Announcement Why did you do that?

[ThatPhoenixGuy]

Sometimes, when people work hard to "improve" something, they have a hard time accepting a critique of that effort, and diminish or dismiss those offering their opinion, as "entitled to their opinion, no matter how wrong they are." I would submit that a little chrome is not such a bad thing. It has sold a lot of cars in it's day, and it can keep people interested in staying for the long haul. If you really took a poll (not saying you should, or will) you would probably find the majority not entirely happy with the dechromification of the RPF. You can dismiss that as "just your opinion" or accept it as a critique of your decision on the change. Sometimes the "needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few." I would only encourage you to review the many comments I'm seeing, which mirror my own opinion, and realize that, perhaps they have more merit than isolated opinions and reflect a prevailing sentiment. Or you could ask your closest advisers, who mirror your thoughts, to give their opinion of your new clothes.....Emperor. Just having some fun at your expense....good luck with selling this.

I couldn't agree more. Well said and not as harsh as I most likely might have sound!

 

[NTBBCPD]

Art,
First let me say Thank you for all the work you do behind the scenes, the stuff we never see and think about.

I have worked with professional designers for years and have worked in website design as well. So I understand what you are facing.

After reading all of the threads and comments I see two main concerns: The ads, necessary, but annoying, and in the case of my computer slow down the loading of the site and the threads.

The second is the colors, mainly the contrast level of the text to background.
While so many other websites are changing to meet the ADA(Americas with Disablities Act) your designer seems to have choosen design over fuction(as they often do).
I'm not talking about black on white text, but lightening the background color of the text area by 20% will make it easier to read and cause less eye strain to the members. Hey, we need our eyes in top shape to work on those prop details!

Thanks for your time,

Edward

 

[Danren]

Being new, I don't want to unduely complain, but being new, I'm not enamoured with the old, so that does not influence my opinion.
From what all is changing here, it does seem that everything is being geared toward selling, and that is taking a big chance if you are depending on member contributed content to be the "bait".
A very successful "free" forum does not always continue to strive and grow when it gets converted over into a "for profit" enterprise, and it does to me seem like that is where the focus is shifiting.
I just found this place, and there is some great stuff here. I hope the change works out and all the ads and selling doesn't discourage people from continuing to contribute.
Dan

 

[Bigdaddy]

Being new, I don't want to unduely complain, but being new, I'm not enamoured with the old, so that does not influence my opinion.
From what all is changing here, it does seem that everything is being geared toward selling, and that is taking a big chance if you are depending on member contributed content to be the "bait".
A very successful "free" forum does not always continue to strive and grow when it gets converted over into a "for profit" enterprise, and it does to me seem like that is where the focus is shifiting.
I just found this place, and there is some great stuff here. I hope the change works out and all the ads and selling doesn't discourage people from continuing to contribute.
Dan

I'm new here as well, but I never got the impression that the RPF was a non-profit charity. I think it has been a for profit venture for some time (nothing wrong with that )

 

[Sourdoh]

Just a comment: This is not the end of the world. I like 95% of the new look. I agree, Art, that most websites are overly cute with flashing chrome and banners changing so quickly that you can't even see the content. I do agree with the idea of pulling the text background back about 20%.