Slashdot CSS Redesign Contest Update 577
A few weeks back I announced that Slashdot was throwing open its design to the readers. An individual will win a Laptop, and hopefully we'll all
win a Slashdot design that looks good. My Journal
Entries have chronicled dozens of entries since the contest began, commenting
on many of them. Today I share with you 3 of my favorites. These aren't
necessarily "Finalists" but I think these are some of the strongest
entries. First up is Michael Johnson's design,
second is Jason Porritt's entry, and third is a
design from Peter
Lada. The contest will end around the middle of next week. Entries can be
sent to redesign at CmdrTaco.net. Read my journal for extensive
commentary on the many entries, to see what stuff has been working and what
stuff hasn't.
Not too bad..... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:2)
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:3, Insightful)
If you can unzip a file you can install firefox... and what IT department would complain about a user using firefox?
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:4, Interesting)
I envy you. While yes, I can "unzip a file", I cannot download it in the first place. "Freeware and software downloads" are caught by our web filter. Firefox, Opera, even some useful development tools are forbidden (out of general policy, not on the software's individual merits). It's all rather draconian, especially since most of the time the software I'm attempting to download is something to help me with my job (a visual diff program, CVS client, etc).
Anything that the IT department doesn't control is "off limits". Call it idiocy, call it a Microsoft-centric world, but there are many large corporation IT departments that scowl at anything open source / free / non-Microsoft. It's out of their realm of expertise and therefore "scary and unknown".
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:2)
Really? I'm running 1.5.0.3 and it seems fine. I like his design best of the three. It's stylish while retaining the feel of the original.
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:2)
-WS
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:2)
Collapsible Containers (Score:5, Insightful)
I think his design looks the best, but I like the collapsible containers that the other two have. In fact, I like them a LOT. If Mike's had the collapsibles I'd vote for him, otherwise I like Jasons. Peter's is just too green and flat. Sorry Peter!
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:2)
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:2)
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:3, Insightful)
That said all 3 were very nice designs. I'd hate to be the person picking out a winner.
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:5, Funny)
Not only that, but the bars multiply every second so you have to close it quickly! And it also starts consuming monster CPU time.
Re:Not too bad..... (Score:3)
Personally, I'm sort of up into the air as to which ones I like, if any of them. I'm not altogether enthused. It's like they're all striving to be "modern" for the sake of being modern, rather than having a form-follows-function approach, putting readability and clarity first, and having the format flow from there.
They've just got too many 'boxes' going on; I find them visually distracting, and I think that after a few hours I'd be reaching for
What was the prize? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:What was the prize? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:What was the prize? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:What was the prize? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:What was the prize? (Score:2)
Re:What was the prize? (Score:2)
It does the same thing on IE 6, also.
Actually, the two that actually render up and aren't just screenshots don't work correctly with IE 6
I know that's like a sin against man to make things look nice for IE 6, but there are some of us who are forced to use it at work.
Jason's design (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Jason's design (Score:2)
Re:Jason's design (Score:2)
Re:Jason's design (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Jason's design (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Jason's design (Score:4, Insightful)
[Ok, I'm really going a little over the top here, but I somehow feel like this is my 15 minutes as an art critic.]
I really hate that "upper left corner" style of Michael's...where's the rest of the fucking box? Is there some kind of bit shortage where we need to conserve every last byte in transmission? Seriously though, the corner is little more than fluff and does little to enhance readability or make the articles "pop". 93 thumbs down.
Peter's doesn't render properly in Safari. The right column rams up into the search box. Surely this is a minor glitch that can be solved, but even if it were, I have to say the green dominates too much. The sub-articles are not visually distinct from the main articles. Overall, I feel more like I'm on a golf course, not looking at a website. 27 thumbs down for letting green dominate the scene and another 9 thumbs down for the sub-article snafu, for a total of 36 thumbs down. Clearly not as bad as the previous entry, and clearly nothing to earn it a single thumb up.
Re:Jason's design (Score:3)
Re:Jason's design (Score:4, Insightful)
Looks very slick.
My only complaint: as mentioned in other posts, the text does not resize in IE 6.0.28. This is a CRITICAL issue, so I wouldn't give it the thumbs-up until this is fixed. Hopefully, the bugs will be dealt with.
Re:I Agree ! with some work (Score:5, Insightful)
Slashdot slashdots Slashdot! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Slashdot slashdots Slashdot! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Slashdot slashdots Slashdot! (Score:2)
Ummm
Re:Slashdot slashdots Slashdot! (Score:5, Interesting)
1. How many dots would a slashdot slash, if a slashdot could slash dots?
2. How many slashes would a slashdot dot, if a slashdot could dot slashes?
Re:Slashdot slashdots Slashdot! (Score:5, Funny)
I vote for number 3 (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I vote against number 3 (Score:2)
./ed (Score:2)
Nice (Score:2)
It seems that the Jason Porritt's entry is down already?
