Information => News & Announcements => Topic started by: AlexK on April 07, 2012, 02:09:19 am
Title: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: AlexK on April 07, 2012, 02:09:19 am
After three years, we felt it was time the Abarthisti website and forum received a bit of a make-over.
The new look continues the theme set by the previous design, and draws its inspiration from the classic red and grey Abarth colour scheme.
A new masthead graphic replaces the old Assetto Corse image and, new for this design, offers you a choice: place your mouse over the masthead and click the 'Change Photo' button to cycle between images featuring the Abarth 500, 500C or Punto Evo.
If you're viewing the website on a small screen and would prefer to hide the masthead, click the arrow in the top right corner, at the end of the navigation buttons.
The forum itself has received a comprehensive upgrade, and a few of its foibles have been worked out. The forum sections have been re-organised to make some things easier to find and to place a greater emphasis on our 'social' aspect.
The vast majority of posts and information have been transferred from the old forum, although some sections are still off-line for the time being. All our commercial arrangements expired naturally at the end of their agreed term, giving us the opportunity to relaunch the Commercial Area with a host of new and interesting suppliers in the coming weeks. Our thanks to all commercial members who have supported Abarthisti so far.
We're still tweaking the configuration and layout here and there, and working our way through the conversion of some data, so don't be too surprised if some sections come and go, or features change in operation. However, if you experience any errors while posting, please let myself or one of the moderators know.
We hope you like it.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Olly-Midd on April 07, 2012, 03:51:56 am
New layout is looking great! Good work! ;D
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Hippo on April 07, 2012, 06:58:56 am
I can't cope with change. Why can't things stay the same?
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Gingerdog on April 07, 2012, 07:15:35 am
Liking the new look :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: thefamoushoops on April 07, 2012, 07:24:38 am
Very nice!
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: will-w on April 07, 2012, 08:01:19 am
Loving the new look - the Evo in the banner looks beautiful naked :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: corsa on April 07, 2012, 08:10:51 am
Where is the commercial section gone? BTB and TMC?
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: olopboy on April 07, 2012, 08:14:01 am
The vast majority of posts and information have been transferred from the old forum, although some sections are still off-line for the time being. All our commercial arrangements expired naturally at the end of their agreed term, giving us the opportunity to relaunch the Commercial Area with a host of new and interesting suppliers in the coming weeks. Our thanks to all commercial members who have supported Abarthisti so far.
Already been mentioned, more coffee needed :)
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: will-w on April 07, 2012, 08:20:13 am
The more I use the site the more professional and smart it looks - well done lads!
The only thing I'm not too keen on is the Submit button being to the right of the quick reply box.
If you're using a crappy 840x460 res phone you end up scrolling most of the time :D
Still give it 10/10 though
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Justin on April 07, 2012, 08:28:42 am
Good work chaps, thanks for your work.
Justin
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: needsmust on April 07, 2012, 08:31:21 am
Looks just as neat as before, although like Hippo, we fear change. At least give us old folk a warning.
Yep, most of the time. This is the perennial difference between designers and users.
I liked the old narrow masthead. Even clicking it away leaves a very broad new banner, which on my laptop at least, starts the say with a scroll... always an irritation on any webpage.
This is my only criticism (but I imagine widely felt). It's still one of the cleanest fora I've seen.
(an MOT pass, with advisory)
and where are the close quotes on the quotes?
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: needsmust on April 07, 2012, 08:36:06 am
And another thing...
Without the masthead, you lose the "unread posts since last visit" - the most clicked shortcut.
Please keep tweaking. All meant constructively. :wave:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: needsmust on April 07, 2012, 08:46:33 am
Alex, I don't want to turn this into a bug report - maybe another thread. Keep this for the nice comments it deserves.
...but, something funny is going on with pound signs £ (not on the preview of this though, mmm).
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Joe on April 07, 2012, 08:47:52 am
Looks good. Still nice and easy to use. Well done chaps. :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: olopboy on April 07, 2012, 08:51:24 am
One of the best designed car forums on the web just got better. All we need now is an iphone app so its easier to obsess over on the go :whistle:
I spend 80% of my forum time on my phone anyway and it works very well.. No need for a app.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: lloyd on April 07, 2012, 09:38:51 am
that was a shock, had to sit down with a cup of tea.
got used to it now :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: will-w on April 07, 2012, 09:40:55 am
The car information and data section of the main site has gone... Anyone know if it's coming back?
