Topic: New Menu test & other changes

Hi all,

You may have noticed that we are testing a new menu for much of the site, excluding the forum. We wanted to see if this simplifies using the site  and makes it easier to navigate. Let us know what you think. If you like this new menu system better then we will incorporate it into the forum  also.

We also made a few other significant changes. On the homepage, we limited the listings to Books, Poems, and Short stories as the other categories were not seeing enough volume to justify the space. You can still access other Types from the Read and Review tab.

We also changed the system so that Basic users can no longer post. Not many were doing it but those who did had content that lingered on the site and distracted from Premium members.

Thanks,
Sol

Quote Post 1

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Looks good, Sol. The only suggestion I can make is to remove the Home menu item. I always used the logo at the top left to get back to my home page, so the Home is redundant to me. But, I'm probably in the minority.

~Tom

Quote Post 2

Re: New Menu test & other changes

I agree with Tom. It looks good. One possible change to the home page would be to put writing from my connections before books. Also I'd love to see new reviews higher up the home page on the right, either before after new users. Shelved stuff rarely changes, whereas new reviews come in at quick pace. I always forget to look at the latter because it's so far down the page. Like Tom, I use the TNBW label on the upper left to go to the home page, but as a new user I didn't realize it was there, so Home seems like a good thing to have.

Quote Post 3

Re: New Menu test & other changes

How do I read a work posted outside of my groups? Or do I have to join the group to read its posted works? Just curious.

Quote Post 4

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Are you excluding the new layout from the forums until testing is done, or will there be two interfaces (regular vs forum)? I hope it's former.

Quote Post 5

Re: New Menu test & other changes

How do I read a work posted outside of my groups? Or do I have to join the group to read its posted works? Just curious.

It depends on the setting the writer selects. They can post just to a group to connections, etc. But generally, you have to be a member of the group that user posts to.

Quote Post 6

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Would it be possible to add Search Forum as an alternative when doing a search on the site? Currently it's only Search Writer and Search Posting.

Quote Post 7

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Are you excluding the new layout from the forums until testing is done, or will there be two interfaces (regular vs forum)? I hope it's former.

It's the former. We want to make sure members like the new format before we implement it on the forum.

Quote Post 8

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Nice work!

Quote Post 9

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Good changes, SoL  But I do want the home tab still there.  I use it a lot to get back to, well, the home page.  lol

Quote Post 10

11 Reply by njc (edited by njc 2016-08-25 21:15:07)

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Seems to work okay, but the saturated color is a bit distracting.

Floating overlays, even top bars, consume space on the screen.  On small (smartphone) screens, every bit of space is precious.

Quote Post 11

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Floating overlays, even top bars, consume space on the screen.  On small (smartphone) screens, every bit of space is precious.

Yes, I've wondered myself about whether the top menu should be sticky on mobile devices. Right now, it floats but we could easily change that. Use it for a few days and then let's hear some feedback. If eveyone finds it annoying, we can stick the menu at the top on mobile. We could also do the same on desktop.

Sol

Quote Post 12

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Please, keep the "home' icon. It's super intuitive!

Kiss,

Gacela

Quote Post 13

14 Reply by njc

Re: New Menu test & other changes

And helpful.

On the subject of floating objects on the page: nearly all of them are for advertisers or for the convenience (profit) of the web page owner.  The only one I've seen that is of genuine help to the user is the column headers used by DigiKey.

Quote Post 14

Re: New Menu test & other changes

njc wrote:

Seems to work okay, but the saturated color is a bit distracting.

That dark blue does kind of stand out, doesn't it? I would recommend a different color, something lighter, that doesn't dominate the screen.

Quote Post 15

16 Reply by Norm d'Plume (edited by Norm d'Plume 2016-08-26 03:18:07)

Re: New Menu test & other changes

SolN wrote:

If eveyone finds it annoying, we can stick the menu at the top on mobile. We could also do the same on desktop.
Sol

Sol, if you move the menu to the top on the desktop, where would you put the TNBW control, the search button, and the drop-down menu? Below it? I'm not sure I'm picturing it correctly.

Quote Post 16

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Don't understand why it says 'upgrade' on my portfolio to make it visible, as the only upgrade is to premium membership, which I have, and which doesn't expire until February of 2017.  I would like that fixed so people can see my portfolio.  Also, do you accept American Express.  Would prefer to use that for my auto-renewal.

Quote Post 17

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Don't understand why it says 'upgrade' on my portfolio to make it visible, as the only upgrade is to premium membership, which I have, and which doesn't expire until February of 2017.  I would like that fixed so people can see my portfolio.  Also, do you accept American Express.  Would prefer to use that for my auto-renewal.

This shouldn't be happening. I'll look into it. I believe the site accepts Amex.

Quote Post 18

Re: New Menu test & other changes

rhiannon wrote:

Don't understand why it says 'upgrade' on my portfolio to make it visible, as the only upgrade is to premium membership, which I have, and which doesn't expire until February of 2017.  I would like that fixed so people can see my portfolio.  Also, do you accept American Express.  Would prefer to use that for my auto-renewal.

Hi Sol,
Have the reference to needing to upgrade again despite my valid premium membership until June 2017. Would be interesting to find out if my portfoliio is visible despite this message.

Quote Post 19

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Randall, your portfolio is visible.

Quote Post 20

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Norm d'Plume wrote:

Randall, your portfolio is visible.

Many thanks for checking, Norm.  Guess I don't need to worry about the erroneous statement.  Thanks again.

Quote Post 21

22 Reply by njc

Re: New Menu test & other changes

It would appear that the software wants the portfolio to be set to full internet access, which allows people who haven't agreed to Terms of Service to see it.  Those Terms of Service protect your copyright on your work.

Quote Post 22

Re: New Menu test & other changes

That's not what it is. It's a bug in the billing system which has been fixed.

Quote Post 23

Re: New Menu test & other changes

I liked the little house to click to go to my home page.

Quote Post 24

Re: New Menu test & other changes

Janet, you can click on the TNBW logo on the upper left to go to your home page. That's probably easier than lining up the mouse on the home icon. I imagine some new users may not know that the logo is clickable. I didn't when the site was first rolled out.

Quote Post 25