September 08, 2004 | View Comments (46) | Category: Whitespace
Summary: It's Fall so that means the Whitespace Fall Edition had to arrive some time. That time just happens to be now. Check it out.
Well I see that Keith also did a little “refreshing” of his website today so please forgive me for this is merely coincidental. This has been waiting in the wings for sometime and is one of two versions. Wish I could show you the other one, but I got pissed and trashed it.
Then Bowman decided to show his “bleached” version and damn if it didn't resemble what I had been working on. So I figured I might as well get this one out.
As you may recall I asked you how you use blog homepages and as you can see I obviously had this design in mind when I asked that question.
Some time last year when I started to tweak the look of the homepage I realized that blog homepages never have to follow the conventions that we are used to. In fact the blog homepage isn't even really that important. It acts like a portal to the subpages that we read and add RSS to the mix you can see how irrelevant it becomes.
However, many of you will still see the homepage because that is just some of our viewing habits. With the new design (like the old one) you get everything on one page. For the first time visitor they get a quick intro into what Whitespace is about (needs improvement) along with all archives.
For veterans they can go to the homepage and quickly see if any new entries or comments have been added.
Of final note, notice how there is no global navigation on the homepage as it is not needed. Everything is there (will add contact form somewhere :-).
What I think the homepage accomplishes is giving the viewer a snapshot of what the whole site contains.
The heart and soul of any blog are the entry pages. No longer are the logos of my sites on the side, but just a simple list. You also get the simple site navigation on the side as well.
The sidebar dropping a little below the content was an accident, but I liked it so much that I kept it. Yes, I am a design genius.
As it is a simple design there really isn't much to talk about with regards to the details. Some bits and pieces to add here and there, but this is it. Nothing wow or fancy, but it just works.
Font-size might be small for some I am sure so increase it. Hopefully you aren't using IE ;-) (I will fixed the relative font issue sooner or later).
Love it. Hate it. Meh it. Whatever, you can discuss.
Trackback URL: http://9rules.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/330
Well, takes balls to throw your design out even if its not perfect or tweaked to how you like at the moment, but that is the great thing about this site is that you will get lots of comments ranging from loving it to hating it.
Bryan (http://www.juicedthoughts.com)
Man you have to be the faster commentor on all my sites. It's like you sit there right next to me when I hit publish.
This design is so unspecial that I don't even think it warrants an entry, but my hands can't stop hitting the keys so the entry is here.
Font size will increase more than likely as I am looking at the paragraphs with only one sentence and they don't look good at all. I think 11px works well when there is dense content.
Scrivs (http://businesslogs.com)
I actually put this in the previous article by mistake, but anyway, here it is again:
The new front page design is really nice scrivs, _but_ (:P) two things:
#centercoll should have it's top defined in ems. To see why, just increase text-size.
Could the latest (and greatest, yadayada) article be more prominent, say, like stopdesign has it. As I do really use the homepages of blogs quite frequently, even if I do have RSS.
For the rest I'm just glad that I still have room to innovate the frontpage design for my own blog (in the works, after other projects get finished) Also, an article in which you share your path of thinking when coming up with this new design would be appreciated. I can really see the link with 9rules design now, so I imagine it *just* flowed from that design.
Also, Throwing the design out there is really, really good as it stirs up a good debate (see DxF).
PS. Why not post the things you already see? Otherwise this thread might get rather repetitive and boring.
AkaXakA (http://akaxaka.gameover.com)
Hey man, thought I'd throw my quick .02 as we're on the same wavelength today.
I like the individual entries, but I miss some content on the homepage. This is probably just me (and my viewing habits) as it looks like you've done your research.
But, overall I think I like it quite a bit.
Keith (http://www.dkeithrobinson.com/asterisk/)
I like the new layout.
It was weird leaving the site, coming back within 5 minutes, and the stylesheet was only halfway updated. So the logo was all the way on the right, and the links were about halfway down the page.
Looks great now.
Jeremy Flint (http://www.jeremyflint.com)
I like it as well.
My only comment would be that I'd like to see the columns square off at the bottom and the addition of a footer.
Nice job overall though.
PS--I bet you weren't aware I could offer you a sincere compliment were you?
: )
Mark (http://www.lightpierce.com/ltshdw)
It's nice! Very clean, very you. :)
The front page looks good, lots of information cleanly separated for easy viewing.
In Safari, there's a big white space (no pun intended) above the sidebar on your entry pages, and the dotted line continues to go up. Is that intended? Feels kind of weird boxing in empty space.
