, 2009, 10:01:41 PM
very nice! :yes:
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: akwusmc on September 30, 2009, 09:24:20 AM
Marsh,

Put me down for two thumbs up!

aw
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: TRoy on October 01, 2009, 12:27:36 PM
Hi Marsh, the forum fucking kicks ass!! Always has.. Thank You!

The only thing I wish it had is more than 10 pages on the "most recent posts". I still like to read the messages in chronological order, and sometimes if I'm away at the rally or just not able to get to a computer for a week or so, 10 pages does not cover all I've missed.

It would be even more super cool if there were a tab to click " next 10 pages" ??

Peace & Love!



Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: Marsh White on October 01, 2009, 12:32:13 PM
Hey TRoy...thanks!  I had that same problem when I was out of town for a couple of weeks myself.  That is how I like to read the posts too.  I tried to fix it then...but I couldn't figure it out.  I'll revisit the issue and see if I can make that mod work now.  
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: Marsh White on October 01, 2009, 12:39:21 PM
Quote from: Mark Olson on September 29, 2009, 02:11:32 PM
are you a daddy yet?

Not yet.  Marsh IV is due around February 8th next year...we are more than 1/2 way there!  The wife was Preggo while I was at the last WCR and we didn't even know it!
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: threejagsteve on October 01, 2009, 01:50:45 PM
Say, Marsh,

As long as you're fiddlin' with the site...

I think it'd be an improvement if the "Go Up" at the bottom of each thread actually went all the way up to the top buttons (Most Recent, Unread, etc.) so one wouldn't have to "Go Up" and then scroll more to get to them.

And yes, the new graphics are a definite improvement!

Kookaloo! (http://i34.tinypic.com/8yz1ww.jpg)
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: Mark Olson on October 01, 2009, 02:18:24 PM
Quote from: Marsh White on October 01, 2009, 12:39:21 PM
Quote from: Mark Olson on September 29, 2009, 02:11:32 PM
are you a daddy yet?

Not yet.  Marsh IV is due around February 8th next year...we are more than 1/2 way there!  The wife was Preggo while I was at the last WCR and we didn't even know it!

great news , enjoy the fun,  you are lucky the birth will be far enough from the wcr date so attendance won't be an issue.
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: LA Mike on October 01, 2009, 07:55:40 PM
MARSH,

Congrats, So are you going to have someone to wrench with and teach to ride the might FJ

Just like Shiny Black is the best looking FJ, February is the best month to be born.
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: andyb on October 02, 2009, 08:08:53 AM
Marsh, one issue that I'm noticing and it's minor to be certain:

Using IE6, it doesn't do it in Chrome.  I'm too lazy to pull the laptop out and see what IE7 does.

If you mouseover the buttons at the top of the page (home, gallery...), they greyout for a bit and are actually redownloaded each time.

Yes, the answer is to update the bloody browser, but i dun wanna!  Figured I'd throw it up there, as it'll eat a little bandwith that it doesn't need to.


Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: rktmanfj on October 02, 2009, 08:41:53 AM
Quote from: andyb on October 02, 2009, 08:08:53 AM
Marsh, one issue that I'm noticing and it's minor to be certain:

Using IE6, it doesn't do it in Chrome.  I'm too lazy to pull the laptop out and see what IE7 does.

If you mouseover the buttons at the top of the page (home, gallery...), they greyout for a bit and are actually redownloaded each time.

Yes, the answer is to update the bloody browser, but i dun wanna!  Figured I'd throw it up there, as it'll eat a little bandwith that it doesn't need to.



Upgrade to Firefox, and you won't have that problem.       :empathy2:

Randy T
Indy
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: racerrad8 on October 02, 2009, 07:45:36 PM
I second this option. When I am on my work schedule you, I have to go back more than 5 days to get caught up, and that is usually more than 10 pages...

Randy - RPM

Quote from: TRoy on October 01, 2009, 12:27:36 PM
Hi Marsh, the forum fucking kicks ass!! Always has.. Thank You!

The only thing I wish it had is more than 10 pages on the "most recent posts". I still like to read the messages in chronological order, and sometimes if I'm away at the rally or just not able to get to a computer for a week or so, 10 pages does not cover all I've missed.

It would be even more super cool if there were a tab to click " next 10 pages" ??

Peace & Love!




Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: Marsh White on October 05, 2009, 07:29:02 PM
Quote from: andyb on October 02, 2009, 08:08:53 AM
Marsh, one issue that I'm noticing and it's minor to be certain:

Using IE6, it doesn't do it in Chrome.  I'm too lazy to pull the laptop out and see what IE7 does.

If you mouseover the buttons at the top of the page (home, gallery...), they greyout for a bit and are actually redownloaded each time.

Yes, the answer is to update the bloody browser, but i dun wanna!  Figured I'd throw it up there, as it'll eat a little bandwith that it doesn't need to.

Andy - it is not actually loading a new image each time.  This is really weird (or highly state-of-the-art depending on how you look at it) but ALL of the buttons at the top and MOST of the graphics on this forum come from ONE small sized .jpg file (only 192 KB).  Your browser is just instructed to show a specific part of that one image file in a specific place.  So - if you can see even one button (or really ANY graphics on the website) then that file is loaded into the browsers cache.  Speaking of which - that could be your issue - your browsers cache size may be too low - or full or something?!?!   I have IE6 on an old HP here in my office I use as a test computer (Intel Celeron - the shitty old Intel processor grade - 2.7 GHz CPU - 1 Gig of RAM - XP Service Pack 2) and I get no lag at all.  Though I am curious to find out why you do.  Do you happen to have a lot of apps open or processes running perhaps?
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: Gazza on October 11, 2009, 11:41:44 PM
Hey man, new format is killer.  I think I might be able to even understand it now.  That is if all those goddamn little emoticon bastards don't fire up my ADD too badly.

:good2: :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2: :good2:
Title: Re: New website design & features!
Post by: gradice on October 12, 2009, 02:27:45 AM
Marsh, your the Man :good:

I've been in Cyber Limbo ofr some time, but I'm better now!!!! :yahoo:

This has made a GREAT site even GREATER :praising: :good: :i_am_so_happy: