Site Change

[Stu]

Hi,
You may notice a few changes around the DIBB, we have been working on a whole new DIBB.

I know not everyone will like the changes but we hope the majority will.

Why have we changed things?
Well after the last upgrade we used a content management system to control our content, this was supposed to make things easier for us to manage, however it soon became clear that we were restricted in what we could do easily and it was actually causing us more work.

The major negative impact on the site was a drop in search engine rankings and listings, where we once came top we were now coming much lower down. We worked hard to get around this and we did have a lot of success but it highlighted several areas that needed improving.

So we have gone back to real web pages :) these new changes are mainly to help us recover what we used to have, that is an easy site to manage with the potential to grow.

We have changed the navigation on the site, this should improve ease of finding information and also give us room to expand the web pages without being restricted to just a few categories.

Some features have been removed, before removing any of the features we looked extensively and how each of them were being used or not used. We have only removed the features that were hardly used or did not contribute well to the overall site.

Please note:
We are still populating the menu's and web pages so if you can't find some information that was previously here, don't worry it will eventually re-appear.

We were hoping to have finished all the pages before changing over but other work has delayed things so we have made the changes now and will continue to work on the other few hundred pages :)

edited to add...
For DIBB AP Holders who Use DIBB Mail - the login is now on the left menu, click "theDIBB" at the top then "DIBB Mail"

[kelphil]

i just got in from my mum and dads and the Dibb has had a face lift wow nice guys:thumbs-up

[futurepudd1n]

wow how cool is this yep defo loving the new layout only been browsing a few mins

[loadsapixiedust]

Looks great Stu!

[tinkerbell15]

I'm very impressed, thanks and well done!

[kelphil]

love the new look stu thumbs up from us :thumbs-up:thumbs-up

[Jools]

I'm loving it Stu :)

[princess nicky]

I LIKE IT :) looks great

[tinkerella]

def love the new look stu :thumbs-up

[edie_w]

Phew I thought I'd broken the DIBB there for a minute - one moment it was normal, the next this all-new version! Looks great! :)

[debs1505]

Same here Sharon! One minute I was on a thread that was as per usual, next it had changed!! Thought I'd had a glass of wine too many!!

Looking good Stu! :wavey:

[maggie b]

Phew I thought I'd broken the DIBB there for a minute - one moment it was normal, the next this all-new version! Looks great! :)

Same hear it looks great stu:smile:

[loadsapixiedust]

Isn't it cool!

[Sindysam]

It looks fab, thought I had found a new disney site for a minute.
Sam

[Spoonah]

Looks fantastic bravo!!

[loadsapixiedust]

Had to edit my sig to fit the new layout :(

[AJAXON]

Hi :wave:


WOW!........What an improvement.....A Thoroughly Modern Update!

A big thumbs up from me :thumb:

Keep up the good work.

Best Regards, AJAXON :wavey:

[doemichael]

looks great

[Hawkmoon]

Took most of us by suprise but looks really good.

[JudyC]

What happened, I went to the cinema and when I came back the Dibb has changed. It's definately for the better though, it looks great.

[PrincessX2]

Love it :D Looks much more up to date:D Thank you:D

[Heather1957]

It LOOKS good, have yet to find out if any of the changes will effect my use of the Dibb!! So far so good though! :)

[Vabeth]

I love it! It looks fab! Well done Stu! :thumbs-up

[Elsie]

Sorry Stu, I don't like it as it's too squashed. It'll create text "wrap-arounds", including some thread titles.

[Andre]

I've posted my thoughts elsewhere. Lovely look, very pretty, but far too narrow in this day and age of wider monitors becoming the norm rather than the exception - have you been in any PC shop over the past few months? You can't get anything but widescreen monitors it seems! :) The left-menu makes the situation worse too.

So now we've got a site which new people will be able to find easier via Google, but which could be harder to use for the people who are already here. Hey ho, that's progress for you I guess.

Andre

[the melster]

I think the colours and new design are good but do not like the squashed up look of the posts due to the menu on the top left. Preferred it when they were full screen.

the melster

[Elsie]

Aye, on my 19in WS monitor at home it looks kinda lost ... wonder what it'll look like on on my 22in behemoths (of which I use two) at work?!

[Andre]

And re: the left-hand menu, could the nested drop-down options be set to only appear when you click on them, rather than as mouse-over events? If my mouse drifts over there I get drop-downs all over the place, which is a bit messy.

Andre

[Cal and Dave]

Well I think it looks really cool, :wave:

[Stu]

Hi Guys,

Somethings are going to be in different places :) We haven't moved too many things though!

for example :
For DIBB AP Holders who Use DIBB Mail - the login is now on the left menu, click "theDIBB" at the top then "DIBB Mail"

[JudyC]

I like it, but can't help wanting to stretch the left hand side to fit my pc screen.

[brody-maddison]

Thought I was hallucinating when I just logged on, I've just got in from a loooong shift at work, is this real?

I think I'll take a closer look in the morning but so far it looks great!

[Amyrlin]

It looks great!

[paulrae]

Looks great and so much faster ...well done :grin: :thumbs-up

[zdickens]

The new site looks great, well done to everyone involved, much appreciated. :)

[_tinkerbell_]

:thumbs-up

Oh my god im loving this new site !! Looks SO much better, well done.


Keep up the good work

xx

[CityWalk]

Love It!!!!!!

[Davy]

Site looks great. Much easier to move around and find things.

Thsnk You

[tiggerpooh]

:thumb: Looks good :thumb:

[debcon]

looks good

[sk4red]

Big thumbs up from me!

Well done

[littlekelly]

:grin: Looks Great!! :grin:

[MickeyM]

Looks great but feel it is all squashed up on the right hand side of my screen and there is now no log in space on the home page. Any potential new Dibbers will find it difficult to register as it is not seen at first glance. (Could be lost advertising if people find it too difficult)

[ursula]

Ok so just got up to find a new dibb!!!! It does look good but sorry I do not like it :(

I always log on and go straight to new posts, do I now have to go on to a forum and then go on to the new posts or is there a button I have not seen yet?

[MattF]

Stu - It looks fantastic! Well done to you and SMAX

[Fizzy Fish]

Looks excellent Stu:spin:

[button1963]

i just got in from my mum and dads and the Dibb has had a face lift wow nice guys:thumbs-up

I agree - really like it - wtg Dibb xx

[Rebelrebel]

Its great :)

[kaz07]

i do like it but going to take a few daysd to get used to it!!

i dont like the advert on first page from tcd LOL but hey looks better :D

[wazzimama]

dibbtastic, thanks guys it looks great!

[Little Monkey]

Well I like the new look-nice and clear but my page also is bunched up over to the right...but I am sure there is a way to rectify this-just dont know what tho!! . Thanks Stu and Team for always trying to improve on what is already the 'best' site!!

[karlos4u]

Looks Great Thanks Stu

[missbounce]

I think it looks really cool - nice one!

Cara

[Mary and Colin]

Also think it looks great.
All your hard work is well worth it.

Thanks
Mary

[Strommie]

Looks great doesn't it :thumbs-up

[G,T&S]

Must agree, really like the new look Dibb

[NiPsTeR]

I Like It!

[curlywurly]

oooh just logged in this morning!! It looks great :thumb:

[Maz]

Thought I had clicked another website for a minute!! Looks really good.

Only negative(for me anyway) I see so far is that I can't have my favourites bar up at the left hand side when on here as it pushes everything off at the right hand side.

[bertha]

looks great :d: off to have a proper look round :)

bertha :)

[gala]

It looks really good!

Margaret

[Jaydee]

Lookin Good! Really like it.

[mama267]

looks great thought i had got the wrong page when i first went on

[Diane]

Well good morning to the new improved Dibb! :grin:

First impressions are that I like the new look of it but sadly I am also having problems being pushed over to the right of the screen (kind of preferred the menu along the top but I guess you can't please everybody!). With a bit of practice I guess I'll get the hang of it. :)

I have noticed a faster speed too, well done to Stu and SMAX for all the hard work thats obviously gone in to this.

Diane x

[Maz]

Second time in coming on here and the home page is different - looks really good, but can't get to new posts in one click, so I have bookmarked the forum page instead.

You have been working hard behind the scenes - thanks. :grin:

[Minniespal]

Looks brillant, doesn't it :smile:

[NuttyBird]

Wow - I've only been away a few days and look what happens to the Dibb - Think its great by the way :thumbs-up

[fantasmic]

wow how cool cant wait to start checking it out

[Sue]

Liking the new look and the site is running WAY faster for me too

Not keen on the perma-lefthand menu, too distracting?
And don't like the no log-in on Homepage.

[Andre]

Only negative(for me anyway) I see so far is that I can't have my favourites bar up at the left hand side when on here as it pushes everything off at the right hand side.

I'd forgotten the favourites bar, as I usually turn it off (in I.E. 7, if you're got that, it can be set to only appear when you click on it, which is perfect). Having a fav bar there permanently would eat up even more screen space. But I've been through this before with Stu and was told that's the way he wants it to be, so that's the way it will be.

I agree the new colours and top 'curved' menu look attractive, but I do still feel there are too many menus wasting too much screen space. I thought this change was going to remove some of them and tidy up the layout; instead, it's actually made them bigger! If you look at it, there is a top curved menu under the graphic, then another even larger one down the left-hand side (which you must agree does waste an awful lot of screen space in a fixed-width layout) and then another one at the top of the forums - and many of the functions are duplicated anyway (such as Home, Park Hours, Home, Reviews & Menus, some of which are in all three menus).

[Edit: Just looked at the 'Home' page, which looks very nice too - but I was just wonding how many regular DIBBers visit the homepage first? I have the forums page bookmarked, and I always enter the site directly to there]

Andre

[Maz]

Now there's a funny thing! Sometimes when I click on a post, it comes up all to the right and than magically flicks over to the left to show it all!!

[marioner]

That was a shock this morning. Looks good.

[ali-s]

Yikes ! minor panic there when the home page came up ! I usually log in ( where was the log in ? panic panic ! ) then go straight to view new posts, bit of a shock having to go through pages I don't usually use ! sure I'll get used to it though, it looks good !

[ticky15]

oh its fast ,fast, fast, loving the look dibb.. :D

[Dawn]

Well I love the header graphic. :thumbs-up

Left hand menu still ummming over but give it time and it'll grow on me. Nothing's wrapping around on me so you're safe from my trantrums. :D

[Jax1970]

Wow! What a surprise! A Dibb facelift!

I'm Loving it!