Chris Vincent (http://dris.dyndns.org:8080/)
This just made me realize something, I don't know if it is true with everyone else, but I know its true with me. I hate when other people redesign.
I know as a designer, I think about redesigning my own stuff about 25 out of the 24 hours in a day (not a typo).
Funny how someone who is cosumed by change, can be so afraid of it at the same time.
It is nice Paul, just going to take me a good six months to get used to.
Oh, and as I was posting this comment I noticed that they Yes No, and the radio buttons seem to be a bit off.
Ryan Latham (http://www.unmatchedstyle.com)
I love it... once again you strike us with an overwhelmingly beautiful use of minimalism
Andrew (http://kempt.org)
I hate it and I want you to go back to the previous design.
Oh wait. I am just channeling some of the feedback I got on the design I unveiled this week. Sorry. ;)
Matthew Oliphant (http://businesslogs.com)
Like it. Want to nip the all caps georgia. Haven't I said that before?
Mike P. (http://www.fiftyfoureleven.com/sandbox/weblog/)
I like the new design, but I will really miss the old one. It was nice having the latest entry right there, in your face (am I the only one who doesn't use RSS readers on a regular basis?). Nice work overall; I'm a sucker for simplicity.
Just noticed something: your radio buttons for remembering personal info are misaligned in Firefox. I'll send a screenshot if you need one.
Vinnie Garcia (http://blog.vinniegarcia.com/)
*cough* FeedDemon Scrivs :)
I hit refresh on that thing very often. So I know whats new from you :) Big Brother is always watching..muahahahha.
btw - I am actually kinda digging the homepage now.
Bryan (http://www.juicedthoughts.com)
I like the fresh new design and how the sidebar isn't exactly starting at the top, but vertically aligned to be in the middle of the entry.
I miss the cute icons though. You have are being the ultra minimalist here, but the splash of extra color for the cute icons and one of the rare graphical elements was a nice touch before.
Lea (http://xox.lealea.net/01/)
Scrivs, can we get like a paragraph on the homepage? I still browse the web, haven't yet found a free RSS reader that I like and haven't taken the time to buy one. Soon, very soon. Also Firefox 0.9.1 the Yes No don't line up. Love the site change tho and the inside pages.
dru (http://www.drusellers.com)
I like how you think differently about your blog then pretty much every other blogger.
You probably just put me back even farther from putting my own out, now I want to rethink some stuff haha.
I would prefer a paragraph on the front page for when I am at work (no RSS aggregator allowed) but I also like the way the front page is organized and don't mind clicking in.
What about the summary for the most recent entry?
Jason G
It looks nice. I like the lines. ^_^
The radio button for "remember personal info" is misaligned and I'm using Firefox .9.2.
Zelnox
Well I have officially discovered that not many people read the comments as everyone likes to tell me that the buttons are misaligned in Firefox. Thanks everyone.
Scrivs (http://businesslogs.com)
yeah... you need to work on those radio buttons... and file your tps report
Andrew (http://kempt.org)
I like it alot, good job!
The only thing is my personal preference is to see a little of the article before I click through to it off the homepage, but that's just me.
Jason Berry
Wow! I like all the light and space.
I am using IE (don't blame me, blame my boss for the lame choice), but the font size is quite alright.
The homepage was a bit of a shock initially, but I can see it working. Inspirational!
Ronald van der Wijden (http://Not yet...)
very unique .... leave it to you Scrivs to push that envelope! :)
6 months from now, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone went to this new "portal" look for their blog homepages ...
however, I do think it would be nice to preview the latest entry somewhere on the homepage ...
chuck (http://telerana.f2o.org)
I liked your website and I still do. It's clear, it's simple, it's calm. Just great.
I have one issue with the homepage, i think the latest entry needs to be specal emphasised. But that may be a preference of mine.
I don't know if this portal-like homepage is a futre blog-trend, because this is not a usual blog, imho. It's something special and that is expressed visually through the design. Great work.
Eric (http://www.yatil.de)
I like the new layout, i don't like is that you won't show the last entry summary on main page.
It kind of sucks have to click on a title without have a bigger idea of whats going to read.
Maybe if you put the last entry summery on the "About whitspace" section.
Jose Silva (http://josesilva.portalm.com)
I have to jump on the "preview of the latest entry" bandwagon... your article titles are usually pretty straightforward but it couldn't hurt to give readers a little taste of content to ease them through to the next page.