Re:Nice (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Nice (Score:2)
Re:Nice (Score:5, Funny)
http://doodlebit.com/slashdot2// [doodlebit.com]
I am still waiting for the Chuck Norris version though... :p
You fiend (Score:2)
There is a winner (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:There is a winner (Score:2)
Either one of the above is a winner, but I would vote for the West Carolina design over Proximalabs just because it is a little cleaner. The first option in the article (Insitemotion) doesn't do anything for me (even ignoring that it doesn't render properly on Firefox) and the second option is slashdotted, so I cannot comment on it.
So, for right now, West Carolina by a nose.
A feature I'd like to see: the year (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:A feature I'd like to see: the year (Score:2)
You'd think it would be the default display...
Re:A feature I'd like to see: the year (Score:5, Informative)
Goto your preferences and Homepage tab.
Its the first entry on there:
Current Date/Time
Using saved preferences
17:41 11th May, 2006
Date/Time Format
[ComboBox allowing format]
Unfortunately this only works when you are logged in.
Re:A feature I'd like to see: the year (Score:2)
Re:A feature I'd like to see: the year (Score:4, Informative)
Re:A feature I'd like to see: the year (Score:3, Informative)
Re:A feature I'd like to see: the year (Score:2)
Pick one that has the year in it, Save, and you are good to go
Used to drive me nuts too.
Re:A feature I'd like to see: the year (Score:2)
When I actually get the fonts big enough... (Score:5, Informative)
Seconded - fonts are too small (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Seconded - fonts are too small (Score:5, Insightful)
Important for visually impaired (but not blind) people, too. This is one of the biggest faux-pas out there.
Designers should also always use relative sizes ("larger", "smaller") instead of absolute sizes for fine print and large headlines.
I expect problems with 90% of the websites out there (including ones I've made, I'm sure as heck not perfect), but when you have a contest and expect some professional results, I think we should remind some of these entrants that there's a functional design philosophy as well as a visual one.
Re:When I actually get the fonts big enough... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:When I actually get the fonts big enough... (Score:3, Informative)
It's not about perfect vision. My eyes are just fine thank you, but I want to keep it that way and when I'm reading web pages at the font sizes they try to force onto me it wouldn't.
Here's a list from all the links in tacos journal entries that respect your wishes - note that most others could be easily changed to use other sizes for stories and comments it's just that the designers have been too lazy or too control-freaky to do it that way in the first plac
Re:When I actually get the fonts big enough... (Score:5, Insightful)
That's not the point! I've already set my browser up so it displays text at a comfortable size; The point is why the hell should your design mean I have to adjust it every time I visit slashdot? And put it back again every time I visit anywhere else.
Look people - for pity's sake leave the default paragraph text size alone, and use only relative changes for everything else: I know my monitor and my eyes better than you do!
Use minimum font size (Score:4, Informative)
BTW This is not meant as a "stop whining and do this other thing" answer. This is a "thank goodness the web is readable again" sanity stop-gap measure.
Mallrats comes to mind (Score:2)
Seriously...I like them. A slightly cleaner interface with more sculpted graphics. It is more visually appealing and still not too busy. The menu buttons are too big on #3, though.
Re:Mallrats comes to mind (Score:2)
I vote for Peter Lada's design b/c (Score:2)
http://www.proximalabs.com/slashdot/redesign3.htm
Poll ! (Score:5, Insightful)
CmdrTaco , Use the Poll to get User Opinion - If you really want it,that is.
Mouse gestures slow in some designs (Score:3)
I'm using All-in-One Gestures 0.17.4 (and adblock and user-agent-switcher as only other extensions).
Nearly unreadable (the fonts, not the content) (Score:2)
text (Score:2)
Nice (Score:2, Insightful)
-Grey [wellingtongrey.net]
Parent poster is right (Score:5, Insightful)
Disclaimer: I design.
As such, I know it's not that these guys have no creativity. I am putting the blame on the client. Taco asked for little more than a fresh coat of paint on the site, and that's what he got. It would be nice if he was less constrictive and opened himself up to other ideas besides something that automatically constricted the contestants to have results almost exactly like the site you're looking at right now.
I also can't fault people for choosing the design simply because it's what a lot of other sites look like nowadays. But in a couple of years, when the whole "Web 2.0 Soft Gradients" thing loses its sheen, the site is going to look dated yet again.
I do think the finalists all have a strong, clear foundation on spacing and placement so the designs aren't bad. They're just not enough of a change.
(Take my criticism with a grain of salt as I haven't submitted anything).
Evolutionary vs. Revolutionary (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Parent poster is right (Score:5, Interesting)
So you said, and I saw two AC at 0 flaming your own designs [fantasticdamage.com]. I thought they were trolling, but well... if you would design something similar if you got "free reigns", then I'm sorry to say I agree with them. I don't like them at least, YMMV. However, I do agree that this contest is almost like Tom Sawyer making people paint the fence, because it's basicly the same fence afterwards.
Re:Parent poster is right (Score:3)
To a marketoid: oooh, they're shiny and colorful!