[Villainlover]

well don't know whats happened on my end :( It is taking upto 30 seconds to do anything on the dibb.. and though I do not normally moan/complain. I am finding it really annoying having to constantly scroll to the right on every page.. I do not like having any website on full page....

maybe I am finding it more annoying due to the slow running at the moment :(

[D15NEY]

Looking good :thumbs-up

[Helen uk]

I wish you had told me how to sign in though before you changed the site,its took me ages to work out how to log in. :blush: :blush:

Off to have a look around now im in. :wavey:

[LBV75]

New Look is great

[Stu]

Shelly,
What screen resolution do you have? is it less than 1024 wide?
If it is 1024 then the site will be full screen, if you have a screen resolution of 1024 wide or higher than 1024 wide then you should not have to scroll to the right.

[pinkcandy]

Looks fantastic, I love the new look x :spin: :spin: :spin:

[Stu]

For those that were using the Front Page login box, if you just click Forums at the top you will see the login box at the top of that page, unless you are already logged in.

[josie790]

Morning

Im more a reader of all posts than a poster (hope that made sense). I think new site looks fab, but would it be possible to have the 10 latest posts back on home page?? I really liked this feature as i dont often have time to go through all forums and they used to be really handy. Thanks

Jo :)

[Villainlover]

Shelly,
What screen resolution do you have? is it less than 1024 wide?
If it is 1024 then the site will be full screen, if you have a screen resolution of 1024 wide or higher than 1024 wide then you should not have to scroll to the right.

it says 1024 .. but like I said I don't like to have my pages taking up the whole screen, I like to see whats going on behind (iykwim) so I guess I will just have to get used to scrolling :cry: its a shame you can't minimise that left hand menu.

[Stu]

Hi Jo,
We monitored the use of that feature for nearly a year and very few people actually used it, so we removed it to clean up the front page. Most seem to favour using the "New Post" or "Today's Posts" link at the top, this gives the latest post.

If you click one of those links above you will see a list of the latest posts.

[Villainlover]

this is what I see

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g250/villainlover/untitled.jpg

[Super Ali]

:thumb: Love the new look :thumb:

[anfield05]

nice and modern stu, impressed so far, off to have a closer inspection! lol

[button1963]

Wtg Dibb - you are looking brilliant xx

[LolUK]

My opinions (for what they are worth) are similar to others; I like the new styling but with the permanent menu to the left, there is a lot of whitespace, especially when scrolling through threads - maybe up to 20%.

[Andre]

My opinions (for what they are worth) are similar to others; I like the new styling but with the permanent menu to the left, there is a lot of whitespace, especially when scrolling through threads - maybe up to 20%.

On my screen, the wasted space when reading forums is 64% of my total screen area. :(

i.e. the message panel is now only about 600 pixels wide for actual message text, as comapred to a total of 1680 pixels on my screen. Even on a smaller 1024 screen you're still only using about 58% of it for actual message text.

I still like the overall look (well done Stu), I just have an issue with being forced to waste over 60% of my screen. :(

Andre

[Northern Star]

Hi
What a great new look, well done you!

[easygoingeezer]

Luvin it, please keep it the same now :wavey:

[Villainlover]

hmmm .. wierd .. just went on the 'had enough of Carole thread' and it was the 'old' dibb :erm:

[Andre]

I wish you had told me how to sign in though before you changed the site,its took me ages to work out how to log in.

Why not tick the "Remember me" option, then you don't have to log in each session? (only works if you're the only DIBBer on that PC of course).

Then set your favourites item or desktop shortcut to go straight to www.thedibb.co.uk/forums (http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums) to get directily to the forums.

Or you could even set your shortcut to http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/search.php?do=getnew&exclude=107 which would take you directly to the new postings list as soon as you start using the site.

Andre

[Tinkers]

Looks great!!

[Stu]

hmmm .. wierd .. just went on the 'had enough of Carole thread' and it was the 'old' dibb :erm:

I take it you are using AOL :D they will have some of the old pages cached in their proxies for sometime yet.

We moved about 40 sites last week from one of our servers in USA to a Server in UK and we had AOL users still having problems 3 days after the move.

I never understand why AOL ignore all the TTL settings on Domains.

[bettyboo57]

looks great carry on the good work lol

[jan2794]

:) just logged in and have to say looks fantastic, actually thought i was on wrong site. :wavey:

[summertime85]

Stu, the new site looks brilliant.

[gurls]

:wave: :thumbs-up L_O_O_K_I_N_G......G_O_O_D :thumbs-up

[Fiona]

Love the new look-fabulous. :-) What features were removed, if you don`t mind me asking??!!

[Fiona]

Just realised that I have to keep scrolling to the right to see things properly. Can`t say I like having to do this all the time, it`s a pain in the backside!! :-(

[Andre]

Love the new look-fabulous. :-) What features were removed, if you don`t mind me askin??!!

I've not really missed anything so far (well, apart from half my screen, but I think I've made that point) and most things seem pretty easily accessible still. I'd be very interested to know what's new though, so I can take a look at it.

Andre

[BenH]

I like it, a lot. Looks modern and fresh - good job :thumbs-up

[Funkymum]

Lovin the new look :d: :wavey:
Shelley

[Geebeetee]

oooooh ain't it pretty!

[Splashman77]

:thumbs-up Great new look well done

[carrieanne]

thought my computer skills had failed again love the new site

[patm]

Stu
It looks nice and fresh. Well done on the constant hard work
Pat

[kazzaqld]

On my screen, the wasted space when reading forums is 64% of my total screen area. :(

i.e. the message panel is now only about 600 pixels wide for actual message text, as comapred to a total of 1680 pixels on my screen. Even on a smaller 1024 screen you're still only using about 58% of it for actual message text.