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: AlexK on April 07, 2012, 09:45:40 am
I originally put them together because, at the time, Abarth UK didn't have a website that contained accurate pricing information. As their site now includes a 'configurator' that's largely on the ball, duplicating the information here just adds more work for us when the information can be better found on their site now.
Besides, most of the information can also be found in various stickies around the forum. A few of them I need to edit to fix character conversion issues, but the information is all still there, somewhere. :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: AusAbarth on April 07, 2012, 09:55:16 am
threw me out at first
But now that I have had sticky beak - I like it .......well done :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Trooper on April 07, 2012, 09:56:05 am
Thanks for the time and effort you have put into this :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: thepoormillionaire on April 07, 2012, 09:56:19 am
Looks great I really like the new layout. :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: w18bla on April 07, 2012, 10:30:15 am
Let the abarth see the forum...........
You know the rules no likey no lighty....
I likey alot..... :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: cliff on April 07, 2012, 10:39:23 am
It looks good chaps, but like those other old folks and their views on change I thought the old forum was tip top. Only my views and I know they don't mean Jack ;D
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: FWD_Boy on April 07, 2012, 10:59:28 am
Im sure everyone on here will agree with this statement (or at least I hope so)...
To find a forum that supports and caters for your marquee that is free and not littered with randon advertising between each post is harder and harder to come by these days, so anything that keeps this site and community the way it is while freshening things up and keeping the group attractive to new and old members is a bonus :thumb:
Keep up the great work chaps, your doing a great job and we wouldnt be hanging about if this was a bad forum/community/ group
Chris
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Exoticaholic on April 07, 2012, 11:04:58 am
Excellent stuff, well done guys.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: sandys on April 07, 2012, 11:36:36 am
Looks nice, not so sure its wide enough, even on my netbook the blank side bars are significant, on my desktop machine with a decent resolution the waste of browser space looks a little ridiculous half the page is grey side bars, you are not the only site to do this, though other sites fill it with an image, I guess it is so it works fine on things like ipads with rubbish resolution in portrait. Personally prefer sites that dynamically adjust width to browser.
Also the header, images and ads take up too much space, on the netbook the forum doesn't actually start until the bottom of the screen, using the arrow to compress screen by loosing image help but makes the site look poor, need a better header.
The old site seemed to fit both sides of the resolution spectrum well.
Also when you click the red abarthisthi thing top of teh forum the page looks broken as shown in attached.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Hippo on April 07, 2012, 12:14:57 pm
My tuppence.
Looks clean, fresh and simple. Nice. Lovely size for the iPad. The top third banner, logo and menu takes up too much depth. I liked the old scorpion icon for the threads more than the new page icons.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Ninjauk on April 07, 2012, 01:11:51 pm
Looks nice, not so sure its wide enough, even on my netbook the blank side bars are significant, on my desktop machine with a decent resolution the waste of browser space looks a little ridiculous half the page is grey side bars, you are not the only site to do this, though other sites fill it with an image, I guess it is so it works fine on things like ipads with rubbish resolution in portrait. Personally prefer sites that dynamically adjust width to browser.
Also the header, images and ads take up too much space, on the netbook the forum doesn't actually start until the bottom of the screen, using the arrow to compress screen by loosing image help but makes the site look poor, need a better header.
The old site seemed to fit both sides of the resolution spectrum well.
Also when you click the red abarthisthi thing top of teh forum the page looks broken as shown in attached.
Clear you cache to fix the formatting issue :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: sandys on April 07, 2012, 01:18:05 pm
Yup tis fine now :-[
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Ninjauk on April 07, 2012, 01:18:36 pm
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Patrick on April 07, 2012, 02:03:46 pm
Like the new look - smoother and even more professional.
Keep up the good work!
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: scuderia sitar on April 07, 2012, 05:59:28 pm
Thought my computer had broke when I opened up the new Abarthisti ??? Even the site has modifications now!! I've got big borders at the sides on my average-sized monitor 1440 x 900 resolution, apart from that, a change is as good as a rest :thumb:
MOD: Image resized
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: needsmust on April 07, 2012, 08:17:53 pm
My res is as yours, Scud. Too much banner on that screenshot for the old folk - we're here for the beer, not the barmaid.
