[nadreg]

Hi all,

I've made some changes to the site today to better organize information and to free up space for the main content.

Some changes:
1. The left navigation pane has been removed for the homepage. I've moved all the relevant links to the main navigation bar. Please let me know if I missed anything there.
2. There are two new sections - Travel and Community. The new pages are meant to focus on the content for those topics. The Latest Forum Topics, for example, on the travel and community pages is filtered from the respective forums.
3. The shoutbox is now part of the community page.
4. "Who's Online" is now part of the Community Page.

Let me know if you guys see any issues. Thanks!

[PeakXV]

I'll get use to it but initial impression is that it is not nearly as user friendly .... especially for those of us with older systems/monitors. Wouldn't be as inclined to browse if I were a newbie as compared with the old(re: yesterday's) splash page.

[hfot2]

Originally Posted by PeakXV

I'll get use to it but initial impression is that it is not nearly as user friendly .... especially for those of us with older systems/monitors. Wouldn't be as inclined to browse if I were a newbie as compared with the old(re: yesterday's) splash page.

Ditto.

I'll get used to it too - but it freaked me out when our avatar didn't show up in the right corner - I wasn't sure the log-in had worked, esp. since I couldn't find the USER CP link. Is this gone from the top menu bar - or whatever you call it - or have I just not found it?

distaff half of hfot2

[tacita]

ok, i put down the whiskey glass and looked again--now i see that nad made some changes. sheesh! thanks for deleting my goofy thread and sparing me any greater humiliation.

[nadreg]

Originally Posted by PeakXV

I'll get use to it but initial impression is that it is not nearly as user friendly .... especially for those of us with older systems/monitors. Wouldn't be as inclined to browse if I were a newbie as compared with the old(re: yesterday's) splash page.

Interesting take, Peak. I was actually trying to make it more user friendly. The old version did not have Photos and Hotels in the main nav bar, so it wasn't readily evident that the website had those sections.

As for the older monitors, I haven't changed the page width at all, so in terms of viewable screen space on older monitors, that shouldn't have changed.

Originally Posted by hfot2

I'll get used to it too - but it freaked me out when our avatar didn't show up in the right corner - I wasn't sure the log-in had worked, esp. since I couldn't find the USER CP link. Is this gone from the top menu bar - or whatever you call it - or have I just not found it?

distaff half of hfot2

The Welcome Block is still on the homepage. I'll move it above the photos of the month so that it's less of a shock. The USER CP link is now under the Quick Links drop down on the main nav. If it's something people use a lot, then I will also add it to the Welcome Block on the top right hand corner of the website.

[tacita]

yes, nad, i use the "user CP" often. my personal preference would be to have it more easily accessible.

change can be uncomfortable at first--we'll adapt. i prefer the old set-up, but it's what i was used to.

i also liked being able to see immediately who was online from the homepage. again, just personal preference. obviously, you can't accommodate everyone.

i find the "travel" button a little confusing, if only because...we're a travel site.

[tacita]

i see it's above our avatar box--excellent location. sorry if i merely missed that earlier.

[PeakXV]

Are the 3 IndiaMike.com headings/greetings at the top of the page all necessary - I might reduce to one and free some useful space.... they are a nice welcoming touch but so much so that I overlooked(first 3 times I logged in) the important links buried just below re:

IndiaMike.com is your resource for researching and discussing travel in India with a community of members just like you. Check out our forums, browse through the collection of India photos, or research our India hotel listings.

[nadreg]

Originally Posted by janice

change can be uncomfortable at first--we'll adapt. i prefer the old set-up, but it's what i was used to.

i also liked being able to see immediately who was online from the homepage. again, just personal preference. obviously, you can't accommodate everyone.

i find the "travel" button a little confusing, if only because...we're a travel site.

Yes, I understand the changes might make some of the older members a little disoriented. Keep in mind that I'm still going to be making tweaks based on user feedback.

The main reason I added a Travel and Community section is because I plan on adding more stuff to those sections. Articles, which used to exist under the old Community section, will be making a big comeback.

Originally Posted by PeakXV

Are the 3 IndiaMike.com headings/greetings at the top of the page all necessary - I might reduce to one and free some useful space.... they are a nice welcoming touch but so much so that I overlooked(first 3 times I logged in) the important links buried just below re:

IndiaMike.com is your resource for researching and discussing travel in India with a community of members just like you. Check out our forums, browse through the collection of India photos, or research our India hotel listings.

So the welcoming header distracts from the useful links below? If so, I can make the useful links section more prominent somehow.

[nadreg]

Also, if you guys come across more threads that would be appropriate for the "Traveler Resources" section in the Travel page, let me know.

[PeakXV]

1)IndiaMike.Com - The IndiaTravel Forum
2)IndiaMike.Com
3)Welcome to IndiaMike.com - An Online community fo Indian Travellers.


.... with all the above links/welcomes you now (on my monitor)see only the top 1/4 of the photos.

Smaller in font and sandwiched in between are those useful links which ones eyes are taken away from.

IndiaMike.com - The India Travel Forum graphic is all you need for ID ..... and it is clickable as well.

Having said all that I think monitors/resolutions & software packages will all combine for slightly different visual presentations to the end user ...... I guess time will tell if it is more or less navigatible to the "average user" with the "industry standard" system!

[machadinha]

I'm not sure if I'm getting you Peak. I think that intro box now redirects you to the most important sections (first time I looked at it in its new form). Strikes me as useful at first glance.

Other than that, I'm as conservative with these things as the next guy/gal I guess. You often don't notice after a week or so, however.

Which is not to detract from useful criticism, of course. I think (I'm no whiz kid) with monitors it can be made so that it will fit most. Which is what I think we have. If it doesn't fit yours (or doesn't sit well with your browser or something), I guess contacting Nadreg about it would be very helpful.

[PeakXV]

The IndiaMike logo's/links/graphics seem slightly redundant & might be condensed and/or used more strategically for initial presentation & valuable opening page space ...... otherwise it's fine.

All the other Vbulletin sites that I frequent seem fine with my monitor but when/if content, font, color, buttons & advert placement change - then your opening navigation capabilities(re: without scrolling) will change accordingly with any webpage in cyberspace.

Hope that explains it - no big deal just seemed slightly less confusing a day ago.

[machadinha]

Hm yes. Looking again I see your doubling-up point. I like those forum directs though.

You're right though, it will always change somewhat. I try to take a deep gulp & let it sink in for a bit But keep the good comments coming, please. I'm sure the Big Man will find them useful

[robotvoice]

actually, the thing that recently changed (before these changes) that I miss is the home link at the bottom of the page. It was a convenient way to go to the main page when you finish reading a thread.