Switch back, please! The font is harder to read, I don't find the new look more intuitive in any way... The logo/banner at the top of the page is a bit more elegant but I don't care for the rest.
It's clean. The Times font is easy to read. It appears less stylish than your previous format and more commercial. The orange of the title and headlines needs to be burnt a bit. It seems new websites are becoming a trend in the niche.
Actually, I think it looks terrible now. It's now just like every other blog I've ever seen. I really liked the vintage "mod" feel of the old design, one of the things (besides the wonderful machinery and insights) that initially interested me when I first saw it.
I guess when you invite comment you're open to whatever may come. I always sign my name to my letters or comments, both negative and positive, and I appreciate it when others do the same.
Now that that's out of the way... Chris, you know I love white space, so I like the new look. But I'm sure there's a typeface between Times (easy to read but boooooooorrrring) and Courier (trendy but hard to read) that's a better fit (Palatino and Garamond come to mind).
You can't please everyone, obviously, one reason being that everyone's computer differs in the typefaces/fonts that are displayed. Remember that half your readers probably never saw the official Velo Orange font in the old banner b/c they didn't have Hafnium loaded in their typeface directory.
In short, don't sweat it. Makeovers are for the most part good. I'd be surprised if regular readers or lurkers stopped checking in b/c they didn't like the look.
Aw jeez, nobody will know the difference or care after a couple of days. Somebody show us your new or old bike pictures so we can critic and wish it were ours.
I surf everything from Linux and have a very limited font selection so only the basic fonts show up for me. If you need to headline something in a font other than helvetica/times/courier I suggest that you make a PNG or GIF of it. Until Annette mentioned it I had no idea the title bar was supposed to be in an interesting font.
As for the layout: do what makes you happy. We'll read your excellent blog however it's laid out! :)
Did someone say the fish has too much tail? I say it's well balanced by the pectoral fins. This is obviously a front loading fish in the French style. Some capers, lemon butter, a nice Muscadet...
As I did my thrice daily check on V.O. I noticed that there 27 comments on fonts and layout. Holy sh*t I thought, who'd have thunk that anybody cared. Then I thought, hell! let's go for the record.
Switch back, please! The font is harder to read, I don't find the new look more intuitive in any way...
ReplyDeleteThe logo/banner at the top of the page is a bit more elegant but I don't care for the rest.
You might be right about courier font being harder to read. I just switched to times font, which is very easy to read.
ReplyDeleteThe older version looked much better, IMO.
ReplyDeleteIt's clean. The Times font is easy to read. It appears less stylish than your previous format and more commercial. The orange of the title and headlines needs to be burnt a bit. It seems new websites are becoming a trend in the niche.
ReplyDeleteI prefer the old, undesigned version. That said, tweak the colors and get the logo back on top and you're almost there.
ReplyDeleteI usually prefer the navigation on the right for most blogs, but I got used to VO's left side, so I'd revert to that.
Blogger's "minima" template is the best place to start. All my blogs are heavily tweaked versions of that template.
Love the new format. Refreshing!
ReplyDeleteActually, I think it looks terrible now. It's now just like every other blog I've ever seen. I really liked the vintage "mod" feel of the old design, one of the things (besides the wonderful machinery and insights) that initially interested me when I first saw it.
ReplyDeleteOK, so what do you think of the fish bike?
ReplyDeleteI guess when you invite comment you're open to whatever may come. I always sign my name to my letters or comments, both negative and positive, and I appreciate it when others do the same.
ReplyDeleteNow that that's out of the way... Chris, you know I love white space, so I like the new look. But I'm sure there's a typeface between Times (easy to read but boooooooorrrring) and Courier (trendy but hard to read) that's a better fit (Palatino and Garamond come to mind).
You can't please everyone, obviously, one reason being that everyone's computer differs in the typefaces/fonts that are displayed. Remember that half your readers probably never saw the official Velo Orange font in the old banner b/c they didn't have Hafnium loaded in their typeface directory.
In short, don't sweat it. Makeovers are for the most part good. I'd be surprised if regular readers or lurkers stopped checking in b/c they didn't like the look.
Annette Najjar
Liked the old one better. Easier to navigate.
ReplyDeleteBTW, my Nitto S83 post arrived. Wow and I thought my Campy stainless steel post was nice. Gorgeous.
Ed Felker
Aw jeez, nobody will know the difference or care after a couple of days. Somebody show us your new or old bike pictures so we can critic and wish it were ours.
ReplyDeleteI surf everything from Linux and have a very limited font selection so only the basic fonts show up for me. If you need to headline something in a font other than helvetica/times/courier I suggest that you make a PNG or GIF of it. Until Annette mentioned it I had no idea the title bar was supposed to be in an interesting font.
ReplyDeleteAs for the layout: do what makes you happy. We'll read your excellent blog however it's laid out! :)
Super cool fish bike!
Karl
I like the look.
ReplyDeleteCan I reserve a Fish bike?
I suppose the fish bike would have been useful for PBP this year...
ReplyDeleteCall me a retro-grouch--but I already miss the old page (especially the comforting orange color block).
ReplyDeleteLL
I think I just miss your face at the top of the blog. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd your new orange is too harsh. How about #D2691E or #FF8C00 ?
It looks better with your face further down.
ReplyDeleteFrom The Onion:
http://tinyurl.com/34fro5
Neil, excellent piece in the Onion.
ReplyDeleteThe fish has to much trail and the blog should be in babelfish french.
ReplyDeleteAlready miss the old one!
ReplyDeleteI think the response is overwhelmingly clear...
nv
A man needs a fish bicycle like a ...
ReplyDeleteSheesh! I thought people quit whining about this sort of thing in, oh, the late Nineties or so.
ReplyDeleteI like the new design. The retrocarpers will get over it.
And speaking of carp, that's one cool fish!
Did someone say the fish has too much tail? I say it's well balanced by the pectoral fins. This is obviously a front loading fish in the French style. Some capers, lemon butter, a nice Muscadet...
ReplyDeleteSwitch back, please. The Times New Roman is unpleasant and the overall concept lacks "orangeness".
ReplyDeleteThis now looks like every blog on the 'net. Please switch back.
ReplyDeleteSigned,
Anonymous
I like it. Maybe the background ought to be a bit darker. Otherwise, it is more like a broadsheet newspaper where the earlier version was a tabloid.
ReplyDeleteAs I only visit when I am and home and relaxed, I prefer the luxury of the broadsheet.
The new site's OK, but I liked the old one better. Needs more orange!
ReplyDeleteAs I did my thrice daily check on V.O. I noticed that there 27 comments on fonts and layout. Holy sh*t I thought, who'd have thunk that anybody cared. Then I thought, hell! let's go for the record.
ReplyDeleteJust trying to do my part...
Is the fish stainless or aluminum? Can I get it 700c?
ReplyDeleteIffn it ain't broke, don't fix it! And the original wasn't busted.
ReplyDeleteMike Schmidt
Stirling, NJ
Wonder how many of those "anonyme" posts are the same person?
ReplyDeleteI liked it better as it was before.
ReplyDelete-- Steve Palincsar
Can I have some fish scale pattern Honjos?
ReplyDeleteIsn't that Grant Petersen riding the fish bike?
ReplyDeleteJames Manou (Menlo Park, Calif.)
I like the fish bike- I saw it at Burningman again this year....
ReplyDelete