I still like the overall look (well done Stu), I just have an issue with being forced to waste over 60% of my screen. :(

Andre


What Andre said! :thumbs-up

[BCKloon]

I'd forgotten the favourites bar, as I usually turn it off (in I.E. 7, if you're got that, it can be set to only appear when you click on it, which is perfect). Having a fav bar there permanently would eat up even more screen space. But I've been through this before with Stu and was told that's the way he wants it to be, so that's the way it will be.

I agree the new colours and top 'curved' menu look attractive, but I do still feel there are too many menus wasting too much screen space. I thought this change was going to remove some of them and tidy up the layout; instead, it's actually made them bigger! If you look at it, there is a top curved menu under the graphic, then another even larger one down the left-hand side (which you must agree does waste an awful lot of screen space in a fixed-width layout) and then another one at the top of the forums - and many of the functions are duplicated anyway (such as Home, Park Hours, Home, Reviews & Menus, some of which are in all three menus).

[Edit: Just looked at the 'Home' page, which looks very nice too - but I was just wonding how many regular DIBBers visit the homepage first? I have the forums page bookmarked, and I always enter the site directly to there]

Andre


I know we maybe the minority here but I agree with Andre

[Stu]

Just realised that I have to keep scrolling to the right to see things properly. Can`t say I like having to do this all the time, it`s a pain in the backside!! :-(

Fiona,
What Screen resolution are you using? is it less than 1024 wide?

[essexmick]

i think its a world away from how it looked before, looks great imo, but i agree with andre im using around or less than 3/4 of my screen, res is set to 1280*960 :( apart from that i love it much more modern :)

the side menu is only used for about 6" and then its lost space

[Villainlover]

..........

[jessicabailey]

love the new look, well done!

[loadsapixiedust]

Is there no 'new posts' link on the homepage now?

[Big Bird]

I like it. I think it looks much better at the top of the page.

[westy]

Just logged on and thought what's going on here. But after a couple of seconds realising what had happenend I think it looks great!

[andyhayley]

I think it looks great too, did you get someone in to do the graphics or do them yourselves, they are very good!

[Stu]

I think it looks great too, did you get someone in to do the graphics or do them yourselves, they are very good!

We do the graphics ourselves

[Stu]

Is there no 'new posts' link on the homepage now?

Correct - thats's by design :) just click the forums then you have New Posts and Today's posts that you can click on.

[Stu]

the side menu is only used for about 6" and then its lost space

As stated in the first post, we still have some few hundred pages to re-create or expand - it was taking so long that we changed to the new site early as we can continue adding to the site whilst it's live. There is still a lot to add, unfortunately paid work keeps getting in the way :)

[loadsapixiedust]

Just one more question ;) will you be removing the wand?

[Suzi]

Hi

Just thought I'd say I love the new look

[AndyJ]

Overall look and design: Great.
Side bar down side: Good.
Menu at top: Good.
Loss of drop down menus: Great.
Loading times: Good.

Fixed Width: Very Bad, see teacher ;)

(...and yeah, I know my company web site I've just redisgned is fixed width but I wouldn't do it for a forum ;) ;) )

Great work Stu.

AndyJ.

[Fab]

It looks fantastic, very curvacious! :thumb:

[Stu]

Just one more question ;) will you be removing the wand?

No not yet :)

[GaynorB]

Ok so just got up to find a new dibb!!!! It does look good but sorry I do not like it :(

I always log on and go straight to new posts, do I now have to go on to a forum and then go on to the new posts or is there a button I have not seen yet?

I do like the way it looks , great work.But I also like to view the new posts.Is there an easy way to do this??

Thanks :d:

[GaynorB]

I do like the way it looks , great work.But I also like to view the new posts.Is there an easy way to do this??

Thanks :d:
Apologies -just found it.Panic over

Thanks :thumbs-up

[Stu]

Apologies -just found it.Panic over

Thanks :thumbs-up

LOL, well I have done this now so would be a shame to waste it ;) :D

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=9568&stc=1&d=1185967998

[GaynorB]

Thanks Stu.

[highland lass]

looks great - just hope i can find my way around - prone to getting lost!!

[Ste]

I think it looks brill ! New era of the DIBB. You can't please everyone I guess, but seems to please the majority. Well done guys. :grin:

Thankooo :thumbs-up

(People who aren't keen will just have to learn to like it , just like the resizing picture feature. :grin: :pgig: )

[Jan]

Nice and modern, Stu. You guys are doing a great job.

[tracymiami]

I really like it ...

but (you could sense a but) i do miss the forum box on the bottom of the page where you could see the latest posts or has this been put somewhere else??? If not (i know you have work left to do) will it go back on

Other than that WICKED :) you are all sooo clever :)

tx

[Nicksgirl]

I dont like it..... (moan moan moan)...

dont like the screen being too wide and having to keep scrolling over.

:blush:

[Maz]

Is there no 'new posts' link on the homepage now?

I just changed my favourite bookmarked page to the forum page, missing out the home page. Must remember to visit the homepage though!

[Stu]

I dont like it..... (moan moan moan)...

dont like the screen being too wide and having to keep scrolling over.

:blush:

If you are using a screen resolution of 1024 (width) just use it at full screen there will be no scrolling then.