I also agree with Lea about the icons for the other sites... their similar styles gave a good sense of the "network" as a whole.
And now that I'm done bashing the redesign, the only thing left to say is nice work!
Sharif (http://www.blueplaidshirt.com)
I would like to see you use a title with most links on the home page. Then I can hover and see what each article or category is about. The summary would be a great title for each article.
Peter 01010 (http://www.01010.org/)
I can't take my eye off the big white, symmetrical space in the top right. The focal point of the entry pages is really quite misplaced.
David House (http://xmouse.ithium.net)
yup, i'll back up House with that one. A design like this is one focussed far more on layout than actual design. i've found the advent of css layout to really be a network of websites that are based on essentially the grid, whose characteristics differ only in the details. it's like everyone buys the same car and the same paint kit and then it becomes a matter of stylizing the details to make it your own. like dotted lines vs solid lines.... boxes vs. spaces.... white vs. very very faint pink.
as much as i appreciate the immediate need for seperating content and presentation and as much as i loathe the inevitable mess that years of ignoring this practice is bound to make, i still can't personally make sense of sites like these being the product of everything being done right. a redesign amounting to a change in colour pallete or a shifting around of a layout just doesn't do it for me.
where's the innovation? does it count if the innovation is solely baby steps in writing better css? does it count as DESIGN? dunno.
and don't think i'm challenging you. this is a rant i've been bouncing around in my head for awhile now. it's a very clean site and i'm sure it's a functional one. but i go from your site to a site you've linked to (Keith) and I see a standard developing. they're essentially the same.
maybe question the standard.
Johnny Lactose (http://www.milkplusmedia.com)
What standard would that be Johnny? Two columns? That is the only thing I can see that Keith and I have in common. Definitely not the color scheme or almost anything else.
My CSS uses no hacks. Is that innovative?
My homepage isn't like any other blog, is that innovative?
I am just wondering what innovation you are looking for from a blog whose only content is the entries?
You have to realize Johnny once you get over the redesign part why else would you come to this site? To continuously look at the design or read the content? If it's to read the content then I think I succeeded. If it's just to look for an innovative design then maybe I have failed you. In any case if you are looking for innovations in design I don't think blogs are the right place to look.
Scrivs (http://9rules.com/)
hey scrivs,
obviously the goal of this site is not to have people come back continuously to look at it. you know that as well as i do. but i was talking about the design, as were you, and as you have before.
when i mention innovation, again, i'm referring to innovation of design, not css. css can get you there, yes, but however you go about doing it, the end result will be some form of 2d interface that people will see on their monitors. i'm also not referring to content. just the look. 1+1=2 as much as (500/2)-248 does.... (weak ass analogy alert).
anyway, in my browser, i go from your site to the other guy's site and nothing but colour and details change. that was my point. the layout is the same, the column widths are the same. it's a formula. that's my issue, not your site in particular, i like your site. it's the fact that people that know what they're doing with css (and i'm not one of them) all seem to be coming up with pretty much the same thing.
Johnny Lactose (http://www.milkplusmedia.com)
Johnny, I know you didn't have any particular issues with my site, but I was just wondering what do you think people can do with a page that is just an entry? It can go on the left, center, or right of the screen. Not much else unless I wanted you to scroll horizontally. You get what I am saying?
I don't think as designers we try not to innovate, but we have to look at what's practical. Do we innovate for innovation's sake or do we do it to provide a better user experience?
A lot of this was touched upon in Blog Design.
Scrivs (http://9rules.com/)
HA! well i guess i've been posting in the wrong place, scrivs! didn't realize you'd covered all this already.
in all honesty, i don't really buy your formula about how the design is a product of the number of sections. although that's only half true, because from a completely practical point of view, sure, keep it simple, if there's one section, there's not much design. the thing is though, I can hear jacob neilsen saying this, and man, look at HIS site.
also, something that just occured to me, my screen's at 1280 right now, and i'm scrolled near the bottom of the page while writing this. so i can see the top half of the preview post buttons at the bottom of my screen and the bottom half of my last post at the top of the screen. looking at only this, there's absolutely nothing on the screen to distinguish this site from any other site that has two columns and a white background.
granted, a blog site ain't about a visual identity as much as it's about it's content, but if it wasn't at all about visual identity, how come all your logos look the same? there's clearly a brand there. just not so much further down the page.
good chat though. let's keep it up.
