mj1256
Staff
Joined: Jun 05, 2006
# Posts: 920
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Posted: 2008-Sep-03 20:35
I agree with hempstead
your look needs to project an image, in this case perhaps cutting edge, technicall hip, and the so called web2.0 feel in order to capture new registrations
i also agree with the possible revenue model, especially if the ads are put in the way of content.
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jcokos
Staff
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 153
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Posted: 2008-Sep-03 20:58
We used to offer a yearly fee ($199) to hide all advertising as an option. I can bring that back.
As far as the design goes, I'm going to pull out my best Captain Kirk imitation ....
Dammit Hampstead, I'm a programmer, not a designer
I write the code the makes the forums work. Design is something that I generally (and specifically in this case) farm out to the professionals that have taste, talent, and the patience to make things look pretty. My talent is in making things physically work.
That said, I've had mixed reviews both from visitors and from staff on the design that I settled on. If you can do better, feel free to submit something to me for review 
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Hampstead
Joined: Feb 20, 2001
# Posts: 2017
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Posted: 2008-Sep-03 21:21
I'm not a designer either - I outsource.
I don't think I'd be keen on parting with $199/annum. I'd be more likely to move on.
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formerskeptic
Joined: Oct 05, 2001
# Posts: 301
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Posted: 2008-Sep-04 09:18
Hmmm - I wonder of registered users could pay a small monthly subscription to see a site without the advertising?
Not even the most accomplished forums out there can do without some form of advertising. They need a backup plan just in case subscriptions begin to dwindle
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Hampstead
Joined: Feb 20, 2001
# Posts: 2017
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Posted: 2008-Sep-04 09:27
The back up plan would be to show adverts to users not wishing to subscribe.
Not sure whether this model would work - just bouncing ideas.
Surely there's a designer using this forum that would like to benefit from the kudos and free advertising that could be garnered by offering a free design update?
Perhaps, that's worth a try?
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dudibob
Joined: Oct 13, 2005
# Posts: 1462
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Posted: 2008-Sep-04 10:22
but the problem is justifying amount of cost of non-ads, and also as more users use the service, the adverts would get less views making them worth less so would subscribers be paying enough to cover this?
I'm just playing devil's advocate, interesting idea though
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langardmicro
Joined: Mar 12, 2007
# Posts: 76
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Posted: 2008-Sep-04 12:29
This site is like a fresh LIME - you either like it or you don't. I love it. Clean your palate between courses, that's it. The "retro" people haven't got a clue what retro is anyway...it's just a knee-jerk response to the movies they've grown up watching and the Avant-Garde youth movement of fools who think that websites are, their blogs I suppose.
jcokos is the man on this one boys and girls. So quit snivelling about the things you have not done and the things you'd have to die and be reborn again to accomplish.
Revenue models are crap, especially from fools who openly declare themselves as masters of the same. This pseudo-intellectual circumlocution drives me to misspelling.
This is the SEF, for Christ's sake. When was the last time any of you tried to update 20 sites on a virtual server that were 5 years old to PHP5, XHTML, MySqlx...blah and every other tweak, syntax change and deprecation it takes to keep the running sleek? What, maybe three of you?
So what do you do? You openly criticize jcokos for accomplishing what none of you could do yourselves? Because he likes lime green, ya think?
Truth is this: You folks don't know how to program Jack. You're just a mob of comparison shoppers who don't know how to herd cats...which is what programming is all about. Nah, I've got to stand with Jcokos on this one, no matter how twisted or "retro" he seems.
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formerskeptic
Joined: Oct 05, 2001
# Posts: 301
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Posted: 2008-Sep-04 13:15
Ok fellas, lets tone down the cut throat remarks shall we? The whole purpose of this post was to offer "constructive" criticism. Last thing we want is chairs being hurled across the room.
Remember, this is still a "work in progress".
Have a little patience people 
[ Message was edited by: formerskeptic 09/04/2008 10:54 pm ]
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Hampstead
Joined: Feb 20, 2001
# Posts: 2017
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Posted: 2008-Sep-04 20:14
Langardmicro
You could have finished that post after 17 words and got your point over better.