[Petenamy]

Hi Stu,

Love the new site, although I have noticed that where it has links to "Information" - "maps" on this left hand side, all three links go to the same page. Would it be possible to have one link for the use of GPS or Sat Nav?
Otherwise well done, it is a really well laid out site.

[Stu]

I just changed my favourite bookmarked page to the forum page, missing out the home page. Must remember to visit the homepage though!

Why are you missing the home page - it's still there and will be updated much more now we have full control of it.

[Stu]

Hi Stu,

Love the new site, although I have noticed that where it has links to "Information" - "maps" on this left hand side, all three links go to the same page. Would it be possible to have one link for the use of GPS or Sat Nav?
Otherwise well done, it is a really well laid out site.

As stated in the first post, there is still a lot of work to do with the menu.

[Maz]

Why are you missing the home page - it's still there and will be updated much more now we have full control of it.

Because there isn't direct New Post link from there I just changed my direct link to the forum page so it saves a second of time( :d: ) - my choice. I will keep checking it the homepage - it is a great looking page too.

[kelphil]

Can i just say again what a fab job you have done and i LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT:thumbs-up:thumbs-up:thumbs-up

[the hook]

Nice looking site. Good job. ;)

[Rebelrebel]

I think it looks brill ! New era of the DIBB. You can't please everyone I guess, but seems to please the majority. Well done guys. :grin:

Thankooo :thumbs-up

(People who aren't keen will just have to learn to like it , just like the resizing picture feature. :grin: :pgig: )

I sooooooooo agree with this :)

[Loz1967]

Love the new look to the site

The only but I am not that keen on is the menus on the left hand side and having to scroll across for the forums.

[Mikeyboy]

Top job, looks really good :thumbs-up

[AuntiePiglit]

I dont like it..... (moan moan moan)...

dont like the screen being too wide and having to keep scrolling over.

:blush:

:erm: Mine's the opposite... it has shrunk and there's a wide margin each side... :confused2 Is it supposed to look like this now?

[Stu]

:erm: Mine's the opposite... it has shrunk and there's a wide margin each side... :confused2 Is it supposed to look like this now?


in short, Yes :) just reduce your browser width and you are set :)

[AuntiePiglit]

in short, Yes :) just reduce your browser width and you are set :)

Sorry, what does that mean? I don't speak techno..... :erm:

[travelmam]

The site is fab now Stu, Very up to date. :pgig:

[BevS97]

Sorry, what does that mean? I don't speak techno..... :erm:

just make your window smaller, mine now looks like this.

You should only have to scroll if you have your resolution set very very low, or don't have the full window open, for most people there should be ample room to view without scrolling.


Please excuse the v. blurry screen print, I don't have any graphics software on this pc

[AuntiePiglit]

Thanks for advice, BevS97. :)
I see what you mean but it still looks weird. Ah well....

[essexmick]

Please excuse the v. blurry screen print, I don't have any graphics software on this pc

thats no excuse, go off and get some now young lady ;) :pgig:

gradually getting used to the width thing, would still prefer it like this than it was before without a shadow of a doubt

well done all involved with the change over :thumb: from me

[jonny]

Looks great Stu :thumbs-up

[lozzy]

WELL I have to say it looks really great, Big smiles. Keep up the great work, I would be lost without this site.

[Andre]

Just one more question ;) will you be removing the wand?

ROFL, love it!

Andre

[Andre]

in short, Yes :) just reduce your browser width and you are set :)

Or buy a smaller monitor - that must be the trend I've missed, I guess.

Andre

[janny]

Well done guys, i think its great!!

And for the complainers, coz there is ALWAYS one, remember to close the door on yer way out!

[BevS97]

thats no excuse, go off and get some now young lady

it's really irritating, there's not even PAINT on here, but as I am at work I can hardly go and ask them to install Adobe just because I want to share a few screen prints with my mates :)

[essexmick]

it's really irritating, there's not even PAINT on here, but as I am at work I can hardly go and ask them to install Adobe just because I want to share a few screen prints with my mates :)

well thats different if your at work, i'll let you off then :grin:

[MickeyMadMandy]

Wow, great work everyone. Looks brilliant.

[jonnno]

Looking good Stu!

[AuntiePiglit]

And for the complainers, coz there is ALWAYS one, remember to close the door on yer way out!

I was not complaining, merely asking for assistance. I think the site is fab.

[drvcmruk]

What a shock today but what can I say, it all looks fab :spin:

[Maz]

Well done guys, i think its great!!

And for the complainers, coz there is ALWAYS one, remember to close the door on yer way out!

Things aren't that serious are they? :erm:

[essexmick]

Things aren't that serious are they? :erm:

no they arent :)

[missl]

it looks great :)

[Walmart-lover]

I like it :)

[CillaBlack]

Woo -hoo lovin the new look site Stu - its fab! :thumbs-up

[Anne]

Looks great guys :thumbup: :thumbup:

And for the complainers, coz there is ALWAYS one, remember to close the door on yer way out!

And don't slam it either as you might wake up Stu and Smax who I'm sure are in need of a rest after all their hard work.

[Sue]

Or buy a smaller monitor - that must be the trend I've missed, I guess.

Andre

Looking great on my 12" lappy - glad the old one got wrecked now :thumbs-up

[Dawn]

I've decided that I really, really like the orange borders round the individual posts. Don't ask me why but it stands out and I like it.

