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StormLiong
Join Date: 2002-12-27 Member: 11569Members
Join Date: 2002-12-27 Member: 11569Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">why are they so bland?</div> Sometimes i wonder when i go to other website's forums of like big organisations like BBC or CNN, their board's interface look dreadful to me. I mean yes they surely look nice with the site but the way they present it, it just look so bland. Even the way u post a message its jsut so simple.
Although even with this people are still using it alot and some how the presentation of the threads sounds correct to them.
But so far I think is that when it comes to sites about net/games/comps everyone uses PHPBB or invision or something similar.
The big commercial sites somehow just stay away from it and design something thats like so simplified and bland so that their users don't get "lost" or something.
This mainly came up when I was trying to dissuade my fren from dropping Invision for a forum that was like tooooo simple....didnt even have user login etc.
Although even with this people are still using it alot and some how the presentation of the threads sounds correct to them.
But so far I think is that when it comes to sites about net/games/comps everyone uses PHPBB or invision or something similar.
The big commercial sites somehow just stay away from it and design something thats like so simplified and bland so that their users don't get "lost" or something.
This mainly came up when I was trying to dissuade my fren from dropping Invision for a forum that was like tooooo simple....didnt even have user login etc.
Comments
0_o
Lies! <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
However, a large proportion of internet users are not as experienced with forums, or indeed with browsing the web in general, and they need simplified interfaces which display a limited number of available options. This keeps their choice easy, and their browsing experience happy. These tasks are often reinforced with visual cues and very specific/leading language choice.
A website will often also have tailored interfaces to suit the purpose of the website. For example, the BBC message boards have a very distinct category split, drilling down to a single very specific forum. The NS forums have the opposite, a wide range of forums for very similar topics (theyre all to do with NS, after all). On the official NS forums, of someone gets lost, they will most likely retrace their steps and keep searching. Theres no alternative. On sites which offer more generic categories, a user getting lost often means they will visit a competitor in future.
I am intrieged to hear further arguments on why simple designs and interfaces are bad.
A matter of preference. I like of minimalistic approach, as you can see from my site, but some like of fancy stuff. Myself, I have noticed that younger people want the latter, and more mature simpler. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I'm going with Redford on this one.
partially?
By 'we' you mean you and your other personalities, right?
Hey, speak for yourself.
Partially? Bah...
110% crackers here.
Hey, speak for yourself.
Partially? Bah...
110% crackers here. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
graham? wheat? saltine? i personally prefer graham, they are tasty....... <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Hey, speak for yourself.
Partially? Bah...
110% crackers here. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
graham? wheat? saltine? i personally prefer graham, they are tasty....... <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
mmm, cheezits.....
Hey, speak for yourself.
Partially? Bah...
110% crackers here. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
graham? wheat? saltine? i personally prefer graham, they are tasty....... <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
mmm, cheezits..... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
And this is why we are not alowed on CNN's forums.
Hey, speak for yourself.
Partially? Bah...
110% crackers here. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
graham? wheat? saltine? i personally prefer graham, they are tasty....... <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
mmm, cheezits..... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
And this is why we are not alowed on CNN's forums. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
we arent?
Hey, speak for yourself.
Partially? Bah...
110% crackers here. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
graham? wheat? saltine? i personally prefer graham, they are tasty....... <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
mmm, cheezits..... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
And this is why we are not alowed on CNN's forums. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
we arent? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Now I feel like posting my sig on the CNN forums....
I can see it now, tomorrow's headline:
<b><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>NEW STUDY SHOWS INTERNET IMPAIRS SPELLING SKILLS</span></b>
It kinda like having a high tech car with every conceivable control and features but to take it all out and just leave the steering wheel and accelerator and brake just because ppl would find it too confusing.
I just want to be able to like for example post a smiley on CNN, and have the news reader pick my post by chance and like say "Blan Blah Blah <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> ". Now wont that look kewl on TV. Hehe
True enough though that possibly that bandwith might be the issue.
Not knocking the site, but the message boards are horribly difficult to navigate.
What's wrong with <a href='http://forum.playzen.net' target='_blank'>mine, anyway</a>? I always thought they were quite nice.
Ta Fam once again for the banner! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
- Shockwave