Don't forget Opera compatibility (Score:2)
Michael Johnson -- footer in middle of page (also mentioned as a Firefox problem).
Jason Porritt -- critical flaw: it went into an endless loop, with the box around the story repeating itself until the story disappeared entirely.
Peter Lada -- no problems and looks good and clean to boot.
Remember, we'll all be using Opera to surf to Slashdot on the Wii, and it's gotta work the
Topic Icons (Score:2)
Re:Topic Icons (Score:2)
Real out of the box, eh? (Score:2)
Well, these three designs are pretty much clones of the current frontpage with just some prettiness and wizbangs added. I'm thoroughly unimpressed with these. Are these really $4,000 designs???
Re:Real out of the box, eh? (Score:2)
Post should have read (Score:2)
"First up is we'll take out Michael Johnson's server, second is Jason Porritt's server, and third is a design from Peter Lada, whose server will also be exploding shortly.
The Winner? Whichever one can standup to the Slashdotting.
Why do we need a 'winner'? (Score:5, Insightful)
If most of this is hardcoded(I havn't checked), then the upgrade for web standards was pointless and whoever did it missed the point.
Re:Why do we need a 'winner'? (Score:3, Insightful)
Lada - Left/Right Action Inconsist (Score:2)
Problems with IE 7 (Score:2)
~D
My take (Score:2)
in Firefox and then CRTL+ again (bump font sizes twice). Peter Lada's
design is the only one that was OK after that. The rest were horribly
broken - the rest of the ones on Taco's page that are accessible.
The first two of the finalists are dead as of right now.
Peter Lada's design feels very heavy with big thick green bars everywhere.
Then again, I like basic html design - grey background and blue links.
Imagine Slashdot where all three columns are
Peter Lada's design (Score:5, Informative)
First impression: My God, this is cutesy. (And I mean that in a bad way.) Too many rounded corners, and the light green on the dark green looks off somehow.
As others have noted, making the font big enough to read screws up the layout. Most notably the posted by name and date disappear completely.
There are little right-facing triangles next to the "from the X department" lines and the headline only stories. The collapsible menus have downward-facing triangles on them. My first expectation is that clicking on the triangles will trigger the collapse/expand function and turn the triangles so they face down when collapsed and to the right when expanded. This is not at all what they do. If you have an image to signal an action, you shouldn't reuse the same image as a static pretty thing.
Good things: The font is nice if too small on the default. I like the sensible blocks of color with lines for the menu.
Great attempts, but hamstrung by client (Score:5, Insightful)
All three of these are valiant attempts at a Slashdot redesign. What hinders them is the Slashdot Coliseo wordmark and the goddamn stupid fucking green colour.
Which I gotta put on you, Taco. When clients do that to me (I am a graphic designer by trade), I know what I am getting into, which is a client who has nonsensical, nostalgic attachment to elements that simply do not work. That stuff doesn't typically end up in my portfolio.
Why don't you create a sub-category (for kicks at least) where the designers get free reign. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Re:Great attempts, but hamstrung by client (Score:4, Interesting)
Jedidiah.
Re:Great attempts, but hamstrung by client (Score:3, Insightful)
I
Where's the pink ponies theme? (Score:3, Informative)
Wow, big nothing (Score:5, Insightful)
One major visual design flaw (Score:5, Interesting)
Maybe I'm Missing Something, But... (Score:5, Insightful)
Could we please make the headlines the links? (Score:5, Insightful)
Not impressed (Score:3, Interesting)
I like green, but the forest green that is used on slashdot is quite ugly and everybody knows that. Why is it that noone has the guts to try out something different.
I think Taco has threw everybody off by declaring that he expects curves, green and white.. this is why all these websites look so alike. I was really expecting something along the likes of CSS Zen Garden experience, where people really thought out-side the box.
Having visited each of the candidates, pretty much all of these make your stomach churn and are definatelly not that easy on the eyes, not to say pleasant.
Out of these three candidates, I liked #2, but I wish there would be a little less white space between left part and the story.
Redesign or re-design? (Score:4, Insightful)
When I looked at these three designs, no offence at all to the people who are doing them, but they look like what a client would be presented if they have a agreed upon a basic layout, and wouldn't a few different "looks" to choose from.
I actually think there is some pride and a lot usability in Slashdot's current look. It's not fancy, but it doesn't need to be (at all!).
I think Slashdot is wasting peoples time if we're just putting a new coat of paint on the car. We don't care how ugly you are Slashdot, we love your personality!
Re:My opnions (Score:2)
A little citrus. Maybe some strawberry. Mmm. Passion fruit, mmm, and, oh, there's just like the faintest soupçon of like, uh, asparagus, and, there's a, just a flutter of, like a, like a nutty Edam cheese.
Re:Eh-Off the clock. (Score:2, Insightful)
Very true, especially for those of us who can't just take 3 weeks off from work to do the redesign.
Re:Eh (Score:2)
Re:Suggestion regarding Journals (Score:2)
Re:Alternate browsers? How about Safari? (Score:2)