Need a touch of orange around the place. Gives it a girlie feel. Now if we could just get a few more cushions. :D

[ali-s]

OK, in VERY simple English - how do I reduce browser width and make the screen smaller, so I can quit having to scroll to the right ? was hoping I could figure it out myself but I can't ! :blush: :d:

[SMAX]

If you have to scroll then you need to make your browser bigger not smaller.

If you have a 1024x768 screen then you need to maximise the browser to stop scrollbars.

[pattiresidents]

:erm: I think it's cool well it is now anyway. I haven't been on here for a week or so and just clicked enter and i was like omg is this the right site. Now i know it's really cool, luvin it :thumbs-up

[Astrid]

Lookin' good Stu! Big thanks and thumbs up to you and everyone else in the Engine Room. :)

[janny]

I was not complaining, merely asking for assistance. I think the site is fab.

Lol, i knew YOU werent complaining!!

Its just that theres always one who thinks they could do the whole thing better.....and my advice, as always, is...."go do it then"!!!

[AuntiePiglit]

Lol, i knew YOU werent complaining!!


:D :thumbs-up

[Villainlover]

If you have to scroll then you need to make your browser bigger not smaller.

If you have a 1024x768 screen then you need to maximise the browser to stop scrollbars.


with me it isn't my browser cos if I maximise the dibb its fine .. I just don't like to browse like that is all ... I like to be able to see my favourites etc but still have the dibb up .. IYKWIM

If the lefthand menu was at the right I wouldn't have to scroll, unless I wanted to see that menu of course but that wouldn't be every post I opened :(

I will either have to get used to using pages maximised or will have to keep on scrolling.

[Maz]

with me it isn't my browser cos if I maximise the dibb its fine .. I just don't like to browse like that is all ... I like to be able to see my favourites etc but still have the dibb up .. IYKWIM

If the lefthand menu was at the right I wouldn't have to scroll, unless I wanted to see that menu of course but that wouldn't be every post I opened :(

I will either have to get used to using pages maximised or will have to keep on scrolling.

I do KWYM Shelly!! It is annoying to me too, but, I will get used to it!

[*~Nic~*]

Looks good Stu :thumbs-up

[SMAX]

... I like to be able to see my favourites etc but still have the dibb up .. IYKWIM


I dont understand why you would need your favourites open while on theDIBB? You don't need to go anywhere else do you? ;) :D :pgig:

[Andre]

I will either have to get used to using pages maximised or will have to keep on scrolling.

Yep, as someone so helpfully put it just now, we'd better just learn to live with it or leave, rather than trying to offer constructive suggestions.

As I've said several times I love the new DIBB look, I just don't happen to like having 60% of my screen made unusable by the DIBB as a consequence - especially when it worked fine before. Not sure why that's considered wrong by anyone?

[Edit: I forgot to mention Villianlover, which browser do you use? IE7 has a very nice facility to hide your Favourites List until you click on a little link to pop the list up, and then it vanishes again after you've selected - just like Windows menus. Very easy to use and it doesn't waste valuable screen space when you don't need the list)

Andre

[littletrev]

Love the new look, it fab!!!

[Micky]

Wow, what a great improvement :wavey: I think it's much better ;)

[SMAX]

Even the makers of vBulletin, the forum software we use has a fixed width site even smaller than theDIBB new theme.

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/

And the modification site for vB

http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/index.php

Personally i like to keep my browser 1024 width even though my monitor is 1680 pixels. This gives me more room for other aps like skype and some special software i monitor the servers with.

Also the text in each post is a lot more readable now as its less eye movement. Before with a full screen at 1680 it was like watching tennis reading a post :)

Can you imagine a broadsheet newspaper without columns and how hard that would be to read? The reason for columns is to make less eye movement. Its just far easier to read.

[Sue]

Even the makers of vBulletin, the forum software we use has a fixed width site even smaller than theDIBB new theme.

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/

And the modification site for vB

http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/index.php

Personally i like to keep my browser 1024 width even though my monitor is 1680 pixels. This gives me more room for other aps like skype and some special software i monitor the servers with.

Also the text in each post is a lot more readable now as its less eye movement. Before with a full screen at 1680 it was like watching tennis reading a post :)

Can you imagine a broadsheet newspaper without columns and how hard that would be to read? The reason for columns is to make less eye movement. Its just far easier to read.

Gee I wish someone would have warned me that the new look site needed a degree in technogeeklingo to read threads :confused2 :confused2 :confused2

:pgig:

[TrueBlueAngel]

I like it a lot :grin:

[Fiona]

Fiona,
What Screen resolution are you using? is it less than 1024 wide?

Not sure to be honest Stu!! :blush: If it is less than 1024 wide, would that be why I have to keep scrolling over?? Thanks. :)

[AndyJ]

As I've said several times I love the new DIBB look, I just don't happen to like having 60% of my screen made unusable by the DIBB as a consequence - especially when it worked fine before. Not sure why that's considered wrong by anyone?

Some people just like to complain about complainers ;) Or at least certain complainers ;)



Also the text in each post is a lot more readable now as its less eye movement. Before with a full screen at 1680 it was like watching tennis reading a post :)

Can you imagine a broadsheet newspaper without columns and how hard that would be to read? The reason for columns is to make less eye movement. Its just far easier to read.

You know, that's the first good reason for a fixed width site I have read :)

Still not sure though.... the space under the side bar is a tad odd?

AndyJ.

