[skyhawk133]

So let me give you a little background on this first. There's a lot of things I want to do this year on DIC and one of those is update the design and functionality to be a little more usable and functional (imagine that... funtional functionality ).

Anyway, I'd like to have the ability to feature more DYNAMIC content in the sidebars instead of just having static links to the same areas of the site on every page. I'd also like to bring the site up to date with more current designs and give us the opportunity to include more "widgets" and features in that area.

So what I'm considering doing initially is simply moving the left column over to the right to create the 300 pixel wide right column. Then over time re-designing that area to include more functionality and such.

Here's a screen shot:

#1:


#2:



What do you think? I like how the forum content appears a lot cleaner because it's not surrounded by so many links on either side. Makes it easier to read for me.

Thoughts?

[WolfCoder]

As long as the blogs have neither navbars It's good.

[toshiro]

I like it, but one weird part may be having two moving/flash-like ads right next to each other. The human brain doesn;t like a lot of movement.

[Nykc]

Seems like a lot of sites are going to a right-side navigation in favor of the blog look. (That's what I refer to it as.) Personally I don't mind a right side navigation but I think you should consider using a jquery style drop-down navigation up top for navigating categories. The site statistics (What's here?) could easily go on the bottom of the page and we really don't need the whose online feature or maybe convert that to a drop down as well.

What are your plans for the look of the main page?

** Side note - what are those bottom two tool bars you are using?

This post has been edited by Nykc: 22 February 2010 - 02:40 PM

[skyhawk133]

Alternate column layout on the right is the grey forum list far right and the white column on the left.

[capty99]

i tried that for this site a while back (greasemonkey) and i think the right sidebar became a pain to use, just a lot of text to go through.

but how many clicks do you actually get on the list of forums? how about you just retrain people to use the dropdown or main forum list

[skyhawk133]

Yeh, my plan is to actually consolidate the forums list in to a wider box (that spans both columns) with just the most popular forums/languages and then a jquery expansion with the rest.

This little tweak I'm proposing here is kind of a "baby steps" to the eventual new design I have in my head, but I don't want to work for months and months and months just to roll out something that you all go OMG OMG OMG IT"S SO DIFFERENT I"M SCARED PLEASE HOLD ME!

[capty99]

i don't use the sidebars so i can't really comment but its probably a good move then if its not the final

[skyhawk133]

Yeh, it wouldn't be the final. The new design I'm thinking of uses all 300px of space in the right column like a lot of other sites/blog do, so instead of just 2 columns side by side, it'll be 1 column that has more functionality/features, larger fonts, easier to read, etc.

[SixOfEleven]

I think I prefer the second one. With the nav bar on the very far right.

Also like that you chose my topic for the images.

[skyhawk133]

I agree, I think I like #2 with the list on the right.

[NickDMax]

As a big user of the left navigation bar I really strongly dislike the idea of moving it to the right. Though the idea of putting another bar between the content and the left(now right) navigation bar bugs me even more.

I don't think there is much to be said for breaking from the web-norm on this. Personally I can't think of too many web sites that put navigation on the right, I would normally not even think to look for it there.

call me left-headed but I generally have no clue what is on the right side of pages. I just don't look there (usually ads anyway). I have to admit that if you were to blindly quiz me I don't think I could tell you 3 things that are on the current right pane of DIC... or any website.

[Nykc]

@NickDMax - While most websites use a top/left-panel navigation most blogs revert to a right-panel navigation.

I think the change will take some getting used to, but will allow DIC more flexibility if implemented correctly.

[[email protected]]

I like #2 it looks like it will flow better

and i agree with Nykc

Nykc, on 22 February 2010 - 11:51 PM, said:

I think the change will take some getting used to

it will take a but of getting used to

This post has been edited by [email protected]: 22 February 2010 - 06:20 PM

[Jayman]

I don't like change. I'm afraid. Someone hold me...

Seriously, of the two choices I think I would prefer #2.