Sometime early this week, we will be upgrading the server software, transitioning to PostgreSQL, and deploying a new site design. Service may get spotty, but enjoy a sample of our new look:
Allow me to be the first to say how much I hate the new design. But I come here for the writing, not the blog template, so no matter.
djlactin · 16 September 2007
hmm... might you need to change your name to "the panda's smile"?
pig · 16 September 2007
That's rubbish! It doesn't even fill up a quarter of the screen, how am I supposed to read the articles? And you cut off the 'humb' in your ridiculously oversized header, too. 4/10
The new design is simply horrible. Stick to the old one, please...
MartinM · 16 September 2007
That’s rubbish! It doesn’t even fill up a quarter of the screen, how am I supposed to read the articles? And you cut off the ‘humb’ in your ridiculously oversized header, too. 4/10
Please tell me that was humour.
stevaroni · 16 September 2007
ooooh... angry bears.... Stephen Colbert warned me about this....
Overall, mixed feelings. But the paw print has to go.
steve s · 16 September 2007
A lot of people might think that Panda is growling. It's not. It's laughing as it reads Judge Jones's decision.
snaxalotl · 17 September 2007
I just want to say I find the usual pale yellow background to be restfully parchment-like
Nic George · 17 September 2007
My arm is in it! It has my vote.
Richard Simons · 17 September 2007
I just want to say I find the usual pale yellow background to be restfully parchment-like.
I agree. I think there is a tendency for web sites to use what is visually appealing as a pattern without considering their readability over a longer period. Something strongly coloured is fine if you do not expect people to stay long on your site, but for a site like PT an unintrusive background is needed. Some time ago I experimented to see what I found best and it turned out to be a slight random pattern the colour of pale parchment. It's a bit difficult to imagine what the new PT will look like so I'll reserve judgement until I've seen a whole page and used it for a while.
Torbjörn Larsson, OM · 17 September 2007
I will suspend judgment until the release on whether it will be thumbs up or down. I don't see any important questions answered, for example if emoticons will be interpreted as icons. :-)
But I can put a paw down on the stylish footprint, it should be stamped on every comment.
Laser · 17 September 2007
As g points out, it's the substance that makes PT, not the style. Still, I have to agree with Shalini that the proposed style is disagreeable.
What would be cool is if you could write an algorithm that could "evolve" the current style into a new "species". That would show the ID proponents that it is possible! (I know, they'd claim the information was "front-loaded"...)
Sir_Toejam · 17 September 2007
meh, it's not like it would be a hard thing to change the general appearance AFTER the server software is changed; especially now that they are going with a postgres back end driven model.
if most don't like it, it shouldn't be hard to change quick enough.
I'm curious to see what it will look like, myself.
Sir_Toejam · 17 September 2007
What would be cool is if you could write an algorithm that could “evolve” the current style into a new “species”.
that's actually not hard to do at all. We used to do that for clients all the time; write a system that generates a standard web page served from content in a database, and the user themselves can choose from a variety of templates to modify the style and content that gets displayed.
heck, that's pretty common for a number of major websites now, IIRC (even google does it).
they just use cookie data to display the site layout as you choose, with the information you choose.
of course, that would mean someone would have to design a flexible front end, with multiple styles, and a data retrieval system using cookies stored on the users machine.
meh, maybe it is easier in theory than practice, especially since Reed probably has to do everything.
Popper's Ghost · 18 September 2007
Please tell me that was humour.
What if you were told it wasn't? Would you believe that as readily as if you were told it was?
Popper's Ghost · 18 September 2007
What would be cool is if you could write an algorithm that could “evolve” the current style into a new “species”.
Um. I am not sure I care for the new header. It looks like the bear is about to chew his way through the computer screen. And yes, the paw print has to go too. It does seem that your thinking is heading in the right direction, this website does need an updated look. But, I would use a different photograph of a panda for your header.
Nathan Parker · 19 September 2007
I find the new design a big improvement over the old.
21 Comments
Doc Bill · 16 September 2007
We are Panda!
Hear us roar!
Bob O'H · 16 September 2007
Roar? It looks more like a good hearty laugh to me.
Bob
g · 16 September 2007
Allow me to be the first to say how much I hate the new design. But I come here for the writing, not the blog template, so no matter.
djlactin · 16 September 2007
hmm... might you need to change your name to "the panda's smile"?
pig · 16 September 2007
That's rubbish! It doesn't even fill up a quarter of the screen, how am I supposed to read the articles? And you cut off the 'humb' in your ridiculously oversized header, too. 4/10
Shalini · 16 September 2007
The new design is simply horrible. Stick to the old one, please...
MartinM · 16 September 2007
stevaroni · 16 September 2007
ooooh... angry bears.... Stephen Colbert warned me about this....
Jim Anderson · 16 September 2007
Overall, mixed feelings. But the paw print has to go.
steve s · 16 September 2007
A lot of people might think that Panda is growling. It's not. It's laughing as it reads Judge Jones's decision.
snaxalotl · 17 September 2007
I just want to say I find the usual pale yellow background to be restfully parchment-like
Nic George · 17 September 2007
My arm is in it! It has my vote.
Richard Simons · 17 September 2007
Torbjörn Larsson, OM · 17 September 2007
I will suspend judgment until the release on whether it will be thumbs up or down. I don't see any important questions answered, for example if emoticons will be interpreted as icons. :-)
But I can put a paw down on the stylish footprint, it should be stamped on every comment.
Laser · 17 September 2007
As g points out, it's the substance that makes PT, not the style. Still, I have to agree with Shalini that the proposed style is disagreeable.
What would be cool is if you could write an algorithm that could "evolve" the current style into a new "species". That would show the ID proponents that it is possible! (I know, they'd claim the information was "front-loaded"...)
Sir_Toejam · 17 September 2007
meh, it's not like it would be a hard thing to change the general appearance AFTER the server software is changed; especially now that they are going with a postgres back end driven model.
if most don't like it, it shouldn't be hard to change quick enough.
I'm curious to see what it will look like, myself.
Sir_Toejam · 17 September 2007
What would be cool is if you could write an algorithm that could “evolve” the current style into a new “species”.
that's actually not hard to do at all. We used to do that for clients all the time; write a system that generates a standard web page served from content in a database, and the user themselves can choose from a variety of templates to modify the style and content that gets displayed.
heck, that's pretty common for a number of major websites now, IIRC (even google does it).
they just use cookie data to display the site layout as you choose, with the information you choose.
of course, that would mean someone would have to design a flexible front end, with multiple styles, and a data retrieval system using cookies stored on the users machine.
meh, maybe it is easier in theory than practice, especially since Reed probably has to do everything.
Popper's Ghost · 18 September 2007
Popper's Ghost · 18 September 2007
lawilson200 · 18 September 2007
Um. I am not sure I care for the new header. It looks like the bear is about to chew his way through the computer screen. And yes, the paw print has to go too. It does seem that your thinking is heading in the right direction, this website does need an updated look. But, I would use a different photograph of a panda for your header.
Nathan Parker · 19 September 2007
I find the new design a big improvement over the old.