Let's play nice shall we? There's no need for that sort of post.
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Curt
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 3736
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Posted: 2008-Sep-12 01:06
jcokos, Kudos!!! The width issue is fixed (as much as it can be at this point)
--works for me
Colors smulors, the colors don't bother me. They are subtle enough to NOT harm anyone. As far as cutting edge goes, I come here for one thing... to READ--not looking for some pretty interface--just need it work reasonably well enough. John's done just that for the essential part.
I'm perfectly satisfied with the ad supported forums and even find a few ads that catch my eye at times. Be thankful that you can use these forums for the price of ads. They don't get into your face either. Good job John (jcokos for those that don't know) 
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jcokos
Staff
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 153
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Posted: 2008-Sep-12 21:52
I do like the Web 2.0 look better, but I kind of feel like if I went and re-re-did the design with a Web 2.0 flair, that it wouldn't look completely right with the advertising.
Anyway, stay tuned .... I'm going to fine tune it a bit, and the staff and I are working on a few new goodies.
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mj1256
Staff
Joined: Jun 05, 2006
# Posts: 920
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Posted: 2008-Sep-12 22:27
i can't wait
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Curt
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 3736
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Posted: 2008-Sep-16 21:21
Anyone got an example of a Web 2.0 web site? I never know when I actually run across such a site. Any examples someone can post?
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jcokos
Staff
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 153
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Posted: 2008-Sep-16 22:58
Sure ...
Check out that category on Free Site Templates
(Moderators, before you delete my blatant link drop, may I remind you who pays the bills around here ....)
Bascially, when I think of Web 2.0, I think of a full width header, and a centerd site with big easy navigation buttons, icons, and multiple column/section body.
Web 2.0 is great for retail sites and for blogs, but it's tough to make it look "right" for forums and all the stuff we need to cram into a page. Web 2.0 is very "anti cram"
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Hampstead
Joined: Feb 20, 2001
# Posts: 2017
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Posted: 2008-Sep-17 07:23
Here's a couple of nice 2.0 style fora:
designerstalk.com/forums/
webdesignerforum.co.uk/
Incidentally, has the ad revenue increased since the re-work? I've clicked a few of those templates ads.
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jcokos
Staff
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 153
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Posted: 2008-Sep-17 21:25
Hampstead -- the template ads only earn money for the site when a template is purchased. The others need a full month to get any sort of handle on it.
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Hampstead
Joined: Feb 20, 2001
# Posts: 2017
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Posted: 2008-Sep-17 22:27
I see.
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PhilipT
Joined: Dec 26, 2000
# Posts: 101
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Posted: 2008-Sep-17 22:56
Colours are easy on the eye.
I use a laptop (sony vaio) with small screen (1074 X 768) - site looks fine.
In office I plug into a larger screen (1280 X 1024) and it still looks great.
I dont really have a problem with the ads. It seems as good a way of keeping the lights on as any. If you limited the ads to products / services that you were happy to endorse (perhaps you do this anyway) then it might be seen by users as a useful service on the site and both advertisers and SEF would benefit as a result of increased sales revenues / commissions.
On the other hand this could be a dangerous road to go down......
Anyway - well done on the new layout. Looks good & works well. P
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PhilipT
Joined: Dec 26, 2000
# Posts: 101
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Posted: 2008-Sep-17 23:41
As you can see from the number of my posts I am a fairly infrequent visitor here but I seem to remember that the "Active Topics" section used to go beyond the current day.
The small number of "Active Topics" shown (ONLY 8) makes the forum seem less active than I remember it and it is also more difficult to see what the current issues are. Does anyone else think that it would be worth extending it to , say, the most recent 20 topics.
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Curt
Joined: Eons Ago
# Posts: 3736
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Posted: 2008-Sep-18 07:01
From the examples given of Web 2.0, I don't see what the big deal with it is. This site looks Web 2.0 to me (at least Web 1.8 if yah wanna stick a number on it).
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