[crid]

Even the makers of vBulletin, the forum software we use has a fixed width site even smaller than theDIBB new theme.

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/

And the modification site for vB

http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/index.php

Personally i like to keep my browser 1024 width even though my monitor is 1680 pixels. This gives me more room for other aps like skype and some special software i monitor the servers with.

Also the text in each post is a lot more readable now as its less eye movement. Before with a full screen at 1680 it was like watching tennis reading a post :)

Can you imagine a broadsheet newspaper without columns and how hard that would be to read? The reason for columns is to make less eye movement. Its just far easier to read.

Sorry but I'm with Andre. This fixed width is too narrow. Can't we go back to a fluid layout so it can fill my monitor?

I use 1600 x 1200 resoultion and I didn't choose to buy a larger monitor so that sites could then squash everything in a small column in the middle of the screen. I work in IT and there are very few square ratio monitors available now, over the next 6 months these will get harder and harder to find as manufactuers are moving to widescreen panels. So what you're going to end up with is more and more people with the dibb in a small column in the middle and loads of white each side.

The new header is great and the menu on the left is no problem but you really should at least allow the option of using a template that lets the forum fill the width of the screen.

You might choose to display your monitor at only 1024 and that's your choice, however I don't but you have decided that that is the maximum resolution I'm now allowed to view the dibb in! If people didn't like it filling the width before then they could choose to shrink the browser window, I prefer having it full width but you've taken that option away.

I'm not familiar with vBulletin but with other forums I've seen you can have the option of using different templates - maybe you could make this the default but give the option of full window width to people that would prefer it?

Change is good but maybe on such a busy site some user testing from a group of volunteers would have been a good idea before such a big change.

Just my 2p.

[janny]

Some people just like to complain about complainers ;) Or at least certain complainers ;)


Ah, but he knows i love him really.......DONT YA ANDRE????? ;) :)

Cant believe youre calling Andre a complainer though Andy....i thought you guys were friends??

[ursula]

Is it only me that does not know what people are talking about!!!! I have just measured my screen and it is 12 1/2 inches :blush: :blush:

[Norn Iron]

Very nice Good Job :thumbs-up

[AndyJ]

I'm not familiar with vBulletin but with other forums I've seen you can have the option of using different templates - maybe you could make this the default but give the option of full window width to people that would prefer it?


You have to admit Stu, that would shut us up :)

The mobile template is very good (except the lack of a reply button in the PM screen.)

Can we have a widescreen template!

[AndyJ]

Also my name and location are no longer centered. Design feature or fault?

Cheers. A.

[Stu]

Not picking on you Andre... but all from this ONE single thread, today ;)

I've posted my thoughts elsewhere.
...... far too narrow in this day and age of wider monitors becoming the norm rather than the exception

Andre

Having a fav bar there permanently would eat up even more screen space.



I've been through this before with Stu and was told that's the way he wants it to be, so that's the way it will be.

Andre

On my screen, the wasted space when reading forums is 64% of my total screen area. :(

i.e. the message panel is now only about 600 pixels wide for actual message text, as comapred to a total of 1680 pixels on my screen. Even on a smaller 1024 screen you're still only using about 58% of it for actual message text.
Andre

.... buy a smaller monitor - that must be the trend I've missed, I guess.

Andre


As I've said several times...., I just don't happen to like having 60% of my screen made unusable by the DIBB as a consequence - especially when it worked fine before. Not sure why that's considered wrong by anyone?

Andre

So What are you saying exactly ;) :D :D

You do know that you can reduce the width of your browser :) look at it this way, if you have 60% wasted space you could have two DIBB Windows open.... double the pleasure ;)

We have been here before, so I don't see any point repeating stuff....

[Andre]

Even the makers of vBulletin, the forum software we use has a fixed width site even smaller than theDIBB new theme.

Actually, since they don't have any side-menus or avatar columns, their actual forum text area is much wider than the DIBB's - but as you say it is still fixed width, just a lot wider than 600 pixels.

I know a lot of people are happy using 1024-width windows, but equally some of us are happier using wider areas if our screens allow. And of course there are a number of users here who use narrower displays than 1024 who are finding they have the opposite problem to me (i.e. enforced scrolling). None of us are wrong, just different.

Oh, and this excellent new DIBB style does allow wider text areas to work by the way, I managed to force it this morning in certain threads and the forum carried on working fine and looked even better still. I just wish we could have that as a profile option, that's all - and then only in the forums section, the rest of the DIBB can be whatever layout is needed for Stu's forthcoming plans.

Andre

[Andre]

Not picking on you Andre... but all from this ONE single thread, today ;)

Grin, I think someone closed the other ones.

That still doesn't make me wrong though - I just think the choice would be good and then everyone would be happy.

Andre

[AndyJ]

Not picking on you Andre... but all from this ONE single thread, today ;)


:d: :pgig: :d: :pgig:

Drawing up my mental pro's and con's list, I still see more con's for fixed width though :)

Mobile Dibbing with piccies is now out of the picture, for example: A small demographic of PDA's and Mobiles will now not have the text dynamically flow! EG my Nokia 9300 and T5 now are unusable with this layout. Gotta use the mobile profile....

A.

[SMAX]

Also my name and location are no longer centered. Design feature or fault?

Cheers. A.

That is by design. The Avatar and ears are centered and the rest left aligned.

[dkra2007]

Threw me for a minute when I logged in but I like it :)

[Stu]

Grin, I think someone closed the other ones.