Johnny Lactose (http://www.milkplusmedia.com)
Just so we don't keep running around in circles let me state that when I speak of "design" I am simply talking about layout and not the aesthetics and other visual identifiers that can be found within a site. This definitely could use a bit more of those.
With that said does that change things at all for you? Or is a two-column layout always look the same no matter what colors and visual identifiers are used?
Scrivs (http://9rules.com/)
ah well, at least you're putting up with me.
by design really i mean everything. what do i see? that's the design. the two column layout is an issue in this case on account of the similarity of width and of function. maybe we can start saying grid. the GRID is pretty much the same. why not change the grid? and that's when you say well if it's not broke don't fix it, i guess. maybe we're talking about different things. but the reiterate, how come all css sites have to look the same. anybody else want to jump in here?
Johnny Lactose (http://www.milkplusmedia.com)
Alright so let's look at this page as an example of trying to "extend" the grid.
We have the entry, comments, and navigation.
What I could do is put the comments on the side of the entry (ala DxF v.2) and you would probably consider that different, but I wouldn't consider it as usable.
So if you can think of a way of pushing the grid for this page and have it be usable I am all for giving it a try.
Scrivs (http://9rules.com/)
yeah but then i'd be squashing your redesign, and like i said, i have no issue with it. this is more a general mindset than one specific to your site, scrivs!
Johnny Lactose (http://www.milkplusmedia.com)
I wouldn't see it as you squashing my site. My pride isn't that soft man. I was just wondering how you would rework the grid so that it was different than others and I figured why not use this page?
It's all for the benefit of mankind anyways :-)
Scrivs (http://9rules.com/)
Johnny: HTML is inherently a grid-based language. And when you're working with a limited number of elements (Navigation, Logo, Article, Comments), there's only so many combinations that you can do with that and still have a usable site.
What inevitably happens is that sites within specific genres that have similar elements to deal with will tend to share a similar grid. For example, in the search realm, you've got sites like Google, MSN Search, and Ice Rocket. In TV Networks, you've got NBC, CBS, and ABC with their boxy super-grids. Or online bookstores, Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Chapters with their tabby goodness.
So, it's no surprise that blogs tend to follow a similar grid.
Jonathan Snook (http:///jonathan/)
Mr. Snook,
i see your point. similarly functioning sites have similarly functioning layouts. brings us back towards scrivs rule mentioned earlier. although the fact that this isn't a news site doesn't really tell me that there can't be as much screen space used to keep me posted on the most recent entries to the most recent blogs or whatever you might choose to display. just because this is a blog site doesn't mean that each page has to deal entirely with one blog. fill some space with some summaries of the most active blogs, along with the first reply and the latest reply, show the original context, the conversation it started, and where the conversation's gone since. what's a blog really but an idea that provokes conversation. should we be as limited to one news story as much as we're limited to one blog?
and this is one tangent i chose to sit on and crush under my immovable cheeks of rebuttle, but it's worth considering.
although, i'll admit i'm new to blogs. although blogs with rss... damn. holy productivity destroyer.
Johnny Lactose (http://www.milkplusmedia.com)
Then the argument isn't "Why do all blogs look the same" but rather "Why aren't they showing me more content?" And then the innovation lies in how those new elements are presented...
Jonathan Snook (http:///jonathan/)
See Johnny you are just proving my "law" even further. Your innovation lies in adding more elements to the page. I wanted you to innovate with what was on this page. Sure I could add more elements and that would change the look of the page, but I just want people to focus on the entry.
Nice ideas though.
Scrivs (http://9rules.com/)
ok, not to get this too muddled and confused. sure, that's an idea, throw more stuff on the page. maybe my own definition of design isn't even clear to me, since you're right, i'm not really sure what i'm trying to say. i did see the home page of this site, and that works nicely. redeems this level of page more. first i was attacking css layouts, now i guess i'm attacking blogs. man..... gotta say though, whatever it is i'm doing sure is fun.
although..... how the elements are presented on the page (few elements or many elements) is still a part of the design as a whole, but then i guess which came first the design or the elements to be designed.....
one last shot at figuring out what i'm trying to say..... if this is it for the state of blog pages, if this format is so taylor made for this purpose, and if already most blog sites look and work like this, then is that the end of innovation for sites like these?
ok, try that one. :)
Johnny Lactose (http://www.milkplusmedia.com)
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#1
Meh, I see stuff that needs work already. Oh well. No rest for the weary. That's what I get for just throwing a design out there, huh?
Scrivs (http://businesslogs.com)