:computer:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Merlot on April 07, 2012, 10:29:29 pm
Looks nice, not so sure its wide enough, even on my netbook the blank side bars are significant, on my desktop machine with a decent resolution the waste of browser space looks a little ridiculous half the page is grey side bars, you are not the only site to do this, though other sites fill it with an image, I guess it is so it works fine on things like ipads with rubbish resolution in portrait. Personally prefer sites that dynamically adjust width to browser.
Also the header, images and ads take up too much space, on the netbook the forum doesn't actually start until the bottom of the screen, using the arrow to compress screen by loosing image help but makes the site look poor, need a better header.
The old site seemed to fit both sides of the resolution spectrum well.
Also when you click the red abarthisthi thing top of teh forum the page looks broken as shown in attached.
Clear you cache to fix the formatting issue :thumb:
Have the same issue. How the heck do you clear your cache?
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: garyskisplym on April 07, 2012, 10:56:20 pm
New layout looks good
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: corsa on April 07, 2012, 11:15:59 pm
First reply under new design. Looks good.
As already mentioned by others though it looks a little inefficient. The "header" (top bit with Abarthisti button, as well as the links to classifieds etc., and the picture bit) is just huge and there is quite some width on it that is not really used.
Could it be that you try to make it usable for normal PCs and smartphones with one layout?
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: web_monkey on April 08, 2012, 08:15:48 am
Think I echo what everybody's saying about the header, minimised it's better but the banner ads would work better on the right with that shrunk further.
Personally I'd take it responsive to cover all devices too, I'd imagine a lot of users are now tablet and mobile on the move. SMF calendar could be a good addition for events too ;D
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Macfie on April 08, 2012, 01:59:21 pm
Looks good. :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: AlexK on April 08, 2012, 02:05:47 pm
Thanks, Macfie.
With the header contracted, it takes up less space than the old one - see comparison below.
If you want the forum to be wider, go to Profile, Look and Layout, and change the Forum width dropdown at the bottom. Choices are 1000 pixels (the default setting, chosen because many people found it hard to read text in great long lines), 95% of screen width, 85% (roughly the width of the old forum) and 75%.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: sandys on April 08, 2012, 02:19:51 pm
If you want the forum to be wider, go to Profile, Look and Layout, and change the Forum width dropdown at the bottom. Choices are 1000 pixels (the default setting, chosen because many people found it hard to read text in great long lines), 95% of screen width, 85% (roughly the width of the old forum) and 75%.
Just what I was looking for, good stuff.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: corsa on April 08, 2012, 02:27:32 pm
Thanks for pointing that out! I'd love to minimise the top banner, but then I couldn't use the "Latest Posts" function, or is there a way to change that too?
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: dixy on April 09, 2012, 08:49:57 am
Not sure if this has been asked, but where has Mr TMC gone ?? Is the commercial section coming back ? ;-)
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: AlexK on April 09, 2012, 09:00:45 am
The vast majority of posts and information have been transferred from the old forum, although some sections are still off-line for the time being. All our commercial arrangements expired naturally at the end of their agreed term, giving us the opportunity to relaunch the Commercial Area with a host of new and interesting suppliers in the coming weeks. Our thanks to all commercial members who have supported Abarthisti so far.
The first post is your friend. :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: corsa on April 09, 2012, 09:04:51 am
So I take that TMC is no longer active here?
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Yordan on April 09, 2012, 09:28:09 am
All our commercial arrangements expired naturally at the end of their agreed term, giving us the opportunity to relaunch the Commercial Area with a host of new and interesting suppliers in the coming weeks. Our thanks to all commercial members who have supported Abarthisti so far.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: corsa on April 09, 2012, 09:35:25 am
Yes, I read that. Just thought I make sure that I didn't misread that. :-\
Curious to see what other partners show up...
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Yordan on April 09, 2012, 09:43:05 am
Well time will show I hope Darron will not pull out.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: dixy on April 09, 2012, 10:05:33 am
The vast majority of posts and information have been transferred from the old forum, although some sections are still off-line for the time being. All our commercial arrangements expired naturally at the end of their agreed term, giving us the opportunity to relaunch the Commercial Area with a host of new and interesting suppliers in the coming weeks. Our thanks to all commercial members who have supported Abarthisti so far.
The first post is your friend. :thumb:
Lol, yes thank you sorry, ;-)
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Bigscreen on April 09, 2012, 04:27:27 pm
Personally? I think the header is far too deep, the small Abarthisti logo is lost in the mass of red, and the login / show last posts window looks sort of plonked in place. I also think the forum post area is a little to thin leaving too much grey space on the sides. (I have adjusted this in profile to be wider)
I think the cars look great although a slightly more seamless transition between frames would help them blend a little better. I also think they could be larger within the header theme.