That still doesn't make me wrong though - I just think the choice would be good and then everyone's happy.

Andre

That also doesn't make you right either :D

[BevS97]

as far as I can see the mobile profile can go wide too, so there is the answer to your problem - switch to that and quit moaning!

[crid]

Is it only me that does not know what people are talking about!!!! I have just measured my screen and it is 12 1/2 inches :blush: :blush:

Hi Ursula, with PC monitors they can be different physical sizes (which is measured diagonally). The most common for an LCD monitor being 17", 19" and 22" and for a laptop, 14.1", 15", 15.4". Some of these are what's called 4:3 ratio (ie, they look pretty square like what the old style TVs used to look like) and some are (which is widescreen like a modern TV / LCD TV).

You can then also run the display at different resolutions. LCD displays have what's called a native resolution - this is how many physical pixels there are across and down the display. For example, a 19" LCD will be 1280 x 1024. This means that on the display there are 1280 columns of pixels (dots) across and 1024 rows of pixels down the panel. Different size displays have different native resolutions. You can also choose to make your computer send out a different resolution to the native monitor resolution (this means the image won't be as good as 1 pixel sent from the pc won't relate to 1 pixel on the monitor).

Anyway. The problem here is that with the old design it didn't matter what size screen you had because the site would stretch to fill the full width of the browser window. However with the new design the width is fixed so it will never go above a certain amount. This means if you have a monitor with a resoultion larger than what the width of the site is fixed at then you end up with empty space down the right and left of the content (think of it a bit like when you watch a widescreen movie on an old TV and you used to get the black bars at the top and bottom).

The following link (although the picture is a bit busy) shows some common resolutions. The Dibb is now fixed to fit in 1024, that's the XGA resolution. If you then have a look at what I run my monitor in 1600 x 1200 (UXGA) you'll see how much difference there is between the two resolutions and that's just white space on my monitor. Of course, if your monitor is a 1024 x 768 then apart from a differnet layout the dibb will still fill your window and you won't see what some people with the bigger monitors are complaining about.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Video_Standards.svg

[Hawkmoon]

I'd never spotted the weather information on the old incarnation thogh at the moment it doesn't look great to look. the speed is great though as is the design.

[AndyJ]

That also doesn't make you right either :D

But the customer is always right! :grin:

A.

[Fiona]

I am now even more confused, if such a thing is possible!! ;-) If our screen is less than this 1024 thingy, would that be why I have to keep scrolling to the right? Thanks. :-)

[crid]

I am now even more confused, if such a thing is possible!! ;-) If our screen is less than this 1024 thingy, would that be why I have to keep scrolling to the right? Thanks. :-)

Yes, that's exactly why.

[Andre]

That also doesn't make you right either :D

Hmm, so if I'm not wrong and apparently I'm not either right... I wonder what I am? <waits for unsubtle comment from Janny> :)

Andre

[AndyJ]

as far as I can see the mobile profile can go wide too, so there is the answer to your problem - switch to that and quit moaning!

I am not moaning, I am respectfully pointing out issues that exist!

However, what I stated was incorrect about the phones and pda's - the mobile profile does contain pictures - I take back my statement :)

In fact, if I can have a reply button in the PM profile I really like the DIBB Mobile format :) :) I'll use it!

AndyJ.

[poohspals]

Wow! Looking really posh now

[BevS97]

I am not moaning, I am respectfully pointing out issues that exist!

that depends on your point of view :)

[janny]

I wonder what I am? <waits for unsubtle comment from Janny> :)


:erm: :erm: :erm: damn, youve spoiled it now!!!

:pgig: :pgig:

[Lana]

Ah, but he knows i love him really.......DONT YA ANDRE????? ;) :)

Cant believe youre calling Andre a complainer though Andy....i thought you guys were friends??

#### I just spat at my screen there, yeah Andy dont pick on your friends that is not nice. I know Andre goes on and on, but your just not being fair ;)

[AndyJ]

http://www.andyjpartridge.com/loveustu.jpg

Hmm. All looks ok on my screen now :) Just edit your profile to include images at the original size and you're sorted.

;)

EDIT: Mind you, this trick works on Safari but not Firefox on the Mac....

[Chelle27]

We'll get used to it eventually. A change is as good as a rest as the saying goes!

[graham4b]

love the new site :spin: it took me a few times to connect as a i thought it was the wrong one :o: but think this is great :spin:

[huneybunny17]

love the new look
M
x

[disneyfanuk]

its looking good :wave:

[hel1304]

LIke the look of the new site - thanks Stu

[janny]

I know Andre goes on and on

OMG, itching to reply to this, but i fear i may be banned, so better keep ye olde mouth zipped!!! :erm: :erm: ;)

[crid]

Hi

I've had a look at the source code and I *think* all you'd need is another template with just two tiny changes - the width setting in the very first table to 100% rather than 980 and the width to 100% in the table (summary="Footer").

That's it! From what I can see it'll then resize and the forums will fill all available space horizontally. Surely this would be possible? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease :)

[Stu]

Thanks Col,
There is more to it than what you'll see in the souce code.

This isn't something we can't do and it's not a problem to change, however we have designed the site the way it is for a multitude of reasons.

This thread seems to have deterioated... it was only really here to announce the new site :) not go into the rights or wrongs.

In my very first post I did say that not everyone would like it ;)

I have sent you a PM Col.