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Forum style

Be3G
Grafter
Posts: 6,111
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Forum style

This isn't a bug exactly, which is why I haven't used that forum, but I feel that some aspects of the forum's styling are quite hard on the eyes. In the main, I'm thinking about when reading a thread. If you look at this thread for example, there is very little to separate all the different items on the page for each post: the poster's information (name, avatar, post count etc.), the post title, the post content, and the user's signature. Every other post has a faint grey background, which then shows some very faint white lines (to separate the signature etc.) which help matters, but the posts without a background have nothing. What I'd therefore like to suggest is maybe giving all posts a background - the simplest way of doing this would just be to change the alternating white background for a darker grey than the grey already in use, thus creating an alternating grey-darker grey. Or maybe other colours, I don't mind.
I realise that may not have made too much sense - let me know if any of it needs clarifying... (Though try to avoid saying 'all of it'. Tongue )
35 REPLIES 35
kreynolds
Grafter
Posts: 433
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Forum style

The distinction between posts is there, but only just.  With the white background the light purple/grey background has little contrast, if it were to be made a shade darker this would be better.
Liam
Grafter
Posts: 2,083
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Forum style

Yep.  Agree with all that you guys have said and it's certainly something we're thinking about.
There are a lot of elements on the thread pages, some of which are probably un-necessary on those pages anyway.  We'll look into the styling in more detail after easter.
And yeah, I agree with the point on differentiating between the different posts in a thread.  It's far too subtle for some monitors to pickup on.
Be3G
Grafter
Posts: 6,111
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Forum style

Nooo you all missed my point!
My problem isn't differentiating between individual posts - I can see the pale grey (or whatever it is) fine, as I have a high quality monitor (I'm interested in photography). My problem is distinguishing between the groups of elements within a post, where a group of elements is, say, the post content, or the user's signature. Posts that have a grey background are alright, as they then have very subtle white lines to differentiate the different elements. Posts with just a white background therefore don't have anything to separate the different elements, as the subtle white lines are invisible. Furthermore, because the page's overall background is also white, the posts with a white background look like they're not 'contained' in anything, which contributes to the problem I think.
billbo
Community Veteran
Posts: 429
Thanks: 6
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Forum style

Yep.
I see what your saying (well can't see actually) white on white is difficult to see Huh
Midville
Grafter
Posts: 376
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Forum style

A little too white for me.......where's my sunglasses!
jtn
Grafter
Posts: 38
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Forum style

I like the minimalist look myself.
Cheers
Jon
gswindale
Grafter
Posts: 942
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Forum style

I'd agree that the white body with white surround is somewhat hard to use - it looks as if the forum is floating.  The style on the PlusNet portal is IMO better whereby there is a definite border.
It would also be nice to have something differentiating the vertical elements (ie posters details and the actual post itself)
avalon
Grafter
Posts: 361
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Forum style

I agree it's too white.  There isn't the demarcation between elements and everything suffers because of the brightness of the background.  It'd probably be pretty hard on the eyes if spending a lot of time on the forums also.
glloyd
Rising Star
Posts: 1,670
Thanks: 20
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Colours

I can't say I like some of the colour choices. Grey on White is not easy to read neither is Light Pink on White for people with poor eye sight.
Penny
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 1,309
Thanks: 809
Fixes: 8
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Colours

Quote from: glloyd
I can't say I like some of the colour choices. Grey on White is not easy to read neither is Light Pink on White for people with poor eye sight.

My eyesight's okay but the huge expanse of white either side of the central pale area (white/grey) where the text is, entirely takes away any "definition" factor.
The "community beta" bit across the top goes across the whole page.  If it's felt necessary to inset the actual forum block with such huge margins either side, perhaps the background colour of the margins could be darkened to give greater emphasis to the central bit.
At present when you get half way down a thread page the whole thing just looks wishy-washy because there are no proper side borders or contrasting background at the sides.
Regards,
Penny.
Edit - just seen there are similar comments on the thread at http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php?topic=30.msg134#msg134 .
Penny Rollo * * * joined Force9 on 17/02/98 * * * with PlusNet from 2000 onwards * * * personal website at pennymidasrollo.plus.com
Project HappyChild website (free educational resources for kids and schools, plus directory of charities helping children) 1998 onwards
Superusers are not PlusNet staff but do have a direct line of communication into the business to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the Community.
fraserc
Grafter
Posts: 38
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Colours

I'm generally more concerned about content than appearance and <flame war>I find the colours here pleasant and easy to read</flame war>.
So, how about an enhancement to please (well most) everyone. Why not provide user selectable styles/templates? Then everyone can get it looking the way they prefer.
metman
Dabbler
Posts: 23
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Colours

Would it make it too much of a design nightmare to have a choice of skins etc?
Graham_W
Dabbler
Posts: 14
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Forum style

Quote from: billbo
Yep.
I see what your saying (well can't see actually) white on white is difficult to see Huh

Years ago I changed my system default document background from white to a soft parchment (straw) colour so that it is easier on the eyes and shows where white areas have been defined by the page author.
Assos
Grafter
Posts: 5,880
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Forum style

Quote from: Penny
Edit - just seen there are similar comments on the thread at http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php?topic=30.msg134#msg134 .

Yup, I've merged the threads to avoid any further duplication.
Merging - oh the power mwwhuhahaha 😛