Feedback on Template Please! COMPLETED

[Makotosun]

OK - Got the logo fixed. Let your votes be cast. Thank you.

So after finding a bit of time to fix a few back end items on the site, I had told you we were testing some various templates, or the "look and feel" of the forum. In our first major attempt, we are almost ready for prime time. We think. My thought is to activate the template for a few days, get some feedback, and then make some decision. PLEASE ADD YOUR VOTE!

If your answer is yes to any question, check that box.

[socalhodaka]

Green throws me off.

[Makotosun]

Green throws me off.

Everything else working OK? What would be a preferable link/accent color?

[gearyoliver]

I like the typeface, clear and easy reading. The white background is bright which is a little hard on my eyes. Maybe I should turn down the brightness on my phone Lol.

[Bullfrog]

On the survey at the top - does a check mark mean "yes"? Or does it mean "no"? I've not "voted" on anything because I don't know what answer I'm giving. Put me down as not a fan of the green. The "visual flavor" of the opening page seems like made to order for Bultaco/Montessa/Ossa. Um, red and black are good colors (said a Hodaka guy). OK. Those were my first impressions, now I'll go "play around" a bit.
Ed

[Makotosun]

On the survey at the top - does a check mark mean "yes"? Or does it mean "no"? I've not "voted" on anything because I don't know what answer I'm giving. Put me down as not a fan of the green. The "visual flavor" of the opening page seems like made to order for Bultaco/Montessa/Ossa. Um, red and black are good colors (said a Hodaka guy). OK. Those were my first impressions, now I'll go "play around" a bit.
Ed

A check means “YES”. I added some clarity to my first post.

I have some other color options I can do so let’s see what the consensus is.

Ease of use and readability are my priorities!

[Bert44]

I prefer a Grey background to read the print. Otherwise ok.

[Dale]

I'll pile on...
I am having trouble with the colors as well. I vote for Black and Red on a Grey background.
The banner at the top of the page comes up very tiny. ?
I also think the layout of the topics is too spread out. I prefer a more condensed layout to see more per page.
Dale

[Makotosun]

I'll pile on...
I am having trouble with the colors as well. I vote for Black and Red on a Grey background.
The banner at the top of the page comes up very tiny. ?
I also think the layout of the topics is too spread out. I prefer a more condensed layout to see more per page.
Dale

Are you reading on a tablet, Dale? That would explain the logo issue. Good feedback. I will keep looking. Unfortunately, the software has some limits, but I have some ideas. I think I see a theme to all this.

Gary

[Dale]

I'll pile on...
I am having trouble with the colors as well. I vote for Black and Red on a Grey background.
The banner at the top of the page comes up very tiny. ?
I also think the layout of the topics is too spread out. I prefer a more condensed layout to see more per page.
Dale

Are you reading on a tablet, Dale? That would explain the logo issue. Good feedback. I will keep looking. Unfortunately, the software has some limits, but I have some ideas. I think I see a theme to all this.

Gary

It was that way on both an android phone and a laptop.
My preliminary response to the current scheme is a big thank you! Much improved in my eyes.
Dale

[Bullfrog]

Hot diggity! Got on the Forum this morning . . . and there it was, black-red-gray! Much better than the the green version to my eyes. On computer display, it seems like there is a lot of wasted space because the "body" of messages seems to be in a kind of narrow column, with "poster ID" information in a column on the left side with lots of ("under-utilized" "white space") over there on the left. Will have to check how things are on my Android smart phone. I'm startin' to like it!
Ed

[Bullfrog]

Hmmm, maybe I should sit down. I guess the "white space" issue on the left side of the screen has always been there. (don't know why I didn't notice it before).
Ed
PS: Things seem to look and work fine on the smart phone.

[Makotosun]

Your eyes are not playing tricks. The user info boxes were on the right in the old template. I don’t know if I can set them to the right or not, but let me look into it.

[Dale]

I did like the picture, but the layout without it is much better. I think you are making good changes...

[Makotosun]

OK - so this is the alternative template. I really apologize for the changes. this one is the right colors, tighter sections, profiles on the right, I am going to leave this in place until I can rework the others to be more pleasing, or until you all decide this works well.

Again - I am not a PHP coder, so am probably digging in deeper than I should . . .

Gary

[viclioce]

Gary! I think the way it looks as of now, Sunday, April 19, looks great! The black text on the light grey field is easy on the eye & the white box delineates the new message area well.

THANK YOU Gary, for all your hard work! Also, I like that we can now use standard keyboard emojis and are not limited to the ones shown only in the Full Editor & Preview view! GREAT JOB!!! Victor

[dman3998]

Looks good on my phone, seems easy to navigate, I say keep it for now and tweek it as requested.

[Makotosun]

Thanks guys. Now if I can just figure out why one of our members is unable to log in, we'll be back in fat city

[Tether]

There is a search box in the upper right that does nothing, not active?
The one on left and below works.

[Makotosun]

There is a search box in the upper right that does nothing, not active?
The one on left and below works.

Good call. There are a couple of links on the template I’m still sorting through, but didn’t see that one. Thank you!

[gearyoliver]

Much easier on the eyes now!
Looking good!

[givergas]

i was wondering as long as were on to changes , i wondering if the forum could be divided up in a schematics / identification sort of way so when your working on a lets say 03 wombat you go to the search and type in 03 wombat, all the post for just the 03 would come up. then there would be sections like on the hodaka parts.com schematics witch are broken down to groups for example on the 03 wombat the schematics are broken down in groups like figure F/ carburetor then if you have a carb issue you can get to the carb section/ posts, easier and even if your having a let say a pilot jet problem you could find the relevant posts for that specific problem. theres so much info here on this forum when i look for info on a problem i know its in here somewhere, but its easier to ask the same question over again there 3411 topics and a ton of posts it would be nice to navigate them for there priceless info. if im out of line or crazy for thinking this way just tell me to get away from the computer and go sit in the corner its all good and thanks for all you do for this forum you do a very good job at keeping it going ...albert

[matt glascock]

I really like it, Gary. I don't have a smart phone, but it looks great and it much easier to read on my computer. I can almost read it without my cheaters - almost. Thank you for a job well done.

[Bullfrog]

I just noticed that the "Board Index" link located just above (and far left) the Hodaka Club Forum logo box at the top of the page doesn't work. (My Android phone always requires a "refresh" by coming into the page from the index link -- so I use that link a lot when on my phone.)

Ed

[Makotosun]

I’m aware of the functional issue on the “Board Index” link not being live. It was one of my points of hesitance in using this template.

If you click on the site logo, it “should” take you to the board index as well. One more thing added to the to do list.

In response to the request a few posts up regarding breaking the forum into sections - that is actually on the overall site plan. We had not done anything as other options were being pursued, and we didn’t want to complicate the board, but that is part of our plan.

The other ideas - making this site more of a technical compendium regarding Hodakas, IF (and it’s a big if!) I can find the time and energy, that was the original intent of the board and the web team for the HOdaka Club site, but much of the info would be for members only.

What you are talking about is more like the other site i operate for the Yamaha crowd - www.Yamaha-Enduros.com which has a forum, technical info, manuals, period articles, and more for those bikes. It was a Herculean effort to build and I’d love to see something like that for the HOdaka crowd. As time permits, more will be done.

Gary