I would try dropping the whole header width including cars by about a third, but increasing the car strip size in relation to the text part of the header. Treble the size of the Abarthisti logo and place it central left. Drop the size of navigation text just a little and move the login / show last posts window to the top right area of the header.
Just my 2 pence worth. :hide:
Keep up the good work and please take this as a personal observation and not an outright thoughtless criticism.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Hippo on April 09, 2012, 04:30:04 pm
You can minimize the header you know. I found that out yesterday. :whistle: Looks better then.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Bigscreen on April 09, 2012, 04:50:18 pm
You can minimize the header you know. I found that out yesterday. :whistle: Looks better then.
Yeah tried that, takes up less space for sure, but completely loses the theme.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Joe on April 09, 2012, 08:51:26 pm
Ok. It looks fine on my phone, but I have so much empty greyness at either side of the board on my laptop. The banner at the top looks huge too. Looks fine on the iPhone, but looks dodgy on a widescreen laptop. :-\
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Yordan on April 10, 2012, 12:44:07 pm
The more I use it the more I like it :thumb:
For the lads that say it looks narrow on widescreen res press and hold ctrl and wheel scroll to adjust the screen.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: sandys on April 10, 2012, 12:50:25 pm
If you want the forum to be wider, go to Profile, Look and Layout, and change the Forum width dropdown at the bottom. Choices are 1000 pixels (the default setting, chosen because many people found it hard to read text in great long lines), 95% of screen width, 85% (roughly the width of the old forum) and 75%.
Just what I was looking for, good stuff.
To fix the widescreen issue to what is quoted above
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Joe on April 10, 2012, 03:20:18 pm
Sorry, I missed that. Thanks
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: scuderia sitar on April 11, 2012, 07:02:24 pm
For the lads that say it looks narrow on widescreen res press and hold ctrl and wheel scroll to adjust the screen.
Ooh, didn't know you could do that :thumb:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: DanDey on April 12, 2012, 05:04:46 pm
ooh I go away and everything changes!! liking the freshness
confusing though that the time is 05:00pm though ::)
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Yordan on April 12, 2012, 05:05:53 pm
See what happens when you leave :whistle:
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Sawbomartin on April 12, 2012, 05:50:54 pm
I like the new look (but also liked the old look).
My only comment is that perhaps the wording that people are putting in as a reply doesn't stand out quite as well as it could. It seems to get lost in amongst the quotes from earlier replies and also people's strap lines (like mine below).
In the post above, "See what happens when you leave" and "Bank holidays must be banned for good" look virtually the same.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: scuderia sitar on April 17, 2012, 08:12:30 pm
I'm getting used to the new layout but I'm starting to use the forum in a different way. I'd prefer if the subjects didn't have 'started by' bit under them. It would be a lot clearer.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: needsmust on April 17, 2012, 11:50:28 pm
The banner's better.
Flashy changeable pics still a little wide for my liking; pretty, but wide. And cant lose it because of the "recent unread" link.
I'll cope.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: olopboy on April 18, 2012, 07:42:40 am
And cant lose it because of the "recent unread" link.
You haven't noticed the clever little change Alex made yet then?
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: lloyd on April 18, 2012, 08:41:59 am
very subtle ;D
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: needsmust on April 18, 2012, 02:41:14 pm
Damn this encroaching presbyopia. Too subtle for me.
Cheers Chris.
Fine work Alex. One more happy punter.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Sawbomartin on June 06, 2012, 10:54:33 am
Hi all There used to be an area where you could see a complete list of all members. I'd occasionally want to look someone up via this list and then send them a PM or use that info to search for something they'd posted before etc. Seems to have been removed. Any chance of it returning?
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: Mr Dog on June 06, 2012, 11:29:01 am
The vast majority of posts and information have been transferred from the old forum, although some sections are still off-line for the time being. All our commercial arrangements expired naturally at the end of their agreed term, giving us the opportunity to relaunch the Commercial Area with a host of new and interesting suppliers in the coming weeks.
Title: Re: Abarthisti has a new look
Post by: paulos on June 10, 2012, 11:32:52 pm
I miss the commercial bit, fingers crossed the plan unfolds soon :thumb: